It was raining somewhere. She knew it because she could smell it. Amai was half aware of the heartbeat that didn't belong to her. Stuck in the middle land of conscious and unconscious, she tried to think of whose body heat it was keeping her warm. The room was chilled so cold, her nose was icy. She distantly wondered if her skin would turn blue. Blue instead of green, she'd look like Kisame, he wasn't all that bad... Kisame...
Itachi! she thought eyes fluttering open. That's who was next to her. Looking up slightly, she met those dark eyes. His lashes were casting shadows on his cheeks. Her breath caught.
"Morning Little Angel."
"This is later than I usually sleep." She said.
"Yes... It's raining out, we have no duties today... Well besides you. But lately you haven't been much of a duty."
Heat rose to her cheeks. What did he mean by that?
"Are you saying I'm really easy to take care of?"
He nodded slightly,
"You were very compliant, and now that you're a member we can trust you a bit. But not much more than before, until Pein gives the all clear."
So she was trusted? But not fully? She could live with that. With nowhere else to go she needed to accept what was happening to her, besides it wasn't like they planned on killing her. There are fates worse than this... In reality she had come to this conclusion the second day of her capture. Seeing as though she had no power against them, as they had taken her down, and restricted her power... There was nothing she could do.
Itachi's hand was on her cheek, rough from work, yet so very soft. She looked up at him. The emotion was there.
"What about Deidara?" She whispered, almost as if afraid Deidara would hear.
"He will know nothing that goes on behind these walls, behind that door."
His eyes flickered with a deep realization of this, and they grew warm as he caressed her face. This place was suddenly her Heaven, she wanted nothing to do with the outside world. She wanted everything to do with this renegade ninja. So many emotions... Suddenly his head was moving closer to hers. His lips were aimed, for hers. Dead on target. She felt him stop, his breath on her lips.
Stick your tongue in his mouth! Her inner cheered.
Shut up.
His lips neared, her heart beat fast. The tingle she felt as his lips brushed her own, was nothing short of sticking a fork in a light socket. A loud banging noise came at the door. Itachi lifted his head from the pillow, clearly annoyed. He looked at her,
"Go." she whispered and rolled over to stare at the wall. She knew who it was without a doubt.
"You bastard!" Deidara said barging in. His hair fell around him, his eyes were crazy and distraught with anger. Amai rolled over sleepily to look at him, she too was annoyed. She really disliked the way he kept interrupting her moments with Itachi.
"Why am I a bastard?" Itachi asked.
"You... you... you pervert! Why is Amai in here?! Not in her room?!" Deidara screamed.
Before Amai's eyes could properly follow Itachi was pinning Deidara on the wall by his throat. He was leaning up close to his ear,
"You idiot. It was Pein's orders."
"Then why didn't he put her with me?-"
Itachi squeezed tighter.
"This is a threat only I can stop. Get used to it." He let him go.
Deidara's head was down, his face hidden behind hair.
"Fine." He muttered and left the room, slamming the door.
Itachi and Amai just looked at each other, knowing that their moment had passed. No matter, there would be more.
Itachi stood in front of Pein, his face taught with urgency. They were waiting for Deidara.
"Will it be so easy for him to realize how vital it is?" Itachi asked.
"Perhaps... Perhaps not, he's still only nineteen. His ego might be hurt a bit."
"I think it's more than his ego, Pein-Sama."
A smirk spread on Pein's handsome face. He knew this all to well, yet chose not to say so. Deidara's skulking form filled the doorway, he must have known what was coming.
"Deidara, quit pouting. You have to realize why I have made this choice. And the story behind it." Pein snapped. Deidara looked at him, clearly giving up. Pein leaned back in his chair, putting his attention to the ceiling.
"It's important you understand that I put Amai in Itachi's room for a few reasons, the main one, is the threat against her."
"Sure she's in some great ass danger all of a sudden when probably no fucking one knows where she is!" He bellowed.
"That is not true. You spoke to her father, he misses her. A lot. We now know that he's hired a team of shinobi from the Cloud Village to find her."
"How the hell does that apply to us?" Deidara was livid.
