…..

Chapter 14: Mission Alone Time

…..

"What about her?" Obito innocently questioned.

Pein placed his hands on the desk, towering over the Uchiha's form. Obito scoffed to himself as if Nagato's puppet intimidated him.

"Are you grooming her for something?" He demanded.

Obito's eyes narrowed. Like the asshole he was, he leaned back in his chair, thrumming his fingers against the edge of his desk. "Grooming? Really? You think I want to make her my pet?" He let out a dark chuckle.

"She's been distracted lately, ever since the scroll mission. And I noticed you've been making discreet visits to her room." He glowered. "I understand we go to great lengths to serve our vision, but I have to stop you if you have something planned for her that will come at a great cost. What are you preparing her for?"

"I see." Obito said slowly. His tense muscles relaxed. "Truly Pein-sama, it's not at all what you're thinking about. I have to admit, being a man of my age, my eyes have been causing me trouble lately. Itachi recommended her. I find her steady hand brings me some temporary relief, and she's been gracious enough to watch after me while I recover. I'm sure you know the feeling."

"She hasn't tried to get closer to you?"

"Closer?" His eyebrows rose. Did he know more than Konan was letting on? "Perhaps in terms of persistently checking in on my health, but no unusual behavior."

Pein's cold expression didn't change, the man hardly even blinked. "That's not all is it?"

If it was anyone else, the poor soul would be visibly squirming under the infinite ultraviolet stare. Obito tilted his head to the ceiling in thought. "Well, now that it's on the table, I've been thinking I need a sensor type to aid me in my journey to visit the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. It's been a long time since I was last there, and I'd like to prepare the hideout for our plans."

The mention of the Demonic Statue made Pein step backward, the direction of the conversation catching him off-guard. "You don't need me?" He asked cautiously. "I'm the only one that can summon it."

Obito didn't need the reminder about that. "No summoning will be needed, thankfully. I simply need to scope out the space, pick up a few things left behind. Ideally, I'd like it ready as a fully functioning Akatsuki base for phase three."

"You just need her?" He reiterated.

"Konan will suffice. She has a photographic memory and knows all of our needs like the back of her hand, it will serve me well to have a second pair of eyes. I'm sending Zetsu out as well, I need him to infiltrate the Hidden Sand, word has it they've had their jinchūriki, a priest, sealed away all along. I'd like to know the details so we can formulate a plan for when we enter phase two. Konan and I will be joining him in Suna on the way back, I'd imagine you'd be pleased if we were to be able to establish a relationship with the Kazekage since our mercenary services have been requested by his country on a few occasions."

Pein paced the room, gears turning as he processed Obito's plan. Obito patiently watched from behind his desk.

"Very well." He said decidedly. "Are you sure you don't need my abilities on this mission?"

"I wouldn't want you to overextend yourself when it's not necessary." He said, a nod to Nagato's weakened state. "Konan tells me you've been diligently training to master your Six Paths."

He didn't say anything back, Obito knew he was cruel to strike Nagato's well-kept vulnerabilities. "Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Kage would be more receptive to us if I'm accompanied by a woman instead of a bingo book male."

At that, the tensity in Nagato's shoulders slipped a little. "We're all in the bingo book."

Obito cocked his head in amusement. "You're right about that. But you know how Konan does business, she can get a deal with less than three words out of her mouth."

He muttered a quiet agreement. "I trust that you'll take care of her Tobi-sama, she's precious to me."

You don't even know. Obito thought to himself, his mind glossing over with the fresh memory of her sweet mouth. "Of course, I always have. And she's more than capable."

"Still," Said Pein, opening the door of Obito's office, glancing at him once more, his eyes intent on Obito's masked face. "She's all I got left."

…..

"This is stupid."

She clutched her grocery bag, her long glossy sheet of hair swinging in the gentle breeze. At her side, to her contempt, was Obito, cleverly disguised as a Hidden Rain nin. She was in her civilian clothes, taking on her alter-ego, the village girl.

"Pein asked that I personally escort around the village, especially after what happened last time." He said, his one visible eye twinkling. "It's important to keep you safe."

"You too now?" She clicked her tongue. So much for a peaceful afternoon and some much-needed alone time. "God forbid Konan runs an errand."

"Here, at least let me free your hands." He insisted, taking the bag out of her grip despite her protest "Fine." Konan mumbled, bristling with indignation.

