[Log] Unexpected Encounters [Anko, Kankurou]
Characters: Anko, Kankurou
Date: Monday, August 13, Late Evening
Rating: R
Warnings: Implied sexuality and dirty naughty language~
Summary: Both strangers to one another, Anko and Kankurou meet by chance at a bar and get to know one another better. Especially when forced to feign sexual foreplay.
Anko glared sullenly at the bottle in her hand as the last few drops dripped into her very less then full glass. The radio playing in the background did nothing to dissipate the silence that reigned in her apartment. She really had tried to stifle the melancholy mood before it had taken her over earlier, but Sai had disappeared off doing who only knew what and Kakashi was also nowhere to be found, leaving her all alone with a half full bottle of vodka and some God-awful radio station that seemed to be offering up an evening's worth of oldies.
A quick flick of her wrist sent the bottle flying across the room, shattering with an immensely satisfying tinkle of glass as it rained to the floor. Tossing back the last remnants of the vodka, she decided against traversing into Cena to restock her sadly empty liquor cabinet in favor of just wandering down to a little establishment off of Scio that she had found one night tailing after one of her marks. Setting the empty glass on her coffee table, she shed the over-sized tee shirt she wore as she walked across the floor to her bedroom, flinging it over to join the growing pile of clothing that she needed to wash, 'Eh, it can wait until tomorrow...maybe the next day', before pulling a pair of low-rise jeans from her closet along with a black tank top, tossing them both on the bed as she made her way to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later found her taking her time strolling down the empty streets, following the muted music that could be heard almost half a block away. Stepping to the side just in time to miss the door being flung open by an overly intoxicated patron, Anko was pleased to find the place busy, but not completely packed so that she could barely move. Happily plopping down on a vacated bar stool, she waved over a bartender and placed her order.
It was at this time of the year that Kankurou would notice Ceno's scenery, with the cleanness of the streets along with the orderly lined rows of houses. Everything wore the sign of order, of uniformity, nothing out of place. It irked him at times why he would spend some of his times here, but it was always the calm and emptiness of the apartment that soothed his travel weary mind and cleansed some part of him that he never did understand.
But all in all, Ceno wasn't where he belonged, and the tattoos that branded his face and body always reminded him of that. The contents hidden underneath his clothes weren't exactly "cleansing" either. Not to mention there seemed to be fewer bars in Ceno than he had remembered the last time.
Dragging a gloved hand through his dark unruly hair, Kankurou sighed as the rank air of Celo's Scio blasted in his face as he crossed the border. There was never any truly heavy duty security around the area so he wasn't as paranoid as he usually was at these times. Perfect for his late night hour needs for a little alcohol to continue pulling his all-nighters, full-filling his customers' requests. Music filtered through his ears from a club on his immediate right, catching Kankurou's attention. Not planning to travel far from the border tonight, the poison-dealer decided that the building with graffiti sprayed over its sides was going to have to do for the night.
The petite bottles inside of his black coat clinked excitedly as the atmosphere thickened around him, filled with smoke and alcohol. A smirk played around his thin lips as Kankurou made his way to the bar and sat down in a vacant seat next to a dark-haired woman. Even if he had just left Cena a couple of days ago, the smells and sounds in the bar reminded him of why he still went back to that damned place. "Vodka, straight up," he called out to the bartender, his eyes roaming around the scene at the dance floor and lingering on some of the patrons that were particularly "eye-candy" tonight.
The bartender delivered her vodka rocks with a pleasing 'clunk' as he set the dingy glass on the worn wooden bar top.
"You can just go ahead and bring me the bottle sweetie," she grinned, downing half her drink in one go. "It'll save you from having to keep going back and forth. Might as well set me up a tab while you're at it too hun." She tossed back the rest, sitting the now empty glass back down waiting for the bartender's return. Tapping her heel to the beat of the music, Anko discretely surveyed the small crowd. No one really noteworthy it seemed. The random couple glued to each other in the shadows or curled up next to one another in a few of the booths, one or two old timers passed out or pretty damned close to it, a few small groups of coworkers relaxing together after a hard day's work, a couple of people here on business perhaps (those were the easier ones to pick out as one recognizes it's own).
Happily reaching for the bottle placed in front of her, Anko eagerly refilled her glass, sipping at a far slower pace. Out of the corner of her eye, she vaguely watched a newcomer approach and sit down next to her, catching her bartender before he wandered away. 'Not a threat', her mind ticked off, allowing her muscles to relax a shade. Paranoia had it's place in her life, but was not always a necessity. Feeling magnanimous as the alcohol warmed her veins, Anko instructed the bartender to put the newcomer's drink on her tab.
Apparently Kankurou was lucky tonight, since the bartender didn't question his age (not that they do around these parts) and a very nice looking lady was taking care of his drink. He gave a nod to the bartender after receiving his drink and swiveled around in the chair so that his back was against the bar. Then after a refreshing swig off his drink did he inquire about the woman. "You lookin' for company or jus' feelin' charit'ble tonigh'?" Even though Kankurou appreciated the drink, he didn't want her to get the wrong idea that he'll repay her by doing whatever she intended him to do. He liked women, but tonight the only things he wanted to come home with him was only his clothes and sense of conscience.
Sure, some people can call it paranoia, but it was the reason why he was still breathing tonight.
Tracing idyllic patterns in the condensation on her glass, Anko couldn't help but snort at the suspicious question. "Consider it a momentary burst of generosity hun. Not to mention as an added bonus, he was less likely to haggle you about your age with me cutting in," she let her voice lower a bit at her last line before polishing off her second glass. Tilting her head to the side she offered him a saucy wink and a smirk as she reached for the bottle and refilled her glass. "Don't worry sweetie, I'm not looking to corner you for something." A couple of months with her adopted roommate had trained her well for reading with these skittish types it seemed. "And no offense meant at all hun, but I seriously doubt you have anything I could possibly want."
Kankurou gave out a low chuckle, the sound vibrating around his own shot glass as he raised it to take another shot. After running his thumb across his upper lip to remove the excess alcohol off his lip, did he reply, taking his time to enjoy the irony of the line. "I don't know, lady," he started in a low voice, his face turned upwards towards the ceiling, "I could make yer dreams come true. An' around these parts, tha's a rare offer." His murky green eyes connected with hers for a moment with a mischievous glint, then turned away with an enigmatic smile, one that seemed so full of promise yet was just a mere shell of what it truly was. Kankurou didn't expect any business tonight, but when opportunity knocked on his door he was never the one to turn it away.
"Not as rare as you may think kiddo. Everyone's got something to offer and every one of them are full of shit." Not being able to help some of the bitterness that crept into her voice, Anko washed it back with another healthy swig of the liquor.
"But I will give you credit, that's a hell of a line to be tossing around," she grinned, holding out her bottle and offering to top off his glass. Curiosity leading her as it always did, she couldn't help but bite at the tempting offer, if only to keep herself amused by her new companion for a short duration. She sat the rapidly emptying bottle back down before turning around in her seat, leaning back against the sticky bar top and casting an eye out over the growing crowd. Turning her head slightly to the side to catch his eyes with her own violet ones, she offered him a cynical smirk. "And I find myself both bored and intrigued so I'll bite."
"Let's play nice, eh?" Kankurou replied, amusement lingering about his face. From her comeback, he could tell she wasn't one of the regular junkies but someone who had control and was cautious. Which was even better for his business since they knew exactly what they wanted to buy and there was no excess confusion. Quick in, quick out. Usually when it came to this point, Kankurou would cut to the chase, asking their line of work. But since the scenery tonight was a bit public for his line of business, a hint would have to do.
After downing the offered shot, green eyes winked at violet ones as Kankurou shrugged off his jacket, revealing a sleeve-less shirt underneath baring his arms to the world to see. If the woman got the hint, she would have noticed a scorpion tattoo lining the muscles along his right upper arm, surrounded by a circle that was split in half; one side red and another side yellow. The sign of his work. Kankurou couldn't help but be proud of his work, and what better way to show it than to make it a part of him?
But not to let his cockiness get the most of him, he ran his gloved hands through his hair casually as if he was just removing his jacket because of the rising heat from the many bodies clustered in the bar. "What I've gotta offer ta'you en't shit. Usually when I tell people I'll get'em the moon, I bring t'fuckin' moon to 'em. Tho' from yer gloomy 'ooks, I'm thinkin' the moon en't enough fer you."
Anko's eyes widened slightly, seeing the artwork that graced his upper bicep. 'Well hell, isn't this interesting'. She'd heard some talk on this one, nothing but good news quite surprisingly. If you could actually find him, you were guaranteed the highest high or the best poison to be had in any way, shape or form.
