His fingers wrap around her fist and she almost sighs with relief.

Almost, but not quite. Immediately, she brings her other fist up, hitting him square on the chin. The shock makes him let go and she flips backwards, keeping some distance between them.

Something had felt odd about how easy this was going. Apparently he had known who she was the whole time.

Warily, she walks around him in a big circle. Watching him the whole time, trying to see any chinks in his armor. He’s already tense, already hunching down a little in his fighting position. He moves with her, not giving her an inch.

Kiba is well-trained, Sakura notices as he slides one foot to the back. Harder than what she expected but she can handle him.

Apparently he has the same thoughts as he sports a smirk.

“I didn’t fully believe that you would be the spy,” he tells her, eyes not leaving her form for an instant. “I guess I was wrong about you—”

She raises to the bait, curious. “How did you know?”

“I’m not just a looker, you know.”

“You’re boss, then?”

He gives a swift nod. There’ll be no more answers, she realizes, just as there will be no openings.

It’s time to strike.

With that thought, she plunged ahead.

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Mission 7

Waiting

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Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

He picks up the old-fashioned phone, one of those ones with a circular dial. “(Yes?)”

“(Hello.)” The voice is slippery and soft, almost like velvet, and he shudders. The only reason for this call is that he wants the project done. Now.

“(It’s—)”

“(I need to talk to her.)”

He swallows, nervous. Glancing to his agitated sister, still tinkering on the machine, he steels himself and covers the receiver end.

“(It’s him.)” Already he’s glad to have covered the phone—her curses would not have pleased him in the slightest.

“(Give it now.)” Wiping her grease-stained fingers, she picks up the phone. “(Yes?)”

Her voice is curt and professional already.

“(Nearly. No, it’s—if that is the case, then please continue with the original subject.)”

He can’t hear what’s going on the other side and chooses to make himself busy. Picking up the tools where she left them, he finishes the tightening.

“(Is that so?...No, I was not aware of that…Of course not. Very well then, I will send….Thank you for informing me.)” She hangs the phone up and he turns to her expectedly.

“(Apparently, one of our guests arrived earlier than expected. He sent one of our guards to deal with the guest appropriately.)” Her words are clipped and he can tell she’s annoyed. “(He still doesn’t trust us to handle these matters.)”

“(Why should he?)” He stops himself, watching her carefully.

A harsh laugh. “(That’s true. Either way, if one is here the other should be coming soon enough. I need to finish this today.)”

-x-

Sasuke briskly walks down the street, heading to a small park nearby. One of the ‘nature’ parks, with wild animals and plants growing there, not many frequented it. Only those adventurous hikers do so, at their own peril.

There is a reason a gate surrounds the whole park. When they left wild animals there, it was not only deer and raccoons. The predators didn’t disappear either.

Carrying a backpack and wearing thick boots, he passes through the gate inconspicuously. Another hiker trying his luck—the town doesn’t spare him a second glance.

(Some of the females mutter to themselves, “All the good ones go. And he was the best one to arrive in months. Maybe he’ll leave before it get too deadly.”

He can still hear them, his senses sharpened, and smirks.

There is no such thing as too deadly.)

Moving into the dense woods, he travels inward to a small cluster of rocks. At the base of the third one, there is a small hole, abandoned by a skunk years ago. Reaching in, he searches for anything.

Nothing. They still haven’t arrived. Reaching into his pocket, he takes out his own notes of the mission and places it in.

It’s fine if they don’t get it. There are plenty of wild animals to eat it—a den in this location won’t be empty for long.

-x-

She peers out the plane window, watching as the land grows larger and larger. They’re approaching the ground and she swivels her head to face him. “(We’re nearly there.)”

“(…They should be there when we arrive.)”

Sighing, she watches his calm expression. “(You don’t seem bothered.)”

“(…)” He opens his eyes to look at her. “(They are useful at times.)”

“(But,)” She gives him a grin at this, “(they annoy you the most. Especially with the—”)”

His peaceful façade crumbles as he remembers their other meetings and he hisses, “(I would rather not speak of it.)”

“(You don’t have to be shy.)”

“(I do not approve of those greetings.)”

She smiles at him. “(You just don’t want him to catch you like that. You’d get disowned for sure.)”

Silent, he turns his head away and closes his eyes once more.

Laughing, she looks out the window again. Nearly there.

-x-

Lucian feels the rough wool for a moment, stroking it lightly to make sure it is real. Then, carefully, as though it is made of silk and is spun like a spider’s web, he dons them. The wool scratches him a little but he doesn’t mind it.

Not when there’s a bigger prize to be won. Already his fingers feel warmer and he pats his cheek with his padded hands.

That man was nice, giving him money to buy gloves. Smiling as he looked at the other purchases in his bag (a loaf of bread, cheese, a few apples), his smile widens.

Maman will be pleased too. There’s a lot of food today.

-x-

Sasuke starts to walk back to their room. The sun is starting to set, decreasing the number of people on the street. Stars slowly wink into existence.

Not too many street lights, he notices. Easier for him to slip in and out of the shadows, then. Makes it easier, as well, for an attack at night.

Turning the corner, he arrives at the inn. The young lady at the register is replaced by her father, a stern man who glares at him as walks by. He pays no heed to him.

Opening the door to their room, he realizes she’s still not back. Whatever she had planned, it is either taking longer than she expected or she had not given him ample details on what was to go on.

He expects it to be the later—when she gets testy, she tends to keep things back out of spite and later out of forgetfulness.

Shrugging off his coat, he spreads it across the bed and starts replacing some of the supplies in the pockets.

It’s twenty hundred, according to the clock. Not too late then.

The matches in one pocket are all nearly gone—some were traded with the homeless for news. Turning to the closet, he pushes aside her coat—she would need that if she wanted to go out at night—and grabs a few more. Inspecting the other pockets, he refills his money supply.

Sitting on the bed, he takes off his boats and places them beside hers. She didn’t take her boots either.

Probably had to wear heels, more appropriate for a date.

Leaning back, he lies on the bed and closes his eyes. In an hour, dinner will arrive at the door.

She should be back by then.

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A/N: And that was my attempt at Sasuke’s not-so-subtle worry. Which might have failed.

Which is why I had him notice all the things that were left behind. Anyways, this chapter came a month later than the last one, so I’m managing to update on time.