Living a Lie

Chapter Ten - Ow

A couple days later, I had successfully brushed aside both of the incidents and pretended that the two were either just fooling around or high on something. Tobi had been especially clingy lately, but I figured it was just because of when I had decided to hide in my room for those few days. He had said that they were worried about me…

The rest of the guys had started acting semi-normal: Hidan and his cussing, Kisame and his shark-like grins, et cetera.

But… I was still a little worried.

Which was why I was not paying attention when I was peeling a carrot for a snack.

I had been deep in thought even before I reached the refrigerator for a carrot, and even deeper in thought when I brought it to the sink to peel it. So deep, in fact, that I didn't notice the strong chakra signature that was located somewhere near the entrance to the kitchen. I suppose, however, that it was a familiar enough signature that it didn't worry me out of my train of thought. Indeed, I was so preoccupied that I jumped when I saw a hand settle on the counter on either side of me out of my peripheral vision, cutting my finger with the vegetable peeler.

"Ow," I said, dragging my thoughts to the situation at hand (more puns, haha). I had temporarily forgotten that someone was behind me, until I heard:

"Startle you, Pinky?" It could be none other than Kisame. His nickname for me had stuck, even though I was kind enough to drop the Shark-face and Sharkie names.

I attempted to turn around, but was stopped from progressing any further because Kisame still had his arms on either side of me. I forgot about my bleeding finger.

I felt extremely short standing in front of him. I looked up at his face, and was suddenly very nervous at the expression he had. He looked… I wasn't sure what he looked like. It was like he was looking at me like he wanted something, but there was something more to it. I had never seen a look like that before. It was almost… a tender expression.

I wasn't sure I liked the way my body reacted to that look. Apparently, it knew more than I did. I felt like someone had unleashed a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. I felt my face starting to heat up.

I suddenly felt one hand at my waist, and the other grabbing my hand, bringing it and my bleeding finger to his face. He glanced at the cut, which was at the tip of my index finger, then brought it to his mouth, sucking away the blood. The whole time he was looking at me, watching my expressions change. At first I was shocked, then sort of weirded out, and then the blushing came back full force.

Kisame obviously noticed, because he began licking my finger, running his tongue around the cut and sucking on it.

I blushed even harder. He knew what he was doing to me. I could see he was hiding a smile.

Suddenly he let go of my finger, reaching behind me to fumble around in the cabinet for some bandages. He wrapped a strip of the white cloth around the cut and tied it. He finished and looked at me, our bodies still only inches away from each other. I blinked when he grinned his signature shark-like smirk. He ruffled my hair and walked out of the kitchen towards the hallway with all of the bedrooms.

I stood in front of the sink, dazed.

What the hell had just happened?

I came out of yet another bout of intentional hibernation a couple days later for lunch. I aimed for a little after two so that I could steer clear of most of the guys. Heck, the only ones that didn't really bother me (yet) were Hidan and Kakuzu. And, well, Tobi was just Tobi. He bothered me, but didn't at the same time. Not like the others…

I sighed as I paced down the hallway to the kitchen.

"'Tis but a scratch!"

"A scratch? Your arm's off!"

"No, it isn't."

The hell?

"What's that then?"

"I've had worse."

"You liar!"

"Come on, you pansy!"

I peeked in the living room where nearly all of the guys were seated around the television, either smirking or laughing (well, except for Itachi, but I thought I saw him smirking just a little…) at whatever it was that they were watching.

Kisame looked up. "Look's who's come out of hiding."

Everyone but Itachi looked up, blinked, and then returned their attention to the TV.

Kisame laughed heartily at the fight that was being played out. "You should watch this. It's hilarious."

I stared at the lot of them. All six of them were deadly S-class criminals, and yet here they were, watching some stupid show on the television and laughing. I shook my head, said 'no thanks', and continued on my way to the kitchen.

"Peanut butter… peanut butter," I muttered to myself while searching for my sandwich fixings. I heard laughter from down the hall and a faint, "Look, you stupid bastard, you've got no arms left!"

"Yes I have."

"Look!"

"Just a flesh wound."

I shook my head. I found the peanut butter and then dug around in the fridge for some jelly. I was in the mood for something not entirely good for me, so I was indulging in some good old fashioned PB&J.

"That's not really healthy," Hidan said from the doorway.

I looked over my shoulder at the Jashinist. "So? It tastes good, that's all that counts."

"It's still not fucking healthy for you, idiot."

I put the sandwich together and replied, "Screw you, Hidan."

"Fuckin' wouldn't mind if you did."

I blinked once.

Twice.

Three times.

"Uh… About that… I hope you were being sarcastic," I said, and I truly did mean it. I didn't want to think that he liked me like that… Heck, I didn't even really want him to like me, period.

He just laughed and left the room.

I finished my sandwich and debated whether or not I should go back into "hibernation", or go watch that ridiculous movie that the guys were watching.

Hmm…

Judging by the way that they have all been acting, I thought that it would be wisest to just go back to my room. But, if I were completely alone, who knew what a criminal of their caliber would do? So, would it be safer for me to retreat, or to go and hope that none of them try something while I'm with all of them?

I deliberated for a few moments, creating a mental list of the pros and cons of each idea. The one with the most pros was watching the movie with them, so I prayed that they would behave themselves and made my way to the living room.

"…How you English say, 'I one more time, mac, unclog my nose in your direction', sons of a window-dresser! So, you think you could out-clever us French folk with your silly knees-bent running about advancing behavior? I wave my private parts at your aunties, you cheesy lot of second hand electric donkey-bottom biters!"

"What the hell are you guys watching?" I asked, sitting down on the couch next to Kisame and Deidara. They all laughed.