Naruto 1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A story for a friend, it takes priority right now, hope you enjoy chapter one!

**PASSION**

chapter one:_ "HOW'S THAT FOR LIT?"_

* * *

Her name was Kimiko Yuki, and she _almost_ made it.

* * *

A journey of a thousand leagues begins beneath one's feet.

- Lao Tzu

* * *

She stood on the verge of the most crucial event of her life and she didn't know it.

The world was darkening quickly, preparing to surrender itself to the rhythmic state of sleep. Her breath came out in labored huffs as she struggled to keep up with the men in front of her. Moisture clung to the inside of her ANBU mask, a combination of her own sweat and condensed water from her breathing.

As they raced through the forested countryside, Kimiko thought of how aptly named the Land of Fire was. The sun may have been resigning for the evening, now sinking under the horizon, but the air had not cooled; it remained a furnace.

Perhaps the heat only seemed intolerable because her native land of Kirigakure had a climate more suited to snow.

Well, whatever made the warmth feel so uncomfortable didn't matter. She felt her fingers rise, as if moving of their own accord, to tug at the mask covering her face, pulling it up the slightest bit to let the breeze hit her flushed skin. _This place must make Hell look like a vacation to the snow caps, _she mused letting the wind caress and cool her cheeks before setting the painted cover back in place.

Her hazel eyes peered out through the horizontal eye slits of the mask, taking in the scenery. At least this place had one redeeming quality: it was beautiful.

The Hokage monument of Konoha was ever present in the distance, displaying the hard work of the several masterful stone masons living there. Honestly, when she found out that her teammates had planned to bypass the hidden village completely she had been slightly disappointed.

Her disappointment was quelled by the knowledge that if they were to stop they would be forced to explain their intentions to Tsunade-sama, the current Hokage. Not only would that slow them down dramatically and give their target essential time to disappear, but chances were they would also be saddled with a team of Leaf ninja that would insist on accompanying them.

She recalled the Mizukage's explicit warning to avoid other shinobi villages.

This was not the time to sight see. Her ANBU unit could not afford to lose this target - especially when it meant they could face _years _of waiting until the missing-nin resurfaced. He had a habit of vanishing, untraced. Many units before them had attempted to capture this particular rogue before but few had returned, and never successful. _I suppose that means Kisame is as good as they say._

She continued to watch as flurries of green, red, and gold whirred by her in the form of trees. She let a sigh escape her ruby lips, as they eventually passed Konoha as well. _Perhaps another time, _she thought, turning her head back to watch Ren's blurred figure still moving in front of her.

When he stopped abruptly Kimiko almost crashed straight into him. She had to throw her momentum to the side, nearly impaling herself on a tree branch in order to avoid sending them both flying out of the tree tops and then plummeting to the ground below.

"Damn it Ren," she cursed, making her way over to the boy, "Why the hell did you stop?!"

"Not my fault, Ayuma's orders," he said, shrugging her off.

"My bad, Kimiko-chan, I just thought we should set up camp here."

Kimiko turned to face the new voice, causing her hair to glimmer the color of polished bronze underneath the moonlight. Ayuma was approaching them, his dark eyes apologetic and a soft smile pulling across his handsome features. Noting the redundancy of wearing a mask at night, she removed hers as well, holding it in one slender hand.

"It's okay, Ayuma-kun," she said, tilting her head to the side and smiling back at him.

"Oh yeah Ayuma-kun, you can do whatever you want, it's totally fine," Ren imitated mockingly.

"Of course it's fine when he does it, he's the captain!" Kimiko snarled.

"Whatever."

Kimiko glared daggers at the slightly younger teenager, the beginnings of a scowl ripping away her previous smile. The ginger boy just smirked, winking at her as he went to stand by his brother's side. Naoki, who had just stepped into the clearing, was still sporting his mask but it was easy to see that the two were brothers simply by the way they acted. The two were practically inseparable.

Naoki, noticing the trend, pulled the wooden article off. The similarities were dramatic; the same shock of orange hair and the same gently sloping features. Pale lashes covered two similar sets of eyes, one pair the color of ash, the second a powdery blue. It was fairly obvious that Naoki was the elder of the siblings because along with his towering height, there was a certain degree of wisdom in his gray eyes.

"Very well, Ren, come help me set up the tents," came Naoki's smooth voice.

"Hai, nii-chan."

As the two constructed the tents, Kimiko felt a sudden chill slither down her spine, making her shiver. She knew instantly that it wasn't because of the rapidly cooling air. Ever since she was assigned to be the medic for this mission she had felt a nervous itch in the back of her mind. She was a fairly recent member of the ANBU but her affinity for chakra control had made her an excellent candidate for this rather daunting retrieval.

_I can do this, I just need to stop stressing myself out, _she soothed, sitting down a log in front of the freshly made tents.

"Move your ass, I need that to make the fire."

Kimiko gaped at Ren who was looking down at her with a bored smirk plastered to his face. She wanted to protest and tell him to go find firewood somewhere else but she found she didn't have the energy to bother. The aggravated woman stood up, setting her hands on her pronounced hips and watched him. Frustratingly enough, despite being a year younger, the ginger was a few inches taller than her.

When he finished arranging the logs he loomed over her still standing form, staring down at her with smug blue eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You still haven't lit the damn thing," she said, raising her chin in a dignified manner and pointing a perfectly polished fingernail at the cold logs.

"Watch," Ren replied, the smug look still noticeable.

He walked a few steps closer to the wood, making a few hand seals.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet!"

Flames burst forth from his open mouth before descending on the targeted wood. Heat exploded around the two teammates, dispelling the strengthening cold. Shadows began to seem like separate entities; watchful apparitions illuminated by the brilliant light of the fire. Then it stopped; the chill ensued, the shadows became lifeless once more.

Kimiko stared at Ren, shock overflowing in her russet eyes.

"How's that for lit?" he asked before sauntering over to his tent.

Kimiko didn't say anything, her mouth was still slightly ajar. How did he manage to pull off that technique? It looked like a pretty advanced jutsu. _He must have improved a lot... _Pressing her lips back together she retreated to her temporary living quarters as well.

The tents were small so she found that being limber was quite the advantage. She could stretch herself into a wide range of different sleeping positions in order to fit within the tight space afforded to her. Sleep claimed her relatively quickly, easing her tense muscles. The next morning they would arrive at their destination and once there they would take down Kisame.

She let a smile overtake her features as she drifted off.

* * *

Kisame Hoshigaki strolled along a fading dirt path. His white eyes were glued to Itachi as he watched the shinobi's graceful steps. _God, he's like some kind of swan. _Stealing a quick glance at the man's piercing red eyes to ensure he wasn't looking, Kisame attempted to imitate the younger's elegance.

"What _are _you doing?" Itachi asked, one ebony eyebrow raised.

"Oh, nothing," Kisame responded, returning to normal strides. _Damn, he saw me._

"Hn."

The shark-nin considered the possibility of starting up a conversation but chose not to. He knew the raven haired man preferred silence and he cringed at the thought of being as irritating as Hidan. Still boredom clung to the edges of his mind, slurring his thoughts.

Where were they going again? Back to the base in Amegakure. Why were they out here to begin with? To capture the nine tailed jinchuuriki but that hadn't panned out because the kid was being protected by a Sannin. Kisame gagged, remembering the summoning jutsu the Sannin had used to send them into the slimy stomach of a toad. Itachi had risked his health using his black flames to free them.

Now they were on their way home.

The sun had risen a few hours ago to signify their second day of almost continuous walking. Kisame was not lacking in stamina, far from it, but he assumed Itachi might be a little worse for wear. The younger looked at least a little tired, most likely from the exertion of casting those black flames. Luckily their journey was almost over, in another six or so hours they'd be arriving at the base and Itachi would be able to seek medical care.

