Chapter 26: No Such Thing as Equity

Warnings: N/A

A/N: Alright, so once again, I'm sorry for the lengthy wait but I have a legitimate -not really-
reason this time. The first excuse would be that I'm traveling & visiting relatives right now.
Second reason is that I'm going to be making the chapters longer from here on
for various reasons. Hope you don't mind this, really. I'll still be putting my
effort into making them come asap, but just as a heads up, it might take longer as
I wanna keep quality as well. Thanks forthe support guys, xoxo!

So yeah, longer chapter! Enjoy!

"Ino, I..." His lips pressed together into a thin line; he just couldn't say it. There was so much shame and remorse in the words, if not for the way she stared at him expectantly, he would've blew something up. But Ino was there, gazing at him with wide eyes that held anticipating confusion.

She cocked a cornsilk eyebrow and pursed her lips, "You...?" The word drawled out, left hanging as she waited for him to finish. Whatever it was, it seemed... significant, even almost in a shockingly terrifying way. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to hear it or not, but of course, her curiosity wouldn't die.

Deidara's weight shifted on the heels of his feet uneasily. "...Nevermind." He grumbled, tearing his metallic orbs from her, releasing her wrist as he began to take fidgety steps away.

"W-wait...!" She shrieked abruptly, taking hold of his arm. He twirled on his heel and the fizzling chagrin spouted from his reluctance. "Just spit it out, Deidara." Ino added weakly.

"Spit it out?" He repeated snarkily. "It's much more complex than just 'spitting it out'." Ino could feel the frustration radiate from his voice, more so the sudden swerve of his mood from composed to sour. Never was a good thing about him, the way he felt wrathful. For whatever reason he had for being so entangled, she really wanted to know.

Her arm retracted from its clutch and enveloped across her chest. "C'mon, I'm sure it's not that hard."

The S-ranked criminal felt his lips twitch anxiously. "You're not aware of what the matter is, so I doubt that gives you a right to deem it easy, un." He responded bitterly with a grimace. A sigh liberated from his lips as he squeezed his eyes shut in frustration for the shortest second.

"You don't have to be so cruel about it." She shot back icily, eyebrows justifying as her face twisted into a scowl. "I mean, no need to get so worked up about it - it's not that big of a deal."

Her comment, so false and so oblivious, was merely a display of underrating his thoughts. That's it, huh? And it was crossing the line - for him, at least. The wave of anger that crashed against him was too strong for him to contain, and his fists clenched once his lips spurred into action. "Are you stupid?" He roared, the dander prominent in his voice. "It may have been easy for you to say you loved me, but do you know how hard it is for me to confess my feelings for you too-?" And that was it. As the words tumbled out irrationally, he had realized what he had just done and it felt like the air was stolen from him. Mortification. A pang of regret. Shit, shit, shit!

There was no looking back as he ripped his gaze away, appalled. A feeling inside of him stirred, one eerie and ghostly blank. Like nothing that was something. A cold breeze curled against the blond male's skin - a breeze that wasn't the wind.

Ino merely gaped, large empty eyes seemingly staring into the distance. Had he not said what he said, she would've proceeded to argue about how her confession was not easy; that bastard! But that wasn't the situation - he did say what she had heard, and it rendered her frozen.

He was okay with that, if 'okay' was an appropriate term to use; the lack of reaction, the better. He turned away once more, a crossover of a sigh, a growl and a groan emitting from his lips as his eyebrows narrowed, tensed and raging. God damn this whole thing. The thought ruptured against his thrashing mind as he began to stride back into the hotel room.

"D-Deidara!" She cried, hand flying out in a blur and locking onto his, stopping his movement.

"What?" He snapped, and his eyes couldn't help but perceive the way she flinched and sunk back. "Just... leave it, un." Slowly pulling her hand from his, he was taken back by how quick her other hand shot out to chain him into place.

"Dei... y-you..." Ino was at loss for words, literally. The only thought exploding over and over. I can't believe it. "Do you mean that? About... about your feelings...?" The kunoichi didn't care at how childishly hopeful she had sounded. To hell with it.

