Akanishi-san: Weee. ANOTHER late update. I'm sure you all are sick of me. Sorry!
Chapter 8
"What?" Akane gasped, her eyes wide. What was going on? She spun towards Itachi, who refused to meet her eyes. "I…tachi?" She asked, and she then realized that she was trembling. "Itachi, tell me that's not true…You…Akatsuki…Itachi…"
Kai thirsted his chin to Itachi, and from that order number of anbu closed in on him. "You, are under arrest." Kai growled, holding Akane close to him. He felt her trembling, and he glared daggers at the man who had caused all of this. "Once a criminal, always a criminal."
The anbu carefully closed in, and much to their surprise, Itachi gave no fight. "This way." One said, giving Itachi suspicious looks. They had thought that he would fight back, if he was caught. But…it could be an another tactic.
The anbu team carefully walked out of the complex, Itachi in their tight circle, his hands bound, his eyes blindfolded. A soft whisper stopped them for a moment. Itachi turned around from that voice, his heart twisting.
"Itachi…" Akane fell onto her knees, her only support Kai's arms. Iruka was speechless. Everything was going so fast! He stared at Itachi for a long while, until he noticed his sister on the ground. He rushed over to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "No…" Her whispers were sobs. "No…"
"Go." Kai's voice cut through the soft whimpers. The anbu team nodded, and led the elder Uchiha out. He made no motion to fight back. He only followed, but before he left the complex, he turned slightly, remembering who was inside.
Once they were out of sight, Kai turned to Akane, who stared at the ground, leaning against Iruka's arms for support now. Iruka hugged her tightly, not saying a word. His sister sobbed in his arms, tears streaming through her fingers that tried to stop it from falling.
"Akane." Kai whispered, squatting next to her. He reached for her, but she slapped it away before they touched her. "Go away…" She whispered. "Please, Kai…don't." She hiccupped, tears falling onto the floor. "You…please…I won't be able to see you for a while…if you didn't come in…if you didn't see Itachi talking…"
"Shh…" Iruka whispered, hugging her closely. He nodded to Kai, who looked crestfallen. "I think…it's best if you leave her alone for a while. She…doesn't mean what she is saying right now."
Through his hurt eyes, Kai looked at Akane once more. Water dripped from her eyes endlessly, and she was still trembling. He nodded numbly, stumbling as he got up. He realized that he too, was shaking. "Akane…" He started to say, but seeing Iruka shake his head, he gave one more longing look and left.
---
Itachi sighed as he sat down, leaning against the cold cement walls around him. There were some sorts of ninjutsu on the walls around him, so that if anyone inside the walls started to use chakra, the walls would absorb it. Itachi experimentally held out his hand, trying to form chakra. He felt his chakra flow to his hand, but as soon as the chakra started to surface, he felt the wall tugging at his chakra. Soon, the energy was gone.
He looked at the ceiling as he tilted his head back, letting it rest against the wall. He sighed deeply, trying to think clearly. They had thrown him inside the cell as soon as his blindfold was taken away. He was presented with food hours later, so he assumed it was past morning.
"Akane…" The food on the small tray was still untouched. He had no appetite.
---
"Akane," Iruka said, knocking on the door to his sister's room. "Akane?" He asked, knocking again. "Can I come in?"
No answer.
"Akane?" He asked, but he opened the door. Her room, was a complete mess. Everything was on the floor, still many were not broken completely. It just looked like she had swept her hand across shelves so that everything fell off. Akane herself, was on the bed, curled up. Her sheets were thrown aside, pillows on the floor.
"Iruka-niisan." She sobbed. Her face was buried inside her knees. "I…don't know what to do." She whispered. Iruka silently made his way to her, and sat next to her. "I wanted to believe him…I did, and now…" She whimpered.
Iruka didn't say anything for a while, and silence hung the air. "Come on, I made breakfast, let's go eat it." He said, trying o sound cheerful. "Akane, you won't get anywhere until you eat. Won't you have another anbu mission soon?"
"No." Was Akane's cut reply. "For both…I'm not hungry, and I won't have anymore missions."
"What do you mean, anymore?" Iruka asked, suspicious. "You don't mean…" He saw her nod. "No, Akane! You…the anbu team need you. You've led some of them as their leader and you've improved a lot…"
Akane shook her head. "I'm tiered of all this fighting, if I wasn't an anbu, I would be here, maybe helping you out grading papers. I'm just…I don't want to fight. If I wasn't at that mission, maybe this wouldn't have happened."
"Akane." Iruka sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, you learned so much after being promoted to anbu…" He looked at her, who was still refusing the look up. "Maybe quit for a while, rest, but…"
"I know." Akane replied after a pause. "I…won't stop being an anbu, but…" She shook her head, and finally looked up, her eyes red from crying. "Nii-san…" She whispered. She clung onto his shirt with her trembling fingers. "Nii-san, Itachi…I…"
Iruka kissed her forehead lightly, trying to calm her. "Shh…" He whispered. "You need sleep, Akane. Then food." He released her, and patted her head. "Once you wake up, come into the kitchen. I'll leave a plate for you." He started for the door. "Eat whenever you feel like it, but Akane…you have to eat."
Akane nodded, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "Thank you." She whispered. Iruka nodded with a sad smile and left, closing the door behind him softly. Akane looked out of her window with a sigh. The sun was out, shining brightly. Her heart's sun, was covered with clouds.
"Itachi…" She whispered. Until later that day, the food Iruka promised was not touched. She, had no appetite.