"They have a list... Of organizations they suspect. Ours is on it."
This finally registered on the blonde's face, he tried to hide it.
"Luckily they'll have months of work finding us. Since we've moved locations. The second reason is the fact that Itachi is the only one in this organization that can protect her. If anyone invades, he can take her from here, and then protect her as efficiently."
Sighing Deidara nodded.
"Last thing. Itachi is going to assume full responsibility for her, you are put off duty for good."
Deidara lashed out at Itachi, trying to grab him by his throat. Of course Itachi was quick on the draw, he took Deidara's hair tight. Bashing his face bloody against the wall then throwing him aside. Deidara crumpled against the wall,
"This is why you can't be in charge of her. You're too rash. Idiot." Itachi spat and walked from the office.
"He's right. This is the sole reason." Pein stated and walked from the office.
Amai sat in the meeting room, in a high-backed chair. She was alone awaiting Pein. The table in front of her was made of marble. There was a lot of that in this place. Very classy for an underground hideout. She faintly wondered if this had always been their hideout.
"You admire the marble." A voice made of cool steel said behind her. She turned to see the tower of a man, Pein, her new leader. His spiked orange hair was slightly ruffled, the piercings gleamed in the light. She swallowed.
"It's nice." She said.
"Yes now-" He began and moved beside her kneeling down until he was at her level.
"Little Angel we have some trouble. Not with you... but with your father."
She widened her eyes, suddenly very afraid.
"It isn't only him. It's a bigger problem than that." He vanished and reappeared on her other side. She let out a squeal.
"Unrest in the Village of the Waterfall. They're nervous with you around, with you gone? The village is a wreck. You're needed for something I have yet to figure out."
He faded again, this time he came behind her. He was in her ear,
"You're very special you know that? Everyone wants you around, even those who don't want you around. I hate to tell them you're mine now. All mine..." His voice drifted off. He was in front of her suddenly, toying with a curl.
"No one else can have you Angel, you're mine. Yet... I don't think you mind do you?"
Awe struck Amai shook her head. She had no other choice, the black spirals in his purple eyes were mesmerizing.
"Uchiha will be your sole care-giver for the time being. You will sleep in his room, he will take you out, he will feed you, and you are now his partner."
Lucidity caught her mind and she nodded. Itachi Uchiha was her new parter. She tried to disguise the pleasure welling in her.
"What happens behind closed doors stays behind those doors." He added.
Glancing up Pein nodded at someone behind her. Itachi.
"Go back to your room now, or whatever. You have today and tomorrow off. Rain isn't letting up for two days."
"Yes Pein-Sama." Itachi and Amai said in unison. They watched as he left, Itachi waited exactly until this moment to speak.
"You're so comfortable with all of this."
"It isn't like I have a choice do I?"
He looked at her then, his eyes playing amusement.
"I guess you don't."
"W-what are we doing now?" She whispered.
"Let's go back to the room." He said.
A feeling rose in her stomach, the only way to describe it would be utter excitement. One could only guess what they were going there for. They walked slowly in the darkness, the ground rough beneath Amai's bare feet. Anticipation fluttered in her belly. It was all she could do not to run the room to speed up whatever was going to happen.
He's doing this on purpose. She thought, and knew instantly this was true.
Game on. She smirked.
She guessed he was going to string it along, as long as it took for her to be driven to insanity. As they neared the door her stomach began to flip, her heart beating faster. Both of them seemed to pick their pace up, but not so much as to look like they were running there. Deidara could still be around.
"Do you like books kunoichi?" Itachi asked suddenly unlocking his door. Their door.
"Yes very much."
"Good. We're reading for a while."
That must have been code... Maybe. The room let out a swirl of cooler air, a scent of cologne flowed with it. The darkness enveloped them as Itachi closed the door and crossed the room to turn the light on. Amai herself wandered over to the large bookshelf, admiring his collection.
"You have an impressive collection here. I love almost every book you have here."
"Pick one and begin reading." He offered.
She picked one she hadn't seen before. It was leather-bound, gray, and weathered. The book was called Flight, and had a picture of a single black feather. She should know something about flying. Pouncing on the bed she opened the book and began reading.
