Touch Of Black - (13) – Save Yourself
A/N: So, there is probably about one more chapter to go in this story, I have thought about doing a sequel, but it wouldn't be in the near future. Please review!
"Don't drag behind Maiko-san," Kazuku grumbled.
"I'm not dragging behind! Tobi is behind me!"
"Yes, but he's Tobi," Zetsu replied.
"What does that have to do with things!?"
Maiko turned to see Tobi chasing after them on all fours, sniffing things as he went along.
"Tobi is a good dog!" He said cheerfully.
Maiko rolled her eyes. "Oh,"
"You understand now?" Kazuku asked.
"How could I not,"
Zetsu let out a small chuckle as Deidara got his peculiar partner back up on two legs and had to quickly convince him that he was not a dog, but in fact a human. All the members of the Akatsuki were there – including Itachi – which made Maiko very nervous. She didn't want to go on a mission with all of them! It would be so embarrassing! She just knew she would chicken out at the whole idea of the mission. It was just like the one that she went on with Itachi when she realized…..well, her new and highly unexpected feelings for him.
Like last time, The Akatsuki had been ordered to take out a large family that were conspiring against them. Honestly, Maiko had noticed that all they ever seemed to do was kill people who were plotting against them. There wasn't much time for the 'Evil Things' that she had always thought went on in the Akatsuki. Certainly, it was evil. But its not like the large family they were going to annihilate would show them any mercy had it been the other way round. So, really…Maiko didn't know what she was thinking.
It would take a few days to get to the location of the soon-to-be-deceased, so she would have to put up with the other members for what would seem like forever. She spent enough time near them as it was, and now they were all in such close quarters. They walked in a large group, Maiko was somewhere in the middle near Zetsu and Kazuku, Itachi was on the outside on the left. As the other members talked amongst themselves, Maiko couldn't help but stare at Itachi. There was nothing else to do, and she just couldn't help it. His eyes met hers and his head turned.
"What is it Maiko-san?" He asked, his voice as cold and low as it had always been. It was the first time he had talked to her in ages, Maiko jumped up slightly at the sound of his voice. Luckily, nobody seemed to notice except Itachi; but he wasn't likely to say anything anyway. Maiko shook her head and turned away from him again.
"Nothing,"
They walked on until nightfall, where they proceeded to make camp amongst a few large tree's, Itachi lit a fire with a jutsu and slowly, each member led down to sleep around it. Maiko didn't, she just sat in front of it staring blankly at the flames. She shivered constantly. It was freezing. How the others could stand the bitter chill she didn't know, she wasn't likely to sleep the way she was. And so just sat shivering and twitching…able to see her own breath whenever she exhaled. It wasn't as if it was snowing or anything but it was just so goddamn cold.
"You should rest Maiko-san," She heard Itachi's voice break the silence.
"Its too cold," Maiko explained, rubbing her arms and blowing on her hands. Even the humongous Akatsuki cloak she was forced to wear seemed to loose to give her any warmth.
"Rest," Itachi said again, although this time it didn't seem like a suggestion….more like an order.
Maiko looked at him worriedly for a moment, before finally submitting and lying down on the cold ground. The fact that she was basically right in front of the fire didn't seem to change her temperature, so she desperately tried to make her Akatsuki cloak as tight over her body as possible so that maybe it made a difference.
It did not.
Until she felt something else cover her body, and she looked up. Itachi had laid his own Akatsuki cloak over her, it was still warm from when he had been wearing it. She couldn't help but smile slightly, about to thank Itachi when he walked away from her. And disappeared amidst the tree's. She couldn't see him from then on and worried slightly, but the sudden added warmth of Itachi's cloak changed things. Perhaps it was because she knew it was his, and that he had put it on her. Which only heightened her affections for him. She pulled it up somewhat and breathed in…it smelt like him too. That strangely attractive musky smell…it was like being in heaven. Just that tiny act of kindness……from a man like Itachi; well it was certainly something different. It was certainly something to think about.
--
The next morning Maiko woke up cold again, on further inspection she saw that Itachi was now back – wearing his Akatsuki cloak – he had probably taken it off of her before anyone else woke up for fear of making the wrong impression. After all, it was a kind gesture….and Itachi Uchiha wasn't known for making kind gestures. Particularly amongst the other Akatsuki members.
After a quick breakfast, the Akatsuki headed off again. Unfortunately, Tobi had gotten it into his head that humming was a good way of entertaining everyone. He was only too willing to comply.
"I wish he'd shut up," Hidan mumbled.
"Your not the only one," Kazuku replied.
Deidara smacked Tobi round the back of the head. "Keep it down. People could be following us!"
"Yes Tobi. In case you didn't notice many people want us dead," Zetsu added.
If he hadn't been wearing a mask, Maiko probably would have been able to see the sad and annoyed expression on Tobi's face.
"But Tobi is a good boy!" He protested, crossing his arms angrily as they walked. Not looking, he tripped on a tree root.