Kisame stretched his bluish hands over his head, feeling a pleasant pull in the muscles coating his shoulders and back. He was somewhat anxious to get back to Amegakure as well, mostly out of hope that he would have some free time to spar with one of the organization's less busy members.

The enormous man turned to look at his partner who was kneading his temples with pale fingertips. When he suddenly stopped, Sharingan eyes snapping open, Kisame halted too. The pair were silent, listening intently for something. The shark-nin wasn't sure what the Uchiha had heard but he knew to trust the man's judgment.

Then it came, a rustling in the trees too loud to be birds or some other mundane animal. Now as the noise grew closer the sound of footsteps was distinct. Three pairs - maybe four. They were moving at a high velocity, obviously shinobi, no civilian could travel that fast.

The first to emerge was a man of perhaps twenty, he wore a mask that covered his face and Kisame immediately recognized it. _ANBU, they're hunter-nin._

"Itachi, watch out, these are hunter-nin from Kirigakure!"

Itachi responded with a sharp nod before activating his Mangekyo Sharingan. Upon looking into his eyes the man stopped in his tracks, no doubt caught unexpectedly in one of Itachi's genjutsu. The poor fool didn't even know what hit him.

* * *

"Wait," came Ayuma's stern voice as he came to a full stop at the edge of the woods. A dirt path curled endlessly just beyond the trees.

"Why, what's up?" asked Kimiko as she and Ren paused, glancing around.

"Look at Naoki."

The two directed their attention to the orange haired man who had frozen on the trail. He was looking at something only a few feet away but the trees were too dense for either of them to get a clear view of what it was. Ren's jaw fell though his mask concealed the startled expression.

A man strongly resembling a shark started to approach their ominously still friend. He hauled a sword even larger than himself across his wide back.

Before Ayuma could open his mouth to direct his two remaining teammates Ren had rushed out of the trees, making a wild dash to protect his brother. Ayuma grit his teeth. _Shit! _

Kimiko watched in horror as the man wielding the enormous bandaged sword smiled a toothy grin. He swung the weapon as if it weighed no more than a feather, sending it crashing against the significantly smaller kunai that Ren was holding in a defensive position. His mask shattered as the tip of Samehada pierced into it.

The younger ginger was standing a few feet in front of his brother protectively, his now revealed face broke into a wince as he used all of his strength to block the attack.

He barely managed it but the block was successful. Kisame swung Samehada for a second time, knocking the shinobi off balance, forcing him to slide backward a foot. Taking advantage of the opportune moment, the missing-nin struck out a third time moving with remarkable speed.

Ren had no time to block, much less launch an offensive jutsu. He sprung to the side but Kisame was faster, shifting the momentum of his weapon in record time. His sideswipe hit. Blood flew into the air, speckling Kisame's face in a fine spray. Ren's blue eyes widened as it splattered across his pale skin. He fell to his knees, orange hair scattering across his face, matted with the warm liquid.

Still fixed to her current position by fear, Kimiko screamed. As it turned out, that was the shock she needed to start moving. Racing across the distance between her and the two brothers, she slid on her knees to catch Ren's limp body before it hit the ground.

She hugged the man's body close to her, blood smearing across her face and clothing. She didn't care. Hot tears pressed at the back of her eyes and as she heard him whisper her name as she held him they finally escaped. Kimiko gently laid him down, summoning healing chakra to her hands.

"It's too late for that, he's as good as dead."

The words came from the shark man. She could tell there was laughter hidden in the sentence. She could feel the bitter words bite her, gnawing away at her heart. _No. No. He can't be dead. Please, no!_

_"How's that for lit?" _

With a sob stuck in her throat she allowed the chakra to fade away from her hands. She was an experienced medic, she knew he was dead. He had lost too much blood. That blood now covered her, soaking through her clothing and staining her skin. She searched for something to say but found nothing.

As Kisame approached, preparing himself to finish her off as well Ayuma found himself running to help her against his better judgment. He should have retreated and told the Mizukage that the mission was a failure. But he couldn't. He couldn't leave her and Naoki to the same fate Ren had met.

The dark haired man now stood at her side, holding out his hand to help her up. She took it and rose to her feet, not bothering to dust herself off. She promptly noticed that the other man, the one that must have trapped Naoki in the genjutsu, had now disappeared. She had no time to warn Ayuma before she felt a sharp pinch on the back of her neck.

Everything faded to black and she sunk to the ground. She was suddenly thankful for the ANBU mask that hid her tears from the world.

The last words she heard were her name being called out by Ayuma, then nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

This chapter's a bit short, sorry!

Please review, it'll keep me posting, I promise.

**PASSION**

chapter two: _"THEN LET'S DANCE."_

* * *

The cause was always desire _fueled_ by passion_._

* * *

All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire.

- Aristotle

* * *

" - didn't have to hit her so fucking hard."

"Yes, I realize that now, thank you for your insight."

"Just fucking saying man, she's been out for hours."

Kimiko's eyes fluttered open at the sound of two voices locked in some sort of dispute.

"She's waking up."

"You don't fucking say."

She pulled herself up, her elbows digging into an uncomfortably hard surface; a groan escaped her lips as she pressed one of her hands to her forehead.

"What the- where the hell am I?" she asked, glancing around at her surroundings.

The room was covered in artificial lights, giving it the same deathly feel as a sickroom. Every wall was painted a bland eggshell color and an unpleasant antiseptic odor hung thick in the unmoving air. A chill crept across her spine, whether it was due to the sterile coolness of the small area or the silhouettes of two dark figures standing over her, she didn't know. She glanced down to see what she was laying on.

"This is a bed? I thought I was laying on a fucking slab of rock," Kimiko complained.

"Oh, I_ like_ this bitch."

Kimiko directed her dark gaze to the man who spoke. His silver hair was slicked back and he was wearing a wicked grin but what she noticed most was the cruelty hidden in deceptively pretty amethyst eyes. She didn't recognize him but she did know the company he kept. _Akatsuki._

"You're in Amegakure, the Aka-"

She cut the raven haired man off, "I'm aware, why am I here?"

"Kisame said you might be useful to us."

"How could _I _be useful to _you_?"

He paused for a moment before responding simply. "You're a medic."

Kimiko thought about this and nodded slowly. If the situation had been different she may have laughed, but he seemed completely serious. They really believed she would heal them. After they kidnapped her and decimated her team - _her team!_

"What happened to my friends?" she demanded, afraid of the answer.

A flash of some undecipherable emotion flashed across scarlet eyes. He didn't answer. She felt herself go numb, her sight blurring as her eyes lost their capacity to focus. His hesitance was enough for her to took take an educated guess at the answer to that question.

"Who are you?"

"Damn you ask a lot of questions!"

"I am Itachi Uchiha, this is Hidan. And your name is Kimiko Yuki, correct?"

She nodded. There was no point in trying to conceal her identity, if they knew she was a medic then Kisame had probably recognized her. She noticed for the first time that she was still covered in sweat and that her clothing was stiff with blood. _Ren's blood._

As if reading her mind Itachi pointed to an open door at the back of the room. From her position on the mattress she could see the edge of a shower stall, the brunette marveled at Itachi's clairvoyance. Was she that easy to read? There was a pile of clothing sitting on the toilet seat and she knew it must be for her. Wow, S-rank criminals sure were considerate.

Without another word Itachi headed out of the room, leaving her to cleanse herself in what she hoped would be a pleasantly warm shower. Hidan moved to follow but stopped at the doorway, leaning against the wooden frame.