Amai couldn't focus on the book she was reading. Her eyes kept scanning the words, but could only comprehend a fourth of them. She was waiting for Itachi to make some sort of that didn't come she finally settled into the book and lost herself in a different world.
She faintly heard movement beside her. It wasn't until Itachi literally took the book from her, and set it down, that she noticed he had brought himself next to her. She looked over at him, that excitement returning. He took her face in his hands, and looked into her eyes, he was mesmerizing.
"This time no one is going to interrupt me." He said soberly.
The feelings that stirred in her chest were almost overwhelming. She could almost forgive anyone that had ever hurt her in the past, looking into Itachi's eyes. This was cliche, because he had killed his entire clan. But she didn't care. His fingers gently tilted her face up, and he leaned in. This time their lips made contact. Something alien filled her entire body, a wonderful alien that tingled. He had truly driven her off the edge. She noticed the way he drove their lips more tightly into one another. Grasping at each other they fell in a heap on the bed. Nothing had ever been like this. For the both of them. Breaking the kiss, Itachi looked out of breath,
"Angel..." He whispered.
She couldn't respond, only play with her lips. They still tingled. He stared at her for another moment and went in again.
Itachi was tangled in skin, smooth and sultry. No clothes had been shed just yet, he was getting intoxicated off Amai's kisses. No telling what more would bring him. She was fire, lightning, raw energy. Touching her was much like a joyous chidori reception.
No... He wasn't going to more than this just this for the time being. No telling what would happen to him then. He was obviously insane. What was this delicate creature in his arms? Itachi a hard, cold, precise, numb, renegade ninja, was being broken. His walls and barriers were being torn down, as his lips attacked hers. Itachi wasn't afraid... More curious than anything. His own limits were being pressed, something inside of her drew him closer. He was attracted to her monster. Her own evils, her powers.
Most people run... He thought to himself.
He could establish a telepathic current between them using his Sharingan. They could share everything with each other. There was no hiding when this happened. To do this however... they needed to be in the deepest form of connection possible. This utter beauty she possessed resonated within her entire being. This struck multiple chords in his ice cold heart. Amai would be his best partner yet. Soon he knew she would be tested and prodded until her true powers were exposed... But he allowed the both of them to revel in the new, electric, alien, feeling.
If for a moment... Itachi believed in happy endings. Only for a moment.
"Konan..." Pein motioned toward the beautiful shinobi.
"Watch the hideout... I'm going to see Hikari. She has to know something." He said then departed into the rain.
Konan smirked and sat down at his desk, watching him as he jumped about the trees.
The only sound around Pein was rain. The wet surfaces of the branches procured his momentum, he was moving at an extremely fast rate. He stopped on a branch looking down at the path that wound in between the trees. Inhaling deeply he smelled the scent of wet leaves, and rocks.
Like being home... He snorted and continued his journey.
Hikari was the daughter of a dead book keeper in a place not quite a village. He was a frequent to it for it's large collection of books and scrolls, with seemingly infinite knowledge on everything. This would be the perfect place to find more about his new favorite creature.
Hikari herself was a beautiful eighteen year old, playful, fun, intelligent. Pein thought of introducing her to Deidara... In an attempt to quiet his infernal sobs. If anyone was to take the Angel's heart, it should be Itachi... He needed something to break the ice anyway. Pein had never even saw him smile...
Landing no more than a few feet before Hikari's reference place, he noticed the rain had worsened. He wasn't very far from the Land of Frost. This small dwelling was technically on the outskirts of that. These being the summer months brought mercy on the land from frost and snow. Yet the cold bit at Pein's fingers as he knocked on the door.
Bright eyed, brunette, Hikari welcomed him,
"Pein! Come in, come in! Oh you poor thing, it's freezing out there!" She cried dragging him inside.
"Not where I came from." He muttered. She beamed at him, and he returned the smile with a bit less verve.
"Are you hungry Pein?" Hikari asked shutting the door tightly behind him.
"I am a slight bit."
"You just miss my cooking huh?" She said with a giggle.
