"Akira! Ki-chan! Are you awake!?"Naruto banged on the bedroom door loudly.
"I am now."She called, Naruto taking the silent invitation and bolting into the room, locking the door behind him, and racing to glomp the girl on the bed. She moaned tiredly, fluttering her eyes closed in slight pain. "What's up?"She asked once Naruto had crawled under the blankets, snuggling together in the bed. He sighed thoughtfully.
"Sasuke asked me if he could move in with us."He said softly. Her eyes widened, and she tilted her head towards him, a thoughtful expression on her face, too.
"What'd you say back?"She asked.
"I wanted to ask you if thought it was okay, since he's Itachi-kun's brother and all."Naruto muttered, blushing and looking away at her knowing look.
"I see. So you lied to him because you were afraid of saying yes."She said, sitting up. He made a protesting sound, either to her leaving the warm covers, or to her accusation. Or maybe both.
"Where are you going?"He asked, childishly pouting.
"I want to sketch you."She said, going to the writing desk and picking up her expensive, gorgeous sketch book Itachi bought her when he was in France two weeks ago. Naruto sighed.
"All you do now a days is sketch."He pouted.
"With out my mother inside of me, and my family looming over my shoulders, I can freely be an artist."She told him happily, sighing, and smiling beautifully. "I'm just so happy that I can't stop myself. I find new things all the time to sketch when Itachi takes me on walks."She mused, sitting on a chair she drew from the desk at the end of the bed. He sighed, resting in the still warm covers tiredly.
"What should I say to Sasuke?"He asked.
"What you want."She told him lightly. "Do what you want for once, Naruto. No ones going to stop you. This is your house, and every body in the house knows how much Sasuke means to you."She said with a chuckle at his faint blush.
"I can't beleive we managed to get almost all of our friends in this house."Naruto mused happily.
"It's so much fun. Even Itachi thinks it is."She chimed, silence drifting over them, mixing with the soft scratch of her pencil on paper.
"So when is Itachi-kun coming back?"He asked. She looked up from her book, and sighed.
"Not till this friday."She pouted. "I don't like that he just abandons me to my vices. I'll hurt myself."She mused, grinning a fanged grinned. She quickly closed her mouth at Naruto's hesitate look, and they both gave the other a sorry look.
"It really doesn't bother me."He told her, sitting up. She looked down, sighing.
"It's okay, Naruto. Even I flinch at my reflection."She said softly, looking over at the floor length mirror near the closet. It stared back at her, blue eyes sad as Naruto moved towards her. He rubbed her head, smiling at her.
"It's not that you're scary, Ki-chan. It's just that I'm not used to them yet. You've only been like this for a couple months."He explained.
"I know."She said.
"Hey, you two."They both snapped back, glancing at the smirking Kiba. "Not doing anything I wouldn't do, right?"
"That doesn't leave out much."Naruto muttered, Akira laughing lightly, Kiba rolling his eyes.
"What's up?"Akira asked the boy.
"Yea. If you stay too much longer, she'll be sketching you for hours."Naruto chimed, climbing off the bed, and heading for the door.
"Uchiha-san just called."Kiba told Akira. She jumped up, frowning.
"What do you mean 'just'? Why didn't you call for me?"She demanded.
"I thought you were still sleeping."Kiba said apologetically. "He left his hotel number. It's on the table next to the phone."He said.
"Ah! Okay!"She grinned, and tossed her sketch book lightly on the bed, starting for the door.
"She's such a lovesick puppy."Naruto mused as she started down the steps.
"I heard that!"She called back before racing for the phone.
"Uchiha Itachi."
"Itachi!"She chimed, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor, her flannel PJ's looking ugly matched with the old victorian carpet.
"Ah, Akira."He mused softly, the creak of the bed telling her he had been laying down.
"Oh? Were you sleeping? I can call you back later."She looked up at the clock, telling her that is was almost 1 in the morning where he was.
"No. It's okay."She heard the wisp of his hair against his skin, his head shaking. She sighed, smiling.
"I can hear your heart beat over the phone."She mused. He chuckled.
