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

Annoyance

Maeme's eyes fall on Sasori as she enters the room. The redhead is seated at his desk diligently working on a poison, several vials lining the desktop. Instead of speaking immediately, Maeme starts to go through her dresser drawers in search of training clothes, her thoughts drifting back to Itachi. She straightens, a bundle of clothing in her arms, and asks what he needed.

"Orochimaru is no longer with the Akatsuki."

"What?"

Maeme stares at Sasori, all her attention focused on his words. They had been back for a while but she hadn't heard.

"Something happened between Orochimaru and Itachi while we were gone, and he defected. That is all I know. He wasted my time." He mutters the last part with an annoyed sigh. "Perhaps now you can focus more on training."

"That's what I was going to do before you called for me. I can't sleep anyway." The lie slips from her lips as she heads into the bathroom.

Itachi and Kisame return from their mission three weeks later, something Maeme wasn't sure she was excited about. Nothing new was assigned to Sasori so she didn't have the luxury of traveling to clear her mind. Instead, she'd thrown herself into training. She still hadn't fully wrapped her head around the feelings she had for Itachi, the kind of feelings she swore were worthless and imaginary; That she had kissed him and he kissed her back. It was her first willing kiss and she didn't know how to react to it. They didn't get to discuss anything after Kisame's interruption so doubts of him reciprocating those feelings brought down her mood. Orochimaru's departure was a welcome surprise, but Itachi not telling her about any of it ruined the joy she'd felt since they spoke openly with each other. Even the introduction of Sasori's newest partner, a man whose name she didn't bother to commit to memory, didn't do much to change her focus. She had just appeared when Sasori called for her, studied the man Sasori called Gin, then issued a very serious threat of an excruciating death in the event that he harmed Sasori in any way before returning to her training.

Maeme lets out a frustrated growl as she sprints after the kunai she'd just thrown, managing to catch it right before it would've embedded itself in Sasori's partner's skull. It wasn't that she would've been concerned with Gin's death, but she knew Sasori would be irritated that he would have to wait longer for another replacement.

"Hey Jackass," she barks as she stares at the gash in her finger from the blade, blood staining the floor below. "I don't care what you do or if you live or die, but pay attention or you won't survive a week. Also, stay out of my way."

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just looking at all of these weapons. They're pretty cool. Hey, you're bleeding! You should really be more careful." The blond man smiles down at her as her temper flares.

"You've got to be fuc-" She pauses to suck in a deep breath. "No, you're not worth it. I don't want to hear Sasori complaining that I killed you. Cross my path again and I will slit your throat."

Maeme starts to walk away before realizing that she's still holding the kunai, so she tosses it backward, Gin barely dodging it as it speeds past him.

Maeme strides through the base muttering curses about Sasori's partner as blood continues to drip across the floor. She pushes past Zetsu, a strange plant-like man she'd seen a few times but never spoke to, offering a short apology over her shoulder. She enters her shared room and goes immediately into the bathroom to run her hand under the water. Sasori appears in the mirror, his gaze focused on the pale stream of pink flowing into the sink.

"You're bleeding."

"Oh, really? I couldn't tell. Blame your stupid partner. I'd almost rather put up with Orochimaru than that bumbling idiot."