"So you're saying that I have to do this mission?"

"Yep."

"Really?"

"Really."

"This is my first one."

"It won't be your last."

I sighed. "Your contradictory nature is not helping me," I grumbled.

Ayumi waved a hand impatiently at me. "Not the point. Your mission won't be a problem. After all, what guy wouldn't follow you around."

I threw my hands in the air, "But a seduction mission?!"

Ayumi gave me a hard look. "Nanami, chill."

"A seduction mission?!" I cried, still freaking out.

"Nanami," Ayumi said, grabbing my arms and shaking me, "Nanami. You can do this. Okay?"

I slumped to sit on my friend's couch. Breathe in, breathe out.

"Better?" she asked after a few minutes.

"I guess," I stretched, feeling the muscles in my back pull, "Do you at least have any tips?"

Ayumi shifted. "Rule number one: be confident. If you don't feel sexy, act like you do. Rule two: don't overdo it. Be coy. Play hard to get. Do not drape yourself all over him. Contrary to belief, men like a challenge. And rule three?" She looked me deep in the eyes. "Don't do anything you don't want to. Don't let him do anything you don't want him to do. It's just a mission. You just need information on the Sand's dispersion of ANBU, okay?" Ayumi patted my hand reassuringly, and then pulled me into a hug. "You'll do great."

Behind her back I flipped open my bingo book again, staring hard at the purple-tattooed ninja. Kankuro, puppet master of the Sand, brother to the Kazekage, and my target. Great.

*8*8*8*8*

The bar was smoky, there were lots of people, and I felt ridiculous. I tottered towards an empty barstool on freaking tall high heels. Ugh, I really felt ridiculous. I felt my hair, teased into some sort of messy style, and my face, which felt like it was under at least half a ton of makeup. Not to even start mentioning the fact that I was dressed like a stripper. My top sincerely couldn't go any lower, and my skirt couldn't get any shorter. Otherwise, I'd be naked. I crossed my legs conspicuously.

"What do you want to drink?" the bartender asked, wiping a grimy glass. I almost smirked. What would he do if he knew I was completely underage – even for entrance to this bar?

"A Lady L," I replied coolly, playing with my fingernails as though I was too good to look him in the face. He messed around behind the bar, while I dubiously watched what the heck he was giving me. I had spent days agonizing over the bar's drink menu, wondering what to order. Beer was too unlady-like, while wine made me look like a snot. A cocktail it was. I glanced at the clock on the wall. My target should be approaching any minute now – he came to this bar at exactly 9:34 PM every Wednesday night like clockwork.

"Here you go," the bartender said, sliding a pale blue beverage towards me. He looked at me expectantly. What? Oh, right – money! Now where had I put it? Did I have any pockets? It wasn't anywhere in my nonexistent clothes, was it? A bead of sweat dripped down the back of my neck. Crap.

"I'll take care of it," a male voice said somewhere behind my left shoulder. A hand flipped towards the barkeep, a thick wad of paper between two outstretched fingers.

"Oh, sir," the man stumbled out, and made a short bow, "How generous of you; so very generous!" He took the impressive billfold as though it might disappear before his eyes. I would've done the same thing. That had to be three times the amount I usually made as a ninja in a month.

"No problem," the voice continued in that swift, easy banter, "It's not often I get to treat a pretty lady to a drink." I spun around slowly, head tilted back coyly.

"Thank y-," I began, before I got a closer look at the guy's face. Oh dear god. It was my target. I immediately doubled the protection on my chakra signature and changed my tone of voice. "Surely you don't mean me?" I tittered, fluttering my eyelashes just so.

"Who else would I mean?" he said, a crooked smile breaking across his clear face. I almost did a double take. One – he was dressed in civilian clothes, face wiped clean of purple ninja paint, and second – I felt my heart skip a beat as I took in his smile. I liked it. I blinked, cleansing my mind of the odd thought and continued.

"What a compliment," I murmured, gazing into his brown eyes for a split second, "I thank you."