"I guess that's my cue to leave, but don't fucking hesitate to tell me if you get lonely in there."

Kimiko's jaw dropped and she narrowed her eyes. _What the hell does he think I am? _He grinned before shifting his weight forward and out of the bleak space. She dragged herself off of the bed, staggering into the narrow bathroom.

She left the bleached sheets laying in a crumpled pile at the foot of the mattress. The woman doubted the Akatsuki cared much for housekeeping anyway.

* * *

Kimiko ran the water until steam coated the mirror and the washroom looked more like a sauna. Then, disrobing and tossing her sullied clothes to the side, she stepped into the porcelain tub. She flipped her thick bronze hair behind her feeling it tickle the ivory skin of her back. The water ran over her face washing away dirt and memories.

She scrubbed her skin until it seared when the hot water touched it. When Kimiko finished working with the soap she took the bar to her hair, working it through her roots. After setting the slick bar back into position she arched her back so the soap ran out of her hair and down the drain.

Once she felt clean she shut off the shower and stepped onto the plush rug so she wouldn't slip on the steamed tile. After toweling her shoulder-length hair dry she used the rough material to wipe condensed water from the mirror. Peering at her foggy reflection she ran a brush through her hair, smoothing it down the best she could.

Kimiko was surprised to see that she actually looked presentable. Her hair was still damp making it look a few shades darker than it was but it had been managed easily. Pale skin had a pink flush to it but nothing too unseemly. Overall she supposed she could've looked quite a bit worse.

Glancing down at the outfit lying on the toilet she picked each article up gingerly to slide it over her relatively dry skin. She now wore a simple fitted black shirt and ankle-length pants the same color. They fit well, perhaps a bit loose but not baggy by any means.

She blinked, giving herself a onceover to ensure she looked appropriate. Finally satisfied she unlocked the bathroom door and walked into the cool air of the sickroom. _What now?_

Neither Itachi nor Hidan had told her what to do now. Maybe she should try to find them? Deciding this was as good an idea as any and glad for the chance to take a look around she slid on her shinobi sandals and headed out of the door. The brunette found herself at the end of a long corridor, she turned to the right and walked down the stone hallway.

Every few steps she would step under the glow of a new sconce. The pale lighting gave the entire place a gloomy atmosphere; a prevailing melancholy that made her cross her arms in front of her chest in hopes that it would provide her with a minimal amount of comfort. Unfortunately there was no such luxury.

"You probably shouldn't just wander the halls."

Kimiko spun on her heels to come face-to-face with a new man she didn't recognize. She took in his features, noting the distinctive shade of cinnamon hair that curled around his face in a unkempt but pleasant way. Her hazel orbs locked onto chocolate irises framed by thick black lashes. _He's lovely, almost like a doll._

"Why's that?"

"You don't know who you might run into."

She certainly hadn't thought of that, "Might you accompany me then?"

"I'll take you to Itachi but I don't have time to play guide."

A little taken aback by the frost in his tone she just nodded. He gave no indication of such in his expression but Kimiko could tell that he was a very impatient man. It was clear in his brisk walk and his curt demeanor. _Better not keep him waiting, _she shrugged, following him closely.

* * *

After a few twists and turns along the monotonous halls they arrived at a wide opening in the stone, it was cleanly cut but there was no door nor hinges of any sort. Instead it opened directly into a large room which was sparsely furnished. A large couch stood in the center, in front of it an oak table that seemed to have a great many scratches across its worn surface. Armchairs littered the room in a haphazard fashion.

Sitting in one at the far corner of the room was the raven haired man they had been searching for. He looked up boredom sprawled across his handsome features.

"I presume she belongs to you? Watch your charges more closely Itachi."

Noting the irritation in his voice Itachi smirked slightly, "But I do so love to bother you."

Kimiko's deep eyes widened at the playful tone clear in the stoic man's voice. She had assumed he always held his calm demeanor but as the redhead scoffed and strode away Itachi's eyes followed him, flickering with an amusement that seemed to be reserved for his dollish colleague. The warm look only faded from his eyes when he turned back to her.

"Well, I suppose it's time then."

"Time for what exactly?" she asked, tilting her head away from him to hide her confusion.

"You have to prove yourself to stay here."

"To stay here? I don't _want _to stay here! I want to go back to Kirigakure!"

"You either stay here or you die. It's your choice."

Kimiko looked as if she had just been slapped in the face, and frankly, it felt that way. She could feel the sting of his words. _I'll never get to go back, _she gaped, _I'm going to be stuck here playing doctor for criminals! _Although she hated the sound of that she supposed it was better than dying right here, right now. At least she had the chance of escape, maybe she would be able to make a break for it once she had 'proven herself'.

"What do I have to do?"

"Face Hidan in a fight. If you survive, you will have displayed adequate skill to stay."

She didn't like the sound of that. She remembered the man's sadistic eyes and noticeably shivered. Kimiko didn't know what he was capable of but she wasn't too anxious to find out either. She knew her way around jutsu but she was primarily a medic, trained to evade attacks and avoid the main brunt of battle. She supposed that might be a useful skill at the very least.

"Fine, where is he?" she asked, determination set in her delicate face.

Itachi pulled himself out of the armchair, gesturing for her to follow him. As he turned to make his way to the door his Akatsuki cloak swished behind him brushing the ground gently. Kimiko shadowed him as if she were in a trance, she didn't have much of choice in the matter. She knew he could kill her; she wasn't a fool. The brunette preferred to take her chances with Hidan.

Once they had located the silver haired shinobi Itachi explained his orders. He was to fight with his full skill against this woman to evaluate her skill level.

"Understood, we can't have any weak bitches dragging us down," he smiled.

"Watch who you call a bitch, asshole!" At her comment Hidan's grin only widened.

"Just follow me, k?"

With that he whirled around and once again she found herself weaving through dim corridors, following some S-rank missing-nin who had every intention of killing her if she didn't prove her worth. _Just my luck, really._

* * *

Kimiko breathed in the natural world ecstatically. She hadn't realized how stale the air inside the Akatsuki base was until she had stepped foot outside again. She looked up at the ashen clouds that hung heavily in the night sky, they were a similar shade to Naoki's eyes. She silently prayed that he had been able to escape along with Ayuma, that they had taken Ren's body home for a proper burial. He deserved at least that.

Brandishing a rather menacing three-bladed scythe, Hidan's eyes found hers.

"Ready?"

"Of course," she replied, grabbing a kunai from the pouch at her hip.

"Then let's dance."


	3. Chapter 3

Here you go, chapter three! Please review for me. c:

**PASSION**

chapter three: _"MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES."_

* * *

Judgment should be reserved until you know what's in someone's _heart._

* * *

"It is never too late to be what you might have been."

-George Eliot

* * *

"Then let's dance."

Kimiko moved first, sprinting directly at the silver haired man, she struck out with her kunai almost connecting with flesh. Hidan dodged with ease. He whipped his leg around hoping to connect with her stomach but she caught the strong limb, gritting her teeth as she slid back a foot. _He's fast._

She watched as Hidan swung his scythe toward her, taking advantage of her vulnerable position. _I'm faster. _With that thought she threw her weight backward, performing an evasive back flip she landed on her feet a good distance away. Now seeing his strength in taijustu Kimiko decided to keep this battle long range. If he couldn't touch her she would win with little effort.

Her hands flew to make several signs before she cried out, "Water Release: Gunshot!"

Molding the chakra inside her mouth she infused her water element into it before spitting out a cannonball of the raging substance. Hidan launched himself into the air, her attack just missing but as it hit the ground she executed a series of rapid signs with one hand. _A one-handed seal, _Hidan's pretty eyes widened slightly at the feat.

