Akai wasn't one to get mad that easily, she knows she's quite good at dealing her problems with her questionable sense of humor or even silence. She's obviously not as short-fused as a certain Uzumaki (he's not a good standard, by the way), but she certainly couldn't handle anger as well as her own teammates. Not many thing can trigger her so easily, except for anything related to her past. To her family, her old job in the Mist, to everything before her new life in Konoha. Yet somehow, somehow so many people had crossed that line in the past week. First the interrogation, then Naruto and Sakura (with their obsession with Sasuke, who barely annoys her in comparison), and even her own 'family'. Ibiki and her father, treating her as if she was some kind of damsel in distress.

Which is a total bullshit, considering how they should've been aware of what she's truly capable of. Especially the Morino.

With another angry growl, she swung her sword to her right side, barely blocking the attack but enough to throw her opponent away. This time, however, the flow of the battle halted, both swordsmen froze for a moment before Akai let out another growl and lunged at her water clone. Akane's figure dispersed into the mist surrounding them, dropping her half of Hiramekarei.

"Are you running away now, Akane?" Akai half-mocked, though honestly, she could barely remember what exactly is she doing in that clearing. Sparring, training, a real fight?

Akane re-appeared right in front of her, quickly grabbing her wrist and twisting her arm, shoving Akai forward and pinning her onto the nearby tree. Akai still had her grip around her own sword, and she only released the blade when Akane had pushed the edge against her neck.

"I'm not. What the fuck was that, Akai?"

"Be more specific."

"You almost killed me!" Akane snapped, kicking Hiramekarei away from the two of them.

Akai grunted. "You're the one who told me, 'always attack like your life depends on it'. I'm only following your advice; I thought you were supposed to be the evil one here?"

"If that was a real fight, you would've died in 5 minutes. And back there, you weren't just agressive; you were reckless. Blinded. You focus too much on your own emotion, you weren't thinking straight, Akai. Hell, you weren't thinking at all!"

Akane didn't stop talking. "I know your instinct's good, but you can never rely on it alone. We weren't even sparring, idiot!" Akai could feel Akane's glare burning through the back of her skull, but she could barely talk with the hand pressing against her neck, which was probably there for that exact purpose. "Oh, dear Kami, you forgot, didn't you? We were testing this damn jutsu! Me inside a clone, remember? I know you're feeling like shit, Akai, but you almost fucked up. What if I died?!"

"You can't die, and it's just a clone," Akai sneered, though her voice was a bit hoarse from the pressure on her throat.

"Killing a part of your subconscious while you're still recuperating from your last fight? Not a smart idea. And it was a battle against an S-rank criminal, if I may remind you. Your chakra was completely drained."

Akai let out a frustrated huff. "Alright, fine, just let me go."

Akane disappeared in a splash of water, but her voice still rang inside Akai's head. 'We're heading back, Akai. You're gonna need more rest.'

The Hozuki scoffed, picking up her sword and attached the halves together. "There's no way I'm going home to see Scarface or even Dad. You know how they've been treating me; it's too..."

'Overwhelming?'

"... Yeah, that's one way to put it."

'How about you find your boyfriend? We know he won't fuck up as badly as the other Konoha shinobi.'

Akai inhaled deeply, trying to contain the remains of her anger. Sparring might help to relieve her frustration, but Akane was right: she couldn't risk to injure the two of them, especially with a new jutsu and a low chakra reserve. "Don't call him that. We're not even official yet."

'What are you waiting for, really? He loves you, you love him, do the math.'

"I really don't appreciate you trying to take over my love life, Akane."

'Well, excuse you, but I have the right. Without me, you wouldn't have realized the meaning of your feelings towards him-'

"You mean that time when you keep screaming inside my head about my 'knight in shining armor' while I was locked up as a prisoner after Konoha captured me? That time when you almost traumatize my teammates?"

'I know for a fact that your team loves me.'

"Don't push your luck, Akane."

'Our luck is shit. It's all fate. You guys are soulmates.'

"Shut. Up."

| * | * | * | * | * |

Akito and Shin could only stare at their teammate in surprise. Not long after noon, they found Akai standing in front of Akito's house, covered in sweat and dirt along with the usual scratches. The males had just returned from their own mission; the Hokage had given them a warning upon their arrival, that the Hozuki was now deemed 'unsafe' to be around. Of course they brushed it off, instead they dragged Akai into the kitchen and shoved a plate of onigiri onto her face, claiming that she looked paler than usual.

That was just half the truth. In fact, she looked like crap; exhausted (physically and emotionally), lacking sleep, troubled, even a bit restless. But she followed their words without complaints; she took a shower, borrowing Akito's clothes without a second thought, then eating a bit of the food they gave her. She even had a short nap.

Hours later, they settled themselves in his bedroom. With a little coaxing, she finally told them about everything that happened with the Akatsuki and her troublesome temporary teammates. Akai didn't seem too disturbed about what happened, not as bad as before, but it was obviously hard for her. How could it not? She tried her best, but whatever she did, she always got blamed in the end. It can't be nice to anyone, even to someone as strong as Akai.