Of course, the majority of the Akatsuki were males, and males did nothing more than laugh at such things. Well, most of them anyway. Particularly if you were evil like the Akatsuki. Tobi sighed loudly when nobody offered to help him up, and he even moaned aloud a little bit when they just started walking again. Hurriedly, he picked himself up off of the forest floor and chased after them.
Maiko couldn't suppress a small smile.
(2 Days Later)
So, it'd been hellish for Maiko, having to deal with the boredom of the situation, the exhaustion of all the walking and just the general annoyingness of the other Akatsuki members who were with her. But, she had to cheer up a little bit now, because they weren't far from their destination. Although, part of her was getting more and more anxious about what she would be required to do; not to mention if she was too afraid half of the organization wouldn't let it go. It had been alright with Itachi, he had no purpose for going around telling everyone that Maiko hadn't be able to kill those children. He wasn't that type of person, and it wasn't as though he many people to tell anyway. Itachi didn't talk much, least of all to the Akatsuki.
But someone like Kisame, or Deidara…..they'd tease her until she could bare it no longer. Insensitive bastards.
Itachi, who was at the front of group stopped suddenly, Kazuku almost walked straight into the Uchiha's back, thankfully Hidan had been aware of what was going on and stopped him just in time. For who knows what Itachi would do?
"We need to discuss our tactics," He said, turning to face everyone else.
Maiko nodded, although once again nobody seemed to notice but Itachi.
"How about we just go into their headquarters and destroy them all in one fell swoop!" Kisame roared loudly, waving his sword around a little for emphasis.
"That's ridiculous," Hidan objected. "We might as well be digging our own graves,"
"Well it was worth a suggestion seeing nobody else is contributing!" Kisame snapped back.
"Just shut the hell up. Both of you," Kazuku exclaimed, sighing.
"I could always make several of my birds and then we could drop them on their headquarters. They'd certainly go out with a BANG. If you get my meaning, yeah," Deidara said.
Everyone turned to face him and frowned, except Tobi who bursted out into a round of clapping.
"Tobi says that's an excellent plan Deidara-senpai!" He cheered.
This time, Maiko was the one to smack Tobi on the back of the head.
"We need something serious, and not any of that nonsense that the lot of you were going on about," She said.
All heads nodded in agreement. And they began planning….
It was nightfall, all the Akatsuki members were spread out hidden amongst tree's and other greenery near to the enemies headquarters. There were several guards spread about the area, but Hidan had been given the task of getting rid of them. He did so without question. As Maiko waited in her hiding position behind a large fern bush, she couldn't help but be nervous. This was big. Very big. Bigger and far more dangerous than any mission she'd ever been on.
She had been told that someone would come and get her, but part of her had serious doubts. Maiko supposed that they might just do the mission themselves and then come back to get her. That would be the easier thing to do, without someone like her hesitating and not having the nerve to do anything.
"What a loud of baka's!" Maiko moaned to herself angrily, clenching her fists.
She was sick and tired of being looked down on, she'd done as much as she could if it wasn't good enough for the damn Leader than he might as well have let her go back to Konoha. Then again, if he really didn't want her he'd have to kill her, because if he didn't. She might well go back to Konoha and tell the Hokage where their hideout is, and all of the Akatsuki secrets she had learned.
So, she was stuck. It was get on with it and stop complaining, or die. The latter did not seem very appealing at all to Maiko. As she thought, Itachi emerged from the trees near to her.
"Let me guess," Maiko whispered. "You've come to tell me to stay here while all of you go in and deal with the enemy because I'll just get in the way,"
She crossed her arms in annoyance waiting for a reply, Itachi merely walked over to her, bending down on one knee.
"No Maiko-san," He said. "I've come here to tell you to run,"
Maiko blinked. "What?"
"If you go now, nobody will catch you. You can rid yourself of this organization and go back to Konoha, we've all agreed. But if you tell any of our secrets we will kill you," Itachi said bitterly.
Maiko was shocked. He was letting her go?
"Why are you just letting me leave? What about all the fuss you made in the first place?"
There was another rustle and Deidara appeared.
"This is going to be a tough one, yeah," Deidara said. "You've got to watch out for yourself okay?" He looked at Maiko.
Itachi scowled and glared at Deidara.
"I know Itachi-san. Chances are they might be smart enough to defeat you…" Deidara whispered on for a little while.
Maiko looked at Itachi, he looked at her. There was something in his eyes.
And then she understood. He was trying to save her. He had lied about all of them deciding she should leave. It wasn't true. He was worried about her, perhaps he cared? Maybe there was a chance that whatever feelings Itachi Uchiha had left in him were all aimed at Maiko. He didn't want her to die, he knew how hard of a mission it was.
"Go back to your position Deidara-san," Itachi ordered.
When the blonde had disappeared, Maiko frowned in confusion.
"You lied," She stated.
"I was merely trying to rid myself of your presence Maiko-san," Itachi snapped. "But if you insist on coming, follow me,"
Now Maiko was even more confused, he didn't care then? Her previous thoughts had simply been the imagination of a love struck fool trying to convince herself that things were different. Itachi Uchiha; the unreadable man.
She had no idea what he wanted from her now, but there was just something.
There was always something around the eyes, whenever he looked at her.
Something.