Disclaimer : I do not own.

Note : It's finally posted – some AkaSaku action! Well, in this chapter it's mostly KakuzuxSakura and small scenes of other AkatsukixSakura pairings. Oh yeah, if you haven't vote for the poll in my profile, please do so. I'll be deciding which new story to put up after I'm finished with Whispers In The Dark. Enjoy reading :)

Whispers In The Dark

AkatsukixSakura

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There's no meaning to a flower unless it blooms.

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Like there's no meaning to live unless you have money.

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"Money isn't everything, Kakuzu."

"You have to wake up, kunoichi."

"Wake up?"

"Money is everything."

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It was bright. Really bright. Her pink eyelashes fluttered heavily, trying to adjust to the sudden light intensity. Sakura could see the outlines of a weird shape. It was human-shaped object with a flytrap attached around the upper body. Needless to say, she recognized who it was.

"Zet…su?" She mumbled brokenly. The form shifted a little and turned to face her. The pink haired medic was very sure of the white and black colours coming to her sight. "Is that you?"

His flytrap twitched in giddiness hearing his name. Both White and Black Zetsu began fighting over to speak first. "Hello, Sakura. Took you long enough to wake up, blossom." His lighter side brushed the back of his hand against her forehead adoringly and gently, as if she was a fragile flower in his hands.

Since when did Zetsu become so warm?

Well, he is H-O-T.

Not the least bothered by Inner Sakura's comment, she hummed in contentment. Unconsciously, Sakura leaned more into the bi-polar male's touch and ignored the shivers down her body. Her calamity was interrupted by a humorous deep-tone chuckle.

Zetsu's golden orbs gleamed with mischief as his darker side mused. "Your naked skin is very, very alluring and tempting too." Something akin to a blush appeared on his cheeks and he faked cough. Embarrassed, he looked away from her. "Forgive me."

The heat was gone. Suddenly, it felt freezing cold. "Forgive you?" Her emerald eyes snapped open in confusion as she contemplated the look on Zetsu's face. Sakura frowned, another cool breeze hitting her skin, as if she wasn't wearing anything.

"Last night, I ran into Kisame and Madara-sama. Bastards were fighting with each other." Zetsu quickly went on. "You were knocked out cold and wet which must have been done by Kisame's water jutsu. Stupid fish." His darker side snorted. "I transported you here to my garden, our garden, so that you'll be safe, Sakura."

Goosebumps were starting to form on her skin. Kisame and Madara fighting? Fighting for what? Did something happen yesterday? Why couldn't she recall anything? Wait, she was with Kisame last night. They had a few rounds of sake. Apparently for Sakura, a few rounds meant more than twenty bottles of the said alcohol.

Nausea flooded over her. "Zetsu, what actually happened last night?" The plant male shifted, averting his gaze. Glancing at his coloured cheeks, she asked. "Anyway, what do you mean by naked –" Her blank gaze travelled down herself, letting her jaw drop in horror.

Inner Sakura gave a low wolf-whistle.

I can see why he likes the view.

Sakura blinked. She looked at herself then back to Zetsu, whose face was inclined away from her. He was as gentlemanly as he could be although the blush on his face was making her hard to trust him. She decided to handle things the mature way of a kunoichi and suppressed the pink dusting across her cheeks.

Instead of screaming at him, Sakura perfectly mimicked the cold voice, almost like an angry python. "Get the hell out of my face, Zetsu." She hissed, hands coming up to cover herself. "And give me back my clothes before I bash your skull inside out."

Zetsu's golden eyes were gleaming brighter. He resisted Black Zetsu's thoughts to taste the soft, supplement skin of hers and sank into the ground to receive his blossom's clothes.

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"Stop glaring at my back, kunoichi. Your efforts are futile."

Sakura huffed and puffed like a big bad wolf. Only because of her obnoxious pink hair, she was miniaturized into a cuddly pink pup. Said pink pup followed after the Akatsuki male unwillingly.

"I don't have much of a choice, Kakuzu."

He made no acknowledge of her talking to him and proceeded walking in slow, steady steps. His black cloak swished from side to side. Eyes a gleamed for some sort of unknown reason.

When they reached down the stairs, Sakura asked idly. "Are we going for a stroll around the village?" Just a while, she nudged her face to the side, watching a couple crossing the road paths hand in hand. Just as quick as she did, Sakura turned back to Kakuzu and frowned.

Jealous?

"I have urgent matters to attend to." Kakuzu slowed down his steps to let Sakura walk next to him. "You are free to come along if you want." He suddenly stared down at her warningly. "Just don't get involve in my matters."

How come she was not surprised? It was the money crazed nin's turn to keep an eye on her today. What more did she expect?

