Something More

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 9

A short while later, Team Taka had found a cave. It was far from the most glamorous place that Suki had ever stayed in, but it wasn't the worst either. For now, it would do.

"Make sure to restrain him. I don't know what kind of poison was used on him or how long he'll be out." Suki warns them.

"Yeah. Princess, we got that part. It's Kisame. The guy is a tank. It's probably better to just assume that he could wake up at any minute. Don't worry, I got some chakra cuffs on him." Suigetsu assures her.

Chakra cuffs? Where had he gotten those? More importantly, where had he been hiding them?

Whatever feelings Suki was developing for the homicidal sword lover didn't make her stupid. If the violet eyed man was capable of hiding chakra cuffs on his person, there was no telling what else he could hide. Just because they were allies now, didn't mean that they would always stay that way.

"Where did you get chakra cuffs?" Karin demands.

"None of your business. I thought they might come in handy sometime though. You never know when a pair of handcuffs can come in handy. Right, Suki?" He asks with a smirk.

Suki blinks. She was far from innocent enough to miss what he was implying. The last female Uchiha could only hope that somehow she had managed to hide her blush.

"It doesn't really matter where he got them. It's a good thing that Suigetsu had them on hand. Otherwise, we would have had to bind Kisame up with torn sleeves or something." Jugo reasons.

Suki lets out a quiet sigh of relief. The gentle giant might not know it, but he had acted as her Shield once again. At least now, she didn't necessarily have to comment on Suigetsu outrageous question.

"Exactly. Good work. Let's make camp for the night. I know my brother. We won't be able to track him, but we might be able to get something out of his partner." The raven haired woman reasons.

"Alright. Jugo, wanna help me put some rocks or something in front of the cave? That way if someone tries to sneak up on us, we'll have some warning." The sword lover asks.

Jugo nods and heads off with Suigetsu to do exactly that. Suki couldn't help but let out another sigh of relief at their disappearance. She wasn't sure how to act around him anymore.

"What's going on with you and Suigetsu?" Karin demands, a few minutes later.

"What do you mean?" The Uchiha woman asks, feigning innocence.

Karin was going to come and live with her in the Leaf, but that didn't necessarily make them friends. That and Suki had never really been the type to share information about her personal life with anyone. Well at least not after the Massacre.

So as far as she was concerned, the red head didn't have any right to make such demands. Besides, Suki didn't think that she even knew the answer to that question. What was going on between them?

"The way that you're constantly trying to save each other! That and how he was cuddling up to you one night in your sleep. It was really disturbing. Are you two together or something? You can do better than him! I mean his chakra's scent is positively foul!" She says.

"Karin, we're teammates. Teammates are supposed to look after each other. There's not much point in assembling a team, if no one makes it beyond the first fight. As for his chakra, I can't detect chakra scents. So that really doesn't bother me. That and whether we are together or not is none of your concern. I'll decide who is worth my time and who isn't." She half snaps at the other girl.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Suki regretted them. Well more so the tone than the actual words. The words were probably fine on their own. It was her tone that was going to get her into trouble.

She sounded way too defensive. Karin was definitely going to know that something was going on now. Suki also doubted that the red head was going to ignore that fact.

"I guess that's all true, but you know what I mean. We're going to live in the same District, Suki. We should be friends. Besides, we're teammates. If you care enough about your teammates from dying, you should care enough about us to be honest. Is there something going on between the two of you?" The bespectacled girl asks.

"Is there something going on between the two of you two," was such a simple question. Unfortunately, the answer was anything but simple. Suki honestly didn't know.

"There might be." Suki admits cautiously.

She really should know better than to get involved with a Criminal Ninja. Then again, Suki was now one herself. Perhaps, it was a bit hypocritical to hold his criminal status against him.

"You better be careful. All he cares about are those damn swords." Karin warns her.

"Maybe, he's the one who should be careful about me. After all, I only care about killing my damn brother." The raven haired ninja retorts.

The last female Uchiha really didn't care for the implication. It was as if Karin thought Suigetsu was an actual threat to her safety. Both her physical and mental well-being. Suki Uchiha could handle herself. Thank you very much.

Meanwhile Obito and Itachi were now far away from Taka. That was a pity. Obito would have liked very much to tell Suki the truth.

"You're just stalling for time. The truth has a way of coming out, Itachi." He warns him.

The other ninja was truly a dead man walking. He must have gotten treatment at some point though. He looked stable for the moment, but they both knew that wouldn't last.

