Naruto One-Shots *Closed to Requests*

Can't Live Without You [Itachi Uchiha] for Tenshi Yuuki

"Hey, Robyn, how did your mission go, un?" Deidara asked. Reaching into a cabinet he pulled out something to eat and turned to see the young woman sitting at the table staring at a wall. "Finally manage to bag us some money?"

"Watch yourself, brat," Sasori said.

"I'm just saying, she hasn't been really helpful lately. I mean, come on. In the last few months how many missions have been successful on her end, yeah? We're losing money because of her."

"Brat-"

The teacup that she had been holding shattered against the wall beside the blonde's head a few broken shards cutting open his cheek from the force of the impact. Robyn's once laid-back posture was now upright, eyes glaring in the teen's direction.

"You don't honestly need your partner, do you, Sasori?" her cool voice spoke.

Deidara began trembling in fear. "Unfortunately, I do," the man answered. "Even though he's an idiot, Leader will have your head if you kill him."

Robyn's dangerous eyes never left the terrorist, making him more nervous as the seconds ticked by. "Very well then..." He just barely relaxed, but not fully as the young woman stood. "I will kill you, mark my words."

The ninja moved through the halls silently before pausing halfway to her room. "You're back early." Itachi appeared out of the shadows. "Leader told me everything." Robyn's eyes drew down to stare at the floor. "And what happened in the kitchen."

"I hate him."

A cold smile touched his lips. "As do I." The criminal wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling the young woman into his embrace. "How close were you?"

"Too close. Zetsu pulled me out in time."

"Leader had no right to send you to that mission without stating the fact that Orochimaru could be involved."

He could feel the ninja shiver at the name. It wasn't her fault. Itachi had found her in one of the snake's many hideouts when they had driven him out. An experiment left behind. The man had killed off her entire family to try and acquire a suitable host, a body to possess. But there had been complications, so Orochimaru began his tests so it could work. However, when information leaked and Akatsuki attacked he abandoned everything to save his own life. And that's when Robyn was found, lying on a metal table shackled with tubes running in and out of her arms. Nothing had been removed until Sasori and Kakuzu appeared, trying to determine what exactly was being pumped into her system. And she was more than happy to give Pein information regarding their former teammate.

Robyn had been taken in as a member, working alongside Zetsu as another spy. Her stealth was impeccable. Even before the experiments, the young woman's family was well known to hide in the shadows and be unnoticed. But the experiments had been torture, which caused her to be emotionless, untrusting, and hostile. There had been a withdrawal period, when her body had not been receiving the daily dose of chemicals and she was so sick at times the young woman wished she would die. And Itachi had been there the entire time. He knew what she had gone through, nearly being possessed by the snake himself before his extraction from the Akatsuki.

"I will kill him," she breathed. Robyn always said that. But the young man would always question it. Would she eventually snap and be able to kill the Sage or would the snake be victorious and kill his failed experiment? Itachi was growing worried. Was Pein deliberately trying to get her killed? Leader was sending her too close to the enemy as of late, and he feared her safety. Though would never outwardly express it to anyone in the hideout.

"Robyn," he breathed, leaning down by her ear. "You have to be careful."

"I know."

"No, you don't." His grip tightened. "No... you don't understand. I can't lose you to him. If... if..."

Her emotionless face softened, head turning up and lightly kissing his lips. "I know. You've always been there and I'll always be grateful for that. You're the only one who understands."

This time he kissed her with such passion it caused her to grip his cloak tightly. "Don't do anything stupid if you are approached by him again. You fight and return to base. I don't care what Leader says, abandoned the mission."

Robyn was aware where this protectiveness came from. They had lost so much that together they were each other's support. Neither could now live without the other.