Hello all!

Well, despite my depressing certainty that I wouldn't be able to write this chapter during the holidays (this was recently expressed on my profile) due to going away both the first and second week, I've managed to bring my laptop to Yorkshire with me and forsook my work to write this for you! How sweet. (lolz)

Ah well - I wrote half of this today (4th April, Sunday) and half of it last night. It's probably my longest chapter yet. I went to bed at eleven last night with the belief that we would be leaving at nine/ten-ish this morning. Actually, my brother and I were woken up at 1:30 by our dad who thought we'd avoid the snow by leaving early. Then we got caught in a blizzard.(Ahahaha…--)

Anyway, sorry - this isn't supposed to be the story of my life.
I'll let you get on and read the chapter.

((Oh, btw...I'm not sure how much I've censored swearing up until now (if at all), but this chapter contains a bit of swearing. Anyway - it's rated teen for a reason. I don' t think anything I've written in this fic is unsuitable for teens. I'm a teen anyway (although, to be honest, that's not saying much. Have you seen the amount of '...' teens write today? Seriously...).))

Shutting the door behind her, Ino suddenly realised that her heart was fluttering at a rate which it shouldn't be.

'Kami-sama…what is it with me today?' Ino muttered quietly with a frown before walking off down the corridor in search of the young medic who had asked her for help earlier.

The tap squeaked as if rusty as the flow of water ebbed and then finally subsided altogether. His cloak having been discarded and washed once more, Sasori now leant over the recently used sink, his hands resting on the sides. He opened his eyes and saw that although his hands were now clean, there was still some diluted blood in the basin that had been missed by the flow of the water.

Ah well, he thought blankly, it's not like there's anyone to care.

Normally he would have dealt with the spots of blood himself, being somewhat of a pernickety character at heart - but for once he didn't feel like he had the energy to bother with the small details. He would have put his tiredness to not having gotten much sleep - but this answer just wouldn't satisfy him; I managed to sleep reasonably well last night. Better than I have been doing for a while at the base anyway.

Gritting his teeth, Sasori knew that staring, frozen, into an almost empty sink was a waste of his valuable time - something else valued highly by him - but, once again, he found that he didn't have the energy to move away.

Did she poison me? No. I was too careful for that to have happened. She didn't even manage to inflict any damage on me. Why can't I move? I feel as if I'm stuck, as if time has stopped for me.

A drop of water fell from the tap to splash into the basin, suggesting that either the tap was leaking or that Sasori hadn't managed to fully turn the handle. The 'plip' of the drop hitting the plastic sounded amplified and Sasori began to fear that Sakura somehow had managed to poison him.

Maybe when I was restraining her she managed to inject me without me noticing. No. I'm not that dumb - I would have noticed. I'm sure I would have. But…

This gnawing fear moved Sasori enough to animate himself as he pushed away from the sink, his eyes rapidly moving over his body, searching for any cut or irregularity that might hint at why he was behaving so strangely.

'That's enough,' he hissed suddenly as he began on his third inspection. Then, 'That's enough allready!' He snapped again, louder this time, and clasped his hands together. Staggering backwards away from the sink in which he could still imagine he saw the blood in, Sasori ended up with his back against the far wall, facing the bathroom door. Leaning his head back and still keeping his hands firmly grasped in front of him, Sasori closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing.

This is stupid, he thought numbly. So stupid. I'm getting worked up over nothing. Kusou. I'm not poisoned. I'm probably not even tired. I'm just…well, that doesn't matter. I need to contact leader. I need to tell him where the kyuubi brat is, I need to tell him… Here Sasori stopped, suddenly opening his eyes wide and staring up at the dark, shadowed roof.

'Deidara,' he mouthed, suddenly realising why he was so tired.

Deidara was dead.

