…..
Chapter 5: Our Sanctuary
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Your gaze, it nails me
Like a bullet to the chest
Rosalía
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Obito was once again caught in a string of nightmares. He walked askew down the hall, his sweaty palms pressed against the walls to keep him steady. In the back of his liquor quelled mind, he knew Nagato was probably watching. But he did not care.
He needed to find peace. He was desperate for a reprieve from the death-ridden memories reincarnated over and over again. There had to be somewhere in the tower where he could briefly escape, find safety.
Obito froze, cursing as a chakra signature drew near. It was late in the night, leave it to bingo book ninja to be up at ungodly hours. He waited for the person to approach. Their footsteps were light. He could not afford to show how drunk he was, even as ridiculous Tobi it would be suspicious. Just as they turned the corner he flipped around, his Sharingan spinning into Kamui. With a gasp and shuffling, he wrapped his arm around the intruder and they folded into the portal.
In the brief free fall and wave of nausea, they fell into Obito's dimension. They tumbled across the concrete surface until Obito managed to pin the person with his hands and legs, sitting atop of them. He was prepared to threaten the intruder into silence but words slipped away as he looked down at the mess of lavender hair. Konan.
She sputtered, attempting to arch her back to gain control of her body. His legs pressed further into her sides. "What are you doing?" He hissed.
"I could ask you!" She exclaimed.
In a sobering moment, he realized he had just made a very, very bad mistake. Since when does Obito slip up? At that moment the ringing of a nearly empty bottle rolled across the ground from under his cloak. Konan's eyes briefly followed it, until recognition registered on her face. "Hey! That's my sake. Are you drunk?"
To add to his ire, she smiled at him, her eyes twinkling. He scowled. "I technically bought it."
"Get off of me you oaf!" She managed to break her wrists free and then pushed against his broad chest. He complied, climbing off of her. Another dizzying wave hit Obito. He groaned and fell backward on the cool concrete floor.
"Where are we?" Asked Konan sitting up.
He rose to face her. Her cheeks were dusted in a pleasing pink color. Her cloak was open, revealing a cropped shirt and shorts. Her sleeping clothes probably. Her hands went to her loose braid, self-consciously combing it back into place as she looked around his dimension.
He felt his mask, finding it crooked. Straightening it, he said, "It's a dimension I created with my visual prowess. It's where I withhold my opponents."
Her polished eyebrow rose in question. "I always wondered where they went when you use Kamui…It's so somber in here."
His eyes scanned over the familiar scene of protruding gray platforms and a black abyss. "It's nothing more than a holding place."
"Why did you bring me here?" She asked.
"You surprised me." He admitted. "I reacted defensively."
"I was on my way to the kitchen when I heard someone stumbling, I'd never think it was you." Tentatively she crawled towards him. Alarms went off in his head but he remained still, allowing her to draw near. Her face came in close proximity to his, eyes filled with a concern he did not deserve. She smelled like sweet floral perfume. He imagined being in a field of summer flowers.
Her hand went up, gently laying it on his shoulder. "Why are you drunk?"
"I-I…swas having nightmares." He slurred. "It's hard for them to stop sometimes."
She pulled her hand away. "I see."
He wanted nothing more than to place his head in the crook of her neck. The alcohol felt like fire in his veins, making his desire burn brightly against his skewed judgment. His eyes went to her bare midriff and then to her bare legs.
She sneezed, bringing him out of his fog. "Can you return us Tobi-sama?" She asked, standing up.
Panic set into his heart at the idea of closing his eyes once more. "I'm not sure that's the best idea."
She frowned at that. "I'm very tired, My Lord. Plus I can get you some water. We can try to get some sleep."
"How will I know you will keep this place a secret?" He blurted.
"We already share a few secrets no?" She asked, with a small smile. "What's one more?"
He thought about it for a few moments. Though his mind felt more like a thick pond as his logic tried to swim through it. "Very well."
She extended her hand. He took it as she lifted him up with ease. Beautiful and strong. He thought as he leaned against her. "Can you teleport us back?" She asked.