"Ice Release: A Thousand Needles of Death."

The water from her previous attack began to gather and harden forming ice in the form of deadly spears. Their lethal points flew toward him and he found himself unable to twist in the air to avoid them. The brunette observed as her jutsu effectively impaled the man and then as he fell to the ground in a bloody heap. Her hazel eyes, deep russet in the darkness, shot open as he staggered to his feet in front of her.

"That- that's impossible..." she stammered.

"Oh, did I forget to tell you? I'm fucking immortal, sweetheart."

Kimiko stared in disbelief. _Immortal? Is that really possible? _

Hidan raced at her, but she was too stunned to react quickly enough. She ducked underneath his scythe as it soared in the direction of her delicate face. Hidan swung one leg out, knocking her flat onto her back right in front of him. He loomed over her, his figure enough to knock her out of her shocked trance.

"Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

Thick fog curled out of her mouth, diffusing into the air and making it nearly impossible to see what was only feet in front of you. She rolled to her side, pushing herself up as his scythe slashed out at where she previously lay. She could hear his faint curse as she darted away. She needed to gather her bearings and plan a method of attack.

After several minutes of wandering aimlessly through the mist, Hidan heard the patter of footsteps nearby. A grin dominated his face as he stalked toward Kimiko's barely visible outline. As he moved behind her, effectively sneaking up on the woman his grin stretched even further.

"What a shame, and I fucking liked you too," he chuckled, slashing out at her with the three-bladed weapon. It made solid contact at her waist, cutting her in half. Hidan watched as the brunette dissolved into water before his very eyes. _A water clone?! Then where is-_

"Behind you."

He felt her warm breath tickle his neck and could sense the smile on her face as she pressed a dagger with a surprisingly long blade across the soft skin at his neck.

"Guess you got me," his grin vanished, replaced with a smirk, but his tone admitted his defeat.

"Guess I did."

She removed the sharp blade from its precarious spot at his neck and dispelled the mist jutsu still surrounding them. Kimiko placed the slender dagger back into its sheathe, a tingle running its course through her body at the pleasant sound of steel on leather.

"I figured it would be pretty pointless to chop your head off."

"Thanks, it woulda been pretty fucking messy if you had."

"It already kind of is," she ventured, indicating the many bloody holes in his muscular body from where her ice needle jutsu had struck him. "Um, let me fix that."

Hidan shrugged, healing wasn't really necessary but if she felt more comfortable stitching him up then he didn't care, as long as it was quick. He removed his cloak, revealing a very toned chest that was currently glistening lightly with sweat. She blushed but didn't let him see it, he already acted like a pervert around her, she didn't need to encourage him.

Strangely enough, as she summoned healing chakra to her hands and began to mend his flesh and muscle back together, she realized she bore no animosity towards him. Kimiko was a bit taken aback by this epiphany. This man was just as responsible as any Akatsuki for holding her here against her will yet she couldn't find it in herself to hate him. _They're just trying to survive in a world that disapproves of them._

She thought of her own clan, the Yuki clan and how they were slaughtered for having the ice kekkei genkai that she displayed earlier. Her entire family had been feared and viewed as a threat for having an ability more suited for war time than peace. _I'm not that much different from them, _she thought, finishing her work on Hidan.

"Cool, now can you do anything about this fucking fabric?" Hidan asked, holding up the cloak for inspection.

She shook her head, frowning slightly in apology. Kimiko had never learned how to sew, she had wanted to be a shinobi at a very young age. Another distinguishing trait of her clan; they were almost all ninjas, very few decided to become civilians and most of the time they did so only to avoid the hatred of others.

"Fucking great, I'll have to take it to Kakuzu," the silver haired man muttered more to himself.

"Who's that?"

"Kakuzu? He's my partner - tall, dark, greedy as fuck."

Kimiko stifled a laugh as he led her back to the hideout. By this point she had seen the symbol he wore on his necklace. She recognized it as his affiliation with Jashin, some sort of demonic god who demanded his followers wreak havoc and bring destruction wherever they go.

Honestly, she thought it was a creepy practice but she supposed that it made sense. He would have the perfect opportunity to follow Jashin's commandments by joining the Akatsuki. She wondered if all of the members had joined for their own purpose. _Perhaps there's more to them than just criminals._

She made a mental note to be more open-minded though she was still bent on escaping.

* * *

After what seemed like hours of snaking through endless stone corridors they had finally made their way back to what she assumed was the living area. Itachi was no longer sitting in one of the isolated armchairs and the room actually looked to be empty.

Hidan took a look around and let an aggravated huff escape his lips. "Damn, I thought he'd be here."

His amethyst eyes swept the room again before he turned to face the shorter brunette standing behind him in the doorway. He looked her over, she looked slightly tired but otherwise perfectly presentable. Pushing past her and out of the empty room he began to make his way to another room just down the hall.

Kimiko watched as he paused in front of it, gesturing for her to follow him. She crossed the space between them, unsure of where they were going.

"Leader'll probably want to see you, knock before you go in there though, fucking trust me on that one."

The woman blinked her hazel eyes as he strode away, probably going to find Kakuzu. He had just left her to face the leader of the Akatsuki _alone. _She knew nothing about this man except that to be the head of an organization full of deadly S-rank shinobi, you had to be one of them. And probably the strongest one at that.

Heeding the silver haired man's warning she knocked on the large wooden door and waited for some indication that she could come in. When Kimiko heard an icy voice granting her entry she pushed the door open and stepped through the archway into a shadowed room.

She stumbled forward in the darkness, a pair of violet eyes being the only other sign of life. Unsure of herself she waited for him to address her first. The man had a commanding presence despite the fact she couldn't see him and his heavy aura sent a chill down her spine.

"You are Kimiko Yuki then?" the man inquired. It was a marvel he could tell in the pitch black but something told her that he saw everything.

"Yes Leader-sama," she spoke calmly, using a formal version of what Hidan had called him.

"Hidan has evaluated you?"

"He has."

"Excellent, since you're still alive I'll assume you passed."

For a moment there was silence and Kimiko wondered if he expected a response to his statement. It certainly hadn't sounded like a question though and her unease was soothed when he spoke again, his smooth voice coating her ears like frost.

"You are now to find Itachi. He will give you our cloak and hat, the latter is optional. Dismissed."

She nodded in confirmation and walked out of the oppressing room back into the corridor. Kimiko frowned, still not completely knowing her way around the place. Every hall looked exactly the same and so it was very difficult to differentiate between them.

A familiar voice knocked her out of her thoughts, "So you survived."

She turned to see chocolate eyes watching her flatly. Those effeminate lashes thick as ever, shading his half-lidded look. It was actually a rather sexy expression considering it communicated nothing but boredom and endless depths of calm thinking.

"Lost again?" he asked.

She blushed, expelling her previous thought. "Yes, where is Itachi?"

"Follow me."

She did as he told her, tailing him as if he were a shepherd and she a lamb. They trailed back down the hall, passing numerous sconces until they came to a cluster of doors all relatively close to each other on both sides of the hall. She understood instantly that they had arrived at the bedroom wing of the hideout.

"I suppose I should introduce myself since it seems you'll be staying here. I am Akasuna no Sasori."

"Hello Sasori-san, my name is-"

"Kimiko Yuki, I'm aware."

Selecting the second door on the right he knocked politely before twisting the golden doorknob and swinging it open. It was a seemingly comfortable room with pale silver walls and black furniture. A couch with two cushions rested against the far side and on the opposite wall sat a wooden desk painted gray, a chair poised in front of it.

Itachi sat in the chair, his posture perfect as he wrote on a scroll positioned in front of him.

"Yes?" he asked, turning to face them.

