Hi guys! I've decided to write a new story! It's not a one-shot and will definitely have more chapters in the future.
This story was inspired by Shiroi Hoshi's 'Time Is Love'. Enjoy, and do review! :)
I don't own Naruto!
Chapter 1
"Her hair is so pretty, un!" He gasped to his best friend, Sasori.
Deidara was transfixed by the sight of wavy, pink locks cascading down the back of a little girl who was sitting by a cherry blossom tree alone. The cool wind caressed her face and her long fringe danced along with the breeze, fluttering across her face. She brushed them away impatiently with her tiny hand. Emerald eyes scanned the playground and her soft, plump lips formed themselves into a pout when her aunt was nowhere to be seen. Deciding to shift herself into a more comfortable position, she moved and sat down on a tree root protruding out of the ground. Placing her elbows on her knees, she cupped her chubby cheeks in her hands and let out a soft sigh.
From time to time, she would blow her fringe out of her eyes and glance up at the playground half-heartedly. She wasn't expecting her aunt to arrive anytime soon. The sky was getting darker and parents were bringing their sons and daughters home for dinner. Soon the area would be deserted. She didn't wail or whimper like other children her age normally would, she simply waited.
Deidara's mother took his hand in her own and tugged gently. Reluctantly, he tore his eyes away from the uniquely coloured hair. He scrambled to keep up with his mother after saying bye to Sasori.
He wondered if he would see the girl with the pink locks again. Thinking hard, Deidara searched his memories for any sign that she went to the playground regularly. He remembered seeing her wandering around the sandboxes with a blonde girl. Although he hadn't spotted her around every day, he remembered her being there often enough to assure him that she would be there again in a few days' time. Satisfied and a tad pleased with his cleverness, Deidara made up his mind that he would go to the playground every day from then on until he saw her again.
For the next three days Deidara spotted no sign of her, but on the fourth he caught a glimpse of her pink locks billowing behind her in the wind as she swung up and down a swing. However, this time she was not alone. Beside her was another girl who had a short crop of dark blue hair. He noticed her unique pale eyes and recognized her immediately. She was Hyuga Hinata, cousin of the well-known Hyuga Neji.
Just then, Sasori came running towards him with a green balloon, "Deidara!" He shouted halfway across the sandpit, "They're giving away free balloons, FOR FREE!"
Glancing up at the pinked haired girl, Deidara saw that she was still swinging hadn't the simplest idea about the free balloons. Looking in the direction that Sasori had come from, he could already see a few children crowding around a friendly looking bloke holding a bunch of balloons. He had a brainwave and started off for the balloon man at top speed.
"Which balloon would you like, little boy? I have a nice red one right here." The balloon man asked cheerfully and at the same time handed out a few balloons to random hands that were trying to snatch a balloon for themselves.
"I want the pink one, please?" Deidara requested politely, realising about a second too late that he had made himself sound extremely girly.
"You sure," he chuckled, unable to hide his bemusement by the boy's choice of colour. Nevertheless the man picked a pale pink balloon from his collection and placed the string into Deidara's waiting hand immediately, "Alright here you go."
"Thank you," Deidara had not missed the look the man had given him and he embarrassedly insisted, "It's not for me, un!"
The balloon man simply grinned. Watching him out of the corner of his eye, he saw Deidara run over to the swing-set towards a little girl with pink hair. Shaking his head and sighing at the innocence young children always seemed to possess, he continued giving out balloons and silently wished Deidara the best of luck.
"This balloon is for you, un! See, it matches your hair!" Deidara exclaimed in a breath. Panting slightly, he thrust the balloon string into the palm of a bewildered little girl.
Sakura looked at the strange boy. He looked about her age, maybe a year older. He had long bright blonde hair that reached just below his shoulders and he had tied part of it up into a high ponytail. His fringe was too long and covered one of his eyes.
"Your hair looks like a girl's." Sakura observed out loud without thinking, making Hinata beside her giggle uncontrollably and poor Deidara's cheeks to flush beet red.
"I like it, it looks really soft. Can I touch it?" She said curiously, earning a look of surprise from Hinata. Deidara nodded nervously, not knowing what to expect as he turned his back to face her. At least she hadn't been mean to him about looking like a girl.
"Hinata, it's so soft! I think it's softer than Ino's!" He heard Sakura squeal to her friend.
"H-his hair d-does look a little like h-her's." Hinata observed and stuttered.
"You're right!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly and laughed at the uncanny resemblance Deidara's and Ino's hair had.
The feeling of fingers running through his hair had stopped and he was feeling a bit uncomfortable standing with his back faced to two girls. Deidara turned himself around and introduced himself nervously, "My name is Deidara, un."
"I'm Sakura," the girl with pink locks replied confidently.
"Hinata," her pearly eyes shone and her lips curved into a tiny smile.
Deidara stood in front of his two new friends rocking on his heels. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Sasori was sitting in the sandpit waiting patiently for Deidara to return. Before Sakura could ask if he's like to play with them, Deidara mumbled a "see you around" and dashed off to where Sasori was waiting for him.
"Who's pinky?" Sasori asked when Deidara was within earshot. Sasori never liked the process of making friends and had remained behind in the sandpit.
"Her name's Sakura."
Deidara was five going on six when he first interacted with Sakura.