At first it hadn't sunk in, and perhaps it still hadn't, but with Deidara dead Sasori suddenly felt empty. Not that he had ever felt particularly full but, unlike what he had always thought, Deidara meant more than him than a working partner. He tried to laugh at this, but somehow it just wasn't funny.

What was he then - a friend? He tried to laugh at this, too, but it sounded wrong and empty - and far too short. He remembered his conversation with Ino back when Sakura had first come to check on her;

'Don't you think that I might need a friend right now?'

'What for?'

'B-because…I-my friend just died. Does that really mean nothing to you? What if Deidara died?'

'Deidara is not a friend. I would be annoyed that I had to get a new partner, that is all.'

'But- he treats you with respect, he calls you 'danna', does that mean nothing to you?'

'That is why it would be an inconvenience to have to find another partner. That is why I stick with him. Getting another partner to acknowledge me as he does…it would be tiring and unnecessary.'

Internally Sasori grimaced at his words, but his face muscles refused to form the expression.
I think that I might need a friend right now. My friend just died.
It pained him how his words mirrored Ino's. It pained him how he finally understood. It pained him the most though as he finally answered Ino's question.

'It didn't - doesn't - mean nothing to me that he treated me with respect. It would be more than an inconvenience to find and train a new partner - it would be impossible. But that's not why I stuck with him. That's not why I hate him for being so weak.'

It's because I'm alone now.

'So,' Tsunade started bluntly, her chin resting on her overlapped hands and her elbows resting on the table. She was staring straight at Ino, who was sitting uncomfortably in a chair pulled up in front of the desk. 'So,' Tsunade repeated, 'You managed to lose your weapons pouch during the mission you had two days ago and, after a whole day and a half of sitting around at home in fine weather, you decided you'd finally leave to search for it, on your own, just as it began to tip it down with rain?'

With Tsunade's eyebrow raised sceptically at her, Ino felt even more uncomfortable.

'Well, um, yeah. I guess so.'

That had been what she had told Tsunade when interrogated on why she had been outside Konoha the night before and returned dripping wet with a cold.

'And after all that you returned without your weapons pouch?'

Ino bit her lip and nodded. I wish I was as good a liar as Deidara.

Tsunade bit on her own lip, mirroring Ino, thoughtfully. Ino sneezed and Tusnade looked back up at her sharply.

''orry,' Ino muttered apologetically and Tsuande sighed, her thoughts suddenly much less deep.

'Well, never mind that - I suppose you were quite off put by Ch- well, by what happened before.'

Ino breathed an inconspicuous sigh of relief.

'Now,' Tsunade started more sternly and Ino froze; What else?!

'What are you doing up and about when you've got a cold?'

Kusou.

'Ahahahahaha,' Ino laughed nervously at Tsunade's slated eyes and rubbed the back of her neck as Naruto had been so prone to do when he was still around to be 'viewed' by the public. Naruto…Sakura…Damn. Why haven't I told her? Why did I lie?

'Well…?' Tsunade pressed, her face darkening almost comically considering the subject of interrogation. Not wanting to go back on what she had said and admit she was lying, Ino shrugged and suppressed another sneeze.

'Id's really not that bad,' she explained hopefully. Tsunade continued to glare at her and Ino wilted slightly in her seat.

'Tsunade-sama!' A rushed voice called out from behind Ino as she heard the door slam open and, turning to look, Ino saw that Shizune had just run in, carrying her pet pig and waving an envelope on high in her right hand. Jerked out of her 'evil stare' position, Tsunade looked up in surprise and Ino inwardly praised the Gods for Shizune's timely entrance.

'Tsunade-sama, this envelope just came for you from Keikoto - and the messenger said it's urgent!'

Where (or who) the hell is Keikoto?

'What's Keikoto?' Tsunade asked for Ino and Shizune looked a bit taken aback. 'And stop waving that letter around and give it here if it's that urgent.'

