Chapter Two:
There was a soft knock on the door. Michiko slowly began to wake up. The lingering memory of her calming dream began to slowly fade as she realized she wasn't in the safe warmth of her bed in her flat above the sushi bar and remembered what had happened the previous night. She threw her arm over her eyes and felt the burn of fresh tears swelling beneath them.
"Go away." She replied hoarsely.
Outside of the door Deidara hung his head solemnly. He let his minute attempt die at her threshold, walking back into the lounge where the others lingered curiously, wondering about the young girl.
"Is she still shy?" Kisame teased him.
"Shut up, Kisame. Give her a break." He sneered.
"She better come around soon. Her initiation is tomorrow night." He replied callously.
Deidara simply glared at him before turning to go outside where he could be alone. He didn't want this for her. He didn't want to be the one responsible for the intense pain of loosing everything she held dear. He was forced into the Akatsuki as well and knew the feeling quite fondly.
He recalled the day he ventured out, waiting for the opportune moment to capture her. He was watching her all day and what he learned about her fascinated him to his bewilderment. She lived the life he wished he could have led. She loved with so much passion and had a smile of gold. Her laughter was like tinkling bells, a sweet melody ringing in his ears. He wanted what she had. A place to call her own, friends who were as close as family, and a village to protect and hold dear. But most of all, he wanted love.
"Kakashi! Stop it!" Michiko laughed as he tickled her.
"Say it then! Say Uncle, surrender, Michiko, surrender." He teased her with more tickling.
"NO! I can't - okay, OKAY! UNCLE!" She yelled in between exhales of giggles.
She lay limp against his body as she caught her breath. She looked into his one eye that was not hidden behind that familiar navy blue mask and smiled. He returned the smile and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He inhaled the sweet aroma of shampoo in her hair as she turned back to face in front of her again with a lingering smile still plastered to her pretty face.
"Oh Michiko-chan." He sighed.
"Whaaa?" She grinned looking back at him.
"Nothing." He teased her.
"Tell me." She insisted.
"You're my best friend."
"You're my best friend too, and I love you, Kakashi Hatake." She said closing her eyes and relaxing in his embrace.
"I love you too." He whispered. They spent the next few moments in silence soaking in each other's words with hidden meanings.
"Kakashi sensei!" Naruto came running up to them, "Are we going to train some more today?" Sakura was slowly following behind him.
Kakashi sighed again. "I guess so."
Michiko somewhat reluctantly picked herself up and off from him. She quickly reached for Naruto and tugged him into her slender arms, giving him a noogie. "Oh, you brat."
He struggled against her, but he couldn't loosen her grip as he laughed in between grunts of resistance.
She let go of him and ruffled his hair back to its natural mess and went to Sakura, hugging her with a hello.
"Hi, Michiko. How are you?" She asked with a smile.
"Oh,
I'm fine. Just feeling a bit lethargic. I don't think I'll be
training with you guys today. How's your training with Lady Tsunade
coming along?" She asked. Sakura opened her mouth to reply, but
Naruto quickly interrupted her.
"Aw, c'mon, Michiko, you
gotta help us train! You're better than Kakashi sensei." Naruto
pleaded.
"I heard that." He yelled over his shoulder as he made his way down the hill.
"Maybe I'll just watch." She replied with a flap of her hand finding no truth in her own words.
Naruto folded his arms and pouted at her like a defiant child.
"I'll see you guys later then." She said walking away. They waved as she disappeared over the hill. She looked up to the mountain where the Hokage's stood engraved in its stone wearing a prideful smile. The wind tossed her long blonde tresses about, making it dance in the air. She embraced the cool breeze; let it grace her soft features. She closed her eyes with a smile and opened her arms wide letting it flow around her. The kimono-style sleeves of her long shirt flapped in the current of air.
Deidara watched as she sauntered off down the street at a leisurely pace with a pleasant grin graced upon her full lips.
Michiko arrived at her dark, empty apartment. She slid her messenger style bag from her shoulder and sunk into the chair next to it. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back on it. Suddenly she felt an unfamiliar presence loom in the area. She opened an eye to search for it nearby - nothing. Then flashed open the other and slowly rose from her seat. She looked around and searched the entire apartment then just shook it off when she didn't find anything or anyone.
As Michiko searched her home, Deidara quickly left the apartment and waited till morning to make his move. He really didn't know why he decided to wait, just something told him to give her a little longer to say goodbye.
He opened his eyes to the view of the forest around the clearing that held the Akatsuki headquarters. The wind tossed his long, blonde hair and he slowly pulled it out of his face. He turned around and departed for the entrance. Upon opening the door he discovered everyone to be the way he left it an hour ago. They were all sitting in the common room quietly entertaining themselves. Kisame watching his goldfish swim in its fishbowl, Tobi playing with his toy airplanes, Kakuzu counting his money and picking Itachi's pockets. Hidan absent, probably worshiping Jashin in his chamber. As if a precious life had not been displaced from the comfort of her familiar environment and placed in one she absolutely loathed.
Disgusted, he proceeded down the hallway to Michiko's door. He knocked again and waited for a reply. There was none. He knocked again - nothing.
"Michiko? Please, Michiko, let me in. I need to talk to you." He said, the door muffling his low voice.
He knocked one more time and debated with himself whether to push himself onto her or to just wait for her to come to him. He finally, out of impulse, cracked open the door. A cold, morning draft slipped through the small opening. He poked his head through the door. He didn't find anything. He opened it farther, walked inside and discovered the open window. His jaw dropped as he concluded Michiko was now a runaway of the Akatsuki.