A/N: I can assure you this will not become a legitimate story (marking it complete). It wasn't popularly requested or anything, but I figured I would indulge those who chose to follow this anyway because why not? Once again, I'm sorry for Hidan. He's actually one of my all-time Naruto faves, but y'all know he can be a little crazy.

Rated M for strong language

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

FIGHT CLUB PT.2

...

"Look at her." A feral grin rested on Hidan's face. "I want to kill her." He leaned back on the concrete walls painted black, his dominant hand tangled in his hair from frustration and desperation.

Itachi sat on the ground with one leg stretched outward, the other propped up. He held a water bottle in his hand resting on his propped leg, tapping his fingers as he watched Sakura sparring with Sasori in the distance, all the while doing the deed of ignoring the younger fellow.

A loud, frustrated groan escaped Jashin as he complained. "But at the same time I don't because it'll be no damn fun if she's no longer around." He crossed his arms, clicking his tongue all the while.

All together, Itachi, Kakuzu, Deidara, and Kisame turned to face the Jashinist.

An appalled frown lined Deidara's lips. "Hidan, you're pretty sick, you know that?"

"'You're pretty sick, you know that?'" he mimicked childishly. "You're pretty damn pathetic, you know that," he spat, shoving the blond who stood to his right.

"Watch it, you damn psycho, un," Deidara shouted as he crashed into Kisame's side.

For his part, Kisame barely budged. Scratch that, he didn't budge at all. "Seriously kid, you've got to stop letting people toss you around like that," Kisame snorted, unfazed by the abrupt contact.

After a few more jabs and an immature shoving match between the two youngest men, the bickering died down. Not too soon after, Sasori and Sakura's spar wrapped up, the redhead staggering backwards and collapsing against one of the pillars at the many corners of the ring.

Without a second's delay, Kakuzu held out his hand in front of the obnoxious silver haired man.

Hidan scowled. "Well shit. I actually thought Pinocchio would win this time around. He fucking sucks," he said, reaching for his pocket. He shuffled through the bill compartment of his wallet and pulled out a hefty sum, shoving it into Kakuzu's hands whilst muttering another "shit".

Kakuzu flipped through the bills, stopping at one that looked particularly different from the rest. "Is this a blood stain on this bill?"

"What's it to ya? You got your money. Get off my back."

"I want a clean one."

"Too bad. Choosers can't be beggars."

This elicited a chortle from Kisame.

"What an idiot," Deidara huffed, "un."

"You wanna say that a little louder, blondie?"

"Beggars can't be choosers," Deidara mumbled.

"What? I can't hear you."

"It's 'beggars can't be choosers', idiot."

Hidan nodded dismissively. "You knew what I meant, so what's it matter?" He fluttered his eyes closed with a tilt to his head and a careless shrug.

Once more, the men trained their eyes on Sakura who stood akimbo as she took a few deep breaths, the rise and fall of her chest indicating just how much she exerted herself. They all watched intently as a smile graced her façade and she reached out to help Sasori up with a tug of his hand that might as well have dislodged his shoulder.

Sasori grunted at the abruptness and Sakura gave him a teasing jab if their expressions were anything to go by.

Deidara sighed. "What a work of art," he said to himself forgetting his surroundings.

"You're not wrong," Kisame pitched. "That's our girl right there, giving you guys a hard time and gifting us laughter. Wouldn't trade her for the world."

"Speak for yourself," Kakuzu interjected.

Minutes passed as Sakura and Sasori made their way over to the bench, both wiping down their sweat and getting their fill of water. Sakura rolled her shoulders back and lolled her head from side to side, releasing tension.

After about fifteen minutes of cooldown from Sakura, Itachi made his approach. "Haruno-san. Do you feel ready to go today?"

She considered it for a moment. "As ready as I'll ever be." She wiped some sweat from her face with the white gym towel before passing it down both arms.

"But if this doesn't go well, I want a rematch. I did just finish with Sasori-san, after all."

"That's fair," he responded.

Hidan grabbed his pendant that dangled around his neck, closing his eyes as he held in tightly in his right hands.

Deidara peeked at Hidan's closed eyes. "What are you doing?"

Between low mutters, Hidan mumbled, "praying," before muttering again.

"Why?"