"And it isn't even my birthday," she murmured, catching his eyes and making sure he was paying attention, she dipped a finger in her drink, turning slightly in her seat to give her better access, she drew a small design with the alcohol on the aged wood. That same symbol had been marked somewhere on everyone of her marks since she first started in her line of work. She didn't have some hip name for herself, but her mark was enough so that she got credit for her work without it being too obvious or traceable. Hell, there was only one person who would be able to make the connection between herself and her chosen signature, and he wasn't going to do anything about it. She watched the poison master's face as she sucked the remaining vodka off her finger, waiting for his reaction.
"Perhaps this is a conversation better had with some privacy hmm?" she offered, tilting her head towards a conveniently empty booth to the side before grabbing for her glass and bottle, not bothering to wait for an answer or to see if he was following her.
A second and a raising of his brow after, Kankurou retraced the symbol that was in the wood before covering it with the palm of his hand, something in his mind clicking in place. The sign to be of a rumored assassin in Cena with sharp skills and unflawed proficiency in that certain line of work. A wry twist of his mouth showed his own subtle surprise at the information and of the fact that the assassin appeared to be a woman. Seemed like Kurosawa in Cena owed him a pretty amount of money from that bet made almost a month ago, considering the gender of this assassin.
Seemed like he had hit a jackpot tonight.
After ordering another full bottle of vodka and putting down some crumpled bills for them, Kankurou rejoined the mysterious assassin to the aforementioned booth, slinging his jacket over his shoulders. "Y'think my offer's still full of shit?" Kankurou inquired, settling opposite her in the booth, looking at her with a tad more seriousness than before, now that he knew who he was dealing with.
"Not now I don't," she told him honestly, drawing her finger around the rim of her glass. "Your reputation proceeds you, which not a lot of people can say and have it in their favor. Though you can hardly blame me for doubting some random brat who comes strolling in here making outlandish promises hmm?" she smiled a little, attempting to soften the biting words. Pushing her glass aside for the moment, she fought back the fuzziness that was starting to hamper her brain. It was business time now, the fuzziness would be welcomed back as soon as the more serious things were done and out of the way.
"I'd be lying if I told you I knew anything about what you are rumored to carry, but I'm very interested to find out if you're willing to spare me the time. I think perhaps we can work out something that is mutually beneficial for the both of us, what do you say?"
A sharp scoff came out of Kankurou, his eyes straining not to roll at the "random brat" comment. After all he still needed to maintain a decent relationship with this customer. One wrong move, and he might end up worse than the orphanages. And his actions were all but those of a random brat. Waving a hand as if swatting the insult to the side, Kankurou locked eyes with his customer again with his fake smile fading.
"Us'ally how this works is tha' you tell me what you're lookin' for an' I deliv'r." Kankurou paused as a little voice in the back of his mind warned him about jumping into these things too quickly. Having grown up in a family where betrayal was a hobby, he had learned not to trust quickly and always be suspicious and cautious. Money was a priority, but his secrecy and life were the first on his list. "An' after you get what you want, we'll talk about what yer gonna offer." It sounded like an insinuating sentence, which Kankurou knew and made it worse with a sardonic smile and a slow look-over at the woman.
'Well gotta give him credit, he does have some balls,' she mused, raising an eyebrow as he raked his eyes over what was visible above the table.
"Sounds fair enough," she leaned back against the flattened cushion back of the booth and crossed her arms, not bothering to acknowledge his snarky insinuation. "I would like something quick and clean that can be slipped into a drink or food, instantaneous or delayed, both would be nice for varying circumstances. Something else ideal would be something that atomizes instantly if say I get caught in a bind, a fast acting gas of some sort. That I would only want if you can offer an antidote as well as a precaution for myself. I'm sure you can understand, it would be bad for me to be caught in my own trap," she finally said, ticking off items as she weighed various circumstances in her mind. "Those would be the best I can think of for field use, unless you can offer some better suggestions?", she offered, knowing he was the expert here and she did respect that.
"Perhaps something also that I can cure into some of my blades would be nice too?"
"Paralyzin' chemical agents," Kankurou suggested, "for an easier kill wit' yer blades. One cut an' t'poor bastard'll find 'imself offerin' his life to you nice and quiet-like." He paused for a moment, his mind running through the list of goodies he had carried with him tonight and if any of them fit the profile that was wanted. Tapping a finger on his chin thoughtfully, Kankurou came to the conclusion that most of tonight's wares were in the aphrodisiac department, hardly beneficial for an assassin job. But not all of his wares tonight were useless, either.
Seemingly out of thin air did two identical twin vials appear on the table before him, one filled with a dark-green liquid while the other with a crystal-clear liquid fizzing suspiciously. "I c'n get what you want in a week's time or in a few days if yer in a hurry. I wasn't expectin' business tonight, so I beg your pardon." A shrug accompanied with a boyish smile followed his apology, like what he used to use against his teacher when asked why he didn't prepare for a test. "But I c'n offer you these two, for a reasonable price, 'course. Dunno if they'll do you any good, since they en't classified as poisons, but since you've been brave enough ta bite, I'll let you have a chance to see 'em."
"This one's been in t'works fer a long time comin'. It's a truth serum. A 'ittle side project of mine." A gloved finger tapped the vial containing the clear liquid. "An' this one's based on acidic properties. It'll burn through anythin', flesh, bone, metal, y'name it. Handy fer quiet break-ins through iron bars or jus' torture. Whatever you'd prefer."
"Sweet," Anko breathed, leaning forward to prop herself on her elbows as she picked up the truth serum, holding it up to the light. Either of them would be good to have on hand. Occasionally she did need to pry some information before eliminating her chosen mark, the truth serum would be a nice no hassle way to get what she needed and the acid would come in handy if she had time to kill and was feeling particularly sadistic.
Feeling very much like a kid in a candy shop, she gently sat down the vial, turning her eyes back up to meet his. "I'll take them both, and the others as well. I'm in no rush so a week is fine by me. Just let me know when and where to pick them up." Chewing on her bottom lip, she debated her next request internally a few moments before vocalizing it. Peddling narcotics in her early Cena days was one thing, actually using any of it was another thing entirely. It was made highly addictive for that reason - to keep bringing the client back. She always swore she'd not turn out to be one of the disease ridden crackheads living from fix to fix and seeing how most of her clientele fell under that category, that was enough to scare her off from attempting the stuff herself before. But now, hell she was just curious.
"Since we've gotten the work related order situated, I'm curious to know what you have for personal recreational use." Reaching for her glass, she took a quick sip and fixed him with a hard glare. "I'm absolutely not interested in anything habit forming. If your products are as good as I've heard them to be, you will not have to worry about repeat business, so none of that shit that will leave me foaming at the mouth, got me?"
Kankurou watched the Purple Lady across from him in mild amusement, himself always enjoying other's fascination or enjoyment of his own products. Even in small vials, his creations were something to not be underestimated in. The smile on his face faded a bit when he thought about how exactly he got here in the first place. Although these were potions he, himself, had worked hard to create, the initial knowledge behind them and where they originated, were from another man. But his customers need not know that.
"Personal recreation...y'make it sound so nicely. Ev'n if it isn't gonna make you froth, it's still gonna mess you up som'where." He made things that could sometimes be deemed as miracles, but all in all, he wasn't God.
"Nothing wrong with painting a pretty picture for to cover up the nasty truth hun," she answered with a shrug of her shoulder. "Makes our lives a little easier to swallow. I don't expect there to be no side effects, everything comes with it's own price, I realize that. Just would prefer something that won't have me going bat shit for more ya know?" She wrinkled her nose as she put her thoughts in order. If her drinking habits or her line of work hadn't killed her yet, a little chemical relaxation couldn't do any more damage then what she normally put her body through.
"Eh what the hell ever," she sighed, running her fingers through her hair before reaching over for her discarded glass. "I'll take whatever you save for your best customers. I don't want any of your random 'street rat' stuff, just something good and guaranteed to take my mind off things for a while. And I don't want something that I need a needle for either. I don't care how else it can be used, just not something that needs to be injected." The full body shiver wasn't something Anko could suppress at the mere thought of metal sliding under her skin.
He shrugged as he reached into his pocket to find what she was demanding, scowling slightly at her insult of his products as "street-rat". Although the needle-phobia was not common, Kankurou did not inquire about it. Almost everyone of his clients had something about them, whether it was mental or physical, and hell, it didn't matter. It was his products they wanted and it didn't really matter to him what their preference was. A container that looked like a film canister appeared in his hand as he pulled it out from under the table.
"Powder alrigh' wit'you?" A confirmatory shake of the canister that caused the contents inside to shift was proof that there was indeed powder-like contents in it. "Its Ecstasy an' alkyl nitrite mix'd tog'ther." Kankurou hoped that she had understood at least half of what he said. "T'put it more simply, its th'ultimate high and orgasm put inta one. Side effects are usually a hangov'r headache an' insomnia."
