Disclaimer ; I do not own.

Note ; I had to pause my homework to get the story finished first. And here's the result - I present to you Part 16 of Captured . I know I took a LONGGGG time *jumps away from claybomb* I think Deidara's a bit pissed off at me for not writing more of him with Sakura. Anyways, I dedicate this chapter to all of those who crave for some KakuzuxSakura interaction. Throughout the story I've noticed that Kakuzu rarely gets any love from Sakura. Ah yes, there're other AkatsukixSakura moments too.

Reuploaded ; there's a few scene changes !

CAPTURED

"You. You!" She growled aloud at the Uchiha. "You're so damn frustrating!"

Itachi gave his most alluring smirk. "All the better to tease you with."

He pulled her down to meet him in a kiss.

© xSakuraWings

PART 16

Ino was terrified.

She did not just say that.

The Hokage did not just say that.

Tsunade Senju did not just say that.

How could she do this to Forehead-girl?

"T-Tsunade-sama!" A meek voice objected. "Y-You cannot do this to Sakura-chan.." As she spoke her mind, tears flowed from her eyes down to her cheeks. Hinata tried to be strong but was failing miserably because she couldn't continue her sentence anymore afraid that she might burst from the overwhelming sadness.

Kiba couldn't stand it either. "Hinata's right! We can't just leave Sakura out there with those criminals." The Inuzuka heir growled, baring his sharp canine teeth out not at the Hokage but all those present in the room. Particularly to the Elders. Mindless oldfarts.

"I, too wish to object this." The coffee haired Hyuuga spoke his mind aloud. Neji frowned at the two elders sitting next to Tsunade. They must be forcing the Hokage into agreeing with this nonsense. How could she abandon her beloved apprentice? There must be something behind this.

"If Dickless and Emo-gay are here instead of the hospital, they would say no." Sai tilted his head, a mocking smile directed to the Elders. The ex-ROOT member continued, "It's obvious that Ulgy is important to them and also to me." His smile slipped away and his face turned serious. "We have to find Sakura."

Ino was still for one, completely silent. Even after Lee, TenTen, Shino and Chouji had given their opinions which are all objections at Tsunade's idea, she didn't know what to do. The blonde was very sure that Tsunade loves Sakura like her own daughter. It was nearly impossible that she will leave Sakura in the hands of Akatsuki or worse, unless there was a catch.

"This is troublesome." Shikamaru muttered. "Just get to the point of this meeting. You know we will try to find a way to locate Sakura even if you gave us direct orders not to." He smirked a little.

The Godaime Hokage sighed. She was expecting this to be hard but not this nerve wrecking. Curse the copy-nin Hatake! He escaped from this horrid meeting and went to hide somewhere else, leaving her all this responsibility. Tsunade was going to make sure his whole face would be covered by a mask when she was done with him.

The Elder's whisperings were becoming louder and louder, bouncing back and forth from the walls and into their ears.

"What disrespectful youngsters…"

Someone gritted their teeth loudly.

"….what sort rubbish has the academy been feeding them?"

She fisted her hand.

"..They can't even differ which is right or wrong.."

She shut her eyes.

"The disappearance of Sakura Haruno is clearly messing with their thoughts!"

It was more than she could take.

The loud slam of the table echoed through the small meeting room. She thought she would be screaming on top of her voice at the Elders. She was surprised that her voice came out calmly and low. So calm, it was starting to make her sound deeply angry. "Who are you to speak of my best friend in that way?"

"Is that Inoichi Yamanaka's daughter?"

"Where are her manners?"

"What if I am?" Ino sneered. The politeness in her tone vanished. "You old buffoons need an eye check or something? Maybe those nerves of yours are finally breaking down." Ino smiled eerily, a trait she learned from her best friend. Her icy blue orbs hardened. "We will not stop searching for Sakura and we don't care what you old crows think."

Kiba snickered but stopped when he saw Tsunade glaring at him.

The busty blonde cleared her throat. "Yamanaka, refrain yourself." Although there was an understanding when their eyes met, Tsunade was quite amused.

Ino was positively burning. However she followed her Hokage's wishes and sat back down. The Yamanaka saw Hinata nodding at her for silent support and in return she smiled back softly.