"It's an easy one to give with your looks," my target replied, sliding into the barstool next to me. I really did not see the difference poofy hair, small clothes, and a sludge of make-up on my face did to make me suddenly wanted by a high-caliber shinobi, but if that's what it took – fine. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Kaya," I said demurely, taking the smallest sip of my drink, "And yours?" The tiny taste I took sure packed a punch. I could taste the alcohol burning down my esophagus.

"Seiji," my target drawled out smoothly, "I've never seen you here before." Ha, liar.

"Just passing through," I smiled, meeting his eyes again, "I don't stay in one place too often."

"Someone after you?" he asked, almost convincingly concerned.

"No," I mentioned, "I don't stay in one place too long." I took another drink from my Lady L. "It gets . . . boring."

"So is Suna . . . boring?" he asked.

"Well, it suddenly got very interesting," I grinned, "Very interesting indeed."

My target cupped his hand around his face, leaning on his elbow, "Oh really?" He smiled – a million watt grin.

"Really," I replied, trying to draw him in with my eyes like Ayumi said I could.

"So, after you finish your drink, you wanna go see the town? Since you won't be here long and all," he proposed.

I did the split-second hesitation technique that we learned. "Well, I don't know . . ." I murmured, biting my lip in uncertainly.

"C'mon, I'm a nice guy," 'Seiji' pleaded, devastatingly clever grin on his face.

That's not what the bingo book said.

Not like I could resist my mission's bounty though. Tempting, tempting.

"Sure," I smiled, "Why not? This is probably one of my last nights here anyways."

"Alright, let's go!" he exclaimed, hopping to his feet to extend a hand to me. I took a last sip of my half-full drink and allowed him graciously to help me up from my chair. His touch on my elbow was burning, but tender, with rough hands that guaranteed years of rough work and blood, and yet, the fingertips delicate, though scarred. I found my footing on my skinny stilettos and off we went, leaving my glass and the bar behind us.

We walked for a while, bright lanterns every so often to break up the night. I looked at the sky with astonishment. The stars were so bright! I hadn't seen stars like that for years.

"Kaya?" my target asked perplexedly. I almost flinched, not realizing that I had stopped to stare at the sky with abandon.

"Yes?" I replied pleasantly, "What is it?"

"You're staring off into space?" he guessed.

"Indeed," I replied, thinking quick. I had to get the information out of this guy soon. My legs were already cramping up from my killer shoes and I didn't know how much longer I could go being Ms. Sexy. "They remind me of my lover."

"Lover?" he said, eyebrows raised, wry smile on his face.

"Yes," I said, gliding towards him, "I loved him very much – and he died. That is why I travel, if I stay too long in one place-" and with that I brushed against him, giving a heartfelt sigh, " – I get . . . lonely."

"Well how long have you been here?" he bantered.

"Too long," I breathed, tucking my hair behind my ear and pouting, "Entirely too long." Those last words I whispered into his ear. I felt him quake as my mouth barely touched his earlobe.

"Well, we wouldn't want you to get lonely," 'Seiji' suggested, wrapping a warm arm around me. I snuggled in closer, ignoring the thrums of heat zapping through my chest.

"No, we wouldn't," I agreed, sealing the deal by peering up (wantonly, I believe the term they taught us was called) at his mouth. It was a very pleasantly-shaped mouth. Much more pleasant though when it was on mine. His lips were heated, molding to mine in a kiss that was far from chaste. If this wasn't a mission, I would feel like a slut.

I let my hand slide down his neck, dipping into his shirt. If I could just find the right pressure point to knock him out, then I could temporarily possess him and figure out the specs for my mission . . . but he tasted too good . . . way too good . . . like strawberry pocky . . . yum . . .

Get ahold of yourself, Nanami! I felt around his neck some more, pretending to stroke the nice, amazing skin . . . Dammit! I was doing it again! I tightened my shriveling resolve and would have gritted my teeth, were it not for my target's talented tongue currently sliding along my own. The bump in his neck . . . above the collarbone, below the shoulder muscle . . . there!

