Stage 8: Dominance

Tsuki made it back to the common area with a slight hangover and a pink tinge to her cheeks. In one hand she clutched Itachi's finished paperwork from last night. Hidan and Kakuzu sat in one corner of the great waiting area, arguing about something she didn't care catch. They watched Tsuki come in, and a smile was instantly set on Hidan's face. She only looked away, refusing to add fuel to his fire.

"Welcome home, bitch," Hidan growled in his familiar way of greeting, his Cheshire cat grin widening.

She looked directly at Kakuzu, the hangover blush receding slightly. "Thank you for the warning."

Hidan glared at her angrily. "Fine; just ignore me then, skank."

Kakuzu blinked once in annoyance and frustration, setting aside his medical journal on the table beside him. "You are so demanding, Hidan," he sighed. He redirected his gaze back to her. "You're welcome."

"Stay out of shit, ass hole. You stink." Hidan directed his taunts back to Tsuki. "Heads up for what, whore?"

A smirk was his only response, aside from her giving him the middle finger. Hidan's heavy footfalls followed her through the building. She climbed several sets of stairs as he followed, calling out to her in various derogative ways to stop being a coward and face him.

She stopped in her tracks with her hand on the door that separated her from Pein's office, allowing him time to catch up before she turned around to face him. Preparing for the worst of confrontations, she steeled her emotions against him, though she was unable to control the hint of blush that had plagued her since the drinking she engaged in the night prior. "Can I help you, Hidan?"

He cornered her against the door, ensuring that the only way she could escape him was to throw herself in with Pein, who wouldn't stop him from continuing. "What did Kakuzu warn you about," he repeated.

Looking him in the eye, she answered, "You." Laughter followed, as he looked as though she had just back handed him. "I know what you're up to, Hidan. Please, by all means, continue to try. I could use some amusement."

The arrogance pissed him off the most. "You self assured whore," he growled. His hands slammed to the door, imprisoning her within the confines of his arms. "Do you really think you know anything?"

Eyes reflected daggers as she returned his glare. They were so much alike, she and Hidan. She leaned in, centimetres away from the skin of his neck. "I know you'll never succeed," she whispered.

She watched the hair stand up on the back of his neck, the goose flesh rise on his shoulders. Her hand found the door once more, and she parted the Shoji style door to dash inside. Before he could follow, she shut it in his face.

XxX

Neji walked through the market division of Konohagakure, making his way to his favourite tea parlour that he used to frequent with Tsuki. The owner seated him in his usual spot in the back corner behind the rice paper screen, but she only placed a setting for one. The last few days were all she needed to know that Tsuki wasn't among them. The loneliness was beginning to wear on Neji, as all he had for company was his old team and his perpetual, hidden companion.

Zetsu had settled into the wall against which Neji was seated. It helped for Neji to address him with a name. His presence was less alarming now than it was in the first few days. Neji felt confident that if he were to be attacked, it would have been long ago. He now slept through the nights, uneasily, but he still slept. He would not sleep soundly again until his companion was safe at home.

Neji brewed his mint herbal blend the server had provided him. They had stopped asking for his order long ago, long before Tsuki had come into his life. In the last four years, it hadn't changed. In the next four years, it would probably still be the same.

It wasn't long before he noticed the arrival of an unusual customer. He had doubted if he had ever seen him there before. His eyes caught those of Andoku, and the man immediately made for Neji's table. He stiffened at his approach; Neji didn't like Andoku. He didn't like his countenance, and he certainly didn't like the way Tsuki looked at him. When the medical Nin got close enough, Neji spoke. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Andoku's eyebrow rose into his hairline. "Miss Dentsu's absence has brought peace to my lab that hasn't been there in quite some time. This information is for you, Hyuga." The menacing glint in his green eyes told Neji that Andoku was glad she was gone. Neji wanted to stab him in the throat.

He forced himself to ignore the jab at his partner's persona; that was a battle for another day, Neji was sure, he merely answered, "I do not see how any information you have is relevant to me."

Andoku made himself comfortable in Tsuki's normal spot, and was brought another kettle, which brewed a black tea. Apparently he was a frequent customer here, despite Neji's lack of recognition of him. Neji almost questioned his choice of venue. Andoku then took from his person two scrolls one red the other was blue.