Tsunade's face stern as she met each and every gaze of the people inside the room. "This is an order. No one, I repeat no one will continue this search anymore. If I catch you doing that, you'll be kicked out from Konoha. If I have to I'll do it myself personally. Trust me, you won't like it." She stopped dead and took a small breath. No one noticed that her voice was wavering. "This decision is final. Nothing will change my mind."

Ino's eyes were stinging. Tsunade's face was serious and no-nonsense, she felt her heart drop. And all of a sudden, the room's atmosphere was gloomy and desperate. Ino was choking from the thick air of despair and the cruel fate for her pink haired friend.

"Y-You're joking.." Hinata choked out miserably.

"A Hokage doesn't joke." Tsunade retorted back and gestured to the other side of the room. Her finger was pointed towards the door. "Meeting is adjourned."

Just when Tsunade thought she would be left alone to mourn for Sakura. The twin doors burst open, revealing bright orange and dark navy blue. Of course, those two just had something to say about this wouldn't they?

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO SAKURA-CHAN! SHE NEEDS OUR HELP, BAA-CHAN! DON'T LISTEN TO THOSE OLD FARTS, DATTEBAYO!"

And all hell broke loose.

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"You're basically eye screwing yourself, Uchiha!"

He sat still in his chair, never once wincing at her increasing volume. He tossed a glance at his partner who was snoring soundly in his bed. Great, where is he going to sleep after this? In Kisame's room? Heck, no. Itachi couldn't tolerate the dark and light blue walls on four sides of the wall, caging him in like a fish underwater.

"I told you to use less of your Sharingan, not to use more of it! Now look at the damage!"

The silent male preferred simple and dark colours like grey, black and white. They suited him, they described him and they told a story of his life. Crazy bright colours were an eyesore to him unless it came in the form of a certain pink, red and green Sakura Haruno.

"Do you have any idea this might permanently blind your eyes?"

Never had he thought that someone would start lecturing him ever since he set his foot out of Konoha. Itachi never imagined the Konoha kunoichi as a nagging type. Then again, her fiery and spitfire attitude did go well with that. Why was she scolding him again in his room making him look like a disobedient patient?

She was a picturesque of an angry pink lioness ready to pounce of her victim. A growl resonated but then it went down. "You – oh, forget it." The image of the giant fury lioness melted away back into the smaller pink haired girl. "There's no point in lecturing Uchihas anyway." She subsided in a tone of defeat, blowing the sweaty bangs off her face and glaring at Itachi the same time.

It was so-so frustrating! It took her nearly a month, staying awake until midnight and having healing sessions with Itachi, making sure he was prioritising his health and more importantly, his eyes. Prided with her perfect chakra control, Sakura easily replenished and steadied the flow of his chakra in the network of his eyes. Then, she formed another layer of a protective chakra barrier around the sensitive nerves to protect them. In that way, Itachi wouldn't have a high risk of going blind but the risk was still there.

Why the hell did he even use the Mangekyo anyway?

Who cares?

I do! All the procedures I did are wasted! Everything has to be done all over again!

Exactly, more sexy Itachi time for us then!

Her work was perfect. She had planned for a month or so, then his eyes will be fully healed then the she could fulfil the end of her bargain. As each day passed, Sakura checked Itachi's condition and was happy with the results. Just when she expected that the least of her worries of Itachi going blind was gone, he had to ruin everything for her.

"Che." The healer huffed at him. "We're going to have to start everything again. Are you happy with that, Itachi?" She addressed his name in a firm tone, hoping to at least make him feel guilty about this. Judging from his stoic face, Itachi Uchiha wasn't the definition of guilt.

The slim male regarded her quietly. To think that he had a bit of shame to look away, but he didn't. Those two crimson orbs were drawn to her. They have always been. Itachi decided not to rebut Sakura's question or else he'll be getting a few more extra treatments from her later.

"Have a seat, will you?" Sakura pulled a lock of pink hair away from her eye. She motioned at the chair. "He better not had ruined his nerve cells." She muttered more to herself than to him as Itachi moved and seated himself on the chair across Sakura.

Itachi raised his head to face hers so that their eyes could meet.

