Unknowingly
Summary:
With a deadly shinobi after her, Sakura had no choice but to take part in Akatsuki's dangerous game. But when feelings start to manifest unknowingly, can she make it out alive? Continuation of CrimsonSnowflake's "A Game of Seduction".
Prologue
To say that Haruno Sakura was disgusted with men and their polygamous nature is an understatement. Having been raised into a family where her father always came home drunk left a deep etch on her childhood and since then her view on men in general was never the same again.
Yet, here she was swaying her hips as she danced as gracefully as she could in a club in front of the audience who were mostly male. It hurt her pride to dance for these unknown people, but she kept telling herself that she is not a dancer, she is a shinobi on a solo mission. She was happy and sad at the same time whenever Tsunade assigns her on a solo mission. Happy because her shishou acknowledges her talents as a kunoichi and trusts her to finish it on her own, and sad because missions such as this always take quite a long time. Doing a mission all by herself made her realize how much she missed her friends but she kept telling herself that she should be proud of herself for being granted such a mission by the Hokage, even if she has to dance her way to achieve it. Did she like doing missions like this? Hell no! But she had no other choice as shinobis never really get to pick the missions they want. Missions like this just deepen the level of negativity she has always felt for the opposite sex.
With a bow, she finished her dance and felt her audience cheer for her. It brought a sense of self-satisfaction to her, but not as much as the self-satisfaction she would feel once this mission is over and she will finally be able to kill her target. She would enjoy ending his life so much!
Sakura had to mentally slap herself before her thoughts went overboard. Killing is not always a good thing but is sometimes necessary in this world of shinobi. Tsunade imparted to her on her early days of medic training that she can't save everyone's lives. Some deaths are completely unavoidable and once life is lost, it can never come back again.
Swiftly, Sakura left the stage and in a split second found her target, Katsuo Kobayashi. He was in his usual place, on the cushioned seats surrounded by girls who were eager to get his attention, as well as his money. She locked eyes with him and that brought all of his attention to her, disregarding the numerous girls he already had. She patted herself at the back at the knowledge that she had done her job well for him to react that way. As she made her way towards her target, she felt a tingling sensation that something was not quite right. She noted the two unfamiliar men who entered the club but paid them no mind. Her mission was more important than those two men who were probably new customers. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she grabbed Katsuo's arm and led him away from the girls and the loud music.
Yuuki Sasaki, as Sakura was called throughout the whole duration of this mission, and Katsuo made their way out of the main hall and into the private room they had always occupied for Sakura to do her real mission, an information retrieval mission. Apparently, her target was a big shot businessman who also participated in underground business. She pushed him quite harshly onto the soft couch, a little payback for what she had to endure these past few weeks. Katsuo, however, didn't seem to mind in his intoxicated state as Sakura sat down on his lap, a light glint of satisfaction showing from her emerald eyes.
"Last time we were talking about your son, weren't we? Would you like to continue?" she asked as a cold hand went up her thighs. She pushed the hand away and thankfully Katsuo didn't seem to notice as he nodded his head in approval to her question, his eyes focused only on the face of the beauty before him.
Sakura smirked, let the real mission begin!
Sakura smiled at her own reflection on the mirror, ready to head out and buy some supplies. She took note of her weary appearance, working at the club required staying up all night, against the regular human biological clock. But it will all be over soon, she managed to get more information from Katsuo last night so she would only need one more session. Then she can dispose of him at last, like the sick trash that he is, and finally return to her beloved village where she is safe. The weird feeling from last night still haven't left her and a voice inside her head told her to abandon the mission and get back to Konoha as soon as possible. But she can't possibly do that, she's a skilled shinobi who excels in her field. She'll just have to kick the butts of the people who were causing her problems, and if that doesn't work, well she'll find a way to get out of it.
Regaining her thoughts, she stared again at her own reflection as she brushed her shoulder-length hair mildly. She refused to dye her pink hair or anything to alter her appearance, she had gotten really attached to her hair and not even a seduction mission such as the one assigned to her will make her throw away her pink hair. Yes, she might have taken in a new persona but wherever she'll go, she'll always be Sakura, a medic and a kunoichi adored by everyone for simply being herself.
Happy with her outfit, she locked her door and headed out to the street. She wore normal civilian clothes, it wouldn't bid well for her if someone found out that she is a shinobi.