It was funny to think that someone as terrifying as Obito was still polite enough to carry her bags for her. To anyone on the outside looking in, they looked like a young couple-perhaps a shinobi shopping with his girlfriend after his shift.

Her brain hit pause on the word girlfriend. Am I his girlfriend? She wondered. They did have an agreement and kissed on a handful of occasions. The question scared her. It sounded so…domestic. She snuck a look at him, his attention was elsewhere, probably scoping out for those "potential dangers" on a Saturday afternoon. They were strolling down one of the main streets, full of families shopping leisurely, kids playing in the street, and the elderly thoroughly combing through produce stands. It was a rare occasion that a winter Saturday was warm and bright in Ame, and everyone appeared to be taking advantage of it.

"Part of me thinks you enjoy being out here." She found herself saying. "Pretending to be normal."

"Technically, I'm working right now." He said matter-of-factly.

She pouted. "Please, you're carrying my bags for me. If anything, I think you're looking for a way to spend some more quality time with me."

That caught his attention. "Maybe I am." He said, leaning over, his voice dropping a lower octave. It sent a shiver up her spine. "Or maybe you're so stubborn about running off and getting into trouble that now we have no choice but to follow you."

"Whatever." She sniffed. "I'm a grown woman, I don't need to be babysat." She squinted at him, a smile growing on her face. "I'm still thinking you're enjoying this."

He confirmed it by not answering her. Instead, they fell into a lapse of silence as they soaked in the busy environment, with Konan deciding that having him there wasn't the worst thing in the world. His presence complemented her normcore fantasy.

"Jewelry! Handcrafted Jewelry! Real stones!" Called a saleswoman as they passed by her stall. "Young lady, I have the perfect necklace for you!"

Konan glanced at the glass case and slowed down, the sparkles had caught her eye. She lingered closer to get a better look and her face lit up by the hoards of glittering jewelry. The woman smiled smugly as she approached, reaching over to pull up a necklace.

"It's pretty." Konan cooed as the woman held it up. It was a small teardrop-shaped moonstone on a gold chain. Her eyes then fell to another necklace tucked away in the glass case. She leaned in closer to study it. The thin silver necklace boasted a pendant in the shape of a delicate flower with diamond petals and a large rose cut amethyst center.

"Truly a special piece." The woman said, noticing where her attention went. She hopped off her chair and unlocked the case, passing the fragile necklace to Konan. "Amethyst is protective and healing, you know. And I like that it matches your hair."

"Hey." She heard Obito say. "We should be getting back."

"Don't you want to get your girl a gift so she can have something to remember you by while you're away on missions?" The woman crowed, looking past Konan's shoulder to the ninja behind her. "Valentine's day is coming up, you know."

Konan turned around, her eyes starry. She held up the necklace for Obito to see. "I love it."

Her eyes went big and lip pouty as she gave him a pleading look. She only brought enough money to buy groceries that day. That, and he owed her an expensive necklace after all the trouble he put her through.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, definitely looking miffed.

"Why don't you put it on for her, and see how it looks?" The woman innocently asked.

"We have to go, my meeting is in ten minutes." He reminded Konan.

Konan challenged his statement by raising her brows at him, handing him the necklace. They could get back to the tower in under two minutes if they needed to. She turned around in front of the mirror and lifted her hair before he could protest. She watched as he unclasped the chain with a defeated sigh and approached her.

He lifted the necklace over her head and her core erupted with fluttering butterflies. Her mouth parted, mind drawn blank when she made eye contact with him. He locked her in place, commanding her to watch him as she felt the whisper of the silver chain snake around her neck. Her skin erupted in goosebumps at the contact, his fingers gently tickling the base of her neck as he clasped the necklace. He stepped back, his eye still trained on her while she appraised herself in the mirror. The necklace glittered in the light, catching the kaleidoscope of purples from her hair. It was perfect.

"Perfection." The woman clapped enthusiastically, looking delighted, perhaps aware of their palpable sense of sexual tension. "I was waiting for the day when that necklace found its match."

"How much?" Obito cut out with impatience.

The lavender kunoichi whirled around in surprise and watched him hand the saleswoman a sizable amount of money without question. She gave them a cheeky smile, her eyes knowingly looking between them. "Thank you for your business my dears! Enjoy your gift!"

Konan politely bowed and thanked the woman, before catching up to Obito who had already stalked off without another word. "Thank you." She said sweetly as returned to his side. "I can repay you when we get back to the tower."

