Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter Ten
After Pein announced that I already had been a member of the Akatsuki for two months the next morning, chaos broke out.
All except Pein, Kakuzu, Deidara, Hidan and Sasori were talking loudly enough to give the neighbors headaches. Pein, Kakuzu, Deidara and Hidan were silent because they already knew, Sasori was silent because he hadn´t taken his eyes off of me. As Pein, Kakuzu, Deidara and Hidan tried to answer the questions from the others; Sasori got up and dragged me out of the kitchen with a hard grip on my arm.
As he dragged me towards his bedroom I started to get nervous, he still hadn´t uttered a word. He more or less threw me on the bed and now I was scared for real, he was to violent not to scare me.
He actually reminded me of our father right now.
"Sori…" I started but got cut off. "Why didn´t you tell me?" And I realized that he wasn´t angry, he was upset. "You were in the hospital when Pein asked me and… and I was afraid that you´d get angry with me…" I told him, eyes to the ground. He sighed. "I wouldn´t get angry… I just wish I knew this before…" He said, leaning on the wall. I got up from the bed and gave him a hug. "Sorry Sori." I told him and he gave me a small smile. "You want to see my tattoo?" I asked him and when he nodded I turned around and moved my hair out of the way. "It´s beautiful." He told me and I knew we were okay again.
That same night Pein called me to the office, apparently something was going on since he had sent out Hidan and Kakuzu and Kisame and Itachi during the day. When I arrived at the office, Sasori and Deidara were there and apparently waiting for me. "What´s going on?" I asked them. "Not sure, but something big is about to happen since Pein is sending out three teams." Deidara told me.
The door opened and Pein entered with a troubled face. I tensed up instinctively knowing something was wrong.
"What´s happening un?" Deidara asked and Pein sighed before answering. "I´m not sure… there´s a lot of movement on the borders but nothing´s happened yet. It´s confusing."
"Anyway I need the three of you out on patrol by the western border, stick together and be careful. Itachi and Kisame are at the north border and Hidan and Kakuzu are patrolling the eastern one." We all nodded before going down into the basement to gear up.
They hadn´t showed me the basement until very recently, it had a big, heavy security door and a code lock. The inside was just as secure with no windows and camera surveillance. At first I didn´t think they had anything that could possibly need this much security, but boy was I wrong…
Inside the basement were weapons of all kinds as well as a large array of blades and Kevlar vests. There was also a large box of different bombs that clearly belonged to Deidara as well as some other random things.
When we left the basement all three of us were wearing Kevlar under our shirts and the weapons of our flavor. I had a small handgun at the small of my back and a couple of knives hidden on my body.
We all got into a big black suv and headed to our designated area, no one talking all of us preparing for a routine patrol that might not be routine at all.
We parked the car and then did our round, constantly prepared for something to happen.
But nothing did.
And after a couple hours Pein called us and told us that the other teams were heading back and that we should too. Not one team had seen anything suspicious and that´s exactly what had me on the edge.
Not once before had all the teams sent out found absolutely nothing.
Something was going on.
We were headed back to the car now but I got the feeling that someone was watching me so I stopped. "Is something wrong Sakura?" Sasori asked me stopping as well. "I got a feeling that someone is watching me…" I told him and looked behind me.
"It´s probably nothing… let´s go home now un." Deidara said and we started walking back to the car again. When we were almost at the car I saw a small blinking red light from underneath the car and I froze on the spot.
"Run!" I yelled at Sasori and Deidara and then grabbed both of their hands before running back the way we came from. But we hadn´t got far away when the car suddenly exploded, the shockwave lifting us from the ground.
I lost my grip on the boys hands when we were airborne but I soon landed hard on the ground, knocking the air out of me. Parts of the car dropped down beside me and I shielded my head with my arms.
Adrenaline was running through me numbing the pain I was sure to feel later, I could tell I had some burns and bruises, probably some cuts too.