Damn hot S-class nuke ninja! CHA!

She waited until Inner Sakura stopped her screeching about Itachi's mesmerising crimson eyes and that oh-so-soft black hair of his, then whipping out her black medic gloves from her pocket. The skin was prickling already and she bet that the heat was making its way to her face now.

"Close your eyes, Itachi."

There was a shuffling sound, then approaching footsteps and he felt the cooling, refreshing chakra flowing through him. If he could make a wish, Itachi wanted to stay like this forever. Just close enough to her. If he could feel her presence there, her warmth, her chakra, her heartbeat and her comforting aura – it would be enough.

However, his darker Uchiha side beg to differ.

His crimson orbs snapped open suddenly. He found her fingers pressing over his forehead and her other hand supporting herself on his shoulder. "No." He let his hand clasped over hers on his shoulder in a possessive hold. Looking into those infinite green depths, he thought of only one thing. It's never enough.

Keeping her eyes straight forward on their joined hands, Sakura inhaled. "What now?" It was a bad idea to look at Itachi in the eye because the male looked so intimidating. The pinkette would be lying if she said the nerves in her stomach weren't clenching. It was a very, very bad idea and she knew it, yet she did it.

The green-eyed medic misinterpreted his longing for sadness.

"Hey." Her gaze softens a little. "It's going to be fine. I'm making sure you won't go blind. That's the reason why I'm here, isn't it?" Sakura plastered a bright smile on her face. "Let's just say I'm quite adapted to handling Uchiha males." She threw her head back in a mirthless laugh.

"Quite adapted?" He repeated in his unchanging tone.

Sakura, who didn't look the least bothered by his hand hovering over hers, merely raised an eyebrow in response. "Well, you do know that I'm the medic in Team Seven right? Tsunade-shissou also appointed me as the Uchiha Clan's personal medic. It's a good thing since I just have to take care of Sasuke." She shrugged.

"Personal medic?" Itachi left out the 'for my foolish brother?' There was the slightest change in his calm aura. It was starting to swirl more impatiently.

She threaded her fingers through her pink locks. "Sasuke's condition is slacking a bit too like yours. Actually, yours is much worse than Sasuke's. I hope he knows the limitation of using his Sharingan unlike his older brother." She jabbed an unimpressed look at the older Uchiha.

It was the very first time Itachi Uchiha was interrupting her in a burst of fury. "Don't compare me with him." His voice was lower and darker, something in his look which made Sakura tingled all over. "We're not alike at all."

At the sight of the serious Itachi, Sakura had a sudden flashback of the time when she was attacked by the Sound nins, got stabbed by a sword, waking up with him by her bedside and his face being so close to hers. All sorts of crawling feelings came over her again.

"Oh. Um. Okay." She managed to speak, her chest tightened.

He grabbed her shoulder forcefully and brought her down to him. He pressed his palm on her back and hooked the other around her waist, preventing her from escaping. Those red orbs flashed brightly as they stared deep into her.

Okay. Now, Sakura was having a bad feeling.

"Unless you want to be a one-eyed Uchiha, I suggestyou move your hands."

He dragged her close to him, unaware that her legs were barely touching the floor now that she was sitting on his lap. From the way Sakura's small hands were fisting his fishnet shirt, her lower lip jutting out seductively and the colour of her slightly reddish cheeks, it was driving him mad with desire.

"No, I won't."

Sakura was so sure he was going to ravage her mouth again. Then again, how many times had this situation occurred before? Ever since her stay at Akatsuki was permanent until Itachi's eyes are healed, the hormonal male members just couldn't keep their distance away from her.

They weren't much of her enemies anymore. It is true that she had grown attached to them. As acquaintances? As friends? Or maybe something even more? If she is treating them like her friends, would it count as a betrayal? If she is protecting them like she's protecting her special people, does this mean she really cares for them?

Why do you even care?

Yes, why do I?

Across the room, she spotted Kisame. The Mist-nin was still sleeping soundly, face buried into the softness of the bed sheets. Damn him! If Kisame was awake, she wouldn't be in this situation!