On command, he used his Kamui. It took more energy than he had but they reappeared in the back in the dimly lit tower. Using Sharingan while drunk was not the best idea, Obito fought the sickness in his stomach as he faltered a step, leaning more heavily into Konan.
"Shhhh." She said quietly as her hand brushed at his back. The two made their way down the hall. He couldn't tell where they were. It was some part of the tower he either could not recognize in the shadows, or it was a part he never been too before.
Konan opened a door with ease and they entered a room with a softly lit light. Unable to register details of his surroundings, the ninja gave into the alcoholic spell as she led him to a soft surface. She held a glass of water to him. He turned away from her to lift up his mask. Even inebriated he still was careful with his identity. Gratefully, Obito proceeded to drink three glasses until his belly was full.
"Let me help you." Whispered Konan. "Lay back, close your eyes."
He obliged. The pounding of alcohol subsided with a cool sensation. He opened his eyes slightly to find the soft green glow emanating from Konan's fingertips into his temples. He breathed a sigh in relief, his world darkening around the edges until the lost Uchiha slipped away into a dreamless slumber.
…..
Konan pulled away her healing hands once she saw Tobi had fallen asleep. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. Despite her dying curiosity, Konan knew better than to remove the mask. So she only tilted the orange mask slightly so his nose and mouth were exposed for breathing. She wanted to know who he was so badly, but she knew this was not the right time. Not when the lion was sleeping in her den.
She left the most formidable shinobi in the land on her couch and made her way to her bed, the exhaustion hitting her after using so much chakra to heal his majesty's drunken stupor. He owed her top-shelf sake big time. She laid her bed, realizing it was the first in years she had let a man into her bedroom. Konan's ears burned at the thought. This whole night had changed her perception of him.
Konan was once again reminded there was a man behind that mask. A man who was broken. Who was haunted by nightmares, no doubt from his past. Konan breathed deeply for several moments to allow the questions to float away. Answers will come, she reminded herself, she just needed patience.
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Konan awoke to sunshine. She looked out the window in surprise. It had been a while since she's seen clear blue skies. She stretched, feeling like she had slept well despite being-Oh, that's right.
A rush of memories the night prior made her heart skip a beat. Konan whirled around to see if her couch was occupied. Relief flooded her as she saw it was empty, an equally empty water glass on the table nearby as evidence of the turn of events that transpired. Still, she could not fathom why she decided to take him to her room. Perhaps it was because his own dwellings were so sad and blank. She couldn't imagine finding peace in such a grimly clinical space.
She chuckled, finding herself amused that she of all people had found their leader drunk enough to stumble over his feet and words. Especially after he admonished her for her own slip-ups. Konan finally rose out of bed. She hoped he wasn't badly hungover when he awoke, she knew they had a busy agenda for the day.
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"Konan."
"Kisame."
He stared at her for a few moments before his eyes went to his leader. Kisame was the only non-original member who for sure knew "Madara" ran the show. Itachi knew too but pretended not to for whatever reason.
The weirdness was the fact that Konan was next to the leader's chair, leaned over Tobi's desk. She was without her cloak, her cleavage practically in his face, she was standing that close. She raised her eyebrows to challenge him. "What is it?"
"Kakuzu asked me to deliver this." He reached over and placed a suitcase on the desk.
Tobi's Sharingan spun to life to double-check the contents of the case. Satisfied he nodded to Konan. She opened the case, revealing stacks of money.
"Thank you, Kisame." Muttered Tobi. "Konan, please record this for me."
"Of course." She said, walking back around the desk with the case. She pressed it to her chest when she noticed Kisame's leery shark eyes and toothy smile as she walked past him.
Tobi watched, amused, as she exited the room. "And Itachi?"
"Downstairs." He answered, his eyes went to the doorway where the kunoichi exited. "Konan is looking good these days, no?"
"You'll be connecting with Zetsu in the Land of Wind." Tobi continued, not in the mood to entertain Kisame's insinuations. "I expect to hear from you as soon as you get in contact. He'll have your next task."