He groaned, heavy and exhausted. "...Ino, just drop it..."

"No." It was a simple syllable, but one that spoke so many emotions and thoughts.

Deidara sighed, pressing his eyes shut once again before re-opening to hesitantly meet her azures. "Yes, Ino, I do." He groaned, his breath so hot she could feel it mingle past her skin. "I have feelings for you. I am in love with you. J-just..." Once more, a frustrated sigh was unshackled. His anxiousness was clearly scrawled on his face in front of her, and she didn't protest when he slipped his hand away from hers and retreated back into the room.

The Yamanaka tottered after, bleak footsteps padding against the ground. The door shut with a click and she glanced at the male to see him propped against the edge of his bed with his forehead resting in the palm of his hand. A current of an unfamiliar feeling fizzled through her body. Was he wanting a response from her? Or was he really that upset with himself? Whatever the reason, she sighed and took a valiant step forward, placing her hands where his one wrist supported his head.

"Deidara," She murmured softly, pulling his hand away from his face.

"What, un?" He snarled and she could've rolled her eyes; such typical Deidaraness.

In the same second he lifted his head up, she had moved to quickly for him to appraise the situation. Before he even registered what was going on, her soft lips were pressed against his own. They were hot, luscious and undeniably arousing, parting and molding against his. Her hand played with his silky hair, running past and twirling the soft strands as she leaned her weight onto his bold body. He was hesitant, pausing to resist and slowly sink back into the depths of the kiss, his heavy, hot breath lingered in her mouth. It wasn't a surprised that they had toppled over onto the bed and the Yamanaka felt the heat emit from his body beneath her.

As instant as it started, the male's lips stopped immediately and he turned his face away. "Ino," he muttered beneath his heavy breath, a thin layer of sweat matting his cheeks. "What're you trying to say?" The plump words came out blunt and indirect, his uneasiness lacing the syllables as her lips curled into an amorous smile. There was a striking sensation in his head, one he couldn't particularly identify, but he let it last as the anticipation swelled.

"I approve," She snorted with a roll of her eyes, a genuine smile following right after. "Really." Body hovering above his, her head dipped lower to float mere inches away from his. His eyes were slack with shapeless, unreachable depths that screamed nothing but yearning. Her thick, warm breath grazed his cheek, his resistance bleeding as his eyes shut in surrender before he pulled her forward for their lips to meet once more. Deidara's mouth was wanting, needy and his lips exerted a force, deepening the kiss as his arms encircled around her waist. The gesture caused thrilling sparks to explode inside of her.

She could feel her hips drop onto his, no longer hovering as Ino straddled his figure with her hands placed onto his bold shoulders. His soft lips were demanding and rough, stealing the air from her mouth as he slipped his tongue inside, earning a low, throaty gasp from Ino. The sensation was giddily invigorating and she felt her hands snake under his shirt and onto his lightly toned abdomen. The caress of her hands tempted him as his lips worked onto hers, both breathless - which made their mouths even more intense. A shrill bolt of pleasure shot down Ino's spine as she felt him rub her thighs suggestively and she proceeded to -

knock, knock!

The pair stopped with a jolt, breaking the private oblivion of lust as their heads whipped to glance at the door. A nanosecond of staring elapsed before their necks craned to lock eyes on one another. The sound of their heavy gasps for air, the sight of his face crept by a -sexy- shade of ignited red from activity, curtained by downed, damp hair with his electric lazy eyes and the feeling of their bodies touching in such a way added to the sudden knock to reality, was enough to render Ino's cheeks a burnt, slushy shade of scarlet.

Knock, knock!

The rapping was harder this time, perhaps even more impatient.

"Senpai!" The versatile voice called from behind the door! "Senpai!"

Deidara's lips pulled into a snarl as his eyes morphed into a glower at the door. "Dammit Tobi..." He muttered under his breath, the malice penetrating his words and slid Ino off. "had to be the wrong time..."

Ino on the other hand was completely stricken by the voice, an untouchable fear icing across her skin as she pulled away from the bed, shuddering and watched him stride to the door. Her embarrassment was swallowed by the trepidation and her skin froze as he swung the door open.

