It's a few minutes late, but I did make my word count amount. :)
And it might be rough, so I'll check it over later...
The Mission: a suite change of pace
The Operative: pandastacia
Mission Steps: Step two
Important Info: The Akatsuki resort is based a bit on both my imagination and Sky 55, a hotel in Chicago. Feel free to google it if you want to see the exact layout of Sakura's building.
Summary: "I'm Sasuke Uchiha and I'm going to make you forget all about Naruto," he says with an indecently sexy, holier-than-thou, and bigger-than-God smirk. And maybe she won't be the only one to forget and fall…
suite 1: welcome desk
A/N: The theme song for this story is "Kidnap my Heart" by The Click Five. For obvious reasons. :)
Thursday, 10 December, 12:36
The first glance I get of Akatsuki is rather… scary.
I mean, I've only heard good things about the resort, but really. Who builds a skyscraper-esque black building with reflective glass?
Which is why I'm not entirely surprised that the workers walking around, watering the flowers or just merely standing by the entrance, are wearing the darkest sunglasses I have ever seen in my twenty-four years of life.
And they are the strangest people I've ever met in my entire life, which prompts me to lower my own sunglasses and the darkened windows in the car I was in.
One of the people watering the flowers is a happy weirdo singing something like 'My Favorite Things' as his orange mask twinkles in the sunlight and his strange cloak dances in the wind. Meanwhile, this blonde girl is chasing him, yelling something about a 'Tobi Alert in the garden aisle' into a black walkie-talkie.
"That's it," I mention aloud. "I don't care how many stars this place has earned. It's too nutty and I'm leaving."
"Don't be a coward," Ino hisses in my ear as she tries to push me out of the limo.
"I don't care what you say. I'm not going into that insane asylum. And stop trying to kick me out of my own limo!" I grab on to the leather as if for dear life.
"Don't be a loser then." She gives a sigh as her words don't really affect me, but she doesn't stop trying because she is one of the view that knows my weakness- my Achilles heel of sorts. "Please. For me. And for him."
I stop fidgeting.
Naruto had been my protector of sorts for so long… Not being with him anymore makes my heart pound at a rapid rate as I start hyperventilating.
Closing my eyes, I think of the only thing that I trust beyond a doubt.
They are the bright blue eyes that shine in the dark like a hotel's neon light.
Blue eyes that make me feel safe.
Blue eyes that I owe so much to.
"Fine." Grumbling, I slide out of the classily-black limousine, my three bags in hand. Earlier, Ino had yelled at me for bringing so little. But when I had refused to carry more (I can't need much more than this), she had given in with a small smirk.
And Ino Yamanaka never gives in anything unless she's looking forward to someone's reaction…
I whip around, hoping to catch her, but she has already slammed the door of my limo and ordered my chauffer (pft, you know what I mean by 'my chauffer') to drive away.
For a few seconds, I shiver in the cold November air. What was the point in going to some sort of resort in the middle of this weather? No pool access or anything for anyone sane.
"What is that girl planning?"
Not waiting for any answer, I walk towards the rather imposing building, ignoring screams of 'Tobi is a good boy!'
…
…
The lobby of the resort is rather ostentatious, being the pale blue of my favorite origami paper. Facing the big screen T.V. hanging on the wall is the furniture, upholstered in soft, strange black fabric imprinted with red clouds.
How ironic and strange
…
Or not, I decide as I see the receptionist's attire.
A cloak had been fashioned out of the same pattern as the sofas and fastens around the neck of an obviously blue-skinned man. He is even stranger than the rest of this place, what with his shark-like grin.
"Welcome to the Akatsuki resort." His voice is pleasantly deep. I jerk back with surprise, having expected a raspy voice. "Will you please give me your name?"
"Uh, Sakura… Haruno?"
He lifts a brow. "Is that your name or are you guessing?"
"No, no, that is my name…"
A glance down at the computer monitor confirms what I said and he nods. "I'm Kisame and I man the reception desk. If you need anything, just call down. The shop is around the corner and a bar is on the second floor. You're staying in the penthouse, P3. I hope you enjoy your new home." Another flash of his teeth assures me of three things: he uses breath mints, he has really sharp teeth, and he just had sushi for lunch (Is that considered cannibalism…?).
But then what he said catches up to me. "Wait! I thought I was only staying here for a week or so! Do you mean to say I now live here?" For maybe the third time in two minutes, I spin around to face him.
All I get is a blink.
"…Didn't you make your own reservation, Miss Haruno?"
I can't help but flush. "Well, no. I was, um… My friend did and I assumed…" My voice fades away. "I didn't even know there were permanent residences here."
What's with that look on his face?
"There generally aren't, but it seems your friend pulled a few strings and is getting the benefits of more than a few favors." He stands up and gives me the grin again.
