An: Enjoy.
Chapter nine Dates
Sakura typed at her computer reporting her part of the Kisame case. Green eyes scanned the lines retelling what happen minus the note from the person name Itachi. She could still see Sasuke expression when that name was mention. Swallowing again she pressed send and closed her eyes while biting her lips. Standing up she walked towards the door to meet the rest of the team.
Hinata timidly watched them all go in without her Officer Sai included. She gets why Hatake wouldn't want her in there but Ino too?
"Why aren't you on this case?" she askes in a whisper.
Ino's pale blue eyes looked from her screen then to her. "The risk level of the case" "our roles are transitional. I transfer information from research on my end to all the agents and officers. Ex cons, locations and past records etc. You pass information approved by the directors to the public and the departments that we co help find the crazies in their area. " she says then sits back. "
We're just a branch of the Anbu. A terrorist case like this should go to them in a perfect world, but these aren't just murderous violent gang members. " she pauses.
"These are men who mummify people"
Sasori
"Feed their targets to Sharks"
Kisame
"Have the ability to chemically produce a war weapon that blows up half of a hospital"
Deidera
Hinata gulp.
"The profilers have to anticipate them"
In that truth. It's madness. If she had to shut up, talk to victims and the media then she'll do just that. It's what she's built for. Sure everyone made her feel like she could profile too, The Junior director mostly, but if Hatake doesn't want her input on this one that's okay. She'll respect that.
"They'll still ask for my research and the media will contact you directly for answers. Your to direct them to standard Anbu, not our specialized team"
"Okay" Hinata says as her eyes flutter back to her screen.
Checking her email she saw the daunting new message highlighted in its unread nature.
Clicking it she reads.
You are required to have a meeting with myself to discuss your three month progress as the remaining three months are the last before the credit cards funding you are discontinued. If the results are lack luster we will have to discuss your options. Independence never suited you but you could unite a great partnership for this company.
She sat back and rolled her eyes. Her father is such a hard ass. As if she would marry for status reasons. What is this? The hand maids tale? Screw that.
Dear Father
Go fuck yourself you old bastard you have no say in who I'll marry with.
She pauses and back spaces. Deleting it all.
Dear Father
I'll be there. I love you.
She sends. As cold as he is she knows he's stuck in ways and she did love him.
Leaving her emails she checks her bank statement. 25,000 she collected so far working here. It would've been 30,000 but things like gas,food, going out with friends and necessary items claimed that.
Damn she needed a day off to calculate it all. Her Dad means business he's cutting her off in three months. She has to make sure she can survive. She needed a day off. The doctor who treated her in Seashell told her to have a follow up.
Leaning over while biting her lip she looked at Ino.
"Ino I would like to take Friday off for a follow up, how would one request it?"
"Shizune will handle it"
Hinata smiled. "Thanks"
The walk towards the lobby is up beat. Standing before the black haired woman is someone else. She's short with a brown bob. Hinata pass her noticing purple tribal tattoos on her face. She's from a traditional clan like Kiba The Hyuga notes.
" Rin go ahead he's in the conference room"
She giggled. "Thanks for the discreet. Kakashi hates surprises"
Hinata's mouth drops as the woman marches behind the frosted glass door. what a hot couple. She has those warrior tattoos and the man has that mask that made him a mystery. She walks forward watching the short woman walk away and smiles at Shizune.
"I like to request Friday off for my follow up after the incident in seashells"
Shizune typed at her desktop. "It's in just send me the note"
"Will do " she smiles bigger. Cleared.
The day went on and the profilers on the team rarely left the conference room. After finishing her report on what happen at the hospital she leaned back and clocked out for the night.
She tells Shizune bye before the elevator ding. There Kiba held the door for her with a smirk. She smiled and did a little jog inside to see Officer Shino there too.
"Thanks" she breathed to him.
Her head tilted upward at the man who eyes hid behind black glasses in his trench coat.
"What?" He asked with a red tint on his face. She giggled and shook her head.
"Nothing"
"A pretty girl stares at you and you say what?" Kiba snorted
The tall loner man turn to him. "I I" he stammered.
Kiba laughed loudly. "Don't mind him Hinata. You just have that affect"
She blushed and covers her face. "Stop Kiba!" He's seeing Tamaki he shouldn't behave this way.
