||| [T] h e [C] a f e |||^Itachi Uchiha^|||-Chapter Fourteen-
Chapter fourteen: Onigiri and Dangos
"I remember the time when I was kidnapped and they sent a piece of my finger to my father. He said he wanted more proof."
~Rodney Dangerfield
~*~
Deidara laid across the white leather couch sipping on a cup of apple juice. His ears perked up when he heard in the distance Hidan attempting to make Kisame's ears bleed even more then they already were.
"Listen Shark man, if you don't tell me where the hell the Uchiha is this minute-." and soon enough Hidan was rudely interrupted by the 'Uchiha'. Well Deidara himself thought it was rude. You see Itachi and the blonde didn't really get along well, ever since the blonde artist was shamefully tricked and recruited into the organization they hadn't spoken a single word to each other.
But still Deidara was a curious one so he listened even more.
"Ah there you are...Itachi." Silence.
Deidara listened even more as he placed the cup on the coffee table and sat straight up, peeking from behind the couch.
Sometimes being short did come in handy.
"Please leave Kisame alone. He has no business in where I go at night and neither do you so back off Hidan or I'll have to mention to Leader Sama about how you are breaking so of the rules." Itachi crossed his arms. Deidara's single blue orb flickered over to his friends who looked pretty confident.
"And what rule would that be?" Hidan smirked.
"No harassing the other members." Hidan rolled his eyes.
"Whatever." and with that he walked away. Still confident, just the way Deidara knew him. Itachi placed a hand on Kisame's shoulder and whispered something in his ear and then his scarlet orbs flickered over to the blondes blue ones.
& with that the Uchiha also left the scene.
Deidara had a large grin plastered on his face as he stood up from behind the couch and gave Kisame a 'props'
"What's up Kisameeeee No Dannnnaaa? Un." Deidara looked up at the taller man.
"Can you tell Hidan to lay off please he's driving me crazy."
"Yeah, sure, But maybe could I ask you something? Un." Deidara put on a Childs face and then smiled as sickly sweet as possible.
"Yeah sure." Kisame scratched the back of his head.
~*~
Friday December 18
8:42 p.m.
Mariko took off her waitress outfit and threw on a pair of black sweat pants and a spaghetti strapped tank top. She tied her hair back in a bun and crawled down stairs to her kitchen where she began to cook a meal for to.
"Tuesdays are mom days, which are actually pretty fun and Fridays are Onda days where..." She sighed, "We do what ever."
If Misuki could; she'd roll her eyes and tell the girl she was probably hopelessly in love with him, but for Misuki she found something weird about the raven haired man. Something....deceiving.
But again Misuki is a cat so she nibbled on her fish and purred to show her gratitude.
There was a knock on the door and from the kitchen Kain had held out in a sing song voice, "C'mon in, doors unlocked, leave your shoes and coat in the closet."
The door opened and closed and Misuki ran up the stairs. She didn't feel like dealing with the mystery man today. She would hiss and groan and groan and hiss but nothing ever happened anymore. It was like he was immune to her. Without looking behind her she told Itachi to take a seat in the dinning room, there were pillows and candles and little ordinates scattered all over the place. After 20 minutes Mariko came out with trays and bowls in her hands.
"I guess the waitress thing has finally gotten to you." He spoke as he reached over to take a few items from her to help just incase-
"Noooooo!" Mariko's face went red with embarrassment as a bowl slipped from under her grip, "You jinxed it!"
They both let out a few chuckles and she picked up the bowl she dropped after placing everything in the corresponding area. Luckily there were only edamame, which you only eat the bean inside.
"Okay," She pointed to one of the bowls, "This is Onigiri. It contains deadly ingredients such as pickled ume, salted salmon, katsuobushi, kombu and tarako."
Then to another dish, "Kimchi."
She stuck out her tongue, "Which I hate actually but you told me you like cabbage soooo...."
He pointed to a dish, "You made sweet potatoes as well I'm impressed."
"You should be, last time I failed at that." She laughed and pointed to another bowl.
"Miso soup which I am very good at." She smiled proudly, "and for desert you will not see until later."
"Is it fruit?"
"No." She smiled as she passed him a spoon and a pair of chop sticks. They began to eat their meal happily, or at least Itachi did, Mariko avoided the Kimchi and onigiri all together. For the first time Itachi ate more then she did.
"Okay next time, I will cook for you. I suck at it but I'll try." She smiled as she took the plates into the kitchen and laid them on the counter. He washed the dishes. Soon the dinning room and kitchen were clean.
"Okay like I said desert time."
"Its fruit." She shook her head.
He crossed his arms and gave her a half smile with a whatever look.
