A/N: I spoil you all rotten. Review please, it makes me happy!
"I'll bet she's late," Pein said, leaning back in his chair. A few of them snickered. "What's her name?"
"Konan Suna."
"Married?"
"Um…" One of the men peeked through the papers. "It doesn't say." Just as the clock struck nine, the doors opened and Konan stood there, all business. She nodded slightly as she walked over to the table and sat down, crossing her legs professionally and setting a folder of papers down on the table.
"Good morning, gentlemen," she said curtly. Pein gulped, staring at her. She had a beauty to her that was indescribable. He had never seen that before in a woman.
"God morning, Miss Suna-" Pein began.
"Mrs.," Konan corrected, directing her gaze at the ginger haired man. "I'm going to get right to my point. I believe there has been a misunderstanding. Akatsuki is not for sale."
"Mrs. Suna, we understand you are reluctant to sell-"
"That is not the situation. Selling would not benefit anyone in any way, shape or form. If you bought my business you would run it into the ground. The only reason we happen to have made it this far is because of the way it has been run. If I sell, it wouldn't be Akatsuki." Konan held her head high. It was something she was good at. Pein looked slightly flabbergasted.
"Mrs. Suna, we are offering you-"
"I'm aware of how much you are willing to pay. I am aware it is far greater than what we were originally offered. But Akatsuki is not for sale. We are, however, willing to accept a partnership with Amegakure. If we are willing to see each other as equals, we might be able to make a suitable arrangement." Pein opened and closed his mouth several times, before finally finding his voice.
"Akatsuki is no match for Amegakure. A partnership-" Konan began reorganizing her papers.
"Like I said, the only agreement we are interested in is an equal one. Anything else will be fruitless."
"Please be reasonable, Mrs. Suna-" Pein paused, sighing as Konan gave him a withering look. "You're getting above yourself, woman," he growled. Konan stood, quickly collecting her papers. She nodded politely at Pein.
"I see my business is concluded here. Good day." With that she turned and marched out of the room. Pein sat, stunned.
"She's crazy. She just turned us down!" Pein quickly pressed a single button on the phone.
"Sir, we have a crisis! She just walked out on us!"
"I'm on it, Pein. I'll deal with your failure later."
Konan walked briskly to the elevator. A door at the end of the hall opened and a tall, mysterious figure emerged. He had unruly black hair and red eyes, much like Itachi's. he gave Konan a genuine smile as he joined her in waiting for the elevator. Konan gave him a curt nod. She was not in the mood for dealing with men. "Let me introduce myself," the man said politely. "My name is Madara Uchiha. I own Amegakure."
"Good for you," Konan said.
"I understand you have turned down our offer. Might I inquire as to why?"
"Akatsuki is not for sale. We are, however, accepting a partnership as equals. Pein did not accept this offer, so I was forced to turn down his offer." Madara chuckled.
"I shall never trust Pein to negotiate with someone of a higher intelligence than him. But unfortunately, he would never do any negotiating again. I apologise sincerely for his attitude. I, as the owner of Amegakure, accept your idea of a partnership." Konan looked him up and down. He was flirtatious, but in a manner that was natural, as if he were simply a charismatic person. And he seemed to genuinely accept her offer.
"Do you have the necessary paperwork?" Konan asked crisply. Madara smiled.
"Of course."
"Well?" Hidan asked anxiously as Konan walked into the office.
"They've accepted our idea of a partnership. I spoke with Madara directly. Sasori!" Sasori poked his head out of his cubicle. "I understand you want to go to New York for an art show."
"Yes…"
"When?"
"Friday."
"Will you be back by Monday?"
"Sure."
"That's when Madara has requested to meet our writers."
"I'll be back." Deidara was there then, per normal when Sasori was being discussed.
"Konan!" he whined. "Why do you always tell him he can run away, un?"
"Because his articles are amazing. Now get back to work." Deidara sulked back to his cubicle. Konan shook her head. "Do you have anything to show me?" she asked Hidan.
"Um, what do you think of purple?"
"I think it's gay."
"Good then. I'll um…"
"You've got nothing, have you?"
"Nope."
"Then get back to work!" Hidan quickly left off to his work.
"She didn't sell, did she?" Kakuzu asked.
"Nah, she just got the money," Hidan replied. "She's pretty good at that."
"I knew she would talk them out of their money."
"Good morning, Madara. Glad to see you," Konan said. Madara nodded.