I got to my feet only to see us surrounded by sound members in black clothes. Thankfully neither Orochimaru nor Sasuke were with them. Both Sasori and Deidara were on their feet beside me looking a bit banged up but okay.
"You okay?" Sasori asked me and I nodded. "Yes, can we take these guys down?" I didn´t get an answer so I assumed that he didn´t know if we could or not. "Don´t worry Blossom, when the car blew up its signal disappeared so Pein will send out a team or two to investigate if he can´t reach us by phone." Deidara whispered to me and I nodded. "Then we´ll just have to manage until then." I concluded and took my fighting stance.
We were clearly outnumbered but I kept my cool, I knew backup was only minutes away and I was not going to panic. One of the sound guys stepped forward, probably the leader of this group.
"Hand over the girl and no one have to get hurt." He said in a calm voice. "No." Was Sasoris simple answer. The man frowned. "Then I guess we have to take her by force." He gave the other guys a hand signal and they attacked.
I felt confident that as long as no guns showed up Sasori and Deidara would be fine so I concentrated on fighting the three guys that were attacking me.
I dodged a punch aimed at my throat and used the guy as leverage to get in a powerful kick to the one next to him who went down easily. I saw in the corner of my eye how Deidara fought with three guys and another one creeping up on him from behind so I hurled one of my hidden knives and lodged it in that guys back.
Deidara shouted a thank you to me and I went back to fighting, barely dodging a kick to the stomach. I took down another guy and looked around to see that we had taken down more than half of the group attacking us.
I heard two car engines closing in on us and the leader of the group yelled at his remaining men. "Let´s get out of here!" Then he pulled a gun and shot me in the chest.
I was thrown back at the force of the bullet, lying on my back I struggled to catch my breath as pain radiated through me. I heard footsteps approaching fast and suddenly Kisames worried face was hovering over me.
"Where did you get hit?" He asked me and I wheezed out. "Chest." He immediately ripped open my shirt and relief filled his eyes as he said. "The bullet is in the vest, you´re okay."
I was able to breathe again and he helped me to my feet were he took a closer look at me. "Damn kitten you look like hell." I looked down at myself and had to agree with him. My clothes were burned and tattered, I had scrape wounds on my knees and hands and minor burns on my face and arms. I was starting to get bruises and despite the bullet being caught in the Kevlar it hurt like hell.
"Yeah well the night went downhill after the car exploded." I said and he burst out laughing. Suddenly I was surrounded by Deidara, Sasori and Itachi all of them looking at me worriedly but I just pointed to the shiny bullet in my vest, telling them. "See? I´m fine."
They all visibly relaxed and then Kisame picked me up, carrying me to the car. "I can walk on my own you know." I told him but he just sat me in the backseat before sliding in after me. "I know." Was his simple answer and then the other guys got in the car and we were finally on our way home.
Now that the adrenaline had left my body I felt how tired I was, and how much everything hurt… By the looks of Deidara and Sasori I was pretty sure they felt about the same as me. We pulled up in front of the house to see that all the others were outside, waiting for us.
By Kakuzus and Konans tense statures I guessed that no one had thought of calling them, telling them we were alright. Or maybe it was just standard procedure, I didn´t know. But as soon as Kisame helped me out of the car Kakuzu picked me up and carried me inside the house closely followed by Kisame and Hidan. I looked behind us to see Sasori and Deidara being whisked away by Konan, Pein and Itachi so maybe there was some kind of standard procedure…
Kakuzu brought me to my bedroom and sat me down on the bed telling me to not to move. I shot a questioning glance at Kisame and Hidan as Kakuzu left the room and Kisame answered me. "When something happens you don´t get to do anything until you´re cleared by Kakuzu or Konan. It´s really just in case there some serious injury that hasn´t showed itself." I nodded. "So I can´t shower or take of the vest or anything until Kakuzu says its fine?" "That´s right." He told me and smiled. I only sighed but luckily Kakuzu came back at that moment.
