Stage 10: Tension

Two days came and went in much the same manor as the days before them had. Itachi worked, and she ran the papers back and forth for him. Each time she came face to face with Pein, she eyed him cautiously. Questions went unasked. She didn't dare show him her cards just yet. She needed every edge against him she could get.

Eventually the time came for her to say good bye to Itachi. He offered to accompany her to Deidara, but she declined his request. "We both know Pein is watching our every move," she said. "It isn't necessary. You have somewhere to be, and Kisame is waiting for you."

He ran a knuckle down her cheek. "Stay safe while I'm away, please." The concern in him voice was tangible.

She smiled softly. "I'll be fine," she assured him. "Don't worry about me."

He donned his hat and walked away in the mist of rain. His silhouette quickly vanished in the dusky, downtrodden darkness, and his scent ebbed away in the downpour. She turned on her heels and receded back into the dark streets, making her way to Deidara.

She heard their voices before she found them.

"Senpai, we should look for her," Tobi whined. "She can't be trusted."

Deidara's rage answered. "Shut up, you annoying bastard."

She followed their bickering, finding them quickly. It would be easy to end their fighting, but she wanted to listen in. It wasn't often that she got to observe their dynamic. They were sitting on a stoop in front of a building that wasn't remotely on her way. They were illuminated by a pool of yellow light.

Tobi looked around in the rain. "I don't think she's coming. There's no sign of her anywhere. We need to go look for her. It's getting way too dark, and I want to go home."

Deidara rolled his eyes, visibly irate. "I swear, I will blow you to pieces." They sat in silence for a while, their hats sheltering them from the rain. Tobi was fidgeting; strumming his fingers on his knees, shuffling his feet, or humming to himself. His impatience was astounding to her. This guy was supposed to be a high class criminal?

"Senpai, how long is this going to take?" He complained. "I don't have all night."

Something snapped inside Deidara. He turned quickly, drew back, and punched Tobi in the face. "Go to sleep, you insolent dick." Tobi slumped sideways, though he didn't fall off his perch. Deidara took it upon himself to help, and kicked his partner off the ledge. He looked up just in time to see her approaching.

"You took your time, hn." He folded his arms against his chest, still clearly annoyed.

Shrugging, she answered, "I accompanied Itachi as far as I could before coming. I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I didn't realize you were with Tobi."

"He decided it was necessary for him to wait for you, as well." He snorted through his nose. "Hn. Apparently, he doesn't trust that I'll keep you in line." Deidara kicked the unconscious form again. Tobi rolled over with the force of impact.

Stepping gingerly around Tobi, a look of disgust on her face, she decided to appease him. "I suppose we should get going, before he wakes up."

"Yeah, that would be preferred." They set out in the rain together. He surrendered his hat to her, even though she was already quite soaked. His expression remained flat during the exchange, as though he were doing nothing more than adjusting it for himself.

Arriving at his doorstep in silence, Deidara unlocked the door and opened it for her, waiting patiently as she passed. He followed her inside and took his shoes off as she unzipped her calf high boots. He shrugged out of his cloak and hung it on a peg on the wall. She placed his hat beside it before whisking the water off her skin with wind chakra.

She stepped inside his familiar home, glad to be out of the never ending rain. He flipped the lights on. As always, he was a cleanly being. The apartment unsettled her as the fear of touching anything overwhelmed her. It was unnatural to watch him collapse on the white sofa in a dishevelled manor, mentally exhausted from his brief exchange with his partner. A pang of sympathy touched Tsuki. Her barely stable sanity would have broken a long time ago if she were chained to such an annoying being.

"So what will it be?" he asked, breaking the silence abruptly. "Would you like your own room, or are we sharing mine?" There was exasperation in his voice. She assumed it was because of Tobi; not the question he asked.

"Which ever you prefer," she answered flatly, sitting on the other end of his couch. "I'm not the one with orders. I don't know how specific he was."

Through a curtain of blonde hair, he looked at her with heavy eyes. "You're not to leave my side." Once again, his voice was flat with boredom.

"Then I guess it doesn't matter," she sighed, folding her arms.

Accusations rose in his eyes. "How long do you plan on not sleeping?"

