[FANFIC - HBD, KARIN! PII] READING BETWEEN THE LINES ; (SK)
By: Kanae (Goth-Punk88 @ ff.net)433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbV4AwAD49G
Rating: K+433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCrdQdDYHI
Word Count: 1.956433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MNFRWgyO2
Author's Notes: A lighthearted, crack-ish piece, in contrast to the overly fluffy one. I didn't have a clue of what to call it though, so the title is pretty random lol433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovrPt59DHf
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reading between the lines ;433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvgGgaL4AY
by Kanae433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD9YGmLf7R
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Stupid Orochimaru.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGFTIxqH4A
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Figures he would push her transfer to the Southern base to tomorrow, out of all days. At the tender age of fourteen, there are many things that Karin has shed and discarded—girly emotions and interests that she has cut loose, as a meaning to let go of unnecessary weights that would do nothing but hold her down.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVZ9scvOQF
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This particular weight, though, was proving to be quite hard to seize and dispose of. It only came once a year, after all.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGTKwTIHya
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And now it would be ruined.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuk4bcbnVK
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The thought makes her lower lipstick out in a pout, which promptly gives way to a scowl as she concludes—not for the first time—that the man had probably done it on purpose.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCQhAkgk4k
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No, he had definitely done it on purpose. Forget that such a childish action should be leagues beneath a power-hungry maniac like himself; when it came down to it, Orochimaru’s hobby was making people miserable. He got a kick out of it, so in retrospect, Karin guessed she should have seen it coming.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKerojWOcoq
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Still, stubborn and proud as she was, she had not given him the pleasure; she had taken the news with a straight face and easily slipped into the act that had taken her months to perfect, but that had started to bear its fruits—even if it had yet to stop making her sick.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAFtg2SjMd
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Understood. You won’t be disappointed, Orochimaru-sama.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrPWQsP0MG
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The man had simply smirked, mirth in those gashes he had for eyes. I know.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzvftq39iA
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Karin knew, too, even though she rather wished she didn’t.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xIudWPFGl
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It was embarrassing—more like humiliating, actually—to acknowledge that, while she had gotten playing the part of the loyal subordinate down to an art, she had yet to master the act of not having feelings for Sasuke.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvYqW55Xnd
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She would do well most of the time; great, actually—no one would dare to second-guess that she held no interest in the boy, aside from a begrudging partnership.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeRJs1flk7
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But then Sasuke would unexpectedly do something—a brief touch, a compliment, a look—and her façade would bend at the seams and the truth would sneak out in the form of traitorous blushes and awkward stuttering.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCJI6SYfzO
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Stupid Sasuke, Karin curses inwardly, her frown deepening as she airily snuck another shirt inside her bag. Making her expose her only weakness while simultaneously remaining completely oblivious about it.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2qpyIk1dL
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It was no wonder that Orochimaru would want to separate them; Karin had seen that much coming a mile away, so while disappointing, it had not been a surprise. But this—the freaking timing was definitely beyond her expectations.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJTqkJFR57
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So focused was she on her thoughts, that she does not realize the chakra approaching her until he speaks.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLviUxPaR1N
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“Still packing, Karin?”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQhLp8DC1P
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Startled, Karin turns only to find Sasuke casually regarding her from the threshold of the door, against which he was leaning. It takes her all of two seconds to get over her surprise and a couple of extra ones to stop chiding herself for letting her guard down.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPySKOW9S6
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“I’m almost done,” she states, shifting her gaze back to her open bag. Not like she had much to pack, anyway; she had not taken anything with her when leaving her burning village to join Orochimaru—Sasuke—almost whole year ago, and since then the items of clothing she has acquired have been scarce. Such commodities were unnecessary given the new type of life she lead, and moreover—“Tch, Sasuke, when will you learn how to knock? I could be changing, for all you know.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8Xd2Yi7Fh
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Karin does not look at him, there is no need to; she can easily picture the way he tilts his head to the side, bangs falling on his eyes and giving him an impossibly sexy aura as he smirks. “You would’ve stopped me from coming in, if you were.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iOdRdHaDr