"He's just mad you won't look his way" Shino added surprising Hinata.
"She looks my way" he says
Hinata sweat dropped being sandwich between these two. Both of them were practically breathing down her neck. She wiggled from between them as the door open. Stepping out into the concrete she took a deep breath taking one peek back at the two slowly behind her watching her. She blushed as she made it to her car driving away.
"What the hell was that? "
Kiba was obvious but Officer Shino too. Do men look at her like that all the time? She's avoided them at all cost because of professor grabby antics. Even the Junior director his practical begging for her to lay with him at his home.
Gosh he was all on her over her then but now he barely looks her way. Pleading in his sapphire eyes as if he worshiped the ground she walked on as if she didn't agreed it would end his existence. A giggled bubbled up her throat as she started the car. Men were weird.
The male anatomy is weird. That hard flesh pushing around inside her over and over and then he.
Another giggled ran up her throat as she's blushing and turns on the radio.
Her eyes twinkled and fluttered at the memory. She couldn't kid herself anymore. The director that protector her in the hospital and the director that fell inside her both consumed her thoughts all the time. All the time he is on her mind.
Naruto, Kakashi, Sai, Sakura, and Sasuke were in the room all day and night going over time.
Deidera, Sasori's and Kisame. There names repeated in his mind. Who did they work for.
"Kisame and Deidera were martyrs. Sasori wanted to live. He's not in our custody. Between the arsonist and puppeteer. He's the one who will sing like a canary. Sakura he knew of you. They probably know who we all are but you he singled you out. "
She nods looking in his eyes. "When do I leave?" She knew he wanted her to re interview the Suna man. That means she'll have to go to Sand nation.
"We're getting you cleared to go" Kakashi told her.
"Okay" she says small while lowering her head.
"Just her by herself?" Sasuke asked. "Her arm is still in a sling"
"I can do it." She rushes out. " The sling is just for tenderness so the torn tissue can regenerate" she says sharply.
Sasuke breathed sharply before looking to the side of the room.
Naruto stood before the board that connected the three suspects involved with this case. The Hanzo situation still couldn't be use as a solid connection but the nature of Sasori's crimes felt eerily similar.
Sasuke and himself played good cop bad cop in interviewing Deidera and all that bastard did was point two finger out then and shouted the word. "Bang" with amusement.
Sakura were there only hope at getting Sasori to talk. "Go home" he order everyone. He had them going on eleven hours they needed their rest.
"Your staying?" Hatake asked him.
Naruto looked into Deidera picture. That taunting blue eye. "Yeah. I'll clock everyone "he breaths.
Sasuke walked out of the room heading straight towards the elevator That fish faced asshole really screwed him up. The date on the paper is for this Saturday. Itachi. He thinks while Stepping into it the box looking down at his feet. A pair of black heels meet his eyes on the marble tile and they descended down. He looked up at her. Bright eyed studying him.
Sakura purposely didn't report what she witness and heard in there, she wanted to help him. "Sasuke what happen?"
He sighed And looked away from her.
"Tell me" she breathed "what was Kisame talking about who's Ita-"
His eye flew back to her and she shut up.
"It's none of your business!"
Ding
He quickly left the elevator leaving a heavy breathing Sakura.
Naruto stood before the board In his glasses. His mind jumbled in knowledge. Flooding every cell of his brain. . Hitman. Preserver. Burner. Torturer. .Mist.
We're the Akatsuki. Akatsuki. He circled the name in the center everything. Where are the others from? Who's the boss? Why are all the attacks are in his country? The leader of this must be from Konoha. Who is he? Why would he recruit such odd and violent men? Why? Who? Kisame killed himself. Sasori and Deidera did not? Deidera was close but in the end he allowed Naruto to stall him. Kisame died. Refusing to be in custody Why? What did he know?
Thursday
Hinata brought lunch today sat and ate it by the window watching the city below her. Having a day off would seem relaxing but she had a ton of things to do. Most of the profilers haven't left the conference room much. The officers were due for their annual physical. So the office were mostly empty this week she's gotten to know more IT people and the security guards though. Her work load had been sorting out which news outlets to respond to. Every channel had been reporting on the incident in Seashells. They've been calling it an act of terrorism. The standard Anbu team were to give the official statement. So she's only can tell everyone it's under investigation. Before her lunch break she had sent out thirty emails.
