Tempest

Chapter Six

-Festival-

"My dearest little flower aren't you going to the festival tonight?" Sakura asked, walking past her lounging daughter, who was lying on the couch in the hotel suite.

Natsumi stared up at her mother, who was dressed in a traditional kimono. It was a pale green, with white star bursts scattered over it, her hair done up in a beautiful bun. "What festival?" she hadn't heard anything about it, but then again for the past two days she had been sealed up in their hotel. Gaara walked out from their room, dressed in a man's kimono that was black with red abstract squares every now and then.

"It's Konoha's annual festival. It's actually pretty interesting and enjoyable." He said, offering his arm to his wife, who took it happily.

"Oh…well if I get bored I might go." She sighed, not wanting to be social.

Sakura glanced over towards Satomi's bedroom door and called out for her eldest daughter. "Satomi, sweetie, are you almost ready?"

"Yeah, yeah." The older twin walked out. Her hair was pinned up with decorative chopsticks, with charms dangling from the ends. Her kimono was white with cherry blossom petals blowing around the edges. "Let's go."

The three headed for the door about to leave, "Natsumi we're going to have dinner with Yuki in about an hour. You should at least try and come to that. We got you a kimono in case you change your mind!" Sakura said, giving her daughter a beautiful smile that had not been repaid in years.

"Okay." She groaned, grabbing a couch pillow and throwing it at them. "Just leave!" she rolled her eyes and turned on her stomach. The rest of her family left then, and Natsumi grumbled. She was kind of tired of sitting around the room all day, and she had already read all the books she and her sister brought.

With great effort Natsumi shoved herself up from the couch and went to the bathroom, getting a quick shower before she started getting ready. Once she was done with that, she sat in the bathroom in nothing but a towel. She stared in the mirror, running her hands through her short hair. There wasn't much she could do with it, but it wasn't like she was trying to impress anyone. She didn't care what Akito thought anymore, and the fact that he didn't want to be around her was made painfully clear a few days ago. She hadn't seen him since, and was kind of bothered that she cared. She didn't love him anymore, she nodded, trying to assure herself.

She brushed her hair so it would dry nice and straight. She left the bathroom and walked into her room, seeing the kimono her mother had gotten for her. It started out white in some areas and slowly faded into a light and then a darker pink. Red flowers decorated the kimono, not one matching another. She dried herself off and slid on her black underwear and matching black bra. She picked up the kimono and put it on, wrapping it properly and tying the obi tightly around her thin waist. She looked down, saw a matching fan and picked it up, letting it fall open. She actually felt a small smile grace her face.

Once she was dressed, she went back into the bathroom and fixed her now dried hair so that it looked perfect. She did her makeup flawlessly, only using the basics, since she wasn't into that kind of beauty. She slipped on some black flip flops and left the hotel. She didn't really want to see her family for dinner, so she headed straight for the festival, knowing she would meet them there eventually.

It was already sunset by the time she reached the festive streets decorated beautifully with ribbon and paper lanterns. Booths were set up, offering all kinds of things. Natsumi walked around, soaking in the beauty of the event. She opened her fan, covering her mouth and stopped at a booth selling coy fish. "Oh wow." They were large, beautiful fish, swimming around together gracefully.

"Why are you out here by yourself?" A deep voice asked her from behind.

Natsumi went wide eyed. It couldn't be, she thought. She recognized that voice from seven years ago. She turned around, expecting to see a stranger, but only met with sad green eyes. "Akito?" she blinked, keeping her fan in place and fanning herself as if she were hot. He was dressed in a solid navy blue men's kimono, with random groups of red sharingan shapes framed by hexagons on it.

"Hey." He said. Then he took a sweep of her body. "You look beautiful."

She gave him a doubtful look, "Thanks." She said, still hiding behind her decorative fan. "You look…very handsome."

"So…do you want to look around with me? I can show you all the good booths to visit. My father makes me come here every year." He offered, the corner of his mouth tilting up a bit.