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Damn him. All plain logic even in the face of the prospect of seeing her in her underwear; why did she have to fall for such a clueless, hormone-less idiot, again?433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCO4jM2GyeC
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Oh. Right.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcw7lyEJyTN
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It takes her a considerable amount of will to repress the sigh that wanted to leave her lips, “Whatever.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHVfRhSAKS
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Suddenly she hears him shifting, straightening; and her hands halt in expectation, her thoughts and irritation quieting down to a soundless tune as she patiently waited for the words that would follow.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpiXQ2fKBa
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“…You shouldn’t leave your door open like this, there.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYkXj60fVa
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He finally says, and Karin is thankful that her back is to him, or else he may have noticed the way her gaze softens, “I know.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuDq9GVq5C
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It’s Sasuke’s turn to wait, now; he seems to know it as instinctively as Karin herself did, and he does not utter a single word until she has gathered enough courage to ask what she has been wanting to—but refusing to—ask all along, not wanting to be perceived as weak—as scared. “How is it…? The Southern base, I mean.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrP806b5VG1
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“I’ve never been there.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6PujqBrTs
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“… I see.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YVAJOQXuu
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Silence. For Orochimaru to have never taken Sasuke there, it could only mean one thing—433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVQCQEJOzj
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“…Orochimaru told me it’s the less dangerous of them all,” the boy says, and as if to confirm her thoughts, his voice carries a different savor within it—one reserved to accompany his gaze whenever he regarded Orochimaru, or Kabuto, or those that bit—“You won’t have much on your case, aside of…”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTfQr615tH
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He does not need to finish; the unsaid rings loud and clear between them and both direct a look to her exposed, tarnished arms. There weren’t that many scars in them, yet—but she got the feeling there would be, soon. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why Orochimaru wanted her as the sole jailer of the base—the thought makes her stomach clench, and so Karin pushes it away and focuses on something else before the feeling could threaten to take over her.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAwB3NYT3O
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She focuses on the one thing—the one person that had singlehandedly managed to help her endure everything she has gone through ever since she lost her family and village.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwguwejK6yW
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Sasuke.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTIurVzfa4
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“Heh, so you asked him?”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gLo7Gw32l
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He must have heard the mocking note in her tone, because he crosses his arms across his chest and furrows his brow, “Hn, so what?”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6otpivvzJr
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She pretends to not have heard him, throwing him a roguish look over her shoulder and enjoying a little too much the way his frown deepens in response. He could be so amusing, sometimes. “You should know better, Sasuke; you don’t need to worry about me, I can defend myself just fine.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn76aYO7CA
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“I’m not worried, Karin.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwEnvXTSNO
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Karin snorts, “Sure you aren’t.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRono6BjZP
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Sasuke wisely keeps his retort to himself, as expected—it’s been a while since he had realized that arguing with her took him nowhere. Both of them were too stubborn, and unlike him, Karin wasn’t planning to put leashes on her temper anytime soon.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqWwxAcDIA
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Anytime soon. Her eyes widen.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGj0Yzka3og
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“Say, Sasuke, did you ask Orochimaru for how long will I be there?”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnz9hoNXcJ
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He does not reply immediately; and in his silence, Karin hears the reply loudest of all. “… It’s undetermined.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKFNaHEQ3U
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“Oh,” is all she can muster, suddenly all too conscious of a single fact—just how long would it be before she saw Sasuke again? He was busy training, and Orochimaru rarely let him out of his sight as it was, and she—she would have her hands full handling the base by herself.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmVBuBx6mP
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Chances are she would not get to talk, feel or bicker with Sasuke for months.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjbjttUZvZ
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Perhaps even years. The thought alone is able to make her blood run cold, and she almost lets out a gasp when Sasuke’s voice breaks through the heavy silence, as if reading her very core.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBYB22hbWR
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“… It won’t be that long, Karin.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxo4kqqkNvE