And suddenly I couldn't move. It was like being caught in the Shadow Possession jutsu. I froze, my finger quivering on my target's skin.

Then I was spun around and bound. My target smirked grimly down at me, chakra strings running from his fingers to around my body, "So . . . who are you? And what village are you from?" Damn! Double damn! I forgot his signature jutsu – art of the puppet master!

"Seiji?! What are you doing?! What are you talking about?!" I exclaimed, playing dumb, "What is this?!" I twisted weakly against the bonds, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes as I stabbed myself with a fingernail. "Seiji?!"

"Don't mock me," my target sneered, tightening the strings until they began to cut into me, "Answer my questions." I cried out as he flicked his fingers, a rivulet of pain flowing into me. "You're kunoichi."

"Fine," I countered, stupid foofy hair falling messily into my eyes, "I'm kunoichi. Let me go."

"Were you sent here to assassinate me? To get information about Gaara? Where are you from? What is your mission?" he roared, "Do you know who I am?"

"Duh," I spat, eyes blazing.

"So say it," he hissed, "Say my name." He yanked at the threads, causing trickles of blood to spill from my arms where the strings bit into me.

"Kankuro," I drawled harshly.

"Good," he replied, loosening the threads around me, but still keeping me restrained. "Now, what shall I do with you? Kill you? Sell you?" At each new suggestion, he twisted me around, a mere puppet, one where he could manipulate into moving a leg or arm or my whole body. Dear god.

Kankuro apparently had the same twisted idea I did. Ho-ly shoot.

"Maybe I should just do whatever I want with you," he smiled, coming closer.

"No!" I yelled, "Get away from me!"

"What? There's no one to stop me. I'm the Kazekage's brother. I can do whatever I want," Kankuro growled. He reached forward and looped a hand around my ribs, just under my breasts.

"You wouldn't," I said, panicking, "You can't!"

Kankuro chuckled. "Oh, kunoichi, I can do whatever I want," he reminded me, "Anyway, your heart rate is speeding up. I think you like this. You have a thing for bondage?"

"Hell no!" I snapped, refusing to hear this.

"Or maybe it's a thing for me," Kankuro said, his strings made me tilt my head back, exposing my throat fully to him. Oh god, he was going to slit my throat. He was totally gonna slit my throat and throw me in some ditch somewhere. Forget rape – he was going to kill me. Why else would he do this? I shut my eyes, praying for a savior.

That's why I was surprised when I felt his lips touch my neck, instead of the cold, biting steel I'd thought. My eyes shot open. What in the heck?

"Now, you listen, and you listen good," Kankuro muttered as he licked a trail of fire up my skin, "I'm letting you go." I let out a small moan as he bit my neck lightly. "You're obviously a rookie," he continued, pressing a soft kiss to the edge of my jawbone, "And it's not often a pretty girl accepts me without knowing who I am. But now you do." I growled at him, deep in my throat. Rookie, huh? I'd show him rookie, if I could just get these dang strings off! . . . And if he would stop kissing me, maybe my brain would jolt out of its lucid, perfectly happy state!

"Besides," he added, "You're in WAY over your head." With that final statement, he kissed me on the mouth again. He was hard, unyielding, demanding in his kiss, breaking me down, making my insides turn to absolute slush. He explored my mouth, playing with my tongue, and I'm almost ashamed to say that I didn't stop him. In fact, I began to respond to him, battling for dominance. He hummed with pleasure as I nibbled at his bottom lip. Eventually we had to break for air, breathing hard. My head felt like it was filled with fluff, enjoyable, awesome fluff.

"By the way," he murmured, tongue tracing the side of my ear, "You've been free since a couple of minutes ago. Bye bye, beautiful." With that, he was gone in a whirlwind, leaving me alone, slightly pissed, ravaged, and my mission: a failure? Maybe. Maybe not. I collected myself, kicked off my heels, and began the long way back.