"I don't know," she responded. "I hadn't decided to not sleep yet."

Deidara's eyebrows raised, but he said nothing. She looked around the room, noticing how little it had changed in the last two years.

"Who's claiming me after you leave for the sealing?" she asked, breaking the silence.

He sat up a little straighter. "Hm, I don't know. I'm guessing whoever it is will present themselves to you after I leave."

She leaned back against the sofa. "It feels great to be passed around like an unwanted dog."

"You're not unwanted," he protested. "I was told you already knew what was going on, ne?"

"I do, to a certain extent." He looked at her quizzically before she continued. "I know you're sealing a bijou, and that you all have to be there for it, only you won't actually be there. You've got some strange space-time jutsu that lets you be there while your body is somewhere else."

He leaned forward. "That's really all there is to it," he sighed. "I would tell you more, if I could."

"Any information would be great," she suggested.

Thinking for a moment, he came up with something that might help her. He knew she would try to get away while they were gone. "Do you know about the rain, yet?"

Surprise etched into her face at his inquiry. "What about the stupid rain?" she responded. "It's everywhere, and it's depressing."

A smirk crossed his face. "Yes, but it has a purpose. Leader-sama makes it rain," he explained. "It's his way of seeing and hearing everything that goes on in the village. The cameras were put in by Hanzo. They were mostly rendered useless when he revolted."

Tsuki glared out the window. The relentless rain pounded against the glass. "So he's listening to us, right now?" she asked.

Deidara shrugged. "Normally he leaves the members alone. We've all sworn our loyalty to him. However, you're almost always an exception, so it's anyone's guess."

"I'm not a member," she reminded him. "It's almost a certainty that he's observing us."

"Yeah, but it'd be a hell of a lot easier if you were, for everyone involved. No one would have to watch you, and you wouldn't feel so trapped." He looked at her, donning emotion again. His expression was warm.

"Touched as I am for your concern over my happiness," she began to rebuke, "I bother Pein too much for him to want me to stay."

Staring into space with a slight smile, he answered, "I'm not sure you bother him as much as he wants you to think you do."

Scepticism resonated within her. "I think he just hides it from you."

"Un," he grunted. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She sat unnaturally still, and her eyes were perfectly calm. Still, there was something wrong with the way she held herself.

She looked at him with a faint curiosity. He could tell at a glance that there was something she had to say. It had been bubbling beneath the surface, probably a long time.

"What's on your mind?" he whispered to her softly.

"I probably shouldn't ask," she warned.

He edged closer to her. "What's stopping you?"

When she looked at him, her eyes were filled with such an intensity, it almost made him cringe away from her. "The blow out we had when I first got here," she answered. "I really don't want to repeat that."

Looking away from her, he sighed. "That was my fault. I let my passions get away from me, and assumed the worse. All of the evidence pointed one way. Don't let that stop you."

A soft sigh escaped her lips, drawing his eyes back to her. "I just wanted to know why you acted the way you did the last time I was here."

"What do you mean?" he asked flatly. He knew exactly what she was asking, he just didn't know where to begin.

It was her turn to shuffle closer to him. She could sense his discomfort with the subject, but she felt she had to know. "You went through a great deal of effort to single me out, then you latched on to me so emotionally. I guess I just want to know why?"

Blue eyes shifted to the floor as they narrowed. That was a question he was not quite ready for, but he still felt she had the right to have it answered. It had ruined their friendship, which had never had a stable foundation to begin with; when he saw her for the first time, she was attempting to pluck a hair out of his scalp.

"Hn, as you probably remember," he began, "I was away on a mission when you were here for the first time. You managed to come and go before I returned. When I did, the entire organization seemed to be unsettled by it. You had stirred every single member into a frenzy; that was unprecedented. As I recalled, you weren't a part of the plan until much, much later. I asked the one question no one else seemed to: why capture you now?"

He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. He shifted toward her, then continued. "Pein never really let Orochimaru leave; he still had Zetsu check up on him periodically. Pein planned to intercept you because he got word of Orochimaru's plan to inoculate you after the chunin exams."

