❝... if you walk carefully, I will walk in your footsteps...❞

He found himself stare at the red-head with pink dyed bangs a little too long. Her attention was buried in the newspaper in front of her. His hands clenched the mug in his hands as he tried to read her mind. She had been serious on the point of moving on, hadn't she? Her mind was set not to wait for Leader's orders. His brows furrowed with the thought of it. Kisha and Pein had never been another's best friends, but she always carried out the order nonetheless. He cleared his throat, wanting to grab her attention. A small 'mhm' was all he received as response.

"You're really serious about this, ain't you?" Kisame asked. Forest-floor coloured optics looked up from the newspaper and met his stony gaze. She blinked her eyelids and folded her hands on the table in front of her.

"I don't plan on spending my entire life running" Kisha said, leaning a bit over the table as she talked with her voice lowered. She didn't want to bring any unwanted attention. They had attention enough two other places; they didn't need any in Suna as well.

Kisame pondered with her words as she turned her attention back to the newspaper. He didn't get why she was reading locals news for at a time like this. Shouldn't they… she be looking for a place to stay? He didn't get her; he simply didn't. Shaking the thoughts off his shoulders, he down his coffee. Suddenly the sound of a chair scrambling against the floor sounded, making him look up.

"Where are you going?" he asked with the rare monotone of his.

"There's an available apartment not far from here" Kisha said with a simple shrug before heading off, leaving Kisame on his own. 'No way in hell!' Shooting up from his own chair he went after the red-head. There was no way she was going off on her own. True was the fact that Kisame never trusted her.

"I swear, I'll kill you, I promise you that!" a young girl yelled a top her lungs.

"Save it for someone who cares! I was merely told to bring you here, nothing more, nothing less" the board male said as he put the red-head down on the couch.

"I've no fucking idea what the hell you want, but you better have a proper explanation for this!" the girl barked.

"Kamizhuka Kisha, high school senior, material art champion and opposition leader in Iwagakure" a rusty voice broke in between the arguing two. Brownish optics flew to a man with spiky orange hair and piercings in almost all his face. A cool shiver ran down the girl known as Kisha's spin. Backing away a few meters, Kisame watched the scene from the other side of the room. Leader did not seem to be in mood for arguing. He looked utterly determined as he approached the girl.

"Who is asking?" Kisha's eyes narrowed to slits as she watched the man coming closer and closer, stopping barely two meters before her.

"I'm not asking, I'm stating your file" the man's deep voice spoke as he mentioned a few things from the open folder he held in his hand. The scowl on the only eighteen year old girl's face hardened. He talked about her activities like it was some kind of joke.

"I want you in" Kisame's head jerked towards his leader, who looked at the girl before him with a serious expression. However, his expression stoned as she began to laugh. What was he thinking? They never just accepted a new member. It took time for them to be spotted, and even if they were in position to become member, they wouldn't be accepted just like that. It took at least 2 or 3 years of loyalty.

"I don't think so" Kisha's voice became cold. The bluenette's head snapped to the ginger. Was she thinking this was some sick joke? No one got accepted into the Akatsuki just like that. And especially not a girl this young! What the hell was she thinking! What was Leader thinking! Questions raced in his mind.

"Excuse me, but why would you want such a weak scum in the Akatsuki?" Kisame butted in. Locking gaze with his leader he continued to speak. "A girl of her kind is weak. An emotional and physical weak lassie shouldn't be in a place like this". Flying to her two feet, the red haired senior flicked the blade in her pocket open before jabbing it into the wall beside his head.

"I promise you this; even if I did join, I would find a way to get out of here soon. And when that happens, your head will be the first thing on my list" her voice was husky, dulled and low.

Kisame rubbed the back of his neck as he followed the red-head to an address.

"What is this?" he asked.

"This, my darling! Is a place where there lives a woman who rents out apartments" Kisha said as she knocked on the front door. After a couple of seconds the door cracked open, revealing an elderly woman who greeted them happily. She listened patiently as the younger female explained they were needed a place to live because they just moved there. Kisame mentally face-palmed. Couldn't she at least have come up with a better excuse than that? But nonetheless he would soon enough be finding himself inside an empty home; containing a kitchen, bathroom, livingroom and two bedrooms.

"I understand it must be hard for such young couple to find a decent place to live" the elderly woman said, catching the blunette of guard. Couple? She must be—

"It's… pretty difficult indeed" now it was all clear; she was out of her mind. The elder woman smiled and excused herself to leave the two of them alone.

"What are you doing?" Kisame lowered his voice so only Kisha would be able to hear it.

"What do you mean?"

"You made it sound like we were an actual couple, which we aren't!" his eyes narrowed a little as she looked over her facial profile.

"I'm taking care of us. Couple or not, I want this place here and I'll give whatever to get a normal life" her optics met his. Determination was clear in her eyes. She was serious, but he wasn't clear with everything she said. She wasn't serious about the couple thing, but went with it? What a great joke, and apparently the old lady bought it, too. Glancing out the window he spaced out in his own thoughts, not hearing anything the two women talked about. 'Have you never thought about moving on with your life?' Sighing, he ran a rough hand through his short, blue hair. It was no lie the adrenaline was still surging through his body. The place was quiet, only cars passed by on the street outside. He glanced to his companion; she seemed relaxed with this. He had a life, always had. The Akatsuki was his life; it was who he was.

What if she had a point in sticking around. He would stay there – with her – to make sure she wouldn't try something that would lead to an escape that is. Any unplanned leave from the Akatsuki was reason for execution.

❝... because then I may be sure not to get hurt❞