Loyalty (Sasuke Uchiha)

XXXXIX: Judgement

Miyako

I woke up to an empty bed. Even without his presence next to mine, the sheets were cold. Turning away from the wall that I had faced, I was greeted with Sasuke's bare back facing me. He stood at the far edge of the room, his back muscles tense. From the looks of it, he was putting something on his skin, like an ointment of some sort.

I sat up in bed, uncoiling from the tangled blankets as I ran my fingers through my hair.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, breaking the silence.

He put a circular container on top of a desk.

"You sleep well?" He asked, ignoring my question as he took his shirt and draped it over his body.

"Yeah." I felt my cheeks redden as the memories of last night flooded back.

"What were you doing?" I asked him, wanting more than anything to distract myself from last night.

He turned and faced me, his expression calm.

"It was nothing to worry about." He said as he approached me. A smirk played on his cheeks when he noticed how embarrassed I was.

I glared daggers at him.

"I promise. I'm fine." He said, kneeling before me, eyes level with mine. He rested one hand on my bare knee, his other hand placed gently on mine. I couldn't help but smile at his actions. This was the most gentle and caring he had ever been with me, and I was probably the first person to witness this side of Sasuke.

"Let's get you cleaned up."

-

An hour later I was covered in black clothing that clung to my body, Sasuke forcing me to wear the Akatsuki cloak on top. I missed my long auburn hair, but I was slowly getting used to the length. While in the bath, I had braided my hair back, letting the loose strands fall around my face.

"Where's Jugo?" I asked Sasuke, following him down a long corridor.

"He's been restrained."

"Imprisoned???"

"Restrained, Miyako. He's not a prisoner."

"You only say that because you've never been imprisoned. Where are you taking me anyway?"

That's when he stopped abruptly, as I brought my hands up just in time so I didn't run into his back.

He turned and looked down at me.

"I need you to be on your best behavior. As of right now, almost all of the Akatsuki want you killed. You're a threat to their plans. You've done nothing but betray and disobey them. The only reason you haven't been locked up again and tortured is because Madara Uchiha knows about you. Fake your kindness or something, try to blend in and listen to orders for once. I don't want to lose you." But what he didn't know is that Pain knew about me too.

I'd never heard him speak so seriously in my life like he did just now. It was like he was begging me, his eyes pleading with mine to listen to him.

It was cute. He no longer hid the fact that he truly cared about me.

All I could do was nod my head at him.

Sasuke turned back around as I resumed following him through the tunnel.

And then he led me into the wide open cavern where I had been not too long ago, trapped in a force barrier after Jugo had tried to kill me.

The Akatsuki were standing upon pillars as they watched us move to the center of the room. I could feel Madara Uchiha, well, Tobi's eyes following me. Why he continued to put up a disguise, I had no clue. I had thought everyone knew who he really was by now.