"An' usually, alkyl nitrite's gotta be sniffed, so don't go consumin' this. Wors' case scenario, you'll die and that'll be the end of tha'."
Accepting the proffered container, Anko curiously looked inside at the nondescript light colored powder. No needles and side effects no worse then those of a hard night of drinking. "Sounds like the perfect good time to me," she grinned, setting it down alongside the twin vials. Clearly pleased with the prospect of trying out her new toys, she tipped the remaining vodka between her glass and that of her companion.
Raising her glass to him in a mock toast, she downed her drink and relaxed back into the seat cushions as she plunked the empty glass over to the side before raising her eyes to meet his, frowning slightly as they seemed a lot like someone else's there for a brief moment, the thought disappearing as swiftly as it came, before focusing back to the task at hand.
"So now, we've discussed what I want, it's time for you to decide what you want in return. Money, of course, is not an issue if that is the currency you prefer. Or, if you'd like, being as we both seem to be business minded folks, I'm willing to offer my services in return for yours, or we can figure up a combo of the two, whichever rings your bell hun ." The alcohol was definitely working its magic to relax her quite thoroughly, as was the camaraderie she honestly was not expecting to find when she ventured out of her apartment that evening.
"And truly not trying to sound egotistical, you are the first person I've ever bothered to make such an offer to. Everyone who wants a piece of me has to go through the Boss, and I've got news for ya, I don't come cheap. Information, pest control, what have you, you name it and I'll see it done. Or, you can collect your money, I get my goodies and we both go home happy. Your choice love."
"Pretty considerate fer a cold heart'd killer," Kankurou mused, settling into the plastic back of the seat, allowing himself a moment to think. Right in front of him was an opportunity he was looking for for a long time. With resources like this, the job would, no doubt, be done easier and make his life easier as well. The things he'd need to find out...it would be possible now. The thought of locating his siblings popped unbidden into his mind, but was waved away with another downed shot of burning vodka.
"Fine. 'Ere's my request. Y'know the stuff I make en't easy to make and the shit I use fer it doesn't come easy. Government shit. So, I'm gonna need someone to get some of these things. An' sometimes information." It was a logical exchange of services. You get what I need to make what you need. Simple.
"Tho' I understand, yer expertise is killin'. Think you c'n handle this?"
Even though she couldn't blame him for the childish barbs since she had interjected a few of her own throughout their meeting, Anko's blood boiled at the 'cold hearted killer' comment.
"I may be a killer, I won't deny that," her voice lowering to a soft growl, "But I am not some malicious murderer. I do what I have to do to get by, same as everyone else. Don't you dare act like you know me you little shit." Realizing that she was shaking, she made herself stop and take a few deep calming breaths as she attempted to reign in her temper. As the wave of murderous intent pushed itself back, Anko couldn't help the thought that she hadn't been this riled up since before her roommate disappeared, as he was the only one to ever get her that pissed off with so little effort, she couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped her.
"You've got yourself a deal brat. You tell me what you need as you need it and I'll see that you get it as long as you keep me stocked with your little potions and stuff." Grabbing a napkin from the side dispenser, she scribbled down some jumbled looking words. "This is my email address, the Boss had some hacker kid set me up with some special encryption mumbo jumbo to keep any nosey freaks out so don't worry about what you send to me and vice versa. It's the easiest way to get up with me and we can decide when and where we can arrange pick ups and all that shit.
Kankurou had to convince himself that it wasn't the vodka making the person across from him sound like his sister. It was just coincidence fucking with his mind again. But just as skilled as he was ignoring her once upon a time, he easily replicated the ability here. Just with the addition of being a tad-bit pissed.
Viciously ripping a piece of napkin from the same dispenser, he flicked out a pen that looked like it exploded quite a few times in its existence, and furiously wrote down several words in a list-form. Standing up abruptly, he took the napkin that she wrote and stuffed it into his jacket. In return he tossed the napkin that he wrote on towards her general direction, not caring to see if it had made contact with the tabletop or not. "An' here's my contact in case what I gave ya becomes addictin'. I doubt that wit' your mind fucked-up wit' alcohol tonight that your piece of paper's gonna do much for me, 'nyways."
Throwing on his jacket, Kankurou exited the booth, knocking over a drunken patron with a snarl, his temper slowly rising towards the boiling point. Before he completely exited, he paused and bent his head down to the woman's ear, a sneer on his face. "T'name's Sabaku no Kankurou fer your information, not 'punk', 'brat', or 'little shit'. I could kill you wit' what I'm sellin' you, but you're lucky tha' my sister's got the same temper as you. An' as fer bein' a malicious killer, if you en't one, then what the fuck are you doin' talkin' to me fer, bitch?" The play was over and the chances of a happy ending shot.
But Kankurou wasn't one for the happy endings anyways.
"Thanks fer t'drinks. I had a wonderful time." And with that closing line, he made his way out of the car, calling tonight a shitty evening that would just give him a headache in the morning.
'Oh hell no.' Snatching the small containers sitting innocently on the table top along with the discarded napkin, Anko quickly slid out of the booth stuffing them in one pocket while she pulled out a few bills to cover her tab from the other, tossing them quickly to the the bartender before storming after the little shit. Not caring for the people she pushed out of the way she hastily made her exit, eyes scanning the area to see which way he had gone. She caught sight of him just as he rounded a corner. Following after him in a silent, ground eating gait, it only took a few moments before she had caught up with him enough to grab the back of his coat, hurling him backwards against the slimy brick wall that lined the alleyway and immediately pinned him with her arm against his throat.
"You had better watch who the fuck you're threatening and mouthing off to, Sabaku no Kankurou," she snarled up into his face, her free hand pulling out a switchblade, snapping it open with a deadly 'snick' as she leaned forward so that they were almost cheek to cheek. "And for the record, the last fucker who called me a bitch ended up with a broken nose and his throat slit, so I highly advise against in the future," her breath wisping softly against his ear as she spoke. "The name's Mitarashi Anko, I don't answer to anything else."
Just as she was about to drive her point home (a little bloodshed never hurt anyone in her experience), her movements were halted by the sound of oncoming footsteps. A quick glance to her right saw the dim white light of the street lamps reflecting off the helmets of a pair of patrolling Arma soldiers. Panic swiftly overrode her temper, her mind flicking through best possible options of attracting the least amount of attention. If they ran, they would be chased. And while the alcohol didn't necessarily hamper her quick retaliation against Kankurou, there was no way in hell she could take on two Arma in her current condition. Figuring there was still enough distance between them that they couldn't see exactly what type of position her and the brat were in, Anko removed her arm from across his throat, instead wrapping both arms around his neck, fingers swiftly closing the switchblade and concealing it her hand while pressing her body firmly against his, giving them the look of lovers rather then protagonist and antagonist.
"I'd advise you put your arms around my waist and play along nicely unless you feel like getting hauled off tonight. Somehow I don't think you'd get away scott free with whatever else it is you've got hidden in that coat of yours," she hissed, desperately hoping that the Arma were rookies and not anyone she may of worked with once upon a time.
"Guess I should thank t'government fer once, eh?" Kankurou managed to breath out after the rush of events. A little voice in the back of his mind had warned him about pissing-off women, but when his temper took over, wrong was all that mattered. And he never understood the saying "learn from your mistakes". But he had enough of the nicknames, ranging from "small fry" to "little shit" and frankly, he really did give a flying fuck. Call it pride or ego, Kankurou had enough of the degrading treatment from when he was younger. He didn't need it following him everywhere he went. Even if that meant being slaughtered by a woman he had just met under an hour ago.
Moving his right hand away from the gun stuffed in the back of his pants, Kankurou smoothly ran his hands up Anko's thighs and laid them nonchalantly together at the small of her back, following her advice. He didn't miss the Arma soldiers either, as one of them stepped closer towards them for inspection. If they had caught him now with the evidence plastered all over the inside of his cloak, he was a dead man. Tearing his eyes away from the incoming soldier, Kankurou decided that playing along with the little charade Anko had fall back into was the only chance of getting out of this alive.
To his amusement, Kankurou found "Anko" to be shorter than him and not very daunting when she was in this so-called "relaxed" position. Although the arms around his neck and the blade in the hands reminded him in a last-minute warning that he shouldn't tease her about it. Leaning into her, he slid his cheek against hers as he pretended to be kissing her neck. Only that it wasn't in a very "pretend" matter when he found himself actually doing it. It was a fair trade after-all, seeing that the woman got them into this fucked up situation in the first place. Exactly what was it with women and revenge?
