n.n here is chapter 26. I shall warn you in advance, things get slightly steamy. Nothing full (yet) but there is touching of the sorts. Well, hope you enjoy the update. This is my longest chapter yet, but I'm really trying to move things along fast, and make it believable. Review please? ^^;
Downgrading where you live was always a huge problem. The Akatsuki members that were living in this small little cottage had once dwelled in a nice large mansion. Sure there were Akatsuki hide outs scattered around the nation, but when you were hiding from somebody who was out to get the Akatsuki, a typical hiding place wasn't safe. Itachi, Deidara, Kisame, and Yuki often had problems with the water in the cottage. Unfortunately, when Yuki was planning to take her shower the water chose to stop working then too. She sighed irritably as she rubbed her forehead back and forth." Dammit, I need a shower." She grumbled.
Instead, Yuki was going to that spring she was at a few days ago to wash up. She grabbed the shampoo, conditioner, soap, and the towel. She wrapped the items inside of the cloth so she didn't have to carry them all and risk dropping something along the way. As she was about to walk out the cottage door, Itachi came in. "Where are you going?" he asked. The elder Uchiha arched an incredulous brow towards her.
"I'm going to go wash up." She stated.
"Where? The shower is right over there."
Yuki sighed softly, "The water isn't working again so I'm going to the springs to wash up. I'm not leaving on a mission when I'm not bathed because who knows how long it will be before I am able to bathe again."
Even if Yuki was a little different from a lot of women, there was one thing that still made her one. The need to have well kept hygiene. "Kisame's impatience had him move ahead. This is his tailed beast, but the leader made it clear that Kisame will not be alone on this mission." The shark hybrid had to wait for them.
Yuki brushed past the elder Uchiha and rolled her eyes as she was walking away. "You make it sound like I'm going to take all day to wash myself."
In the far distance, clouds loomed over. They were slowly creeping their way south. It seems rain was threatening to pour over the land. If they were lucky, Itachi, Kisame and Yuki wouldn't come across that weather on their mission. Itachi followed behind her to the springs. Yuki knew he was following her but thought he would stop and wait after a certain amount of distance. However, that quite wasn't the case. Itachi has kind of seen her nude but not completely nor has he seen her bathe herself. She stopped and inclined her head to the side a bit, "Why are you following me?" she inquired.
There wasn't a big deal with following. Not the way he saw it, "Why would I wait for you to return? After you take your bath, leaving would be the most logical answer. We're already keeping Kisame waiting as it is."
How she did not see that coming not even she knew. Yuki shrugged her shoulders and started walking anyways. Itachi hadn't completely followed her; he stopped right before the spring and made himself comfortable underneath a tree. It was late in the afternoon; sometime tomorrow hopefully they will have spotted their designated tailed beast. Itachi's eyes eased shut as he patiently waited for Yuki to finish bathing. Thirty or so minutes have passed and he heard the splashing stop. "Are you done Yuki?" there was that tone of intolerance in his voice.
The elder Uchiha had stood and walked into the opening but she hadn't been there in the spring. However when he turned his head he spotted her and she was just in her bra and underwear. Yuki attempted to cover herself with her hands but he didn't seem fazed that she was standing there in front of him in just her under garments. Yuki's face was turning a deep shade of red. It was from both anger and embarrassment. Itachi hadn't seen why she was so flustered, she was covered. Yuki then just crossed her arms firmly across his chest. "W-what are you doing?" she shouted.
Itachi's strides were elegant as he kept walking towards her. Each step he took forward, she took back. "I was seeing what was taking you so long. You stopped making sounds so I thought you drowned." There had been a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Maybe if you were a little more pate-"her sentence was cut off by her backing up into a tree.
There was nowhere else for her to go and Itachi was just a few steps away from her. He inched closer and once again her face was burning hot. There were feelings Itachi felt, like ones he haven't quite felt before, ones that he couldn't recall if he ever had. As he stared at Yuki, there was just something that made him so curious. His arm outstretched and his palm firmly placed itself against the tree bark. Yuki felt her stomach twist up in knots as she stared up towards the elder Uchiha so nervously. "What's wrong?" he inquired.
"What do you mean, what's wrong?" Her voice got higher at the end of each sentence as she spoke.