"What, Tobi, un?" Deidara growled, the panted snarl emitting from behind his teeth.

"Leader-sama says he can't get to your head! He told me to tell you he wants a meeting," He elaborated. "It's weird! I thought he could get into anyone's head..."

The blond turned his head away and muttered vaguely."I was busy with something, un."

"Well, we should go to the meeting soon!" He ventured, before peering at the bomber. "Senpai, why are you... sweaty?" The comment was mortifying and embarrassing, a panicky prick taking its place as he swallowed unnervingly. "Were you exercising?"

Behind the sudden fear that began to dissolve, Deidara thought one thing; what a dumbass. "Yeah, sure."

"Aaaaaaah! I see! Well, get ready for the meeting okay?" The enigma began to wave his hand hastily and take steps down the hall.

"Whatever," The muttering was left at that as he shut the door and twirled on his heel. Ino merely gazed at him with her large, unreachable eyes while propped against the edge of her own bed. For a moment, an awkward silence dawned on them before she took a breath.

"So," she said, kicking herself off the bed. "a meeting, huh?"

"Yeah, I didn't realize he was trying to contact me, un." His shoulders rolled into a shrug as he turned away. "I guess I'll get to it now..."

Her cherubic head tilted to the side. "You'll be back soon?"

He released a laugh before turning to face her. "I won't be gone, un. It's only a jutsu that'll let me communicate with the others."

"...And Tobi?"

Deidara was silent for the shortest second. "He's in the meeting too, don't worry, un. If you need me though, just nudge me, alright?"

It took a moment as she dawdlingly thought it through. "Yeah, okay." There were so many unspoken words she had yearned to speak, but the time wasn't right - she knew that. Questions, confessions, they'd all have to be saved for later. Though she'd only be able to bottle them up until after, as her impulsive lips would obviously betray her.

Her eyes followed intently, watching him settle into a cross-legged pose as he positioned his hands into a seal. His eyes shut, eyebrows narrowing against them just the slightest bit in a pension she couldn't quite lay her finger on, but she was silent and gazed at him inquisitively. It was interesting - the aspect of what could be happening in his head at the moment. Voices? Dark eyes? Or... holograms? Were the holograms what they did?

She shook the thought off. She could feel her heart thunder beneath her chest, the giddy sensation of knowing how he actually felt dancing inside. Really, she wanted to talk about it - his love for her, as in why, how, when... And she sighed; one of boredom with a dillydallying touch to it as her eyes roved past him once more. Ino caught his mouth pull back in what seemed like an instinctive growl, eyebrows bounding tighter as the anger scrawled against his face. She waited.

"Tobi, shut up!" the mouth belonging to Deidara shot wrathfully.

"And, and Senpai said he was just exercising in his room-"

A cackle interjected the rest of the babble - one from Hidan. "You sure you weren't just fucking that girl, Deidara-chan?" He tittered obnoxiously, the amusement present against his holographic features. "Yeah, sweaty and tired with a girl in your room! Doesn't get any more frickin' obvious than that you ass!"

"Shut the nonsense an-"

"And, seriously, never thought it'd be you, of all the god damn people, to get involved like that!" The Jashinist snickered. "All you ever fucking love is your dumb art - never payed attention to any girl, and look at you now just banging that one chick!"

"Quiet!"

Each member froze quietly, balancing themselves as they glanced at Pein with acute eyes. A small silence followed after as the leader began to assay the crowd with his perilous eyes. "We've located the location of the Nine-tails." He spoke vigilantly. "Our main priority as of now would be to capture the Jinchuuriki, who is traveling within the Water country."

"Teh, what's the big problem here?" Kisame snorted a laugh.

"They're circumventing and evading any trace of any potential encounter amongst us, despite the ubiquity of each member." His voice lowered pensively. "That boy is being guarded by elite shinobi, so we settle with taking preliminary action."

Deidara cocked a perplexed eyebrow. "What's the point of that, un?"

"To stall and observe. There is, however, a method that will be used as an incentive to lure him near, whether he realizes it or not."