"Is that so? I can hear yours, too."He told her softly.
"It makes it seem as if I'm in the bed next you."She said, closing her eyes. She pictured him laying on his old european four poster canopy bed, dark drapes of sheer material over the top with silk sheets. He'd be on his side, head held up by his bent arm, his dark hair flowing over his shoulders and neck, his pale skin vibrant against the dark bedding. She heard him make a noise, and decided he was picturing a similiar scene.
"I'll be home soon."He reasurred, to her or him, she couldn't quite make out. She chuckled softly, smiling at Temari as she and Gaara left for work and school.
"Hello, Itachi."She called as she passed, Gaara grunting his greeting. Itachi chuckled.
"He says Good morning, back."Akira mused to them as the door closed.
"Are you in the foyer?"He questioned.
"Yea. That's our only phone right now."She said lightly.
"I could call you back on your cell."He offered.
"It's alright. It's not like you're a secret."She smiled softly, closing her eyes again.
"What should I bring you back this time?"He asked.
"I don't know. You don't have to bring me anything back. Just you."She mused. "Clothes are optional."She added with a smirk. He gave a dark chuckle, and she could picture him, closing his eyes and shaking his head in mirth.
"You're too cute sometimes."He mused, sighing.
"You sound tired."She whispered. She could hear his yawn, the swift out burst of air as he ended it.
"I am." He agreed, not bothering to argue with her.
"Well, then get some sleep. We'll talk when you get up. Call my cell because I'm going out with Sasori-kun and Deidara-kun to the Art Deco show in the city today."She told him lightly.
"Alright. I will."He agreed.
"Sleep tight."She murmured.
"Behave."He returned. She heard the phone click shut, and stood, setting it on the hanger. It immediately rung. She picked up quickly.
"Itachi?"She questioned.
"Sorry."She sighed at Deidara's voice."I'm not your precious Itachi-chan, un."He mused.
"What do you want?"She questioned.
"Sasori-dono says to get ready. We'll be over there in an hour to pick you up, yeah." He chimed.
"Oh...Alright."She agreed. "See you, then."
"Bye bye, un."He mused, and clicked the phone closed. She did the same, and hovered for a moment, almost wanting Itachi to call her back even though she knew he was probably asleep by now.
"Akira? Can I use the phone?"She blinked, smiling at Ino.
"Yea. Sure. Sorry. I spaced out."She said, turning and starting up the steps.
"You okay?"Ino called after her.
"Yea. I just miss him."She mused, smiling reassuringly before going to her room. She took a shower, and then did her girl things, before pulling some underwear, and a pair of khaki capris, and a pale blue t-shirt over a black long sleeved shirt, grabbing her messenger bag. She tossed in two sketch books, including Itachi's gift, and some pencils, her camera, wallet, and her iPod. She stuffed her cell in her pocket after checking the battery, rereading over Itachi's saved texts from last night dreamily. She tied her hair back, putting on a bit of make up before grabbing some socks and hoping down the stairs, two at a time. "Chouji-chan! Anything left over!?"She asked eagerly as she slide on to the bar stool. He smiled at her, and made her a plate of the left over breakfast foods.
"You came just in time. I was about to clean up."He said.
"Oh don't worry about that. I'll do it. You should get ready for work."She told him lightly.
"Are you sure?"He asked, glancing at the mess.
"Yep. Go on, now, shoo." She waved him off, smiling and going back to her food. She scrambled it all down, before hopping up and making quick easy work of the mess the boys had made. By the time she was setting the last plate in the dishwasher, the door rang.
"I'll get it!"Kiba called out, and she heard him stomp down the stairs, opening the door. "Oh, hey. Come on in. I think she's in the kitchen."He said. She stood, washing her hands in the sink as Sasori walked in.
"Ready?"He deadpanned, peering at her. He was a pair of black jeans and a dress shirt, keys dangling in one hand, his other in his pocket.
"Yea. One sec."She agreed. She started the dishwasher, and grabbed her bag.
"Naruto! I'm leaving!"She called when she reached the bottom step.