Neji knew from experience that blue scrolls were medical scrolls. "Is this the analysis of the unknown gas?" he asked, unsure of why he was being presented medical information of any kind.

Andoku chuckled at his ignorance. "These are the results of Tsuki's medical research. She listed you as an emergency recipient in the event that she was unable to be presented the information. Tsunade authorized their release to you. The content of this scroll is highly confidential. Be sure the information does not fall into the wrong hands."

Neji accepted the blue scroll, but knew Andoku was not finished yet. "And what's the purpose of the red scroll?" he inquired. "Why didn't Tsunade summon me to release the results?"

The glint returned to Andoku's eyes. "Tsunade normally would have presented you with both scrolls, but is currently out of office. The red scroll is some intelligence you may find pertinent to your current assignment."

Neji wanted to punch Andoku for saying that aloud, or reveal his shadow. The Akatsuki would be beside themselves with glee if they knew Tsunade wasn't in the village. Either the man before him was very thick, or a worthless traitor. Neji forced himself to remain calm. "Thank you; I'll make sure Tsuki receives her scroll as soon as she comes home." He allowed the word "Home," to linger between them, driving in the point that Tsuki belonged here, with him.

Andoku drained the last dregs of his cup in silence before he left Neji alone with his thoughts.

XxX

Upon Tsuki entering the office, Pein looked up from his desk. The reddening flared back to life in her cheeks, deeper than it had been all day in anticipation of the reaction of Pein. He would no doubt take advantage of her sign of weakness. She hated her girlish reactions to alcohol. She had never been so embarrassingly flushed before.

"That was quite the exchange," Pein observed. "I can imagine Hidan will retaliate later."

"You can imagine?" she mocked. "You ordered, you mean to say."

Pein looked at her with deliberate annoyance. "Kakuzu will have a few questions to answer," he stated. "How can I help you."

"Itachi sent me with his completed paperwork," she informed him. She deliberately dropped the forms on top of the papers that were scattered on his desk.

Pein didn't allow his surprise to show. "So he has" Pein answered tentatively. He allowed his smirk to broaden. "I hope he is well."

Pein's eyes readjusted when Tsuki moved to sit across from him in the chair to his right. He made a mental note of the oddity; most sat to his left, which was their right. He watched her cross one leg over the other, causing her to shift to one side. The information finally made sense to him. She was left handed. He looked up at her again. "Was there something else you wanted, child?"

"He isn't going to succeed," she stated ambiguously.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Without thinking, he bit his lip.

She was the one who smirked at him now. "I think you do," she answered, almost teasingly. "You couldn't have picked a worse candidate; that man hates everyone who breathes, including me. He doesn't stand a chance."

He looked her in the eyes. "Hidan gets pleasure from causing people pain," he explained. "There is more than one way to hurt someone; you don't always need a blade." He took Itachi's papers from the surface of his desk and filed them away. When he returned his gaze to her, she was watching him intently. "You're staring at me, child. Is there something else I can help you with?"

She blinked once before stating flatly, "You bite your lip piercing when you're in deep thought."

He arched his eyebrow, unaware of having just done what she claimed he had. "What's your point?" he asked. Biting his lip was a known tell of his.

She smirked again. "Most shinobi have learned to control their ticks," she answered. "It would seem that your guard is dropping."

He chuckled lightly. It was true, he had let his guard down, but he doubted that he needed to be poised for attack with her in the room. She was not foolish enough to believe she stood a chance against him in a battle. "I don't know what you're playing at, but know that I don't play games." He finished clearing the papers that were scattered across his desk into neat little piles.

"I call bull shit," she spat. "Your games haven't stopped since you brought me here the first time. They probably go back father than that."

He removed himself from his desk to place another file in an adjacent cabinet. When he returned, he sat on the edge of his desk, close enough to her to reach across and touch her. He calmly stroked her jaw line with a single finger watching her as she shuddered from his touch. "You're not as calm as your façade shows you to be, are you?" he chided softly. "Your insolence will get you and your comrade killed if you're not careful. Don't be foolish enough to forget that, pet."

"You won't kill me," she protested. "You need me alive. I'm your only hope to construct your weapon from the tailed beasts."