Hidan sighed. "And what the hell would that be...?"

Pein's eyes narrowed just the slightest bit. "It won't be discussed during this period. The substance in this meeting is to keep on guard if you approach the nine-tails. There's no pressure in the matter, so do not exceed limits that would result in strain or death. Deteriorating his guard if you happen to run into him would be the best act."

"Perhaps the matter would be best suited for Kisame and I, Leader-sama." A velvet voice echoed in the den and all pairs of eyes turned to face Itachi. "Observations would be more accurate with water manipulation and we would have an advantage."

The leader's eyes seemed to consider it but Deidara protested. "Whatever, leave this to Sasori and I. Or Tobi, if it stoops to that, un."

"Brat," Sasori growled. "you ran off so I'm alone. How do you expect to work with such a distance?" His voice was acidic. "Had you not messed with Tobi and the Yamanaka, we could've taken the Jinchuuriki instead."

"What is the meaning of your separation?" Pein inquired and the blond felt himself swallow nervously.

"Matters I want to discuss after this whole thing, un."

"Probably something to do with his girlfriend," The Jashinist crooned before exploding into a cackle.

"Quiet, Hidan. Itachi, Kisame, I'll let you play with the Jinchuuriki then. Deidara, we'll talk now. Everyone is dismissed."

Deidara watched silently as each hologram slowly began to waver and scathingly vanish. Right before the puppeteer, however, disappeared, he caught the "Brat," and scowled before turning to the last remaining hologram. Suddenly, everything he had planned to say was gone and he was at loss for words. The second time that day, dammit. "...Uh, there's been a problem lately..."

"Proceed..."

"Ino - the girl, that is... She was attacked, recently, un."

"The girl may have a factor as a subordinate, but if that's the case this is not relevant to us."

He shook his head. "No, by Tobi. I know she's just Sasori's subordinate, but..." ...but what? But I love her? What the hell am I supposed to say? "she has potential from my perspective."

"Deidara, if that was the case, perhaps it would be something to discuss, however, it's not." Pein's words were hard. "Your feelings are beginning to develop more, I see, but to be intertwined with something that could be left as disregarded is not tolerable."

Deidara clenched his fists and contained a groan of frustration. "It... doesn't have anything to do with that, un."

He could imagine the crease in Pein's forehead deepening. "It does."

"Well," He shifted with discomfort. "I... uh,"

"I am warning you in advance not to get so attached to the Yamanaka. The plot I was referring to before may not draw your approval - your opinion won't change what I've established but it'd be best to leave her alone."

"...W-what? What does Ino have to do with that...?"

The leader's lips pressed into a thin line and he opened his lips.

Pein was gone. His eyes flew open to be welcomed by the colors of a room.

"What the h-!" He found his lips exploding. "Ino - Dammit!"

Ino recoiled the hands that had nudged him hastily, blinking with surprise as she watched the anger scrawl on his face. "I, um, y-you said for me to..."

Deidara sighed in exasperation. "I know I said that, but..." He shook his head and snapped it back to her. "What do you need me for?" The frustration was gnawing at him each second, but he knew it was over. The chance of finding out what was going on with Pein's plan with Ino? Gone. Of course, this only added to how anxious he was to keep her safe. What the hell was going to happen?

Seeing him so aggravated made all her needs vanish. "I'm, um, hungry." She blurted feebly.

"That's it? You interrupted that cause you're hungry?" He sighed, "I thought I asked you earlier - you said you weren-"

"I know, but I am now." She pouted babyishly, and he had to inwardly admit that it was an amusing contrast to her usual bitchiness. "I know there's not much to eat, but there's some cup ramen..."

"You could've gone and made some yourself," Deidara pressed, "but it's done with, I guess, un. I'll have to talk to the leader later. I might as well eat some as well. Boil the water, I'll go grab the ramen cups..." As he had said, he stood and sauntered to the small cabinet the hotel provided, snatched a ramen cup - or bowl to be more specific - and passed it to Ino, who was in the mini-kitchen preparing the water. He returned to the spot they had just been sitting and waited impatiently. She strolled back with the steaming ramen, slowly walking whilst holding it delicately.