Shizune immediately handed the white piece of folded paper over to Tsunade, explaining as she did so, 'Keikoto is a medium-sized village in the surrounding fire country - about twelve miles away from here. The messenger they sent has been running almost non-stop to get here. Apparently he left very late last night.'

Tsunade didn't reply, too busy reading the letter, and Ino considered taking her leave. Unfortunately the information was just too exciting to miss, Ino being a great stickler for gossip - and besides, she didn't want to bring any unwanted attention to herself.

Tsunade's face once again became grim as she read the messily scrawled kanji. Ino noticed the hokage's hands begin to tremble as she reached near the bottom of the letter and winced in anticipation as Tsunade dropped the paper and brought her fist down.

There was a deafening thud as Tsunade's fist angrily connected with the wooden table and a long crack appeared down the middle.

'Damn them!' She hissed vehemently, her eyes so slanted it was becoming hard to see if they were open at all. Shizune bent down and carefully picked up the letter from where it had floated to the floor, mindful of how dangerous getting too close to the Hokage was at the moment. She put the pig down onto the floor at the same time ('oink!') and stood back up, waiting patiently.

Suddenly Tsunade had a brainwave and sat back up straight. Pointing dramatically at Shizune she commanded, 'Go and fetch team Kakashi and team Guy.' When Shizune hesitated Tsunade shouted at her, 'Now!' and she left immediately, running comically in her high heels.

Tsunade held her head in her hands and groaned; being Hokage is hard work.

Ino tried her best to be quiet and hoped that Tsunade wouldn't notice her if she tried to sneak out. Just as she was about to move out of her chair and hurry over to the still-open door though Tsunade removed her hands from her face and looked around her desk as if searching for something. Her eyes lit up at the sight of a small, white coloured sake bottle and she immediately reached for it. Suddenly sensing something though she stopped and looked up. Her eyes met with Ino's and she frowned.

'Ino? What are you still doing here? Go back to work!'

The hokage's face was so dark and the order so briskly snapped that Ino did not hesitate to comply. When she was out into the corridor however with the door firmly closed behind her ('Ino - shut the door behind you!'), Ino sneezed three times and sniffed, reaching into her pocket for a hanker-chief, only to realise that she was still wearing the standard hospital scrubs.

Great, Ino thought ironically and gingerly wiped her nose on the white overcoat. I think I'll go get a new one. As well as being a great gossip-lover, Ino was also a stickler for cleanliness - which was a good trait for a nurse.

Hurrying out of the Hokage's block and into the nearest hospital changing room, Ino stripped off the white overcoat, threw it into the wash basket and claimed a new one from the half-full rack; it looks like there're more workers here now than this morning - or perhaps the west wing is just normally empty like that.

Humming softly to herself, Ino began to walk randomly around the hospital as she hadn't been set any particular work. Without realising it, her seemingly aimless walking led to the west wing again, and Ino stopped as she realised that she was only a few doors away from Deidara's room. She remembered what he had told - no, begged of her;

'Don't leave me, yeah - promise me you'll stay.'

She hadn't had time to promise him in the end, but Ino still felt bad about having left him. Is he alright? Suddenly full of guilt, Ino knocked on the door and waited for a moment or two.

'Ha-i,' a young female voice called tunefully and Ino opened the door to be met with the closed-eyed, open-mouthed, rather vacant face of Chikaru. It was apparent that the new medic had been about to open the door, because when her hand collided with Ino's chest she jumped in shock and stumbled backwards, her eyes now open.

'Oh! Sorry! I didn't realise you-' Chikaru stopped, confusing even herself with her rambling speech. 'Um…' She muttered with a light frown. Ino sighed.

'Hey, Chikaru - I'll take over here now. Go see if someone else needs help.'

Chikaru obeyed without question - jumping up, bowing and then hurrying out of the room in a daze. Ino watched her go in confusion; that girl is really weird.