He smirked as he continued the gentle caress of her face. "One of your lovers has told you too much, it seems."

"I don't keep lovers," she answered. "And you won't take Neji down so easily."

He captured her chin in a sturdy hold by one hand. "He could never touch me," he answered softly. "You over estimate him, and insult me." He had removed his hand from her. "That would be a deadly mistake, I assure you."

He watched as she visibly cringed from his words, a tingle of fear ran down her spine. "You really believe that you're a god, don't you?" Her voice held its razors edge against him.

He smirked at her. "I am a visionary among men," he answered. "I have plans for this world and everyone in it."

"Those plans involve me," she reminded him. "I am of more use to you alive than I am dead and you know it."

He looked down his nose at her. "No one person is irreplaceable to me."

She rolled her eyes. "That much is obvious. You replaced Orochimaru and Sasori rather easily; but who will you find to replace me?"

He caressed her cheek once more and caught a stray tendril of her maroon hair between his fingers. "You are not so invaluable to me, child. There are many others that can fulfil the duty assigned to you. You were selected only for convenience." He released the strand and sat up straight again. "Your arrogance is a vice that requires correction."

She chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair. "Go ahead and try; not even Orochimaru could beat it out of me."

Pein smiled softly in response. "He only nurtured your vanity. He put you on a pedestal, keeping you separate and above your peers." He stared into her violet eyes with contempt, striking his words home. "He likes his women strong. There is pleasure for him in the heat of battle."

Tsuki looked horrified at his words. "I'd rather be strong and arrogant than mousy and obedient," she hissed. "That poor woman you call a comrade is wrapped so tightly around your finger, she's afraid to even defend her claim on you lest you be angered. I see the loathing in her eyes when she looks at me."

Pein waved his hand, dismissing the accusation. "There is nothing between us. She understands that."

Tsuki smiled, calling his bluff. "Then if she walked in now and saw you caressing me, she wouldn't be fazed?" Her words came out as smooth as a purr.

"She wouldn't have reasons to object," he stated, "As you would agree, there is nothing between us, either."

He allowed his thumb to trace from her hairline to her jaw and over her lips, which were parted to form a protest. To him, those lips were delicate and soft, but venomous. He continued to caress them, knowing she was tempted to bite him. He would love to feel the pain she would cause, to relish in the passion of her frustration and fury.

He could see the battle waging behind her eyes; to harm him and face his wrath, or allow him to continue his violations and endure what ever else he had in store for her. He could see which side was winning, and just as she bared her teeth, he withdrew from her. "You are dismissed," he stated softly. "You are to stick to the compound, as previously ordered.

She rose to her feet immediately, not wanting to spend another moment in his company. He watched her retreat out his door, chuckling to himself all the while.

Hidan was still waiting for her when she returned to the hallway. He gave a half smile to her. "For what it's worth, I always thought there was more between him and that bitch than they let on."

She walked past him, not answering. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "We're not finished," he warned.

"Your bullshit is never finished," she hissed. She pulled her hand out of his grip.

Even he could hear her heavy sarcasm. "Watch the attitude, damn it; it stinks." He was leaning against the door frame casually, his arms folded over his bare chest. There was a cocky smirk set into his features, and his eyes seemed to be laughing at her, even though no sound came from him.

"What's wrong," she asked, turning on her heels. "You can't handle a taste of your own medicine? I've got news for you. Your attitude sucks balls."

He chuckled. "You poor thing," he bemused. "I can't help that you're not used to me."

"Used to you?" she chortled. "Please, Hidan. You're no sack of hot shit. You're just an annoying ass hole who believes he's godly. You're pitiful, vain, and frankly, pathetic."

He leaned against a wall. "You'll get used to it, soon enough." His smirk was menacing. "Good think Pein didn't give you more of Itachi's paperwork. You're coming home with me, bitch."

Utter disregarded toward his insinuation was all she focused on. "Does it mean nothing to you, being my god father?" she asked in a bored tone, "Or does your messed up, cultist religion allow you to do what ever you want so long as it's morally sick and wrong?"