"Miss Haruno-."
But I butt in before he could continue whatever he was about to tell me (maybe the generic welcome statement?).
"Please. Just call me Sakura."
That earns me another strange look before he just shrugs.
"Well, then, Sakura, enjoy your stay at the Akatsuki resort- in other words, your new home."
…
…
Predictably, the penthouse is at the top. But it's not the only one. Mine is but one among seven other such floors at the way top of the pretty sparkling building.
I stand in the elevator as the soft hum of passing floors by surrounds me, soothing my jittery nerves. Staring at my reflection, I absentmindedly push a few strands of pink hair away from my heart-shaped face. My black boots bury their soles into the (of course) red and black plush carpeting.
Change doesn't come naturally to me. I don't really know why. Maybe it is the stability of a time- having a way of generally knowing what is going to happen. Things were peaceful for my first year out of my parent's home. I had a boyfriend and things went well. Then, something happened at some point after then and I met Naruto and he became one of my supports, just like Ino has been since we were children.
He had been the reason I am still standing here alive.
But he isn't here anymore and it scares me. Depending on someone for five years can be rather scary.
And why I depended on him is even sadder.
I had never really depended on my parents. They taught me independence at an early age and I learned well.
Which makes me wonder: where did that strong Sakura go? The one that would have given a crooked grin and beat up Naruto for even checking up on her every night?
She had disappeared when…
The ringing of the elevator reaching its final destination shakes me out of my thoughts. Grabbing my three bags, I exit the shaft.
The halls are the most nondescript thing I have seen in this resort yet, their cream walls a nice blank slate for the myriad of paintings. Many of them were abstract, mostly simply an explosion of colors.
Apparently, this is only the 25th floor. I sigh as I see the staircase at the end of the hall. This is how I'm going to spending my days for the next goodness knows how long, going up in the elevator for a minute or so before trudging up three flights of stairs.
Giving another sigh, I walk to the door to the stairs and open it.
…
…
The door to P3 opens, making me gasp.
It's the most gorgeous place I've ever seen in my life, including Naruto's mansion.
And, while my home had been nothing to scoff at either, this totally takes the cake.
Not even bothering to hang up my coat and set my bags down, I peek into the door next to the entrance, only to find a laundry room. It was simple yet comfortable, a pale blue color setting off the black washer and drier.
Beyond that, there is a powder room, being simply a toilet and sink.
The master bathroom with its master bathroom and a walk-in closet even grander than Ino's, I discover, is to the left of the powder room. Dumping my coat and bags at the foot of the bed, I scurry through, counting another bedroom with its bedroom and two small closets, a dining room, a living room, a kitchen, and a balcony with a view to die for.
The color scheme is delicate, the blue of the ocean outside the giant windows of the living room as well as being the pale color of the walls. Along with the blue is the brown of the shiny wood floors, the silver of the steel components of the kitchen, and the black granite of the kitchen island.
Surprisingly, it actually is a nice color scheme that goes together
Midnight sky is the color of the bed sheets I fall into; black is the color of my couches.
A banging somewhere outside the penthouse makes me pick up my head.
Was someone knocking on the door?
Finger-brushing my hair into falling neatly around my face, I try to find my way to the entrance.
No, that's the bathroom and that's the other bedroom.
"I'm coming," I call before muttering, "As soon as I find the door, that is."
Finally, after going through the entire apartment, I find the entrance and throw open the door.
"Hello, un." The voice is rather rough, unlike the sweeter one that I had expected.
"You look just like my best friend," I tell her with a smile. "Although her blonde hair is probably a shade closer to white, being a pale yellow… And, no offence, but she probably wouldn't wear that cloak."
And they do sorta look like Ino. The person standing at my door appears to be a girl around my age with blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail. However, the blue eyes are a darker blue that seem less joyful than my friends, but just as sneaky. But I have seen them before. And, as I said, there is the matter of the cloak…
"Oh!" I exclaim. "You were that girl chasing the kid in the orange swirly mask in front of the building! Did you catch him? He looked a little…"
My voice fades away, being unable to describe how crazy the guy with the mask was. The girl used the opportunity to give such an un-lady-like snort.
"Miss Haruno, my name is Deidara and I'm head of security, un. I'm not a girl and my hair is nothing like your friend's sorry faded hair, un. And if this cloak weren't part of the uniform, I wouldn't wear it, un." He sniffs with derision before adding, "Kisame told me to come up here and tell you about reserving a place at the Welcome Dinner tomorrow evening, un. Oh, and if you want to bring a date, you'll have to put their name through that too, un."
For a few moments, I just blinked. "Oh. I'm sorry to have mistaken you for a- well, I… yeah… But could you stop calling me Miss Haruno? No one calls me that and it makes me feel a little awkward." Now I saw the faint patches of facial hair growing in as well as he was a bit too muscular to be a good looking girl.