Understanding that pregnancy would render her unfit to serve Pein's cause, she requested him to continue to his point.

He resettled in the couch, leaning back again, closing his eyes. It was easier to get it out there if he didn't look at her. "Naturally, I was curious. Why would Orochimaru choose you? The answer lies in your 'Genetic superiority,' so Pein had put it. It's the same reason he wants to use you."

He paused again, allowing Tsuki to speak up. "That's a great story and all, but it doesn't tell me why you clung to me."

"Yeah, I'm getting there, I promise," he assured her. He chanced a sideways glimpse of her. "As I said, I was curious about what sort of woman both Orochimaru and Pein deemed to be genetically superior. I had my doubts, of course. It also got me thinking about my life."

Tsuki could tell how hard it was for him to confess these things. He was wearing his heart on his sleeve. She was asking more of him that she herself was truly capable of, all for the simple sake of knowing why he went berserk. She shifted slightly to face him, to open herself to him.

A sigh emitted from him. He pulled himself up again, just to lean forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His head dropped, hiding himself behind his curtain of hair."I don't know how long I have to live, and one thing I'd never thought about was procreating. While talking to Leader-sama, the thought occurred, but was easily shoved aside." He took another deep breath, his cheeks turning a pale red. "That changed when I first saw you. There you were, standing over me, stealing a strand of my hair. Just your nerve was enough to capture any man's attention. The desire was selfish, but ingrained in every man's DNA."

Tsuki blinked, dumbfounded. She struggled to grasp for words; she felt blind sided. "So, you wanted-" she started, unable to finish.

He stared at the floor again. "I have long since abandoned that dream."

"Have you?" she asked wearily.

"Un," he sighed. "Though not because of you. It's entirely because of me. I am an unfit partner, and father. A family deserves more than a criminal. There is a price on my head, and I'll never clear my name. My family would have to bear that shame."

Confusion washed over her as her mind asked a vital question that she voiced aloud. "Then why were you so bitter toward Neji?"

A very shallow chuckle came forth from Deidara. "Jealousy; he can offer you everything I cannot: a good name, stability, protection, honour, and a village to take care of you if something were to happen to him."

She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm not getting married to anyone," she reminded him.

He nodded. "That doesn't matter to a jealous and possessive ass hole who's been offended. It should have, but you already know it didn't cross my mind that you were still stubborn and head strong."

"I just remembered something," she commented. "That day in the hot springs, you pulled out." She looked at him suspiciously.

He fully met her gaze. "That's when I changed my mind," he answered. He watched her confusion as she slowly allowed the information to sink in.

"I think I'm going to have to sleep on this," she stated after some time. "I just can't accept it right now."

Glancing away from her, he sighed. "I guess that's understandable."

She put her hand on his shoulder, "Thank you for explaining this to me." Her voice was soft and caring. "Good night, Dei."

Before she rose to her feet, Deidara placed his hand over hers. "Un, you had every right to ask." He released her, and watched her retreat into the shadowy hallway. He sat alone for quite some time after hearing her retreat to his guest bedroom. She definitely took the information better than he thought she would. Two years ago, she would have attempted to stab him for telling her what she didn't want to hear. He had to hand it to the guy; being with Neji for so long has mellowed her out quite a bit. Jealousy welled in his stomach again. There was no way someone could spend so much time with her for so long and not be trying to persuade her to change her mind.

When Deidara went to bed, he released clay sculptures that were the exact same size and shape as a common garden spider. They dispersed to all corners of the house, including her bedroom, and would wake him if she woke up. He had his orders, after all, and this way, she was still technically within his sight.

Boundaries had been drawn. She made it clear, to every one there, that fraternizing was forbidden. Itachi had even been pushed away; that shocked Deidara more than anything. If she was willing to toss his affections aside, then Deidara didn't have a chance. The realization made his heart drop, and he sank further into his sulking mood.

He climbed into his bed. He could remember laying next to her, and the sounds her soft breathing made. For a traumatized insomniac, she slept peacefully when she could. Throwing himself back on the pillow, he made himself fall asleep without another thought of her.