"It's.....Drum roll please. Dangos! I'm not much of a baker so I went out to the centre area of Iwa and bought them there. Aren't they cute? I love the colours. I also have these red bean dough ball...things..." She held the package in his face.
He took one and shoved it in his mouth fallowed by another one, and another one.
"Hm, Mr. Onda likes dango's. You can take them home if you want. I'm not into sweets."
"Are you sure?" She swallowed and took a huge gulp of water.
"Yes please, if you leave them with me, Misuki probably won't eat them and it'll be a waist of money."
"Thank you Mariko." He took the package and put them closer to his things.
"I'll make some tea." She started to fill the kettle with water before Itachi had taken over.
"No it's okay; you made supper, so I'll make the tea this time. You go sit and rest." She gave him a strange look and nodded as she walked back into the dinning room.
Soon her mind was clouded with thoughts. The words of her mother came to her head and a smile began to form at the corner of her mouth. She let out a heart warming laugh as she pictured her mom talking to Itachi, making him feel slightly uncomfortable. Her trying to give him a big kiss on the cheek.
"What's so funny?" Itachi poked his head out from the kitchen.
"Nothing really, hey you should meet my mother one day." Mariko sighed. To bad she couldn't meet his family members. As from him, he told her that they died.
Then she wondered what it would be like to have her mother die, she quickly shook her head getting away the thought. She hated when things like that came to her mind. If her mother died there would be no one left. Well expect for that woman.
Mariko changed her gaze to were Itachi stood holding two cups of tea. He placed one in front of her and one in his lap. Then she noticed for the first time that day, she hadn't really looked at her face. Mariko locked her green tinted eyes with his.
"Did you get contacts?" She asked on a serious tune, "Your eyes are usually a shade of coal but now...scarlet red."
Itachi tensed, "Onda?"
"I'm sorry, Mariko. I have to get going?"
"But you said-." He stood up.
"I know what I said it's just."
"Please...can you stay the night?" She had an innocent smile on her face. She hasn't had a sleepover since she was six, and it was a girl who was over.
Please say yes,
I don't want you to leave,
Itachi was completely silent and then he sat back down, "If it's alright with you? And yes they are contacts."
She wanted to stand up and start dancing but she just ate so it wouldn't be a great idea.
"Here I'll show you my room." She took her tea and walked over to the stairs.
"You can bring your tea, as well."
He was right behind her, never had Itachi been upstairs in her house. Only on the main level. She opened the door to her room and said the words 'Ta-da.'
They both walked in. Misuki sat on the bed eyes narrowing at the two and she then turned her head.
"I think she likes you now, Onda." Mariko ran over and jumped on her bed, she patted a spot besides her gesturing for the Uchiha to sit beside her.
She slowly walked over to the spot and sat down cross legged.
"Want to play a game?"
"Depends..." He said shifting his eyes. She giggled and undid her bun. Misuki started to grow and then walk out of the room with her tail high up.
She looks out a deck of cards.
"The only game I know how to play is goldfish; sorry I know its lame but-"
"I love that game." Itachi said on a monotone.
Awkward silence,
and then they both burst out laughing.
"I don't know what it is but every time I'm with you I feel like I can be myself. It's like..."
"I trust you." Mariko said with a nodded. She looked behind her and scrambled to find a pen lying around somewhere. She finally found a pen and told Onda to hold out his hand. She drew a little sign on the inside of his wrist and also the same symbol on her wrist.
"We are friends, friends till the end." She smiled up at him.
Itachi traced his finger along the sign.
Why does she make it so much hard for me to draw away from her,
It's like I can no longer hold up a emotionless mask with her,
I haven't felt this way since I was a child,
Would it be Love?
No,
Only friendship,
I do not love her,
"Now how about we play that game now?" He smiled as her as he took the cards from her hand and began to shuffle them.
In the end they played until midnight, and finally Mariko laid her head on her pillow and pulled the blankets up to her chest.
"I told you sleep wasn't over rated." She smirked, "Says you."
She paused and yawned, slowly closing her eyes, "I could stay up...all night."
"You're slurring."
"No I'm no-." and she fell asleep. Just like that.
Itachi smirked as he lay against the pillow beside her it was strange, he hadn't felt at all weird by the position they were in. Sharing a bed. She only sleeping in her panties. Sure she was pretty and all but hadn't felt like he was some how taking advantage of her. It was different but some how he also managed to fall asleep.
________________________________________
A/N:
A faithful friend is a good friend.
Even though they might act a bit crazy, like Mariko.
~*~
Awww they slept together,
hopefully Itachi doesn't try anything on her,
nah I'm kidding he wouldn't think twice about that...
Or would he...