Chapter IV
Bureaucracy
Really, what kind of people were those who had Tokyo's safety in their hands?
Sakura yelped when the train turned and a man stumbled into her. He mumbled his sorry and proceeded to grab a rake in the ceiling. She gave him a flat smile before staring out the window, not seeing anything but the occasional lights and darkness flash by. It had been a while since she took the subway, and she had remembered why when the vessel had been packed with humans of all sizes and ages. The worst part of it; she couldn't be sure if those fingers brushing against her were meaning to do so or not.
"Next station: Kasumigaseki Central," a woman declared through the speakers placed strategically throughout the train. She sighed in relief, carefully making her way closer to the doors as the speed they traveled in became slower. She couldn't wait to get out of the hot and cramped area, not to speak of the moment she could breathe air with oxygen again.
The doors slid open and hundreds of people welled out the many openings in the subway train, as others tried to get in at the same time. This chaotic scene reminded Sakura of why she had begun walking to and from school, people pushing and bumping into another, not to speak of their awful attitude. She quietly followed the stream that soon started to move against the rolling stairs. She kept back a huff when a man was determined to stand on the same step as her for the long ride upwards.
When she finally got out on the street, where she was not forced to grind herself against unknown people, she was ready to let out a scream, but just like all the other passengers she refrained herself. Instead she hurried over the street, letting a mass of other people help her stop the cars. Most were dressed in business suits, probably on their way to work. Few to none youths in sailor uniform were visible.
With a shiver at the cold wind blowing she turned to the left, and walked faster when she saw the grand entrance she was about to walk through. She jumped up the steps before catching the opening in the rotation door. She frowned at the slow pace, and slipped through the small passage that was created when the machine had turned half a circle.
The interior of the reception was intimidating, and she noted that whoever had tried to make it feel more welcoming with the red sofas placed by the wall and in the middle of the room had failed miserably. But putting that aside she immediately walked up to the receptionist, clearing her throat to get his attention.
With a surprised look he turned towards her, "may I help you?"
"Yes, I'm here to talk to Uchiha Itachi…" she didn't really know how to develop her request when he stared strangely at her.
"Excuse me?" he almost laughed at her, taking her for a normal girl who was randomly asking to meet his superior.
"I am here to speak to Uchiha--
"I heard you the first time, miss," he chuckled, "but Uchiha-sama is not just someone you can meet just like that." He was mocking her, and she knew it, but she sucked it up.
"I know that, but he wanted me to come here, so here I am," she said, still wearing a polite expression.
The man raised an eyebrow and pushed his glasses up. "Alright, I will call upstairs and see if he is expecting anyone," he scuffed and grabbed the phone, dialing three numbers. "Ah, hello, My-san, it is Kashima in the reception. Yes, yes, I am fine. I was wondering if Uchiha-sama is expecting anyone?" his nose wrinkled, before he said thank you and goodbye.
"So?" she asked.
"Uchiha-sama is waiting for you on the sixteenth floor. Walk down the corridor and take two rights, then at the end of that corridor you have his office," seemingly disgruntled he reached down into a drawer and pulled up a card that said 'guest'. "This is for the elevator. Return it when you leave."
She took the card and bowed before jogging to the elevator. The doors closed when she put the card into the reader and pressed the button having a big zero and a five printed to it. The thrilling sensation of gravity wanting to keep her from rising up above the ground had her tingling. But it soon disappeared, but it came back when the lift stopped. Surprised at the quick travel she stumbled out on solid floor again.
A number of doors lined the corridor she walked down, and she actually took her time reading all the names. None of them were familiar to her, even if she knew someone named Nara she didn't recognize the given name. One walked out of his office and was surprised to see her, but greeted her politelynone the less. She responded him lightly, turning around the corner. Now she was walking with a wall of glass on her right, seeing humans shuffle around on the street. A couple of street performers were doing an acrobatic number. How they were able to do it with only tricots on was beyond her.
She was so absorbed by the impressive flips and flops that she didn't notice the other person she bumped into was coming around the corner. She let out a squeak, and nearly fell backwards, only barely saved by a hand gripping her forearm. She gasped and immediately started to apologize when she saw the papers lying on the floor.
"Sakura…?" the voice had her stilling, because it was so very familiar. She raised her gaze to stare at the face of the person still holding on to her.