Just when his lips were about to brush hers, Itachi pulled away. What stunned her most was that he didn't kiss her instead he placed his forehead on her shoulder. Sakura couldn't decide whether to feel disappointment or glad. Her short relief was that Itachi didn't try to do anything to her after that. He was contented in their position, she guessed.

He felt her gently pat his back. He stiffened at first then he relaxed under her touch when he felt her steady flow of chakra again Itachi realised that Sakura's heartbeat was some sort of a rhythmic lullaby for him. Half an hour later, his embrace on her loosened. He faintly muttered something under his breath before tumbling into a pleasant nap.

Using her flexibility, Sakura wiggled out from the slender male's embrace. She shot Kisame another side glance, hoping that he would wake up. The blue skinned male disappointed her by snoring even louder. It was unfair that he could sleep in Itachi's bed while the owner had to sleep on a hard wooden chair.

Poor Itachi. NOT.

Maybe she had a soft spot for sleeping guys. Sakura was kind enough to cover Itachi with a white blanket. Something came to her mind as she walked out of the room. Was Itachi jealous that Sakura was fond of Sasuke more than him?

"Yeah, he's different alright." She nodded. "They're all different." As she walked out, she allowed herself one more tiny glance at the two sleeping Akatsuki. She hoped the jumpy feeling in her stomach when she watched them was just a side effect of skipping breakfast.

But it wasn't.

And after a few minutes, Sakura idly wondered why she didn't use the opportunity to finish them off when the two left their guards down. She could use her chakra scapels to slice their arteries and stop their heartbeat and pretended it was an accident. S-class criminals or not, she was an honourable kunoichi who shouldn't be siding with her enemies.

So, why?

Why didn't she do it?

That was a question even she couldn't answer herself.

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{ C a p t u r e d }

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The metallic taste in his mouth was disgusting. He swore he was going to drown in his own blood. He could barely breathe yet speak. Praise the Lord ahem Jashin, Hidan made a gurgling sound deep in his throat and sprouted out nonsense, although it came out in broken words. "Gaaaaa…wher…he…fuc..ing...bitch…."

"I didn't quite get that." Kisame sat down next to the fuming Jashinist. He feigned a thinking look, putting his hand under his chin before grinning at the glaring Hidan. "But I think it helps if you stop talking, Hidan." His grin turned broader. "Unless you want to choke in your own blood."

"Fu…kin…ass…ole!"

Kisame narrowly avoided a death grip on his neck from Hidan's hand. A few hours ago, the said silver haired male was thrown roughly onto the floor by a very angry Kakuzu who muttered something along the lines of stupid Hidan picking up a fight, two hour trip from Mist and one of hell of a heavy bastard. The stitched male left his partner there.

The immortal male probably went somewhere to sulk and count his money. The ever-boisterous Hidan must have caught the attention of the Mist ninjas during their mission. Thus, the fight and the injured and decapitated Hidan and one pissed off Kakuzu.

Someone made a whoop sound. "If the bastard dies, I'm celebrating, un." Deidara snapped his fingers as he directed a crooked grin at Hidan. He plopped down the couch next to his red head partner.

"Fuck you!" The Jashinist growled out in a complete sentence. His voice was drowned out by the blood in his throat. However, his words reached their ears.

Kisame gave a thumb up to the blonde pyromaniac. "Congrats! You made Hidan say a proper curse word even if he's on the verge of dying!"

The two burst out in laughter. Even Sasori who kept quiet the whole time couldn't hold back his smirk. His hazel eyes glinted mockingly at Hidan who curled his lips in a snarl. Sasori smirked more.

"..upid…fake..puppe…boy.."

The Akasuna's angelic face scrunched up in frustration. No one, he repeats, no one calls him fake puppet boy! It was the past and now he was stuck in this pathetic form. Everyone in the base knew not to stir up Sasori's past events especially Deidara. They'd constantly bicker with each other but they were the closest members. You could say they were brothers of some sort.

Just when Sasori was about walk over to the injured Hidan to give him a swift kick to his neck, something held him there. The owner of bright pink tresses emerged from the opened door and skipped in. It never failed to attract his attention. It never failed to attract the others as well, much to his annoyance.

"Sakura, un!"