Dark clouds engulfed the early afternoon sky, signifying the coming of a storm. Looking up at the sky, Sakura said to herself that she must pick up her speed and buy all her needed supplies before the heavy rain came down. Without delay, she went from stall to stall and picked up all she needed. A loud thunder erupted through the sky as most of the villagers made their way home quickly, including the pink-haired medic.
Now at the safety of her apartment, Sakura stared hard at the growling sky from her window. Ever since she was a child, she has always hated thunderstorms. It always gave her chills and made her want to close all her curtains, turn on all the lights and sit in a corner like a scared puppy. She clearly remembered how hard Naruto and Sai laughed upon knowing her little secret, and of course she gave them each a punch of appreciation. Thunderstorms rarely occur in Konoha so when it happens it made her cower in fear. Perhaps, the manpower of Konoha isn't the only thing keeping the village safe.
She hurriedly made her way to her bedroom, collected the fluffy blanket she always took with her during missions and wrapped it securely around her before returning to the living room. The thunderstorm outside made her feel uneasy but somehow the voice inside her head told her that it was not the only thing making her feel the way she is feeling right now. She felt like someone is intently watching her.
Sakura stood in the center of the living room and let her senses spread out. She stood like that for ten seconds more before she flopped down on her sofa, not finding any presence besides herself. Perhaps it was just her imagination playing tricks on her, disturbed by the bombarding thunder.
Now lying comfortably on the sofa, Sakura closed her eyes and tried to recall happy thoughts, because she can't possibly think negatively at a time like this. She remembered how Sai's normally pale complexion turned red as a tomato when Naruto asked Sai to paint him. Of course Sai, for the sake of camaraderie as Naruto kept telling him, obliged. However Naruto, being his silly self, decided to transform into his 'sexy form', and things turned out violently from there on courtesy of their most beloved pink-haired teammate.
She broke out in laughter at the memory before the abrupt lightning and ear-splitting thunder broke out from the sky, which made her cringe and tighten her hold on the blanket wrapped around her small frame. Another roar of lightning was heard and took the use of electricity upon its wake, leaving the twenty-year old kunoichi scared and alone in her cold and dark apartment. The black out only served to increase Sakura's level of uneasiness as she felt the atmosphere in her living room become tense as the seconds ticked by.
"Look at what we have here" a raspy voice suddenly broke out into her living room. Rapidly, she turned towards the source of the voice, finding a huge figure looming above her. The red clouds adorning his black cloak told her of his identity and for the first time in her life, Sakura felt utmost fear radiating through every inch of her body.
He took a step toward her and then another as she jumped off the couch and started backing away. With every step he took toward her, she took another step backwards. From the corner of her eyes, she searched for a way, any way, to escape. Inner Sakura told her to kick their sorry asses but the more rational part of her told her otherwise.
Her back collided with something, a body, and she turned around to see who it was. Her fear rose up to its highest level as her emerald eyes met the crimson ones of Uchiha Itachi, one of the most notorious missing nins that ever came from her village.
"A little mouse, a little lost mouse who doesn't know her way home" remarked the large man behind her, whom she now identified as Hoshigaki Kisame, missing nin from the Mist and partner of Uchiha Itachi. Deciding that Kisame is probably the better target than the Uchiha, she summoned chakra to her fist and charged towards her decided target.
A malicious grin appeared in the shark-like man's face, bearing his razor sharp teeth for all to see. In an instant that took her by surprise, Kisame whipped out his signature weapon and swung it towards her, draining her of the chakra she was supposed to use against him and thus stopping her attack. Feeling the adrenaline rushing through her system, she swung her foot upwards, directed towards the weakest spot of all men, their crotch. Kisame, still with a nasty grin plastered on his face, managed to avoid her second attack and came with a punch of his own, in which Sakura dodged with haste.
Coming up with a plan of her own, Sakura braced herself as she charged once again at the tall Akatsuki member. A victorious smirk adorned her face as she noted that her kick connected with his ribs, breaking a few of them in the process. It didn't take another second before Sakura pulled herself away from his reach and headed towards the door, towards her freedom.
Her escape plan was brutally thrown away as the samehada pierced her right shoulder, absorbing all her remaining chakra as well. She was pushed face-first into the floor by Kisame's feet and the hope of getting away from the two S-class criminals was slowly dissipating.
"I propose a game" Kisame said wickedly, a glint of malice shown in his eyes.
Sakura struggled to free herself from being pinned to the floor by his enormous foot. It might be a futile effort, but who knows, maybe the shark-like man was taught proper etiquette by his mother. But that thought completely disappeared when he pushed his foot further on her back. There was no doubt that she's going to have bruises soon on that area.