"Woah, that just..." Akito trailed off, "... sucks. I mean, well, if I were you, I wouldn't know what to do. I'll call for back up or maybe run away, who knows."

"Maybe that's what I'm supposed to do?" Akai asked.

"No! We're talking S-ranks here!" Shin reminded, shaking his head. "You do that, back up wouldn't arrive in time. Maybe those two would have fled. Most probably, one of them would have died. From what you told us, Sasuke is obviously weaker. You saved his life!"

"I don't exactly like that guy, but he was a Konoha shinobi. It won't end well. Naruto would throw a fit, I can't imagine how messy it would be."

"Naruto still got mad. Like Tenzo and Sakura, and Kakashi, too. I don't think I'm doing anything right here..."

"About that, I'll talk to my sister," Shin stated, "I think you did the right thing, Akai. Give yourself more credit, why won't you?"

The girl shrugged, deciding to change the topic. "How's your mission? Not as fucked up as mine, I hope?"

Akito huffed, lifting the left bottom side of his shirt to reveal stitches, from just below his ribcage to his belly button. "Also a mess, but it's just as expected. Rouge nins are never nice, especially those from Kiri. We finished it, though."

"It looks pretty bad. Why didn't the hospital just heal it completely?"

Shin scoffed. "Mairu-san's the one who fixed him up. This idiot insisted not to go to a doctor." Akai gave him a confused look, and Shin raised his hands up, "What? I mean, that was the nearest place we have to spend the night! The Mizukage didn't mind, either!"

"... The Mizukage?"

"The women were having tea. Chamomile, actually."

She stared incredulously at Akito's comment, before letting out a heavy sigh. "Okay, and what about Mairu?"

"Now, that's the interesting part!" Shin grinned, "So, Mairu-san kinda told us that now she's together again with Kisame-"

"I FUCKING KNEW IT!!"

"-and Kisame has been updating her on the little things that happened inside the Akatsuki," he finished without caring about Akai's declaration. Akito, however, wasn't as good at hiding his curiosity.

"So they really were dating."

Akai grinned. "Heck, they were smitten. Everyone knows they were in love with each other, except those two."

Shin's grin grew wider. "Is it a thing for Kiri nins? Oblivious to their own soulmates or something? Or maybe for swordsmen?"

"What are you talking about?"

The pinkette only shook his head, putting on an obviously-fake innocent smile. "Nothing, nothing."

Akai only glared at him. Akito, however, quickly realized what he was talking about, and threw a pillow onto his face. "Fuck you," he hissed, but the said Haruno merely shrugged.

"It's not me you're supposed to fuck with."

This time, he was tackled onto the floor.

| * | * | * | * | * |

The news of Jiraiya's death was hard on everyone, especially on Naruto  and the Hokage. Though honestly, Akai couldn't bring herself to care.  Sure, she'd seen the Sage and heard of what he'd done for the village,  but at the moment she couldn't even figure out how she really feels  about Konoha, knowing how it rejected her despite what she sacrificed  for them.

Then again, it wasn't much different than during  Yagura's reign. People will always fear her; back in Kiri it was a  reason for their respect, and this time it just turned into distrust.  Well, it's not like she's going to die for them anyways, so she began to  learn to live with it. Akane helped, too, with her own weird, harsh but  effective ways.

"Akai?"

'See? Our luck is shit,' Akane's voice popped inside her head, 'That's should be our motto! Let me out, I'll deal with her.'

So  yeah, before Akai could complain, Akane had gotten what she wanted. So  yeah, Akai's stuck watching the scene in her subconscious, and of course  she would worry, because as much as it was effective, Akane's way is  also morally questionable. They both know it, and sadly, the sadist  takes pride in it.

"Oh, hello, Sakura!" Akane replied cheerfully,  eyes glowing red as she turned to face the Haruno, "How have you been?  Surely humiliating Akai in front of your fellow Konoha shinobi wouldn't  bother you and your beauty sleep, right?"

"What-"

"How  rude of me," Akane said, ignoring her. She took Sakura's hand and shook  it with excitement, "My name's Akane. An old friend of Akai, but I'm  sure you've heard of me? Such a pleasure to meet you. Or perhaps more of  a bother, though I know I have no say in it. You are, after all, the  Hokage's favorite child, aside from that Uzumaki. What's his name again?  Naruto, like that ramen topping?"

"What are you trying to imply?" Sakura's tone was sharp, but Akai could tell she was still holding back.

"I'm  saying that both of you are placed in a higher rank than Akai and I,  which is fair, I guess, because who would bother with an outsider? A  criminal from Kiri, who died for Konoha, only to be found years later  working with a traitor. Or two traitors, both from your village. But one  of 'em 's dead already, killed by the other. Sasuke's a real piece of  work, isn't he?"

