Hate Gives Way To Love

Chapter One: First Impressions

I frowned. I couldn't believe that Leader-sama was sticking me with the annoying pink-headed girl. I already had Tobi; does Leader-sama hate me that much? Speak of the Devil; although she wasn't that bad, said kunoichi was approaching me now.

"Deidara-san," she started, emphasizing the honorific to annoy me, "where might my room be?"

"Your room, un? You think that with your being so adamant in escape that we, S-ranked criminals, would be so kind as to provide you with the privacy of your own room, so you could escape, un? And I thought that you were supposed to be a smart medic-nin, un."

"You said it yourself, 'un.' 'Yeah' I do believe that I wouldn't have to share a room with any male Akatsuki members, and I am smart."

"That's debatable, un…" I muttered to myself.

"What was that?" asked Sakura, clearly getting annoyed.

"…Nothing…" I replied, not wanting to be on the receiving end of one of her famous, or rather, infamous punches.

"That's what I thought I heard."

As I was resisting the urge to retort, Tobi joined us in the receiving room outside of Leader-sama's office. He walked over to Sakura, and, being his hyperactive, Tobi-is-a-good-boy self, hugged her. I saw Sakura stiffen, and then saw her arm muscles tighten up, gathering chakra to punch Tobi with if he didn't let go soon.

Reluctantly, Tobi let go, sensing Sakura's less-than-subtle intent.

"What did you do that for?" Sakura asked, venomously. She didn't like to be hugged by random guys, let alone random criminal guys. That much was obvious.

"Tobi's sorry; it's just that Tobi thought that Sakura-chan was upset, and gave her a hug to make her feel better, because that always helps Tobi feel better. But Sakura-chan got mad and—Ow! Sakura-chan—ow!"

"Don't call me Sakura-chan. Only my friends can call me that." And with that said, Sakura glared at Tobi.

"O-Okay. Tobi's a good boy, so he'll listen to Sakura…senpai?"

Tobi said 'senpai' like it was a question, as if asking Sakura's permission. Tobi also sounded like he was about to cry.

I'm going to kill that girl, making Tobi cry, un…hmph. Only I'm allowed to do that, un. And only on special occasions, un.

Of course Sakura had to go and ruin my thought by rushing over to Tobi, hugging him, and saying, "I'm sorry…Tobi, is it?" she paused, waiting for his answer, and after he nodded his head yes, continued. "I didn't mean to make you cry, you can call me Sakura-chan, because now we're friends."

Tobi brightened up considerably at this statement and I was surprised. Who that this little brat could be nice after all?

"Perhaps she's not a brat…" I thought out loud, not knowing that I was doing so. Of course, the pink-haired girl that I was talking about had to go and hear me, so I ended up with a giant bruise on the side of my head that my hair thankfully covered.

Hmm, I wonder, if I start to cry like Tobi, will she heal my face like she healed him, un? Oh well, only one way to find out, un…

I turned on the waterworks, and my cute little innocent eyes, but although Sakura's expression softened and looked considerably regretful, she made no move to heal me. Well, if she's not nice to me, then I needn't be nice to her tonight, un…wait, that sounded wrong, I mean that I needn't be polite to her during the time that we will be forced to spend together as teammates, un…and roommates, un…like having Tobi in the same room as me every night isn't bad enough, un… at least she has her own bed, un…

As my train of thought trickled away, I looked up to see that Tobi and Sakura were gone, to our room, I presumed, probably putting away the few things that Sakura had brought with her on the mission we captured her on. She was one of the very few females on the Akatsuki's "Wanted Members" list. Actually, I believe that she is the only female on that list.

My thoughts came to a screeching halt as I entered our room and saw… Sakura without her shirt on! No, wait, that's just my perverted imagination. I really need to get out more and go on a date or something; I mean I must be getting desperate to even think about thinking about the little pink-haired medic-nin like that. Of course, she's decent-looking if that mental image was anything to go by, she's got brains, is a great kunoichi, and I have always liked younger women, but I don't really consider the punch-Deidara-in-the-face-for-saying-that-he-used-to-think-that-I-was-a-brat-because-I-was-and-then-not-healing-him type to be my type. Besides, I saw the way that Kisame and Hidan were looking at Sakura, and I wouldn't want to be in the middle of that.