"You got me. I can't visit as often with my- family, and all."
"Bring them too!"
"That wouldn't be possible Hikari, there are so many of them." He said quickly.
She just looked at him with icy blue eyes. Her smile returned and she moved to the kitchen, tying an apron around her waist. He turned and gazed at the shelves of books below. The wide staircase that led down to them on the other side of the balcony was carpeted in green.
"So what brings you here Pein?" Hikari questioned preparing a platter of food for the both of them.
"Do you happen to have any of the Yokai scrolls?"
She stopped, looking at him,
"Yokai? Supernatural scrolls?"
"Yes more specifically the Red Yokai scrolls."
"What do you want with supernatural monsters Pein?" She said with a nervous laugh.
"I have a little creature... she's got some powers and I need to figure out what they are."
Glancing up, she studied him for a moment, then nodded. It wasn't exactly a lie... He did need to figure his little angel out. She wasn't a normal shinobi.
"Go down in the library... Shelf closest to the window at the end. On the top all seven are there."
"Now Miss Hikari how did you get this collection?" Pein asked crossing the way to the stairs.
"You know how silly." She replied with another giggle.
She was right, anyone who knew of this library knew it had been passed down generations. Hikari's ancestors had put it together over time. The scrolls Pein sought were almost four hundred years old in themselves. They told of legendary monsters and beings. He had never had hands on them himself. He had gathered intel from Konan about what they were. The only place that could hold even one of them had to be here. The rest could have been scattered across the world.
Pein wandered among the gigantic shelves until he came to the very last one. Sure enough on the top, barely out of his reach, were seven pale scrolls, withered. All had red seals around them. Snatching them he returned to the first level, setting them on the table.
The seal required a jutsu.
"Hikari? Can you break the seals for me?"
"They're all normal keeper seals, I told you what to do."
"Ah yes but I seem to have forgotten how to do these things." He said with a feigned sigh.
She set the platter of bowls on the table and propped a hand on her hip.
"Really? Really Pein?" She said, trying to be serious but smiled.
Her hands moved in formation of the all to familiar jutsu, all the scrolls popping open.
"Are you going to need all of them?"
"No. There are about maybe four scrolls I can rule out... I just need to find a reference point, then I'm sure you have research books."
"Here are five creatures I can choose from."
"These are all myths Pein."
"Maybe. But this girl has more than one form of chakra, and each blazes beyond most. Except mine of course."
"Well do you have any idea what she is?"
"I'm thinking... a Succubus." He murmured, seconds before hearing her gasp lightly.
Pein flitted through the trees in a speedy effort to return to the hideout. He had borrowed five different books. Each on a separate creature: Angel, Demon, Fae, Harpy, and Succubus. Pein had decided he would take each, and he would study her behavior more closely.
He stopped when he heard muffled conversation below him. He was almost to Akatsuki territory. The new Akatsuki base had been placed on the edge of the Fire country, near Lightning country. It was almost in between the two. Still yet hardly anyone used this part of forest for travel, even though the Cloud Village was behind them. Almost near his home village. The portion of the woods the base was in, was hardly used, yet still more public than the last. Why? Most people chasing the Akatsuki were looking for a hideout in very rural areas. Not one in plain sight.
Looking down Pein saw three male shinobi. He decided to warn them not to stray too far from this path. He dropped down in front of them, causing them to stop. They stood facing off for a moment. Pein couldn't take his eyes off the apparent leader. A tall, deeply tanned shinobi, with chestnut colored hair falling in his equally toned eyes. They held fierce intensity, they were from the Cloud Village.
"Greetings." Pein said casually.
"Hello." The adolescent offered.
"What're you boys doing on this path? No one uses it."
"We're going on a mission. This path is faster because no one's ever on it." He said. Pein could tell he was immensely lazy.
"I'd be careful. Don't let your guard down. There's danger in the forest." He warned.
The young man smiled slightly,
"Thank you. Have a wonderful day."
"You too.." Pein muttered and disappeared in the trees. Knowing that they were after his Angel. He smiled unkindly at the rain,
Game on.