---
"He got what?" Deidara yelled as Hebi explained what was going on in Konoha. They were hidden in a small cottage they had found a little away from Konoha. The former resident? They were at the corner of the house, red substance sprayed all around them.
Hebi fell heavily into a chair, growling. "He got caught." He snapped. "And what's even more puzzling is that he had submitted himself to them!" He threw his hands into the air in frustration.
Deidara punched a table as he got up, so strong that it split in half. He cursed loudly, glaring. "What do we do now?" He snapped. "Do we have to rescue Itachi or do we grab the Tail-carrier and the woman?" He started to pace. "Either way, it'll be risky, now that Itachi has been caught. Konoha's ninjas would be alert for us."
"That's only if we are caught." Hebi said after a while. "I vote for the woman and the fox." He placed his legs onto the now broken down table. "Itachi can fend for himself…if he can't; he's not worth to be an Akatsuki." He got up, letting his weight break the table even more. Dark figures that were both his weapon and shadow loomed around him dangerously.
The blond glared. "Keep that under control, will you?" He snapped. He watched as a art of the Hebi's shadow formed a head of a snake, baring its fangs. "You can easily sneak past in the night, since your shadow won't be seen in the darkness."
Chuckling, Hebi started for the door. "Then are we going?" He asked.
"Of course."
---
"Who is it?" Iruka walked over to their house door upon hearing a knock. It had been hours since the incident, now it was around eight in the afternoon. Akane, had not been out of her room since. She was either sleeping, or just sitting on her bed. All her brother could do, was to wait.
"Hello, Iruka-san." Kai greeted behind the door. His voice was soft, it was obvious he was hurt from her words earlier. "I came to ask…"
Iruka shook his head sadly. "She hasn't come out of her room since." He whispered. He motioned for him to come in. Kai hesitated, but entered. "I think…I should thank you." Iruka said as he sat down across from Kai in the living room.
Kai seemed surprised at that. "For what? All I had done was to make your sister…" He stopped. "That…Criminal…I won't ever forgive him." He growled.
"No." Iruka said, shaking his head. "If you hadn't caught Itachi talking to the other Akatsuki members…who knows what might have happened?" He paused, thinking about the older Uchiha. "I had thought…Itachi had come around."
Kai made a fist, gripping so hard that his knuckles were turning white. "He…I won't forgive him. Akane…That criminal!" He growled in frustration. "How did Akane come to trust him to bring him back to Konoha? I even told her it was nonsense, and even Hokage-sama! How can she…love him?"
"I don't know." The voice that echoed from the hallways froze Kai.
He sprang up from his sitting position, holding his breath. "A…Akane." He gasped, trying to collect himself. "Are you…erm, feeling better?" He fidgeted.
Akane smiled best she could, shaking her head. "Sit down, Kai." She said. Her voice was weak, too soft. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, the betrayal that had been dawned upon her twice, now from the same person; from the one she loved. "I wish I never loved him, too." She whispered as she walked into the kitchen.
Iruka shook his head at Kai who was about to walk to her. "Give her room." He said. Iruka pitied Kai in a way, for he knew that Akane didn't love Kai that way. Still, Iruka did want her to be with Kai. Kai would definitely devote himself to her, and he would be willing to accommodate to her liking. He would defiantly, not let her cry.
Kai sank onto his chair, watching Akane place food into the microwave. Her eyes seemed hollow, lifeless. Still, there she was, standing in front of him. And the fact that it was his fault in a way that she was like this…made him angry. He looked away from her, and stared at the floor beneath him. "I've got to go." He suddenly said, getting up.
"I thought you wanted to talk to Akane?" Iruka asked.
"Yes, but I have…somewhere else to be at." He stood up from his sitting position, reaching for his jacket that he had laid next to him. "Thank you for letting me stay for a while, Iruka-san." He started to walk towards the door, pausing at the kitchen to look at Akane. She did not make eye contact with him. "Akane, I'll see you soon?" He asked.
She nodded, her eyes still downcast. Kai felt his heart twist, but suppressing his emotions he started for the door again. "Hey Kai?" Her voice stopped him before he went out the door. He turned around, to see her standing in the hallway.
He was surprised; he hadn't thought that she would not speak to him for a long time. "Ye…yeah?" He asked, watching her.
"Are you free…tomorrow?" She asked. She finally looked up into his eyes, her eyes deep with worry. "Do you want to…do something tomorrow with me? Movie, or something?" She fidgeted.
Kai froze on his feet, staring at her dumbfounded. "Yes…" He started to say, his heart swelling with joy. "Yes, of course! Anything for you, Akane." He grinned his best, to which she responded with her own smile. He saw the force behind that smile, and instantly knew why he was being asked.
He knew that she only wanted someone to fill her empty heart. Still, he was happy that she had asked him, to fill it. If he could, maybe she would consider him more than a friend? Even if he was being used for now…he wanted to believe, that maybe someday she would let her affection grow. Maybe tomorrow might come out differently? He wanted to believe that.
"Tomorrow, at ten?" She asked.
"I'll come and pick you up." He promised.
He would show Itachi, he would show him how Akane would eventually love him than Itachi, a criminal. Kai closed the door behind him, his glare directed towards where Itachi was kept.
He started to make towards the cell, his eyes reflecting a murderous look. He had two things to say to the criminal:
Threats of his life for hurting Akane so much. Maybe not even just threats, maybe he would even go to Tsunade after, and have him executed?
Then: Akane, would never love him, but himself, Kai. He wanted to show Itachi, how much Akane deserved better, and that man, was to be himself.
Akanishi-san: Sooo...dun dun dun! lol.