"Your all alone?"
She turns to see Officer Aburame there. Smiling she nodded. "Everyone so busy. I guess what happen in Seashells doesn't happen often?"
He takes a seat. "No it hasn't happen at all, ever"
"That explains why everyone's so.." she couldn't find a word. Tense?
"On edge?"
She nods. "Yeah"
As they made small talk she found herself smiling and laughing. The man is awkward but kind of adorable in a dark way. The way he dressers is a defense mechanism to keep people away. Yet here he is talking to her and smiling. She's greatfulnfor the company. The office had been gloomy.
"Agent Hyuga" a rasp breathed out as if he hasn't talked in years.
Her eyes shoot up immediately to see the Junior director. His blues eyes more sunken then normal. Purple bags under them his breathing was uneven and he appeared almost sleeping with with his eyes open. How long has he been in that conference room?
"Direct-" she tries but he interrupts her.
"Can I see you in my office when your done here" With that he turns away.
She watches him leave worriedly before excusing herself and following him. She watches his back a few feet above her. He his dragging his feet. She feels like a kid going to the principal office. His fist ball at her side as her head is down.
She's ashamed and she doesn't know why.
When she follows in behind him closing the door.
His face is smashed against hers. Pushing her up against the wall. Her heart stop of a few seconds before beating wildly. There nose breathed each other's air and her hands reach for his neck. He kisses and kisses her the seconds turns to minutes until their forced to come up for air.
She gasp to the ceiling red in the face as he is Barkley holding himself up putting half his weight in his hand on the wall behind him as the rest is on her.
He pulled his tired head from her shoulder.
"You won't be here tomorrow?"
"Doctors appointments" she says haunted catching her breath still.
"I'm not pregnant. Tamaki told me about the plan B pill" she tells him. "It's just a follow up after Seashells"
He stands up straight getting off of her the grabbing her face in his hand. Her eyes are shaky and looking at his beautiful pointed snout then blue deep eyes.
His thumb rubbed against her cheek over and over in a lovely rhyme fueling the blues in chest.
"What are you doing after the appointment?" He asked attentive.
"My My dad wants to do dinner"
"After" he asked almost immediately after she finished the sentence .
"Home?"
"Go on a date with me" he ask.
She takes in his appearance. He's exhausted.
"I would love too but you need rest" She says shyly.
She could see his eyes lower at the rejection.
"Saturday!" She blurted not wanting for a second for him to think she wasn't interested because she was. So much.
A blush has found its way to her face as she prepares herself for what she's about to say. "Good things happens on Saturdays for us"
He understands what she means. Referencing that night she was at his home.
"I'll see you Saturday then"
She nods. His other hand grabbed her other cheek and pulls her in for one more peck before letting her go.
Hinata took deep breaths into the hall before making it to her desk. That really just happen. She lays her head on her desk looking at the fluorescent light above her.
Hinata woke up before the sun and sat in her oversized white daybed eating a bowl of cereal watching the sun rise She wore nothing but her T shirt, panties and socks. Her favorite attire maybe due to her no longer wearing leotards is why she likes less clothing for comfort. She missed it. She missed ballet. Her wrist scopes another big bite of the sugar free cereal chewing the small squares and slurping the milk. Her eyes are in post waking up state staring hazily with the remaining sleepiness lingering for dear life. Taking the last bite she stands and slides across her black wood floor to her spacious kitchen. Washing the bowl she day dreams back to that kiss in his office. Each time he puts those lips on her it gets better and better. After each time she wonders when it will happen again. Biting her lips.
A date tomorrow with him.
Maybe he'll kiss her again. That idea leaves her smitten. She's happy.
Placing the bowl and spoon in the black drying rack she slides to her small radio and presses the button the redoing her ponytail into a top messy bun.
Her hips unconsciously swish as Her feet glides her to the vision board before her window looking over the street. The sun is higher as she grabs for the marker taking the top of it off with her mouth while slightly shifting her weight on each leg in her little dance.
25,000
2000 tuition
Leavers her at 23,000 20,000 if she wants to be safe. She has three months left which means she's expected to make 15,000 more by then. She wrote 35,000 on a sticky and placed it as the center point of the filled board.