Kisame rolled his neck, letting his exhaustion show. "When do I have to leave?"
"I'll give you two days," Tobi answered, going back to his paperwork.
"Thank you, My Lord." He muttered, sighting in relief. He smiled as he rested his legendary sword on his shoulder. "Will Konan be around?"
Obito felt a pang of annoyance. Why was he suddenly so concerned with her? He did not look up as he said, "As the Lady Angel of Ame should be."
Kisame simply flashed a sardonic smile as he exited the room. Obito grimaced down at the paper. Usually, members interested in Konan did not bother him. Men have always noticed her beauty, and she was more than capable of dealing with passes from bingo book shinobi. Still, she was someone he needed close. She was key in his long term mission. Nagato was the mind and muscle, she was the heart of the Akatsuki. She was easily one of the only people he could depend on. She was under his protection and he didn't like his subordinates devaluing her.
There was also the fact, he had awoken in her chambers this morning. Just as the sun reached the horizon, Obito's eyes opened. He felt groggy, but not as hungover as he should have been considering he drank almost an entire bottle of sake, and the had the audacity to dump Konan into his dimension. He panicked, hands going to his face to make sure his mask was still on. It was, which was a great relief considering she was curious about who he really was. He then remembered the gentle healing touch of Konan, and the smell of flowers. He had been surprised to find himself in the safety of her room. He looked around, noticing the abundance of greenery and tasteful collection of artifacts. In the privacy of her room, she had truly created an oasis in the grimness of Ame. And strategically, he realized, it was smart for her to bring him to one of the only rooms in the Tower where Nagato's all-seeing eyes looked away. She had brought him to safety in his moment of weakness.
Obito left Konan's room without disturbing her, taking care not to stare too long at the tumbling locks of hair on her pillow and her shapely form tucked tightly under crisp white bedding.
Obito knew he needed to thank Konan for discreetly handling the situation, although when he saw her later in the morning, his words got caught in his throat. Konan acted as nothing happened but he still could sense the change between them. And now he wasn't sure if saying anything was wise. If he continued these kinds of interactions with her, surely, she would unravel him.
…..
Konan was quite surprised when she returned to her rooms to find Tobi-sama.
Perhaps bringing him here was a bad idea.
"So it's okay for you to sneak into my room?" She asked dryly as she shut the door behind her.
He was gracefully poised on her couch, his ankle resting on his knee. "You forget I'm your leader."
She snorted at that but tensed up as he shifted. Yup, it was not wise to have shown him her rooms. She assumed he used his transportation jutsu to get in. Fancy locks and justus would be useless against his Kekkei Genkai.
She waited to be threatened but instead he produced a bottle of sake from his cloak, placing it on the table. "Thank you."
She smiled and shook her head. "You really didn't have to do that. Even though you did drink my sake."
"But I made sure Kakuzu got one of the best brands." He answered in an amused tone. "I know you have expensive tastes, Konan-san."
She blushed at that. "Apparently so do you, but you don't know how to handle it. I figured this was the best place for you to be in so no one could find you drunk off your ass."
"I appreciate you heeding my warning and not removing my mask." He added.
"You were having nightmares. I pitied you." She shot back with ease, shrugging off her cloak.
She could feel his eyes on her, the high of secret thrill and terror sending goosebumps across her body. An awkward silence stretched between them. "So, how are you feeling today?"
"Like brand new." He answered.
"Good." She boldly sat next to him, reaching the bottle to observe its shiny gold label. She popped it open.
"You want some?" She asked sweetly, holding it out to him.
He raised his gloved hand and shook it as a "no". She giggled, and took a swig, humming in approval. "Kakuzu chose well."
"Good to hear."
"Just so you know, your secret is safe with me." Konan finally said. "I hope you forgive me for helping you even when you don't seem to want it."
"It's best if I handle things on my own." He agreed. "However, I am still grateful to you. And Nagato as well. For your loyalties."