There's the second weird look of the day.
"Then what should I call you, un?"
"Sakura's just fine." I give a shy smile.
Before Deidara sets off down the hall, his lips twist up in a strange way. "Alright then, Sakura, un. Do you need anything, un ?"
Shaking my head, I almost retreat back into my room before changing my mind. "Hey! Do you know where the bar is? The shark-guy, Kisame said where they were, but I forget where…" I gave him a sheepish grin.
He gives me a smirk. "It's on the second floor. You can't miss it- it's basically the entire second floor." With a slight wave, he goes down the staircase and I return to the penthouse.
…
…
5:29 P.M.
After taking a small snooze on the bed (Note to self- find out where the bed came from. That bed is heaven. The softest thing since, well, ever.), I change out of my rumpled green baby-doll that compliments my eyes into a black long-sleeved shirt with a pink cat on the front.
A quick search through my bag reveals I forgot to pack lotion, an obviously horrible oversight on my part. The harsh winter air had already gotten to the sensitive skin on my hands.
Still in my gray skinny's with my Dior sunglasses perched upon my nose, I troop downstairs to the first floor where, I remember, the resort convenience store is.
The only hotel personnel in there are the masked guy and a girl. Her blonde hair is streaked with black, the four ponytails sticking out of the back of her head in a two-by-two array. Gum smacks in her mouth like a certain blonde I might mention, though the entirely black wardrobe (if you don't count that cloak too) would send said blonde into a shock induced coma.
"Temari-chan, we should go water the flowers together!" The kid is so happy and cheerful in contrast to the dark waves Temari is giving off as he grabs her hand and tries to pull her away from the register which she seems to be using as a shield.
"Mask boy, please let go of my arm before one of three things happen. One, I complain to the higher-ups. Two, I call my older brother, Kankuro, and he bullies you away. Or two, and my personal favorite, I call up my younger brother, Gaara, and he beats you up with his gourd."
Casting an amused glance at the battle she was massively losing, I go to the personal care aisle and hunker down onto one knee. "Now, if I were lotion, where would I be…" I mutter as I scan the shelf. As I scoot down, I run into something.
Something hard and thin that was bleeding warmth. I nearly sigh at the blessed heat.
That is, before I realize what I had run into.
I looked at the bare legs. Barely remembering to avoid looking up his shorts, I glance up.
And my heart nearly stops.
He was beautiful, but not like Naruto-beautiful. My hand seems to burn even more than before. I could almost imagine him seeing how my cold hand rests on his bare feet and the scales from the dry air.
He was of a different sort.
There are two different types of physical beauties in the world, in my opinion.
The first of which is warm. It's sun-kissed and bright. Blonde hair, blue eyes, tans, and smiles classify this kind generally. Exhibit A would be Naruto, with all those characteristics. His smile is so warm; to stare into it would require something like my beautiful sunglasses and it's oh-so-hard not to smile when you see it. Warm beauties light up a room.
On the other hand, there are cold beauties (prime steak- er, example, this dashing young man). They're like vampires- they suck out all the heat in a room. But just like vampires from Twilight, they are so beautiful with pale skin, dark hair, dark eyes, and cold expressions.
Bleak, yet scorching black eyes make a zing travel up and down my spine.
"Oh. Excuse me." I squeak before backing away and getting out of the space as fast I can.
Maybe it's my imagination, but I'm pretty sure I heard him calling my name. But that is impossible, because that means I know him.
And believe me, you would never forget his hotness [and spiky hair-do].
I'm in the elevator before I realize that I didn't accomplish my mission before escaping the convenience store.
Well, it doesn't matter.
That store doesn't have any lotion anyway…
How inconvenient.
11:36 P.M.
I find my way down the stairs and the elevator brings me down to level two. It too has pale walls, though now there are a mixture of paintings and photographs upon their aquatic color. The theme was obvious. Pictures of Bruce, Jaws, Dory, Nemo, and other water animals peer at me, some more disturbing than others.
Whoever decorated this hallway is in a severe need of mental therapy or they just like fish- a lot.
So there is no surprise when the shark-guy- Kisame, I remember- from before is one of the bartender.
"Hello Miss-, I mean, Sakura. Care for a drink? I make a mean Sex on the Beach, I'll warn you now." He gives a toothy grin as I giggle and give a big grin of my own.
Kisame seems much looser when he doesn't have to stand at the welcome desk.
It's a nice change.
He feels… almost like a friend.
"Yeah, I think I'll try one of those."
As he brings out a chilled glass from somewhere beneath the counter of the bar, I tap the black marble surface absentmindedly.
There are quite a few people here- meaning the tables are filled. It's the Akatsuki- what else is there to expect?