Another boom of thunder vented from the sky and it nearly made her jump in fear, if not for the foot that was restraining her movements. Kisame grinned wickedly at his prisoner upon sensing her reaction to the deafening thunder "What's wrong, little mouse? Afraid of thunder, aren't we?"
Sakura's rage grew upon hearing what her captor said. How dare he mock her by calling her such a humiliating name? If only her chakra was not drained, then she would have taught the blue-skinned missing nin some manners which were clearly not taught to him, her own way of course!
Kisame gave an inquiring stare towards his partner, as if asking what to do next. The Uchiha regarded him with a nod and then Sakura felt herself being pulled up forcefully and colliding with her sofa. She gritted her teeth at both of her captors for the rough treatment, earning a cold stare from Itachi and menacing laugh from Kisame.
"Oh, I like feisty ones. They're so much fun to kill" Kisame commented as he patted her cheek in a supposed to be affectionate manner. He then cleared his throat "As I was saying, we propose a game. Does the name Katsuo Kobayashi ring a bell? Of course it does, my darling little mouse! You see, he is both yours and our target. Killing him will be no fun at all and I get bored easily, so we propose a race of who gets to kill Katsuo first."
Kisame then zoomed in on her, face to face with only a few inches of space between them. "Needless to say, your prize will be escaping here alive. You're a smart girl, as far as we know, and I know you know what lies ahead if you lose."
"What if I choose not to participate?" Sakura retorted, trying her best not to show fear in front of the enemy.
"A slow and painful death" answered Itachi, no emotion whatsoever in his tone or facial expression. Sakura stared hard at him, somehow astounded as to how he said those words. He said it like it's a matter of fact, like the act of torturing her until she finally gave in to death was something he did everyday. Well, he is an S-class missing nin who killed his whole clan, sparing his brother, in one night, she shouldn't be amazed at all.
"I have no choice then" remarked Sakura as she glared daggers at the Uchiha in front of her, it's the least she could do given the circumstance she was in.
A menacing laugh echoed throughout the living room once again, courtesy of Kisame. He found it amusing to see the little pink kunoichi trying her best to be strong in front of them. "And here we thought that you were smart too, of course you have a choice! Didn't you hear? You can choose to participate in this game, suggested by yours truly of course, or you can choose death. It's as simple as that."
Sakura couldn't believe the situation she was in right now. Her mission was a simple information retrieval, how did it end up like this? She knew that fighting her way out of this is impossible, even though she had grown stronger throughout the years. Maybe death is a wiser choice than participating in this stupid game and not knowing what lies ahead. Being a medic nin, she has come to accept that some deaths just cannot be avoided. Maybe her death can count as that.
She then shook her head, mentally slapping and berating herself for considering such foolish thoughts. She still has a lot of reasons to live, one of them is to see team seven reunite again as comrades. There was no doubt Naruto will scold her when he hears about this, as well as Tsunade, Kakashi, Sai and all her friends back at Konoha. What will her mother, who is now watching over her from above, think of her only daughter who nearly chose to give up on life just because she thought there was no way out? Kisame said so himself that she was a smart lady, she just have to think of a way to get out of this hellhole they were putting her through.
It really didn't sit well for her but for the mean time, she has to do everything to keep herself alive. Even if she had to play her role in this dangerous game.
Ignoring the many pairs of eyes that followed her every movement , Sakura made her way through the crowded dance floor. Today was friday, a day where she didn't have to seduce men by swaying her hips as if she was on heat, and instead manage the bar. On reflex, she slapped a daring hand away, not bothering to look at the perpetrator as she continued on. It sickened her to work on a place like this, even if it's for a mission.
Bodies grinded against each other, heated kisses were exchanged and occasionally a couple would leave the dance floor for the private rooms the club offered especially for that kind of act. The sight before her barely registered in her mind, probably because she was used to it, as she trudged through the steamy dance floor.
Sakura sighed heavily, clubs like this are the very place where sins are born and she has lived through it for almost three weeks and all of it will end tonight. There's too much at stake, but one thing is for sure, Katsuo Kobayashi will be dead by the end of the night. She hated the thought that such an excuse for a man will determine the direction of her life in the near future, if she can live through it. Because as of last night, she has now become a part of this demented game the Akatsuki proposed, and she has no way to turn her back now.
