Hikari frowned as the boy paced back and forth in front of her. Actually, she was beginning to get a bit dizzy.

"Are you going to stop anytime soon?" Hikari put a hand to her head.

Sasuke looked up at her. "You won't tell anyone about this?"

"No."

"Promise?"

Hikari nodded. "Hope to die."

Sasuke sighed in relief. "What are you going to do when Kakashi asks you about me?"

Hikari shrugged. "I barely missed you and couldn't tail you."

Sasuke deadpanned at her. "He'll believe that?"

"He has to, he has no other source does he? Besides I can just say I was on a mission and didn't have time for your nonsense."

"My non-"

"Alright then off you go!"

"Hikari-nee?"

Nee? That was new.

"Yes?"

"Thank you, for everything."

Hikari shook her head remembering her promise. "I'm not doing it for you, kid."

Sasuke nodded. "But you still did it all the same. That's why I have to thank you." He looked to the ground. "You're one of the only people who have been kind to me-"

"I'm not kind." Hikari snapped.

Sasuke looked up at her startled at her sudden snap, but she didn't look angry, she only had that finalizing tone.

"I'll be going then," he said hesitantly

Hikari nodded. "Safe travels Little Prince Uchiha."

Sasuke scowled at her until she closed the door. Smiling slightly when he heard the soft click of the door closing. He secretly deeply truly, liked the nickname she gave him.

"That was a nerve wrecking week." Hikari plopped herself on her bed face down.

"I'm surprised you actually kept it up for a whole week."

"You and me both." Hikari buried her face in the mattress. "D'you think Itachi-kun will appreciate this?"

"I'm sure he will if you're planning on telling him."

"I don't know, I mean he has the right to know, but.." She trailed off.

"Don't push yourself too hard, and don't try to make a decision you're not comfortable with. If you feel like you want to tell him then just do so." Mangetsu smoothed her hair over.

"Okay."

Hikari frowned as Itachi just stared at her. She knew all the guilt she'd feel if she hadn't told him all about this. She just had to.

"A-and I just thought you had the right to know what I did." She fidgeted with her shorts.

Itachi smiled at her. "Thank you."

Hikari looked up at him in surprise. "W-what?"

"Thank you, Hikari-san, for taking care of him."

"I-Itachi-kun didn't you hear what I just told you? I didn't try and stop him I-"

"I'm glad you didn't."

Hikari looked at him questioningly.

He chuckled at her expression. "Honestly, I think at this point, even if you broke his bones he still would've slipped out while you were sleeping."

Hikari's eyes widened.

Itachi scoffed. "You have no idea how stubborn that boy is."

Hikari blinked. Now wait a minute this wasn't what she was expecting. She closed her eyes as if processing what was happening. Opening her eyes again Hikari barely whispered a "what?"

Itachi smiled at her before shaking his head. "So that's why thank you."

Hikari blushed her mind going into over drive staring at Itachi as he smiled at her.

Then she did something she never thought she would given the time and place.

She pulled his chin towards her catching him off guard and put her lips to his.

Both of them shocked by her move, stared into each other's eyes.

It was only brief moments before Hikari closed her own and deepened her kiss slightly. Not expecting a reaction but hoping for one.

She pulled away, looking into his eyes before averting her own away. Her hand now hovering over his cheek.

Her breath hitched, mouth slightly parted.

"Sorry." Was all she said before getting up and out of the room.

Itachi sat there for what felt like hours, in the same position he was before.

He somehow snapped himself out of his trance and a huge blush crept up his face, making him feel ridiculously hot.

"Wow."

Hikari sat down on her bed wiping tears away from her eyes, hugging her pillow to her chest.

"Way to go, Hikari! Now what?! You ruined everything!"

She sniffled. "Stupid useless heart! Feelings?! Now?!"

She pounded the pillow on the bed.

"God fucking damn it!"

More tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I ruined everything." Hikari sobbed into the pillow.

They didn't talk about it. Neither of them did. Even if they wanted to, what would they even say?

Over the past two weeks, the two teens didn't really talk to each other. A simple greeting was all it took for everything to become awkward again and have them both become a blushing mess.

They all felt the tension between them. Raising alarms on all of their behalf. And while the two didn't quite understand what this tension was, a handful of the adults knew.

The others simply didn't care.

Still Konan would smile slightly once she felt that sweet tension in the air between them.