Again she gulped deeply. Her eyes watched his expression. It was unchanging but there was such a difference as she stared into his eyes. They seemed softer, more peaceful. It was almost peculiar how much they changed in over the time her and Itachi conversed with each other. Itachi guided his hand to cup underneath her chin and pull her head up further. "Your face is red."
"Y-You're so close…" she said, "And well...I'm in my underwear an-"
She was cut off from speaking by him leaning down a bit further and placing his lips over hers. Something sparked deep from them both and her head got slightly busy. Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment. Yuki returned the kiss with passion. Itachi pulled away when he wanted to go for a breath of air. He stared down at her as she continued to gaze up at him. There was a silence between them. Surprisingly it wasn't awkward. Her eyes fluttered shut as she reached out for his face and pulled him down into another deep kiss.
Itachi was slightly surprised when Yuki had pulled him down for the kiss, however he returned it with much as much passion before. He felt his face beginning to heat up as the blood was beginning to rush throughout his body. His hand reached to cup her face and pulled her in more. Yuki's hand went from the side of his face down to his waist. He enjoyed the feel of her dainty finger tips pressing into his clothes. The warmth from her hands could be felt through the layers of fabric. Itachi eventually broke the kiss between them, and then just stared at her for a few moments. When he stared into her eyes, there was a feeling inside of him that he rarely ever felt. His eyes just eased shut and kissed at the corner of her mouth.
Yuki's breath became hitched as his gentle butterfly kisses moved their way across her face and to her jaw line. Itachi went down to her neck where he was a few inches away from her silky skin. His warm breath wafted across her neck, and it formed chills that viciously raced down her spine. Her body just locked up for a moment as she wasn't entirely sure what to do. "Relax," he spoke and it was followed by his lips moving on her neck. His mouth opened to bring some of her flesh into it. Her skin had tasted extremely sweet, he had to have more.
The girl gulped softly as he devoured her neck. Her cheeks began to flush a very light tint of pink. Yuki pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and relaxed against the tree. If she wasn't careful she was sure her knees would have given out and she would have collapsed on to the ground. His hands moved from the small off her back and went over her rear end and grabbed a hold of it. It was so soft to the touch. The best thing about a woman's body was how supple it was. Itachi indulged on the feel of Yuki's body. "Mmm," he hummed softly. Yuki's fingers then rested on the hem of his shirt, she slowly started to inch it up along his body, her other hand followed only to soon press her palm flat on to his abs.
Her toes curled into the soil below her feet. Itachi maneuvered a bit so his shirt was easier to remove from over his head. Yuki honesty wasn't sure what she was doing, but her movements were just what felt like pure instinct. Her hands trembled along the Uchiha's flesh. Yuki stopped them at his chest and her digits massaged deeply into his skin. Yuki leaned forward to kiss along his neck. One hand slipped to his back to reach for his hair. Her fingers gently tugged at the band that kept his hair in place which caused for his hair to glide along his back. Her fingers indulged in his silky tendrils. She pressed her body closer to his and it was even hotter than before. A soft breath eased out from her lips which sent chills down Itachi's spine.
His fingers reached back to the clasps of her bra and unhooked them. He fumbled with it a little bit because the clasps refused to let go. Her breasts fell free as his hands greedily began to massage the soft flesh. He bit his bottom lip delicately as his thumbs rolled over the sensitive nubs on her bosom, they hardened by his touch.
However, this made Yuki feel just a little uncomfortable. "W-wait…" she uttered softly.
Itachi pulled away and looked calmly down at her. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Yuki gulped and brushed his hands off of her and covered her breast. "I-I…" she didn't have to say she was uncomfortable. It was written all over her face. "We have a mission to do anyways." She announced as she went to grab her bra off from the ground and she put it back on.
Itachi was slightly surprised she had stopped. Yuki had been relaxed for a while, and wondered what it was. His thoughts would remain silent to himself though. Itachi wasn't the type of person to press an issue that wasn't entirely important, nor did he force himself on a woman. She was right though, they had a mission to attend to. Kisame was off somewhere waiting for them anyways. The girl looked thoroughly flustered as she was getting her clothes on. She fumbled around to put her red tank top on. She seemed to have even more trouble as she tried to pull her legs through her bottoms. However she was able to slip them on fully and she buttoned them.