"Don't worry about it." He pulled on the collar of his shinobi-issued cloak as if he was warm. "Now you can't be mad I ended up coming along, and you can't say I'm incapable of gift-giving."

She guessed by his tone he wasn't as bothered as she thought he was by her affinity for shiny things. "I guess so." She smiled and knocked her elbow against his. "By the way, I thought about it more, and as long as you don't waltz up to my door, I'll let you visit my room. Perhaps I have been overly cautious about Nagato. Feel free to bring your work with you too, if you ever find yourself wanting to hang out in our free time."

"I can think of plenty of other things to do in your room other than paperwork." He said slyly. Her ears grew hot. "But thank you, I'll keep that in mind."

As they entered the tower Obito's mask reappeared on his face. Konan fished for her cloak that was tucked into her bag, throwing it over her clothes. Just like that, they were back to being themselves. Sort of.

To not raise suspicion Obito swirled out of existence, leaving Konan to deliver the groceries to the kitchen alone. She caught her reflection in the kitchen window and smiled as she pressed her fingers against the delicate flower that now sat on her collarbones. She knew, without skipping a beat, that Obito will be plotting some way for her to repay it. She watched her cheeks turn rosy. It certainly won't be with money.

…..

Konan heard a subtle swoosh of air, and light footsteps. He was here. She stilled, her eyes going to the door, which she left wide open. She looked down at the frothy water, dread filling her. If she tried to escape she would surely be caught without substantial clothing. And she couldn't hide either - she was a thousand percent sure that he knew exactly where she was. Fuck.

Out of all the times of day to come in, he had to choose now. She inhaled and exhaled loudly, deciding to hell with it and she made herself known with the splash of water as she laid back in the tub. She warily watched his shadowy form freeze as he looked through the folding screen she had thankfully set up in front of the tub purely to block out the light for ambience. Still, she knew he could partially see her.

An ache sunk between her legs, the thrill mixing with her fear. She felt slightly disturbed that this was a frequent reaction with him, even after kissing him for like what? Hours at a time? She closed her legs abruptly, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Should I leave?" Came his voice. Of course, no apologies for coming in while she is bathing.

She let the silence intensify the room. "No." She said, almost too quickly to regret it. "Not if you don't want to."

She watched him stand still for a bit longer, and her desk chair move. She heard a ruffling of papers. Her cheeks tinged pink as she realized he had brought his paperwork with him like she had suggested he do from earlier.

They fell into the silence, with an occasional ruffle of papers and pen scratching away. Konan felt self-conscious every time she moved. So much for relaxation.

And to her horror, she was reminded by the empty hooks that her robe was not in the bathroom, but on the bed where she carelessly left it, along with her towel. There was nothing in her vicinity to cover up with. She briefly considered using a jutsu, but that made her outwardly cringe at the thought of her hilariously dripping in paper in an attempt to cover her body.

Finally, "Obito?" She said in a high-pitched voice.

She heard the pen pause at his name and she inwardly swore to herself.

"I…I uh…left my towel on the bed."

Another awkward pause. "I see." He said.

She heard the chair move against the wood floor. Konan curled into herself, thankful her foamy bath potions hid most of her body.

She watched him gracefully come into view with her bath towel. He walked over, and she was alarmed at how he unabashedly faced her. She sunk further into the water until she was visible just from the nose up.

She knew her face was on fire as Obito stopped at the folded screen and held out the towel, standing a distance away that would require her to stand up in the tub to retrieve it. He looked equally as stricken, a faint flush on his cheeks as he averted his gaze respectfully.

Her eyes widened and she quickly looked away, focusing on the lingering lavender sprigs in the water. "If you could please leave it on the hook." She said tersely.

"Aah." She quickly glanced to see him find the hook on the side of the screen. He hung it up and immediately retreated to the desk before she could barely whisper a thank you.

She waited a moment, then as gracefully as she could, she got out of the tub. She grabbed her towel at lightning speed, sighing in relief as she wrapped it around her body. She emerged from behind the folding screen, unwilling to look in his direction. She snatched the robe and briskly padded back to her bathroom, shutting the door.

She sighed in deep relief. That was close.

She turned to look at herself in the mirror, her face was dewy and flushed, hair wet and slicked back like a mermaid. She dried herself off and slipped on her somewhat immodest black robe. She sighed. It'll have to do. It would be stupid at this point if she went to put on the cloak just to stay in her room.