"She's proven herself, you have her clothing?" Sasori explained, stepping into the room.

Itachi nodded, standing up and going to a wardrobe by the bed. Once there he opened the top drawer and withdrew a black cloak riddled with scarlet clouds and a plain straw hat. He crossed the room and handed the items out to Kimiko who took them from his slender hands.

"How are your repairs on Hiruko going?" Itachi inquired with a surprising amount of genuine interest.

"Fine I suppose, but I would be much further along if I hadn't been interrupted by your recruit again."

"My sincere apologies," the Uchiha said in a charming tone.

"Hardly." Sasori's eyes narrowed, locking onto the Itachi's entertained face but Kimiko could tell he wasn't really angry because his voice lacked menace as he spoke.

Then the cinnamon haired shinobi spun around to face Kimiko who was biting back a smile.

"You're room is the one at the end on the left, get changed and meet us in the living room. Leader-sama will probably want you to become acquainted with the rest of the us."

She nodded then trotted to her room, swinging the door open and then closed behind her. She observed her new quarters with some curiosity. They were laid out much like Itachi's but the walls were a deep cobalt color and the furniture was all a natural light wood. Kimiko wondered who had lived here before her as she set her hat on the bedspread and slid on her cloak.

She wasn't sure how long she would need this room before she had the chance to escape but she decided it wouldn't hurt to customize it later. Crossing into the adjoined restroom she looked herself over in the mirror, combing her hair with her fingers.

_Better not keep them waiting, _she shrugged, emerging into the stone corridor once again.


	4. Chapter 4

Two chapters in one day? What is this world coming to!

I really like this story so far, haha.

Have suggestions, something you'd like to see or just want to tell me how I'm doing so far? Leave it in a review!

**PASSION**

chapter four: _"I GUESS IT'S JUST MY PASSION."_

* * *

It's good to have friends in _dark_ places.

* * *

Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends.

- Shirley MacLain

* * *

She felt herself grow heavy with the weight of so many eyes; she was a bug underneath a magnifying glass. Her own hazel orbs shifted from pair to pair, never keeping their gazes for more than a few seconds. Their attentiveness unnerved her.

The Leader had requested that they all gathered in the living space to become acquainted with one another. Apparently he felt that having this meeting would be an important phase in her initiation but she suspected that he just wanted to frighten her. It did make sense - if she saw what she would be up against should she commit treason and flee then chances were she would reconsider her escape plans.

It was a very effective method because they hadn't even said anything yet and already she could sense the danger emanating from the nine persons sitting in various places around the room. Most of them took armchairs for themselves but on the three seat couch sat the Leader, a beautiful woman with blue hair to his left. She noticed that their fingers were slightly touching where their hands lay beside each other.

"Kimiko, these are the nine members of the Akatsuki with myself included. It would be wise for you to memorize their names and faces should you need them," came Pein's frozen voice.

She wasn't entirely sure where to begin or even exactly what he expected her to do. She already knew four of these faces excepting him - Hidan, Sasori, Itachi, and Kisame.

The other four seemed to watch her with precision, reflecting on every movement she made as if they could glean her the secrets of her heart just by analyzing her. Kimiko wouldn't be surprised if they could; after all, she had no idea what they were capable of. Even Hidan who she had fought hadn't seemed to get the opportunity to show off his real skills.

So, instead of awkwardly going from person to person, she chose to move in the direction of the bickering that was taking place in the corner of the spacious room. The reason she decided to start there was mostly because she knew one of the argument's participants to be Akasuna no Sasori. His chocolate eyes were narrowed at a man with silvery blonde hair who was sitting in front of him.

"Art is _not _momentary, it is eternal."

"Like this conversation, yeah!" the blonde exclaimed in exasperation.

At first neither of them seemed to notice the woman who was now standing just to the redhead's side. Then without warning the blonde man tossed his head up to look at her, his one visible eye a cerulean color that reminded her of Ren's powdery blue orbs.

"So you're the new girl, yeah? Welcome to the Akatsuki," he said the words with a note of sarcasm.

"Um, thanks?"

"How did you get dragged into this mess anyway? You don't look the type, yeah."

"She was brought here by Itachi." The cinnamon haired man looked completely relaxed now.

"You too? That damned Uchiha, what a pest, yeah."

She was a bit surprised at how casual his voice was when he spoke those condemning words. She stole a glance at Sasori to see how he would react to the insult but his expression didn't change at the mention of Itachi. Kimiko was beginning to wonder whether the raven haired shinobi and Sasori were friends or not; or even if Sasori was capable of having friends.

"You mean he kidnapped you too?" she asked.

"Yep, this or death, but whatever. You get used to it, un."

"Good to know I guess."

When the two - apparently artists - returned to their argument she listened in a little while longer, trying to conceal her amusement. The blonde man, whose name seemed to be Deidara, had a view on art that very much opposed his partner's. _Art is a bang, huh, _she mused with the smallest hint of a smile playing across her ruby lips.

She took the opportunity to get a closer look at this Deidara. He was actually incredibly attractive considering his originally very feminine appearance. Now that she studied him a little more she recognized his masculinity; strong muscles layered his exposed arms and the tight material of his shirt clung to a lean, sculptured chest. Kimiko estimated that when standing he would be about her height.

The brunette scanned the room, deciding it was best to move on before everyone dispersed. Hidan, standing a few feet away, caught her eye and grinned, motioning for her to come over. She smiled appreciatively and moved beside him. He was standing by a very tall man who was wearing a mask that covered the lower portion of his face.

"This is Kakuzu," Hidan said.

"Nice to meet you," she greeted with a nod, still feeling rather uncomfortable under several scrutinizing looks. It was enough that she was in a room full of S-rank missing-nin without them staring her down.

He replied with a curt nod, turning back to face Hidan who was scratching the back of his silver head with one hand. After asking who she should go and see next she found herself wandering in the direction of the only other woman in the room. Pein had removed himself from the meeting, probably having better things to do then supervise her forced mingling.

Kimiko stood in front of the woman, meeting her amber gaze with a weak smile.

"Welcome, my name is Konan, Pein's partner," she spoke the words with no inflection.

"Hello Konan-san, I was hoping you might point out the rest of the members to me."

"I will, I understand why you might be uncomfortable."

Kimiko was overjoyed to hear those words. They were still devoid of emotion but she had the feeling Konan was just a serious person like their leader. Besides her impartial calm was beginning to resonate with the shorter brunette as it had the natural power to soothe those around her.

"That is Zetsu," Konan said, indicating a man with a strange plant sprouting from his neck, "and the man with him is Tobi."

Kimiko watched in fascination as the dichromatic, plant man grinned down at his charge, whose face was concealed by an orange mask. She felt as though she had just stepped into a different universe watching the plant shinobi called Zetsu. He spoke with one half of his mouth at a time and his two golden eyes seemed to express two different emotions at once. It was horrifying - but equally fascinating.

"Thank you Konan-san," she said, bowing before stepping away. Konan nodded politely.

* * *

Once the gathered people had dissipated she yawned and made a move to head out of the door when something caught her eye. She turned to see Deidara sitting in the corner where he had been arguing with Sasori earlier but the redhead was gone now and the blonde's eyebrows were knit together in concentration as he scribbled on something in front of him.

Kimiko closed the distance between them, leaning over his shoulder to see what it was he was working so furiously on. Her eyes widened as she found herself glancing down at a scroll filled with elaborate drawings of various different subjects. Some were birds, others smaller sketches of bugs.

"Like it, un?"

Kimiko directed her star struck gaze to see his cerulean orbs staring at her. A light grin played on his lips and she blushed at the implications of such a smile. If he had been anyone else she probably would've hit on him by now but this man was a missing-nin with God knows how much power hidden inside him.