Her expenses? Food, Gas, and emergency bills is what she spends now. Her eyes looked up at the modern chandelier before eyeing the square foot of the luxury condo.
Utility and Rent.
How much was it?
She's looking everywhere for a bill or her renters contract. She tries to access the card account her father gave her. Nothing.
She has no clue how much it cost. She'll just have to ask her father at dinner tonight. Sighing she gives up and gets dress for her appointment.
She wears simple blue skinny jeans, white T-shirt, black block heels and her black a symmetrical zipper leather jacket. Her hair is in a neater messy bun grabbing her keys out sliver tray by the door she catches the vintage loui brown luggage in the corner. Her eyes soften at it. It's the only thing she wanted from their family home of Hanabis. Her fashionable little sister once wanted to be an editor for a magazine before she outgrew those "stupid dreams". She let that star die just like Hinata did with ballerina career. Dreams they would talk about to each other as children now were rotten and thrown away in the files of her heart.
Shutting the door she marches towards her parking Garage.
It almost felt wrong that she wasn't in the office on a Friday. She's gotten use to the schedule.
A night out with her friends would normally ease her tensions but Tamaki's job had changed her. She had to watch her reputation and Shion is in Germany. Telling those two how she pop her cherry was not the most glamorous topic. Shion proceeded to be a jerk about it as Tamaki did some poor imitation of a clan leader welcoming her to the "sisterhood.".
"He's way too hot for you" Shion said. "Well can I have him next?"
Hinata had laughed at her friend over the tell all three way call but she didn't find it funny at all. Which is why she didn't call Shion after that.
Rolling her eyes. She sees her doctors building. She did call her thirsty in front of the director at Karui's place. Hinata had been too blitz to be embarrassed about it then but now. That's probably why he thought she wasn't a virgin.
She sits in the waiting room with a few other people and the receptionist tapping on her legs. Apparently she's too early looking around the cold office she wonders. What's happening at the office? They could be flying off to another part of their country as she awaits for her check up.
A Clearing of a throat catches her attention m. The receptionist is holding a black clip board and pen. " "
She stands up to take it before sitting back down. Her eyes scanned the questions and she's filling them out routinely until she sees questions about her menstruation. She checks the she is not pregnant and gave the date of her last period. Last circles birth control as something she would like. Sighing she stands up and gives it back.
She hadn't thought she would need it until he kissed her like that in his office. If that's what he does the seconds their alone. She blushed. Better safe then sorry.
"Hyuga" she hears shuffling to her feet she goes with the nurse behind the door.
A flash light is being shined in her eyes as her doctor checks her.
"You were one of the lucky ones"
Hinata nodded as he pulled back from her.
"It says here you would like contraceptives?"
She shyly nods again. She use to come her with her mother and Hanabi.
When she gets home she feels drained from her shot. The skin tone band aid was still on her hip. Pushing her bangs out of her face. She collapse on her day bed. Taking a few minutes of chill before she pulls out that damn device. Her thumb already typing his name.
Naruto Uzumaki.
The amount of articles aren't on celebrity level but a standard political level. Tapping images she finds pictures of his father and her eyes widen. Minato Namizake. Different last names. She remembers. Why?
Clicking back to web tab most are associated with cases from the past. Pictures of him looking irritated and intense. Followed by descriptions of the case he was on. She fell down a rabbit before powering off her phone and allowing her face to fall in the cushions throwing the small black sleek rectangle into her faux fur lavender rug.
It isn't even five minutes before the alarmed blared for dinner with her father. She groans into her sofa. She's so tired. Being around her father is a job within itself. Her daddy issues are never addressed or resolved just bottled up inside collecting every layer of pain for two decades. Almost three her 27th birthday is near.
Sitting up she zombie walks to her bathroom.
Her families compound is an hour from here the drive is silent. The beginning of the night is fresh. She wore a simple maxi dress and wool toms for the dinner. She didn't have the strength to dress formal she does that everyday for work.
She could see the gates in front of the 10 foot trees coming into view. Taking a right she drives up to the security box.
"Hello " he greets.
She smiles back at him. "Hi "
Pulling a walkie from the desk he talks into it.