XxX

Deidara woke up early to one of his spiders vibrating his chakra. The sun had barely risen. He grumbled, but rose to his feet anyway. His night had been long and restless. He heard the shoji style door to her room open and close. Without thinking, he walked out into the hallway to meet her.

She took one look at him, then quickly turned her back. "You forgot your pants," she reminded him.

Glancing down quickly, he looked back up at her. "You've seen me naked. What's your problem with boxers, ne?"

It was a valid point, but she was also trying to make a point of her own. "I'm not going anywhere just yet, Dei. Please, put pants on."

Turning on his heel, he huffed loudly and walked back into his room. "Damn it, woman," he cursed.

Spotting one of his spiders following her, she grudgingly picked up the clay sculpture and set it on her shoulder before stalking into the kitchen. The gesture was to keep her from having to watch out for the others. They would remain dormant wherever they were so long as one could pinpoint her location. If she didn't step on one, he wouldn't come unhinged because she had destroyed his art.

"Please, have coffee," she pleaded quietly as she rummaged through his kitchen.

"Second cupboard to your right," he called through the hallway.

It was where he said it was, and she got to work brewing a pot. Of course his sculptures could hear her. The thought caused a heavily sarcastic eye roll. Deidara returned before she could even pour the water in the pot.

He removed the spider from her shoulder and broke down the clay into a moldable compound. He did the same for the rest of the bugs, which came scampering to him from all corners of the dwelling.

The scent of fresh java filled the kitchen, but it wasn't near finished. Her forehead found a cupboard as she leaned against it. Apparently it had not been a good night for her, either. Their tensions were tangible, early morning irritation charged between them, fueling each other's already burning flame of irrational anger.

When the coffee was finished, they poured and savored the beverage in relative silence. Neither of them were morning people. Neither wanted to talk to the other before they had woken up. It was true back then, it held true now. The only difference was back then, they were on much better terms. Now, they both felt as though they were walking on shards of glass.

She finished before he did. Upon rinsing her mug in the sink, she looked at him. "I hope you didn't destroy all of those tracker bugs of yours. I wanted to go to the hot spring today."

He quickly assembled one for her. "I could go with you," he suggested blatantly.

She remembered what had happened the last time they took a bath together and snorted sarcastically. "I don't think that's wise."

His eyes rolled. "People take baths all the time without things happening." The edge in his voice hinted that she wasn't leaving his presence. "Besides, I can't let you leave without me, so don't even try it."

A glare of defiance touched her eyes. Her independence and pride swelled. "You don't have to escort me everywhere."

Yes, he did. Irritation caused a vein to pulse in his forehead. "You can't stop me from going," he hissed with malice.

She exhaled heavily. "You're so obnoxious," she hissed.

"Over the top," he snapped back. "Don't you forget it."

Haughty laughter filled the air. "You keep saying that, but all I see is offensive pride."

"I don't care what you see," he barked. "I'm not obnoxious. You're just pissed because of your stupid fear of weakness."

Time slowed down for her as anger rose within her. "I am not afraid of anything," she rumbled, lowering her voice to a gravely whisper. "I refuse to allow myself to indulge in something as frivolous as throwing your judgment away for someone who has all the power to destroy you."

He chuckled arrogantly. "You can't trust anyone, can you?" He allowed the words to hit with their full destructive force. "Hn. You're so independent that you won't even allow someone to get close to you. I can't tell if it's out of fear, or vanity. It's so crippling that you won't even risk me getting a chance to get intimate with you, even though we've already come to the conclusion we shouldn't. I'm going because I have to. Get over it."

Contempt clouded her eyes, she walked away from him, throwing the tracker bug in his face. It wasn't long before he heard the door slam. Draining his coffee cup, he set out to follow her. It was about time she came face to face with the truth of her weakness.

A quick deployment of sculptures revealed she didn't get too far away from him. He set out after her, still seething from her wounding pride. The distance he maintained was respectable. He did not desire to continue their argument.

In her haste, she nearly bumped into a man on the street. She quickly apologized, inclining her head slightly before pressing forward. Deidara's defenses went up immediately when the man completely turned around to follow her; they were too far ahead for him to intervene.

