World's Devil- Naruto fanfic

Chapter One

"Hey, Korosu, change before you talk with Pein." Konan laughs from the kitchen, waving her hands at Korosu's outfit of boxers and a tank-top: her sleeping attire.

She had completely missed the woman's presence until she'd spoke. Feeling heat rush to her cheeks, Korosu changes directions and heads for her room.

Dragging a cream long-sleeved shirt from her drawer, she throws her tank-top off and pulls the shirt on. Taking black shorts from her closet she slips them on and and straps weapons on her body. Tying white linen around her ankles and winding them up to her mid-calf. She had grown self conscious of the inked letters that would appear on her skin if she didn't keep a strong enough grip and taken to wearing long-sleeved shirts to hide them.

"Korosu ..." a knock on her door drags her away from changing.

"Yes?" calls Korosu, unlocking the door and peeking around it. A small smile graces her lips upon seeing the Uchiha. His cold eyes remind her of a different pair from her nightmares.

"Pein wants us," he holds out his hand, eyes warming a fraction. But, they don't hold the same intentions as the eyes from her nightmares.

It seems Pein-sama would ask to see her before she could ask him.

Upon seeing the uncharacteristic warmth in Itachi's eyes, Korosu barely stops herself from the sudden desire to fling her arms around Itachi and let the unshed tears fall; something she never would have considered even half a year ago. But, despite the distant expression on his face, they had grown closer over the years than either of them truly realized and the nightmares were beginning to become too much. They never left her—not when she was awake, and not when she slept—and she had begun to feel to the ever-present absence of her friends and also a certain red haired-green eyed boy.

Giving herself a sharp shake, Korosu takes his hand and closes the door behind her. Now was not the time to lose her control—especially in front of Itachi. She never wanted to be seen as weak in front of Itachi.

Itachi's eyes narrow a fraction. He was silently worried about his black haired companion. He knew what it felt like to leave everyone you cared about behind, letting them believe you betrayed them. Three years was barely the healing time her heart needed to be rid of her attachments to those who thought her a traitor. And, he could see the black rings under her eyes from lack of sleep. She was keeping something from him, from them all, and it worried him. They knew the curse that was placed on her. Was that what was worrying her?

He shakes himself, and says, "If—and I don't want arguments—Pein gives us an assignment, Kisame comes too."

"I know. It's not the first time I've been out. And plus, I'm a team with the two of you." Korosu says, eyes serious as she studies the man beside her.

They fall into silence as they make their way to Pein's office, both content with each others presence. Words meant nothing after three years together. She wasn't one for words anyways, so the always silent Uchiha was her grounding point in this chaotic world.

"Pein-sama ..." Korosu knocks on his door.

"Enter," comes his grave voice.

Itachi opens the door and lets her go in first before following behind. She raises an eyebrow at the dimness of the room and the kanji written behind him. Pein-sama sits behind his desk, hands folded and features masked in a grim line. He wants something, but it was costing him to ask.

"Tobi told me you wanted us." Itachi speaks, breaking the dense silence. It was wrapping around them all.

Pein looks away from his hands and studies them, gaze fierce and full of hate. Hate for someone he's remembering. "I want you to bring me back someone. There's a child who needs to be rescued and I trust the three of you will not fail me."

He's serious. Pein is scary on his best days, but in this moment of time, Korosu feels chills race down her spine and freeze her blood. Itachi straightens, his eyes narrowing. He too knew this was serious. Rarely, has she seen their leader this agitated. If there was someone who could remain calmer than Itachi, it would be Pein.

"Who's the child, Pein-sama?"

"That does not concern you, all I am asking is for you to bring him back."

Korosu steps in front of Itachi, head barely brushing his shoulder, and locks gazes with her leader. "I promise you, Pein-sama, that I will bring this child back for you." It's the least she could do after the hours he's put into trying to lean more about her curse.

Relief enters his purple ringed eyes. After spending her days with Itachi she's gottten fairly good at reading people's masked expressions and body language—it's saved her more than once in the past three years when her skills or senses had otherwise failed her.

"Thank you, Korosu." A small smile turns the corner of his lips up.

Korosu blinks. What a rare sight to see Pein-sama smile—even if it could be considered a twitch. "Here is the information for your mission."

She reaches out and takes the folded sheets of paper from him, leafing through them quickly. Memorizing the information she hands the file to Itachi and bows in repsect toward Pein-sama. Straightening up, she walks out of the darkly lit room and finds herself blinded by the brightness of the hallway.

"It's not becoming to easedrop, Kisame." Korosu raises an eyebrow mockingly.

Kisame grunts and picks the small girl up around the waist, throwing her over his shoulder. "Stop telling me what's becoming when you're not even taller than Sasori."

Her eye twitches. "Don't bring up my height if you want to keep the body you have now."

Throaty laughter rumbles through Kasime. He was second closest to her out of the Akatsuki and he treated her like a younger sister—all the Akatsuki did, but he was ... nicer about it. He got away with pulling small stunts, but if he pissed her off, then Kisame was as good as dead.

"What did Pein want?"

"We've got orders." Korosu shrugs, her stomach being pressed into Kisame's shoulder uncomfortably.

"Sounds like Pein," he rolls his eyes. "Don't let Itachi hear you when you grumble."

"I do not grumble." She pouts childishly. Letting her mask drop around her blue-skinned friend.

"More than you think."

"Tch," she clicks her tongue. "Drop me off at my room. I need to pack."

Kisame nods, changing directions. It takes them awhile to find her room since Korosu had choosen the very back room in the hideout. Stopping in front of her black door Kisame lets go of her waist, watching in amamusment as Korosu drops to the ground and lands in a graceful crouch, dark hair swaying behind her.

Flipping him the much deserved bird she slams the door shut behind her and grumbles under her breathe about blue-skinned males thinking they're better than everyone.

"He'd better watch his back, I have a kuni on me at all times." She scowls and flops onto her bed, letting her eyes close.

Her body's tired and tomorrow they were being sent on a mission. Sometimes keeping a curse at bay was a pain in the ass and sleep is the only cure.

Snuggling deeper into the soft blankets, Korosu lets out a heavy sigh and slips into the clutches of sleep, but one thought plagues her as she enters the darkness ...

Who's this kid Pein-sama wants so badly?