"Opening the gates Lady Hinata has arrived"
The black gate began to open and she drives passed them on the driveway. The landscape is perfect as drives by the gardens reaching the center waterfall before the mansion. She stops opens the door and Ko is holding his hands for her.
She takes it and smiles up at him.
"Welcome back"
"Thank you Ko Ko" she smiles before looking back at the two story home.
Hinata hasn't been here in many years even before her transition into being independent. College was Home for eight years if you included the two years she sat in uncertainty. Her feet hit the stone as she walks up the concrete stairs. The doors are open for her she walks into the home and sees a portrait of her mother,father Hanabi and herself. She smiled at this walking in deeper before she sees the den open with her father and Neji already seated.
She walks in as a chair is being pulled for her to sit. "Thank you" she thanks the house worker before her eyes land on her cousins face. He looks absolutely irritated. Peeking over at her father she sees him eating a salad. The wrinkles around his eyes and grey hairs indicates his age.
"How was the drive?" He ask.
"It was fine" she answers small.
The door open and a cart is being rolled in before placed on the table.
They are in silence as they eat. One person was missing and her absent was louder then ever at times like this. She were the only openly playful one of them.
Lost at sea. What the hell does that even mean? Hanabi was the commanding officer. She navigated the crew. If anything she should've been the one to survive. Going to the Town of Seashells had been her first time back near a large body of water that wasn't a bathtub.
"I hear your stable?" Comes from that old authoritarian voice.
"Yes father"
"Then your prepared to cover all your expenses?"
She bit her lip dropping her fork to look at him. "I've saved, I just couldn't find my renters contract or my utilities notes"
"The condominium is 8000 a month
And 2000 for utilities"
Darn it. That's 10,000. "Oh, what about the car ?"
"You'll be responsible for its maintenance and Insurance, but it is yours to keep"
That's relief. "When is the renters contract is up?"
"Three months. If you renew I can send the landlord your information"
10,000.
She has to move. She couldn't afford it . As nice it is and spacious. She'll have to let it go. Find something in a the 5000 bracket. Sighing she sits back no longer in the mood to eat.
She hugs her father goodbye as she walks out with Neji. They pay a small tribute to Hanabi's alter.
"Thank you for the interview" she says realizing she wouldn't have the funds that she does if he hadn't recommended her.
"It's nothing really." He says
"Do you know a good cheap realtor?"
"What's your price range?"
"No more then 3,500 on deposits and 5000 for utilities and rent A month"
"You want to live in a dump?" He laughs
"No!"
"Okay okay. " his amusement leaves. "Check the yellow pages. That website helped me a lot"
"Thanks"
They go to their separate cars and Hinata drove straight home. Her heart is heavy with the new task of finding a place to stay and anxiety of doing so. Adulting sucked.
She checked her mail. Showered put on a gray T-shirt, black cotton boy shorts and fluffy socks. Too tired to think of what's happening tomorrow. Their first real date.
Her eyes fluttered closed with that being the last thought on her mind
Sakura flight was tomorrow she only had a small chance to talk to him privately. She snuck his address listed on his resume. She still had access to the new hire spreadsheets since Training Hyuga. He had a flat in a middle class neighborhood. She parked outside by a meter putting in a few coins before looking up at the older building. Taking deep breaths she marched forward. Their wasn't a door man or security there and she's thankful. Walking up the stairs to the third floor apart 25.
Sasuke looked at the mirror rising his hands to his Helix digging his finger nail inside pulling out the small tracking device blood surrounded it as he was paced it on the counter. He put protective jelly over the wound before taking the small half an inch cylinder to his bed. In the dark blue cover a black bag and sat next to the small white piece of paper. Unzipping the bag he slid on leather gloves on his fingers.
"Sasuke. It's me"
He closed his eyes
Knock knock knock
"open up"
Opening the door she stood there blinking at him before taking in his appearance.
Sakura saw his all black attire." Sasuke" she breaths.
"Tell me what's going on"
"Sakura it has nothing to do with you" he says and goes back deeper into the apartment. She follows him in.
She shakes her head at him picking up the bag and stuffing something into his pocket.
She lied to Kakashi and Naruto because of this. He could at least give her an explanation. "I want to help"
He brushes past her while grabbing her arm and leaving the flat. Locking it before he turns to her. "Then go home" he says walking away.
