That incident wasn't the only time Kiken accidentally bumped into Itachi.
In fact, it happened twice more before anything actually happened between them both.
Pein had already stated that they were staying in the hideout one more day, and everyone was pretty much doing what they wanted. They weren't allowed to stray too far from the hideout, of course, but there was still a lot more freedom with their spare time than there would be on another mission. And it was a break, at least, from the gruelling pace Pein had been setting for the last few days, first to get to Hoshi valley, then to find Kiken afterwards. Even with her he had tried to speed them up as much as possible; so it was good to get a break that lasted more than five minutes.
Kiken, however, had to split her time up. Even before Pein wanted to talk to her, she had decided to take a walk through the forest; to try and prepare herself for what she knew was to come. She had slept well, it was true, the calming presence Itachi had acted as in the forest had somehow managed to attach itself to her for the rest of the night, and there were no overwhelming worries in her mind as she strolled through the natural paths made by the trees around her. All she needed was a little time before each conversation she had with Pein. Then, just like last time, Itachi had appeared out of nowhere, and that same feeling Kiken had received the night before returned to her, and although, just like always, neither of them said nothing, merely nodding in recognition and walking on…they both felt all the better for it.
But it didn't last, unfortunately. It was mid-morning that day when Pein called her into his office, wanting to know more about Hoshi valley, the war and the general battlefield. She had understood that it would take longer than one conversation when he had first asked, true, but that didn't make it any easier knowing she had no choice. Abruptly all she had tried to protect herself from came back with a vengeance, and the preparation that she had thought she had had turned to nothing.
Not only that, but the feeling that Itachi had involuntarily given Kiken when she had met him in the forest last night had given her one of the best nights sleeps she'd had in weeks, she had to admit—well, at least to herself—but that didn't mean it stayed when once more she had to talk about the war. She had been too naïve. For the first time in a long time, she had felt stronger towards the memories she had of the war in Hoshi valley. And it had come from another person. Because of that, she had thought it would last; that her problems would fade away, but she comprehended as Pein continued talking, that it wasn't like that at all. Itachi couldn't protect her from everything.
She just hadn't wanted to accept that fact.
So when she was finally let out from Pein's office, the sky turning dark and practically night time, she headed straight down the corridor and once again out of the hideout and into the nearby forest. Taking a walk last night had helped to clear her head, and the same had happened this morning, so regardless of whether it was day or night, surely it would help her. It was calm, quiet and peaceful in the forest—an opposite to her tumultuous thoughts in her mind—and breathing in the atmosphere, the pounding of her heart against her ribcage faded slightly. Smiling gently at the animals she noted along the way, Kiken felt her muscles slowly relaxing, knowing once again that she would be okay once she finally headed back to the hideout.
Her smile didn't fade, however, as, in exactly the same way as this morning, Itachi morphed out of the shadows, walking slowly past Kiken on her journey. But this time she halted. This time she felt different. Maybe it was how he had affected her last night, or maybe it was just how she was feeling at the moment that was affecting her; she didn't know. But it made a difference, and as he walked on, Kiken now facing his back as he began to fade into the distance, she finally found her voice; having wanting to speak to him ever since the first time she met as she began,
"This is the third time, Itachi-sama. I'm guessing you come for walks a lot, then."
Itachi, too, halted in his path, and for a moment remained frozen to the spot. He had been glad when he had bumped into Kiken when she had been walking, and he'd had the same reaction the second time. In the same way as Kiken herself had wanted to speak to him, he had wanted to speak to her; he knew having accidentally met in the forest was a perfect time to do so; they were alone, and nothing could interrupt them. But he still hadn't done a thing. Now, however, Kiken had, and he couldn't do a thing for a moment, shocked at the idea that what he'd been thinking of doing had finally come true.
"Sometimes I need to think; to be alone to do so. It's hard when you're in a building with a large group of people—and please don't call me –sama, Kiken-chan." He eventually managed to reply, relieving Kiken as he turned back around to face her when she'd just been thinking he wasn't going to answer at all.
Narrowing her eyes at his request, Kiken slowly nodded in agreement at it after a slight pause. It was strange for him to be doing so, and yet the action seemed to fit him perfectly; as well as the answer to her question had been. Smirking softly at his words, she glanced down, not wanting to seem rude, but then replied, still smirking,
"Yeah—you seem like the kind of guy to think things through a lot; it's how you can get along with Kisame even with how your fighting styles differ. So many things going on inside your head…and no one even knows it."
At first Itachi contemplated how to respond. There were allusions to numerous things under the surface of her words, and yet still meaning in the simplest form. With that realisation, however, Itachi merely smirked back at her, though slightly in awe at how she so easily saw his true self, he imperceptibly shrugged at Kiken's reference to him, but also noted how she had become quieter with her last words; speaking almost absentmindedly to him. Like she understood completely what he was going through—because she went through the exact same thing herself.
Now Itachi stepped closer; slowly at first, but soon forgot about keeping his distance at the look in Kiken's eyes and how calm she seemed. There was a moment of silence, but Itachi soon quietly asked about how she had been talking with Pein. Nodding back at his words, Kiken flashed a smirk back at him, but it didn't take much for Itachi to notice it was a half-hearted attempt at one, and though he sighed at how he was instantly saying something like it, he had to point that fact out. Not that Kiken minded; she found herself telling him about her doubts—though not to the point of the whole story—and it was just how both of them had predicted; a connection that meant they were finishing each other's sentences after knowing each other for merely a couple of days.
But the barrier between them both had been broken; now there was no hesitation in talking to each other, and soon the conversation turned from the mission, to things of lesser importance. They hadn't exactly known each other for long, and they wanted to know more about each other; well, just the basics. The feeling that Itachi had given her before was once again returned, but this time, it showed no signs of fading. Any worries about what might follow on the mission faded too, and it allowed both of them to get away from the troubles that had always plagued their minds.
The walks were never spent alone after that.
