I am so, so sorry for the really late update! Microsoft Word hates me, and I have been busy with other things and homework. Gomen!

Also, I would like to say my thanks to Kuro Shinen Akuma, my first review on this story! Therefore, I love you, I love you, I love you!


Gradually, Sasori began to fade and fade throughout the many photo albums. He appeared less at parties and functions, let alone Tomoki's side. It seemed reasonable, she guessed. People got older, they went to different schools, and they fell apart. Finally, midway through the album labelled "4th Grade", he disappeared altogether.

There was a sour note left on her tongue as Tomoki glanced across the last shot. It was a photograph of an awkward hug; with evident coldness and contempt from the older redhead. His eyes had lost all their warmth, and were now cold, glassy orbs set in his face rather than the affectionate chocolate she remembered and at that time, had missed oh so much.

He also had become quieter, and laughed less, always hanging around on his own; the only thing he had paid great care to anymore was his puppets. A cold, scoffing grin came across Tomoki's face. The boy cared more for wooden contraptions than an actual person. No matter how much she detested him now, she was unable to say she was glad he had left Suna that year. It was a bitter memory, and her mind recoiled at the thought of it.

The weather was unnervingly bright, birds chirping, sun shining. Something out of a fairytale. It was almost surprising woodland animals didn't develop the strange ability to talk at the sight of it. A younger Tomoki padded off silently to her nii-san's house. She was in the 4th grade now, and was granted the privilege to walk to his address.

The redhead had haphazardly planned a walk with the girl, not realizing she would follow-through with the plan. She knocked on his door warily, waiting patient at the step. There was a loud banging and thumping coming from the within the structure, and to be truthful, it worried her. When it had been at least 15 minutes she had waited outside, she grew frustrated and reached for the handle, to find it was unlocked. At a snail's pace, she followed the thunderous noises upstairs to the corridor of rooms. The sounds seemed to be escaping from the space under a certain door down the walkway. It was bare, except for being marked with the recognizable diamond framed scarlet scorpion. The noises sounded even louder, so it was common sense for Tomoki to pound the door with her fist, loud enough to be heard over them.

Abruptly, the banging stopped.

"Nii-san?"

"Shit. Uh, Tomoki?"

The now 9th grader's voice brightened her face with a grin.

"Yeah, it's me. Weren't we supposed to go for a walk today?"

"Oh, right. Uh, I don't think I can make it today!" He called from behind the panel of wood.

"Okay...That's fine." She tried hard to hide the unhappiness in her voice. There was even more banging. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing! I think you should leave, imouto."

"What are you hiding?" She couldn't stop herself from blurting out the accusation.

"Not anything! Tomoki, leave!" He still hadn't opened the door.

"Can I come in?"

"No! Get out!"

Nothing to lose there. She rammed her way into the small room. It was a pigsty. Every piece of furniture was looked ransacked, and knocked over. Clothes were hanging out of drawers like intestines out of a gaping stomach. She suddenly felt extremely empty. On the bed, or what was left of it, lay gigantic half-open suitcase, filled almost to the brim with astray clothing.

Forcing her mind to clear, she took a sharp, forced inhale.

"Nii-san, what are you doing?"

"Nothing. Now for the 4th time, get out of my house!"

"Why? What is there I can't know? I thought we told each other everything!" She said, desperate now.

By now, Sasori had regretted every word he had said, or yelled, to Tomoki. But it was all in the best interest for the little girl. She didn't need to know what he was planning, she relied on him, cared for him, and she shouldn't have to know what was happening. He had to get her out so he could finish and leave the village.

He bit down hard on his lip until he tasted blood, not wanting to say the next irate words that popped into his head. Surely they would oblige the girl's leave. He swallowed back unexpected tears. This wasn't the time to be selfish, if he could even call it that, it was the time to do everything in best interest for Tomoki to not get damaged.

He sucked in a breath.

"Tomoki. Leave."

"But-"

"No buts. Get out. I'm tired of you relying on your stupid brother sister morals. I do not, repeat, do not tell you everything and never will. You are not my imouto. You are just a stupid little kid, striving for a fantasy that isn't real. Get out of my life!" The redhead swallowed the onslaught of tears that followed the sentence. She didn't see, for he had said this all with his back facing her.

Tomoki felt as if there was a large hole in her chest.

Like the carpet had just been pulled from her feet.

Miserable.

Empty.

She let out a sort of sound that was a muddle of a gasp and sob; before turning and sprinting out of the room faster than her legs could carry her.

And...Needless to say, she detested him ever since.

She scoffed uncaringly, but there was a small, twinge in her chest that could almost trigger tears.

Sure, she loathed him.

Doesn't mean she didn't miss him.

A lot.

Swallowing hard, she tossed the black leather album back into its box. She needed sleep. This instant.