Her eyes widened when seeing red hair and chocolate orbs, "Sasori…nii-chan?" Her voice was breathless when she saw her older relative. They stood in a few moments staring at each other before Sasori let a smile play on his lips.
"I see you're still as clumsy as before," he teased her and tapped her nose, like he did when she was a kid.
"I am not!" she protested angrily.
"As long as you're my cousin you are," he said and eloped her in a hug, ignoring the fact that he stepped on a few documents.
"Stupid nii-chan," she giggled and returned the embrace. "Wait a moment, aren't you supposed to be stationed in Osaka?"
"I was until a few weeks ago. I came back here, since I couldn't stand the boss over there. And also, all my friends and family are here, so I see no point in moving," he said and straightened his back, because he had to lean down to embrace her properly.
"Why didn't you tell us? All this time I've been wondering what you've been up to," she shook her pink locks and giggled, excited over seeing her cousin again.
"I guess I forgot, in the haste I moved and everything that had been going on around here lately," he ruffled her hair and lifted her up and planted a kiss on her lips, just like he had always done since they were small.
Sakura couldn't be much happier at the moment, until she heard a familiar hum coming from behind her cousin. She broke the contact of their mouths and looked over his shoulder to see ice cold rubies observe them. She blushed deeply, seeing his fingers tap against his leg, as if he had been watching them for a while.
"How nice that you could drop by, Sakura. If you are done seducing my fellow employees I would like to have a word with you," Itachi was not very willing in hearing any kind of explanation he noted that she was about to throw at him, so he grabbed her wrist and almost yanked her away from her cousin. "I will be borrowing her, Sasori," the way he said the red haired man's name reminded her of a dog growling at an imposing threat.
Before Sasori had the time to object to the sudden abduction of his missed relative she was quickly dragged down the corridor towards a door with a golden plate, his name engraved into the metal. First they passed through a smaller room, with a beautiful exotic-looking secretary surprised at their hasty appearance.
"You should help Sasori arrange his papers, My," he commanded her, and headed for the door on her left, throwing it open. He pulled her inside before shutting it again with a loud bang. Then he slammed her against the wall, almost painfully hard.
She let out a groan when her head hit the rough surface. Her vision was slightly deranged when she looked up at him, but it didn't stop her from seeing the outraged expression on his face. She could practically see the lightning roaring behind his hard irises. His hand came up and stroke her hair tenderly, before grabbing it harshly at her neck, tilting her face upwards, barring her throat for him. Frightening.
He crashed his lips to hers, pushing her against the wall with his body. He forced his way inside her mouth and invaded it with his wet tongue. He rubbed it against hers, making her mewl at the sheer force of possessiveness he was putting in every move of his muscles. Her hands wrapped around his neck, pulling herself up to met him and his lips. The loss of air had her eyes water, but she could care less now that she was being claimed by this ravenous man.
She let out an unhappy moan when he left her lips. A long string of saliva still connected them as they panted after their furious make out. Her cheeks were pink as she looked hazily at him.
"What was that for?" she asked breathily, trying to raise herself to his lips again.
"I think you know what, Sakura," he said hoarsely, stroking her fragile throat with his fingers, "I do not like sharing."
The silent threat he was giving her had her shiver with excitement, and she took a quivering breath. "I don't really see what you mean… I'm not giving myself to any other…" she whispered, moaning submissively when he pressed against her larynx.
He narrowed his eyes. "Don't humor me, Sakura. Exactly what do you think is not wrong about kissing another man?" he hm-ed, pressing closer to her.
"Reuniting," she whimpered, feeling her own vulnerability as his hand crept around her neck.
"Reuniting you say?" his voice was dark, murderous. She could feel the vibrating of his chest when he chuckled, "and that you have to do with a kiss? What is he to you? A lover?"
The intense jealousy was draping her in a shaded coat of fear, one she had never experienced before. "Y-you know I have never done it, Itachi…" she pleaded, remembering how she had told him she was not ready to lose her virginity yet when they went to bed the previous weekend.
"A lover does not have to be someone you have had sexual contact with," he slip his fingers down to the buttons on her school uniform jacket. "What are your feelings for him, Sakura?"
