I sighed and sat down on the couch. I knew having the Akatsuki as humans instead of kittens was going to be hard to keep track of but this was ridiculous. None of them could cook and Konan refused to cook because the boys were too demanding. She, Itachi, and I were taking care of Nagato. He still needed a lot of help, but he was learning to get around with crutches and using things as supports.
I eyed Sasori as he sat on the chair next to the couch I sat on. He looked different since he wasn't a puppet anymore. I was so used to seeing him in Naruto as a young puppet, but with how whatever happened to turn him into a cat when he died, he now looked to be his right age since he was human. It was just so weird. He was basically the spitting image of the puppet he had of his father.
Sasori looked up from his book with his brow raised. He flicked his finger and my head looked in front of me at the TV as he used his chakra strings, but my eyes still stayed on him making him sigh.
"What is it girl?" Sasori asked in an exhausted voice.
"You just look really different as a human. Honestly, and don't get mad at this," I stated with a smile, "you look like the spitting image of your father puppet. You even look your right age now too. It's just weird, interesting but weird."
He scoffed and shut his book with a snap making me jump. "Whatever," he muttered. As he was about to get up Cheshire appeared and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her with the same bored look as she had herself and he sighed. He closed his eyes then opened his book and began reading again.
"What are you planning to do now?" Cheshire asked with a sigh as she sat on the arm of Sasori's chair.
I shrugged. I didn't really think of that honestly. All the members were in different parts of the house just like when they were in kitten form. Some were in their rooms or like Zetsu who was in the garden or like Deidara who was in the art room. He was happy he could finally make art, even though his clay sculptures won't explode since I don't have the right type of clay for him thankfully.
"I would suggest a movie, perhaps horror?" Sasori stated in an uncaring voice.
I contemplated this and noticed Itachi and Nagato walking into the room, Nagato walking on his own with Itachi as a "just in case" factor.
"What do you two think about watching a horror movie?" I asked as Nagato put his arms on the back of the couch.
"I don't mind," Nagato stated as he huffed from the effort of walking.
I gave him a sympathetic look and got up from the couch to help him walk the rest of the way to sit down where I was before. Itachi sat beside him and I looked at him for an answer to my question. He just shrugged.
I shrugged myself and walked to my art room to see Deidara. I smiled seeing him making a bird out of clay. I looked closer to find it resembled an owl making me smile.
"Nice work."
Deidara smiled over his shoulder at me. "Thanks. What brings you here, hmm?" He asked as he fixed an imperfection in the wing.
"I wanted to know if you wanted to watch a horror movie. I'm going around to everyone to see who all wants to watch, so whaddaya say?" I asked, smiling when he held up the finished owl.
"As you can see I just finished my project," he stated proudly with a bright smile, "so why not? I'll even help you out, yeah?"
"That's nice! Thanks!" I smiled.
He smiled back at me and we separated. Deidara went to get Hidan, Kakuzu, Konan, and Zetsu, leaving me Kisame, Kura, and Obito. I knew exactly where to find Kura and Kisame. Of course they were at the pool and of course they wanted to watch the movie. It was Obito that I had trouble finding. When I couldn't think of where to look I went to my - no - our room.
I frowned when I found the lights off and turned them on. I let out a squeal seeing Obito sitting on the bed twirling one of my kunai between his fingers.
"Geez Tobi!" I giggled as I held a hand over my heart. "You scared me half to death. I was wondering where you were. I wanted to see if you wanted to watch a horror movie with me and all the others."
When he didn't respond to me my smile turned into a frown. Suddenly he stopped twirling the kunai and he put it down on the bed. Something didn't feel right to me as he stood up and started to walk to me. I slowly assessed the situation and knew this was not good. Maybe he thought I knew his secret. I audibly gulped as he stopped in front of me. I was still by the door, but it was closed as I stood beside it and I knew I wouldn't be able to do anything before he did something to me.
"Are you scare of me Nekosaki?" He asked in his normal voice, not the high pitched voice he used when he was Tobi. I could swear he smirked under that mask of his when I didn't answer and a soft blush appeared on my face. "You know about me, don't you? That I am not Tobi. Don't you Nekosaki?"
