Title: Romance in the air
Author: enchanted nightingale
Beta: pussycatadamah
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me. I only use them in my plot for fun.
Chapter Summary: A chance meeting between two lonely people may have unforeseen results, especially between a killer and a miko.
Pair: Itachi Uchiha/ Kagome Higurashi
A/N:
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Kyuubi talking"
Chapter 1
Itachi Uchiha slipped through the thick crowds. He had not expected to see this large a crowd in The Land of Waves. Last he knew it was a poor country with missing Nin terrorizing the citizens. As he and his partners, Deidara and Kisame following at a slower pace behind him. They had forgone their Akatsuki cloaks for simple travelling cloaks with hoods and hats in dark colors. The ninja had to squint and still he was unable to read the sign before the bridge. His two partners were arguing in low tones behind him. It had been a long trip and they had reached the country just as the last of Itachi's nerves were about to snap.
Itachi did not see any reason for this mission as this country had no ninja to speak of. Still, the merchants, the crowd and wealth surprised him.
"Are we in the right place, un?" Deidara questioned Itachi.
Itachi glared him.
"Just saying," Kisame cut in.
"…The Great Naruto Bridge!"
The three Akatsuki members stopped in their tracks and stared with interest as a group of tourists was shown around by one of the locals.
'Naruto Bridge? That explains a lot,' Itachi thought.
"Did you hear that, un?" Deidara asked.
"Yes, now move on," Itachi stated.
Kagome thanked the man for the groceries and headed back home. Her hair was pulled in a high ponytail, caught with a blue ribbon. She had started wearing a combination of miko clothes and ninja wear while she roamed the elemental countries. She had chosen to wear tight ninja pants in black, with knee-length boots and a blue net top, with a white kimono that only reached her mid thighs and had red patterns similar to those Sesshomaru's kimono sported all those years ago. It also helped that she had this outfit in similar colors as those kimonos that had been a gift from the Taiyukai after the last battle.
The priestess sighed. Remembering what happened always got her in a funny mood. She was lonely and tired. Lonely because it had been years since she ended up in this world. The battle for the Shikon no Tama had ended and they had been victorious, but not without losses. Many demons died that day, most of them Sesshomaru's soldiers. Her friends lived but they were worn out. Then Inuyasha had suggested she visited her mother to tell her she was fine and to stock up on supplies. She was only to leave for a couple of days.
It had been fifty years since. Half a century of wandering around in this alien world wondering why she never got home or at least stranded in the Feudal Era. She was tired of moving around just to keep people from being suspicious of her unchanging age.
She twirled the Shinkon from where it hung around her neck.
It was all because of it. The death of so many loved ones, the pain she felt, her loneliness.
Still, despite that, she was thankful to the little pink sphere.
Kagome kept walking. She lived in a house not far from the market. It was in a nice neighborhood, had a small garden for her herbs. It was nice and clean, with a kitchen, a bathroom and a room to sleep in. It was home to her for the last two years. She kept moving every decade or so as to not give target. She also tended to avoid Hidden Villages as the Ninjas were suspicious and a lot of trouble.
She greeted her neighbors and entered her house.
"Home sweet home," she whispered.
With a glance around her shoulders slumped.
Itachi wanted to yell. He was not usually this easily annoyed but he was fed up. Being partnered with Kisame was bad enough, but Deidara's addition to the team, at Pein's insistence, was driving him over the top. Now, a drunken Deidara and a tipsy Kisame… He was itching to use his Sharigan just to get them to shut up.
Another waitress came by with more sake.
The Uchiha abruptly stood. "You better be sober tomorrow," he hissed at them.
Itachi left the table disgusted. He decided to go meditate to calm his spiking temper before he killed his annoying team mates.
Kagome sighed.
She wanted to burn some steam, relax and enjoy herself. When she was in her time she would go out with her three friends and they would dance, sing and fool around. Then in the past she would go drinking with the group when they visited towns or villages, otherwise they had Shippo and Inuyasha's antics to amuse them. Here she had neither company nor the mood to drink and dance. Frustrated she closed up her house and decided to go for a walk around the village. Last minute she decided that she could use a bath and gathered a bag with her bathing supplies as she headed to the nearest lake outside the village. She preferred being alone so the public hot springs would not do.
She was again greeted by her neighbors and village people.
"Kagome-chan," one of the old women greeted.
"Hisana-san," Kagome bowed her head slightly.
"Going out again?"
"I'm gathering herbs," Kagome told the old woman.
"Be careful my dear. Times are dangerous. I heard the men say that there were rogue nin spotted in the countryside."
Kagome thanked her and reassured her she would be careful.
She left the village but not stopping a few more times to speak with the village people.
Once she left the village behind she relaxed marginally. Being surrounded by nature always made her calm and less nostalgic.