She opened the door, allowing the cool air to hit her damp skin. He was still there.

Adjusting her robe in a futile attempt to hide her cleavage, she found herself smiling nervously as she emerged.

He looked up in what looked like a double-take. She watched the red in his eyes flare. His gaze alone lighted her body on fire, now that she knew why he looked at her with the Sharingan. "Konan." He greeted as if he didn't have his copy wheel eyes…or hadn't seen her naked in the bathtub just five minutes ago.

"Hello, Obito." She forced out as indifferently as possible. She went to sit in an armchair nearby the windows, feeling his gaze on her. She gingerly reached for a scroll, attempting to remain as unaffected as possible.

"Do you take baths often?"

The extremely intimate question threw her off guard. She looked up. "Yes. They help me relax. Meditate."

"You put flowers in the water." It wasn't exactly a question.

"Uhh…yes. Mostly lavender, it has the healing properties to relax the mind and body."

"Hn." He muttered, turning back down to his work. "Now I know why you smell like lavender."

Her eyelashes fluttered in disbelief. He noticed what she smelled like? Unable to process that, she lapsed into silence.

…..

As their taut silence stretched, he was eventually able to somewhat settle in and focus with the sounds of rain and flickering candlelight. Even though Konan was right there, he was able to finish up the rest of his reports.

When he finally looked at her, he found her sound asleep. Her legs were folded into the cushion, hands resting on the scroll in her lap. Her head laid against the arm of her chair, her face serene, and now dry lavender hair fanned out. Her black robe slipped off her shoulder. He felt his body heat up as his eyes zoomed in on her exposed skin, gliding to her collarbone where her new necklace lay, and then to the swell of her breasts.

Zetsu's words echoed in his head from a conversation on their last mission together.

"Obito, you have the hots for Konan?"

"Shut up White Zetsu." He growled.

"Here we thought he'd never get over Rin." Black Zetsu sneered with a cruel smile.

A hot lash of rage ran through Obito. "This has nothing to do with Rin!"

"No one blames you for moving on." Black Zetsu egged on. "It's been years."

"And Konan!" White Zetsu gushed. "She is sexy!"

"I don't know what you are talking about." He bit out.

Rin. Rin had been lovely, pretty, and cute. He was a pre-teen and in love with a girl his age. When his younger self thought about her, he would turn tomato red at the mere idea of holding her hand. What simple times. But those kinds of fond recollections quickly faded against the nightmarish memory of her corpse in his arms. The searing agony was a bright light in his heart that burned away memories. In this reality, it was hard to even think of what could've been.

But now, he was a man. And there was Konan. She was not a girl, she was a woman, not much older than he was. She was graceful, mysterious, and sinfully curvy. She was able to hold him in her sensual amber gaze, her lips often puckered in such a hateful disdain that it ignited an urgent need to devour her.

Konan did not want to make him hold hands with her. He's tried that. She made him want to undo the buttons of her damned top. Made him want to glide his hands on her bare skin - he pushed the other dirty thoughts away.

"You know, you are a grown man. You could at least lose your virginity before Madara is back breathing down your neck." White Zetsu said with a crackling laugh, pulling Obito from the depths of his mind.

"Shut up!" Obito yelled again, throwing a kunai at the artificial spore. Zetsu laughed and sunk back into the floor.

Idiotic Zetsu was right, Konan was sexy. He nearly fell out of the chair when she emerged from the bathroom. Her innocent smile and a loose robe were his wet dreams manifested. Her allure was amplified with her slick wet hair, rivulets of water falling in-between the valley of her chest. Her face was flushed from the heat of the water as she met his gaze, her amber eyes bright in the darkness. Utter perfection.

The dark erotic feeling stirred within him as he, giving in to his masochistic tendencies, watched as Konan crossed in front of him to a large reading chair adjacent to her desk. His eyes went to her equally curvaceous ass. For fucks sake. He thought. What was wrong with him?

She gingerly curled into the chair, dutifully ignoring and respecting her leader's space. Even in the privacy of her room, she remained elegantly composed.

He looked back down at his papers, against his will, and wondered what would happen if he tested her composure, something that became a hobby of his as of late.

He silently plotted away and she continued to read. After some time late in the night, he had found her asleep. Serene. He approached her, allowing himself to reach out and tuck away a strand of her hair. Her breathing was deep and even, guess that lavender had worked.