The tone was surprisingly light, but she tried to choose her words wisely, "love, but--
"Love you say?" he opened the white jacket's first button, "have you told him you love him too?"
"Of course, he's my--
"Ah, I see," the suddenly dead voice had her heart skip a beat, out of fear. "So you enjoy playing with men?"
"Itachi, listen to me…" she begged, grabbing the hand that was about to open her shirt. She was breathing erratically, fear of what he could do to her making her messed up. "Sasori is my…nii-chan is my cousin," she confessed, not daring to look up at him.
Lucky her she didn't, the judging look he gave her would have broken her heart. "Is that so?"
She nodded. "I haven't seen him in so long… And we… we used to kiss all the time as children…" she gathered her courage to turn her face upwards to meet his stare. "I love him as a brother, Itachi," she gently tugged at his face to make him come closer to her, and gently placed a kiss on his stiff lips.
His expression didn't change, but he hoisted her up so she was resting against his hips. He moved her legs to tell her hand wrap them around him, and she obeyed enthusiastically. "Even if he is your cousin I do not like lending what belongs to me to anyone else… and for giving yourself away so willingly calls for a punishment," his voice was like crushed velvet, and she had to bite her lip to not moan.
"What do you mean by 'punishment'?" she asked shyly, gasping when he lifted her off the wall and walked over to his desk. He kissed her as he cleared the chestnut board from all kinds of material before setting her down on it.
The kiss they shared this time was so much gentler than the previous one, the possessiveness was still there, yes, but he was considerate, as if apologizing for his immature behavior. She moaned when he set a hand on her chest, adding pressure to the touch as they indulged in each other's pleasure. She could feel his arousal nudging against the inner side of her thigh, and she gasped.
He didn't let her break the kiss to object to their activities, however. His hand had undone her buttons on her shirt and was stroking her warm stomach gently. The feather touch had her giggling into their kiss, and she tightened her hold on his neck. But she wouldn't giggle so much if she knew what her partner was thinking at the moment…
Sneakily, almost unnoticeably he moved his hand to cup her breast, and squeezed it, much to her surprise. Her gasp caused her to break the contact of their faces, and she glared at him, "Itachi!"
"Don't tell me you still don't want to," he said, muttering in disgruntlement at her rejection.
"It's been four days since I told you the last time!" she hissed, "do you always listen selectively?!"
"As a matter of fact, I do," he said, sighing as he sat back in his chair. He motioned for her to sit on his lap. She blushed and frowned, suspecting him to do something again, but heeded his wish for her to place her soft thighs on his hard ones. She wrapped and arm around his neck, giving him a kiss on his temple.
"What did you call me for?" she asked, as she absentmindedly combed his hair with her fingers.
"I simply wanted to see you," he said and put his arms around her waist. He was looking at her face, but soon his eyes trailed down to the skin exposed by the opened shirt. His red orbs glazed over as he drank in all the exposed skin. His stare was angering the innocent vixen in his lap.
"The more you stare, the longer until you get any," she muttered, hastily working the loose buttons on her shirt, "it makes me feel like I'm just an object…"
He smiled at her childish grumpiness, and nuzzled her neck. He pulled her to his chest, kissing her pale skin. "You're an object I am quite found of, then," he said, lowering his lashes.
She huffed, blushing slightly. She felt her heart beat fast, her mind flashing back to the late Friday evening when she told him she just might be starting to like him. She had not gotten an answer from him, because the lead-weighted silence between them had been abruptly disturbed when her phone had gone off. On the other end of the line Naruto had been hysterically wondered why she had not come home yet, and why her voice had been pitching so strangely. He had, of course, feared the worst and suspected that he had just interrupted some kind of crazy bed play, and started a frenzy in her house.
She had tried to assure him that they had not done anything at all, but was not believed when she stuttered. Sasuke had then stolen the receiver from his boyfriend and talked to her, only sheer brotherly jealousy revealing his inner turmoil of emotion. However, he had almost started to believe her, as well as convincing the blonde madman going on a rampage the same thing. That is, until his brother sneaked up behind her and made quick work of a hickey on her shoulder. Of course this had set off a chain reaction of yelps, screams and tripping, leaving the three childhood friends in panic, and amazement in how a single man who had not murdered (or had he?) could cause such havoc.