"How come it's only one cup?" She inquired, a disappointed expression plastered on her face. He chuckled at her - by the looks of it, she had been planning on wolfing out on her own, despite her petite figure.

A spreading grin made its way onto his lips, "Oh please, just share it, un." His tone was haughty and implying. She felt an exciting shock run through her skin. "I didn't think you would be so shy from the thought of eating from the same cup as me." He snickered.

"I-it's not that," She protested, though there really was no response. There was something about him that, even though she had just been caught in a making out session, made her nervous. jumpy and sensitive to smaller things like this. "Nevermind, let's just eat." For some reason, she couldn't peel her eyes away from him - this man, the man that stood before her, was in love with her. How could anyone not be jumpy?

She settled beside him, and coyly offered Deidara the chopsticks. He shook his head and pushed her hand back. "Feed me, un." He instructed nonchalantly.

Ino pursed her lips. "Are you serious? You're grown up. You expect me to feed-"

"Hurry up, Ino."

She glowered but cradled a clump of noodles between the chopsticks and raised it to his lips, where he delightfully stole it into his mouth and chewed. It was too tame for her; she impulsively wanted to talk about what just happened with his confession. Seriously. He had told her he loved her and they were eating?

"You look angry, un." He pointed out with observing eyes. "If it has something to do with being fed, I -"

"It's not that." She shook her head. It was a moment ago, but she was more occupied by a wanting than that now. In fact, feeding him was rather adorable. Her hands raised the chopsticks to her own lips and took it into her mouth. "Something else."

His eyebrow arched. "What, then?"

She vacillated, "...Well, I would've thought that when I had a guy reveal his love for me, I'd be... like," she couldn't quite lay her finger on the right words. "not sitting here and eating ramen with him." A wry smile quirked her lips. "I thought I'd be doing something more... romantic."

He seemed a little clueless. "You want to do something romantic...?"

"Err, well, it was just an old fantasy." Ino giggled nervously. Deidara shifted uncomfortably, and she noticed this, a wave of regret crashing onto her.

She opened her mouth to rectify but froze as he leaned in, lips close to her ear. "I know this isn't the most 'romantic' thing, eating cupped ramen, but know that my feelings aren't any weaker than somebody who would've offered something more special, un."

A mad, fleeting shade of red swept past her face. "I'm, um, n-no. I didn't mean that - I wasn't saying that this wasn't good enough, I..." She trailed off, knowing she was rambling. This was the type of effect he had on him. Sure she would've blushed and sighed had it been someone like... Sai or Sasuke, but Deidara was special in that sense, being able to eat more from her. Of course, she already knew this a while ago when she had just realized her new found affection, but it was worthy of second note.

Ino lifted her head to see Deidara with a cocky grin. "You're highly entertaining, un. Even at the slightest comments."

"Shut up," she pursed her lips as he swallowed the ramen she offered with the chopsticks.

"You're always so spiteful, un."

The Yamanaka's nostrils flared at the comment. "Stop it," she whined.

He sniggered and took another mouthful of the noodles, her following right after. Suddenly, his faced neared hers and she sucked in a wavering, thin breath. In no time, Deidara's lips were against her own, soft and gentle. He'd been gentle before, which was a surprising contrast, but he had never been this tender. Their lips molded upon each other, softly giving. She snaked her hand into his hair to stroke it and her other hand rose to do the same.

"Ow!" She yelped, instantly flinching and drawing away from him. "Uughh!" The groan was loud as she stared at the puddle of boiling ramen soup staining their clothing and skin. Burning too, she might add. The cup that had spilled was near empty, dropped limply on the floor with snaky noodles lifelessly laying there. "Sorry," she mumbled, hands rubbing arms as if to weaken the burn.

Deidara on the other hand, cringed and gritted his teeth in annoyance and she knew he was trying to hold in the burns. Hastily, Ino scurried and grabbed towels and napkins and returned. She tossed one to Deidara and used the other to wipe the carpet floor and herself. Just looking at him, it was obvious he was pissed off but he kept his anger silent for once.