He wondered how much darkness lingered within her heart, and how she managed to chase it away so well to have a peaceful sleep. With ease, ignoring the dangerously loose robe, he picked her up and carried her to her bed. She was so small, he noted, with her in his arms. He tucked her in, delicately pulling the covers over her shoulders. She had not stirred once.

He looked at her for a few more seconds, mulling over Zetsu's words, and that in a matter of days they would be traveling, alone. Cursing himself, he decided to do one last thing before leaving the safety of her room into the inky night.

…..

Konan woke up, the grey morning light hitting her eyes. As the previous night rushed into her head, she sat up in alarm. She looked down, seeing she was in her silk robe-now halfway off her body, tucked tightly into her covers.

She looked around, seeing the chair sitting ajar from her desk, and the opened scroll on the floor in front of her armchair.

Obito. She touched her cheek. He must've brought her to bed. Her heart dropped, she wondered how much he saw. She was careless to let herself drift to sleep with him there. She admonished herself for having put on such a suggestive thing.

She leaped out of bed, despite last night, she got a decent amount of sleep for once in her life. She padded towards her wardrobe when she noticed something sitting on her desk.

She went over and picked up a small folded piece of her origami paper. She unfolded it and felt her face get hot. It was one, simple sentence.

Perhaps next time, I'll join you.

…..

"Our agenda is short for the next few months, I know everyone is busy with mercenary work." Pein's voice echoed off the tower walls. The holograms of the Akatsuki not physically present flickered in the darkness. "Konan and Tobi will be traveling to secure one of our hideouts for the next few weeks, as well as attend to some business in the Hidden Sand. I'm asking anyone who finishes their mercenary duties early to return to the tower to help cover our bases."

Konan snapped into attention at her name, her eyes like daggers as she flickered between Pein and a fidgety Tobi. Another mission with him?!

Nagato had just been breathing down her neck, telling her to be careful around him. How on earth did Nagato agree to that?

A streak of anger went through her but she remained silent as the meeting went on. What the hell was Obito thinking? She had just gotten used to him in her room, and now he manipulated Nagato - somehow - to let him whisk Konan away from her duties in Ame. And what was this business in Suna? Anxiety crept into Konan's body. She nearly lost focus on her streaming of chakra as hundreds of questions and concerns flooded her mind. Hideout and then a trip to Suna could mean weeks of traveling together. Alone.

Something akin to fear and exhilaration simmered in her stomach. She touched her necklace hiding underneath her Akatsuki cloak. She knew this wouldn't be like the detached, bureaucratic missions they've been on before.

…..

The cold settled deep in Konan's bones. She tried to blink the sleepiness from her eyes, listening to the sounds of sleet hitting her wide-brim hat. She wanted to smack Obito upside the head for having a sunrise call time on a particularly nasty winter morning. She reminded herself of all the blistering cold nights she endured outside in her childhood years. She smiled bitterly, she's gotten soft since those pre-civil war days.

At last, Obito swirled into existence, dressed in a similar Akatsuki ensemble, even more, obscured by the bamboo hat. Konan's nerves sat in her gut, she knew this was a mission but suddenly she wasn't sure how to act, much less what he was going to be like.

"Good morning." She said, her voice ringing loud and clear to her surprise.

He merely gave her a nod of the head, it seemed he wasn't feeling sociable either.

She hadn't seen him since the meeting, and after berating Nagato for blindsiding her, she suspected he knew that she had a slew of questions for him. Any early morning irritation she had moments ago dissipated. Konan knew she needed to retain focus, this wasn't a vacation, it was a mission and she wasn't going to let their weird tension get in the way.

So like him, she stayed quiet, following him dutifully out of her village. She knew he was a ruthless traveler, it often awed her how he could just go and go and go without stopping. She anticipated his pace to remain the same.

And by late afternoon she was proven right, which she didn't mind, the swift journey kept her body warm and mind occupied by her changing surroundings. It was easy to forget the sensation of the world outside of her village which was made up of rain and steel.

Konan's foot connected with a branch and she inhaled, welcoming the shock of ice in her lungs.

Exhaling as she exalted off a branch.

Inhaling the fresh energy. An electric current through her system.

Exhaling her meandering concerns climbing inside her body. Releasing the dead air as if it was housed in her all winter. Her thoughts floated away like drifting snow. The pale light clung to the high branches. The only sound being made was her and Obito's feet hitting frozen bark. She yearned for spring.