Itachi would have to repeatedly seek out treatment, if he didn't want his condition to deteriorate. They both knew that and they both knew that the other Uchiha wasn't going to do that.

"I don't know, if I agree with that. It's been a decade since that fateful night. She still doesn't know what really happened and if I have anything to say about it, Suki never will!" Itachi seethes at him.

Obito did feel some measure of sympathy towards Itachi. His fate had never really been in his hands. Long before he was even born, tensions between the Uchiha Clan and the rest of the Leaf had been simmering under the surface.

Truly, it was only just a matter of time before they boiled to the breaking point. If their Clan hadn't tried to strike first, Obito was confident that the Leaf would have. Eventually.

"You're living on borrowed time and we both know that. Unless you have decided to change your current course of action. You do look healthier. Tell me, have you been getting treatment?" He asks.

He would have preferred it, if Itachi wasn't so dead set on being a martyr. The man would be quite the asset in his plans. Besides, they were both from the same Clan.

Whether or not Obito wanted to admit this out loud, that did merit a certain degree of affection. Blood was blood. It really was as simple as that. It was an innate human drive to care for your kin.

"Whether I have or not, is of no concern to you. You will leave her alone or I will kill you. That would be such a shame. I already have so much blood on my hands. The blood of our family. I'd rather not have to add to it, but I will. I will, if you leave me no choice." The younger ninja warns him.

Primal, really. It was primal. The desire to protect yourself and your family. Such instincts were not easy to ignore. Some people did find a way to do so though.

"Those are brave words for someone with one foot in the gave." He taunts him with a smirk.

He couldn't help but wonder, what Suki would do when she finally discovered what really happened on that horrible night. Would she still hate her brother? Would she pity him? Would she descend into madness?

He honestly didn't know. Obito did hope that she would keep her sanity though. The young woman could prove to be almost as useful as Itachi could in his plans.

"Only one foot. It's the other one that you should concern yourself with." Itachi says as he charges at the other man.

"Is this really what it's come down to? Uchiha fighting against Uchiha? There are only three of us left in the world, Itachi. We don't have to be enemies. If you insist on rushing to your death though, I will kill you." Obito warns him.

That only seemed to infuriate the other man more. Not that the Akatsuki Member could blame him. Reminding him of how few Uchihas left in the world there were was a low blow and he knew it.

It was tragic, really. Still Obito knew what needed to be done and he would do it without hesitation. He was fighting for a better world. Itachi just couldn't appreciate that yet. Perhaps, he would in time.

"You're largely responsible for that. I wouldn't have been able to kill them all without your help. You have just as much blood on your hand as I do!" Itachi hisses at him as he activates his Sharingan.

The poor boy. He was really pushing his luck. Activating his Sharingan was a foolish move, especially when he was still recovering. He truly was suicidal.

"That's accurate. Though what about your partner? You just left him behind when you Flickered off with me. Aren't you worried about him in the slightest?" Obito inquires cheerfully as he pulls out a sword, causing Itachi to back up slightly just before he could attack.

"Kisame is more than capable of taking care of himself. It's unwise to underestimate him or me." Itachi growls.

Obito smiles. That was also accurate. Itachi was as prodigy. That was likely why he had been chosen to carry out the grisly task of destroying the Uchiha Clan.

There were very few people who could have done it. He was one of only a handful of people who could have managed it. In truth, he despised the Leaf. That was just one of many reasons why he wanted to create another world though. A better one.

"Speaking of underestimating people, I believe that we have some company heading towards us. We'll have to continue this another time." Obito says.

That's when Itachi looks around. It was obvious what was happening. The other man had sensed what Obito had. There were ninjas coming towards them.

It wasn't Taka though. The Akatsuki Members would have recognized their chakra signatures, but they were ninjas. Ninjas who were heading towards them quickly.

"Yes, another time. I'm afraid that I do not have time to be arrested today." Itachi states and with that, he darts off.

Obito smirks and heads off in the opposite direction. There was no point in chasing after Itachi. The man had made his decision.

He might not agree with it and find it tragic, but it wasn't Obito's decision to make. If Itachi was sincerely that eager to rush off into an early demise, who was he to stop him? Obito would at least respect his wishes. It was far more than the Leaf ever did for that boy.

"That's what family does though. They love you for who you are and not what they wish you were." He whispers to himself as he heads off into the night.

The Leaf didn't even have the courage to do their own dirty work. No. Instead they had turned a thirteen year old boy into a Clan Slayer. It was a typical move from that village though.