The sexual tension between them. Konan actually savoured it, enjoyed every minute of the bittersweet suffering they both felt.

Not that anyone could find that out about her. Nagato was enough.

"Don't do this, come on." Mangetsu said.

"I was always good at hiding my feelings. It was going so well."

"I know." He rested his cheek on her head.

"I can't believe I did that." She curled up further in his arms.

"Hikari, it was bound to happen at some point. At least now you don't have to stay hung on him, move on."

Hikari shook her head. "I don't want to move on." She sobbed into his chest. "I want him to stay with me, I know it's selfish, but he makes me happy."

"Hikari." Mangetsu's tone was dripping with sympathy.

"He doesn't have to like me that way either, him being there is enough! It has to be!" She sniffled.

"Honey, maybe it's for the best?"

Hikari shook her head. "I don't care."

"Well, you should smooth things over. You can't avoid him forever, you know that?"

She nodded.

"You should probably go to a restaurant. Have a nice long conversation about the whole situation, yeah?"

Hikari whimpered in agreement wiping a few tears away.

"Okay."

Itachi blinked at her as she was stuttering to him.

"Dinner?"

Hikari nodded. "Please?"

Itachi simply nodded.

"Yeah, dinner sounds great." He gave her a bright smile that made her heart melt.

How was she supposed to ignore these feelings when he gave her that damn smile?

"So, I'm really sorry to have put you in that position," Hikari said looking down to her lap.

Itachi looked at her small form infront of him. "Don't worry about it."

Hikari smiled. "So! What are we ordering?!"

Itachi smiled. To tell the truth, he couldn't stop thinking about that kiss.

He was too stunned to react, but if he could turn back time, things would be so different.

But he couldn't do that to her. She wasn't his to toy with like that.

He'd have to swallow his feelings and give her up. He couldn't send her so much mixed signals all in one go.

She was ready to move on. Who was he to prevent her from doing what she wanted?

What she needed?

"Sasori said that the sushi here is good." He said.

"Really? Well who am I to doubt Sasori's words? Sushi it is then! We could also order miso soup! Or maybe ramen?"

"Ramen sounds wonderful."

Hikari beamed up at him before raising her hand to get the attention of the waiters.

He really couldn't do that to her. He couldn't keep her hanging on him, after all he was living on borrowed time.

He couldn't make her happy.

But he couldn't keep his eyes off of her lips. Especially that she had soy sauce staining the corner of her mouth.

He had to resist that damned urge to kiss her. To wipe it off himself.

"Is something wrong? You aren't eating." Hikari asked him.

"No, I'm fine just..." He trailed off then pointed to the corner of his mouth.

Hikari frowned and looked at him expectantly.

"You- you have a- no on the left."

Hikari blinked and put a napkin to the right side of her face.

"Other left! Your left!"

"Wait! I'm-"

Itachi reached across the table and wiped it away. He licked it off his thumb then looked at Hikari who was a blushing mess.

"W-well then thanks for that."

Itachi tilted his head to the side, he was yet to sit back down.

He reached out to her cheek and pulled her until she hit the table.

Everyone in the restaurant looked at them as a glass fell and shattered.

"I- Itachi what's going on?"

He really loved seeing that side of her. The messy, flustered side.

With a small smile he closed the gap between them.

Maybe he should have done this sooner.

Hikari's mind was going through whiplash, but she didn't mind.

She kissed him back, a brief quick kiss because she wasn't one for PDA.

They both sat back down.

She cleared her throat. "Well, now that we've cleared that up, I-I'm-" she somehow still didn't trust herself to speak so she just stopped. Her voice was still cracking after all.

With a satisfied smile Itachi continued his dinner stealing a glance at her every few minutes.

"Holy fucking shit with whipped cream on top!"

"You're actually getting more creative with your swears." Itachi laughed.

Hikari looked at him with a pout on her lips. "It hurts."

"Okay, okay I'll help you out." He got up and sat behind her. "How did you even do this?"

"I wanted to curl it! I have a mission." She blubbered.

He only laughed more.

"Don't laugh!"

"That's not how you curl it. Where are you going this time?" He gently worked through the tangles in her hair.

"I didn't bother to read the invitation. It's some welcome back party for a chief or something like that. I'm the violinist."

"Oh, I didn't know you can play."

