Kagome sat in the padded lawn chair idly twirling the tresses of her raven hair, anticipating Pain's return. He hadn't been gone but for a few minutes, but still. It's Kagome; she's impatient.

When the back door's metallic nob twisted, her body jerked in anticipation. She turned toward the door with a bright smile.

"What took you so long, Pai- Naruto…" She stared at him silently, observing his bright orange swim suit. It seemed he had the same idea she did about swimming.

The only difference is he can actually swim… She thought glumly. She blinked. But god damn has Naruto have a killer body… She inwardly beat herself. Now was not the time to be ogling her still very angry ex-best friend!

Not even glancing in her direction, he brushed passed her silently. She watched him make his way down the porch steps and onto the concrete leading to the pool she so desperately wanted to swim in as well.

"Uh-ahem…" She cleared her throat before attempting to speak again. "Nice weather isn't it, Naru?" She called out to his tan, sculpted back.

Silence.

She blinked, yet persisted. "I thought so too. I was just talking to Ita-ni- I mean, Itachi's business partner about how I wanted to swim and he just-poof!- disappeared!" She laughed awkwardly, trailing off.

She brought her knees to her chin in the seat. "I don't… really know where he went, actually…" She pouted. "Maybe I said something? You know how my mouth has no filter." She smiled fondly at him as he swam, not even acknowledging her existence. "That's something you and I have always had in common! We've always gotten ourselves into trouble by not shutting our mouths."

She rolled her jeans up to her calves, and then set out on her journey to the pool. She sat near the diving board and placed her feet in the warm water with a content sigh.

She continued chatting to her old best friend, knowing he most likely wasn't paying her any mind at all.

"You know, I met someone like you in Tokyo!" She began happily. "His name is Inuyasha. He's grumpier than you though, and… well, I didn't exactly meet him in Tokyo." He paused mid stroke, as though to ask her what she meant. Seeing this as a good sign she shook her head vigorously.

"It's really hard to explain, Naru. I'd only confuse the both of us if I tried to explain it." He continued his graceful breaststroke to the deep end of the pool.

He stopped in front of her and opened his mouth. "Y-"

Pain chose that moment to return outside, something dark blue and stringy in hand. "Hey, Kagome, I have a swimsuit I think will…" Naruto whipped around and dove under water to swim to the opposite end of the pool and exit the completely, retreating inside the house.

"Fit you…" Pain continued, bewildered at Naruto abrupt departure. Concern shining in his eyes, he rose one eyebrow in confusion. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

She blinked, speechless. Honestly, she wasn't really sure what had happened either. Had Naruto actually been about to speak to her?

She sighed with disappointment. So close… Disappointment turned to hope as her thoughts took a positive turn. No, I actually got somewhere with him today! This is a sign that he might be ready to talk with me soon… She smiled.

"It's alright, Pain." She noticed the bathing suit in his hands. She placed her wet feet on the concrete and made her way back to the porch to take a closer look. "Uh… What's that?" She took in his appearance and blinked, bewildered.

"Are you wearing swim shorts?" He gave her a big grin.

"That I am." He held his arm out to her and handed the bathing suit to her. "Here," He said. "For you. I went to the beach with Konan, my sister, not too long ago, and after she changed her clothes she ended up accidentally leaving her bathing suit in my car. She's about your size, so I went to go get it." He frowned.
"Though, it took me a bit longer than anticipated to find it."

She stared at the bathing suit in her hands in wonder. Her eyes gleaming, she looked at him momentarily before embracing him tightly. "Thank you, Pain! That was extremely nice of you to go through the trouble." He stood there stunned and unsure of what to do, so he simply patted her back.

"It was no trouble at all." She pulled back with a huge grin on her face.

"I should go change! I'll be right back." She raced through the kitchen, ignoring the Gaara and Sasuke's questioning stares. After she disappeared from the room, they merely shrugged, returning to their master planning.

Kagome continued running up the stairs and into Itachi's bedroom without a thought to knock.

Poised right in the door frame, she stopped dead in her tracks, shocked at the sight before her. "Ita…Nii…"

Not at all fazed by her unforeseen entrance, he merely continued stripping himself of all his clothes. "Hello, Kagome," He said serenely.

He stood before her completely naked, excluding a pair of boxer briefs to cover his most intimate regions.

She sputtered, all cognitive thinking processes gone. It was like he didn't even care that she was seeing him nearly naked.

He walked to her, yanking her inside the room and slamming the door shut. He pinned her to the wall between his arms. "I thought I told you to not call me that any longer." He leaned in centimeters from her face. "Did I not?"

She nodded slowly, warily, and unsure of what exactly was happening. "Y-yes… I'm sorry…" He kissed her cheek lazily.

"What's my name, Kagome?"

She gulped as he nuzzled her neck gently. "I-Itachi…"

Next, he kissed the corner of her mouth. "Now, say it all together for me."

She shut her eyes. "I'm very sorry, Itachi…"

Within seconds, his lips were slanted over hers softly. He applied pressure briefly before pulling away from her completely.

"Now do you understand how I feel, Kagome?"

Her heart raced as she remained silent, unsure of how to react to his kiss. Oh, shit, what do I even do?

"I-I thought you didn't… I didn't even… know… When did you even-"

"I've always felt this way about you. From the second I met you, you've fascinated me, Kagome." He smiled. "Kagome, could you do me a favor?" He turned to her.

"Forget this ever happened."

He disappeared and for quite some time she stood there, completely shocked and speechless. She clenched her eyes shut, sliding down the wall and bringing her knees to her chin. Tears slid down her cheeks, despite her fight to hold them back.

It seemed everything in her life was becoming a complete mess, whether she wanted it to or not.