EDIT: i am, in fact, going to change my username. to anticollision .
Disclaimers: meh. i don't own naruto. thanks for reminding me, jerk. *sits in a corner and "emos"* /angstangst (bwaha. and i don't own "boyfriends hate me" by space cowboys. see if you can find the reference.)
My Ramblings: ASDFJKL!1!one!1! *spazzes/flails* WE GOT OVER 250 REVIEWSS! (every review reallyreally does count, you know that? thank you.) annnd my friend, Never-Land-4always was the 250th reviewer. thanks so much, my deaaar! ^^D ohohoh annnnnd GAARA CRIIIIED. HE CRIED, PEOPLE, intheanime. i died. lessthanthree.
—longer chapter for you guys. (you deserve it, yo.) and once again, i apologize for posting this late. this time it really isn't my fault—i'm not attempting to make a habit out of it. for some reason, the webpage was down… the exact one that i needed to get on to upload this chapter. *facepalms*
((ANDDD OMIIIIGOSH. UNDEROATH. i-get-to-see-them-this-summer.))
HOLY SHIZ, GAIZ. I CAN UPDATEE! *updates*
Clay Hearts
Chapter Twenty-Nine:
Rubicon
"I apologize for having to assign you a mission so soon," he said in his monotone voice. However, the two of us both knew he wasn't actually any sorry at all.
"Another mission?" I mused.
The Leader nodded, "Yes. Itachi's—"
"You can't be serious, hmm. We have to work with an Uchiha, specifically, that jerk?Ugh," Deidara sighed dramatically.
"Yo, drama queen, come down from your throne and listen to Leader-sama," I whispered harshly, barely sparing him a glance in Pein's presence.
"—been captured," the pierced man finished.
"What?" Dei-cha—er, Deidara—and I said at the exact time.
"By whom?" I questioned. Is that even possible? I mean, it's Itachi Uchiha. Probably one of the strongest in the Akatsuki. What. The. Heck.
And sexiest. Besides Dei-chan, of course.
Is that all you think of? I deadpanned.
Yes! And of beating the shizz out of people! She said all too cheerfully.
I rolled my eyes (in my mind I did), What the crap, Inner? You spend too much time listening to Hidan.
She simply shrugged. He's cool.
Tuning back in to the conversation, I could hear Deidara laughing at Itachi's situation.
Pein glared at the gleeful one. "Konohagakure," he uttered all too easily.
"So that means we're traveling to Konoha…?"
The orange-head nodded once, "Yes." He pulled something out of his desk. It looked like a scroll of some sort; I believe that that was the mission scroll. "That will not be a problem for you; will it, Haruno?"
I narrowed my eyes the slightest amount. It seems as if he's testing me or taunting me or mocking me or—something. It's just that I feel that those words weren't completely so simply and pure. "Of," I paused for a moment, still cogitating, "course not."
Deidara, who was still laughing, finally spoke. "Hahahaha, so the 'all-seeing' Uchiha has finally gotten himself caught?" He pretended to wipe tears away from his eyes. "That's beautiful, hmm!"
Glowering, I hit the blonde on the top of his head hard. "Sorry, Pein-sama," I apologized for him, not for my actions. In a moment, Deidara was Naruto who was rubbing his newly acquired wound grumbling his "ow's" and "ouch's." I blinked and the image was gone.
Ignoring the apology all together, the Akatsuki Leader commanded, "Leave as soon you are fully recovered." His purple, Rinnegan eyes stared into mine.
I nodded brusquely, "I am fine now."
With an utterly blank look on his face, Pein ordered, "Then leave."
The blue-eyed boy sighed dramatically as he dragged me out. (He hated being in there as it was since it was Pein's office.) "I can hardly believe him. We just got back from a Bijuu mission, hmm. A Bijuu mission!" he repeated. "What the heck is he thinking? I could just be so completely exhausted, hmm. He's such a pushy, little bi—"
I took that opportune moment to tune him and his rambling out. (Liar. You were ignoring him ever since Pein told you about where you're going for your mission.) I bit my lip, closing my eyes for a moment, and whispered, "Konoha…"
Deidara's hand was on my shoulder. "You okay, hmm?" I snapped my eyes open, my head jerking a bit at the sudden movement.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, just as I had to the Akatsuki leader.
Before I could make up some liable excuse, the artist cut me off. "You know you can talk to me, right?" he murmured, I could barely hear him.
"What?"
He shook his head, "I understand. Going back to your former village and stuff. Not fun stuff, hmm. Especially when you have a past."
The way he said "former" (at least in my head it sounded so terrible) hurt my heart. Konohagakure is your former home. You don't belong to Konoha anymore. I rubbed my temples, "Yeah; a past." A best friend, I corrected myself.
"So," I began, swallowing the distress that was coming up my throat, "Itachi's been captured, huh?"