"Are you alright?" She asked, gingerly reaching to touch his arm.

"Yeah," He grumbled, using the towel to wipe the soup off. "That was just uncalled for, un."

"I didn't mean to."

"I know, un... I just wasn't finished, exactly... " As he uttered the last word, he was on her once more. This time, Deidara's arm kept her in place as his mouth locked on hers longingly, sweetly. His kiss was passionate, kind, and almost a little mocking as she could feel the smirk playing on his lips. He pulled away, wet lips brushing against the kunoichi's before releasing her.

"I, um," she cleared her throat, flustered. "I can wash that for you, if you'd like? Your cloak, I mean."

He seemed to consider the thought. "No, it's fine Ino."

"Are you sure? There's a river close by - behind this building - I really can do it if you want."

"If that's the case... sure." Immediately, his hands worked to his cloak, slowly unbuttoning it and she felt her chest flip and she held her breath. He was stripping slowly, slow enough to be teasing her, though she knew that wasn't the case. He glanced up, "Something wrong, un?"

By his words, she knew it looked as if she was suffocating. "No no no," she let out a nervous laughter, "here, let me take that," she grabbed the cloak. "I'll be back in a bit." The thought of prancing around by the river in a frickin' nightgown was embarrassing, but who cared? A guy loved her.

"Twenty minutes at the most, alright? The idea of being alone bores me, un. I want you here."

She flushed. "Got it." And sauntered out the room, cloak in hand.

He had done it. He'd told her. Even though it wasn't in the way he'd expected, it was enough. She was satisfied. Deidara sat in the room, kneading his clay with zeal as strong as the explosion itself. Twenty minutes. And she still wasn't back. He rolled his eyes; Ino was always distracted with something.

Undeniably, the Akatsuki member was invigorated that night. He anticipated the Yamanaka's return, giddily glancing at the door with every passing minute. Twenty five minutes. He continued to toy with his clay, sighing impatiently. He watched the tongue of his hand protrude and hand over a white blob. Another sculpture was molded out of it as well.

Thirty five minutes. Deidara slunk against the floor awkwardly and waited. In the small time, he redid his hair, tying it up. Forty minutes. Where was she? With an impatient heave of a breath, he rose from the ground and slipped out of the hotel room. Behind the building, she had said. Accordingly, he made his way out, cloakless and stalked towards the darkness located in the rear of the hotel. As expected, their was a shimmering glint reflecting from the ground after striding a distance - the river.

"Ino," he called with exasperation. "why are you taking so long, un?"

There was no response.

"...Hey, Ino?" At the silence, he twinged with alarming panic. Instinctively, he rushed to the side of the river, hastily peering around for evidence of where she could be, or if she was around. No pale hair, no long, loose nightgown to be seen. But he saw his cloak. It lay limply against the ground, almost tipping itself into the streaming river. Deidara, for once, cursed himself for not having proficient sensoring skills and grabbed it, hand clutching the fabric monstrously.

A squeal of kunai shredded into the air and Deidara snapped his gaze into the direction it came from. Fear flooded his head, his legs headed for the direction it came from as he put on his cloak. "Oi, Ino!" He found himself shouting.

"D-Deidara...?" Her voice leaked past the dead night. "You there?"

She was behind the jungle of trees and bushes that walled in his sight. With a spurt of endurance, the blond pushed himself past the thorny shrubs and trees, staggering into an opening lit by the moonlight. Ino was there, leaning against a tree, panting while dirt stained her face and sleeping gown. One eye was wincing and a kunai was in her hand.

"Ino!" He scurried to her side, an aiding hand flitting to her shoulder.

She shook her head madly, panting. "No - look -" she managed, and raised a shaky finger.

Before even looking, he knew it was Tobi. But as his eyes laid upon his sleek figure, the boiling in his veins wouldn't stop. Why the fuck Tobi...? What the hell does Tobi want with her? He'd never seen Tobi with such a malicious aura to him, standing there so frighteningly motionless.

"Oh, Deidara Senpai... I guess I should've known that you would've been here..." He giggled. "But... I don't think you should be here. Ino-chan's gonna die!"