Then, with another sigh, Ino turned to face the bed, closing the door with a well-placed backwards kick. Deidara, who was sitting upright in the bed and not looking at her, jumped in surprise at the door slamming shut and slowly turned his head to meet her gaze. Seeing that Ino was looking at him though, he turned his back to face straight in front of him, sideways on to her.

Sighing again, Ino hesitated by the door for a moment before walking over to the window and opening it. The warm breeze brushed against her face and carried the sweet smell of Spring's beautiful cherry blossom trees to her. It would have been a lot sweeter if it didn't remind her of Sakura.

A deep frown covering her face, Ino turned to face Deidara. He had been looking at her but, as soon as he saw her turn, he averted his eyes.

'Deidara…' Ino started, her voice holding a note of evident worry. He refused to look at her still. 'Deidara - you know Sasori better than anyone, I think,' here Ino paused as if needing verification. None came though and so she continued regardless, 'Well, I was just wondering…do you think Sakura is all right? Do you think she'll be ok?'

Still Deidara refused to acknowledge her and Ino's frown deepened.

'Hey, Deidara…' She started again, walking over to the stool positioned next to his bed. She assumed that Chikaru had moved it there because it hadn't been positioned thus last time she had been in the room.

'I'm not Deidara.' The reply, the first thing he had said to her since she had entered the room, was blunt. It surprised her. 'I'm Harako Daradei, a runaway nin from the hidden mist village. Yes?'

Suddenly Ino realised what he meant and what he was getting at - but with no-one in the room to overhear them she wasn't sure she understood why he was taking these precautions.

Sitting down on the stool, Ino played with her hands a bit.

'Harako-' She began, but he cut her off before she could go any further.

'You left me. Hm.' It appeared that, even though he was trying to assume a new personality, he couldn't help but leave his trademark 'hm' or 'yeah' in his speech.

'Well I never promised I wouldn't!' Ino exclaimed, still feeling guilty despite her protests of innocence. 'Besides - it's not like you were harmed whilst I was away.'

His mouth a thin line, Deidara turned his head away from her.

'Look - it's not like I had much choice,' Ino reasoned, a little too desperately for her liking.

Kami-sama - why should I care if he thinks I hate him? That's his fault. Even so, Ino gingerly reached out a hand and touched Deidara's left shoulder (the nearest one to her). He jerked at her touch and pulled away, shooting her a warning look as he did so. Confused, Ino withdrew her hand.

What is wrong with him? This is different from when he didn't want me to speak back in the kitchen. Back then his eyes were different, and his voice was different too. Now he looks and sounds normal - but he's really on edge.
Kusou. He's really cute as well. Even when he's angry.

Sighing, Ino put her head on one side and let her eyes wander over the back of Deidara's head.

Fine then. If he's going to be all stuck about it all then I'll just have to knock some sense into him.
Her face now darkened, Ino began to form some rapid hand seals.

'Ninpou, shinten no jutsu,' Ino whispered.

Without the ability to cry, due to his lack of a nervous system, Sasori's face had remained blank and without tears. Then, after a while of standing still and staring vacantly at the ceiling, he had walked over to the sink and washed away the spot of blood that had once again gained the ability to annoy him. Afterwards, he had grabbed his cloak and left the room.

Now he sat at the kitchen table, absentmindedly following the crack with his eyes as he played idly with his ring. He still didn't quite understand why Deidara's death had shocked him so much. Or why it had hurt him. He hadn't hurt like this for a very long time, and it worried him.

'I'm getting soft.' But I think I'll probably miss our art arguments the most. They annoyed me at the time, because he was so stubborn on his point of view and wouldn't listen to me…but somehow I liked that. It was like a distinct part of his character which I will never be able to relate to.
But damn if I'm not going soft again. Shut up about him already. He's dead and gone. He's the past. I've still got the present to worry about and, worse still, the future.

'And Pein is definitely not going to be happy with me.'

Grimacing, Sasori slipped his ring back onto his finger and tapped it three times meditatively. Closing his eyes, he formed the hand sign for 'Katsu' and reached out with his chakra, searching for the Akatsuki leader.