Anko grit her teeth feeling those smirking lips press soft kisses against the line of her neck. As her brain ticked off various ways to dismember the ballsy brat who was clearly taking advantage of the situation, her ears picked up the fact that the pace of the oncoming soldiers had slowed as they came closer. Her heart pounded in her chest as she let her arms fall from around his neck, instead wrapping them around his waist, her hands sliding into his back pockets, conveniently depositing the blade out of sight as well. Giggling like a besotted teenager as they pressed closer together, she let herself slip into her role, grinding lightly against the leg that had found its way between her thighs.
It was bound to happen sooner or later, she'd been pretty lucky avoiding the Arma and Arceos in the past few months since she'd moved back into Celo. She just would have preferred it to have happened when she was a little less intoxicated and ideally, by herself. Not only did she need to worry about her own ass, but also that of the man who was currently sliding one hand up to tangle long fingers in her hair. Maybe if she hadn't let her temper get the better of her she wouldn't have given out her real name, he knew too much about her in the short time they had shared so that he could really cause some trouble for her if he'd have a mind to. Damn that knowledge and her odd sense of honor that wouldn't allow someone else to take the fall while she made a run for it. Even worse, damn that small voice enhanced by too much vodka that was enjoying the feel of lips and fingers and being tightly fitted from shoulder to thigh with her current source of aggravation.
Hearing the footsteps slowing further as they closed in the last few meters, Anko nuzzled the underside of Kankurou's jawline, seemingly oblivious to the other occupants of the alley as she traced the back curve of his jaw with her tongue, hoping against hope that they would continue on. Ignoring the tightening grip in her hair, she brought her head around, nipping at his lower lip as if in warning that perhaps they needed to step their charade up a notch in order to pull it off, unless he had something else in mind to get them the hell out of there.
His eyebrow arched a bit higher at Anko's actions, but Kankurou didn't voice his opinions as he heard the solid footsteps at least less than two feet away from the both of them. Following her lead, he brought her even closer into his arms and slid a hand underneath the thin layer of her tanktop and skimmed his fingers against her skin. Then pulling her head towards him a bit more forceful than intended, Kankurou finished her timid kiss with a full blown one, tracing the outline of her tongue with his own. Might as well continue, since he wasn't prepared today and using his gun wasn't the smartest thing to do in this situation.
"Hey! You two!" A bright flash of light passed over both of their bodies before it rested on their faces. "W-What are you two doing?" A tall lanky looking figure stepped into the shadows that were illuminated by the flashlight. Squinting into the light, Kankurou caught a glimpse of the soldier's face, which to his good luck was red as blood. No experienced soldier would blush that deep at the sight of two people becoming sexually intimate with each other. This was probably a rookie who hasn't even taken his Sex Ed 101 class yet.
"Jus' tellin' my girl tha' I love her an' givin' her a good-night kiss. Anythin' wrong wit' tha', sir?" Kankurou gave the soldier in stupor a wrily grin as he nuzzled Anko's neck to prove his point.
Doing her damnedest to exude innocent embarrassment in being caught, Anko half buried her face against Kankurou's chest before turning flushed cheeks and a shy smile towards the direction of the blinding light.
"We're sorry officers, just got a little too caught up in the moment ya know?" she apologized, trying very hard to look contrite while at the same time pressing upwards with her own thigh, creating a teasing friction to Kankurou's groin in retaliation for the brain melting kiss. "It's just he's been gone on a stint over in the far corner of Cena with Corporal Uzuki, leaving me at home all by myself, and then he finally gets to come home and instead of letting me...properly welcome him home if you know what I mean, he drags me out and then he freakin' teases me until I'm going crazy," she rambled, barely taking time to breathe, cringing internally as she turned into the vapid air headed type she so hated. "You know, it's a little touch here, a little grope there, pull into the corner and molest a little here, I just couldn't take it anymore! I mean, if you only knew what he's put me through tonight!" Turning away from the blinding light, she looked up at her 'boyfriend' and pouted cutely even as he offered her a testosterone-ridden grin before turning it on the two rookies.
Kankurou shrugged in an apologetic way to the rookie, a lopsided grin plastered onto his face. "S'true, sir. C'nt help it if she's askin' fer it." A sound smack echoed through the air as Kankurou gave Anko's ass an intimate gesture. It was a bit excessive and might've heralded his own funeral, but he wanted the rookies out of here, making the situation as uncomfortable as possible.
As if on cue, the rookie's face grimaced in half-horror and half-embarrassment at Kankurou's act, mouth left unhinged from his jaw. "V-Very well, carry o--No! Get a..get..," stumbled the rookie, as he searched for the phrase in his mind before his uninterested partner rolled his eyes and finished the phrase. "Get a room, you two. No affections are to be shown on public property or among public eyes. As an officer of the Arma, you should know this yourself. But since you're one of us, we'll let it slide."
Grinning sheepishly, Kankurou nodded with a "yes, sir" accompanied with a swift hand to head salute. The officer didn't even glance twice at him, only to walk away with his rookie partner jogging behind him to catch up. As the two figures turned onto another street, Kankurou made a sound that sounded like a sigh and nervous chuckle both at once. For once, the government's corrupt officers saved his life. But that doesn't mean that he'd start giving up his lifestyle for their shitty rules, either.
"So, Anko," Kankurou started, a smirk appearing in the edges of his lips as he looked down at Anko, who was still in his arms. "You gonna let go of me, or are we gonna stay here until the next Arma patrol comes strollin' through?"
Her ass was still stinging from the degrading love tap that may or may not have saved both their figurative asses. The sheer relief that was coursing through her that they had actually pulled it off overwhelmed her to the point that she couldn't immediately answer the smart-assed question, instead she let her forehead fall to rest against Kankurou's collar bone as she willed her racing heart to stop. A minute and a few calming breaths later, she was beaming up at him cheerfully while carefully extracting her hands from his back pockets. She cheerfully watched the play of emotions flicker across his features as he went from smirking and amused to wary and finally to a sudden grimace as her newly freed hand grabbed him by the balls.
"You ever slap my ass like that again outside of some kinky goings on in the bedroom Kankurou love, and you'll live out the rest of your days as a eunuch." Still smiling she raised herself on tip-toe to plant a loud kiss on his cheek. "Do we have an understanding sweetheart?", she asked with a grin, tightening her grip slightly in emphasis.
"Don't even start. You came onta me firs' an' I jus' saved our lives wit that, t'hell else could I do?" Kankurou managed to growl out roughly with a tinge of a groan mingled within as well. He'll never ignore the saying "caught by the balls" ever again. None too gently, Kankurou brought up his knee quickly to break her contact with his nether region and planting a foot against her chest, pushed her away. Fuck, she had a strong grip, Kankurou thought as an unpleasant tingling continued to occur down there after moving his leg.
"Not a fan o' handjobs anyways." He grunted, still keeping a wary eye on Anko, his right hand shifting around in his jacket to make sure his merchandise was still there and intact. She'd be paying extra if any of them were defected in anyway.
"You've obviously never had one done right then have you? All that self-lovin' must get old after a while I'm sure," she wondered aloud, dusting off the front of shirt from where his foot had caught her. Catching him patting himself down out of the corner of her eye, she snorted. "Don't worry, I didn't touch anything. Christ only knows what you're carrying and I'm not stupid enough to play with something that might get my ass blown up." She brought her hand up, checking for any torn or damaged fingernails when a thought stuck her and she held her hand out.
"Left back pocket. Give it back."
He frowned, unsure of what she was talking about before sticking a finger into the mentioned back pocket. Ah, of course, the little shit that almost got him killed.
"You think I'm an idiot, givin' this back ta you after you almost killed me wit' it? Ferget it. I'll give back your toy when I see you in our next meetin'." The hand still inside his jacket brushed against another thing that should be brought up, as well. "Instead, I'll give you the other part o' that acid-burnin' liquid. It'll only work if you mix 'em both." Plucking it from its resting place, Kankurou swiftly tossed it towards Anko, using this as a distraction before pulling out another vial that contained contents that would solidify slightly into a gas form.
Throwing it against the ground, a soundless reaction caused the contents to spew forth what looked like purple and gray gas. A crisp ozone smell was the only odor as the smoke cleared leaving the wall that Kankurou had previous been leaned up against, empty.
His words halted the brewing temper tantrum at being denied what belonged to her, Anko fumbled with the glass vial that was suddenly hurled at her as the alleyway was suddenly filled with a dense fog. Coughing and cursing, she glared blearily at the now vacant spot where the brat had been standing. Talk about a show-off, little fucker.
Slightly pissed that he had one upped her in the end, Anko turned on her heel and headed back to her apartment. Quirking her lips into a smirk, she couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her. It looked like things were finally getting interesting again.