"Sure…why not." She looked down at the coy fish once more and then followed him, gazing around at the booths.

He wasn't very happy with her answer, but chose to ignore it. As long as he got the pleasure of her company, he was happy. Sort of. "Is there anything in particular that you want to see? There will be a fireworks show near midnight." He said, trying to make conversation. Why was she being so uptight?

"That sounds kind of fun." She shrugged. She liked fireworks, but didn't get to see them that often in Suna. "And no…I've never been to something like this…so whatever you think is interesting. I'm kind of hungry though."

He took her to the section of the village that was being used for the food stalls. There were many vendors with booths set up, each housing its own unique kind of food. "Pick whatever you want. I'll pay for it." He said, gesturing with his hands to the area.

She closed her fan and let her hand fall to her side, finally revealing her face to him. She was still thinking about how much Akito had sounded like the stranger that had helped her when she'd been kidnapped those long years ago. "How about some dango?" she asked.

"Sounds good to me." He said, taking her hand and leading her into the crowd. He led her over to a stall that was being handled by an elderly man. He looked up at them and smiled.

"Ah! What can I get for you and your date Uchiha-sama?" he asked.

"I would like some strawberry dango please." Akito said. Then he looked down at Natsumi.

"Vanilla please." She gave the man a kind look, choosing not to correct him in his misunderstanding.

He handed them the dango. As Akito moved to pull out his money and the man shook his head. "Oh no. It's on the house. I've never seen Uchiha-sama out with a woman, especially one so fetching. I wish you both happiness." He said. Then he moved on to the next customer.

Akito's eyes had widened a fraction at this. He put his wallet back and took Natsumi's hand once more, walking away. He really wasn't sure what to say about that situation.

"Hm…" she tapped her chin with her fan and then took a bite of one of her treats. "So guess you've only ever had the company of me or Minako."

"Well I can't really stand anyone else. The only other girls in this village are brainless twits whose only dreams are to bear my children. Not exactly the type of people I want to be around." Akito said, beginning to eat his food as well.

"I thought that's what Uchihas were all about?" she gave him a look, pulling off another dango from her stick and tossing it into her mouth.

"Ch. That's what the ignorant believe. My father's only goals were to become strong to avenge his clan by killing his brother, avenge his brother by killing Madara, and continue the clan by producing an heir. He did all of that, and is now happily completing missions for the village. I, on the other hand, am nothing like him, and refuse to be." Akito said bitterly. He still feared becoming like his father, especially after what had happened five years ago.

"Hmmm…" she hummed and looked forward, biting off the last of her dango and throwing the stick in a nearby trash can. "Well…I guess that's good. My mom says Sasuke was a jerk and did bad things. Obviously they were bad since it cost him her."

He paused in his eating. Then he threw away the rest of his treat, having lost his appetite. He was just like his father. He had done something bad, and it had cost him Natsumi. She looked at him and blinked, wondering what his sudden change in mood was from. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you insist on lying to me?" she flipped out her fan and began to cool herself down, keeping her jade eyes locked on him.

"Why do you insist on being so persistent? I don't want to talk about it." He said, putting his hands into the large sleeves of his kimono.

She stopped their walk, glaring over at him. She hadn't realized they had gone off from the festival and were now on one of Konoha's many bridges. "So you would rather me not care at all? Because I can do that. I can just walk away and go back to my hotel room and go to sleep."

"No, I want you to care! I just…don't understand why you care so much…" he trailed off, angry at how easily she could upset him. He hated how she affected his moods.

"Because that's just what I do! You stupid Uchiha!" she growled, running her hand through her hair and grabbing onto it tightly. "It doesn't bring me pleasure to see you sad or upset. It just doesn't! So forgive me for trying to make you feel better."

"Fine. You're forgiven. Feel better now?" he asked, actually crossing his arms now.

She went wide eyed, shock all over her face. "You asshole!" she yelled, turning away from him and walking off. She knew coming out to this stupid thing was a bad idea.

