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

New Recruit

  Maeme wakes up in Itachi's arms and sighs contentedly. She fully recovered from her illness three weeks ago and the pair made up without her divulging her secret. She'd kept her space from Sasori and secretly enjoyed the fact that they weren't sent on any missions afterward. Itachi shifts in his sleep, burying his face in the crook of her neck and wrapping his arms snugly around her stomach. She closes her eyes, enjoying the peace until the door crashes open.

"Kisame, I will rip off your manhood and force feed it to you through your nose." She threatens without opening her eyes.

"As fun as that sounds, we're in for a real treat."

"What do you mean?" Itachi asks grumpily, sitting up.

"We're getting a new recruit, some kid from Iwagakure."

"And? What does that have to do with us?" Maeme asks, reaching for Itachi's discarded t-shirt while covering herself with the sheets.

"Well, we have to go get him."

"We who?"

"Me, Itachi, Sasori, and by association, you."

"Can I just go back to bed?" She whines, attempting to bury herself again.

"You could, but I imagine there's a decent chance that either Sasori or Itachi won't come back. Besides, wouldn't you be breaking your oa- I mean... I'm going to get ready now. We're leaving in ten minutes."

Kisame ducks out of the room, leaving Maeme to avoid Itachi's burning gaze.

"What would you be breaking?"

"Who knows? Kisame is strange. I need to get ready."

Maeme tries to get out of bed and avoid the awkward conversation, but Itachi rolls on top of her and pins her hands down above her head. He repeats his question quietly. She avoids answering by reminding him they have to get ready. He presses for her to answer him and she finally sighs and agrees, a wave of dread washing over her. Itachi moves off of her and helps her sit up.

"I'm scared to tell you because I don't know how you will react to it."

"I don't think there is any thing that could make me hate you."

"It's a rather long story, can I gather my things and tell you as I get ready?"

"As long as you don't use it as a way to try to get out of it."

She nods and heads back to her room to get clothing and her bag. When she returns, she starts her explanation while getting dressed in a pair of tan shorts, a black t-shirt, and her sleeveless jacket.

"Well, my parents died shortly after I got to Suna. Sasori's grandmother found me and took me in, with a condition. She would provide food, shelter, and medical training, if I took an oath with her. I am actually breaking the oath now by telling you this. I had to agree to protect her grandson with my life no matter the risk for the rest of my life, and I could never tell him or anyone else. Sasori doesn't know. I didn't want to tell you because I know there's a difference between me just choosing to protect Sasori and me having taken an oath to do that for the rest of my life. I understand if you're mad or you want to leave me, but I can't break my word to the woman I literally owe my life to..." She trails off, picking at a frayed piece of her shorts, fighting back the tears threatening to flood her eyes.

The room stays silent until Itachi gently pulls her onto his lap and wraps his arms around her.

"I can't stand Sasori but I can't fault you for keeping your word to her. What if he were to suddenly die beyond your control?"

"You can't murder Sasori." She chides before leaning in to kiss him. "Now, let's get this over with."

As she gets to her feet, a thought comes to mind. "Wait, is this kid going to be Sasori's new partner?"

"Quite likely."

"He won't last long."

The group reaches Iwagakure a very tense week later, their trip consisting of tense glares and silent challenges while Maeme and Kisame did their best to ignore them and keep the peace. Maeme sucks in a deep breath as the two men in front of her start to jostle each other's shoulders as they walk. Kisame glances down at her feet and takes a few cautionary steps to the left to avoid the small spikes shooting up from the ground as she walks. As he blinks, the blonde leaves his side and appears in front of the pair, eyes lit in anger.

"Enough!" Maeme snaps. "I'm so sick of both of you! Keep it up and I will kill you myself."

"She's talking to you." Itachi mumbles, glaring at Sasori.

A slight twitch of her hand sends daggers of dirt into the air, trained at both of them.

"Do you really want to test me right now?" She hisses, her eyes challenging them to say something.

"That's cool, un."

Maeme spins on heel, the daggers following her path before sailing down toward the young blond man standing a few feet away in the entrance to the temple. She watches tensely as his hands move quickly until what appears to be a bird launches into the air and explodes, intercepting the daggers in a cloud of dust. Maeme grins, her fingers twitching in excitement at the thought of taking her frustrations out on a stranger.

"Uh, Itachi, you may want to stop your girlfriend before she murders the person we're supposed to be recruiting." Kisame comments as he notices the look in her eyes.

"Maeme, come here." Sasori's voice reaches her ears. She flips him a bird of her own but complies, firmly planting herself between Sasori and Itachi.

"Fine, I won't kill him, yet." She grumbles.

"So, who are you, un?" The boy asks as they all enter the temple.

"The Akatsuki." Kisame answers since no one else speaks.

"The Akatsuki? Sorry, but that really has nothing to do with me." Maeme watches curiously as the boy sits on the floor and starts to mess with a lump of something. "The only thing I want to do is concentrate on my art, hmm!"

She freezes at the mention of art, a topic Sasori spent a lot of time ranting about in Suna. It drove her crazy. As she predicted, Sasori asks what he means and the boy explains that he makes things from clay and that they explode.

"Art is an explosion!" He cheers, making Maeme sigh.

Itachi steps forward, offering the boy a challenge: a fight. If Itachi wins, he joins.

Maeme starts to wander the room, studying the large sculptures surrounding them, knowing whatever happens with Itachi's fight won't harm him or last long. His genjutsu skills are too powerful for most people to withstand. She vaguely hears an explanation that the fight was over as soon as he saw Itachi's Sharingan. She makes her way back to Kisame and leans her forehead against his arm, huffing in annoyance.

"Why did Itachi get to have all the fun? I never get to fight people." She grumbles under her breath.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll have an opportunity to kick someone's ass eventually." Kisame replies, messing up her hair.

With a scowl, she reaches up and swiftly snaps his wrist, the crack resounding through the temple.

"You bitch! What the hell was that for!?" He cries out, drawing everyone's attention.

"Oh hush, I will heal it but I feel a little better now."

After fixing her hair and hiding it away under her hood, she uses her chakra to mend Kisame's hand.

"Alright, let's go. The trip back is going to suck so hard."