With a hawk's eye, Sakura watched her target intently. He was at his usual place surrounded, yet again, by countless women who were willing to give their womanhood in exchange for a fair amount of cash. She also noted the presence of her two opponents seated at the far end of club, not once amused by the women who were throwing themselves at them. Well, maybe Kisame was amused but was trying his best not to show any reaction on his face, while his partner remained as stoic as ever even with the lingering temptations at his side.
She kept her attention fixed on her target, and once in a while on her opponents, as orders were shouted her way. While in the middle of mixing drinks, Sakura saw from the corner of her eye Katsuo making his way out of his lounge and into the private rooms, dragging a busty redhead behind him. She secured a look on her opponents, noting that they haven't moved an inch from where they were seated. Then she decided that she would give Katsuo and the redhead an ultimatum of ten minutes.
Those ten minutes she promised ticked by quickly and the next thing she knew she was making her way towards the room her target had occupied. She suddenly became aware of Itachi's sharp and calculating gaze piercing through her and she froze. They knew of the situation and still they were letting her get a headstart? Well, they were probably confident that whatever happens, they will still be the victor.
She ignored Itachi's gaze and continued on. The night is still young and even though the odds were highly against her, she liked to keep her hopes up, something she acquired from being with Naruto too often.
She stood outside the room and placed her hand on the doorknob, not at all disturbed by the sounds of moans and gasps coming from inside the room. Gently, she turned the door knob and opened the door, leaving an adequate space for her small frame to fit in. Closing the door behind her silently, she let her eyes wander around the darkened room, noting that the only means of escape is the door behind her. Following the source of the loud moans, she found herself staring at her target who was seated at the edge of the bed, with the redheaded woman between his thighs. A wave of pity washed through her as she stared at the woman who was busy doing her act to even notice another presence inside the room. She would have to die too for it would pose countless problems if she was kept alive, with the knowledge of Sakura's hidden identity.
Flicking a kunai from the weapon holder on her thigh and gripping it tightly, Sakura closed in on her target, and at the same time let her senses spread out if ever Itachi and Kisame chose this exact moment to strike.
All of a sudden, the world around her froze and she couldn't move her body. Katsuo and the woman seemed to be unmoving too and she felt an aura, a deep sadistic aura, closing in on her. Someone is playing with her and the other occupants in the room. The temperature seemed to drop dramatically and with a strong determination, she forced herself to have control over her muscles again.
Then she felt Itachi's and Kisame's rapidly approaching chakra signatures, as if they were desperately trying to reach something before it's too late. But if that's not Itachi and Kisame's aura she felt earlier, then whose was it?
Without warning, she was flung towards the hard wall with a force so great she was sure her head was already bleeding from the impact. For the first time in a long time, she felt utmost pain throughout her entire body. All of a sudden, a cold and maniacal laughter filled the room along with a more sinister aura that came with it.
Through blurred vision, she made out a figure of a man, almost as tall as Kisame, as he knelt down in front of her. He tilted her chin up and it was only then that she saw the face of the unwanted occupant. Dark hair framed his pale face, making his icy blue eyes more noticeable. Black paint adorned his long face in various places; a black teardrop was painted right under his right eye, his lips were as dark as his hair and his eyes were surrounded by what looked like black eyeliner. He also wore a white hat which was tilted slightly to the side.
"Oh, what do we have here?" he asked as his mouth spread into a wide grin, making his appearance more frightening as it was. "A porcelain doll?"
Sakura felt every inch of her body froze as the man in front of her petted her affectionately, like she was a cat. "I don't have a pink doll"
Then the hand that was petting her head suddenly came down on her face, then on her neck and on the curves of her body. Fear struck her whole being and she couldn't move again.
"I want a pink doll"
As he said those words, Sakura felt his gaze pierce through her own body and into her soul, as if he found something rare in her and wanted to take it for himself. Abruptly, she was lifted up into a standing position by her new opponent and was forced to face her initial target and his redheaded companion. If it wasn't for their ragged breathing and frantic movement of their eyes as they try to win back control over their own bodies, Sakura would have thought that they were already dead.
"They're just like two dolls being controlled by strings" he whispered into her ear, leaving her hair on that area standing. "With a small flick of my finger, I could have them kill each other. It would make the predicament so much easier for you and you can win that silly game of yours"
A small sadistic laugh escaped through the man's painted lips as Katsuo and the woman stood up, took deliberate steps towards each other and caught each other's vulnerable throats in a death grip.
"All you have to do is ask and I'll do it" he said, his breath caressing the sensitive skin on her neck and leaving a wet trail of saliva.