At some point, the lavender kunoichi's meditative focus broke when she noticed a flurry of snow. Snowflakes large enough to kiss her cheeks. They slowed down as the flat marshland turned into sloping valleys.

"A storm is coming." Konan observed as they perched on a large pine, looking out into the dark sky - the kind of sky of deep blues and grays. She shivered, the temperature had dropped over the hours, promising a silent blizzard in the cascading darkness. "And we are running out of daylight."

Obito leaned against the tree branch, folding his arms. Konan observed the dignified lines of his dark silhouette against the white-coated landscape. "We'll need to find cover for the night." He said decidedly. He turned to look at her. "Can you fly overhead and spot hiding places?"

Her chakra exploded from her shoulder blades in the form of paper slips, quickly solidifying into her massive angel wings that earned her the rightful nickname - Paper Angel. She took off into the air, wincing against the blistering winds. Her muscles protested as her wings pushed against the unforgiving current of air.

Brushing across the dead forest, Konan went into sensory mode-sending small paper birds to the scattering winds to pick up on any alcoves in the dense landscape. Within a mile east her senses tingled-a paper bird found a cavern embedded into the side of a steep hill.

Konan descended back to the snowy ground where Obito was waiting patiently for her. A snowstorm meant an opportunity to cover fresh tracks. She tucked her wings close together, partially shielding herself from the breeze. "Found a cavern, only a mile east, along a river."

"Lead the way."

She walked on, wondering why Obito was so distant on the mission. Perhaps he had similar feelings - teetering on a thin invisible boundary. Perhaps he was also enjoying the quietness afforded in nature. They were no longer in the shadows of Ame but alone in the expanse of the unknown. She wished she could see him maskless, but she guessed he wouldn't risk that - even in a wild reserve.

"So our destination is in the Land of Rivers?" She asked, noticing they crossed the southern border an hour or two ago.

"Yes." He said shortly.

She tucked her other questions away, hearing his curt response. Konan wondered if there was another man on earth that sent signals so mixed. One day he was gifting her a necklace, the next he was ignoring her. A smile broke out onto her face, it crossed her mind perhaps he was embarrassed by his scathing note the other day.

The cavern was well hidden under the snow, a large stone slab with icicles signaled the entrance. It was a shallow cave, and thankfully, unoccupied. Konan and Obito easily secured the perimeter, rather safe from being in an area largely uninhabited in the small, unassuming country.

At last, she and Obito settled into the rocky cavern, Konan resisting the urge to moan in relief as she dropped her pack to the floor. Together, well acquainted with their process, they were quickly able to set up a fire.

Konan watched Obito tilt his mask. His hands came together for a string of signs, his mouth opening. Flame from his jaws hit the carefully arranged fire pit, setting branches and paper aflame. The warmth ricocheted across Konan's face and she leaned towards the warm glow, the crackling fire music to her ears.

"This feels so nice after a long day." She breathed out. She reached in her pack and pulled out Onigiri for dinner, practically inhaling it. She was hungry after the grueling trek.

They ate in silence. Konan's eyes fluttered upwards, to his tilted mask. "You don't need to keep the mask on, you know."

He paused as if contemplating, then said. "It's not custom for me to remove it on missions."

"This isn't like the other missions, is it?" She asked him, reclining.

She watched his subtle body language, the uncomfortable shift of his legs, the stiffness in his shoulders. Her expression softened. "It's ok you know, we are alone in a cave, in the middle of nowhere."

To her surprise, he lifted his mask, shifting it to sit on the side of his head. His midnight eyes met hers and she was struck by the intensity of the smolder, shadows and light dancing across his face in the firelight. She swallowed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" He asked, his expression set like a stone statue.

"Like you're going to eat me." She said flippantly, averting her gaze to the flames. She bit into her rice cake.

He blinked. "What? I can't look at you?"

"Not like that." She retorted.

"You stare at me too."

"I do not!"

"You do."

She met his stare head-on, now feeling less intimidated by it. She was glad she could get him talking. "Care to share why you brought me along on this particular mission?"

"I need your help in Suna, to negotiate a mercenary contract with the Kazekage." He explained rather simply.

Her eyebrows raised. "This won't be another seduction mission will it?"