Yuki breathed out and noticed she was still shaking. Her eyes burned into the ground as she was seriously thinking. "No," she told herself. Her mind would constantly be distracted if she allowed these thoughts to flow through. For now, she would just brush off what happened. She walked back and Itachi had his clothes gathered and he still looked as composed as ever. "Let's go." She said.
His critical eyes watched Yuki fumble right ahead of him.
Impatiently, the shark hybrid was waiting. The sun was already making its way past the mountain. How long did it take Itachi to get the girl and get moving? That hadn't made any sense to him, but it also was whatever to him. Even if Kisame questioned Itachi why it took so long, he would give such a vague answer. Their partnership was a strange, but a mutual one. Their personalities were so different. Kisame was loud and destructive and Itachi was calm, but deadly. "Come on Itachi," he complained as his leant against the tree and stared out into the vastness of the forest.
In the distance there were two figures walking, one was ahead of the other. Kisame's bitty fish eyes couldn't entirely make out the figures, but the chakra clearly read that it had been Itachi and Yuki. "About damn time," he said aloud when they got closer.
Yuki frowned at Kisame and he didn't care. The girl didn't scare him, because it seemed after all that she wasn't as strong as she was. "What took you guys so long?" he asked.
"Ask Yuki," Itachi simply stated.
The girl felt odd when Kisame stared at her with those shark like eyes of his. They were truly creepy in their own way. Akatsuki was just filled with weirdoes, from what she remembered when she was first kidnapped. "Well, what took you guys so long?"
Yuki simply crossed her arms and walked passed Kisame. She would have upturned her nose but she realized that it was probably a little childish of her to do such. That was something she was trying to break out of now. "I was washing up. I had to bathe before we left because who knows when I will next see soap."
As a woman, Yuki did need to bathe. It was essential to her so she was not sickened by her own smell. Kisame rolled his eyes, "Women," he uttered.
Yuki she brushed off Kisame's obvious displeasure and kept walking forward, "Well are we going to do this or what?"
Kisame just brushed past Yuki, basically letting her stumble to the side a little bit. He certainly was brash sometimes. Usually he had the 'I really don't give a fuck about you' attitude towards Yuki, and didn't bother her. Yuki was Itachi's problem from his point of view. "What the hell is you're problem?" she furrowed her brows towards the shark hybrid.
"The fact that you're coming along," Kisame replied simply.
Yuki arched an eyebrow, "So what's wrong with that, you don't think I'm capable?"
That was a lot for her to say because if she was honest with herself, not even she thought she was capable of doing this. Kisame sighed heavily, "My problem is that this is supposed to be my prey. Yet, here you are because the leader said you had to be because he wants to see your abilities? Why did it have to be my prey?"
Yuki rolled her eyes, "So you're really sore about that?"
"Yes, I wanted to go by myself anyways."
Itachi had enough of both of their bickering, "Kisame shut up. This isn't Yuki's fault, now stop aggravating her."
Kisame gave Itachi a confused look. Where was Yuki's scolding? Usually she was the one to get the sting of the Uchiha's tongue first. However, that was not the case this time. "Orders are orders, the four tails is still your prey. Leader just wants to see if she can rough him up a bit. You will do the rest after."
The shark hybrid wasn't all that happy right now. He was confused and infuriated by Itachi's behavior and Yuki's behavior. Another heavy sigh came out and he continued walking forward then. "Whatever." He muttered underneath his breath, "Let's move out."
Yuki followed after the shark hybrid and crossed her arms tight against her chest. "Fine with me." She mumbled.
Yuki quickly passed up Kisame to get ahead of both of them. She was a little eager, maybe too eager. Maybe she was just trying to forget what happened early. It was the only plausible reasoning to Itachi. He followed behind quickly, impressed how she was able to quickly collect herself. When they left she was just stumbling away and now her strides were smooth. "Patience," Itachi spoke calmly as he followed after her.