Sakura's unmoving muscles tensed up at the unwelcome contact on her neck and an even greater level of fear welled up inside of her. She definitely did not see this coming.
Horrified emerald eyes stared at the redheaded woman as all the color seemed to have left her face from the lack of oxygen. "Don't…"
"Oh? Aren't you supposed to-" the painted man was suddenly cut off by a loud explosion coming from the wall where the door was located. Two pairs of eyes took in the situation inside the room, one pair glowing dangerously red with the sharingan.
"How unusual of you, Yukio, to intervene on affairs that aren't yours to meddle with" spat Itachi in his usual cold tone with a tint of menace behind it.
"Itachi and Kisame! It's been so long since I've last seen the both of you! Look at what I have here!" the man, now known as Yukio, greeted in faked glee, although the feeling is obviously not mutual. He then grabbed the stunned Sakura by the shoulders and presented her to the two Akatsuki members. "I've just found myself a new doll!"
Kisame raised his samehada up to his shoulders, ready to strike, as he regarded Yukio with a spiteful look. "Why don't you let my little mouse there go and then we'll talk"
"Oh no!? You're not jealous, are you Kisame? Well, too bad I don't think I will ever hand something so rare and beautiful to the likes of you. I could just kill you, of course. That would make my life so much easier" remarked Yukio, a flash of killing intent shown through his face.
Flailing her arms around, Sakura forced herself to remove herself from his hold. It was hard as she only relied on her strength, it seemed that Yukio did something for her not to have full control over her own chakra.
Never had she thought that she would be glad upon seeing Itachi and Kisame, but as it was she was more familiar with the two Akatsuki members rather than this Yukio person. The fact that they seemed to want to help her only served to improve her impression of them, and at that time she wanted nothing more than to be by their side, away from the dangerous clutches of the unfamiliar shinobi named Yukio.
"Please, my doll, be still" said Yukio, in response to her thrashing around under his hold "It's very hard for me to concentrate when you're like that."
Stubborn as she was, Sakura continued throwing her arms around, smiling as she took in the inconvenience she caused on her captor. She never belonged to anybody and so for him to call her like that, he was just asking for more trouble.
All of a sudden, she was pushed roughly away from her captor and into the hard floor, scraping her knees on a piece of cement from the demolished wall. She immediately turned around to see what caused Yukio to push her like that and the corners of her lips twitched upwards in a sadistic smile. There, lying motionless and probably dead, on the floor was Yukio, swimming in his own pool of blood. A kunai was pressed deeply into his neck, his pulse point, causing the litters and litters of blood to spill out.
"Kisame" said the older Uchiha, not even glancing in the direction of his partner "Get the girl. We're leaving."
"What!? That wasn't part of the deal!" yelled Sakura as she instinctively started backing away upon seeing the tall blue man advancing on her.
"Foolish girl" said Itachi as he regarded her with a cold stare "You didn't kill the target, therefore you didn't win the game. Thus, we are allowed to do anything we want with you."
"Well, you didn't win either!" protested Sakura, although she knew that that was futile.
Suddenly, the sound of a kunai hitting something was heard and Katsuo Kobayashi fell lifelessly on the floor, the kunai deeply embedded on his heart the cause of his death.
"Happy now?"
Rain poured hard on the cold forest floor as three figures dashed from branch to branch, their shadows almost unseen due to the speed of their movements. Autumn has ended a week ago and the chilly air gave way to the start of the winter season. As a child, Sakura always loved the season of snow. She would always come out and form snow angels or have a couple of rounds of snowball fight with her friends back in Konoha. Even when they were at their teens, Sakura always went out of her way for a snowball fight with Naruto. Some might think it's foolish but she and Naruto always had a mutual agreement of never backing down on a snowball fight. And of course, Sai, being their new teammate, was forced to take part in the fight for the sake of camaraderie. And when they've all exhausted themselves, Naruto would take them to Ichiraku for some delicious ramen, a perfect way to warm their cold bodies.
Sakura smiled thoughtfully, but then the thought that she might not be able to do that again with Naruto and Sai saddened her. Given the situation she is in right now, she told herself that she should be grateful to still be breathing. She was travelling with two members of the infamous organization Akatsuki and it will just be a matter of time before they realized that killing her will benefit them more than keeping her as prisoner. She just hoped that before that day happened, she would have found a way to let Konoha know of her predicament and possibly have them sent reinforcements to help her escape.