Pulsing disco music that makes my head swirl plays as people gather en masse on the dance floor further along. I'm not surprised to notice the doors on the other side. From here, I can see someone's hand sliding one shut. Shadows dance along the wall with the moving people, creating movement on the alternately red and black squares that make up the décor.
It's not as fun hanging out at a bar without Naruto or Ino to keep me company. Even Kiba would be welcome, even with his rambunctious and flirty attitude.
I'm brought out of my thoughts by the large bartender pouring the clear vodka in with peach schnapps, raspberry liqueurs, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice. I can't help but sniff appreciatively. The smell is delicious, the sharpness of the alcohol blending with the sweetness of the fruit juices.
At last, after shaking it all in a cocktail shaker, Kisame pours it into a pretty glass, adds a splash of grenadine and orange juice. Then, to my eternal delight, he pokes in a sparkly red and black umbrella (what in here isn't black and red?). He gets cutely flushed when I give him a tight hug, gushing about the awesome umbrella.
First I sniff it, enjoying that seductive aroma before finally sipping it. I think a look of pleasure crosses my face before I greedily drink the rest of it, ignoring the slight burning in my throat.
Setting down the glass delicately, I lean across the bar.
"Okay, Master Kisame, what is your secret to this awesome drink?" I demand. "It was the best thing I've had yet."
But he just winks and says, "Thanks, Kitten, but that's my secret."
Not even my pouting can get it out of him, so I give up with a sigh.
"Then can I at least have one more?"
You win some, you lose some, I guess.
…
…
I've lost count of how many drinks I've had. There were so many to try. After the first two Sex on the Beaches, I moved on to more of Kisame's specialties. But after the first three or so, Kisame had asked me if I was really sure I wanted a margarita, but I assured him I was fine.
He asked again.
I said I was fine.
I'm not fine.
Not even close.
But I don't want to bother him…
…
…
Friday, 11 December 2:58 P.M.
I twist my hair around my finger, entranced at how its fine texture catching against the dry skin on my fingers. Cursing the cool weather and the hotel's shop for its lack of lotion, I instead take another sip of my daquiri.
Kisame had left a few hours before. I could tell he was hesitant about leaving little me who was definitely inebriated beyond control. Still, I had insisted that he get some sleep. Still reluctant, he had a few words with his replacement, a frosty looking man with plenty of scars that looked like stitches.
I think he asked him to make sure I don't pass out.
But considering how the hooded man keeps counting the money I put on the counter for each drink with this insane smile on his face, I don't think he was paying attention.
Still, it is nice of Kisame to worry about me considering we just met today…
Its sweet flavor, just slightly tinged with the sourness of alcohol, makes me smile and unprepared for what is about to happen.
"Excuse me." I swivel around on the bar stool at the somewhat familiar deep baritone voice that makes my toes curl for no particular reason at all.
"Yes?" My speech is slightly slurred as I fall forward slightly.
Dimly, in the corner of my mind, I make a note to myself: The next time I want to make hotel reservations, I will not let the Pig do it. She may think I need loosening up, but getting drunk in public is definitely not the way to do it. Next time, I will be better off choosing a place with a mini-bar in my room. (Of course, if she had done that, I will never have gotten these delicious drinks from Kisame. Hell, I wouldn't have even met that shark…)
"I was sent here by Naruto Uzumaki for a Sakura Haruno." My inner fangirl squeals and swoons at the deliberately caressing way he says my name. It sounds like music off his tongue, but the majority of me starts focusing once I hear 'Naruto Uzumaki'.
"What? Naruto sent you? Why?" Hope swells up inside me.
Which is a bad sign, people. I live for disappointment.
And this is definitely too good to be true.
So while I oogle the hot guy I had met just several hours before in my search for lotion (dark black-blue hair and bottomless onyx eyes with a hint of red), he lifts an eyebrow at my obvious activity.
"I'm Sasuke Uchiha, your new roommate, and I'm going to make you forget all about Naruto," he says with a sexy, holier-than-thou and bigger-than-God smirk.
At this point, I choke on an ice cube.
Smooth Sakura.
Really.
And, I think blearily as I lose consciousness from the combination of too many drinks and the shock, things are about to get even smoother…
A/N And that's where I shall end for now.
You might have noticed the difference in Sakura's attitude compared with the beginning and middle to the end. What we call "Inner Sakura" I'm considering her previous personality, before the terrible event (that shall remain a mystery for a while…) occurred. This side of Sakura comes out when she drinks, so that should account for the change in personality. :)
(And picturing Temari wearing an Akatsuki cloak makes me laugh. What about you?)
Thanks for reading and leave your opinion and/or questions in reviews, please!
Latest Update: 27 December 2008. I had to work super hard to get this out even close to on time...
Song I listened to while writing: Stand in the rain by Superchick.
Pandastacia