"Glad to be here."
"My employees are at work. It's more efficient this way," Konan said, leading Madara to the first cubicle. "This is Hoshigaki Kisame." Kisame looked up from his computer and nodded politely.
"Hey," he said.
"Kisame, this is Madara." Madara nodded.
"I've read your articles." Kisame quirked an eyebrow, smiling.
"Hope you liked them."
"Ahem. Now then, next would be Deidara." Konan lead Madara to Deidara's cubicle. "Deidara, this is Madara," Konan said. The blond turned around, smiling lightly. Once he saw Madara his face fell.
"You…" he breathed. "You bastard, un!" Madara looked down sheepishly. Konan sighed.
"I don't want to know. You two just work it out." With that she left Madara alone with Deidara.
"Hmph!" Deidara turned back to his computer angrily.
"Look, Deidara, for what it's worth, I'm sorry," Madara said softly.
"So how long have you owned some damn company, yeah?"
"About… four years."
"Figures, un."
"But Deidara, I owe you an apology. I was unfair and cruel."
"Do you know how much money I wasted calling you, un?" Deidara demanded, turning around to glare at Madara. The older man winced.
"Um…"
"Exactly, you bastard, yeah!" Deidara turned back to his computer. Madara stepped closer, laying a hand softly on the blonde's shoulder.
"And I need to thank you."
"Hmm?"
"During your trial, when they asked you if you if you were a virgin, you wouldn't tell them about me. You saved my entire career." Madara leaned a little closer, his mouth close to Deidara's ear. "If there's any way I can repay you-"
"Shove off, you twat," Deidara growled, pushing Madara off. He held his left hand up, right against the older man's nose. "I'm married, see? So you can just grow some balls and leave me the hell alone, un!" Madara took a step back, shocked.
"What?"
"Yeah, you sodding-"
"Let's not get foul, Deidara." Deidara glared venomously at Madara.
"Go die, un." He got up then, slapping Madara soundly across the face. Outside, Konan was praying to anything that would listen that Deidara wouldn't ruin their chances of this partnership. When she heard the slap, she gave up all hope.
Madara put a hand to his cheek, staring at Deidara's flushed face. Silently, a tear rolled down his cheek.
"I'm so, so sorry," he said softly. "There is no way I can mend things between us. All I can hope for is that you don't hate me too long. It's unhealthy." Deidara threw his arms up in frustration, sitting back down at his computer. Madara sighed and retreated from the cubicle. The only reason it hurt was that they had been that close. "I believe I can continue my tour on my own, thank you," Madara said. Konan sighed.
"Please excuse Deidara, he's on meds-"
"That's a lie. And it's fine, I richly deserved that, and more." Madara continued on to Itachi's cubicle. "You are well, cousin?" he asked. Itachi gave a barely perceptible nod. "That's good. After the family disowned you-"
"Please do not speak of that," Itachi whispered. "No one here knows of that."
"I see. They believe you renounced the fortune out of your own free will?"
"Yes. And I would like to keep it that way."
"Why?"
"I would rather they believe I am that strong." Itachi sighed.
"I won't tell them about it, but I think you might. Just my advice."
"I'll consider it." With this Madara left, finding himself then in the cubicle of a redheaded man.
"You must be Sasori Akasuna," Madara said charmingly. He wasn't an idiot. He knew Deidara was now using the same last name. Sasori turned around and stood, looking Madara in the eye.
"Yes," he said. "You must be Madara, not so used to cubicles."
"How do you draw that conclusion?"
"These walls are very thin." Madara gulped. Sasori sighed. "Whatever happened between you and Deidara is between you two. But just don't confuse him. He's still just a teenager." Sasori looked Madara dead in the eye. "I won't pick a fight, Deidara can handle himself, but just remember, if it comes to it, I'll finish your unfinished business." Sasori sat back down and turned back to his computer. Madara sighed in relief. He had expected much worse from whoever had decided to pick up the pieces of Deidara's broken little mind. In a bit of a better mood, Madara found himself at the last cubicle. He smirked, sauntering in.
"Hello, Zetsu," he said. Zetsu didn't even look at him. "Zetsu?"
"These cubicles have very thin walls," Zetsu murmured. Madara groaned.
"Zetsu, please, you misunderstand. There's nothing between us."
"Yet you couldn't keep your hands off of him," Zetsu sighed. "I never took you for the cheating type." Madara draped himself over Zetsu.