A fire blazed in the middle of where their camp was set up. The three-man team covered a lot of ground despite the fact that Itachi and Yuki decided to delay their search a bit by their antics earlier. Yuki's mind had been flooded with those thoughts the entire time they were searching. Her mind wasn't in the game, but she gave a convincing act that she was in it. It was good enough to convince Kisame. Itachi saw through her act. It was distracting to him to see her so distracted. She sat far away from the fire, further away from the light it gave off. She seemed to be thinking on her own. Kisame was off on the exact opposite side of Yuki. Itachi was the only one who sat closet to the burning flame.
Yuki constantly was turning her head to the side to peer towards Itachi. Her mind was flooded with the actions that had occurred earlier. She wasn't sure what to make of them. Feelings just jumbled around in her mind, and in a way it was driving her absolutely insane. She felt it was only appropriate maybe she spoke to Itachi about this. "Itachi," Yuki softly spoke, not wanting to wake Kisame up.
Itachi barely heard her voice but he turned his sharingan eye gaze towards the girl. "What is it, Yuki?" he responded.
"Could you come here real quick?" she asked.
Without any further questions he simply pushed himself off the ground. His walk was short, but quite eloquent. He then eased himself right next to her. "What's wrong?" he inquired with actual concern in his voice.
"Well," she began not really knowing where she wanted to start, "I was thinking about what happened earlier, between us."
Itachi's hunch was right. Yuki's mind was occupied the whole time about what happened. "What's bothering you about what happened?"
"Didn't that feel… weird to you?" she asked.
The look she gave him with her emerald eyes was desperate. She was searching those piercing crimson eyes of his for any sign of emotion. Even if it was just a small hint of it, yet it was like searching for a needle in the haystack. It was there, but underneath it all. He didn't respond but instead looked away from her. "Why did you do it, I should say… there has to be a reason you did it, right?" she asked.
She bit her bottom lip as she waited for the Uchiha brother answer her. Itachi sighed because he wasn't sure how to express it. "Why did you stop it?" he just asked her a question.
Yuki almost couldn't believe this, "Because I was wondering why you were doing it in the first place. Before you didn't seem to be open to your emotions and all of sudden you're… well… yeah" she tried to explain it but she found it embarrassing to even mutter how he touched her.
Itachi just kept his gaze away from her. How was he to explain this to her? How did one who pushed back his feelings for so long, explain how he felt? Itachi gulped silently as he looked towards her. "I'm not sure, Yuki. I can honestly say that maybe I didn't realize anything until we've really started talking more."
"I'm trying to understand you more…?" she whispered.
Itachi merely nodded his head. The time he confided in Yuki about his past deeds, to protect his brother, and the village really helped the one sided feelings from Yuki to become something more mutual. Yuki just nodded her head and she understood where it was coming from now. "I've felt something for you the night I got you drunk, then maybe it was just pity. I just know that pity went something more but I still can't find a way to explain it. Considering my origins, how I raised myself and my… multi-personality disorder, I'm not exactly how to explain feelings." In order to explain it you had to understand it.
Itachi turned his gaze towards her and she scooted in closer. Yuki peered over her shoulder cautiously to stare at the shark hybrids' sleeping space. He seemed well asleep, and she turned back towards Itachi. Her hand grabbed for his, and she went to move more on to the Uchiha, "I-if you don't mind. I want to try and give it another chance, what we did earlier."
Itachi coolly and gently eased her away from him and shook his head, "Not right now, Yuki. We're on a mission, and Kisame is sleeping over there."
A small blush appeared across her face. She felt slightly stupid for having suggesting such. She just was ready to share herself with Itachi now. "Oh yeah, I'm sorry. Hahah, I almost forgot."
Sheepishly Yuki began to scratch the back of her head, and her eyes turned over to the side then. However she felt the warmth of Itachi's hands grasped underneath her chin. The Uchiha's firm gaze melted whatever was inside and she couldn't find herself to gaze away. "I think it's just best for you to get some rest before we make our move later." He told her.
Yuki shook her head no. She wasn't ready to stop talking to him. There was another pressing issue at hand that had been temporarily pushed to the other side of her brain. Itachi was supposed to have an answer for her about what else they were going to do, so Itachi didn't give up his life. Right now would be as a good as time as ever to talk about this because she wasn't sure when they would get the chance again. "Well, I'm not done talking to you."
