Theme: Caught Red Handed
Character(s): Tenten, Orochimaru
Pairing(s): None.
Warning(s): None... really.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but these words.
Note: Based on a plot idea originally made for the RP community of circleobetryal that eventually inspired the fic 'Inheritance of Betrayal' Theme borrowed from the 30_tortures challenge community.
Dedicated to: its_game_time on LJ

As soon as the crowd began to form, she knew there would be no hiding it. Not with the blood still staining her hands. With the body still warm and fresh from the kill. It had not been Tenten's intention to end the bastard's life, but there had been no choice. Survive, or die at his hands. Those had been her options. And while it certainly would have brought an end to her misery as Orochimaru's unwilling prisoner - minion? - there were a lot of things that the kunoichi still had to accomplish before that final mission.

So in the split-second that the young shinobi had pulled out the kunai and made to slash at her throat, she made a decision. The results, of which, stretched out before her like a melted painting. Inch by careful inch, the Genin's blood crawled outwards with each passing second until it drained out into the grate nearby. Doing as they intended, she supposed.

There were a lot of deaths in Oto, after all. The entire floor of the base would be covered in blood if they did not have an outlet.

And then all thought seemed to drain away with it as well as Tenten felt a heavy hand press down on her shoulder. His hand, she knew. Because there could be no mistaking the deadly aura that surrounded the man. No other way to read the reactions of those that circled around her. Like the two who shared his title, a legendary shinobi like him simply held a presence that could not be ignored. One that was to be feared by all who resided within the village.

"It's good to see you're coming along in your training," he said -- Although to her, it sounded more like "It's so good that you're adapting to Oto-life so easily." -- And then he was gone, just as quickly as he had appeared.

Tenten was not sure which one was worse.

That night was the first time she had been allowed to sleep in her quarters unattended.