Date: Monday, August 13, Late Evening
Rating: R
Warnings: Implied sexuality and dirty naughty language~
Summary: Both strangers to one another, Anko and Kankurou meet by chance at a bar and get to know one another better. Especially when forced to feign sexual foreplay.
Anko glared sullenly at the bottle in her hand as the last few drops dripped into her very less then full glass. The radio playing in the background did nothing to dissipate the silence that reigned in her apartment. She really had tried to stifle the melancholy mood before it had taken her over earlier, but Sai had disappeared off doing who only knew what and Kakashi was also nowhere to be found, leaving her all alone with a half full bottle of vodka and some God-awful radio station that seemed to be offering up an evening's worth of oldies.
A quick flick of her wrist sent the bottle flying across the room, shattering with an immensely satisfying tinkle of glass as it rained to the floor. Tossing back the last remnants of the vodka, she decided against traversing into Cena to restock her sadly empty liquor cabinet in favor of just wandering down to a little establishment off of Scio that she had found one night tailing after one of her marks. Setting the empty glass on her coffee table, she shed the over-sized tee shirt she wore as she walked across the floor to her bedroom, flinging it over to join the growing pile of clothing that she needed to wash, 'Eh, it can wait until tomorrow...maybe the next day', before pulling a pair of low-rise jeans from her closet along with a black tank top, tossing them both on the bed as she made her way to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later found her taking her time strolling down the empty streets, following the muted music that could be heard almost half a block away. Stepping to the side just in time to miss the door being flung open by an overly intoxicated patron, Anko was pleased to find the place busy, but not completely packed so that she could barely move. Happily plopping down on a vacated bar stool, she waved over a bartender and placed her order.
It was at this time of the year that Kankurou would notice Ceno's scenery, with the cleanness of the streets along with the orderly lined rows of houses. Everything wore the sign of order, of uniformity, nothing out of place. It irked him at times why he would spend some of his times here, but it was always the calm and emptiness of the apartment that soothed his travel weary mind and cleansed some part of him that he never did understand.
But all in all, Ceno wasn't where he belonged, and the tattoos that branded his face and body always reminded him of that. The contents hidden underneath his clothes weren't exactly "cleansing" either. Not to mention there seemed to be fewer bars in Ceno than he had remembered the last time.
Dragging a gloved hand through his dark unruly hair, Kankurou sighed as the rank air of Celo's Scio blasted in his face as he crossed the border. There was never any truly heavy duty security around the area so he wasn't as paranoid as he usually was at these times. Perfect for his late night hour needs for a little alcohol to continue pulling his all-nighters, full-filling his customers' requests. Music filtered through his ears from a club on his immediate right, catching Kankurou's attention. Not planning to travel far from the border tonight, the poison-dealer decided that the building with graffiti sprayed over its sides was going to have to do for the night.
The petite bottles inside of his black coat clinked excitedly as the atmosphere thickened around him, filled with smoke and alcohol. A smirk played around his thin lips as Kankurou made his way to the bar and sat down in a vacant seat next to a dark-haired woman. Even if he had just left Cena a couple of days ago, the smells and sounds in the bar reminded him of why he still went back to that damned place. "Vodka, straight up," he called out to the bartender, his eyes roaming around the scene at the dance floor and lingering on some of the patrons that were particularly "eye-candy" tonight.
The bartender delivered her vodka rocks with a pleasing 'clunk' as he set the dingy glass on the worn wooden bar top.
"You can just go ahead and bring me the bottle sweetie," she grinned, downing half her drink in one go. "It'll save you from having to keep going back and forth. Might as well set me up a tab while you're at it too hun." She tossed back the rest, sitting the now empty glass back down waiting for the bartender's return. Tapping her heel to the beat of the music, Anko discretely surveyed the small crowd. No one really noteworthy it seemed. The random couple glued to each other in the shadows or curled up next to one another in a few of the booths, one or two old timers passed out or pretty damned close to it, a few small groups of coworkers relaxing together after a hard day's work, a couple of people here on business perhaps (those were the easier ones to pick out as one recognizes it's own).
Happily reaching for the bottle placed in front of her, Anko eagerly refilled her glass, sipping at a far slower pace. Out of the corner of her eye, she vaguely watched a newcomer approach and sit down next to her, catching her bartender before he wandered away. 'Not a threat', her mind ticked off, allowing her muscles to relax a shade. Paranoia had it's place in her life, but was not always a necessity. Feeling magnanimous as the alcohol warmed her veins, Anko instructed the bartender to put the newcomer's drink on her tab.
Apparently Kankurou was lucky tonight, since the bartender didn't question his age (not that they do around these parts) and a very nice looking lady was taking care of his drink. He gave a nod to the bartender after receiving his drink and swiveled around in the chair so that his back was against the bar. Then after a refreshing swig off his drink did he inquire about the woman. "You lookin' for company or jus' feelin' charit'ble tonigh'?" Even though Kankurou appreciated the drink, he didn't want her to get the wrong idea that he'll repay her by doing whatever she intended him to do. He liked women, but tonight the only things he wanted to come home with him was only his clothes and sense of conscience.
Sure, some people can call it paranoia, but it was the reason why he was still breathing tonight.
Tracing idyllic patterns in the condensation on her glass, Anko couldn't help but snort at the suspicious question. "Consider it a momentary burst of generosity hun. Not to mention as an added bonus, he was less likely to haggle you about your age with me cutting in," she let her voice lower a bit at her last line before polishing off her second glass. Tilting her head to the side she offered him a saucy wink and a smirk as she reached for the bottle and refilled her glass. "Don't worry sweetie, I'm not looking to corner you for something." A couple of months with her adopted roommate had trained her well for reading with these skittish types it seemed. "And no offense meant at all hun, but I seriously doubt you have anything I could possibly want."
Kankurou gave out a low chuckle, the sound vibrating around his own shot glass as he raised it to take another shot. After running his thumb across his upper lip to remove the excess alcohol off his lip, did he reply, taking his time to enjoy the irony of the line. "I don't know, lady," he started in a low voice, his face turned upwards towards the ceiling, "I could make yer dreams come true. An' around these parts, tha's a rare offer." His murky green eyes connected with hers for a moment with a mischievous glint, then turned away with an enigmatic smile, one that seemed so full of promise yet was just a mere shell of what it truly was. Kankurou didn't expect any business tonight, but when opportunity knocked on his door he was never the one to turn it away.
"Not as rare as you may think kiddo. Everyone's got something to offer and every one of them are full of shit." Not being able to help some of the bitterness that crept into her voice, Anko washed it back with another healthy swig of the liquor.
"But I will give you credit, that's a hell of a line to be tossing around," she grinned, holding out her bottle and offering to top off his glass. Curiosity leading her as it always did, she couldn't help but bite at the tempting offer, if only to keep herself amused by her new companion for a short duration. She sat the rapidly emptying bottle back down before turning around in her seat, leaning back against the sticky bar top and casting an eye out over the growing crowd. Turning her head slightly to the side to catch his eyes with her own violet ones, she offered him a cynical smirk. "And I find myself both bored and intrigued so I'll bite."
"Let's play nice, eh?" Kankurou replied, amusement lingering about his face. From her comeback, he could tell she wasn't one of the regular junkies but someone who had control and was cautious. Which was even better for his business since they knew exactly what they wanted to buy and there was no excess confusion. Quick in, quick out. Usually when it came to this point, Kankurou would cut to the chase, asking their line of work. But since the scenery tonight was a bit public for his line of business, a hint would have to do.
After downing the offered shot, green eyes winked at violet ones as Kankurou shrugged off his jacket, revealing a sleeve-less shirt underneath baring his arms to the world to see. If the woman got the hint, she would have noticed a scorpion tattoo lining the muscles along his right upper arm, surrounded by a circle that was split in half; one side red and another side yellow. The sign of his work. Kankurou couldn't help but be proud of his work, and what better way to show it than to make it a part of him?
But not to let his cockiness get the most of him, he ran his gloved hands through his hair casually as if he was just removing his jacket because of the rising heat from the many bodies clustered in the bar. "What I've gotta offer ta'you en't shit. Usually when I tell people I'll get'em the moon, I bring t'fuckin' moon to 'em. Tho' from yer gloomy 'ooks, I'm thinkin' the moon en't enough fer you."
Anko's eyes widened slightly, seeing the artwork that graced his upper bicep. 'Well hell, isn't this interesting'. She'd heard some talk on this one, nothing but good news quite surprisingly. If you could actually find him, you were guaranteed the highest high or the best poison to be had in any way, shape or form.