"Yeah," she said returning the smile with a soft one of her own.

"I'm glad to hear that, yeah."

"So this is your version of art?" she inquired.

He nodded tracing the lines with one fingernail which she noticed was painted black. It seemed that everyone in the Akatsuki painted their nails in some color; she recalled Sasori's teal nail polish. Perhaps she should follow their example? _It's about time for me to repaint them anyway._

"Why do you draw?"

Deidara seemed to take in the question with a thoughtful expression plastered on his handsome face then he smirked and shrugged.

"I guess it's just my passion."

She considered the statement, rolling over the word passion many times, getting a feel for it. It seemed that every member of the Akatsuki had a passion of some sort. Hidan had his religion, his unhealthy allegiance to the demonic Jashin; he had said that Kakuzu had an obsession with money, which she supposed counted despite the shallow quality of it.

As she saw earlier in the night - Pein and Konan seemed to have a relationship, however minute it was for the time being. She had heard mention of Itachi and his attachment to his younger brother; Kimiko wasn't sure if it was particularly beneficial to the latter but it qualified as passion nonetheless. From what the Mizukage had told her of Kisame, the shark-nin enjoyed battle profusely.

Deidara and Sasori had their very different perspectives on art to keep them fueled. Zetsu was quite obviously interested in nature, particularly plants and by the looks of it Tobi's passion was, well, everything. He didn't seem to hold an animosity for anything at all.

Kimiko found her distaste for organization losing its ground. They were all rather interesting people, criminals or not. And their passion was... _admirable. _The brunette had encountered nothing like it in her eighteen years of living in Kirigakure. Sure, the people there were 'upstanding citizens' but they had no ambition and no desires. Now she questioned whether that was really living at all.

This new insight made her feel dizzy which was apparently obvious on her face because Deidara twisted in his seat to steady her by putting his strong hands on her shoulders.

"You alright, un?"

"Oh, yeah, I just need to get some rest. Long day."

"Here, I'll walk you to your room, yeah."

Kimiko nodded, watching him stand and usher her out of the door and down the hall. They said nothing and as they passed under the sconces she watched how Deidara's silky hair caught the light. _I always did have a thing for blondes, _she mused to herself.

When they arrived at the last door on the left she turned to look him in the eye. He smiled, wishing her a good night's sleep before walking back down the corridor to his own room. She was about to mention how he left his scroll on the table but then decided it might be a good way to start a conversation with him tomorrow. He seemed friendly enough and she could use the company.

Closing her door behind her and throwing herself onto the soft mattress she sighed. _I wonder how long I'll be here. _Being honest with herself she realized it didn't matter. Kimiko knew she had no chance of living if she abandoned them. They would be able to track her down with ease if she returned to her village so she'd have to go into hiding and that wasn't worth it.

_I guess I'm going to stay for quite a while. _A watery smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. _How's that for strange, Ren?_

With those final thoughts she lost the battle to sleep, her eyes drooping closed and her lips parting to allow for shallow breathing. Tomorrow morning she started work as the Akatsuki's new chief of medicine. What an interesting turnout.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five is now up.

Please review, let me know what you think, and thanks to those who have!

If you haven't noticed I love the idea of Sasori and Itachi secretly being best friends. haha

**PASSION**

chapter five: _"DON'T LET THEM DIE."_

* * *

It hit her just like that, she _never _saw it coming.

* * *

Love is love, it can never be explained.

- Unknown

* * *

_His hands were on her, blue eyes studying her every move to make sure he wasn't moving too quickly. _

_Her breath came in fast, sharp exhales as he rested his firm hands on her hips. She wasn't sure exactly what to do. She wanted him, loved him in fact, and it was obvious he reciprocated the feelings but-_

_Her thoughts ended as he brought his soft lips down to hers, one hand moving to cup her cheek. He moved her jaw to slant their mouths together at a better angle. _

_The kiss was gentle and he tasted unbelievably sweet - Kimiko let her hands run through his hair, tugging at the soft strands._

_When they finally broke away for air she heard him whisper her name under his breath. She looked up into his eyes, which seemed to be clouded with passion. She felt his name rolling off her tongue now._

_"Ren."_

* * *

Kimiko woke up panting. Her head shot up from where it had rested against her soft feather pillow. She felt tears come to her eyes unbidden. Did she really just dream that? She was well aware of her hidden feelings towards the younger Hayashi brother but she thought they ended when he died. Clearly that was not so. _Wishful thinking, _she frowned.

Shifting her weight to sit up, the woman threw her bronze hair over her shoulder as she rose to her feet. The floor was cool on her toes but she hardly noticed. Crossing her living quarters to the bathroom at the back she slid into the narrow space and closed the door behind her.

Kimiko turned on the faucet and waited until the water was steaming to plug the drain. Climbing into the porcelain tub she soaped her hair and rinsed it out first so that the tips wouldn't fall into the dirty water. After cleaning her hair she moved the soap so it glided across her skin. She wasn't sure exactly what time it was but she had the feeling it was somewhere around eight in the morning.

_I need a clock._

After rinsing the foam from her lathered skin, Kimiko relaxed against the head of the washtub. She closed her eyes but promptly opened them upon seeing those blue eyes from her dream staring back at her with their unconcealed desire.

She unclogged the drain, no longer interested in lazing about in the warm water. Dressing herself in a black shirt and pants and then drawing her Akatsuki cloak around herself she began to search the drawers for something. She knew it had to be there, there was no way this bathroom wouldn't have it.

_Ah, there you are, _she thought withdrawing a vial of gray nail polish around the same shade as the walls of Itachi's room. She figured they must keep the stuff around considering they all wore it - it made sense, although she wasn't sure why they bothered.

She inspected the color before deciding it was as good as any. Red had never been her favorite color, that place was reserved for greens of any tone, but she didn't mind it.

Taking her time to ensure her long nails were adequately coated in the polish, Kimiko found that it dried relatively quickly. Dabbing one finger lightly on every nail she was satisfied that within five minutes the scarlet color was secure and she could make her way to the living room for breakfast.

The brunette wasn't entirely sure if that's the way they did things around here but she assumed that at the very least someone would be there to give her directions. Slipping on her typical nin sandals she made her way out of the arched doorway, closing the wooden surface behind her to seal off her cobalt room.

Now somewhat familiar with the layout of the lair she made her way to the living space relatively easily. As it turned out, Sasori and Itachi were already there. They sat on the couch side by side, the Uchiha was leaning over the oak table, spooning some sort of cereal into his mouth. Sasori sat, watching him with glazed brown eyes and a disinterested frown.

Maybe they were friends after all?

"Good morning, Sasori-san, Itachi-san," she greeted.

The two men looked up at her and she encountered a moment of dazed confusion. There expressions were _exactly_ the same. Bored. They were so similar it almost gave her the chills. Both had alluring features and a sense of perpetual calm about them. A part of her wanted to giggle when they both nodded at the same time before turning back to what they were doing. _They're like the dream team!_

Kimiko shuffled into the conjoined kitchen and searched through an open pantry door before finding a box of cereal suited to her taste. She tried multiple cabinets before finally locating a china bowl similar to the one Itachi had been using. She filled it with cereal and then milk before grabbing a spoon and heading back into the living room to take a seat in one of the scattered armchairs.

The raven haired Itachi was now standing, looking at Sasori with what seemed to be a small degree of worry before turning his Sharingan eyes on her.

"You, Deidara, and Sasori have a mission," he spoke.

"You are to act as our medic and avoid conflict, we are going to Sunagakure to capture the One-Tail."