Itachi stepped over his discarded cloak and boots. He had considered the public baths but his scars would get unwanted attention as would he and his team if he decided to close the baths for him only. So he had come to the lake. He placed traps to let him know if the perimeter was breached and his peace and privacy was disrupted.
He fell into the lake naked, not minding the initial chill of the water. He let out a sigh and swam to a small boulder to rest against and enjoy his bath.
The Uchiha was rather surprised when he saw someone approaching.
'The wards should have notified me,' Itachi thought. He narrowed his eyes and the tomoes swirled.
It was woman, he realized. She had dark hair and wore an odd outfit for a civilian but she certainly did not look like a ninja. He observed her as she set about preparing for her bath. Itachi blinked when her top fell and he found himself unable to look away when her creamy skin was bared to his gaze. One might have argued that any shinobi worth their hitate never let a potential threat unwatched. But in this case Itachi was hardly thinking with his brain. He was busy admiring the view and enjoying that he had the rare opportunity to do so. His eyes were sharp and he easily noticed the scar under her breast. It intrigued him to know that she did in fact have a flaw on her body.
'Pity,' he thought.
There was a soft noise as she jumped into the lake. She swam under the surface till her air was out and came up to breathe. Her face had a smile and before Itachi could blink she saw him.
She stopped and pulled her body underwater, eyeing him with apprehension. She was quite far from the bank of the lake and equally far from him.
"The lake is big enough for two," Itachi spoke up. In the quiet of the night he was heard.
The female bit her lip.
Kagome had often been accused of being too trusting and a bit careless when it came to her health. Inuyasha had often used a rather colorful vocabulary trying to get the point across. Sesshomaru, too, often said that it was both her best and worst point. She had often gotten kidnapped or landed in ridiculous situations. Right now her friends would have been yelling at her. Generally, being naked in the presence of a complete stranger was dangerous and stupid on her part still…
'Nice abs,' she realized and then cursed inwardly.
Her attention snapped to the present when she heard him speak.
"The lake is big enough for two," the gorgeous male told her.
She bit her lip. Now a wise girl would scream 'pervert' and get the hell out of there.
Kagome considered the suggestion.
"Are you a pervert?" the girl asked.
Itachi blinked. He had never before considered himself to be perverted, not even during puberty.
"I don't think so," he replied.
"Are you gay?"
Itachi was incredulous. He had not expected that question to be directed at him; ever. He was curious as to how her mind worked. He knew he was intrigued and he had felt his body responding to her looks. He was not averse to bedding her. The trouble would be convincing her for it. It had been a while since the last time he got to indulge himself.
"No," the ninja replied. "I'm not gay."
"Hm," the girl seemed to think about something. "You could be lying you know."
Itachi smirked. "But I wouldn't get to touch you later or now if you like."
She laughed at his reply. "You are joking, right?"
"I want to have sex with you," Itachi told her bluntly.
'Yes please!' the naughty part of Kagome's brain replied rather enthusiastically.
She was not a virgin, not after fifty years and after being courted by demons and humans alike in two different worlds.
Still, she was hesitant to just have sex for the sake of it.
Itachi paused. His upbringing had been emotionally lacking; he knew.
'Please don't be a skittish virgin,' he thought then.
Not when he was already half hard and waiting for her positive reply.
Kagome decided to go for it. She had nothing to lose. Should he turn out to be a pervert she could easily defend herself; the guy would not know what hit him.
"I was looking forward to my bath," she told the handsome stranger.
He smirked and it made him look dangerous, but it held no malice in it. Instead of replying to her statement he dove towards her. She was startled when he came up only a foot away from her. She noticed how pale his skin was. He also had a lot of scars marring it.
'A warrior,' her mind provided.
He also had long hair flowing down his shoulders. This gave him an aristocratic air.
But what got her attention were the red eyes with the black spots. She remembered seeing similar eyes on demons but this one was human. Her interest piqued.
"What is your name?" Kagome asked.
"Itachi. Uchiha Itachi."
"Kagome Higurashi. Nice to meet you."
"Hn."
Itachi crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. From up close he was even better. His body was lean, not too muscled, and rather athletic. The miko guessed he was a shinobi probably just passing from the area.
Itachi observed Kagome Higurashi with interest. From up close she was pretty. Her dark hair was longer than his, her skin held scars long healed but not as much as his body. She was also young, no older than seventeen or eighteen. Her eyes though seemed to be wise and calculating. She was a strong woman this Kagome. While he was not looking for a wife or a relationship he was pleased that she was not an airhead. He would enjoy this one. Her body seemed to be in good shape too. She looked like she worked out but not like a shinobi.
There was one more thing left for him to do.
Kagome was taken by surprise when Itachi kissed her.
He was a formidable presence and the kiss he gave her matched him. He pulled her against his hard, wet body and the miko felt how turned on he was.
Her large eyes blinked in shock. "Already?"
Itachi smirked. "You will learn."
Kagome gulped at the look in his eyes.
End of chapter
A/N: How was it?