He looked at me, a serious expression on his face and he asked me. "Where did the bullet hit?" I saw Hidan stiffen at that, guess he hadn´t realized why my shirt was torn open. "Here." I said and pointed at the small shiny bullet that was lodged in the vest. If the vest hadn´t stopped it would have gone thru my chest between my breasts.
"Do you wear a bra under the vest?" Kakuzu asked and I felt myself blush as I nodded. "Good then you can remove the vest." I looked up to see Kisame with a slight blush making his cheeks tinged a light purple and I gave him a small smile as I started to unclasp the vest with fumbling fingers.
When I finally got the stupid vest off I heard Hidan and Kisame gasp and I looked down to see a huge bruise between my breasts. Kakuzu frowned and then gently started prodding the bruise, I winced every now and then but he concluded that it hadn´t done any real damage at least. He then took care of my burns and cuts and scrapes before telling me that I could shower and go to bed but to call him if I started bleeding or getting trouble breathing. I only nodded and then he and Kisame left.
Hidan still hadn´t said anything and he didn´t show any intent of moving soon so I asked him. "Hidan, are you okay?" He looked at me and said. "Yeah… Just thinking about what could´ve happened." "Well I´m fine, see?" I told him and took his hand so that he could feel that the bullet hadn´t hurt me. He blushed and took his hand back and that´s when I realized what I had done. I had basically forced him to feel me up!
I blushed as well then stood up with the words. "I´m going to shower." Before I fled to the bathroom. But as I barely got my clothes off due to the pain in my body I realized that showering was going to be a problem. I wrapped myself in a towel before going back into my bedroom, finding Hidan sitting on the bed where I left him.
"Hidan? Can you help me?" I asked him, breaking him out of his thoughts. He gave me a questioning look and I explained my problem. "If I put on a bikini, could you help me shower? My whole body hurts…" "Of course I´ll help you." He cut me off and stood up. "I´m just going to put on some swim shorts." He told me and disappeared into his own room.
A few minutes later I had managed to get myself into a simple peach colored bikini and reentered the bathroom only to find Hidan already in the shower, his muscled back against me.
I dropped the towel and joined him in the shower; he turned around just in time to catch me as I tripped over the low threshold. He caught me and said, probably without thinking. "Jashin, you are clumsier than bambi on ice." I laughed despite the pain in my chest and told him. "Glad to have you back, I don´t really like the silent you." Earning a weak smile in return.
He then proceeded to wash my hair with gentle hands, making me feel as if I could fall asleep right there on the spot. My head fell back against his shoulder as he rinsed my hair from the lasts suds, apparently startling him as he gripped me around the waist. "Is everything alright? You´re not feeling dizzy are you?" He asked me, worry lacing his voice.
"No I´m just tired." I told him and I felt him smile against my neck. "Then I better get you tucked into bed." He replied and turned off the water. He then wrapped me in a towel before carrying me into my bedroom and handing me my pajamas and clean underwear before leaving me alone to change.
Funny how he was bothered by me making him touch my chest but not by going through my underwear drawer.
I dried myself and managed to get myself in my pajamas even though it took some time. By the time I called to Hidan that I was dressed he had already asked me if I needed help four times.
He took away my wet towel before getting me under the covers and turning off the lights. "Sweet dreams Cherry." He told me before closing the door but by then I was already sleeping.
When morning came, I woke to pain. My whole body hurt so bad I could barely move. I groaned then lied back down on the bed, I wouldn´t go anywhere today apparently. I mean, I knew it was going to hurt but this was ridiculous. I knock was heard from the door before Konan entered. "You ready for some breakfast?" She asked me and I sighed. "I would love some breakfast, I´m starving. But I don´t think I can get out of bed."
"You´re hurting that much?" She asked with a slight frown. I only nodded. "Well roll over on your stomach then and I´ll see what I can do to help." She told me with a smile and I did as she asked making the giant bruise on my chest hurt more but if she could ease some of the pain from my muscles it would be worth it.