Deidara broke out into laughter again. It was then that I decided that I liked him best when he was laughing—not a smug, hah-i-pwn-you laugh, but a real laugh. His eyes were usually closed when he was especially giggly (like now). His blonde hair swayed as his body shook from attempts at suppressing chuckles. And his smile… oh, his smile was much better than his smirk (no matter how alluring it was).
I soon began to laugh with him, inching closer to him. When the laughing was beginning to cease, I couldn't help myself, and gave him a hug. His sniggering completely stopped while I still giggled a bit as he I clung to him. "I like you better when you're smiling, Dei-chan," I whispered to him, then let go, giving him smile, not self-conscious yet since I had just finished guffawing so much.
But that didn't stop him from blushing.
I grinned to myself as I walked away, figuring I should pack. Thanks, Deidara, I mused as I hugged my sides, as I practically pranced down the hallway.
-x-x-x-
DEIDARA POV
She just did what now? I blinked. But then a slow, content grin came to my face as I watched her leave. I was feeling all warm and fuzzy and surprised still… But then I heard the laughing.
"Hahahahaha, Dei-chan? Dude, you are so effing whipped," Hidan said, still chuckling as he walked away.
Cr-Crap. "Shut the heck up, hmm!"
Just at the moment, Sasori was walking by. I jumped in front of him and asked, "Sasori-danna, am I… am I whipped?"
The redhead simply stared at me for a few moments. Then he blinked. "Yes—"
"Dangit!" I yelled, affectively cutting him off.
Sasori just stared and walked off. But as he was leaving down the halls, he mumbled, "Everyone can see your feelings, Deidara." A pause. "Except for Sakura, perhaps."
Did I just hear that right? And what the frick is with him and my feelings! Pfft. I have no feelings for that little [cute], insane [strong], stuck-up [fiery], temperamental [beautiful], pink-haired Princess from Konoha.
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
-x-x-x-
In a cold, dank prison cell, with only one, dim light bulb hanging from the ceiling, one would find the elder Uchiha brother. From somewhere he was not sure of, a chilly breeze was rushing by. He would have shivered, as he was without his cloak now, if he were from any other clan or any other person.
It was safe to say that Itachi wasn't happy—not one bit. (Except for that little thing in the back of his mind—every single time he went to Konoha—that whispered that it was nice to be in his home-village.) With all these terrible conditions of his stay here, in the prison, and then there was the fact that his hair was down and matted with blood. No, they had not bothered to heal him: at least not the wounds they considered minor. Bah, his head hurt. (Oh, and, no, it did not happen to help that a Yamanaka was trying—keyword trying—to look through his mind. Not at all.)
"Itachi Uchiha," a voice that was slow and thoughtful came through the doorway. Itachi didn't move his eyes away from the hole he was staring into the wall. However, the thought occurred to him that he was glad it wasn't that Ibiki man. But then who was it?
Lazy footsteps made their way, accompanied by a heavier sounding pair—then the Uchiha looked up. He raised an eyebrow at the sight before him. Morino, as usual, was there, as well as a young man. His hair was a mousey brown and vaguely resembled a pineapple. But the thing that caught Itachi's attention the most was that the boy walking languidly towards him seemed to be around the age of Sasuke.
[Foolish little brother.]
"Ah, so this is Sasuke's brother?" he asked. Itachi looked straight into the young man's eyes at that question, almost surprised that the boy knew his kin.
"Yes," came the deep, predictable voice of Morino Ibiki. "Those traitors," all acid was thrown into the word, "are related."
"Hn," he murmur-grunted.
The black-haired man decided that he did not totally dislike the Pineapple Boy. This young man did not speak so much and didn't give any absolute answer to if he concurred with Morino's little "traitors" bit. (Even though they were, truthfully.) And he had "hn'd."
Pineapple Boy blinked away his musings and looked at the infamous Uchiha dead in the eye. "I," he began, "am Shikamaru Nara."
"A Nara?" Itachi spoke his first words of the entire day.
Shikamaru (gosh, it was easier just to call him Pineapple Boy) seemed amused at his words while Ibiki looked stern, but with a hint of surprise (read: omg-gaiz-itachi-spoke-and-not-just-to-me-but-to-that-pineapple-head-kid) on his usual obstinate façade.
"Yes."
"Ah," he paused, thinking, "What is it that you want then?" Naras were not typically the interrogator-type. (Besides the usual laziness.) They were not able to get into someone's mind like the Yamanakas, nor were they so savage that they were a Morino. So what did this boy offer?
"I don't want anything," he said nonchalantly. "I was ordered to help out with the interrogation." He almost smirked, "But I am here because of reasons you'll perhaps find out later." Well, that didn't answer his—silent—question.
"Ibiki?" Shikamaru inquired as the aforesaid man just turned his head towards Pineapple Boy. "Do you have a chair I can sit on while you do the interrogation?" the sadistic man gave him a hard stare. "I wouldn't imagine that I could fall asleep in here anyways: don't you worry."
Itachi raised his eyebrow (again) at the man's words. Degrading Morino? The Uchiha decided that this Shikamaru Nara man was not too bad—even if he was against him currently.