He smirked arrogantly. "Not all religions require you to be a decent person, sweetheart." He leaned against the door frame again. "Are you really that surprised? I mean, fuck brat; I figured you were smarter than this. When have I ever been a god father to you? I'm the man who killed your family, not the man who came to your birthday parties."

He watched as her anger broke through that calm mask of hers. "You're a bastard, Hidan," she growled. So she wasn't as heartless as he was; not yet, at least.

He shrugged his shoulders; he didn't give a damn. "Yeah, I probably am," he sighed. He stared into her eyes with a smirk. "That's probably why you're drawn to me."

She immediately went on the defence. "I am not attracted to you in any way," she growled.

He chuckled heartlessly, they way a madman laughs before devouring his victim and approached her, stopping until he was merely half a metre away. "Who said anything about attraction, bitch? I said you were drawn to me; there's a difference. Does someone have a guilty conscience?" He brushed her cheek softly with two knuckles, stroking down the length of her face.

She swatted his hand away as though he were no more than an annoying fly. "You're delusional," she hissed. "My conscience is clear."

He took a step forward, drawing closer to her. "I'm not delusional; you're in denial, and it stinks."

She sidestepped him and entered the stairwell as he stepped to close the space between them. She was attempting to keep their distance. "Stay away from me, Hidan," she warned. She set her features into a scowl, but he wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Why should I?" he inquired. "Are you afraid you might prove me right?" He touched her exposed shoulder softly, feeling her cold skin from the rain outside. "You're doing a wonderful job at that already."

She stopped in her tracks and glared fiercely into his eyes. "I don't see how I'm proving you right," she rebuked. "You disgust me; I'm trying to make that clear."

He took the final step to close the space between them; she stood her ground. "There's fear in your eyes," he whispered. "You've never shown me fear like this before, and I'm not even threatening you. It's deliciously intoxicating." He brought both of his hands to her shoulders, restraining her from moving as he backed her to the wall. "I do not disgust you; if I did, you would have sworn vengeance on me for what I've done. Instead, you talk as though you have something to prove. Who are you trying to convince?" he asked, his lips an inch away from hers, "Me or yourself?"

She writhed under his hold, fury seething from her every pore. "You're a bastard," she reiterated.

He smiled playfully and lowered himself to whisper in her ear. "That I may be, but you haven't denied my claims." he brushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Admit it, I challenge you, and you can't stand it. You're a dominant person, same as me. You want to know whose will is stronger, yours or mine?" He brushed his lips against her earlobe softly, and could feel the goose pimples rising on her shoulders. "You've never had a man who could fight you for control, and who would. That's the one thing you crave. You know I'll never love you; you don't have to worry about that." He took the soft flesh of her ear between his teeth and bit her, just enough to cause her a pinching pain.

She punched him in the sternum with as much force as she could muster at such a close range, which wasn't much. He chuckled breathily in her ear as he caught her hand before she could withdraw it. He locked his fingers through hers and forced her hand above her head, where he pinned it to the wall. He looked deep into her eyes when he spoke. "I am the only man who can accept your refusal to love, and even encourage it while giving you the passion and pleasures you want. I'll never ask for your heart, or your faithfulness. You will never belong to me in heart, only in body" he whispered.

Hatred rolled off of her chest, and he could feel it. "I'll never belong to you at all," she growled.

Nuzzling her neck softly, he presented her with one simple fact. "You already do, bitch." He licked the tender skin at the base of her neck. "Pein has already handed you to me. You might as well accept it."

He knew if he was going to act, he had to do it now, before she had time to defend herself against his sharpened words. He brought his lips to hers and felt her immediately tense beneath him. Experience taught him to be gentle and patient, even though it went against everything he desired. When he moved his lips against her, it was soft at first, slowly crescendoing to a raw and animalistic hunger. The seeds of doubt were planted, and that was all he had set out to achieve.

Struggling against him, she was squirming against his body and biting both lips and tongue. The pain only urged him further. He only needed one hand to keep her wrists restrained; the other he used to grab her thigh and pull it up to his waist, pinning her between the wall and his groin.

He broke the kiss and assailed her neck, biting with intense pressure. The sharp pain caused her knees to buckle as he hit a pressure point, and she involuntarily let out a gasp. He caught her before she slid too far down, chuckling. He bit again, and this time, she heard a faint popping sound. Panic filled her mind; she whimpered.