Behind him, Deidara felt Ino stiffen. "What?"

"Pleeeeaaaase leave! You'll be in trouble if you get mad at me too!" A glint in Tobi's hand caught his eye, and he recognized it as a kunai. A sharp, deadly kunai. Bloodless, but ready. "C'mon Senpai, hurry! You're not going to hurt me, are you...?"

He'd hurt Tobi many times before in anger, but to really, fatally strangle him was something he'd never done before. At the same time, that was what Deidara wanted to do. He didn't want to stir up trouble with the rest of the Akatsuki, but it tore him inwardly to put Ino at risk just 'cause he didn't want to be a target of discipline. "Put the kunai down, Tobi, un."

"H-huh...?"

"I said, put it down. Drop it and I won't need to hurt you."

"...S-senpai, you're not serious are you...?"

The blond Akatsuki glowered and prepared his clay within his hand-mouths. "Let go of the kunai, Tobi."

Ino from behind the crouched Deidara, peered over his shoulder and saw that Tobi's hand had defiantly tightened around the handle of the blade. And Deidara just blew it. Everything was a blur as she watched him dash towards the orange-masked Akatsuki, a kunai appearing in his hand as he lunged. Tobi - swiftly - curved out of the way and he was faster. She saw the haze of his orange mask trace near the blond, and suddenly the clay artist was whirling through the air, dropping painfully into the ground.

"Deidara!" She heard herself cry out.

The Yamanaka heard distant coughs as he rose with a rutted poise. "Tobi," he gasped for air, "how the hell did you...?"

"You're not allowed to know, Senpai."

Deidara growled and out of nowhere, two of his clay birds ascended into the air before hurdling themselves at the masked male. The explosions were powerful, quaking the ground as both men were thrown back from the impact of it, Tobi receiving the most, vaulting past the sky in a shuddering strength... and landed on his feet gently. Ino felt her fingers dig into the ground and tear the grass out in horror. Even Deidara was shocked by the movement. He wasn't supposed to be like that! He was supposed to be clumsy, uncoordinated and inept.

"...I really don't want to do this," Tobi squeaked in his shrill voice. The kunoichi knew it was fake. "but I guess I have to..." At his final word, she trembled as the blond was thrown back by a robust punch to the face, his body once again dropping limply into the ground as he grunted in pain.

Suddenly, everything felt so familiar. The way she watched, the way she could only stand there and witness the effort and the pain put in. Just like the days when the rest of Team 10 would escalate past the work whilst Ino stood on the sidelines, observing and noting and doing simply nothing as her teammates would perform the beating and get beaten. Like how all her peers - Sakura and Hinata included - had improved and been able to do something for the ones they loved. How they were able to protect her and how she wasn't able to return the favor...

Her heart throbbed at the déjà vu - it really was a wretching feeling.

"D-Dei-d-! Watch out!" She screamed, but he had already been blown and plummeted into the earth as the ground seemed to shatter. She saw the viscous, scarlet liquid emit from his lips as he fell back onto the floor, shifting limply with a wounded groan.

She couldn't just sit back and watch Deidara get beat up. Not like back in Konoha. She had to help... Pushing herself onto her feet, she sprinted over to the two men. "S-stop!" Ino tried. Tobi's hidden gaze flicked to her and she felt her breath choke... but continued on. She was mere feet away from Tobi, Deidara laying at his feet.

Tobi lifted Deidara by his arm, the blond's limp body hanging as his bloody face lolled wiltedly. "Ino-chan..." He continued feigning the voice, "I'm not going to kill him - course not! Buuut, I will have to hurt Senpai if he keeps trying. Or if you keep trying too! So stop, right now, okay?"

It was as if Tobi had seen through her motives, but she refused to believe it for the sake of her courage. Holding her hands up, her fingers trembled as they formed a seal.

"Shintenshin no Jutsu!"

A/N: I've always thought Shintenshin had a ton of potential, but
people really underrate it. Anyways, oooooh, what's gonna happen? ;)

Hahaa, just kidding. Thanks for reading! Hopefully you liked it! Reviews are appreciated too!