Another Nine-Tails?!

I Love You

The couple appeared in the middle of the woods, luckily in an area Kabuto recognized. He let out a breath, thankful that they made it without a scratch. For the most part, anyway. He looked around, searching for the direction of the hideout. His thoughts were interrupted when a thud came from his side.

Akiko fell to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. She clutched the red scarf close to her. "Mom... dad..." her voice cracked. "I don't get it. I don't-" she looked into the sky and screamed with every once of strength she had. "Give them back!"

"Akiko-" the ash-haired medic was interrupted by her beginning to shout.

"Give them back! My parents... my brothers... Give them back to me, god damnit!!" Her head fell, quiet sobs leaving her. "I just wanna see Itachi again."

The boy stared at her, pain piercing his chest like a needle piercing skin. 'Has she been feeling like this all along?' He questioned himself, kneeling to place a hand on her shoulder. "Akiko, you have a family. You have me."

She shoved him away from her, shouting. "You and Orochimaru aren't my family! I want my big brother. But you don't understand that desire, now would you? After all, you killed the woman who took you in and gave you a life." She voice became quieter when she spoke the last sentence, a glare settling on her face.

His eyes widened, pain and anger grabbing his heart. But he knew she didn't mean what she said. She was just blinded by pain. But it didn't stop the effect that her words had on him. He felt himself snap. "Look at me! Akiko!!" He grabbed her arms tightly. "Now!" Her wide eyes locked with his. Whatever was holding him back was gone now. "I know what's it's like to loose the people that you care about, believe me. I killed the woman I had called my mother, but I didn't do it on purpose. Do you have any idea how worried I was when you left?!" His grip loosened slightly as he left out a sigh.

"Kabuto-"

"Don't you dare interrupt me!" She instantly shut her mouth, not a sound leaving her. She had only seen him yell once, but now he was mad. And she would admit, he was scary. "I'm not letting you leave my side from now on. Do you understand me!? No more going off on your own. It's not safe. I don't want you taken from me, and I won't let you get taken away from me. I know you miss your brother, I really am sorry that I almost killed him. And I know you miss your parents. Now, you need to stop being such a brat and listen," he removed his hands and stood to his full height. "I will say this once, and only once-"

"I love you!" Her sudden words stopped him in his tracks. She wasn't lying, but she hadn't meant for it to just slip out like that.

Kabuto was take off guard, not a word leaving him. He felt the same, there was no doubt about that. That's why he was giving her a lecture. He was worried when she left. His head ran dry, all thought having been lost in the breeze. "Aki." She said it. She had said the three words he had longed to hear for so many years, and now there was no taking them back. He placed a gentle hand on her left cheek. "I love you too." He placed their foreheads together. "So much it hurts." He made a promise to himself right then and there that nothing would hurt her. Nothing would hurt her because she was his, and his alone.

"I'm sorry for shouting. And I'm sorry for saying what I said. I didn't mean it." Akiko resting her head against his chest.

"Did I hurt you?" He felt her shake her head softly. He placed a hand on the back of her head, kissing the top of it. They pulled away from each other. "Good. Then we should head home. Before we're found by an enemy." The Jinchuriki silently walked past Kabuto, putting the smaller bag in the one with her new clothes.

The medic eyed her bag for a moment before voicing his thoughts. "What's in them?"

"Clothes Kakashi bought me." She pulled out the gift bag and opened it. A three-bladed kunai and some money sat inside. She pulled the kunai out, recognizing it as one of her father's blades. "Dad. This used to belong to my dad." She put it back in the bag.

"Maybe Kakashi's not as bad as I thought, hm?" Kabuto teased with a small smile as she hid her gift in her clothes.

"He's not bad when your on his good side." She gave him her own grin.