She was pushed out of her thoughts when she almost tripped while landing on the next tree branch. She ignored that little mishap and continued on, although her body was begging her for rest. They have been travelling since morning and it was nearing sundown already. Only the determination of not letting them see her again in a defeated state was keeping her going. Kisame looked at her from behind, a smirk adorning his face, enjoying her little mishap. Sakura just shrugged her shoulders and continued on, Kisame did that for the purpose of pissing her off and she, in return will not grant him that.
After what seemed like ages, the harsh rain subdued a little and Itachi and Kisame finally descended from the branches and into the bark of a large tree, its leaves shielding them from the drizzle. Sakura willingly followed after them, happy to take a break for once. She was about to lean against the tree bark on her body's orders when Itachi turned to her, his face unemotional as ever.
"Put this on" he ordered as he threw a bundle of clothes towards her.
For a few seconds, she just stared at them with a knowing look. Although they have already seen her with her flimsy clothing when she was still working at the club, she would never grant them the sight of her in her undergarments.
"Turn around so I can change. It's common chivalry, duh" she said, not at all bothered by the way the two men regarded her.
Kisame then took a step towards her, no doubt planning to spit out an offensive comment, when a hand on his shoulder stopped his movement. Itachi just nodded at his partner then turned around to give her the privacy that she needed. He has had enough of the bickering between his partner and the little kunoichi, they've been at it since they took her in.
Sakura mentally laughed at herself for saying such a crude comment. They were S-class criminals and members of the most infamous organization to ever exist. How can she expect them to treat her with courtesy?
"Why do I have to change into this anyway?" she asked as she unfolded the clothing which revealed to be a green dress that reached just below her knees and a light blue jacket.
Kisame made a 'tsk' sound from where he was standing with his back facing her. "Are you even listening to what Itachi said earlier? What kind of kunoichi are you?" he asked in a mocking tone. Sakura glared at him, although she knew he wouldn't be able to see it from his position. Who could blame her for not being able to hear what Itachi said? It was bound to happen especially when it's pouring hard and with Itachi's inaudible way of speaking. Really, Itachi and Kisame are two very opposite shinobi. It was a wonder to her how they can coexist harmoniously.
"As I've mentioned earlier," said Itachi, his voice now clearer to hear "we will be travelling under a cover. You and I will act as a happily married couple and Kisame as a close friend of the family"
"What the-!?"
"Of course, this act will be held up at all times as long as we're even remotely near a village" he commented, not at all bothered that he just cut off what she was about to say. "You will not resist this, you will act like a besotted female and you will obey us. We will not tolerate any untoward comment or behaviour."
There was a sense of finality in his voice that made Sakura shiver, and the rain had nothing to do with it. She had earlier on told herself that just because she is in their captivity doesn't mean that she has to obey them, like a slave to her master. She is a tough kunoichi and she will not make this easy for them. But her earlier resolve seemed to crumble down after hearing those words from the cold Uchiha.
Finished with putting on the outfit, Sakura turned around and was met with Kisame and Itachi in ordinary civilian clothing. Kisame looked more normal to say the least, despite his blue complexion and shark-like teeth. And Itachi looked more innocent, like his hands have never been stained with blood, although his face was as still as ever. They looked so harmless that Sakura had to shake her head and remind herself that they were S-class criminals who had done atrocious crimes enough for them to be listed in the bingo book.
Itachi's hand affectionately grasping hers broke her from her thoughts and she squealed, not in a way a kunoichi of her calibre would, in response to the sudden contact. She stared at their intertwined fingers before directing her eyes to Itachi's neutral face in a questioning look.
Itachi just shrugged off the look she's giving him and lead them on towards the nearest village. He has explained the terms already and he will not do it again for her sake.
The village, despite being small, was swarming with people, no doubt to shop for ingredients for their dinner. Sakura ignored the many pairs of eyes that were staring at them as they walked through the village. It's not that their act was not believable enough, but perhaps because this village is one of those rural villages that rarely get to have visitors.
Aware of the suspicious eyes following their every movement, Itachi's grip on her hands tightened and he drew her closer to his body. As much as Sakura would like to retaliate for the seemingly affectionate treatment of her so-called husband, she cannot. She had to remind herself of what Itachi told earlier, and the cold way he said those words that made her want to sulk into a corner.
"Excuse me, but I've noticed that you've been walking around our small village for quite a while" said an old man, who seem to be in his 50's, as he walked up to them clutching an old wooden cane. He has a vibrant smile on his wrinkly face as he took in the three of them "My name is Satoshi Tanaka and I've been here in this village for as long as I can remember. Can I assist you in anything?"