"And it isn't even my birthday," she murmured, catching his eyes and making sure he was paying attention, she dipped a finger in her drink, turning slightly in her seat to give her better access, she drew a small design with the alcohol on the aged wood. That same symbol had been marked somewhere on everyone of her marks since she first started in her line of work. She didn't have some hip name for herself, but her mark was enough so that she got credit for her work without it being too obvious or traceable. Hell, there was only one person who would be able to make the connection between herself and her chosen signature, and he wasn't going to do anything about it. She watched the poison master's face as she sucked the remaining vodka off her finger, waiting for his reaction.
"Perhaps this is a conversation better had with some privacy hmm?" she offered, tilting her head towards a conveniently empty booth to the side before grabbing for her glass and bottle, not bothering to wait for an answer or to see if he was following her.
A second and a raising of his brow after, Kankurou retraced the symbol that was in the wood before covering it with the palm of his hand, something in his mind clicking in place. The sign to be of a rumored assassin in Cena with sharp skills and unflawed proficiency in that certain line of work. A wry twist of his mouth showed his own subtle surprise at the information and of the fact that the assassin appeared to be a woman. Seemed like Kurosawa in Cena owed him a pretty amount of money from that bet made almost a month ago, considering the gender of this assassin.
Seemed like he had hit a jackpot tonight.
After ordering another full bottle of vodka and putting down some crumpled bills for them, Kankurou rejoined the mysterious assassin to the aforementioned booth, slinging his jacket over his shoulders. "Y'think my offer's still full of shit?" Kankurou inquired, settling opposite her in the booth, looking at her with a tad more seriousness than before, now that he knew who he was dealing with.
"Not now I don't," she told him honestly, drawing her finger around the rim of her glass. "Your reputation proceeds you, which not a lot of people can say and have it in their favor. Though you can hardly blame me for doubting some random brat who comes strolling in here making outlandish promises hmm?" she smiled a little, attempting to soften the biting words. Pushing her glass aside for the moment, she fought back the fuzziness that was starting to hamper her brain. It was business time now, the fuzziness would be welcomed back as soon as the more serious things were done and out of the way.
"I'd be lying if I told you I knew anything about what you are rumored to carry, but I'm very interested to find out if you're willing to spare me the time. I think perhaps we can work out something that is mutually beneficial for the both of us, what do you say?"
A sharp scoff came out of Kankurou, his eyes straining not to roll at the "random brat" comment. After all he still needed to maintain a decent relationship with this customer. One wrong move, and he might end up worse than the orphanages. And his actions were all but those of a random brat. Waving a hand as if swatting the insult to the side, Kankurou locked eyes with his customer again with his fake smile fading.
"Us'ally how this works is tha' you tell me what you're lookin' for an' I deliv'r." Kankurou paused as a little voice in the back of his mind warned him about jumping into these things too quickly. Having grown up in a family where betrayal was a hobby, he had learned not to trust quickly and always be suspicious and cautious. Money was a priority, but his secrecy and life were the first on his list. "An' after you get what you want, we'll talk about what yer gonna offer." It sounded like an insinuating sentence, which Kankurou knew and made it worse with a sardonic smile and a slow look-over at the woman.
'Well gotta give him credit, he does have some balls,' she mused, raising an eyebrow as he raked his eyes over what was visible above the table.
"Sounds fair enough," she leaned back against the flattened cushion back of the booth and crossed her arms, not bothering to acknowledge his snarky insinuation. "I would like something quick and clean that can be slipped into a drink or food, instantaneous or delayed, both would be nice for varying circumstances. Something else ideal would be something that atomizes instantly if say I get caught in a bind, a fast acting gas of some sort. That I would only want if you can offer an antidote as well as a precaution for myself. I'm sure you can understand, it would be bad for me to be caught in my own trap," she finally said, ticking off items as she weighed various circumstances in her mind. "Those would be the best I can think of for field use, unless you can offer some better suggestions?", she offered, knowing he was the expert here and she did respect that.
"Perhaps something also that I can cure into some of my blades would be nice too?"
"Paralyzin' chemical agents," Kankurou suggested, "for an easier kill wit' yer blades. One cut an' t'poor bastard'll find 'imself offerin' his life to you nice and quiet-like." He paused for a moment, his mind running through the list of goodies he had carried with him tonight and if any of them fit the profile that was wanted. Tapping a finger on his chin thoughtfully, Kankurou came to the conclusion that most of tonight's wares were in the aphrodisiac department, hardly beneficial for an assassin job. But not all of his wares tonight were useless, either.
Seemingly out of thin air did two identical twin vials appear on the table before him, one filled with a dark-green liquid while the other with a crystal-clear liquid fizzing suspiciously. "I c'n get what you want in a week's time or in a few days if yer in a hurry. I wasn't expectin' business tonight, so I beg your pardon." A shrug accompanied with a boyish smile followed his apology, like what he used to use against his teacher when asked why he didn't prepare for a test. "But I c'n offer you these two, for a reasonable price, 'course. Dunno if they'll do you any good, since they en't classified as poisons, but since you've been brave enough ta bite, I'll let you have a chance to see 'em."
"This one's been in t'works fer a long time comin'. It's a truth serum. A 'ittle side project of mine." A gloved finger tapped the vial containing the clear liquid. "An' this one's based on acidic properties. It'll burn through anythin', flesh, bone, metal, y'name it. Handy fer quiet break-ins through iron bars or jus' torture. Whatever you'd prefer."
"Sweet," Anko breathed, leaning forward to prop herself on her elbows as she picked up the truth serum, holding it up to the light. Either of them would be good to have on hand. Occasionally she did need to pry some information before eliminating her chosen mark, the truth serum would be a nice no hassle way to get what she needed and the acid would come in handy if she had time to kill and was feeling particularly sadistic.
Feeling very much like a kid in a candy shop, she gently sat down the vial, turning her eyes back up to meet his. "I'll take them both, and the others as well. I'm in no rush so a week is fine by me. Just let me know when and where to pick them up." Chewing on her bottom lip, she debated her next request internally a few moments before vocalizing it. Peddling narcotics in her early Cena days was one thing, actually using any of it was another thing entirely. It was made highly addictive for that reason - to keep bringing the client back. She always swore she'd not turn out to be one of the disease ridden crackheads living from fix to fix and seeing how most of her clientele fell under that category, that was enough to scare her off from attempting the stuff herself before. But now, hell she was just curious.
"Since we've gotten the work related order situated, I'm curious to know what you have for personal recreational use." Reaching for her glass, she took a quick sip and fixed him with a hard glare. "I'm absolutely not interested in anything habit forming. If your products are as good as I've heard them to be, you will not have to worry about repeat business, so none of that shit that will leave me foaming at the mouth, got me?"
Kankurou watched the Purple Lady across from him in mild amusement, himself always enjoying other's fascination or enjoyment of his own products. Even in small vials, his creations were something to not be underestimated in. The smile on his face faded a bit when he thought about how exactly he got here in the first place. Although these were potions he, himself, had worked hard to create, the initial knowledge behind them and where they originated, were from another man. But his customers need not know that.
"Personal recreation...y'make it sound so nicely. Ev'n if it isn't gonna make you froth, it's still gonna mess you up som'where." He made things that could sometimes be deemed as miracles, but all in all, he wasn't God.
"Nothing wrong with painting a pretty picture for to cover up the nasty truth hun," she answered with a shrug of her shoulder. "Makes our lives a little easier to swallow. I don't expect there to be no side effects, everything comes with it's own price, I realize that. Just would prefer something that won't have me going bat shit for more ya know?" She wrinkled her nose as she put her thoughts in order. If her drinking habits or her line of work hadn't killed her yet, a little chemical relaxation couldn't do any more damage then what she normally put her body through.
"Eh what the hell ever," she sighed, running her fingers through her hair before reaching over for her discarded glass. "I'll take whatever you save for your best customers. I don't want any of your random 'street rat' stuff, just something good and guaranteed to take my mind off things for a while. And I don't want something that I need a needle for either. I don't care how else it can be used, just not something that needs to be injected." The full body shiver wasn't something Anko could suppress at the mere thought of metal sliding under her skin.
He shrugged as he reached into his pocket to find what she was demanding, scowling slightly at her insult of his products as "street-rat". Although the needle-phobia was not common, Kankurou did not inquire about it. Almost everyone of his clients had something about them, whether it was mental or physical, and hell, it didn't matter. It was his products they wanted and it didn't really matter to him what their preference was. A container that looked like a film canister appeared in his hand as he pulled it out from under the table.
"Powder alrigh' wit'you?" A confirmatory shake of the canister that caused the contents inside to shift was proof that there was indeed powder-like contents in it. "Its Ecstasy an' alkyl nitrite mix'd tog'ther." Kankurou hoped that she had understood at least half of what he said. "T'put it more simply, its th'ultimate high and orgasm put inta one. Side effects are usually a hangov'r headache an' insomnia."