She help pull off my shirt and then undid my bra so that she could work directly on my bare back. As she started softening up my tense muscles small groans of both pain and pleasure escaped me. "What the fuck are you two doing?"
It was Hidans voice and it came from the doorway, he was looking at us not like he didn´t know if he should laugh or ask for a free show. "I´m trying to make it possible for Sakura to get out of bed." She answered while silently daring him to ask for a show.
He didn´t say anything else but I could feel his gaze on me, or at least until Konan said. "Hidan can you go and fetch Pein please? I don´t think I can fix this on my own…" "Sure, I´ll be right back." He answered before he left us. "Do these things happen to you guys as well or is it just me?" I asked Konan as she got off me. "Oh it happens to all of us, after a few times you will feel it before your muscles locks themselves and then you can get a massage from one of us to prevent this." She explained to me and I immediately felt better.
"Everyone can give massages at this place?" I asked her. That was one thing I hadn´t expected. "Yes, but not all can fix it when it becomes like this. When you´re as tense as you are now only Pein can fix it." She told me right before there was a knock on my door and Pein entered my bedroom.
"I hear you have a problem with moving?" He asked me, a small smile on his lips. "Yeah, the problem is that I can´t." I answered confidently before Konan stood up and said. "Well I´m going to make the boys breakfast for now, I´ll save some for you and Sakura." She then gave Pein a light kiss on the cheek before leaving us two alone in my bedroom.
Now I was nervous.
But Pein seemed just as confident as normal when he climbed onto my bed and straddled me, sitting on my thighs, one knee on each side of my hips. Then he pressed on one of my painfully tense muscles, making me wince. "Hmm I see why Konan couldn´t fix this…" He mumbled to himself before he started working his magic on my back.
It took him nearly an hour but when he was done I could move again and without extreme pain so I was quite thankful. He even redid my bra without making a fuzz over it. But when I rolled over on my back before getting up I flashed him the huge bruise on my chest as well as some cleavage.
He actually managed to look at the bruise without making me feel like he was ogling my boobs.
"I´m buying more of those Kevlar vests." He announced before leaving my bedroom so that I could get dressed.
When I entered the kitchen a few minutes later I was dressed in a pair of jeans shorts and a simple white t-shirt that was so big on me that it hung off one shoulder. I grabbed some of the food that was waiting for me before sitting down at the table where Sasori, Deidara and Itachi already sat.
I expected Sasori to fuzz over me but when he barely even looked at me I got nervous. "What´s happening?" I asked them, letting them know that I knew something was going on. "We got a mission Blossom… A long one, un…" Deidara told me. So that´s why they were so serious. "When are you leaving?" I asked them next. "Tonight." Came Itachis short answer. "And how long will you be gone?" This time Sasori looked me in the eyes before answering. "Probably around two months."
That night I sat on Sasoris bed as he packed, he was worried that something would happen when he and the others were away. "Promise me that you won´t go off on your own and that you´re careful. I don´t want to come to a sister that is dead or injured." He told me but instead of answering him I stood up and wrapped my arms around him in a hug. "I´ll be fine Sori… Just make sure that you´ll come back to me. All three of you." We stood silent for a while before a knock on the door told us that it was time for him to go.
I followed him to the garage where I immediately flung myself at Deidara, enveloping him in a tight hug. "Take care of each other and come back to me." I whispered in his ear and he hugged me tighter for a moment before letting me go. "We´ll do." He promised me before getting in the car.
Then I turned to Itachi and gave him an equally tight hug. "Be careful and come back, I´ll miss you guys." I whispered to him and he gave me a light flick on the forehead before getting in the car with Deidara.
At last I once again hugged Sasori to me tightly before whispering to him. "Don´t get killed, come back to me, I love you Sori." He only pressed a light kiss on top of my head before getting in the car and disappearing into the night.
I didn´t even notice that I was crying.