The pink haired medic yawned. Sakura lifted her head, choppy pink hair bouncing around her face. "Hey, Deidara. Did anyone see – GOD, WHAT HAPPENED HERE?" Her emerald eyes widened twice its normal size when she spotted Hidan in a pool of blood. She wasn't sure if it was his blood but the sight of him scarred her terribly.

Her healer instincts kicking in like a bullet train, Sakura moved towards the silver haired Jashinist and hovered over him. Her hands were examining his body, checking his condition. "Holy shit." Sakura muttered. "How the hell are you even alive?" She kept her voice carefully in control, not wanting to scream at him like what she did to Itachi.

His laughter was strained. "I'm fucking immortal, bitch. Don't forget that." Hidan eyed Sakura for a moment before making a pained noise. "..blood…throat.."

Sakura placed a hand on his throat, quickly pushing more and more of her healing green chakra into the wound. "Hidan," she said his name so softly for the first time, he thought it was a dream. She continued meeting his gaze but never speaking anymore. Judging from the way his violet eyes sparkled, Sakura thought he was feeling better.

The three males observing their medic and the foul mouth Hidan were boiling in pure jealousy. When Hidan threw them a cocky smile, they almost lost it right there. If Sakura wasn't kneeling down, healing him like the responsible medic she was for the Akatsuki, they would have jump and tear Hidan apart.

"Why is it that no one told me this?" She sternly said. Sakura was still healing Hidan, back facing them.

Deidara protested. "It's not like he'll die for real, un."

"If he dies, we'll never hear the end from Leader." Kisame sighed.

"Admit it. Pein will be happy that he's gone. Right, Sasori-danna?"

Sakura's face coloured at the mention of Sasori's name. Immediately, flashes of them in the alley and the heated kiss they had shared were landing on her head. She didn't know what the hell was wrong if her internal system when she was around the Akatsuki. Whatever it was she could never control herself when they were here.

Sakura asked suddenly, "Who did this to him?"

"Who wouldn't do that to him?" Kisame responded back playfully. Sensing the rise in the pinkette's chakra, the blue skinned male zipped his mouth. He might as well return back to sleeping in Itachi's comfy bed an hour ago. His partner was still in wonderland when Kisame woke up and left.

"Knowing Hidan, he must have picked up a fight with the Mist ninjas." Sasori's deep voice concluded. "The fool probably lost and Kakuzu had to carry him all the way back here." The corner of Sasori's lips lifted at the ironic image of Kakuzu with Hidan over his shoulder.

The pinkette raised an eyebrow at Hidan who avoided her gaze. She nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. "Aren't S-class ninjas supposed to know how to take care of themselves?" She said flatly at Hidan. "Obviously, you don't."

Hidan made a protesting sound deep in his throat before deciding to glare at Sakura.

"Less talk, more healing." She waggled a finger at him before frowning. "Honestly, I pity Kakuzu more than you. At least you don't have to go running around carrying a man more than a hundred pounds." Sakura's lips curled into a half smirk. "That only means one thing."

Kisame and Deidara leaned towards them to hear more. Sasori pretended to look like he didn't care. Actually, the red head listened to every single word she said.

Sakura paused long for a suspense effect. She removed her hand from his throat, frowning at the blood on her skin. Then, she stared back into his violet orbs and the frown on his bloody lips. She chirped, "Someone needs to lose some weight!"

Deidara threw his head back in laughter. "Damn right!" He rubbed his eyes to brush off the tears. "You've got lots and lots of fats, un! Maybe that's why Kakuzu took so long to drag your sorry ass home!"

Kisame rumbled in loud laughter. "I think that's the first time someone calls him fat."

Sasori closed his eyes and shook his head. A few chuckles escaped his lips.

His brows furrowed in anger. Hidan, whose throat was feeling much better, shouted on top of his voice. "I'M NOT FUCKING FAT DAMN YOU ALL! I HAVE MUSCLES!" He sucked for air greedily. "ARE YOU ALL FUCKING BLIND? DON'T YOU SEE THEM?"

A finger trailed across his abdomen making him inhale sharply. A feminine voice on top of him answered. "I see them alright." Sakura grinned.