"I can!" She smiled excitedly. "Not by choice though."

"Oh?"

"Well I mean I'm sure someone forced me into it. I just can't remember who or why. I never actually liked it."

"You don't have to play it anymore then."

Hikari shook her head. "No I have to. I have to." She said with finality.

"Hey, easy." Itachi finally worked her hair out of the comb then started brushing it gently. It helped that her hair was wet.

"Do you have any idea how comforting this is?" Hikari asked closing her eyes.

"Well, you have beautiful hair, I'm surprised you don't take care of it."

"I never had the time to. I've always kept my hair short. At least until recently."

Itachi was sure she had long hair when he first met her four years ago. But he wasn't going to say anything.

"I'm enjoying this as much as you are," Itachi said.

Hikari chuckled.

"So? How do I curl it?"

Itachi smiled. "Well if you braid it while it's wet, then leave it to dry in the braid it'll give you a gentle curl."

"Oh wow! I didn't know that! And how... How do you braid it?"

Itachi stopped working on her hair and let out a laugh.

Hikari blushed in embarrassment. "I-I-"

"I'll teach you sometime, you can practice on my hair, it's fine." Itachi went back to braiding her hair.

"But what if I mess up and I ruin your hair I-"

"It's fine," he said with a gentle content smile on his face.

Itachi finally finished the braid and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Good luck, Hikari-san." He gave her a peck on the cheek, his lips lingering there for sometime.

Hikari blushed, but leaned her head against his, enjoying his warmth before she had to leave.

Hikari wiped away the sweat on her temples with the back of her hand.

She smiled feeling the light sine on her face and took a bow before the clapping crowd. She finally put her hands at her sides allowing the blood to flow smoothly into the veins of her arms.

With heavy breathing she stood back up and walked of the stage making sure not to stumble on her long red dress.

Not that she'd ever admit it, but Hikari loved wearing dresses, and heels. Well she didn't like the pain of heels, but she really liked how they looked.

With half a heart, she changed into a leather suit, the one she used for long distance assassination.

Camouflage was key when it came to this, and the darkness of the top of the stage would mask her well.

She struggled to climb there with a sniper on her, but she managed.

Sighing, Hikari lied on her stomach and began adjusting her aim.

It was fairly easy if she had to say. Almost too easy.

Except she had six jobs in one night and she was really spent after her performance.

Hikari yawned and aimed again, then fired her silent shot without a second thought.

The best thing about chakra bullet was that. Silence and lack of evidence.

Hikari sealed her sniper back and jumped off to the ground.

One down, five to go.

Changing back to her dress for the last job, Hikari sat at the bar to have a drink, making sure to attract the attention of her target.

Hikari sipped on her champagne licking red stained lips to moisten them up. Sh wished she was downing shots of sake instead, but they didn't serve that here.

One thing Hikari always got nervous about was seduction. She was no blushing virgin but she was uncomfortable to the idea of sex.

Especially when she was involved.

But she had jobs to do, so her feelings didn't matter.

They never did when it comes to an assassin.

Hikari frowned at the marks on her neck.

"Vulgar piece of shit." Hikari put her heels back on, taking out her dagger from his throat and hooking it back up on it's necklace.

Of course she was patted down, but this was only a necklace after all. No one would suspect it.

Hikari made sure didn't make any noise, even if these walls were thick and the room was sound proof, she can never be too careful.

She changed back to her usual attire, and put her back pack on, jumping out of the window, landing softly.

Her neck burned from the hickeys that littered it.

Hikari swallowed, she really needed sake.

She made sure to cover her neck up. She didn't want anyone to see them. Not that they would say anything, it was for a job after all, but she didn't want anyone to see them.

She didn't want to see them.

After giving her report to Pain, Hikari hopped into the shower that night and put the hot water on, scrubbing aggressively on her skin to try and get the feeling of the man's touch off her.

She could still feel his hands running on her arms. Pushing her to the wall.

Hikari hated every second of it, and her strokes became even more aggressive.

Biting back tears and a possible vomit attack she stood under the hot water feeling it burn on her skin.

But anything was better than this feeling of hers.

She breathed heavily, tears pooling in her eyes as she hurt herself more and more.

But it was still better than feeling that man's touch on her body.

Her skin was raw, but that didn't stop her. Clenching her fists tighter around the loofah, she broke the skin off of her arms and stomach.