The knowledge that Deidara was behind her when she entered the bath house bothered Tsuki. She didn't address him as she paid the woman attending the counter. The refusal to glance back at him was unmistakable as she walked into the woman's locker room. She stripped down and stashed her possessions in a basket.

She settled down at a washing station to cleanse herself of the filth of the last day, as well as her argument with Deidara. The warm water relaxed her body, the scents of the bubbles eased her mind. His audacity never failed to amaze her. She was fully capable of trusting others., just not wanted criminals.

After rinsing her towelette completely, she brought it with her outside to the bath. Deidara was already waiting for her in the water. Looking directly at her with no shame or respect to her nudity, he nodded in greeting.

Quickly getting in the water, she turned her back to him, leaning against the rocky ledge. The water shifted; she wasn't able to tell if someone got in, or if he was moving toward her. When he appeared by her side, she knew.

"Go away, Deidara," she mumbled. She refrained from shouting at him, out of respect for the bath house.

He joined her, leaning against the rocks. "I would, but there's no way I'm leaving you alone to be visually devoured by a stranger," he whispered.

Whipping her head around, she saw the same man from the street sitting against the rocks. He glanced in her direction and smiled innocently. She then redirected her attention to Deidara. "He seems harmless."

Deidara turned around and sprawled out with his back against the ledge. The sutures on his chest shone with water. "Sure, sure," he sighed, "But that's one of Hanzo's remaining soldiers after revenge against the Akatsuki. He didn't see me when you two collided, and you couldn't see the predatory look in his eyes when he began to follow you."

"I'm not tied to you," she softly retorted. "Why would he be after me?"

"You've been seen here more than you think you have," he answered. "You have been associated with the Akatsuki now. It doesn't help that this time, they drug your body through the main gates without so much as an attempt to hide your identity. Everyone in the city saw you come in."

"This sucks," she whined. Her forehead met the cool rocks gently. "I don't want anything to do with you guys, yet you keep dragging me through the mud."

Deidara chortled. "Un, but we want you, and that's all that matters to them. They'd do anything if they thought they could get close enough to Pein to take him out."

She chanced another sideways look at the other patron. "Why doesn't Pein just take them out first, if he can see and hear everything in the city?"

"It's because he can hear and see them," Deidara answered. He absentmindedly made ripples in the water with his fingers. "He doesn't see them as a threat. Believe it or not, he isn't a senseless killing machine."

She lowered herself deeper in the water, until it was almost up to her chin and turned around. Now that she was advised to not trust him, it was best if she kept one eye on him at all times. It seemed as though he had not stopped staring at them. Deidara shifted toward her, angling himself so that he was in a defensive stance. The man across the water shifted his stare to the blonde so openly challenging him.

"Dei, what are you doing?" she reprimanded in hushed tones.

He rested a hand on her knee and looked at her with clear fondness on his face. The change in his emotions took her off guard. His voice, however, remained stoic. "I'm making it clear that he isn't getting to you."

"You're going to provoke him," she chastised.

She moved to take his hand off her knee, but he stopped her. "Don't; I know it goes against everything you stand for. Just do it. If we can convince him we're lovers, we can avoid a fight."

Disapproval taunted him from behind her violet eyes. "That won't stop him if he's determined."

Deidara laughed loudly, to add to their charade. "There would be more of them if his intentions were truly to move against you. My guess is that he was sent to scout, or was merely in the right place at the right time, and decided to act. He wouldn't be foolish enough to assail you, even if I weren't here."

Attempting to smile when all she wanted to do was glare at him so fiercely he would retreat, she asked, "Then why is it necessary for you to come across so possessive?"

"They need to know that we will fight them, as a whole to keep you out of danger," he answered. He ran a fingertip along her jawline. "It adds motivation for me to want to keep you safe. He now knows I'm not just following orders; it's personal. Though, you should know, this is exactly why Leader-sama wanted you to stay within the compound."

It dawned on her that this could all be an elaborate rouse to get her to submit to him. However, her intuition told her that he wasn't lying. There were far too many components that fit into place like cogs in a clock. She knew that if she brought a complication to Pein's precious world domination schemes, he would retaliate against her village, or worse, Neji. It was a risk she had to take, no matter how much she wished she didn't have to.