It was a weird feeling, the feeling of losing control. Deidara didn't feel it terribly often, but this time it felt different. He wasn't angry and he still had a level head - but somehow he felt as if his body was numb and his consciousness seemed incredibly undersized, like it was caged in a box that was far too small for it. Ngh, he thought, not terribly coherently, and tried to lift his arm. Instead, his head turned against his will and he found himself staring at the collapsed from of Ino. Ngh! He protested, immediately wanting to help her.

Up until now he had been acting coldly towards her, but only because he didn't want to encourage any silly, frivolous actions on her part that would ruin everything. He really did love her (at least he was pretty sure he did. He had never been in love before though, so he couldn't really say for certain), and he didn't want that love to be underestimated. If he sunk to the level of silly little flirts then he was afraid Ino might mistake his gestures - and although his cold exterior did nothing to encourage love of her own, Deidara didn't really expect Ino to love him back. (Who the hell would love someone like me, yeah?)

His body, no longer in his control, seemed to hesitate for a few moments before lifting Ino up and trying to sit her on the stool. When she promptly collapsed again though he moved her onto the bed next to him and then hesitated again. It appeared that whoever was in control of his body (by now he had a fair idea that it was probably Ino - besides, he had heard her call her jutsu before she collapsed) wasn't desperately sure what to do with it.

Ino? He managed to think, hoping that she would be able to hear him like this. Apparently she could because, almost immediately, he heard a foreign-sounding voice in his head reply,

Yes, Harako-kun?

Inwardly anime sweat-dropping, Deidara was nevertheless relieved that they could converse this way, even if it wasn't in ideal circumstances.
Get the fuck out of my head.

He heard her giggle and felt a little weird because the girly laugh sounded wrong in his mind and, also, he could see her inanimate body propped up against his own.
Awww, does Harako-kun not like girls being in charge? Ino replied in a fake-sad voice. This time Deidara mentally grimaced.

How the hell am I going to get her out of my mind, yeah? He wondered before realising she could hear his thoughts. Kusou. He heard her giggle again.

Well you can hardly be called a girl. No girl would torment an injured patient like this. Hm. This shut her up for a bit, and Deidara began to wonder if she had gone, but he still couldn't move and so he assumed she was just stumped as to thinking of a good reply.

Why do you drop the suffixes off of my name? Was the completely unrelated response a while later. Deidara mentally frowned.

Why not?

Well, I didn't give you permission to.

And I suppose I gave you permission to use your clan's jutsu on me, yeah?
There was a long pause after this, which Deidara finally broke.
Look - I'll tell you properly why I don't use suffixes with you if you get out of my mind. Hm

Oh, really? How do I know you're not bluffing?

Oh well, you're in charge. Why don't you give yourself a kunai to threaten me with or something, yeah?

I don't have a kunai.

No, I'm afraid I don't either. Oh well, it looks like you're just gonna have to trust me, yeah.

If Deidara could control his body, he would be grinning. As it was, he wasn't. A moment later though and Deidara felt himself being freed, his mind now allowed to spread out and relax. He smiled in relief. Damn I'm not going to let her do that again, he promised himself and then blinked, looking down at the now animated girl lying against him on the bed. She, too, blinked and looked up at him.

'Hey Harako-kun,' she murmured, grinning. He frowned at her. Stop acting so immaturely, yeah. I want to say something serious.

'So…' Ino started slowly as if she still hadn't quite adjusted to being back in her own body. 'Why d'ya drop the suffixes?' She continued to grin lazily up at him and Deidara continued to frown back.

'Because I love you, yeah,' Deidara muttered a minute later, turning his head away sadly so that he didn't have to see the rejection he was sure would appear on Ino's face. Perhaps if he had said it in a more cheerful voice Ino would have thought he was joking - but the sincerity also made it sound regretful and she felt a slight tinge of pain amongst her shock.

