The Secrets We Keep *COMPLETE* (Sasori x OC? / Itachi x OC?)

Sweet Dreams

  Maeme looks down at the ground from her perch in the tree when Sasori returns just before sunset. She watches him survey the area for her so she carefully slips down to land beside him. Sasori looks her over while she asks him about his mission. He falls into step with her and chooses not to answer, instead asking what happened to the man.

"I killed him." She answers simply.

"Who was he?"

"The man we thought you killed the last time we were here. I'm not sure how but he survived. You didn't tell me about your mission though."

"Did he hurt you?"

"I'm a ninja, Sasori. It happens."

They continue on in silence as Maeme's thoughts drift back to the fight and their previous conversation.

Sasori leaves Maeme once they enter the base and she heads to their room to clean herself up and change her bandages. She'd roughly stitched herself up after killing the man but didn't have the energy to do much else. After scrubbing away the blood and the unsettling memories of him cheering at her pain, she dresses her wounds and pulls on a pair of dark red shorts and a black tank top. Maeme sprawls out on her bed and lets out a soft sigh. Even though she and Sasori spoke a little during their trip, she's nervous about being in their room again. Nothing was ever really explained. She gets to her feet and decides to look for something to do to avoid Sasori and whatever could come of her staying in the room.

Maeme finds herself in Itachi's room after not finding entertainment anywhere else. As she settles down on his bed, a frown works its way across her face. She knew Itachi wasn't back yet, but she couldn't fight the surge of disappointment she felt when she looked around his empty room. A yawn slips out as the comforting scent of Itachi's soap drifts up from the sheets.

"Maybe a nap wouldn't be such a bad idea..." She mumbles as she curls up underneath the blankets.

Maeme sits up as a pressure settles on the bed beside her, groggily blinking through the darkness. She can barely make out a silhouette on the other side of the bed.

"Itachi? I thought you weren't back yet." She mumbles, reaching out for him.

"It's Kisame... Listen, uh, something happened. Itachi isn't coming back."

Her hand hits the bed as she awakens fully, her breath catching in her chest.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Itachi's dead."

"Shut up! Don't say that. He's not dead... He can't be dead!" She cries out, fighting back the tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Maeme."

As Kisame leaves, Maeme pulls her knees to her chest as hot tears stream down her cheeks. Itachi is gone forever. She hadn't cried since she found out her parents were killed. She never thought she'd cry over the loss of anyone else, especially someone she only thought of as a friend. As that thought crosses her mind, she knows its wrong somehow.

"I loved him..." Her eyes widen as the words escape her lips.

Her crying dissolves into heart-wrenching sobs as she mourns the loss of the man she never knew she loved.

"Maeme, wake up."

Maeme bolts upright in bed, eyes wide and full of tears. She blinks past them, able to catch a glimpse of blue skin against the faint candlelight on the table. She can hear Kisame talking but can't understand him, her mind overwhelmed with emotion. Without thinking, she throws her arms around him and cries into his chest, leaving him thoroughly confused. Kisame slowly moves to hug the hysterical blonde and lightly rubs her back, his eyes wide in shock.

"I, uh, Maeme? What's going on? I-I don't know how to handle this..." He stammers.

Her crying fades into sniffles as she slowly pulls away and wipes her face. She looks up at Kisame, her eyes red and puffy.

"I swear if you tell me that Itachi is dead I will tear you limb from limb." She threatens as she starts to hiccup.

"I don't know what that means. I was just passing by and thought I heard something and found you crying in your sleep. What was going on?"

"Oh, nothing. Please don't say anything to anyone."

"This whole thing has been too weird for me to believe that this happened honestly. I've never seen you show emotion like this and I feel like I'm in some weird fever dream." Kisame mutters, absently rubbing the back of his head. "I'm just going to go..."

"Thank you Kisame."