Irritated, Hidan opened one eye, glaring at the blond as his praying ceased. "I'm dumb, not stupid." He closed his eye again and resumed his low mutters before interrupting himself to complete his answer. "That poor bitch is gonna die."

Sakura was well out of earshot as she and Itachi already made their way towards the rink.

Deidara gave Hidan an odd look. It didn't take much to be able to tell Hidan had quite the soft part for Sakura despite his odd way of expressing it.

"With how you're praying? No chance in France."

"Who said I was praying for her sake? Lord Jashin is happy with sacrifice."

Deidara leaned forward to peek at Kakuzu on the other side of Hidan. "Kakuzu-san, how do you put up with this guy," he asked, sticking a pointer finger out at the admittedly handsome idiot that was Hidan.

"The same way Sasori puts up with you: he doesn't."

Kisame snorted. He was doing that a lot, actually. He couldn't help himself though. These guys were too much.

Hidan doubled over with an obnoxious, loud cackle.

"Shut up, Hidan," Deidara threatened.

"How about all of you shut it. They're starting," Sasori said, flicking his head up at the rink.

In the rink, Sakura danced around away from Itachi, knowing well that she had to be on the defensive with him. He was quick, he had better reach, and he was all around capable. Sure, Sakura had her strength, but there was no way she would be able to exert it on him if he she couldn't debilitate him.

The problem with these two fighting one another was that they were both very calculating, sizing up their opponent and analyzing all signs of potential weakness. Sakura hated opening herself up to the scrutiny of Itachi, just knowing the possibility that he was disassembling her piece by piece, down to her very core. His expression was difficult to read, but she knew he was being critical despite.

She wasn't sure how long after the battle began he made the first strike. He had been quick, testing the waters and observing her movements.

Now well over a minute elapsed of missed blows and more circles around the rink.

Another minute passed, and their bodies were lined with sweat, especially Sakura's, for she was constantly having to make drastic movements to evade Itachi's attacks. A few times she was able to counter his blows, though the ones she landed were relatively weak.

Now, a few minutes in, she lay immobilized the larger man. Sweat dripped from his chin onto her lips. They stung enough as it was with her own saltiness; his drop made her cringe more. It added a layer of intimacy Sakura wasn't at all expecting. Sure, he was handsome, but this would be the end of her if she didn't do anything. And so she acted.

Sakura wriggled in a way that looked helpless underneath the man. He sat right across her pelvis, which immobilized her well and she let out a frustrated groan when he didn't budge.

So that's how it's going to be. Not one to give up easily, Sakura planted her feet on the ground as she dragged her knees up. Itachi felt the shift behind him and registered a brief glimpse of surprise when Sakura popped her hips up to knock him just forward enough to slam her head into his nose.

Sakura grimaced, knowing all too well that Itachi was worse off. She knew for sure when she brought one of her arms under his armpit and locked her hold around his neck. At the same time despite his struggle, she wrapped her legs around his torso and hooked them at his back. For the time it would keep him from striking her, not that she expected him to. What she expected even less however was Itachi's shift to the right as he toppled them both onto their sides and using his greater strength to his advantage, rolled onto his back. Now Sakura's legs were pinned under Itachi's body painfully and he knew it too.

In the midst of their battle, they missed a lewd remark about Sakura's tendency to find herself on top of men.

Sakura had to wonder if Itachi purposely let her do what she did leading up to this moment as he propelled himself forward into a seated position.

Itachi was no pervert so long as she had known him, but man did she feel odd when her butt landed in his crossed legs. This was definitely not an official move from any of the disciplines. His taunting eyes confirmed her suspicions as their faces aligned only several centimeters apart.

Somewhere in her mind she forgot her arms were still locked around his neck until his arm that was locked buckled down outside of her hold and wrenched her grip open almost effortlessly. Now all that remained were her legs grappling him at his waist. Sakura's eyes widened when she felt Itachi rock onto his back again. This wouldn't be good for her if he pinned her again if she was anticipating his moves correctly. He had reversed the fight somewhere along the line to challenge her at her own game.

As she careened forward towards him, Itachi's arms slid underneath Sakura's underarms and his fingers locked in front around her chest. And then, in blink of an eye, he teetered forward once more after rocking all the way back, sending Sakura's body down onto the ground, a gasp escaping as her body hit hard. She lay breathless as the world around her turned black.