"Yes?" I questioned more than stated. "I know you are not Madara either."
His hands slammed beside me, making me jump and push myself into the wall. He removed his mask quickly and put his hand back where it was before to stare me in the eyes with a hard look.
"Why haven't you told anyone yet?"
The question baffled me and I looked at him in confusion.
"Why would I say anything?" I asked. This time he looked at me in confusion, the hard look in his single eye disappearing. Slowly he straightened his posture and removed his arms from beside me. He crossed his arms over his chest as he made his face emotionless, putting up a wall between us for a moment before he smirked.
"You are very interesting," he stated making me blush then began putting his mask on. Before I knew it the door was open and I was alone in the room. I let out the breath I had held in and slid down against the wall.
"Well that was unexpected and terrifying...." I muttered. I sat there a moment then shook my head with a smile. "Time to go."
I stood up and walked out of the room and down stairs. It seemed everyone was there on the couch and various chairs. I glared at Kura and Kisame seeing they had taken up the last available spaces on the couch. I wanted to sit beside Itachi and Kisame but now I couldn't.
"Where do I sit?" I asked as I glared half-heartedly at Kura.
"You can always sit here Kitten," Hidan stated as he patted his lap with a laugh.
Deidara laughed when I threw a book at Hidan's face.
"I'm going to make popcorn..." I muttered moodily.
I walked into the kitchen frowning. I grabbed a few bowls and several bags of popcorn and put one in. At least we all decided on watching the movie Scream. Honestly, it was one of my favorite horror movies. I jumped when the microwave went off and I took the bag out then put it in a bowl. I went to grab another to find the bags of popcorn were all gone.
"What the hell?" I asked in confusion.
"Looking for this?" I jumped and put a hand over my heart as I glared at Zetsu. "Jumpy much?"
"Damn you!" I yelled at him and I grabbed the bags from him. "What's with people scaring me today?"
I turned around and opened another bag to put in the microwave.
"You know about him, don't you?" Zetsu asked.
He looked at me as he stood beside me. I glanced to him with a frown as he frowned back at me.
"She does, now go."
I turned to look at Obito and blushed. Zetsu nodded and phased into the floor. He moved his mask so his eye and mouth was visible, a smirk pulling at his lips. I turned back to the microwave hearing the timer and opened another bag as I took that one out and put it in a bowl. I closed the microwave and turned it on then froze, feeling Obito behind me, his mouth by my ear and his arms blocking in my body.
"You tell anyone and I will personally make sure you regret it, you know that right?" He hissed menacingly.
I just smiled as I turned around in his arms. He glared at me as I looked at him without fear this time. Unlike during our earlier conversation, I wasn't afraid of him or intimidated. Instead I surprised him by putting my hand on his head which probably would have seemed silly since I was a little shorter than him.
"I won't tell. You can trust me, all right?" I asked, closing my eyes and tilting my head in a close eyed smile.
He scoffed and took my hand off his head. He looked at me one last time before putting his mask back over his face and walking back into the living room. All I did was smile.
~
I sighed as I slipped the shirt over my head. I knew Hidan spilled his soda on me on purpose. I just shook my head and walked out of my personal bathroom to find Obito sitting on the bed waiting for me.
"Everyone was wondering why you were taking so long," Obito explained seeing my confused face.
"So they sent you?" I asked. "Then again you are the annoying man-child after all."
Obito let out a forced chuckle.
"It's just another part I must play-" Obito was interrupted by a girly scream and we bolted down the hall and stairs. I looked at the petrified form of Deidara in confusion then looked at Hidan as he rolled around on the floor and Kisame as he was holding his stomach in painful laughter.
"What the hell happened?" I asked.
"When the movie ended Deidara looked scared so Hidan scared Deidara. It was actually pretty amusing..." Kakuzu stated in amusement. I swear I could hear the smirk in his voice and I started laughing.
"S-so that...that scream wa-was his?" I asked as I tried to breath as I laughed. Everyone nodded and I started laughing harder. "That was the-the m-most girl-girlish scream...I-I have ev...ever heard!"
