Dance

    Formal events are the worst. 

    She'd rather be home, lounging on a couch and playing her newest game, but no, since Itachi is one of the highest ranking people in his family, Natsuko was here.

    It's hard to say no to the man. He doesn't do the kicked puppy look or anything of the sort; rather, he wears a weird little grin which both excites and frightens Natsuko to the point she does what he wants.

    Some would call it borderline unhealthy, but the lemon-green haired girl knows it's not. If she really didn't want to go, she would have expressed it to the Uchiha and he would have let her stay. 

    It would have hurt his image, however, as even his younger brother brought someone to the event. To have one of the highest ranking Uchiha's without a partner to a party where many paparazzi gather... It would have spelled disaster. 

    In the end, it is more that than anything else that made her put on this stupid dress and go. Besides, she could always play her game when they returned to their home. 

    "Natsu," Itachi's voice breaks her out of her thoughts, and she blinks, turning around to meet his eyes. He shakes his head in fond amusement at what she guesses is a daydream-like expression on her face. "You can go wait in the car if you like. I shouldn't be too much longer."

    "Ehh?" Natsuko looks around, surprised to see how many people were left. The room was crowded, but now people were beginning to filter out. She must have really got lost in her thoughts, and it causes her to blush. She hopes she didn't embarrass him in any way. "Sorry about that."

    "It's all right," he reassures, patting her cheek. Natsuko narrows her eyes; Itachi knows how much she hates being treated like a child, but something tells her he does it to egg her on. 

    "Isn't there a dance for couples near the end?" she questions when Itachi turns back to the dying crowds. She sees him stiffen and a laugh works its way out of her lips. "Thought so. Don't want to dance with me, Mr. Big Businessman?"

    Before she realizes what's happening, Natsuko's eye to eye with her lover. She sees... something dance within his crimson depths, causing her to gulp. "What...?"

    "I know how much you hate coming to things like these." Itachi grips her arm and lowers his mouth to her neck. He nibbles on her porcelain skin, causing Natsuko to gasp. "I won't deny you if you'd like to."

    "Um..."

    He pulls away, a little, triumphant smile on his features. "What's your answer, Akagawa?"

    Natsuko shivers; he's playing all her weakness and damn well knows it too. "I'd love to be your dance partner, sir."

    Hah! That'll get him. Two can play at this game.

    She giggles when his eyes widen a fraction in surprise; he, clearly, didn't expect to be called "sir" in public. "Don't play games with me, Uchiha," Natsuko says with a little smirk, feeling overly confident for some weird reason. "I know your weaknesses too."

    "So you do," Itachi murmurs, more to himself, as he wraps his arm around her person and pulls her towards the middle of the room. "What do you say we have our own, private dance here?"

    "I'd say this: You're a genius." 

    The confidence Natsuko was feeling dies away to embarrassment at the content, warm look on her love's features. They move to invisible music and don't flinch when the flash of cameras blind their eyes; neither knew when the paparazzi showed up, but none of them care. 

    After a few minutes of silent dancing, people gushing at them, and flashes of cameras, they stop. Itachi bestows a kiss upon Natsuko's forehead and runs his fingers across her cheek, a look on his face the girl can't quite read. Affection is there, but something else as well; something she can't place.

    "Natsu," he whispers in her ear, causing her to gasp a little and grip his broad shoulders. When did he...? "I love you."

    "I... I love you," she echoes.

    The camera flashes once more.