"What else is there to talk about?" he told her.
"I want my answer," she said as she stared at him rather firmly.
Itachi stared away then. He knew what Yuki was talking about. Even if he wanted to, playing dumb wasn't something he did often and Yuki wouldn't fall for it. "Is it that important for you to let me live?" he questioned softly.
"Yes, yes it is," Yuki nodded her head eagerly in her response.
A soft sigh found a way to ease out of the Uchiha's lips as he brushed some strands of his hair away from his face. Yuki proceeded to persuade him, "All you want is for your brother to live a good life. If Madara gets a hold of him, there is absolutely no way for that to happen. If you pretend to die, you and I can watch him. Itachi, please, really, really think about it before you give me your answer."
There was a silence between them; one that made Yuki incredibly nervous. A cold sweat started to form on the back of Yuki's neck. She could feel her heart starting to sink into the pits of her stomach. Her hands clutched on to her knees as she stared frantically towards him. Itachi ran his fingers through his hair once again and eased his head back. He was gazing into the stars as he really thought about it as Yuki begged him to do. "Fine," he said and he took a hold of her hand.
"Fine…?" She wanted more of an answer than fine.
"We'll run off together after the fight with my brother, and watch over him" he said and a small smile formed on her face.
Her entire body just wanted to melt to the floor. Yuki felt so overwhelmed with happiness she wasn't too sure what to do. She gulped and felt tears form into her eyes. It felt like someone had taken a boulder and lifted it off of her shoulders. Yuki sighed and leaned her head on to his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.
Itachi just took her by the chin and stared up towards her. He kissed her briefly on the lips and whispered, "Go to sleep, now." He told her.
Yuki felt a tingly sensation on her lips and she gazed kindly towards Itachi. She agreed by giving a gesture with her head and positioned herself against the tree to fall asleep. The Uchiha stood up and walked back towards the log he was sitting on before Yuki called him over and sat there. This time though, his eyes watched her drift off to sleep as he felt the warmth of the flame fan across his face.
Morning came fast for the resting. Kisame and Itachi took turns on the look-out last night. Itachi was the last to do so he woke Kisame and Yuki up from their sleep. They woke themselves up before they were ready to set and move. They searched the vast area for any hints of the tailed beast they were after. They went through small villages and questioned people they were looking for someone. Asking non-ninja villages was the best idea. They didn't know who they were, despite the cloaks that gave them away. Yuki, however, was the only one who did not sport the cloak. She never gave Pein the answer that she was going to join. She seemed to make it obvious to Itachi she had no intentions in joining the organization, even from the beginning before her and Itachi officially got closer.
The afternoon was just beginning to shine through. The warmth was making Yuki a little bit uncomfortable, because of her utterly pale skin; she did ten to burn fairly easily. "Do you feel anything yet?" Yuki asked. As of now they were searching through another wooded area. It was getting clearer as they were searching around for a spot to just take a break.
"No," Kisame was the one to respond.
Yuki would have commented on how it was his job to do the tracking since this was his Jinchuriki to catch. She didn't because she didn't want to start any more argument so she just kept her lips zipped. That was something new for her. It was difficult but she was trying to best. Itachi's eyes fluttered shut as he was sensing around. "Alright," he said softly, "I feel something off towards the west. I think that's our target." He said.
Kisame turned around and grinned, "Well Alright."
Kisame was very excited to know that their target has been spotted. Kisame had his hand placed on the hilt of his broad sword. He was the one leading as they were walking because this was his target. Yuki didn't understand what it was with him and prey. It seemed he was very much like a shark. His prey was his own and anyone to touch it would get bitten by the sharp crooked teeth of the shark. Itachi and Yuki followed behind the Kisame and he kept chuckling underneath his breath. Their footsteps were soft upon the soil. In the far distance gray clouds were coming over their way. "A storm is coming." Yuki said as her lips pursed together.
The further they headed over towards the direction, the colder it was getting. Chills puckered on Yuki's skin. Her hair and Itachi's hair whipped around with the gentle breeze that started. There was a rustling sound in the distance and suddenly all of them stepped. Yuki furrowed her brows; she had gotten this overwhelming sense of chakra. The last time she felt something similar to this was when she had spotted the kyuubi kid. "I'm pretty sure that is it." Yuki said softly.