"I may be an asshole, but at least I'm not disillusioning myself into believing that I'm a princess!" he yelled after her, smirking in triumph.

She stopped right then, snapping her fan closed. She turned towards him slowly, an icy glare in place. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You. Are. Not. A. Princess." He said slowly, as if she were stupid.

Her eye twitched. "I am a princess. I am the most attractive and kind princess that there ever was. I am the epitome of beauty and charm and…and everything good in life!" she informed him, stomping her foot for emphasis.

"That's just an opinion. Come to me when you have proof." He said, turning and walking away from her.

Natsumi reached into the sleeve of her kimono and pulled out three kunai, throwing them at Akito's head swiftly. She really hoped they hit their target. He spun around in a circle and caught all three, throwing them back at her. "Are you really going to go there? I'm out of your league when it comes to kunai." He said with a smirk.

Her angry glare didn't let up, and she didn't move to avoid the kunai. Her sand rose defensively and stopped all the projectiles. "Are you now? Last time I checked…I was out of your league." She lowered her stance and disappeared, suddenly beside him and slamming her hand down on a known pressure point, sending a jolt of pain throughout his shoulder.

He grimaced at the pain but didn't make a sound, not wanting to appear weak in front of her. He knocked her hand off of his shoulder. He was hesitant to attack her, because he didn't want to hurt her. He had done so before and he would never forgive himself. So he resigned himself to stand there and take her fury, no matter what pain that brought.

"You are just…UGH…I can't believe you! Do you enjoy torturing me and tearing me down?! You are such a jerk Uchiha Akito. You don't hear me saying mean things about you even after all the things you've done. You're just angry and bitter!" she pointed at him and then walked off towards the other side of the bridge, staring down at the water.

"At least I didn't become angry and bitter over the years. I was born that way. And let me tell you, the bitterness is not attractive. At all." He said, turning away again to go home. He had had enough of this festival.

"Fine!" she yelled, refusing to face him. She grabbed onto the railing and let her watery eyes flow. She knew she was ugly now, but it was all his stupid fault for making her this way. She released the metal and cried silently into her hands. He was so mean and all he did was hurt her healing heart.

He heard her tears and instantly felt guilty. Turning, he walked over to her. "Natsumi…I didn't mean it…" he said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She smacked his hand away and glared at him once more with tear filled eyes, actually crying in front of him for the first time in a while. "If you didn't mean it you wouldn't have said it!"

He lowered his hand, slightly hurt. "Does that mean you meant what you said? About me being an asshole?" he asked softly.

"You are!" she sobbed out, trying to get a hold on herself. She couldn't believe how broken she felt. "You're just mean! You call me bad names and tell me I'm bitter! But it's not my fault! I haven't smiled since you hurt me!" she screamed, going wide eyed in her admission.

His eyes widened as well, and a torn expression came across his face then. He didn't know…hadn't realized…that she had been hurt that badly. "I really have become like him. I'm sorry." He whispered. Before anything else could happen he disappeared in a puff of smoke, not wanting to have a mental breakdown in front of her.

She sunk to her knees and cried into her hands, not caring if anyone saw her. She felt heartbroken all over again. How could he still do this to her? She didn't love him! She had forced herself not to love him even when she felt like she was getting close.

It was a good three hours before she moved again, slowly getting up from her fetal position. She didn't feel anything anymore. She was too tired from crying out all her sorrow. She started towards her hotel, not caring about the looks she got. She knew she looked terrible and surprisingly she didn't care. At all. When she returned to their room, she was relieved to see her family was still gone. She threw the fan aside and started undressing, throwing the beautiful kimono to the ground. She went into her room and slammed the door shut. She didn't even bother getting pajama's on. She wanted to go to sleep and hopefully stop breathing long enough to kill herself.

Why was it so hard to hate someone who had hurt her? Why did it matter that she had loved him? Key word being had. She shut her eyes tightly and allowed herself to cry once more, until she fell asleep.