The man was now looking at her, and she didn't like the look in his eyes. Deidara noticed, too, and began tracing patterns on her knee, feinting absent minded thought. She knew the look of well masked concentration he had now donned. He was formulating a strategy.

Resignation; that's what she felt when she turned to Deidara. He returned her stare. "I'm going against myself. I'm going to trust you this one time. Don't make me regret it; if you dare go too far, I won't rest until I think of a way to make you pay for it."

Cupping her face in his palm, he smiled at her fondly. "I wouldn't ask for anything more. Just follow my lead, and if you feel I'm going too far, let me know."

"How should I do that?" she wondered.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "Rest your hand on my knee," he whispered in her ear. When her hand slid under the water to comply, he further explained, "If you feel the need to, dig your nails into me. I'll back off, I promise."

Satisfied that they had an established signal, she relaxed into their rouse. She had done this a thousand times, assuming a thousand different roles for the sake of a mission. Her head rested on his shoulder, she closed her eyes in fabricated bliss. His lips brushed her forehead softly, expressing such a tender affection.

Their spectator watched in continued silence, though Deidara thought he witnessed a glimmer of suspicion cross his features. It was natural for him to express such protection for this woman. He couldn't deny it; holding her again brought an immense amount of personal satisfaction, even though he knew she was faking every minute of it. There was no way around it: she was a beautiful woman, and he wanted the world to think she was his.

Making eye contact with the man across the water, Deidara smirked in a rakish way that screamed, 'Yeah, I'm tapping this. Make one wrong move, and you're dead.' Leaving her left hand on his knee, Deidara took her other hand in his, angling her body into his. Her hand fit into his as though it were made just for the purpose of being held. He looked into her eyes deeply. "Kiss me," he demanded.

She risked a quick glance to the man, masking her observation with self consciousness. He was still watching them, though now he had a glare of wounded pride set in his features. Deidara redirected her attentions gently. There was absolute hatred in her eyes as soon as she was certain the onlooker could no longer see. Deidara chuckled before closing in the space between them.

His lips parted hers almost immediately. She had expected an innocent peck, or a chaste but sweet lingering kiss, not a passionate display of intimacy. All the same, she had done worse for less. She kept thinking of Neji, reminding herself that she was doing this to keep him safe. She clung to that as Deidara led her through the motions of lovers in the heat of passion.

She moved with him, having had practice years prior. Memories stirred within Deidara, and he prayed her hand didn't drift toward his waist. She would make him pay if she knew he wasn't controlling his body's reactions to her. He had to admit, she played her part well. He couldn't tell the difference between her false affections and the kisses she had willingly given him before. He dared go further out of greed. His tongue brushed against her bottom lip. Her hand tensed on his thigh, but there wasn't pain. He dared to try again.

She pulled away from him, a flush in her cheeks. From passion, or from rage, he could not tell. He chest rose and fell with her labored breathing. The heaviness of her partially closed eyes told him it was from the passion. "Don't go too far," she reminded him.

"Trust me, pet," he answered, reprimanding her. "They're just kisses. I'm not going to get touchy, or push you to bed with me." He threaded his fingers through her hair at the base of her skull and pulled lightly, causing her to expose her neck. His lips touched the tender skin, and her nails dug into him with excruciating sharpness. True to his word, he backed off, merely hovering above the flesh, breathing warm air across her skin before releasing her.

Her eyes were on fire when he looked into them. "It's time to leave," she commanded. She rose from the water, covering her breasts from the view of the man. Deidara stood with her, wrapping his arm around her lower back, protective over her. He walked her to the partition for the women's washroom, where he kissed her forehead before letting her go inside. He walked to the men's side. He noticed the man had remained seated. The expression on the stranger's face had morphed into a glare with the absence of Tsuki.

Deidara chuckled. "Plot all you like," he stated to the man. "You'll never get to her, hn."

The man remained silent, but his glare turned into an intense scowl. Deidara walked into the washroom. Considering they were the only two in the facility, it was simple to find the other man's belongings. Deidara slipped an explosive sculpture the size of a pin head into the basket. The beetle dove into the folds of clothing until it lodged itself in a pocket.