"An' usually, alkyl nitrite's gotta be sniffed, so don't go consumin' this. Wors' case scenario, you'll die and that'll be the end of tha'."
Accepting the proffered container, Anko curiously looked inside at the nondescript light colored powder. No needles and side effects no worse then those of a hard night of drinking. "Sounds like the perfect good time to me," she grinned, setting it down alongside the twin vials. Clearly pleased with the prospect of trying out her new toys, she tipped the remaining vodka between her glass and that of her companion.
Raising her glass to him in a mock toast, she downed her drink and relaxed back into the seat cushions as she plunked the empty glass over to the side before raising her eyes to meet his, frowning slightly as they seemed a lot like someone else's there for a brief moment, the thought disappearing as swiftly as it came, before focusing back to the task at hand.
"So now, we've discussed what I want, it's time for you to decide what you want in return. Money, of course, is not an issue if that is the currency you prefer. Or, if you'd like, being as we both seem to be business minded folks, I'm willing to offer my services in return for yours, or we can figure up a combo of the two, whichever rings your bell hun ." The alcohol was definitely working its magic to relax her quite thoroughly, as was the camaraderie she honestly was not expecting to find when she ventured out of her apartment that evening.
"And truly not trying to sound egotistical, you are the first person I've ever bothered to make such an offer to. Everyone who wants a piece of me has to go through the Boss, and I've got news for ya, I don't come cheap. Information, pest control, what have you, you name it and I'll see it done. Or, you can collect your money, I get my goodies and we both go home happy. Your choice love."
"Pretty considerate fer a cold heart'd killer," Kankurou mused, settling into the plastic back of the seat, allowing himself a moment to think. Right in front of him was an opportunity he was looking for for a long time. With resources like this, the job would, no doubt, be done easier and make his life easier as well. The things he'd need to find out...it would be possible now. The thought of locating his siblings popped unbidden into his mind, but was waved away with another downed shot of burning vodka.
"Fine. 'Ere's my request. Y'know the stuff I make en't easy to make and the shit I use fer it doesn't come easy. Government shit. So, I'm gonna need someone to get some of these things. An' sometimes information." It was a logical exchange of services. You get what I need to make what you need. Simple.
"Tho' I understand, yer expertise is killin'. Think you c'n handle this?"
Even though she couldn't blame him for the childish barbs since she had interjected a few of her own throughout their meeting, Anko's blood boiled at the 'cold hearted killer' comment.
"I may be a killer, I won't deny that," her voice lowering to a soft growl, "But I am not some malicious murderer. I do what I have to do to get by, same as everyone else. Don't you dare act like you know me you little shit." Realizing that she was shaking, she made herself stop and take a few deep calming breaths as she attempted to reign in her temper. As the wave of murderous intent pushed itself back, Anko couldn't help the thought that she hadn't been this riled up since before her roommate disappeared, as he was the only one to ever get her that pissed off with so little effort, she couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped her.
"You've got yourself a deal brat. You tell me what you need as you need it and I'll see that you get it as long as you keep me stocked with your little potions and stuff." Grabbing a napkin from the side dispenser, she scribbled down some jumbled looking words. "This is my email address, the Boss had some hacker kid set me up with some special encryption mumbo jumbo to keep any nosey freaks out so don't worry about what you send to me and vice versa. It's the easiest way to get up with me and we can decide when and where we can arrange pick ups and all that shit.
Kankurou had to convince himself that it wasn't the vodka making the person across from him sound like his sister. It was just coincidence fucking with his mind again. But just as skilled as he was ignoring her once upon a time, he easily replicated the ability here. Just with the addition of being a tad-bit pissed.
Viciously ripping a piece of napkin from the same dispenser, he flicked out a pen that looked like it exploded quite a few times in its existence, and furiously wrote down several words in a list-form. Standing up abruptly, he took the napkin that she wrote and stuffed it into his jacket. In return he tossed the napkin that he wrote on towards her general direction, not caring to see if it had made contact with the tabletop or not. "An' here's my contact in case what I gave ya becomes addictin'. I doubt that wit' your mind fucked-up wit' alcohol tonight that your piece of paper's gonna do much for me, 'nyways."
Throwing on his jacket, Kankurou exited the booth, knocking over a drunken patron with a snarl, his temper slowly rising towards the boiling point. Before he completely exited, he paused and bent his head down to the woman's ear, a sneer on his face. "T'name's Sabaku no Kankurou fer your information, not 'punk', 'brat', or 'little shit'. I could kill you wit' what I'm sellin' you, but you're lucky tha' my sister's got the same temper as you. An' as fer bein' a malicious killer, if you en't one, then what the fuck are you doin' talkin' to me fer, bitch?" The play was over and the chances of a happy ending shot.
But Kankurou wasn't one for the happy endings anyways.
"Thanks fer t'drinks. I had a wonderful time." And with that closing line, he made his way out of the car, calling tonight a shitty evening that would just give him a headache in the morning.
'Oh hell no.' Snatching the small containers sitting innocently on the table top along with the discarded napkin, Anko quickly slid out of the booth stuffing them in one pocket while she pulled out a few bills to cover her tab from the other, tossing them quickly to the the bartender before storming after the little shit. Not caring for the people she pushed out of the way she hastily made her exit, eyes scanning the area to see which way he had gone. She caught sight of him just as he rounded a corner. Following after him in a silent, ground eating gait, it only took a few moments before she had caught up with him enough to grab the back of his coat, hurling him backwards against the slimy brick wall that lined the alleyway and immediately pinned him with her arm against his throat.
"You had better watch who the fuck you're threatening and mouthing off to, Sabaku no Kankurou," she snarled up into his face, her free hand pulling out a switchblade, snapping it open with a deadly 'snick' as she leaned forward so that they were almost cheek to cheek. "And for the record, the last fucker who called me a bitch ended up with a broken nose and his throat slit, so I highly advise against in the future," her breath wisping softly against his ear as she spoke. "The name's Mitarashi Anko, I don't answer to anything else."
Just as she was about to drive her point home (a little bloodshed never hurt anyone in her experience), her movements were halted by the sound of oncoming footsteps. A quick glance to her right saw the dim white light of the street lamps reflecting off the helmets of a pair of patrolling Arma soldiers. Panic swiftly overrode her temper, her mind flicking through best possible options of attracting the least amount of attention. If they ran, they would be chased. And while the alcohol didn't necessarily hamper her quick retaliation against Kankurou, there was no way in hell she could take on two Arma in her current condition. Figuring there was still enough distance between them that they couldn't see exactly what type of position her and the brat were in, Anko removed her arm from across his throat, instead wrapping both arms around his neck, fingers swiftly closing the switchblade and concealing it her hand while pressing her body firmly against his, giving them the look of lovers rather then protagonist and antagonist.
"I'd advise you put your arms around my waist and play along nicely unless you feel like getting hauled off tonight. Somehow I don't think you'd get away scott free with whatever else it is you've got hidden in that coat of yours," she hissed, desperately hoping that the Arma were rookies and not anyone she may of worked with once upon a time.
"Guess I should thank t'government fer once, eh?" Kankurou managed to breath out after the rush of events. A little voice in the back of his mind had warned him about pissing-off women, but when his temper took over, wrong was all that mattered. And he never understood the saying "learn from your mistakes". But he had enough of the nicknames, ranging from "small fry" to "little shit" and frankly, he really did give a flying fuck. Call it pride or ego, Kankurou had enough of the degrading treatment from when he was younger. He didn't need it following him everywhere he went. Even if that meant being slaughtered by a woman he had just met under an hour ago.
Moving his right hand away from the gun stuffed in the back of his pants, Kankurou smoothly ran his hands up Anko's thighs and laid them nonchalantly together at the small of her back, following her advice. He didn't miss the Arma soldiers either, as one of them stepped closer towards them for inspection. If they had caught him now with the evidence plastered all over the inside of his cloak, he was a dead man. Tearing his eyes away from the incoming soldier, Kankurou decided that playing along with the little charade Anko had fall back into was the only chance of getting out of this alive.
To his amusement, Kankurou found "Anko" to be shorter than him and not very daunting when she was in this so-called "relaxed" position. Although the arms around his neck and the blade in the hands reminded him in a last-minute warning that he shouldn't tease her about it. Leaning into her, he slid his cheek against hers as he pretended to be kissing her neck. Only that it wasn't in a very "pretend" matter when he found himself actually doing it. It was a fair trade after-all, seeing that the woman got them into this fucked up situation in the first place. Exactly what was it with women and revenge?