She had been out with boys before when she was younger, but it had always been silly dates and, now she thought about it, really all for the show ('Awww - Juigen's embarrassed. Isn't that SO cute?'). The fact that her first kiss had been with Deidara, even though she had had boyfriends before, showed the immaturity of her previous relationships. Somehow when you were that young you could say, 'I love you' with such ease and so little thought - but Ino got the feeling that this just wasn't the same.

Back then, 'I love you' is said with smiles and somewhat false sincerity. 'I'm going to marry you' is said in the same tone. It isn't said with a turn of the head, a sombre voice and a down-turned mouth.

Ino stayed where she was, frozen by the words, as she thought over them in her mind. From anyone else's mouth I would be able to dismiss those words as unimportant. I might even be able to trick myself into believing they were false. But from his mouth I feel as if I've been given an opportunity of a life-time…and if I don't take it now, I might lose it forever.

Ino began to feel uncomfortable lying against Deidara when she still hadn't given a reply. A reply? What do I say? Neither of us is armed. This isn't a test. It's just purely a choice. A choice I must make - and soon. I've lied to Tsunade for him. I prayed for him when I left. I came here subconsciously - but these things don't amount to much. What really matters is what's in the heart.

Peering up at Deidara, Ino realised that her heart was thumping. Despite this, she still managed to feel comfortable against him, his left arm warm against her side. Knowing now for certain what her answer would be, Ino sneaked her left arm up the thin quilt and Deidara's standard-male-pyjama covered chest to rest over his heart. There was a slight movement out of the corner of Ino's eyes and she saw Deidara bring his right hand up to clasp hers. At first she thought it was sweet, but then he took her hand away from his chest and rested it on the quilt, his hand remaining on top of it. With his head still turned away from her, Deidara muttered tonelessly,

'Please don't torment me, yeah. You asked and so I told you. That's all.'

It took a while for Ino to realise that he thought she was kidding around with him. Her hand twitched under his firm hold. I'm not joking though. How can I make him understand?

Pushing down on the mattress with her right hand, Ino pushed herself upright and away from Deidara's bandaged left arm. He turned his head slightly, but not enough to actually look at her. Annoyed that he thought she was joking, Ino breathed deeply to calm herself before firmly placing her right hand on top of his. This time he looked at her, as she had anticipated he would.

Staring earnestly into the one eye she could see, Ino said as sincerely as she could,

'I'm not joking, so please believe me.'

When Deidara only blinked in reply Ino looked away, unsure as to whether she should continue or not. But then she remembered what she had decided. She loved him, she really did. And so she would tell him so and they would run away. Even if it meant leaving all her friends and her village behind, she would. For him. So why was it so hard to complete that first little part - to jump that first hurdle?

Looking back into his eye, Ino finished softly,

'I love you too.'

If she had expected a lovey-dovey reply to this, Ino would've found herself very disappointed. As it was, she was just hoping he'd believe her. Even in this case she found herself disappointed though as he snorted at her reply, turning his head away once more.

'I'm telling the truth!' Ino snapped indignantly, and Deidara turned back to her with a raised eyebrow.

'You don't even know me, hm.'

Ino glared back.
'Same here - but that didn't stop you from saying it. I believed you, so why can't y-'

'Look,' Deidara snapped, cutting her off mid-word. 'Who could love someone like me, yeah? I'm an S-class criminal - I've killed countless people…and you're a medic-nin!'

Ino's stare softened slightly at that.
'Well, that's just testament to 'opposites attract', right?' She smiled at him, and he looked back curiously.

'I've never heard that before, hm.'

Ino shrugged. 'It's not important.'

Deidara seemed more relaxed now, and Ino began to hope that he had finally decided to believe her. Then she made a mistake.

'Hey,' she spoke out, reaching her hand forward towards his face, 'I never did see…' Ino trailed off as her wrist was grabbed tightly, just as her finger had brushed against his bang. He was looking at her coldly.