Deidara finally got out of his stupor and glared at me. I slowly stopped laughing as I saw he had a kunai in his hand.
"I thought I put all those up in my room?" I asked with a glare.
"You have weapons all around this house Kitten, un," Deidara stated sheepishly.
"Oh yeah..." I said with a smile and grabbed a sword I randomly found from under my couch. "I forgot my sword was there! I lost that a month ago!"
"I don't see how you can forget something like that. I bet you aren't even good!" Kisame said with a smile.
"Yeah, un!" Deidara said laughing.
"I wouldn't underestimate her..." Cheshire stated without looking up from the book she was reading beside Sasori. "She's been studying with swords since she was young..."
Deidara scoffed and I made two swift moves then rested it on my shoulder with a smile. Everyone looked at me in confusion and I held up three fingers, then two, then one. On cue Deidara's pants fell down showing his boxers.
"The hell?" Deidara yelled then ran out the room holding up his pants as I laughed.
As I laughed I started coughing and felt my chest tighten up. I put a hand to my chest and the other went to my mouth. I stopped coughing for a bit and took my hand from my mouth to find blood. The tightening in my chest worsened and the coughing started again.
"Ch-Chesh!" I coughed as she and Itachi caught me as I collapsed to my knees. "M-meds!"
Cheshire nodded as she ordered people around. Within seconds we were up the stairs and to my room. I was placed on my bed as my lungs started to burn. My eyes watered with tears as the pain got worse and worse each second. I smiled through the pain when an inhaler and water were held out to me. I stopped coughing for a moment and I took the inhaler immediately then the pills Cheshire had also brought with her.
Soon I could breath again and the burning pain subsided. I leaned my head back for a moment and motioned for Cheshire and Itachi. I pointed to the bathroom, my lungs and throat still in enough pain to not allow me to speak. I felt weak and knew if I tried to walk myself I would collapse. They helped me walk, the other Akatsuki members watching from the doorway with Kura, her looking at me in sympathy and worry.
I cleaned my hands and got a new shirt on with the help of Cheshire. My hands were shaking too much and my shirt got bloody from the blood dripping down my chin. Itachi came back in as I tried to stand, him and Cheshire the only things stopping me from collapsing onto the floor again. They helped me to the bed and sat me up against the headboard. Soon everyone but Obito, Itachi, Kisame, Cheshire, Kura, Konan, and Nagato left my room and I could finally speak again.
"I don't mean to be rude but..." Kisame stated then stopped.
"What is wrong with you?" Itachi asked bluntly, speaking the words Kisame couldn't.
I looked away and sighed. " I had severe smoke inhalation when I was little. I tried to save someone from a fire and now I have to take these pills and inhaler. My lungs can't function without them. The smoke and hotness of the fire burned the inside of my lungs and gave me a disease while I was recovering. I wasn't even supposed to live this long from the disease but I have." The entire time I was staring at the ceiling at the cherry blossom petals I painted years ago. "It's too bad that this disease can't be cured, right Itachi?"
Itachi looked at me in sympathy as I glanced at him, though no one except me saw the emotion. I just smiled. There was nothing anyone could do so there was no point in trying.
"Are you sure it can't be cured?" Kura asked Itachi in a teary voice.
Kisame looked at his partner in sorrow then looked down at the floorboards as he shook his head.
"It can't be...there is no cure..." Kisame stated glumly.
Kura looked at Kisame with a frown. It looked as if she was going to cry. I put my hand out to her and she grasped it.
"We never know when the time will come so let's have the best time, shall we?" I asked with a smile.
Kura looked at me in shock as tears streamed down her cheeks. She then smiled and closed her eyes as she nodded. I looked at the others and smiled even brighter. "What do you all say?" I asked them.
Silence issued for a short while before Cheshire spoke up.
"Let's cherish the time we have now," Cheshire stated as she sat by me with a rare, soft smile and gave me a side hug.
Everyone finally nodded and I could see smiles on everyone's faces.
"Thank you," I stated softly. No one knows when their day will come, but those days are always more fun with friends and people to help you through the uncertainty.
♪Koneko♥