"Yes, we were hoping to get a few days of rest here. You see, my wife," answered Itachi as he motioned towards Sakura, a loving glint shown through his onyx eyes, and stroked her stomach softly "is pregnant and needs rest. According to our map, this village is the only one for miles."
Satoshi's vibrant smile then turned to one of sadness "I'm afraid that what you said was correct, young man. Sadly, since this village rarely has visitors, there was no need to build an inn in which you can rest" he replied as he directed a sympathetic look at Sakura.
Sakura then leaned against Itachi as if seeking for support as she regarded Satoshi with a sad look. She felt bad for him, not because of the bad news he delivered to them but because she was forced to deceive such a generous old man who had nothing to do with the deal between her and the Akatsuki. She wanted so much to tell him that they can easily travel to the next town in a few hours without much inconvenience and that he shouldn't feel sorry for them. Yes, she might be one at fault for this act but that doesn't mean she can't feel compassion for their victim. Despite Itachi's hold on her hand, Sakura stepped forward to comfort the man who was unfortunate enough to be a victim of their act.
"It's alright. We can just walk on and find another place to stay, can't we dear?" asked Sakura as she turned around to face her husband. For a fraction of a second Sakura saw a forbidding glint in his eyes, but as soon as she saw it, it was gone. Instead, Itachi stepped beside his wife as he wrapped an arm around her waist and placed a hand on her stomach. For others, it might seem that that was a gesture of a loving husband to his pregnant wife but in reality it was a show of how easily he could hurt her.
"Are you sure you can handle that, love? After all, you're in a delicate condition" remarked Itachi with worry evident on his eyes as he kissed the top of her head. It took an unimaginable amount of restraint for Sakura to stay in her position and keep up with their act.
"It's okay, dear. I'm only one month pregnant so there's no need to worry" she said sweetly as she intertwined her fingers with Itachi's. Itachi, in return, squeezed her hand a little harder than what was necessary.
"Itachi," Kisame suddenly called out "It's going to rain and we'll have to find shelter soon. We wouldn't want Sakura to be sick now, would we?"
Satoshi paled at the implication "Come, follow me. You can rest in my house for the mean time" he said as he ushered them towards the direction of his home "I simply cannot let a pregnant woman walk ahead in a situation like this."
Sakura took notice of the genuine smile laid on his face as the three of them followed after him. There was nothing that would indicate his actions as fabricated and she was happy to know that people like Satoshi, who were willing to lend a helping hand to those who absolutely need it, really do exist.
In a matter of a few minutes, Sakura found herself seated in an old-looking chair in the living room of Satoshi's home with Itachi and Kisame. After making sure his guests were comfortable, Satoshi went to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Sakura then stood up to face the stoic Uchiha who was comfortably sitting in the couch.
"Pregnant!?" she hissed, trying her very best not to be too loud for Satoshi to hear.
"It helped us find a place to stay" he stated in a cool voice
Sakura just stared at him disbelievingly and when she felt that he won't explain the matter any further, she slumped down on the couch opposite him. Well, what was done is done and there's nothing she can do about it.
"Remind me again why we're doing this, will you?" she asked in a muffled voice due to the pillow she pressed on her face.
"In case you have forgotten, Yukio is still alive somewhere and to his eyes, you're the most interesting piece of treasure he has yet to take hold. We're the only ones with enough power to keep you from being killed and made into his doll" he paused and then stared at Sakura, who was now seated straight and was regarding him with an even look "You could say that your collaboration is your payment for our services."
Yukio, that maniac of a shinobi she encountered at the club a few days ago, how could she forget him? Just the mere mention of his name sends shivers down her spine. It was weird but somehow she felt a sense of gratitude to the two Akatsuki members who captured her, grateful for the fact that she was stuck with the less dangerous shinobi, if her familiarity with the two sides can be trusted.
"Unless, of course, if you despise us so much that you would want to throw yourself at Yukio, then be our guest" commented Kisame, a large grin spread across his shark-like features.
Sakura regarded him with a hard glare as she pressed the upper half of her body down to the pillow on her lap "Shut up."
Kisame's eyes sparked with something Sakura couldn't quite get as his large grin spread even wider. "Don't do that, Sakura. You might harm the baby" he then laughed, teasing her further. In the next millisecond, a shuriken went flying towards Kisame and if it wasn't for his insane reflexes, it would have grazed his cheek. A second later, Sakura found her wrist held tightly in a bruising grip by her supposed to be loving husband, pulling her up into a standing position harshly. His eyes didn't light up with the sharingan but the way he was regarding her with cold, unemotional onyx eyes made her just as uncomfortable as when his sharigan was activated.