Now that I think about it though, Kisame was probably just mad because Sakura called his Samehada a toy and Hidan… well, Hidan just doesn't see girls very often. Kind of like me.

Glancing up after spacing out while staring at the floor again, I realized that Tobi had just inquired something of me.

"What did you ask, Tobi, un?"

"Tobi asked if Deidara-senpai was alright, and if he was hungry, because Tobi and Sakura-chan are hungry, too. Sakura-chan offered to make us dinner!"

After all these years (okay, so it hasn't been too many years), it still amazes me how fast that Tobi bounces back from sad moods. It appears that Tobi and Sakura had been putting away her possessions, though heaven knows where, and had just finished.

"I'm hungry, un," I replied without any of the enthusiasm that Tobi always shows. After all, it's not like I'm starving or anything. Sometimes, Tobi just shows too much emotion.

I silently followed Tobi and Sakura to the kitchen, where all of the other members were, waiting for dinner, like they had expected Sakura to offer to make dinner, being the sexist men that they were.

I noticeably rolled my eyes at their lack of being gentlemanly, then wondered why I didn't think myself, or Tobi, ungentlemanly. I guess because we didn't think of Sakura as our personal slave, even though it would be nice to have someone to do my laundry for me. Half of my clothes I reuse during the week because I hate doing laundry.

Our three-person procession started towards the cooking section of the kitchen, separated by a paper door, and Tobi and I proceeded to help sakura prepare dinner. She mad a simple stir-fry, but it definitely tasted better than the takeout that we were usually forced to get, due to the lack of cooking skills among the members. Although Tobi has some cooking skill, he can only bake, and everyone knows that the Akatsuki can't live off of baked goods alone, I mean really, what would that do to our image?

Sakura asked me to get her the soy sauce, so I obliged, and went to the cabinet to get it. She sprinkled some onto the rice, put it in a dish, and brought the dish out to the members, who had already set the table. As she dashed back into the kitchen to give me back the soy sauce, she tripped, falling right into Leader-sama's arms.

"Sakura-san, I thought that I already told you, no hugging other members without permission," Leader-sama chastised playfully, making fun of Sakura's fall.

"I was lonely," Sakura stated, playing right back, but then she remembered something. "Hey, wait a second, why can Tobi hug me without asking if I can't do the same?"

"Because we can do anything we want to you, you are our prisoner. You'd better stay on our good side…" Leader-sama answered mysteriously.

"I am not your prisoner, I will escape!" Sakura retorted adamantly.

I couldn't help it. I had to laugh at that latter statement of hers. The thought of little pink-haired Sakura fighting off eight S-class criminals was quite comical. She may have defeated Sasori-danna, but she had help, and I doubt that she will ever earn respect from me as a kunoichi. Of course Sakura does not share my thoughts (at least I hope she doesn't, or my face would be flattened for that little, uh, erroneous glance from earlier), so she started to get mad that I was laughing at her.

"what's so funny?" she questioned venomously.

"Just the thought of you trying to defeat me, un," I responded arrogantly. I was lying, I was just neglecting to tell the whole truth.

"And might I inquire as to why that is so amusing?" Sakura asked, already out of Pein's arms and back on her feet.

"It's amusing because we all know that you find me irresistible, considering that you were staring passionately at me during our previous conversation, un."

Sakura glared vehemently at him while a few of the other members laughed. These few other members consisted of Kisame, because he really thought it was funny the way Sakura's face was getting red (he thought it was out of embarrassment), Tobi, because he was nervous for his senpai, Leader-sama, who was always into a good fight, and Hidan, because he wanted Sakura to think that he was cool. Personally, I was glad for the support, although I doubt that anyone but Tobi would so much as bat an eye if she tried to kill me. I'm actually getting a little frightened.

I glanced at her now chakra-lanced fist. Okay, very frightened. As her fist plummeted towards my face, I couldn't help but wonder why Leader-sama let her keep her chakra. He knows how much sakura wants to escape. That's all that I had time to think before everything went black.

A/N: This took forever to type up because I already have the first two chapters down on paper, and I have to watch the keyboard while I type or else I type slow. Oh well, I hope you liked this!