"Ki-chan! Wait! I'm coming!"He rushed down the steps, glomping her with a hug. She laughed, hugging him back as Sasuke moodily glared at all humanity.
"I'll be home late."She told him, and he nodded.
"Kay! Call me when you get there, and when you're leaving!"He told her sternly.
"Yes Father."She mused, hooking her bag over her shoulder, and starting after Sasori.
"See you!"Kiba chimed from the Palor, Akamaru barking lightly.
"Bye bye!"She waved and shut the front door, Sasori sighing.
"Finally. I hate humans."He muttered, jogging down the steps and to the car. She rolled her eyes, but followed, slipping in the back seat as Deidara fiddled with his clothes, in something outrageous and bright. It hurt her eyes, and she avoided looking at him as much as she could.
"Finally! What took you so long, un?"He demanded.
"Akira."Sasori muttered, rolling his eyes and started down the drive.
"Akira."Deidara parroted and tossed her an amused look before the car settled in silence, Deidara's mouth still going as he sung with the music, much to Sasori's dismay.
"Wow."She snapped a pic of the large statue, Deidara backtracking to grab her arm.
"Come on, come on. My artwork isn't out here."He urged. She rolled her eyes, looking at all her pictures so far. They had been here all morning and still hadn't gotten to Deidara's exhibit, Sasori abandoning them for the more classical of the artwork, while Deidara had dragged her through all the extreme, but impressive art.
"You can just leave me."She told him in deadpan.
"Itachi would kill me."Deidara chimed, winding a path through geeky college students and outgoing artists, all chatting and gossiping about the peices before them. She watched this all in amusement, but her mind was drifting back to her mother, and her family. She knew that they'd come back. Her uncle would never give up on trying to kill her, and in all reality, her brothers were probably pissed that she'd made a happy home for herself.
"Whoa, un."Deidara paused, staring up at a huge painting. She stopped, turning to where he was looking, heart raising to her throat.
"Um...I have to go."She said, turning and fleeing, easily brushing past the crowded areas, using her new speed. When she slowed, she was in the park across from the Art show, her breath coming in short pants. Her head was spinning, and her eyes were blurry. She sat on the edge of a fountain, covering her face with her hands, a headache pulsing right in between her eyes. She could sense the beings lurking all around her, but she didn't look up, instead curling up even further, resting her head between her knees.
"Akira."She didn't look up at Sasori's call. "We need to get out of here."He told her, forcing her to sit up. He gave her a surprised look, and she guessed that she was probably crying. "Itachi's direct orders."He added in a whisper. She nodded, standing, and letting him lead her towards the car by her elbow, Deidara appearing on her other side, licking his lips of blood.
"There's still three more out there, yeah."Deidara told Sasori over her head. "Why'd you freak out?"He asked lightly. She closed her eyes shut tightly.
"My Uncle did that painting when I was seven."She said shakily. "It was a present to me, a sign of his ownership of me as my real father. It spurred a lot of turmoil in my family, and I got a lot of abuse because of it. "She explained, opening her eyes and blinking away the last of her tears, blindy following Sasori threw an alley.
"That's horrible, un."He commented, eyes peeled on the area behind him.
"What's even worse is that painting inspired me to be an artist."She said queitly, lifting her head when the car came in sight. She heard her breath hitch, a scream wanting to break out as she scrambled back into Deidara on reflex. Leaning against the destroyed once gorgous sports car was three of her brothers. Her three oldest brothers. Her second oldest gleamed with murderous intent. He was the one who always hated her the most.
"Calm down."Deidara whispered to her, but she wasn't listening. She was struggling out of his grip and taking off down the alley. Only to collide with a familiar face. She felt fear coil in her stomach, made her want to vomit, and curl up and die. She had forgotten how exactly frightening this man was.
"Hello, Seiyuki." His grin stretched across face, so like hers. His long blond hair was held back by an expensive daimond barrette, and his lean strong hurtful body was encased expensive silks and clothes. She tensed, feeling small, and so fagile.
"Uncle-sama."