Releasing her thigh, he moved closer, pressing against her groin and chest to keep her from kneeing him. When he retreated from her, his lips were crimson with her blood. His now free hand caressed the bite mark.

As he expected, she was glaring daggers at him. The fear had returned, and he drank it in. Pulling his fingers from the wound, he brought them to her lips. She froze, refusing to move. That worked for him just fine. He traced her lips with his blood coated fingertips, painting them the same colour as her hair. Just as he finished, she bit his knuckle, and the blood welled around her fang sharp teeth.

He closed his eyes in ecstasy, groaning deep in his throat. "Jashin, help me," he whispered. She quickly released him from her vice, realizing he was enjoying the pain. He retraced her lips, mixing his blood with hers. Still bleeding, his wove his fingers through her hair, pulling her to him forcefully. His lips crashed down to hers, covering her mouth as he devoured the blood from her lips.

He pulled back, leaving her bleeding and furious with him. To go further would be a sin in the eyes of his god. He cannot pursue her out of his own desire, no matter how much pain and suffering it would cause her. He would have to wait until Pein's actual order to make her body submit to him. The temptation was surreal.

Leaning down to her for one last caressing, gentle kiss, he knew when he released her he would deal with her anger, and what a beautiful pain that would be. He could feel it in the uneasiness of her reaction to his initial kiss. She was a seductress by trade; she was only willing to go as far as to get his guard down. He smirked into his kiss, knowing as he backed away from her, hell was about to be unleashed.

XxX

Kakuzu looked up from his work with aggravation as his door slid open. He opened his mouth to angrily ask what it was the damn woman wanted, but before a sentence could form on his tongue, a heavy object was thrown across the room and landed on the floor with a deep thud. A smaller, softer something followed, a pale pink in colour and sounded rather moist when it made contact.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, thoroughly annoyed.

"You'll find the rest of him scattered in the streets," she explained. Without another word, she turned on her heels and left him to work out what she meant in peace. He watched her maroon hair disappear beyond the threshold of his lab.

Mentally figuring it wasn't something of threat to him, a bomb, for example, he sank back into his chair and resumed his work. Only when he had finished several hours later, and still cautious that it might be some trap to incapacitate him when he approached the objects, he carefully approached where her discarded parcel lay.

He first found the soft pink thing, which, according to his extensive medical knowledge, was a severed human tongue, and to whomever it had belonged to, they had probably drowned in their own blood by now, the poor fool. He began to look for the other object, which wasn't where he thought he had heard it land. Cursing aloud about his time being wasted, but still being cautious about what it might be, he searched on hand and knee, the tongue still in his clutches.

He found the object under his desk, hidden in the shadows. When he pulled it away into the light, he became very amused. The severed head of Hidan glared at him, unable to slur together the curses he wished to spew, as Kakuzu held in his hand Hidan's severed tongue. "She's an adept lady," he admitted, "Not many could cut out your tongue and not get bitten."

Hidan put every ounce of energy into scowling at his partner. It amused him that for once in his life, Hidan had been rendered speechless. "Don't worry yourself," Kakuzu mused. "I'll put you back together again." As he spoke, his stitches began to unravel to reattach Hidan to his disembodied tongue.

"You took your sweet time, you bastard," Hidan growled nearly as soon as he could freely move the muscle again. He spoke with a slur. "That damn skank didn't cut it out, damn it; she bit it off; now I talk funny. This freaking stinks."

Kakuzu stared at him in annoyance. "Your language stinks," he stated. "Perhaps if you wouldn't stick your tongue where it didn't belong, it wouldn't get bitten off." The thought of Hidan forcing his tongue down that poor woman's throat, and her biting it off amused him. He had no idea how this whole ordeal would shape up when he had learned about it, but was not disappointed by what he was seeing so far.

He set Hidan's head down on his desk and headed toward the door.

"Where the fuck are you going?" Hidan whined. "Don't just leave me here, damn it!"

Kakuzu stalled in the threshold. "I'm going to find the rest of you; you're useless to me without your body. I'm not your carrier. You'll wait for me until I return." He walked through the door, ignoring the insults of his decapitated partner.