After dressing, Deidara escorted Tsuki back onto the street. There would be hell to pay for the encounter after he reported to Pein, but there was one thing he could do to lessen the blow. Half way on their journey home, his chakra sensed movement. He brought two fingers to his lips and smirked with satisfaction. "Katsu," he whispered.

Tsuki looked at him with confusion just before the sound of an explosion could be heard a mile behind them. "They needed taught a lesson," he explained.

"Not a mindless killing machine, are you?" she hissed.

He shrugged. "Pein isn't. I never claimed I wasn't."

Walking through the rain, Tsuki analyzed the situation she was in. Hanzo's residual scum presented a new obstacle she hadn't planned on encountering. She stated watching everyone she met, seeing the ones who merely glanced at them as they passed, and the ones whose gaze lingered. How many could there be, and why hadn't anyone warned her about it before?

Deidara kept a respectful distance from her, lost in his own thoughts. Pein already knew he had blown someone up, and knows how many others he had injured. That wasn't so much the issue; it was easy to disguise Deidara's explosions as a terrorist bomber within the city. In fact, the act would help cement the resentment of the civilians against those who remain of Hanzo's troops. No, it was the fact that Deidara allowed Tsuki to walk into danger.

Pein knew about Deidara's attachment to her. It would baffle him as to why Deidara would endanger her. There would be no end to the berating, the disappointment, and the chastising. The artist already had a headache from thinking about it.

He diverted their path to Pein's office, bringing her with him to endure the punishment that was awaiting him. He could feel the sense of anxiety looming over Tsuki, which only served to magnify his own anticipation. The stopped in front of the building's lobby doors. Her eyes expressed concern.

"You're in trouble, aren't you?"

His shoulders dropped. "Yeah' I can guarantee I'm in for an ass chewing."

She took his hand in hers. "It's my fault, he should yell at me."

The logic had it's flaws, the main one being that Deidara had been entrusted with her welfare; he should have stopped her. "He isn't going to see it that way." He squeezed her hand gently.

Resignation sounded in her voice. "Then we'll just have to persuade him."

He led her inside, sighing. They walked up the stairs slowly. It amazed him that she kept her hand in his, especially after all they had fought about that day. The simple gesture comforted him, though, and that was worth more than both of their pride.

She walked a pace behind him, dreading having to see the man who infuriated her more than anyone else who walked this earth. It took an immense amount of power to keep a band of hardened criminals in check. She had done a lot to piss him off, yet he never directed his anger at her in a manor that made her fear him, the way Deidara did. Perhaps that was why he wanted her to come with him. Was he using her as a buffer against Pein's wrath? If that were the case, she would stand by his side as a friend.

They reached the door, and before they could even knock, Pein commanded they come inside. There was a new hardness in his voice that Tsuki had never heard before. The sound made her skin crawl, destroying her confidence. She hadn't felt that level of dread since she faced Orochimaru's ire. She glanced at Deidara wearily.

Sensing her fear, he smiled at her softly. He released her hand and softly caressed her shoulders. "You're going to be fine," he assured her. "He wouldn't dare do anything that would jeopardize your safety. That's why he's so upset."

She nodded, but his words did little to quench her experience-conditioned fears. Orochimaru had done so much under the guise that he cared for her. He destroyed her mind, body, and soul beyond repair. Countless times she had stood outside his office in much the same manor, too afraid to face him, yet knowing the longer she stalled, the worse his wrath would become. Orochimaru once took orders from Pein. In her mind, she couldn't imagine what kind of man could keep her sensei in check.

Deidara pulled her to him, throwing her boundaries to the wind. She was afraid, and he could understand why. "I would rather die than let him do to you what Orochimaru did," he whispered. Her arms wound around him. He could feel her shaking underneath his embrace. Rage for her abuser swelled inside of him.

She clung to him, unable to control the surge of memories she had managed to suppress in the last two years. He rubbed her back sympathetically, knowing there was nothing more he could do for her.

Impatience must have struck Pein in his rage, because the door slid open. Deidara was never as impressed with the man's ability to control his rage as he was in this moment. The motion was so fluid, so silent, Tsuki didn't notice that Pein was standing next to her at all.