His eyes narrowed at that, he scoffed. "No, hopefully not. Relationships with the Kage are fragile, we felt it would be better to approach him using you instead of another cocky male ex-Shinobi."

"Leave it to the only woman, huh? Care to explain where we are going now? Village Hidden in the Valley?"

He shook his head. "We are going to a hideout. That's all I'm going to share for now."

She wracked her brain, thinking of all the Akatsuki hideouts. "So this one is one of yours. I think I recall you mentioning it before."

"I have."

She hummed then scooted closer. "How did you convince Nagato to let me go with you?"

"You're nosy today."

She knew he was teasing her now, she pouted. "Excuse me for wanting to know something that is directly related to me."

"I told him you're the best for the mission, so he agreed. Simple as that."

She knew by his look, in those dark intelligent eyes, that he had been strategizing this whole ordeal. This is how Tobi always was - someone with the next ten steps planned out but unwilling to dish out exactly what was happening in his mind as if he had to protect his creative genius at all costs. It was infuriating but she understood why, solely based on the monumental feat of survival and success of their group.

"You know he has his suspicions," Konan said, her voice firm. She placed her hand on his arm, welcoming the warmth radiating from his bicep. "I don't like the idea of you manipulating him."

"I can promise you your worries are misplaced. He understands the work that needs to be done." Obito leaned towards her touch. The intimacy rippled through her core. She thought about the other day when they kissed. "He knows I'll protect you, and he hasn't an inkling of why beyond the importance of the Akatsuki and our mission."

"He worries too much about me." Her voice lowered a register, blood racing at his words. "You both do."

"I'm not worried." He countered, his hand went to her thigh, his digits idly tracing lines. "Worry isn't the word I'd use at all."

Her breath hitched slightly. She understood, they were alone. Alone and able to be whatever they wanted to be without the dark corners of the Tower, without Akatsuki eyes. Her eyes darkened, excitement stirring within her.

"Then what word would you use?"

"I don't know." He admitted, his eyelids dropping as he searched her face. "I'm not good at explaining it."

"You're creative." Proven fact. "I know you have another way of telling me."

His eyes twinkled at that. "Is that a challenge?"

"I know you love them." She said teasingly, batting her eyelashes at him. She waved around the cavern. "It's just us, finally, feel free to be yourself. Do what you want. Say what you want." Tell me how you feel about me. Please.

"Konan, not playing by the rules, are you?" His mouth twisted into a smile.

"It's not like you play by them either." She pointed out. She kept looking at him imploringly.

She was rewarded when his hand cupped her face. "Two rebels, aren't we?" He joked, his fingers going into her long hair, untangling the knots.

She giggled at that. "I'm afraid so. Explains why we have bounties over our heads."

Obito's face was flushed. A heady desire to be against him took over as she admired his elegant features so stark with the scarring on his cheek. Konan tried to work against the magnetic pull. She wished her heart didn't find her sleeve so easily.

"You look tired." He observed.

"So do you." And then she yawned, giving it away. She didn't want to sleep, she wanted him to kiss her again.

"For once I might be able to fall asleep." He glanced at the opening of the cave, nearly obscured by the mounds of snow insulating the space. The wind howled outside. No one but them.

"Very well." She muttered, folding away her slight disappointment, and made a move to get up, but not before Obito leaned forward and slanted his mouth across hers. She nearly melted on the spot. A goodnight kiss on a mission. Contrasted with the sounds of the fire and the snow outside. It felt so right. New and familiar.

"Goodnight." He said into her hair before pulling away.

Both of them laid down their sleeping bags. Konan gingerly slipped between the covers, curling into herself for warmth, unsure of what to make of her first day of traveling. She tried to let her exhaustion take over, but her nerves were electric with Obito sleeping right there across the fire, not across the room on her couch. Their situation was stripped bare and she wasn't sure if he would drop his facade just yet.

…..

Konan stared upwards at stalagmites, watching her breath form tendrils of dragon-like smoke in the cold air.

"Fucking gods. It's colder than hell frozen over." She swore, sitting up. Her body groaned in protest, she was stiff from sleeping on the floor and sore from the tree jumping. She hugged herself tightly, her cloak and sleeping bag not heavy enough to chase the chill from her bones.

It had been late in the night, and it was pitch black. The trees groaned from howling winds outside. She glanced at the cave's entrance, almost entirely covered with a drift of snow.