"Akai, you can't-"

"I told you, I'm  Akane, and no one gets a say in what I can do. 'Cause I can leave this  village, but I won't. I can destroy this place, but I won't. Heck, I can  kill you, I would like that, but I won't. Why? Because Akai told me not  to." Akane clasped her hands together with a wide smile. It looked so  sincere, if only her words weren't so sarcastic. "Anyways, how can I  help you, m'lady? I know you're still grieving, so I'll make it quick  for you."

Sakura seemed a bit speechless, and the sight made Akai chuckle in amusement. "... I'm actually here to... apologize..."

The humour was gone, replaced by a burning feeling in her chest. Anger? Hatred? Sadness? Disappointment? Akai couldn't tell.

Akane  crossed her arms. "Oh," she simply said as she turned her gaze away  from the other's green eyes, trailing off a "Well, in that case..."

The  Haruno was still staring at her, but her resolve had weaken. If Akai  was in her shoes, she knew she would feel scared, or at least wary; the  thought almost made her pity the medic. Almost.

This time, a blank expression had settled on Akane's face. She let out a dramatic sigh, "What a waste of time."

Sakura  looked startled, and an evil smirk crept back onto the sadist's lips.  Akane looked at the pinkette. "Please, don't tell me you're surprised;  you don't look that stupid." She shook her head disapprovingly, "I  wasn't born here, I don't play nice like you do. If I don't feel sorry, I  won't say so. If I hate you, I'll say it right in front of your face. I  don't add honey in my medicine; sure, it's bitter, but it works better,  much more than those teeth-rotting sugar you spill from your damn  mouth."

"So you're not going to forgive me." Honestly, Akai's quite amazed at how fast Sakura regained her composure.

"Don't  get me wrong, darling, I ain't that heartless. The thing is, your  apology isn't real. You're here because your brother told you to," Akane  sneaked a glance at Shin, who was standing not far behind her (and he  quickly turned away in fear), "but you don't feel guilty. You say sorry,  but you don't feel it. And I should say 'It's okay', but it's not. So  yeah, I don't accept your apology."

The silence was suffocating, so Akai was glad when Akane ended it.

"You should take your leave now, Haruno. Your family's waiting for you."

Sakura  blinked. Once. Twice. Then she nodded awkwardly, probably still  surprised to hear Akane speaking without a trace of anger at the last  sentence. "Ah, right. Uh... I guess... see you around?"

"Sure."

As  the Haruno walked away, Akai felt herself gaining control over her  limbs. Akane has done her job. But somehow, Akai found herself reaching  forward, tugging Sakura's hand enough to make her turn around, caught  off guard.

"... Is that you, Akai?" she asked, after another  moment of silence between them. Akai found it hard to speak, but she  still managed.

"I was... angry," she said instead, "But I get it.  You're frustrated, you just want Sasuke back; that clouded your  judgement from all the possible scenarios that could've happened back  there. With Deidara."

"Um..."

"Anyways," Akai cleared her  throat. Kami, she talked a lot, didn't she? Or Akane did, at least.  "What I'm saying is, I know you couldn't help it. Naruto, too. You guys  are just crap at self-control, but I had that problem too, so it's  fine." Sakura didn't look any less confused, and to be truthful, Akai  hated having to spell it out.

But she had to. After all, that's  just the same as what she did years ago, right? Blind anger towards her  uncle, when it was never his fault. She tried to kill him, only to find  that all this time, he never thinks ill of her, not one second. And  maybe it's karma, because now she knows how much it hurts. To be hated  for who she is, for her past, to be judged for what she did and never  do. So maybe it's time for her to pay that debt back to fate.

Sakura  and Naruto, they're just desperate. They wanted their teammate back, so  bad that they ignore any kind of logical reasoning, putting the blame  on the one most involved in the issue: Akai. Which is not fair, of  course, but life never is.

"I don't think I can accept your  half-hearted apology, but I don't hate you. Just so we're clear," Akai  muttered the last part. Sakura gaped at her, and Akai tried to smile.

She couldn't. But it didn't stop her.

"You're forgiven, tashikani."

The Haruno may not say another thing, but Akai knows she did the right thing.

| * | * | * | * | * |

It's so late, and it's just a filler. Maybe. Or not? What do you think?

I  guess we should write more one-shots, for KisaMairu's wedding and  Akaito's first official date? Haha, that's hoping. I barely finished  this chapter.  You know that thing when you've had writer's block for  months, then suddenly you can write, and once you're done you realized  it's mostly just bullcrap? Well, this 2700+ words is exactly the result of that.

I hope it's better than nothing. Poor Akai, she never seems to get a break. Well, things are heating up soon, so it'll get fun! But anyways, if anyone has ideas for those one-shots I mentioned before, tell us on PM (here or preferably on Midnight-Ravencrow; Hal-chan rarely opens wattpad lately. Yes, I found her, thank God.)

Comment, vote, or just tell people about Akai. Nah, not necessary. You guys reading this makes us happy enough. I guess we'll see you later?

Love you!

-Rae