Anko grit her teeth feeling those smirking lips press soft kisses against the line of her neck. As her brain ticked off various ways to dismember the ballsy brat who was clearly taking advantage of the situation, her ears picked up the fact that the pace of the oncoming soldiers had slowed as they came closer. Her heart pounded in her chest as she let her arms fall from around his neck, instead wrapping them around his waist, her hands sliding into his back pockets, conveniently depositing the blade out of sight as well. Giggling like a besotted teenager as they pressed closer together, she let herself slip into her role, grinding lightly against the leg that had found its way between her thighs.
It was bound to happen sooner or later, she'd been pretty lucky avoiding the Arma and Arceos in the past few months since she'd moved back into Celo. She just would have preferred it to have happened when she was a little less intoxicated and ideally, by herself. Not only did she need to worry about her own ass, but also that of the man who was currently sliding one hand up to tangle long fingers in her hair. Maybe if she hadn't let her temper get the better of her she wouldn't have given out her real name, he knew too much about her in the short time they had shared so that he could really cause some trouble for her if he'd have a mind to. Damn that knowledge and her odd sense of honor that wouldn't allow someone else to take the fall while she made a run for it. Even worse, damn that small voice enhanced by too much vodka that was enjoying the feel of lips and fingers and being tightly fitted from shoulder to thigh with her current source of aggravation.
Hearing the footsteps slowing further as they closed in the last few meters, Anko nuzzled the underside of Kankurou's jawline, seemingly oblivious to the other occupants of the alley as she traced the back curve of his jaw with her tongue, hoping against hope that they would continue on. Ignoring the tightening grip in her hair, she brought her head around, nipping at his lower lip as if in warning that perhaps they needed to step their charade up a notch in order to pull it off, unless he had something else in mind to get them the hell out of there.
His eyebrow arched a bit higher at Anko's actions, but Kankurou didn't voice his opinions as he heard the solid footsteps at least less than two feet away from the both of them. Following her lead, he brought her even closer into his arms and slid a hand underneath the thin layer of her tanktop and skimmed his fingers against her skin. Then pulling her head towards him a bit more forceful than intended, Kankurou finished her timid kiss with a full blown one, tracing the outline of her tongue with his own. Might as well continue, since he wasn't prepared today and using his gun wasn't the smartest thing to do in this situation.
"Hey! You two!" A bright flash of light passed over both of their bodies before it rested on their faces. "W-What are you two doing?" A tall lanky looking figure stepped into the shadows that were illuminated by the flashlight. Squinting into the light, Kankurou caught a glimpse of the soldier's face, which to his good luck was red as blood. No experienced soldier would blush that deep at the sight of two people becoming sexually intimate with each other. This was probably a rookie who hasn't even taken his Sex Ed 101 class yet.
"Jus' tellin' my girl tha' I love her an' givin' her a good-night kiss. Anythin' wrong wit' tha', sir?" Kankurou gave the soldier in stupor a wrily grin as he nuzzled Anko's neck to prove his point.
Doing her damnedest to exude innocent embarrassment in being caught, Anko half buried her face against Kankurou's chest before turning flushed cheeks and a shy smile towards the direction of the blinding light.
"We're sorry officers, just got a little too caught up in the moment ya know?" she apologized, trying very hard to look contrite while at the same time pressing upwards with her own thigh, creating a teasing friction to Kankurou's groin in retaliation for the brain melting kiss. "It's just he's been gone on a stint over in the far corner of Cena with Corporal Uzuki, leaving me at home all by myself, and then he finally gets to come home and instead of letting me...properly welcome him home if you know what I mean, he drags me out and then he freakin' teases me until I'm going crazy," she rambled, barely taking time to breathe, cringing internally as she turned into the vapid air headed type she so hated. "You know, it's a little touch here, a little grope there, pull into the corner and molest a little here, I just couldn't take it anymore! I mean, if you only knew what he's put me through tonight!" Turning away from the blinding light, she looked up at her 'boyfriend' and pouted cutely even as he offered her a testosterone-ridden grin before turning it on the two rookies.
Kankurou shrugged in an apologetic way to the rookie, a lopsided grin plastered onto his face. "S'true, sir. C'nt help it if she's askin' fer it." A sound smack echoed through the air as Kankurou gave Anko's ass an intimate gesture. It was a bit excessive and might've heralded his own funeral, but he wanted the rookies out of here, making the situation as uncomfortable as possible.
As if on cue, the rookie's face grimaced in half-horror and half-embarrassment at Kankurou's act, mouth left unhinged from his jaw. "V-Very well, carry o--No! Get a..get..," stumbled the rookie, as he searched for the phrase in his mind before his uninterested partner rolled his eyes and finished the phrase. "Get a room, you two. No affections are to be shown on public property or among public eyes. As an officer of the Arma, you should know this yourself. But since you're one of us, we'll let it slide."
Grinning sheepishly, Kankurou nodded with a "yes, sir" accompanied with a swift hand to head salute. The officer didn't even glance twice at him, only to walk away with his rookie partner jogging behind him to catch up. As the two figures turned onto another street, Kankurou made a sound that sounded like a sigh and nervous chuckle both at once. For once, the government's corrupt officers saved his life. But that doesn't mean that he'd start giving up his lifestyle for their shitty rules, either.
"So, Anko," Kankurou started, a smirk appearing in the edges of his lips as he looked down at Anko, who was still in his arms. "You gonna let go of me, or are we gonna stay here until the next Arma patrol comes strollin' through?"
Her ass was still stinging from the degrading love tap that may or may not have saved both their figurative asses. The sheer relief that was coursing through her that they had actually pulled it off overwhelmed her to the point that she couldn't immediately answer the smart-assed question, instead she let her forehead fall to rest against Kankurou's collar bone as she willed her racing heart to stop. A minute and a few calming breaths later, she was beaming up at him cheerfully while carefully extracting her hands from his back pockets. She cheerfully watched the play of emotions flicker across his features as he went from smirking and amused to wary and finally to a sudden grimace as her newly freed hand grabbed him by the balls.
"You ever slap my ass like that again outside of some kinky goings on in the bedroom Kankurou love, and you'll live out the rest of your days as a eunuch." Still smiling she raised herself on tip-toe to plant a loud kiss on his cheek. "Do we have an understanding sweetheart?", she asked with a grin, tightening her grip slightly in emphasis.
"Don't even start. You came onta me firs' an' I jus' saved our lives wit that, t'hell else could I do?" Kankurou managed to growl out roughly with a tinge of a groan mingled within as well. He'll never ignore the saying "caught by the balls" ever again. None too gently, Kankurou brought up his knee quickly to break her contact with his nether region and planting a foot against her chest, pushed her away. Fuck, she had a strong grip, Kankurou thought as an unpleasant tingling continued to occur down there after moving his leg.
"Not a fan o' handjobs anyways." He grunted, still keeping a wary eye on Anko, his right hand shifting around in his jacket to make sure his merchandise was still there and intact. She'd be paying extra if any of them were defected in anyway.
"You've obviously never had one done right then have you? All that self-lovin' must get old after a while I'm sure," she wondered aloud, dusting off the front of shirt from where his foot had caught her. Catching him patting himself down out of the corner of her eye, she snorted. "Don't worry, I didn't touch anything. Christ only knows what you're carrying and I'm not stupid enough to play with something that might get my ass blown up." She brought her hand up, checking for any torn or damaged fingernails when a thought stuck her and she held her hand out.
"Left back pocket. Give it back."
He frowned, unsure of what she was talking about before sticking a finger into the mentioned back pocket. Ah, of course, the little shit that almost got him killed.
"You think I'm an idiot, givin' this back ta you after you almost killed me wit' it? Ferget it. I'll give back your toy when I see you in our next meetin'." The hand still inside his jacket brushed against another thing that should be brought up, as well. "Instead, I'll give you the other part o' that acid-burnin' liquid. It'll only work if you mix 'em both." Plucking it from its resting place, Kankurou swiftly tossed it towards Anko, using this as a distraction before pulling out another vial that contained contents that would solidify slightly into a gas form.
Throwing it against the ground, a soundless reaction caused the contents to spew forth what looked like purple and gray gas. A crisp ozone smell was the only odor as the smoke cleared leaving the wall that Kankurou had previous been leaned up against, empty.
His words halted the brewing temper tantrum at being denied what belonged to her, Anko fumbled with the glass vial that was suddenly hurled at her as the alleyway was suddenly filled with a dense fog. Coughing and cursing, she glared blearily at the now vacant spot where the brat had been standing. Talk about a show-off, little fucker.
Slightly pissed that he had one upped her in the end, Anko turned on her heel and headed back to her apartment. Quirking her lips into a smirk, she couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her. It looked like things were finally getting interesting again.