Pein had his head in his hands.

Groaning loudly, he caught the attention of Konan sitting across the room from him. The bluenette walked over to sit next to her best friend.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Deidara's late. That's what," He replied, not removing his head from its place.

Konan rolled her eyes and her worrisome companion.

"It's raining; of course the guy is going to be late. He flies here and there on a clay bird, for god's sake," She joked at the orange haired leader.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."

"Besides, the base isn't that quiet without him," She mused.

Almost as if on cue, Hidan's voice echoed through the corridors.

"FUCK!"

Pein couldn't hold back a grin. Moulding his features back into their solitary state, he removed his face from his hands and slowly walked off to greet the albino's screech.

"Yes Hidan! What now?"

He had reached the kitchen, where Sasori was sitting at the table, chewing cereal with a bemused expression on his face, while the pink eyed Nin, was glaring daggers back at him, standing on the now creaking table top.

"Puppet ass here, made fun of my ritual!"

Leader sighed, and pulled himself a chair at the counter.

"First, get off the table; I think you're going to shatter it. Good. No how did he ridicule your Jashin-Sama?" He ruled this all out in a lazy tone.

"He compared the Jashin circle to a piece of cereal."

For a puppet, Sasori looked pretty damn amused. He was almost laughing.

"Leader-Sama, in all due respect. It does look like a piece of cereal." He retorted, holding up a loop, which had a deformation in the center that looked very much like a triangle.

"You guys are preschoolers, seriously. Grow up." Leader said with a smirk, almost jokingly, as if he knew it'd never happen. "But for the record, I agree with Sasori."

Hidan was almost fuming red. But he regained his composure to refute full-wit.

"Yes, because we are the immature ones. Thanks Leader."

Almost as if to save Pein from anymore profanities that would escape the albino's lips, Deidara swept into the room, his long, blonde hair matted to his face with rain. He made no sign of noticing the other men sitting at the table as he flopped down beside the fridge, panting heavily.

Pein let out a breath. At least the bomber didn't get caught in the storm.

"Good. You're finally back. Now-" Leader stated.

"What do you mean finally?! I was in the middle of a thunderstorm! Jeez!" The blonde refuted, exasperated. His breathing still had not lessened enough for him to take anymore jabs at the orange haired man.

"I'll grant you that. Now, to my office for your report."

Deidara's eyes were livid.

"Can I, you know, eat first? I was away for three days, hn!"

"Huh? Oh, yes. I believe so. Eat. Then my office."

The bomber replied back with an eye roll. Leader's expression didn't change in the slightest as he stalked off to his office, the room he spent half of his life in.

The blonde regained control over his breathing and joined the two remaining men at the table.

"Oh, hey...Jashin circle cereal. Can I have some, Danna?" The bomber said as he brought a bowl and spoon to the table.

There was a loud scraping of chair against tile floor as Hidan swept from the room leaving a slur of viewer discretion advised words in his wake.

The two men remaining at the table glanced over at each other before bursting out in fits of laughter.

Their chuckles died down enough for Deidara to gulp down the last of the ridiculed cereal before walking down to Leader's office.

Inside, Leader sat with his back to the door, facing the wall. Deidara's steps slowed as he closed the door behind him. The room that Pein worked in was the darkest painted area in the entire base, and it still gave the bomber shivers each time he stood inside it. It was all in a demeaning sense, the room was large and high ceilinged, with a desk and two uncomfortable chairs as its only furniture.

Leader spun his chair around at the blonde, who was now seated in the smaller chair opposing him.

"Good. So, it's the right girl, yes?" Pein wasted no time in asking the question.

"Takara Rin of Suna? Yeah. It's her. Alive and well, un."

"Thank god. The girl took months to find. Okay, I need you to go retrieve her."

"No problem, Leader-Sama. I'll leave first thing tomorrow, hn," He replied.

"No, leave now. It's a two day trip from here to Suna anyways," Leader enforced expression unchanging.

"But I just got back!" Said Deidara, unbelieving his superior's order.

"And now you're leaving again."

The S-Rank groaned. "Fine, but I am sleeping like a rock when I get back, and you can't do anything about that, un."

"Fine with me what your sleeping habits are, as long as you get the new member here."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," He drawled back, leaving the room in hopes of changing clothes before departing again. Unfortunately, Leader followed suit, which deprived him of his plan.

Hitching up his cloak once more, the blonde made for the entrance, passing the kitchen in his slow, tired pace.

Sasori's brown eyes glanced over at the younger man, and gave an annoyed look. He was leaving for another mission without him.

They were supposed to be partners.

Stupid blonde.


Haha, I quite like the ending to this one.

Also, after getting my buddies to read this, the cereal part is very much loved.

Hope you liked, and I promise the next update won't take so long! R&R please?

'Till next time!