Pein looked at Deidara with ire in his Rinnegan eyes. Deidara looked back, pleading with him for her sake. Pein then looked at Tsuki. It took him a miniscule moment to assess the situation correctly. He held up one finger, signaling his consent to Deidara before retreating back into his office. The meaning was clear, they had one minute to resolve this.

Deidara brushed a finger along her jaw, gently bringing her chin up to look her in the eyes. "Tsuki, you're safe. I know what you endured was horrible. There's no way to change that, but you have to understand that your past isn't going to repeat itself. No one here wants to hurt you, I promise."

She nodded, unable to bring herself to speak. It astounded her that she was succumbing to these fears, especially since it had been so long since she had encountered them. She was stronger than this, and her inability to control her emotions shamed her. Nonetheless, she couldn't shake the gripping fear.

He held her face in his hands, wiping the tears from her eyes. It caused him physical pain to see her so distraught. Knowing he was pressed for time, he did the one thing he hoped would reset her brain. He pressed his lips to hers, parting her lips once more. Her eyes widened, but she didn't fight him. He licked against her lower lip, but didn't press her further. She pulled away from him, her eyes still wide.

He released her completely, allowing his hands to fall to his sides. "I'm sorry," he explained before she could lash against him. "I had to do something."

A nod told him she wasn't entirely upset about it. "Don't make a habit of it," she requested. Her voice cracked.

Opening Pein's door, he allowed Tsuki to pass. She stepped inside, then waited for him before approaching Pein's desk to sit in one of the chairs. Deidara sat down beside her. Faced with Pein, Tsuki's wave of fear returned. Deidara offered her his hand, away from Pein's line of sight. She took it, and he squeezed gently.

Pein looked at Deidara with scrutiny. "What the hell were you thinking?" Tsuki squeezed his hand reflexively.

Deidara sighed; he certainly didn't waste time getting to the point. He placed his other hand over Tsuki's in an attempt to relax her. "They wouldn't have dared to make a move against us in the open," he explained.

The gesture did not go unnoticed. Pein's eyes followed Deidara's movement before he rebuked Deidara's statement. "It gave them hope, and hope lends to courage. You destroyed their spy, but they will know who was behind it. The two of you were seen, and rumors are already spreading through the city unchecked."

"What difference does it make, hm?" he inquired. "They already know she's here. There were rumors about her from the start. If they see there's personal investment, they'll think I'll go to any length to protect her."

"The rumors are irrelevant. It was her exposure that put her in danger. If there had been more than one man, it could have been devastating to our cause." Pein glanced at her, attempting to keep his expression indifferent. Her fear was evident; he had never seen her so vulnerable. It was hard for him to believe this was the same woman who challenged him on every occasion she could. So this was the extent of Orochimaru's destruction. He had crippled her resolve.

Deidara nodded, understanding his point, though he disagreed with his reasoning. "We could have handled them," he stated.

He looked at Tsuki. He lowered his voice to her, cautious of scaring her further. "I ordered you to stay within the compound for a reason. I will not have you fighting senselessly in my city. You now understand that there are those here who wish you ill, just to elicit a reaction out of us."

He didn't get a response greater than a nod from her. She was gradually calming down, regaining her composure of disinterest. Her hand still clutched Deidara's, and if it hadn't been for his eavesdropping, he would have had suspicions about the nature of their relationship.

He readdressed Deidara. "I cannot allow this to go unchecked. For the time being, you are relieved of your assignment to oversee her."

Deidara began to protest, but Pein held up a hand to stop him. "This is nonnegotiable. Your irresponsibility could have gotten her killed."

"Who will you assign her to?" he asked. "Tobi won't do it, and there's hardly anyone else here." Deidara chanced a look at Tsuki, who had remained almost unnaturally silent.

She looked back at him, worry in her eyes. "I'll be okay," she whispered.

Pein disrupted their exchange. "That has yet to be decided." He decided to be merciful, and not force her to remain in his company while he figured out who would be her next guardian. "I will inform you in the morning. Until then, she will remain with you. You are both dismissed."