"Naruto is still going to kill you, you know?" she said and rested her head against his as she observed the many diplomas and nominations hanging on his wall.
He chuckled, "A man like him could never do that."
"And what exactly do you mean with that?"
"A uke cannot touch a seme," his naughty comment made Sakura jump, she was almost horrified by his attitude, and saw that he was very well aware of that.
"Excuse me?" she said and furrowed her brows in confusion. Itachi was gay? Had he mistaken her for a male? He seemed to read her mind.
"No, Sakura, I am not gay. That gene was given to Sasuke. If you want me to prove it I'd be more than happy too--
"No, thanks," she responded harshly.
"A seme is the dominant one in a relationship, any relationship, and I think you have known enough Uchiha's to know we would never…submit ourselves to anyone?" he could have laughed at her comical expression, and broadened his smirk.
"Still, uke and seme… it sounds so wrong coming from you…" she wrinkled her nose when he leaned back.
"I am sorry if I offended you, Sakura," he mocked her, but she didn't even get angry, since he was obviously inviting her to rest against his body. And she did have a rough day, so she decided to accept his invite. She rested her nose by the crook of his neck, and connected her small, cold hand with his large, hot one. His calloused fingers gently squeezed hers as he pulled her closer to him with his other arm. She closed her eyes and breathed the masculine scent he emitted, something resembling rainwater that calmed her senses.
She was starting to doze off when suddenly the door was thrown open and a small collection of people stormed through it. In the lead was a blonde man with long hair, together with her cousin and a man she had not seen in a while, Uchiha Shisui.
"Oh dear god, you were right, My-chan!!" the black haired male gasped when he saw his cousin and childhood friend cuddling.
"Uchiha Itachi, you better let go of my adorable imoto right now!" Sasori threatened, his chocolate eyes narrowing to thin slits.
"That is your cousin?! Damn, she's one sweet piece of cherry pie, un!" the blond declared.
"Shut up, Deidara," the redhead growled.
"Now, now, you're intimidating her!" the voice of a female rose from behind the arguing men. The low tone had a strange accent, almost as if the person was skipping vocals. The secretary, whom Sakura now noted was quite a beauty (much to her chagrin), pushed between the irritated males and smiled absolutory, "sorry, Itachi, I couldn't stop them."
Itachi seemed more than a bit disturbed by the interruption, and glared angrily. "Gentlemen, do you need anything?" he asked.
"Yes, I need you to let go of Sakura," Sasori challenged his junior (but still superior) workmate.
"I'd rather not," when two fiercely protective and possessive men faced off against each other there was only one way to solve the conflict, someone had to step in.
"Nii-san, it's alright, he's not a lolicon freak," she turned to the man she was sitting on, "at least I don't think so."
He chuckled, "if you want me to, I could become one."
The pink haired teenager did not seem to be the only one disturbed by the high-ranked officers distinctive courting. "Is your family drawn to strange and freaky people or something? I mean, first a medium, and now a psychopath, un?" the blond, seeming to be named Deidara, asked.
"Excuse me?" Sasori and the brown haired woman said at the same time.
"You twohave been together fartoo long," Shisui said.
"Speak for yourself," the annoyed detective snapped, "and you, Itachi, you better get your hands of her soon."
"What? You have the right to touch your girlfriend and I don't get to touch mine? And as you see, Sakura is not objecting," as if to clear his point he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them gently.
If her cousin had not been such a composed person as he was, he would have been as red in the face as his hair. "You son of a--
"Sasori," the woman standing by him put a calming hand on his shoulder, "Itachi is just trying to get to you."
Sighing, Sakura got off the muscular legs she was sitting on, and awkwardly buttoned her uniform jacket. The Uchiha seemed more than a little displeased by her actions.
"It's not fair the Uchiha's get all the hot chicks! And why are all of them related to Sasori, un?!" Deidara cried, crossing his arms angrily.
"Better an Uchiha than a maniac bomber," the redhead snarled.
"Excuse me?! Exactly who saved thousands of people by disarming a subway bomb? What have those done? Employed you? Heh, they must be crazy, un," the strange suffix the blonde added was puzzling the rosette, and thereby annoying her.
"Shut up, you bimbo!" Shisui hit the blonde in the back of his head, thereby starting a smaller wrestling game between them.