Oh the Leaf loved to project an image of a respectable village with high ideals, but nothing could be further from the truth. Once you looked passed the tree tops and saw the ugly roots underneath, it was almost not to hate the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

A few hours later, everyone had fallen asleep in the cave. Well at least that's what Suki thought as she tended to the campfire. It gave them light and warmth. Both of which were desperately needed in this place.

"Princess, you really are such a pyro." Suigetsu says as he sits behind her and wraps his arms around her waist.

"Stop calling me that and I'm from a Fire Clan. What'd you expect?" Suki replies as she watches the flames dance.

Fire was familiar to her. Most people thought of it as a destructive force and that was true. Well to an extent. There was another side to fire though.

The flames could be used for light and heat. Fire could also be used to cook. There was also a romantic connotation to it and while it did destroy, it also had the power to create. The ash left behind from wildfires, would produce fertile soil for the next generation of plants and animals to return. Better than before.

"That's true. It suits you. I guess opposites attract though. Water and fire." Suigetsu continues.

Most people didn't see that side to fire though. They saw only destruction. Which for the most part was fine with her. Suki wanted people to be terrified of her. It was the easiest way to get what she wanted.

"For a second there, that sounded romantic. That can't possibly be your intention though." The raven haired woman replies.

"You can take it however you like. So did the banshee interrogate you while Jugo and I were out?" He asks.

She had. Karin really had interrogated her. Suki didn't really care though. As far as she was concerned, she didn't have to justify her actions to anyone. That included the red head.

"Yes, she did. Big time. Doesn't matter though. I brought her along for her medical and sensory skills. I didn't bring her along to give me advice on who to take or not take as my lover." The Uchiha woman states.

"Yeah. I would just ignore her, really. It's what I do. Lover, huh?" He asks with a smirk in his voice.

Suki didn't even need to turn around to know that he was smirking. Damn it. She probably should have chosen another word. Now, he was going to assume things and the bastard was being entirely too smug about her poor word choice for her liking.

"You know what I meant." The former Leaf Ninja says with a blush.

She was suddenly glad that her back was towards him. Suki hated blushing. She had never blushed much before. Not until this thing started with Suigetsu.

"Don't sound so excited. You know what I meant." She grumbles, feeling that it was necessary to reiterate her point.

"Well if you want, we could still use those chakra cuffs. After we deal with Fishface, of course." The white haired ninja says smugly.

Suki rolls her eyes. It was hared to tell with Suigetsu what was bluster and what was serious. Though she doubted that he'd really say no, if she told him that she was actually interested in becoming lovers.

He was a man. Men seldom refused that type of companionship. Well at least that's what she had discerned from her time in the Sound Village.

"Didn't figure you for the type to want to be cuffed up." Suki says smugly.

Maybe, that would shut him up. She really needed to stop thinking about this. Maybe, after Itachi was dead. Maybe, then she could seriously think about getting a boyfriend. Not until then though.

"As hot as the whole Dominatrix thing is in a weird way, who said that I would be the one getting cuffed?" Suigetsu asks slyly.

"In the alternate universe where I actually agreed to become your lover in a cave, it's a foregone conclusion. There is no way that I'd let you tie me up." She mutters as she enjoys the warmth provided from the fire.

Suki really should end this conversation. She should change the topic or just get up and walk to the other side of the cave or something. If she did the latter though, Suigetsu would "win" by default and that just wasn't something that she was going to allow to happen.

"Awe. Don't be like that Princess. You won't know if you like it, until you try it. Besides, it'd probably be good for you." The sword lover taunts her as he places a soft kiss to the back of her neck.

God that felt good. What were they talking about again? Something important. She was almost sure of it.

"What would be good for me?" She manages to ask, hoping that she didn't actually moan or sigh in pleasure at the affectionate gesture.

"To loosen up and let someone else take charge for once. You might enjoy it." He whispers in her ear seductively before nibbling on it lightly.

Suki squirms. That felt surprisingly good. She really should tell him to knock it off though. They still had to figure out where her brother was and what if one of their teammates woke up and got an eyeful?

"And you might enjoy a Chidori, aimed below your waist." She warns him.

"Ouch. That's cold, but I know you don't really mean it." He informs her, once he let go of her ear.

"What makes you think that I don't mean it?" Suki demands as she turns around to face him.

"Because you would have already done it, if you meant it. You aren't the type to make idle threats. You don't warn people before you blow stuff up, you just do it." He says with a grin.

