A/N: Okay in this chapter the plot thickens!
Another character brought in and more DeiXOC!
Enjoy :D x
PS: I made a few minor adjustments at the bottom so anyone who's read it already might wanna double check it :) x
Akira settled surprisingly quickly into a routine of general housework, and mealtimes gradually grew less and less hostile, with the help of Konan and the occasional attendance of their leader.
As for around the base, the members quickly picked up on the fact that if they ignored Tobi for long enough he eventually got bored and often wondered off to find Akira, keeping her company as she worked. Hidan rarely held back on the opportunity for a snide comment about how she always ended up being stuck with the orange-masked teen, but she didn't let it bother her. After all, she enjoyed Tobi's company and was growing very attached to him.
Even Deidara was beginning to put up with his hyperactive nature, although he'd never admit it, but he kept his distance all the same.
One ordinary evening, as the wind howled through the trees outside and a cold, harsh draft swept across the Akatsuki base, Akira had just finished cleaning up in the kitchen when she was suddenly aware of another presence beside her. She spun around expecting to see Tobi or Konan, but she was greeted by an empty kitchen.
She frowned uncertainly, trying to shrug it off, but as she put away the last plate into the neatly stacked cupboard, the feeling returned.
'Tobi?' She called against her better judgement. 'I-is that you?'
She swallowed the lump that was growing in her throat and forced herself to move into the doorway. It didn't help that the base was always so dimly lit, and squinting up and down the corridor she headed into the unoccupied living room.
'Looking for me?' A shiver ran down her spine as a dangerously quiet, oily voice slithered to her ears. Spinning around, she found herself almost nose-to-nose with a man she had never seen before. His pasty pale skin enhanced the lilac lines that slid across his eyes and half way down either side of his nose, and his long dark hair clung to his cheeks as it drooped lifelessly over his face.
Holding in her gasp and taking a step backward, Akira tried to keep her voice from shaking. 'Oh hello… I don't think we've met. My name's Akira Haiyuka,'
'Hmm.' The stranger gave her a sly smile and looked her up and down. 'Perhaps you can help me?'
'I'm sorry but… Who are you? I-if you don't mind me asking?' She gulped nervously. Something about him set alarm bells ringing in the back of her mind but she dared not run.
'Oh don't be nervous, Akira Haiyuka. I used to be a part of this organisation myself,'
She hadn't been expecting that. 'Oh, well, why don't I show you to Pein's office? I'm not the best person to ask for help here, I haven't been here long so I don't really know that much…'
Before the stranger could reply, a sharp intake of breath came from behind him.
He turned and met the furious glare of a seriously pissed-looking Hidan. 'Well, well, well. My old friend, how nice of you to come to greet me,' He smirked and swished a long thin tongue across his lips.
'Orochimaru…' Hidan seethed. 'How fucking dare you show your face in here…'
'Come now, Hidan, there's no need for such a feral attitude. I simply came to greet your new little housewife,' Suddenly, he was behind her. He wrapped one hand possessively around the same shoulder she had injured a while back, and had a kunai poised by her throat with just enough pressure to draw a small dribble of blood.
Akira froze instinctively. Terror rising in the pit of her stomach as she braced herself for whatever came next.
'You take your slimy FUCKING hands off her RIGHT NOW!' the grey-haired man snarled as he slammed his triple-bladed scythe on the hard stone floor, leaving a small crack in the process.
Upon hearing the uproar, a few other Akatsuki members who had arrived on scene to investigate were now reflecting Hidan's threatening posture.
'Itachi, Kisame, Deidara! How lovely of you to join us,' Orochimaru's grip on her shoulder tightened and a small whimper escaped her mouth as her arm began to go numb. Not wanting to show her weakness, she bit down hard on her lip.
'Orochimaru.' Itachi spat out, conveying a surprising amount of hatred for someone usually so emotionless.
'You gonna give us a hint as to what we owe the pleasure?' Kisame's voice was low and collected, yet possibly the most terrifying that Akira had ever heard. His small beady eyes were narrowed and deadly.
Deidara opened his mouth several times but it immediately snapped shut again, unable to formulate a suitable string of words through his fury.
'Well now that I've got all of your attention, there's the small matter of a certain ten-tailed husk…' He paused and watched their grim expressions turn sour.
'So that's what you're after…' Itachi muttered, realisation sparking in his blood red eyes. Akira had barely noticed them change, although she was a little distracted with a knife menacing her neck.
'Let's just cut to the chase. You tell me the location of the beast and I let your little friend here go,' His cruel yellow eyes darted from member to member, daring them to defy him.
'Erm, how about you fuck off and mind your own business?' Hidan challenged.
'I did have a feeling we'd have to do this the hard way…' He moved the kunai away from Akira's throat, ready to stab the cold metal straight into her jugular.
Adrenaline coursed through her veins as the heat of the moment seized her and, taking her only chance, she spun on the spot to face him and thrust her knee into his stomach.
His nostrils flared as he gasped caught off guard and startled by her sudden burst of life and Akira staggered backwards, surprised herself. The three Akatsuki took their opportunity to attack and were suddenly surrounding him, weapons (and clay) at the ready.
He sighed and scowled at the quivering girl who had backed herself against a wall. 'You are really gonna regret that, you know… Well I hate to love and leave you fellas but I really don't fancy sticking around for the party,' He locked eyes with Akira and she found herself completely unable to look away. 'Don't you worry, you'll see me again,'
With that, he began to melt into the ground as though it were a pool of water.
'Don't let that bastard escape!' Hidan, Deidara and Kisame sprang forward to pull him back but he was already gone, and their heads collided with a loud smack.
'Tsk…' Itachi rolled his eyes at the fools rolling on the floor as their heads slowly stopped spinning. 'I'll inform Pein of this at once.' He made for the exit, only pausing to glance at Akira with mild concern, who had slid to the floor and was staring at her knees. Kisame followed, grumbling something unintelligible about Orochimaru.
'Hey, I'm coming with you. That fucking snake…' Hidan leapt after him, leaving her alone with the blonde.
For a moment, Deidara didn't move. He just stood there, watching.
Akira wasn't sure what to think, her head reeled as a million questions spun around her mind. Who was that? What was that? What's the ten-tails that everyone seemed so horrified by? Something stirred beside her and she jumped.
'Hey, it's alright. It's only me, yeah,' He slumped on the floor next to her and let out the breath he'd been holding.
She glanced at him and found him staring at her neck, flecks of concern littered his eyes.
Absently she moved to wipe the red from her skin, but Deidara caught her wrist. 'Don't, you'll just make it worse… Here.' He fumbled in his pocket and brought out a torn white cloth. He lifted it to the small line where thick red liquid had seeped out, dabbing it gently.
He was extremely aware of her watching him, her dulled blue eyes curious and searching, and for some reason it was making him slightly nervous. When he was satisfied that the bleeding had stopped, he lowered his hand and offered her a vague smile.
Her eyes stayed on him, a slight crease formed in her brow. Unable to avoid her stare any longer, he met her gaze and blinked. Her hair was in a messy bun, with a few green locks falling freely around her pale face. His hand reached to brush a piece of her fringe out of her eyes, and they widened a bit as he did.
'S-sorry,' His arm fell and he looked away. He started to stand up to leave when he felt a small arm loop through his, pulling him back.
'Thank you, Dei,' She whispered, peeking up at him through her hair and giving him a soft smile.
A faint rosy glow began to creep up his cheeks upon hearing the nickname, and he dipped his head, covering most of his face with a blonde curtain. A smile crossed his lips as he let her lean against his shoulder, their arms still intertwined.
A/N: Thanks for reading! R&R please! :D x