"Oh, Zetsu," Madara whispered, wrapping his arms around Zetsu's torso and feeling like crying again. "I love you."
"You do know how unfaithful you sound, right? You say that now, but can you say it in front of anyone else?" Madara stayed silent. Zetsu sighed, leaning back into Madara's hold.
"I have an image, Zetsu," Madara said softly. Zetsu said nothing. "Zetsu, please, you're everything to me. How many times do I have to tell you for you to believe me?" Madara kissed along Zetsu's pale neck. Deidara, in the next cubicle over, threw up his arms and left in disgust. Sasori, too, left, and a few seconds later they had both snuck off to the bathrooms. Zetsu deserved some privacy, after all.
"So your image is more important than anything else."
"Zetsu, it's not like that-"
"It doesn't matter. If that's the way it is, then that's the way it is." Zetsu pushed Madara off of him, concentrating on his computer screen. Madara sighed.
"This Friday, then?"
"I suppose." Madara sighed and left the cubicle. He found himself staring at Konan.
"So now you've met the writing staff."
"Yes. Which one is Sarah?"
"I can't tell you that, it's confidential," Konan replied.
"Can I trust you to carry a message to her, and then her answer without reading either?"
"Of course."
"Good."
"Oh look, here are Hidan and Kakuzu!" Konan motioned for the photographers to come over to her. "Hidan, Kakuzu, this is Madara."
"So you're the one who tried to buy Akatsuki?" Hidan demanded. Kakuzu clapped a hand instantly over his lover's mouth. But he couldn't muster up the strength to look at Madara politely. 'Can there be anybody in this fucking building who doesn't think I'm an asshole?' Madara screamed in his mind.
"You'll have to excuse Hidan. He doesn't think about things before he says them," Konan said. "Hidan, this is the man who will be almost doubling your paycheck." Kakuzu still didn't trust Hidan to take his hand away.
"Kakuzu, I believe you can remove your hand," Madara said slowly. "I've already been slapped and rejected. I doubt anything that he says will change my mind about our partnership."
"Shit, what did Deidara do now?" Hidan groaned once Kakuzu removed his hand.
"I'd rather not go into that now. I hope you two continue to take beautiful pictures." Madara nodded politely, turned on his heel, and left. Konan sighed.
"Well. I hope Deidara got it all out of his system. Deidara!" Slowly, the door to the men's room opened. Deidara had a hand over his mouth.
"Mm?"
"Madara said- go spit it out if you need to." Deidara ran back into the bathroom, then returned moments later. "And Sasori might as well show is face, we all know he's there." Sheepishly, Sasori and Deidara stood before their boss. "Right. Deidara, what's up with you and that Madara guy?"
"Oh, long story, actually…" Deidara rubbed the back of his head, glancing at Sasori.
"You still have some, right here," Hidan said, rubbing his own mouth. Deidara squeaked and rubbed maniacally at his face. Hidan cackled.
"Sasori, I doubt this involves you. Get back to work." Sasori nodded, leaving a very red Deidara alone. "Deidara, do you know him?"
"Umm… intimately… un…"
"Right. How angry are you at him?"
"Umm… how angry should I be at a virginity stealer, yeah?"
"Fuck. How long ago?" Deidara twisted his hands awkwardly.
"Must we discuss this in front of Hidan and Kakuzu, un?"
"Kakuzu, Hidan, you are dismissed." Hidan and Kakuzu left wordlessly. "Right. Do you need to tell me any more?"
"Not really, un."
"Will you feel comfortable working with him?" Deidara laughed.
"Of course, un."
"Right. He'll be writing Sarah a letter that will require a personal response. Do you feel comfortable with that?"
"Sarah does, un."
"Good." Konan looked down at Deidara. "You can return to your work."
"You say it like I want to do it, un," Deidara complained, leaving back to his cubicle. Konan sighed, walking to Kisame's cubicle. That's where she found Kisame and Itachi making out. Her eyes widened minimally. Kisame broke for air, mouthed 'later' to her, and went back to kissing Itachi. Deciding she needed a coffee, Konan went to find Tobi. Instead, she found Kakuzu and Hidan snogging elsewhere down the hall. She sighed. And Temari always wondered why she came home horny.
"Tobi! Get me some coffee!" Konan called. All she got in response was an 'Umpf!' from the closet. A feeling of dread washed over Konan as she opened the door. "Deidara, you so did not!"