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When she looks at him, she finds a dangerous glint sharpening his eyes and at once knows what he means.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QHCSexymg
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Orochimaru would not be around for much longer.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMD0FTFfbA
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Karin swallows, a shot of adrenaline reigniting her veins.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSfIS5WwS6
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It is the unavoidable future; one that had been decided even before their paths crossed again, and one that Sasuke had set in stone ever since. Nothing Karin could do or say would change his mind, and so all she had left to do was trust him.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHmI6geqom
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“…Right,” she smirks, and makes a point of passing her concern as taunting mockery. “Just make sure to keep your head attached to your neck until then. You won’t have me around to heal you anymore, so you will have to get used to Kabuto.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdrXC6zaXv
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“Hn.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkfuYBdNRB
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She sees his scowl, his derisive eye-roll—and somehow is suddenly acutely aware, to the point where she can almost feel it as a physical affliction, of how much she was going to miss him.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRdBVzT5tt
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Everything about him. From his ways to his silence to the way his chakra felt and the way he made her feel, in turn.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmU4CHjUiwR
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And for the briefest of moments, Karin cannot help but to indulge herself and wonder if he would miss her, too—though she knows better. Sasuke was too single-minded, too focused on his revenge mission to give a thought to anything else, but still—433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXen13idUhj
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Of course he would. He was only human, even if he would rather pretend—believe—otherwise, and she was the only person he spoke to out of his own volition. The only person he trusted; enough to rely on, enough to keep her around. If he is not lonely yet, then he is going to be lonely, now.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvCFWg1eIA
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As will she.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLizVmhH9h
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It is that thought that prompts Karin to entertain being forward for a change and asking Sasuke to spend the night—if only as a birthday present.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwGhGS0G7v
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She is merely wetting her lips and preparing to take the chance and let out a say, sasuke when he beats her to it and calls her name.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFZTTgC9Zg
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Flabbergasted, Karin can only catch the pouch that is suddenly thrown at her, “Huh?”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAuWn52QBS
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“Poisoned kunai,” Sasuke states with a slight, nonchalant shrug before sticking his hands into his pockets. “I thought they may come in handy.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCICkmJ44j
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She feels warm all over, and prays that Sasuke won’t notice the way her face seemed to be burning like a bonfire, “R-right.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ749wJJQPJ
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“See ya, Karin.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujGOFuCQvl
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“Later, Sasuke.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTopzmeZtJO
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It is almost as embarrassing as her treacherous blush, but for a moment, Karin had actually thought—433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1qtFMtUVg
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“Pft, as if.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Y8213iarD
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She should have known better—Karin thinks, as she opens the pouch and takes out one of the kunai—Sasuke was not the kind to care about birthdays; and neither was she, for that matter. Not the Karin she was growing up to be, at least; she has no doubt that by next year, June 20 would be just another date.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOMhsBMAFQ
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Still… while it had not been a birthday present, it had been a nice gesture nonetheless. And then he went around denying that he cared, the nerve of him.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovSwhcWm8e
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Seriously, Sasuke, you can be so basic sometimes. The thought makes her smile fondly, and she is just about to put the pouch away when she notices the inconspicuous little fan carved on its backside, just a small dot of reds and whites in what was otherwise an immaculate sea of beiges.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBQJjgMNqd
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She blinks—once, twice—and then her smile morphs into a full blown smirk, her fingertips longingly tracing the pattern.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvAwARXmFH
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Sasuke probably had not even noticed it—old habits die hard, after all, and he seemed to be as obsessed with that crest as he was with his revenge—but that hardly mattered, for at the end—433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojzH7ZJdqQ
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At the end, it all amounted to the same.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKul55kqIIv
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“Happy birthday,” Karin mutters, an enthusiastic glint in her eye. “Uchiha Karin.”433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡols49b5mmb
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end.
tags: fanfic, karin, naruto, sasukarin, sasuke
ns3.15.179.145da2