Noting the displeasure in his tone at the mention of Suna she assumed that must be where he hailed from.

"Okay, let me eat and I'll meet you outside in the training grounds."

Sasori nodded but said nothing as he whirled around and walked into the corridor with as much elegance as Kimiko believed a shinobi could have. After watching his disappear down the hall she turned back to Itachi who was still staring at the spot where he had lost sight of the redhead. She thought she detected a frown but like that it was gone and his indifference was back.

"Don't let them die."

Her eyes widened a bit, the words were spoken with a cool tone but she could tell there was a certain amount of fierceness hidden in them. What surprised her the most though was the certainty of his tone - as if he already knew their fate, as if he could sense it. With those glaring red eyes she wouldn't be surprised if he did have premonitions of a sort. Kimiko could tell that by "them" he really meant Sasori.

"I won't."

"Hn."

With the guttural sound out of his mouth and filling the silence, he strode out of the living room as well leaving her to finish her breakfast in peace. She ate rapidly trying to wash down his words with the stream of cold milk but it was impossible. Kimiko might not have appreciated being held captive by the Akatsuki but she was a medic, she wouldn't just allow the people around her to die.

_I'll protect them with my life._

She thought of Ren's sacrifice as she drew her cloak tighter around her and stood up. Walking hurriedly down the seamless corridors and out into the muted daylight she steeled herself for what was sure to be a life-altering experience. _They're playing a dangerous game, _she admitted approaching the two figures standing to one side of the grounds.

The sun was out but it hid its bright smile behind gray clouds. Clouds only meant for days of mourning.

Kimiko wasn't particularly superstitious but the storm on the horizon did give her a clenching feeling in her gut. In many ways the brunette wanted nothing more than to convince her new team to postpone their journey. Just until the sky cleared. Because nothing bad can happen when there are sunny skies, right?

But those were the dreams of foolish children. To believe that monsters could only reach for you in the dark was absurd. No, they were all around you all the time. They thrived in the light as well as the dark. It was just a different hunting ground.

* * *

By the time they reached the adobe village Kimiko could feel sand coat her like a brand new layer of skin. She grimaced at the feel of the grit as she shuffled beside Deidara. His blonde hair was whipping behind him wildly as the desert wind tore at it; his showing eye squinting to see through the sand.

Sasori seemed on edge as well, seeing his home village once again must have been a very troubling experience. He was hidden inside a puppet called Hiruko - it was a beastly thing, fully mechanized and with more protective capacity than a bomb shelter. Kimiko had gotten a full debrief on their skills when they set off on their journey. Both were long distance fighters, which was a bit problematic.

Sasori couldn't get too close to the action because his puppetry was his main defense and offense. Then again, he did have Hiruko which could withstand the main brunt of battle. Deidara had the advantage of flight as he explained he could mold clay birds with his chakra in order to gain a set of wings.

Both were fairly advanced fighters from what she had gleaned from the information. The brunette silently wondered why Itachi had seemed worried. They could handle themselves without a doubt.

When they came to the high rock walls of the hidden village one of Sasori's subordinates within the city came to greet him. The group of four walked through the chasm, Kimiko peered around them from under her straw hat. There were dead shinobi, presumably patrolmen, littering the sand.

The brunette watched as Deidara expanded one of the clay birds he had mentioned earlier with a series of hand signs. He jumped onto the beautiful creature and instructed them to wait as he attacked the village from the air. Sasori agreement sounded in the form of Hiruko's gravelly voice as the blonde took flight.

Kimiko sat on a large rock protruding from the ground and observed the setting sun. She quietly prayed that Deidara would be okay. She heard that Sabaku no Gaara was a prodigy of sorts and he was definitely very young to be the Kazekage. _He will be an impressive opponent, that's for sure, _she worried.

After multiple hours of waiting a white bird swooped through the night sky, coming to rest just in front of the silent duo. Mounted on its broad back was a smirking Deidara and clutched firmly by its tail was a red haired man whose face was cracked.

"Got him, sorry to keep you waiting Sasori no Danna."

"You know I'm an impatient man, let's go."

With those words Deidara jumped down from his creation and bid it follow them as they began to escape Suna with its unconscious leader. They didn't seem to be in much of a rush so Kimiko supposed that the two men suspected nobody would bother to follow them. They covered their tracks to mislead and confuse whoever did. It didn't work.

The three spun around to find a man with plum face paint standing in front of them - he rolled three scrolls out and summoned forth from them three puppets. She heard Sasori whisper something beside her and watched as Deidara grinned.

"I'm out of here, you coming Kimiko?" he asked, turning his cerulean gaze toward her.

The brunette knew Sasori wouldn't care if she left, he might even prefer it but she remembered Itachi's words as well as the warning within them to protect the cinnamon haired puppet master.

_"Don't let them die."_

"No, I'll stick around and catch up with you later."

"Suit yourself, yeah."

The blonde took off on the back of the clay creature, leaving her and Sasori with this newcomer who appeared to be another member of Sasori's profession. Kimiko felt that this would be an interesting battle and with a glare from Hiruko resolved to only watch the conflict.

The man in front of them sent one of his puppets to drag Deidara out of the sky but Sasori countered it easily, capturing the creature within his puppet's scorpion tail. The battle didn't last much longer than that. As it turned out, Sasori had created the other's weapons of choice. They all bore the same scarlet scorpion tattoo to signify them as his work.

As their creator, he knew every single flaw they possessed and dealt with them fairly easily before cutting the younger man down with his poisoned tail. The toxins spread through the bloodstream quickly, taking effect almost an instant after he was cut. As their enemy fell into the sand, Kimiko and Sasori turned away and began to walk back to Amegakure to catch up with Deidara.

Apparently their goal was to seal the beast within Gaara. She could not take part in the ceremony because she lacked a ring - apparently the previous member had taken it with him when he was defected. Kimiko was glad for this, she wasn't sure she had the willpower to kill a man who had done nothing wrong.

* * *

When they arrived at the base once again flickering holograms of each Akatsuki member stood atop the fingers of the demonic statue. Deidara and Sasori took their places as well, one spot was left so Kimiko leaped upon it and sat down to watch the sealing ceremony.

It wasn't long before the a large bang echoed through the cavern and cracks began to spread across the boulder blocking the entrance like little spider webs. Pein's commanding voice assigned the trio to protect the jinchuuriki as they had not been able to finish extracting the beast within him.

The holograms vanished one-by-one until only the living remained.

Deidara leapt from his standing point along with Kimiko and went to sit on the Kazekage, waiting for the intruders to enter. When they did the first to speak was a blonde not much younger than Kimiko. His voice was like fire when he yelled, cursing them for taking his friend.

_So this is the Nine-Tails, _Kimiko thought watching the boy's display with mild interest.

"Leave this one to me, Sasori no Danna. You handle the rest of them, un."

The smirking blonde didn't wait for Hiruko's, instead he molded another clay bird and after expanding it, grabbed hold of Gaara again. This time however, he extended one tongued hand to Kimiko the grin on his face nearly irresistible. It suggested the time of her life so she took his hand forgetting Itachi's warning and mounted the bird with him.

The pair flew off, attracting the attention of the Nine-Tails first and then a silver haired man she recognized as the famous copy nin. Deidara cursed under his breath at the unwanted attention. He had been hoping to take on the second jinchuuriki without the boy's powerful sensei.

"Deidara-san, I can handle Kakashi if you'd like," she offered. He grinned at her appreciatively but shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, un, I'll take him out with my art."

The confidence in his silken voice made her smile softly. Kimiko was starting to forge friendships with these missing-nin, she saw in them a passion that very few people had. That she desired more than anything at this point. A reason to exist. So this time, when she said it, she meant it.