Hikari finally stopped, watching her blood go down the drain with the water.

Despite her efforts, despite trying so hard to hold them back, she leaned on the shower walls and let out a scream of anguish before allowing herself to cry.

Tremors racked through her body as the sobs continued letting themselves out. Her nails digging sharply in her skin, possibly scarring her arms with her own fingernails.

She was so glad she was alone.

The next day, Itachi went into the living room to see Deidara and Hikari playing some sort of game.

"Aha I win!" Hikari pulled away the money from Deidara with a bright smile.

"No! You're cheating!"

"How do you even cheat in a finger game?!"

"Fine! Last round! All or nothing."

"Okay, loser treats the winner to ice cream and brownies."

"Deal."

"And that's a wrap!" Hikari slapped Deidara's remaining hand, making him ultimately lose for the eighth time in a row.

Deidara stared at his five fingers, cheeks going red in frustration.

"Hikari!"

"Holy shit!" She bolted past Itachi giving him a peck on the cheek as she ran.

Itachi's eyes widened unexpectedly and turned his head to watch her take a right down the hallway.

"Come back here!" Deidara sped after her.

Itachi chuckled went to sit down on the couch, enjoying his breakfast.

"No wait! Ow!"

"Good God I'm so sorry!"

That sounded urgent.

Itachi got up to see Deidara hovering over Hikari with a panicked look on his face.

Itachi really had to strain his eyes to see it since Hikari's top was dark but he could see blood seeping out of her stomach

"What happened?"

"I don't know man, she just slipped and the next thing I know is she's bleeding!"

Itachi frowned, maybe a wound she got yesterday opened again?

"Hikari, can you hear me?"

Hikari felt groggy and dizzy, she didn't think she had hurt herself this much.

"Yeah, my head hurts more though." She mumbled incoherently.

"Okay, Hikari can we lift up your shirt?"

She nodded with her eyes closed.

"Get a towel." Itachi instructed.

Deidara scurried away to get what they needed, hoping to find a disinfectant along the way.

Hikari's breathing slowed down slightly.

"Hikari?"

"I'm still here, don't worry. I wish you'd hurry up though. I really need some sleep," she mumbled.

"Okay, just stay awake until we're done okay?"

"Okay."

Deidara plopped down on the couch.

He wondered how did Hikari get her skin torn in such a way.

That didn't look like a wound from a weapon.

He looked up as the Uchiha walked in.

"How is she?"

"Sleeping. Apparently she got it yesterday. Along with some others on her arms." Itachi said continuing his breakfast.

"How did she get it anyway?" Deidara frowned.

"That's what I would like to know," Itachi said with a voice laced with suspicion.

"Hey." Itachi smiled as she opened her eyes.

"Hi. How long have I been asleep?"

Itachi shrugged. "A couple of hours, how do you feel?" He asked sitting beside her on the bed.

"Awful actually." She reached for the glass of water he offered her.

"What happened? How did you get that?"

"I- It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"Hikari-san."

"No really! It's fine." She held up her hands trying to reassure him.

"It's not, it made you lose a lot of blood. I thought your kekki genkai gave you immunity to severe wounds."

"Not when they're self inflicted," Hikari muttered under her breath, hoping he wouldn't hear.

"What?!"

"Nothing!"

"No you said something right now. Something about it being self inflicted."

"Itachi-kun it's fine." She stressed.

He glared at her and put his hands on both sides of her head.

Hikari made a nervous sound.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?!"

"For the last time I- just drop it." She looked away from him.

"Hikari-san." His voice now more gentle, Itachi put a hand to her head.

"Please."

He sighed, "okay, okay. Just don't hurt yourself anymore alright?"

Hikari only nodded, but still didn't look at him.

Itachi frowned but didn't say anything.

But why would Hikari do that to herself?

Hi! I just wanted to say Happy new year! I was planning on making a Christmas special, but I had exams going on. I still do actually. Also I was planning on uploading this on the new year's but my internet was cut off, then I had exams again. Happy belated Christmas to all of those who celebrate it. Happy belated Hanukkah to those who celebrate it. Muslims don't have any holidays right now, or had any during Christmas or Hanukkah so I'll just stick with those! Happy New year everyone! With 2020 I hope that everyone becomes more accepting to themselves and others. Have a good year guys!