Ignoring the two three year olds in grown men's bodies, Sasori walked up to his cousin and grabbed her hand. He was about to drag her out of the office when he noticed her other hand still being connected to his boss. "Come on, Sakura, I'll take you home," he coaxed her into following him by tugging at her arm, but she was uncertainly standing still.
"It seems Sakura prefer to stay, Sasori," Itachi confirmed, pleased with the fact that his little doll was not very eager to obey the command she had been given.
"Do you want me to crush that pretty little face of yours?"
"Isn't your motto 'art is eternal'?" those long lashes fluttered teasingly.
The red head felt his face twist into a disgusted grimace. "Your face is as much art as the emperor is Amaterasu's son," he snarled.
"Oh, stop it!" Sakura yelled and yanked her hands free, glaring at the surprised males. "If you want to be just as immature as those two," she pointed at the still fighting men on the floor, "keep me out of it!"
A heavy silence settled around them. Stern stares were exchanged, and everyone stood unmoving, that is, until two people couldn't stand the intense air. "I can't take this, damn it!!" Shisui and the brown haired girl screamed at the same time.
"You're an Uchiha, you should be able to take silence!" she complained.
"You're from the north, you should be able to handle silence better than me!" the spiky hairs fluttered across his face as he turned.
"Of course not! Do you know how much theytalk over there?!" she growled in frustration.
"What the hell…?" Sakura asked, and looked to her cousin for an explanation.
Sasori sighed. "Those two never get along, My and Shisui that is. My is a Nordic, and doesn't get along very well with the idiot," the bickering continued to ease the tension in the room, and the blonde man started to laugh.
"You're just as serious as always, Sasori-danna, un!"
Really, that the hell is up with that suffix?!
"Not everyone can be a goofball who mistakes the victim for the perpetrator," the scuff that followed spoke or itself; you're an idiot.
"It was one. Fucking. Time!" Deidara growled.
"It was an attempted rape," Sasori sighed, "who is most plausible to have been exposed to such a crime? A woman who is crying, shaking and is inhaling opioids or a man in a police car with his hands tied together with a pair of handcuffs?"
"You bastard, un! I'm going to--
"I have to say I would go with the man, if I do say so myself," Sakura said, making five sets of eyes settle on her, "What?"
Shisui and My broke out laughing, while her cousin and boyfriend settled with a smirk. "Excuse me, but what's so funny?" she frowned.
"Nothing, koi. It's nothing," Itachi waved it off and stood up. He grabbed her hand and looked at his secretary, "My-san, would you please prepare some coffee, please."
"Fine, go ahead, demand me to do all your dirty work," she turned with a foxy smile and left the room, followed by Deidara who muttered something about rubbing off, explosions, caffeine and sugar.
"No, no, no, Sasori, you can't kill him now, we're in a police station," Shisui said comprehensibly, "let's go down to the garage and put one of those bombs in his car that goes off when you turn the key!"
"You have an excellent point there, Shisui," Sasori smirked, the black haired man he was stabbing with his gaze seemingly didn't acknowledge it.
"Deidara will be suspected, because everyone knows he hates Itachi and loves explosions," with a content grin the Uchiha nodded.
"Shisui, if you want to kill me, you shouldn't talk about it within my hearing range," the red eyes of the sub-master of the police department gleamed warningly.
His cousin made a nervous laugh, and put his hands in front of himself defensively. He didn't say anything, which was unusual for his personality, however, he did grumble something after that.
"Stupid, arrogant, bureaucrat…"
Word count: 4 379
Waaaah! I'm so sorry for the wait! Even though I said I would have it up quickly! But I thank all those who have reviewed, you really give me energy to write!
I apologize, but as many can relate to; life has a bothering habit to get in one's way. That's why it's not a long chapter. And besides, I feel that the rest that I had planned would just have been meaningless chatter… And I hate fillers, so writing this damned filler-chapter was a pain in the behind.
Oh yeas, how do you like evil Itachi? Or should I say; Itachi the bastard? I was so angry when I wrote the part where he practically abused Sakura. Yup, I get too emotional!
I promise that the next chapter will be longer, because it's one I have been yearning to write!!
Everyone, You have to be thankful to my awsomistic beta too! Dolls is so fast and awsome :D
You know, if you review, I will write faster :D