"Might I remind you that I will not tolerate any untoward behaviour while you're with us?" his cold voice filled in the silence of the living room. Sakura tried to jerk her wrist free but it only resulted with him tightening his grip more "But he started it!"
Giving her one last glare, Itachi decided to just ignore her childish rebuttal, nothing good will come out of it anyway, and let go of her wrist. The same second he freed her wrist, Sakura used both of her hands to push him, unfortunately without chakra, and that was the sight that welcomed Satoshi when he returned to the living room, his brown eyes fixated on the couple. Sakura laughed nervously as she kept hitting Itachi on the chest with her balled fists playfully, the only logical thing she could come up at that startling moment.
"Ah, the joys of youth!" he exclaimed as he set down the tray carrying the pot of tea and four identical cups on the coffee table. Sakura and Itachi fell back on the couch together and on instinct he wrapped his arm around her waist tightly. Satoshi poured the tea and gave each of them a cup of the warm beverage. "You two remind me so much of myself and my wife Maiko when we were at your age. We were so full of life and so much in love with each other, just like the two of you. And how can I forget that time when we had our first child?"
He then rose up from his seat and made his way towards the pink-haired woman, hesitantly motioning towards her stomach as if asking for her permission. For a moment, Sakura wondered what he wanted to imply and when she caught his eyes staring at her flat stomach, she smiled and gave him her consent. Satoshi's eyes lit up in joy as he slowly caressed her stomach.
"A child is the most wonderful gift anyone can be granted, I hope this child will bring you as much happiness as it gave me" he smiled at both Itachi and Sakura but there was a seriousness to his voice, as if wanting to imbed each and every word he just imparted to them.
Taking what Satoshi mentioned as a chance to tease again, Kisame snorted out a reply "That's true, so true!" he then patted his partner on the back "I myself am very much looking forward to the arrival of this little miracle. They've been trying to conceive for quite a long time now, Itachi even came to me complaining about how he feared that he's shooting without ammunition."
Along with the booming laughter from the shark man came a furious red blush on Sakura's face. The thought of her sleeping with the raven-haired missing nin disgusted her to the core and she focused her eyes on the floor, averting eye contact with him. However, the embarrassment Kisame oh so willingly conveyed wasn't enough for Itachi to release his hold on her, although Sakura knew that he was just as embarrassed as she was.
Hurriedly, Sakura put the cup of tea to her lips in order to hide the embarrassment. The hot beverage almost burned her tongue but she didn't care. Her life was already complicated as it was, and Kisame just have to add into it.
Scorching flames engulfed the once opulent part of the village as people, young and old, male and female, literally ran for their lives. It was a devastating sight to see, lifeless bodies, which probably belonged to innocent people, lay on the ashen ground as fragments of buildings piled up against each other.
Out of the rubble stood the painted man, tilting his white hat to the side as it has always been. Beyond the wreckage he had intentionally caused, his blue eyes scanned every inch of what was left of the club. Then a frown made its way to his pale face at the knowledge that what he was looking for was no longer here. But he didn't regret what he did to this part of the village, watching the villagers and those wenches who worked at the club running, screaming and clawing their way to survive served him entertainment.
His eyes grew bigger as he took notice of the lifeless bodies at his feet. Some were old, some had their limbs detached from their body in a gruesome manner and some bodies were even burning, but one particular body caught his attention. It was a body of a woman, probably one who worked at the brothel judging from her clothes which barely covered her intimate parts. He stared at her curiously, noting that her left arm and both of her legs were twisted in a very awkward angle. He then directed his gaze at her face, there was no doubt that she was beautiful but once you take all the make-up away she looked like a totally different person. Too bad, she was a good candidate to turn into one of his dolls but he shrugged her off, stepping on her body, not at all bothered by the sounds of her bones breaking under his feet.
"I want my pink doll" he muttered to himself as he walked away from the devastated area. He felt sad to know that his pink doll is no longer here, but that was beside the point. He just had to search for her, no matter how many innocent lives may be sacrificed.
Author's Notes: Hi! I'm back! This story is the continuation of Crimsonsnowflake's story "Game of Seduction". This is just a summary of what she has written. Sadly, she has deleted the story on her account.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'm just a PM away!
Please review!
And thanks for all the support!
(*^o^*) Peace out! (*^o^*)
Kaycee