The anger evaporated just like that. Hidan grinned back suggestively at his object of affection. "I knew that you'd agree with me, bitch." He grabbed her wrist, pushing her palm on his abdomen to let her feel his muscles. "Now, how about you and I head back to my room so I can thank you properly?" He huskily whispered.

Two emerald orbs looked back at him amusingly. "Oh, really?" She whispered back in a teasing tone, looping her arms around his shoulders. "What makes you think I'll accept your proposal?" Sakura's eyes glinted darkly at Hidan's. Either she was issuing a challenge to him or she was just fighting hard to get.

Aware of the jealous glares and dark scowls the other three members were giving him, Hidan promptly smirked. "I have my fucking ways to convince a sexy bitch like you." He brought his hands to her waist, enjoying her shivers when he did so. "My astounding performance in bed might fucking take your glorious breath away." With a chuckle, his hands cupped her lower bottom.

Hidan faintly remembered her face burning brightly with a pink blush which made her look very, very fucking tempting and the colourful words that spilled out from her lips was so delightfully sexy. He felt something hit the side of his neck. There was a jarring pain and then everything went black for him.

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"Report, Kakuzu."

"The mission was a success." He paused. "The target, Aoi Kirishima was spotted somewhere at Mist and was eliminated."

Pein shifted in his chair. His bones felt stiff suddenly for sitting there doing paperwork for a few hours non-stop. He put up a serious expression. "Very well. You may take your leave now." The stitched male's chakra was still there, unmoving. Pein raised his head, orange locks obscuring his pale ringed eyes. "Kakuzu." It wasn't a question. It was more of a demand for Kakuzu to speak his mind.

Kakuzu didn't bother to stall. "Hidan." He deadpanned.

The Akatsuki Leader pressed his lips into a grim line. Pein asked cautiously. "What has he done this time?" Out of all his members, Hidan and Deidara were the troublemakers. Little pesky monsters. Pein didn't have to guess that Kakuzu was snarling behind his mask. The unhappy gleam in his eyes told everything.

"The fool ran into some Mist ANBU and decided to provoke them." The stitched male drew a deep breath, wanting to calm his boiling rage down. "As a punishment I've decided not to patch him up and let him suffer." There was such a thing called payback, Kakuzu smirked.

"Our medic shall be healing Hidan soon." Pein wanted to smack himself for almost saying his medic. He took note of Kakuzu's weary posture. "Get some rest, Kakuzu. You're dismissed." The pierced male averted his attention back to the papers.

The taller male turned around to head towards the door. Just a few steps and he stopped. His masculine voice requested, "Leader, I would like to leave on a hunting mission tomorrow by myself."

There was no reason for Pein to decline Kakuzu's sudden request anyhow. He courteously gave the immortal male permission, not interested to know what sort of hunting mission Kakuzu was going to do. As long as it didn't get in the way of their main objective – gathering the Nine Bijuu.

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"Kakuzu!" She wasn't a stalker, it was just pure coincidence that Sakura was passing by Pein's office when she heard Kakuzu leaving tomorrow. She was determined to follow him by hook or crook. The pinkette hurried after the stitched male.

"Hey! Money grubber!" She yelled after him, copying Hidan's nickname for his partner.

Only then did Kakuzu stop. Sakura was pretty sure that his shoulders heaved with a monstrous sigh before he turned around to look at her. Someone was definitely tired today.

He looked at her.

She looked at him.

"Sakura." Kakuzu greeted in a dull tone. He was very fond of the pink haired medic and would love to spend time with her. Trust him, he wanted to do that every day, every hour, every minute and every second. Just not today, Kakuzu didn't have the mood to do pretty much anything except sleep. He could barely even walk straight.

Have I ever told you how mysterious sexy Kakuzu is?

Not until now.

Sakura ignored the wolf whistle from Inner. She hardened her resolve. "I'm coming with you." She paused, not sure what else to say. After a while, Sakura added. "I want to."

"What?" His voice was deep and sombre, thought he sounded absolutely perplexed. Kakuzu thought he was halfway to his dreamland and there was this pretty pink haired girl who looked exactly like Sakura. Funny thing was she said she wanted to come along with him to who-knows-where. Runaway lovers perhaps?