Being the hard headed kunoichi she was trained to be by her mentor, Sakura raised her head in an indignant manner. "Well, it's not like I want to –"

"You must be kept safe and unharmed, Sakura."

Sakura was momentarily stunned. Kakuzu didn't act like the type to express his concern and care over someone, much less an ex-enemy of his. He wasn't the type to talk gently and gaze at someone so deeply, as if he wanted something from someone. From her.

His green orbs were interesting, contrasting with his skin tone. Very far by the most unique colour she has ever come across with. Green, deep green. He smelled of grass and money. The money scent must be coming from his pocket, Sakura mused. It was an intoxicating scent when both were mixed together.

"Kunoichi. Are you coming?"

"O-Of course!" Sakura smacked her forehead with her palm after realizing the Akatsuki male was at least ten steps ahead of her. The back of her neck was starting to burn a little whether from heat or embarrassment.

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One hour.

They had been walking around the town for one hour, much to Sakura's annoyance. She was sweaty, tired and irritated. Just what the hell is this urgent matter?

Kakuzu was taller than her, his steps were way bigger than hers. The pinkette had to chase after him if she was left behind too far. He didn't speak to her after that awkward conversation leaving Sakura in confusion. Rage took over when he did not once turn around to look at her. He was not even batting one eyelash at her!

He better not be playing a fool out of me! CHA!

"Just exactly how long do we have to keep walking?"

Again, he ignored her.

"What the hell is your problem-"

A high pitch wailed interrupted her sentence, making Sakura whirl around to the side to watch. "H-HELP! SNATCH THIEF! MY PURSE, HE TOOK IT!"

There was a helpless woman who sat on her knees, two hands cradling a baby who was also bawling. She wasn't in ninja attire, therefore Sakura interpreted that she was a normal civilian. Just ahead of them was a male who ran away from the crowd after snatching the lady's purse.

She clenched her fist tightly in a dead grip. There was no need to ask Kakuzu for permission to go after the criminal. Anyone in their right mind, as a loyal shinobi of Konoha would do anything to protect or help their village or in her case villagers. The pink haired medic channeled some chakra to her feet, ready to dash off.

"No."

His hand darted out to hold her shoulder, preventing her from leaving. The Akatsuki's treasurer glared down at her.

Letting her burning emotion take over, Sakura slapped his hand away. Her emerald orbs burned with resentment and defiance at the stitched man. "I will not stand aside and watch my people suffer." She matched her tone with her fiery attitude.

"Be quiet, kunoichi."

How dare he?

HOW DARE HE?

HOW FUCKING DARE HE!

The pinkette clam her mouth shut when she saw a black thread coming out from his sleeve. It was going towards the helpless lady. Sakura snarled at the stitched Akatsuki. Quickly, she meshed her medical chakra and morphed them into a chakra scalpel on her finger. Her plan was to cut his thread and break his attempt to attack the lady?

Wait, is that what he wanted to do?

All hatred towards Kakuzu vanished when Sakura spotted what the black tendril was curling around on. The lady's purse! How in the world did Kakuzu managed to snatch her purse? She looked ahead and saw the male who snatched the lady's purse – face flat on the ground and hands bounded by Kakuzu's black threads.

"Help me… huh?" The woman hiccupped when the black thread nudge her. "T-That's my purse!" She reached out for it and the thread dropped the purse into her palm. "Thank you. T-Thank you so much!" The woman bowed her head at Kakuzu's direction, eyes shining with gratitude and appreciation.

At that very moment, Sakura's opinion of Kakuzu had turned a complete three hundred and sixty degrees. Biting her lip, she thought of a way to apologize to him for not noticing what he did. All she did was criticizing and blaming him.

When her emerald gaze landed on him this time, Sakura couldn't help to think that Kakuzu was actually handsome in his own unique way. Even his stitches were interesting. Maybe one day, she'd ask him if she could touch them.

Kakuzu nodded at the woman then back to Sakura. He stood next to her for a few seconds before walking passed her. "Come."

When she made no move to walk along with him, another black thread darted out from Kakuzu's sleeve and wrapped itself around her wrist gently. Sakura watched in awe at the thread, feeling very comfortable suddenly at the sensation of the soft material and Kakuzu's chakra.

A soft smile stretched itself across her lips. Maybe, just maybe, she shouldn't judge him or the Akatsuki members for what they did before this. The only thing important now would be the present, not the past. And maybe, just maybe, Sakura would consider Pein's offer again.

They're not that bad.

Inner Sakura silently agreed.

[ To be continued . . . ]

That's a wrap! Sakura and each of the members have met and interacted.

And each of them gets to spend their own time with Sakura for each chapter (at least).

What's coming next? The finale of course. Just get ready to expect some action, tears, heartbreaks and blood :D

I'll be seeing you all again in the next chapter !

Until then :)

xSakuraWings