She pauses as she considers the best way to answer that. Suki knew that she had to establish some level of control over whatever this was. If she didn't, Suigetsu would definitely walk all over her and that just wasn't acceptable.

"Maybe. I wouldn't bet your life on it though." The raven haired woman warns him.

"I think I'll take my chances." Suigetsu says as he kisses her.

For such an Ice Princess, she could be really fiery when she wanted to be. Suigetsu liked that about her though. Kept him on her toes. She could more than keep up with him on the battlefield and in verbal spars. So that was nice.

She was also a damn good kisser. It was just annoying that she was more focused on her brother than making out. Well making out and there were a lot of other things he'd like to try.

"Mmm thinking isn't really something that you're good at. You should probably leave that up to me." Suki whispers between kisses.

She was a sassy little thing. He had to give her that much. He smirks and wraps his arms around her waist tighter. Yeah. He was definitely going to murder her damn brother and explore what else she could do with that sassy mouth of hers. Well besides insults, threats, and kissing.

"I'm more of an instinct kinda guy." He admits.

"Mhm. I see that." Suki says as she pushes him down on his back and continues kissing him.

Well she might be a slow starter, but damn. Once she got going, apparently Suki was more than willing to go into Dominatrix Mode. Which was fine with him for the moment.

He wasn't going to argue with the view. Now, if only they could get rid of some of those clothes. That would make the view even better.

"So it's just the cave thing that's the main objection?" He asks, after breaking the kiss.

"That's part of it. It's not exactly very romantic and the others would definitely wake up." She reasons.

Ah ha! So there was a chance that she'd be interested having some fun Sexy Times with him. It was just that the Princess wasn't an Exhibitionist.

He couldn't blame her. Doing it in front of Karin was a real mood killer and then there was Jugo. Not to mention Kisame. Kisame would enjoy the show way too much for his comfort.

"Well we could always find some place more private later." He reasons as he traces the curve of her hips.

Those were nice hips. Definitely going to come in handy later. She seemed to prefer being on top. Which was alright. He was flexible.

"I said that was part of it. I didn't say that was all of it. I don't want to get close to anyone before he's dead and I don't really know if you'd stick around afterwards." She admits.

"Well let's see. I have a gorgeous ninja currently straddling my waist, who knows how to kiss really well. After I get my swords, I don't really have any other goals in mind. So I guess we'll see what happens." He says.

"Guess, I should tell you brats about the Jutsu. Well unless you wanna get a head start on restoring your Clan, brat. Though I really wouldn't recommend fighting while pregnant." They hear a familiar voice say.

Suki feels her face burn bright red. Damn it! Kisame must have woken up and he had just gotten one Hell of a show. That was all they needed really!

"Stay out of this, Fishface. You're such a freak. You could have let us know you were up instead of watching us. Damn voyeur!" The violet eyed Criminal Ninja snaps at him.

"Nah. I didn't see a point in ruining the fun. I wonder what Itachi would think about this though? His baby sister is all grown up and seducing Prodigies in the Art of Murder. You sure know how to pick em. I guess you're both little bloodthirsty brats, so it makes sense. A match made in Hell." The Akatsuki Membe continues on merrily.

The last female Uchiha feels herself twitch. She definitely did not appreciate her prisoner's smart mouthed comments on her love life. As far as she was concerned, it was none of his business.

If it wasn't Karin's business, it certainly wasn't his. Karin was her teammate. Kisame was Itachi's teammate. The red head had more of a right to know than the shark lover! That much was for certain.

"If you're done, let's get onto more important things than you fantasizing about our love lives." She hisses at Kisame.

The Uchiha quickly gets off of Suigetsu and makes her way over to the blue skinned man. She moved almost faster than either of them could blink. Revenge was a highly motivating factor, it seemed.

"Your love lives? Oh so you love him. Well that's sweet. Really. It's cute. Hopefully, you both don't get your hearts torn out before you can say, I do." He continues taunting them.

SMACK! Suki brings her fist down hard against the other ninja's cheek. She had had enough of his jeers. Suki Uchiha was going to get answers out of him and she was going to get them now!

"You're such an idiot. I have no idea how my brother put up with you as long as he did. He's probably glad that you're no longer slowing him down." The young woman hisses.

"You're a vicious little thing. I can definitely see the family resemblance now. You're going to have to try a lot harder than that to hurt my feelings though, sweetheart." He warns her with a smirk and it was at that moment, that Suki realized Kisame was likely insane.