She looked over, irked to see Obito content with his fire blood, but also pleased that he was sleeping. He was in a deep sleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. She shivered violently again. She looked over, the fire had died out-no wonder.

The kunoichi crawled from the little warmth she had and threw a scrap of wood over the embers, attempting to blow some oxygen on the weak fire.

Just like that, it re-lit, flames bursting forth from the blackened pit. She gasped at the ferocity from such a small scrap of half-rotted wood.

"Right now?" She heard his raspy voice.

Of course, Obito and his fire jutsu. "What did you expect a girl with no fire to do?" She retorted, her teeth chattering as she placed her hands close to the new flames, savoring the tiny semblance of heat.

"You'd think with a body like yours you'd retain heat easily."

Blood rushed to her face, she turned to him to glare, catching the eerie way his slitted red eyes glow in the dark like a bat in the cave. He probably awoke to her noise at the thought of danger. "Really Obito? Just when I thought you were being sweet earlier."

He scoffed at that. No danger, just Konan fumbling around in the dark, disturbing his precious slumber. "Go back to sleep."

"I can't, it's freezing." She said through her teeth, chattering again as she tried to get as close to the fire as possible.

She looked back at him again, he closed his eyes and turned on his side, facing her. Her eyes went to the space in his bedroll, and it occurred to her she would fit perfectly.

She suddenly felt sheepish about waking him. And wondered if he would be annoyed if she tried to lay next to him. It would cross all their unspoken boundaries, though, it's hard to keep those when you're stranded in the woods during a snowstorm.

Damnit, he looked so warm. And he probably was. She salivated at the idea of being in a warm man's arms. It had been so long.

I'm clearly desperate. She thought soberly, her eyes scanning his face. She knew he wasn't sleeping, at least not deeply. Now was the time.

Slowly, as if approaching a sleeping bear, she left the small fire and crouched in front of him, holding her cloak tightly around her. On cue, her teeth chattered. He opened a red eye. "What?" He groaned.

Her eyes got big, she pouted her lips, her body shaking like a leaf as the wind whistled and the trees groaned. "I'm so cold." She said in the smallest voice possible, yanking on the edge of his blanket.

"It's not that cold." He mumbled under the blanket.

"Yeah, for you." She said softly. "Please, please let me sleep in your sleeping bag and I promise I will never…never ever, ever, ever, ever wake you up again unless we are in danger."

"Ever." She emphasized again.

It was silent for a few minutes as she hovered over him. Her teeth chattered again and he groaned, pulling the blanket from his face so he could look at her with a scowl and sleep in his eyes. "If you promise to be quiet and go to sleep." At that, the dark and heartless shinobi reluctantly lifted his arm.

She flashed a saccharine smile as she shrugged off her bulky cloak and crawled in. When her back formed against his front she felt him tense up. Her heartbeat quickened. She gingerly shifted, sighing at the sweet sensation of Obito's warmth. His body remained still as she settled, her amusement quickly died however when she realized how perfectly they fit together, it made her think things she shouldn't.

Despite his tense posture, she snuggled against him further. It was like being enveloped in a burning sip of sake or a giant blanket. He smelled like fire and sweat with lingering traces of citrus soap.

"Thank you." She whispered, thanking the gods that he allowed her to take advantage of his literal hot body.

He didn't respond, but she did feel him slightly relax. It amused her how on edge he was, she would have to tease him in the morning when she wasn't glued to him. Despite his flirtatious passes and steamy promises on notes, he kept a cold distance. She wondered if he still was nervous around her. Knowing he was a bit reserved in that nature made her heart even more tender.

Cocooned in the warmth of the demon himself, at last, the exhaustion from the travel overtook Konan's system. Her eyes lingered shut as a deep heavy sleep took over.

…..

Author's Note:

Hello readersssssss! WOW I had a nasty case of writer's block, I was so uninspired the past month or so-that and just busy. Ugh. You know how that goes. But I'm HERE and bringing you a lengthy chapter to make up for my brief hiatus! Just in time for Konan's szn (Pisces!) And also, back tracking a bit-a very happy belated birthday to our Aquarius king Obito! His birthday is a day after mine #aquiquigang 3

Excited to shout out to my new BETA, Aishwarya! I'm like crying guys, it's so nice to have someone help me make this fic sparkle! Thank you Aishwarya for polishing up Fire & Paper!

And thanks to YOU as always, for following this story and to those leaving your thoughtful reviews, it keeps me going!

-LL