"I'll cover you."


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry it's so short, I lacked muse.

I guess it's really more of a filler than everything, trying to stick to both my plotline and the actual Naruto Shippuden plotline.

**PASSION**

chapter six: _"LONELY, YEAH?"_

* * *

Humanity is an _inconvenience_.

* * *

The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.

- George Orwell

* * *

It had been only a matter of hours since the Akatsuki trio had arrived back at the base but it felt more like days. So much had happened in such a short time, it was actually incredible. Almost everything had changed with the advent of the battles fought that day - Sasori, Deidara, and Kimiko vs. Konoha shinobi.

With the unfortunate addition of Sasori's own grandmother of Suna - Chiyo.

She was dead now though and the Konoha team had eventually fled back to their Land of Fire. But as Kimiko sat on the living room couch alone she could feel the shockwaves that series of fights had caused and wondered if the tremors would ever end.

The first and foremost in her mind was the fact that Deidara had saved her life, sacrificing his own arm to do so. The copy nin that had pursued them along with the Nine-Tails had used a jutsu she didn't recognize to rip a hole in the fabric of the universe. He had been aiming for her heart when he did it but the blonde Akatsuki had thrust his arm in the way of the technique to prevent serious damage to her.

Kimiko remembered the pained smile on his face when he had turned to ask her if she was okay. She could have cried. He was her responsibility. She was the medic, if anyone was saying someone's life it should've been her protecting him. Risking everything for a man who had become her unexpected friend.

Of course, there had been an even more crucial sacrifice that day. Now _that_ was a confusing tale and had most definitely impacted the entire organization upon hearing of it. Chiyo had managed to capture her grandson's puppet body and had used her own life force to bring life to the hollow shell. That's right - Sasori was now a living, breathing human being.

He was furious. She had never seen so much uncontrolled emotion from him as if it had all just flooded into him at once and he was trying to readjust. He had been snapping at everyone, including herself and Deidara. Kimiko had even seen him lash out at Itachi earlier with a fire raging in his chocolate eyes.

"Lonely, yeah?"

The brunette turned to see a blonde towering over her sitting form, when he took a seat next to her she could see a devilish grin spread across his face. She smiled back but it was a sad look. Deidara took note of this and held out the prosthetic arm she had created for him as a replacement.

"It's okay, un, see?" he said flexing the lifelike limb, "It's just like new."

"Yeah, I guess."

A moment of silence passed as he stared at her with cerulean orbs that made her want to blush. Kimiko had never been very shy under the eyes of a man but Deidara was a different story, something about him affected her. She wasn't entirely sure she liked it at this point.

"Ugh, Sasori-danna has been bitching at me since we got back, un."

"I noticed, what's his deal anyway? He's acting like a child just because his toy got broken!"

Deidara looked at her reproachfully, "His body - well, it wasn't a toy. It was art, his masterpiece."

"Still, you'd think S-rank missing-nin wouldn't be so hung up such things," Kimiko snorted.

"Kimiko... we're still people."

Kimiko's hazel eyes widened and she glanced at his face to see a frown firmly planted on his lips. She immediately regretted her words. They were people, they had feelings even if they tried to act like that didn't. She knew that, so why had she said something so hurtful?

"I- I didn't mean it, I mean, I just-" she stammered at a loss for words.

She stopped when a soft pair of lips crashed into her own. Her eyes shot open in complete shock as she saw the blonde man kiss her. That was far from what she expected but she didn't fight him. Instead she snaked her hands around his neck to draw him in. His eyebrows raised slightly and she felt him smirk against her.

Kimiko felt her face flush at the intimacy of what they were doing. She silently wondered if the Akatsuki would allow this but something at the edge of her mind told her she didn't care. Right now all she could do was focus on the honey sweet taste of the man in front of her. The man who had just recently been a stranger and a criminal. The man who was now her _friend_.

Deidara broke the connection first, grinning at her as she smiled back at him. This time the expression was bright.

* * *

Sasori stomped back and forth in his room. His eyes were narrowed in a dangerous fashion, he had discarded his cloak and was now pacing. He was almost certain that the noise was audible in the corridor. He couldn't care less. His thoughts were a constant storm.

How did that old hag manage to do this? He had lost everything in a matter of minutes as she took away the eternity he had worked so hard for. Now he had nothing, he would have to start from scratch if the process could even be replicated. As far as knew the damage she had done was irreparable.

_How amusing that one woman could cause such utter chaos._

He touched the place where his cylinder of chakra used to be, now there was pulsing skin. Sasori felt a light sheen of sweat covering his pale skin - probably from stress and emotional upset. He hadn't experienced any true feelings since he had replaced his body with a puppet. Now they swarmed him like a plague of locusts.

He ran a hand through his mussed cinnamon hair, feeling the soft strands brush against him. His fingers were freezing.

A knock sounded at his door and he had to bite back the urge to scream at whoever was disrupting him. His patience was thin enough and now it was nonexistent. He didn't have the time or energy to deal with people, no matter who. His humanity made him feel weak, his limbs were heavy with the urge to sleep.

The person visiting didn't wait for a response. The knob twisted and the door eased open allowing Itachi Uchiha entrance. He closed it behind him, leaving the two men isolated in Sasori's bedroom. The redhead's lips twisted into a scowl. Itachi noticed that he looked pretty much the same, but now instead of compartments, he had a smooth expanse of ivory skin.

Sasori threw his cloak on over his chest and crossed his arms.

"What do you want, Uchiha?"

The kinslayer noticed his thin veneer of calm, "Are you alright?"

"Hardly, in case you have yet to notice - my body has been obliterated."

"Quite the contrary, it's been restored."

Sasori glared at the raven haired shinobi. How could he think such a thing? This was not his body, the resemblance was dead on but his true self - his puppet body - was no longer in existence.

"It will take adjustments, but you'll get used to it. Perhaps you'll even like it."

"Absurd," the redhead snarled. "Now leave."

Then suddenly, Sasori saw Itachi's eyes narrow. His own chocolate orbs widened. Itachi never expressed emotion on his face, it simply didn't happen. Sure, the Uchiha smirked from time to time but that was the extent of his readable feelings. Sasori hardly noticed that he was moving. The taller man, Sharingan eyes still in slits, was forcing him back against the wall.

The redhead watched as Itachi's slender hands slammed onto the wall on either side of his head. Sasori's face was back to its blank state as he watched with mild curiosity at the younger's unexpected outburst. Their faces were only inches away and Sasori knew it was an intimidation tactic. _But it won't work on me, and you know that Itachi._

For several long moments all they did was stare at each other, then Itachi removed his hands from the wall and masked the fury on his face with calm. It didn't fool Sasori, he knew better than to think it was over. He watched, back still against the wall as Itachi turned away from him.

"You are my friend, Sasori, but I am growing tired of your games."

With those words the raven haired man stalked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Sasori watched the entryway for a few minutes, unsure of what exactly to do. To be entirely honest, he wasn't sure exactly what Itachi had meant by 'games'. The elder didn't play games.

Then it hit him.

_He believes I am unappreciative of his company. I suppose I have been... inhospitable._

Actually, thinking back, Sasori couldn't think of a time when he had been friendly to the Uchiha. And yet for some reason Itachi had always been kind to him - or at least, as kind as he could be considering his own lack of emotional attachment. Perhaps it was time for him to treat the other with more respect.

He was certainly deserving of it. Sasori closed his eyes and let a sigh escape his lips. Being human was complicated, he had never had the need for friends before. He hadn't any interest in them until now. Now he felt alone, but that was because of his own flaws. He had forced everyone away, even Itachi.

_Damn._


End file.