'And you never won.'

'If you really loved me, you wouldn't keep secrets,' she retorted sullenly and he bit his lip.

'Don't. Please. You'll regret it.' This time his eye was imploring, but he let go of her hand anyway. Ino was surprised because she had expected him to say something like 'you're spoilt', but she realised that it just showed how much he loved her.

I really am spoilt. If he doesn't want me to see, then I shouldn't press him. Hesitating, Ino finally sighed and withdrew her hand. She saw Deidara's eye widen at this gesture. Then he looked down at the sheets.

'So you do love me.' It sounded as if it pained him to say it. Ino didn't reply but watched instead as Deidara lifted his right hand to his bang and brushed it out of the way. This time he stayed facing her, his one good eye closed.

Ino took the sight in as blankly as she could, not wanting to upset Deidara should she hate what she saw.

In all actuality, it wasn't that bad. A shock at first, admittedly - but not desperately ugly. She had expected him to be scarred or missing an eye but, instead, a large metal camera lens covered his left eye and a large portion of the left side of his face. It was…practical. Ino couldn't help giggling at his solemn attitude.

'Is this all?' She asked with another giggle, reaching out her right hand to gently trace the metal eye enhancement. Deidara flinched as she touched the cold metal, but soon relaxed enough to take a picture of her relieved, smiling face. At first the whirring noise of the camera adjusting it's lens shocked Ino, and she pulled back slightly, but she soon realised what it was and laughed.

'I don't see why you're so shy of it,' Ino told him, watching to see his reaction. 'You can capture beautiful sunsets and have unique moments last forever!'

For some reason, this didn't go down too well.

'What would be the point in that? Things aren't supposed to last forever. Art is a bang, yeah.' He muttered disjointedly. Ino put her head on one side questionably, but he didn't expand on his points.
'And that's not all. Hm.'

It's as if he doesn't want me to love him.

Deidara tried to lift his left arm, but it was too badly injured for him to try and move it, so he gave up on that idea.

'Let go of my hand,' he ordered, although his tone was not sharp. Ino complied, removing her right hand. Now his right hand rested on top of her left and, slowly - as if that hand, too, was hard to move, he turned it over. Now that Ino was looking, she could see that there was a long, thin slit in the palm of his hand. She remembered seeing a slit like that on one of his hands when she had first met him - but it had only been a brief glimpse, and from further away than she was now. At first she thought he was injured and wanted her to heal it - but then the slit widened to allow a moist tongue to poke out and 'taste the air'.

Taken by surprise, Ino jumped - but then she gingerly reached forward and hovered her hand above his, unsure as to what she should do. Before she could come up with something to say though, the tongue in his hand reached up and licked her palm, the wet, tickling sensation causing her to giggle again.

As she looked up to meet Deidara's amused gaze, she suddenly heard loud, clicking footsteps nearing the door to 'their' room. Deidara had heard them too because his face suddenly became serious and his eyes hard. Bringing his right hand (now devoid of tongue) up to his lips, he signalled for her to be quiet and then waved her off of the bed. Ino didn't need to be told and was already sitting on the stool by the time he dropped his hand to his side. Whoever it was didn't bother to knock, and Ino watched nervously as the handle slowly began to turn.

Kusou. Please have the wrong room. Please go away. Please leave us alone.

'K, how was it?

I thought it dragged on too long and proof-reading was boring. My longest chapter so far though I think, and not that bad for thirteen pages worth.

Ah, also...when I asked for suggestions on a new Akatsuki pairing in my last chapter I meant an Akatsuki pair like Hidan and Kakuzu or Itachi and Kisame. I'll take into consideration your comments of what other romance pairings you'd like though, and it's not too late to get you two cents in, so...

...Please review with your comments! :D

Much love,

-WfCP

(Woohoo for Crack Pairings)