At least it appeared to.

Itachi's hair came undone, curtaining around her face and blocking them both out from the rest of the world. Itachi's deep breath exiting through his nostrils warmed her skin and Sakura shuttered. She forced her head to turn away from him.

Some fool on the outside was wolf whistling, they both noticed.

Sakura spat her mouthguard out and wondered aloud, "are you coming onto me?"

He tilted his head down closer and shifted his mouthguard around to speak his mind. "Surely you're joking?"

"Distracting you, really." She wriggled underneath him again to see if she could gain the upper hand again, but he hooked his legs around the outside of hers and immobilized her full body. Had he not done so, she could have kneed his crotch. Suffice to say, there was nowhere to go from here, so she settled for the next big thing.

Sakura sighed and looked up at him with her eyes large and innocent, mustering as blank a face as she could manage as she deadpanned. "I like a man who's in control."

"Pardon?"

"You heard me." If he was uncomfortable, she was winning.

"Haruno-san," he warned.

She smiled innocently. "People are watching." He wouldn't dare.

He sighed, perturbed by the oddity she was trying to pull after her blunder only days ago with Deidara. Very well, he resigned internally. Itachi unlocked her arms and grabbed her wrists before she could do anything with them; he was smooth like that. And he was going to make sure Sakura had it difficult.

So he did what any man would do in his position; he pinned them above her head and leaned down to her the one ear she exposed as she turned her head away from him, a sudden surge of regret filling her. "Two can play at this game." Once more he breathed against her skin, making sure his breath caressed her neck and the tip of his nose tickled her skin before pulling away.

A warm pink crept into her cheeks as her skin heated fervently.

Triumph.

"You're blushing," Itachi said plainly, all traces of seduction fleeing his voice.

"That's not fair," she exhaled sharply as her mind went into overdrive at something so simple.

"Only finishing what you started, Sa-ku-ra-chan." It was sickeningly sweet, the way he said her name.

Wait.

What?

And just like that, he untangled himself from her and ducked out of the rink, leaving her lying alone and melting into a puddle.

Was this revenge for Deidara? No, it couldn't have been. Itachi wasn't like that. What the hell?

"Damnit, Itachi, you killed her! She's just.. lying there, you asshole!" Hidan gestured wildly to Sakura. "Look at her! She's alive," he said noting the rise and fall of her chest, "but she's dead," he exclaimed at her motionlessness.

"You're being dramatic," was all Itachi said in reply.

Sasori tilted his head looking between Sakura and Itachi. "You know, there are websites dedicated to whatever it was she and you were just about up to, right?"

"You're horrible, Sasori." Konan said in passing. She had seen the spar and only overheard that conversation in passing as she made her way to some of the other gym equipment.

"Is he talking about what I think he's talking about?" Hidan wiggled his eyebrows. "Didn't know Pinocchio was into that raunchy stuff. You're a fucking baby!"

"I never said I was," Sasori replied.

"And yet you never said you weren't," Deidara quipped.

Deidara and Hidan were evil when they double teamed others, Sasori decided.

Itachi feigned ignorance to the conversation and turned to Kisame who snorted with the conversation.

"I have to admit, when the kiddo said she was going to die, that's not quite what I had in mind," Kisame bit back a chuckle.

Meanwhile Deidara and Sasori moved towards the Sakura, where sat staring down at the ground.

"Earth to Sakura-chan, Earth to Sakura-chan, come in," Deidara yelled out to her from beyond the rink.

She looked up at him emptily.

"You alright, un?"

"I," she started looking dazed. "I think I'm done for the day." Sakura stood and tumbled out of the rink, Sasori tossing her a towel.

"Cold shower?" he asked.

"Cold shower," she agreed.

The three walked together back to the group and though the two men stopped, Sakura pushed through them, her body shivering oddly as she brushed passed Itachi.

Sasori turned to Itachi with a studious eye. "I think you broke her," he stated plainly. His curiosity piqued. "How did you do it?"

"I called her by her name."

"You sure as hell did a lot more than that, I'll tell ya that right now," Hidan snorted.

"I wonder if she's still looking for a rematch," Kisame thought aloud.

"Oh, she'll be wanting a rematch, alright." Hidan snickered. "In bed."