"Well no shit," Kisame said bluntly.
She wasn't afraid to toss the shark hybrid a death glare. Kisame just shrugged it off, it didn't bother him. He didn't feel threatened by Yuki at all. She seemed to have proved many times before that when she was left alone, she couldn't fend for herself. Kisame wouldn't believe anything else until Yuki was somehow able to prove otherwise.
There was something else that Itachi felt. It was far off into the distance and it felt familiar. This was another ting he feared bringing Yuki out. Those people who were after her. Itachi kept this to himself. Kisame would have been upset if he knew something might spoil their attempt of getting the four tailed beast that was so greatly desired. Carefully the three of them crept along, they wanted to ambush the four tails and catch him off guard. He was in sight now. What Yuki saw was surprising though. An old man seemed to be harboring the tailed beast. "We're going to be fighting an old man?" she whispered harshly, "That's hardly fair."
"Do you think an old man could kick your ass too?" Kisame grinned devilishly.
The girl held her fist tightly and the touch of Itachi's hand on her shoulder reminded her to stay calm. Yuki just looked away from Kisame. "We need to ambush him, Kisame since you're the main attacker you get a good spot to come down from when I give the signal for you to come down."
"Sure," Kisame said.
After a while with being partners with Itachi, it was either Itachi's way or the highway. His plan was usually done first and from there Kisame would take things into his own hands. "Yuki, follow me." Itachi commanded.
"Uh, okay." She said, obviously just a little bit confused.
Itachi was quick to walk off and Yuki had to do her best to follow and keep up with him all the while trying to be silent. Her eyes often glanced over to the side to see that the tailed beast was still in keen sight. "Listen to me carefully," he told her.
His critical eyes scanned her face to make sure she was all there and paying perfect attention to him. Yuki nodded her head, clearly understanding him. "We're going to let Kisame get the four tailed beast, completely by himself."
"Wait… what?" Yuki stared at him incredulously, "But, I thought you… Pein, I thought I was supposed to 'rough' the four tailed beast up to test out my abilities. What, do you think I cannot do it? Well, thanks for the vote of confidence." She seemed hurt.
Itachi placed his hand up with the palm open to signal her to shush. "Listen," he said again, "Do you feel that chakra?"
"The tailed beast? Of course, he's just a few yards away." Yuki said wondering where he was getting at.
Itachi held his from, motionless look "No, out further off to the north west."
Silence fell between them as she concentrated to feel this other chakra. It was fairly strong and it felt incredibly familiar to Yuki; too familiar. "Oh god…" she whispered underneath her breath. It dawned on her it was those same people who kept terrorizing her, for no reason. Or what seemed like it was no reason. "What are we going to do, Itachi?"
The Uchiha stood up straight and tucked his hands into his cloak and started pacing forward. Quickly, Yuki trailed by his heels to listen to him closely. "We're going to set up into a position, and I'll give Kisame the signal. He alone will get the tailed beast. I'm sure he won't be too disappointed with that. You head south and I'll head north."
"What will that do?" she inquired.
"I will attempt to fend them off until Kisame is done. When he is no longer occupied they will back off. I presume that their plan is to attack when Kisame is battling the tailed beast. That only leaves me and keeps it at an even number." He informed.
Yuki now understood, "But, what happens if they cut me off because they were hiding off somewhere else?"
Itachi smirked more to himself as he turned around to get into said position. "Think about it Yuki, you won't have the hustle of battling the four tells, but your skills need to be tested, if they cut you off then that'll be a perfect time to test your skills. That way, Pein won't prod me about the mission not being done the way he wanted it to."
Such a gentle breeze was going through the air now, and Yuki's heart was fluttering deeply because she was quite nervous about this. It was written all over her face and clutched her hands tightly. Itachi's eyes watched her body become rather rigid. For a moment he stepped closer and brought his hand underneath her chin. He gazed down into her eyes. Yuki felt her knees buckle and her lips curved into a weary smile. His expressionless façade alone was enough to calm her a little bit. His soothing voice cooed in her ear, "Don't be so nervous. You're training will pay off."
Yuki just nodded her head and went on with the plan just as they talked.