She nodded solemnly, knowing that as of late, her trust did not go far with him. "I uh…I hope your nightmares don't keep you up too much."
She observed his body language, hoping she was not crossing the line again. "I'm used to not sleeping." He admitted.
"You slept well last night. Perhaps my room is better suited for you." As she said it she blushed. Why could she not compose herself in front of this man?! "I mean, you slept deeply last night. I hope my sanctuary brought the peace of mind you needed."
"There is only one way we can achieve peace." He said distantly. She knew what he was talking about. Of course, the plan. She burned brighter in embarrassment. He continued, "However, your room did give me a reprieve. I meant to thank you for that with the sake."
Her eyes went to the bottle. Konan felt herself float back down to earth as she considered the chain of actions. Something shifted in him, something that allowed her to get closer. The court that was once his, was now hers. "Well, my door is open for you." She finally said, hoping she wouldn't regret the invitation she just handed to her absolutely deranged, unpredictable boss.
He reached over and placed his hand on her leg. Desire blossomed into an ache that shot down to the apex of her legs. Her eyelashes fluttered at the contact, breath slightly hitching. She looked down at his hand laid firmly on her thigh, and then, fearlessly, to his disguised face. She made eye contact with the single red gaze, making sure he knew she would not back down from him.
His thumb dragged over her skin and she felt herself leaning forward, eyes half-lidded. "What do you say?" She said softly.
His body language mirrored her, his own head coming to a tilt as if he wasn't wearing a mask. He paused, inches from her face. "I'll consider your offer next time I'm having trouble sleeping." The deep tone in his voice made her consider the insinuations her offer held. But she didn't bother to correct whatever might be floating in his head.
He snapped them out of the spell by removing his hand and standing abruptly. She was surprised at the emotion that flickered within her, that she would miss the weight of his hand and heat of his skin until he pulled away. He chuckled, once again his hand reaching behind his head as if he was bashful. "I better go. I have business to attend to."
"Of course, Not-Madara-sama." She said with a coy smile.
He laughed at that. She held her gaze at the spiraled mask, watching his body vanish in parts, his Copy Wheel eye pinning her until that vanished as well.
Konan took a deep breath to shake off the adrenaline, looking over at the expensive sake. Maybe he just wants to have sex? Ume's words floated in her head. Konan fanned her cheeks, unsure how a man she worked with for years, a man she did not truly know, could get her suddenly all hot and bothered in the recent weeks. Ume said to make him a player in her own game, but Konan wondered what would happen if she still lost.
The Paper Angel sat at her desk, looking down at her unfinished origami. His red eye alit in her mind. She thought of the other week, when he had boldly ventured out into Ame's streets to follow her. His eye had been a soft dark color. She could only ever see his right eye, and even though it was one sliver of his truth, she felt like she was drowning in the desire to see his whole face…especially when he looked at her like that.
Konan reached for a new piece of paper. A red one. The paper felt velvety between her fingers. It was delicate, not like the chakra-infused paper she engineered for her Jutsu. With a wave of determination, her fingers worked deftly, folding corners with delicacy and practiced precision. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried different folds to achieve the shape she wanted, trying to remember the pattern in the Uchiha's eye.
Like other artists who experience the urgent need to create, time slipped from Konan's conscious until she had finished, surprised to see the evening light dim her surroundings. She looked down at the red paper and its fresh inked details. It was his eye. She sat back, pleased with her work. Even now, origami made Konan feel at peace. She found it rather silly, making a Sharingan eye that she was so secretly mesmerized by. She hoped it would get this-whatever this feeling is-out of her system. But, as she recalled the things she folded for Yahiko, she might as well be fanning the flames.
Konan's face hardened against the urge to cry. How quickly she could forget who he was. Guilt swelled in Konan's heart. She took the red eye into her palm, feeling the urge to crush it. But it was too beautiful to destroy. No matter what, She thought solemnly as she wiped away her tears. No one will ever replace you.
She placed the origami eye in her desk drawer and shut it.