Sasuke was stopped with arms around his chest causing him to pause as a face was planted into his back.
"What did you find when you went upstairs? I was so focused on you I didn't see him coming closer to me"
Sasuke grimaced at this before.
"I love you, I'm so in love with you I can't stand it" she told him.
He turned around and looked at her sobbing with her eyes closed and face red.
"Your so damn annoying" he grabbed her in a hug and before she could react he hit a small pressure point in the back of her head she went limp in his arms.
132 Hi Street 130 PO Box 12. You'll find a key in your standard mailbox to open it Sasuke.
He drove her silver two seater to the the address on the paper. He found himself at a post office. Walking through the glass door he goes to the PO Box 12. It's a smaller one. Pushing the key inside before twisting he sees an envelope.
Taking it out he opens it.
It's a new addressed and a car key.
Closing his eyes. His heart beating so fast. Close he is so close to seeing him again. Itachi.
He walked out of the post office passing up Sakuras car getting into the only other car there. Getting in he adjust the mirror starting the engine and peeling off.
Itachi I'm coming.
Sakura woke up in her bed with pain behind her head. Remembering the events of last night. His hand pulling her and the pain to back of her head. Sasuke hit her. That's the a fact she couldn't face right now. Her lips quivered as she sat up. Checking her phone for the time. Shit she had to be at the airport in an hour.
Hauling her luggage in a panic rush towards the door. She noticed a note on it.
Take my keys. I'm borrowing your car.
"YOU TOOK MY CAR!" She cried.
Fucking asshole.
Sasuke drove in the darkness of the desert on almost isolated interstate highway. He been in Suna for an hour at the boarder he used identification of the deceased Riku Yorkshire. An Half American half Konoha man he met in his time in America. When he been unleashed from his base under the berry bushes of the The Uzumaki estate as an adult. Minato Namikaze had been commissioned to house him in the remote country side. An idea the blonde haired man never liked. Naruto had helped in the subject of socializing. If he we're going to blend in with the general population he had to learn to speak and talk with others. They quickly became best friends as Naruto was bullied at schooled during the semesters. His first idea of freedom was to go to college with Naruto but as he anatomy finished the change into man hood they gave him is first dose. Naruto had been attending university a year by then and that's the day he met Sakura alone. After uncontrolled guilt consumed him he decided against it and to get far away from them as possible. Itachi sent him a message back then saying their testing him and to get out the country. Using his new smarts to finesse in Konoha was forbidden per the rules but he could travel other places. He won five million dollars in Las Vegas Nevada USA. it only took him thirty minutes to learn English. He partied a lot back then meeting American friends and Occasionally bedding a girl with a fat ass, green eyes or bad pink dye job. He met Riku in a oriental market. He gave him a 20 percent cut it for using his credentials. It didn't take long for the loan sharks of the Casinos to come after them. They killed Riku and Sasuke returned home and the money doubled in currency. He was rich, alone, avoiding his friends and sulking in Itachis silence. His doctor came to visits him and they made it clear he was to be used to aid the Konoha government. He Visited Naruto again told him what happen between himself and Sakura after a few awkward moments Naruto told him about his choice to join the Abau. Sasuke thought that be a good way he could pay back the government for their forced brilliance they gave him. A nice job to hide his real job. Killing people for them. Politicians and threats. So far he's taking the life of five officials in the continent of five great nations. Everyone they pointed him to he took care of all but one. Big brother. Itachi letters to him were rare but they taught him how to take out his tracking device. Leave it coated in his blood change his sleeping habits for when he wants to be undetected. Leave the chip on his bed and leave. he spent most his weekends in bed in case something like this came up. Sometimes going with Naruto to The Sannin, and that one time he visited Sakura was a test. They hadn't reacted to his removal of the device then so he was cleared now.
They had him by the balls simply by the crafted chemical they put into his blood. He was addicted to it. The first dose was leaving his system finally after four years. He could feel himself slowly slipping away. He swallowed and turned down the the dirt road the map directed him too. In his visions he could see the town.
Sakura
This man face is severely disfigured from obviously missing his filler appointments. His face held a calm childlike look as his red hair shined under the lights.
She cleared her throat. "Sasori"
He smiled. "Doctor Sakura Haruno"