"I'm tagging along on your hunting mission." Sakura repeated.

"No." Just as his dream broke into pieces, he quickly rejected her in a heartbeat.

Sakura blinked. Once. Twice. A frown played on her lips. "Why not?" She muttered, glaring at the tall male. When he didn't answer, a vein burst on her forehead. "I insist that I come along." She stomped towards him until they were just a feet apart.

The feisty pink haired girl raised her head to face him, displeased. She narrowed her emerald eyes at him before grabbing his cloak roughly, twisting the fabric and pulling him down to her level. "Listen here, Kakuzu." She made sure her voice was uncaring. "I'm not giving you a damn choice."

Kakuzu stared silently down at her, gaze questioning. How did she know he was going for a hunting mission? Why did she want to follow him? "Of course not." He said, his voice rich with sarcasm. "Why?" He could see her internal struggling reflecting in those emerald depths.

Sakura was suddenly very much aware of Kakuzu's face so close to hers. As she recalled, this would be their first time having a private conversation. Her original answer was she wanted to go out of the base, have a little fun. Then, it hit her. Why did she care? Maybe, she wanted to get to know him more. Wait, so Kakuzu has stitches across his cheeks! What about his mouth, his lips! Or somewhere lower –

CHA! Let's seeeee..

She zapped those inappropriate thoughts away.

Yes, Sakura wanted to get to know Kakuzu. Just like the others. Another reason would be Hidan, she guessed. She did feel a little bad for Kakuzu.

"Because I just want to."

His lips twitched at her lack of reasoning, not that she could see it anyway hidden behind his grey mask. "That's not a valid reason, Sakura." By their closeness, Kakuzu was faintly aware that his skin was warming up to a higher degree. He hoped she wouldn't notice it. Kakuzu brilliantly slipped his dull facade on, regarding her with an impassive face.

Inner must be messing with her mind. Sakura just saw Kakuzu's eyes twinkling at her, as if planning something mischievious. Then again, his eyes have always been sparkling. Or maybe it was just Inner. Or maybe Kakuzu's eyes were -

ZIP IT, NADA NADA. YOU CAN GAWK AT THE HOTSTUFF LATER!

Forcefully biting her lips, Sakura knew she had taken the first step to sealing the end of her life into the hands of Kakuzu.

"I don't care. I'm coming with you."

[ End of Part 16 ]

Thanks for reviewing , lovely people ! :D

littlemissyme, SasoLOVE111, 10Roseleaf, KireiComplex, MystereKitsune, Yautja's Blooded Pet, Black snake eyes, kittykat6625, teonik04, apple21, angel897, Chi okami 31, Namine1993, Yuti-chan, missshadows, MistakenMusic, mrgirmjaw, Tough Chick, The Evil Munchkin, la canelle, JezabelStrike, Sb30, animemanganet, animelover772123, OmgItsPocky, xxLovexxxIsxxxDeadlyxx, Angelmana, CroOkedTwiSted, missan2, DestinyItachi and Miss Pein !

littlemissyme - thanks for correcting my mistake :D I was typing my keyboard like a mad woman, I didn't have much time to check for spelling mistakes . Yeah, the storyline's progressing very slowly, perhaps to slow. There has been a few hints about the important event coming soon, VERY SOON.

la canelle - the 'sex toy' part was totally random xD I just wanted Sakura's Inner to have a total freakout and blackout with a huge nosebleed imagining that :D

OmgItsPocky - THANKS ;D Actually, I have the whole plot written down, with the twists and tangles and the ending. How's the ending? Hehee, you'll have to keep reading to find out :)

NOTE:

Not much of AkaSaku hotness nowadays isn't it? Oh, poor Zetsu and Madara/Tobi has been left out in this chapter.

I'll make sure they'll be appearing in the next one though there'll be much more of KakuSaku :D When's the next chapter coming?

I have no idea honestly. It depends on my school and my free time. Meanwhile, check out my profile just in case if there's any update about my stories, etcs.

In case any of you noticed, I've just edited Consequences for eavesdropping. There's a new poll too! Anything else ? Just PM or review :)

See you in the next chapter ;)

-xSakuraWings-