-x-x-x-
Days later, Deidara and I found ourselves outside the border of Konoha. Thus, that meant we could not have a fire. And that sucked because I was still slightly drenched from when the stupid blonde just had to break a cloud when we were on that clay bird of his.
Meh. Sakura-chan no happy.
"Are you still mad at me?"
"Yes."
He pouted, "C'mon, Princess. You can't stay mad at me, hmm."
I didn't really notice him coming closer to me. "Yeah, I think I can."
Deidara's face was suddenly close to mine, only inches away, "Are you sure about that, hmm?"
Blinking, I forgot how to think, my face the only thing having any action—and that unfortunate action was having it turn beet red. Yeah, uhm, didn't this just happen? Finally, my brain's gears kicked in and the on button was pressed. "Deidara, you loser, get out of my face. Or. Else."
Or else what, fail-whale? Anyways, we're enjoying this. At least I am. So shut up.
Let's play the quiet game, I quipped, knowing I'd bring back memories to my Inner-self.
Don't you frigging bring that up.
I still won.
Never, betch.
Gosh, my Inner was idiotic. I am you; you are me. How many times do I have to remind her?
He smirked and moved away. "What's with you, anyways?" I inquired.
"What do you mean?
"You're being a whore again," I stated coolly.
Deidara's face contorted into some weird, yet funny expression. I had to bite my bottom lip to hold in my giggles. "I only learn from the best, hmm!"
I screamed, "Hecks no!" And my fists rained down onto him.
"Ow! Sakura, honestly, what the frick?"
"Oh, come on, you wimp. It didn't hurt that bad," I said with a dangerously serene smile on my face. I would bet that I looked pretty dang scary to the man in front of me [with the pretty, pretty face and blonde hair of his].
Gosh, you kids are boring. Let me have some fun already, Inner-Me commented, rolling her eyes. For a split second, my alter-ego personality took over my mind, allowing my hand to clasp with Deidara's. Usually she wouldn't have been able to do something like that so simply, but I already had the thought of "It would be pretty awesome if I could grab Dei-chan's hand right now. (But it would be awkward and he might, uh, make something out of it—when I'd just take his hand to drag him to Konoha.)"
"Come along!" I sing-songed. Deidara froze, as I had to literally drag him along. "By the way: don't lick me."
His old self returned, obviously, as he said, "You know, that could be dirty, hmm."
I glared at him and we walked towards Konoha, Akatsuki-ringed hand in Akatsuki-ringed hand (both swinging because of me). To Konohagakure, the place that I always seem to be going back to. I didn't just grab Deidara's hand to be all cutesy and drag him to the village.
…I needed some sort of support. My head was pounding a hundred times a second. What if I saw Naruto? If I do, I don't know if I'll be able to not stay home. (And face all the ANBU and evil elders. Oh my.)
-x-x-x-
The blue bird flew faster than the two Akatsuki members walked. Being a mere bird, it could get past Konoha guards and people, while the young woman and man had to plot first before entering—and they were still simply sauntering along the forest floor.
Soaring over the grand village, it found the prison. As if it were a ninja in its past life, it got into the building, found its way to the bottommost floor, and found a certain Uchiha. Immediately recognizing the small animal, Itachi almost sighed gladly. "I haven't seen much of you lately."
An ANBU guard on the floor looked at the prisoner as if he were crazy. Well, conceivably he did seem that way: talking to himself, or a bird. Either way, it was off—especially for an Uchiha of all people.
"What are you here for?" The blue creature merely chirped, even though it knew that the man could not understand her bird language. This time, Itachi did sigh, but in dissatisfaction.
Without a warning, the bird took off and flew high into the sky. From her literal bird's eye view, she could spot a hint of pink and yellow just barely, close to a more unused gate of the village.
If birds could smirk…
-x-x-x-
It was dark out and the guards were going to be switching shifts in any minute. Then there would be even more sentinels there—twice as many. Deidara seemed just about surprised that I could remember that kind of information. Okay, I haven't been here in awhile, but that doesn't mean I don't commit things to memory. (It doesn't mean that I have to forget.)
"Let's go," murmured the blonde one. I nodded in response as we hurried towards the gate. We would have approximately forty seconds to sneak in unseen. The gate guards would be switching again.
From my recollections, I knew that the sentries would always have a quick, basic conversation for that transient amount of time and then go wherever they were stationed to go to. It was near perfect for us.
I said, "Now," as we soon dashed for the side gate. And just in time, too. Not three seconds later, the first, new guard came out, chuckling.
"So," Deidara began, whispering, "Where to next?"
With our backs against a building's wall, I pursed my lips, "The Prison."
"What's with that face, hmm?"
"Ibiki Morino," I half-growled to myself. Keep your mind on the mission. Rescue Itachi; rescue Itachi. Don't think about the village that you're in. [Home, home, home.] Don't think about Naru—Frick.
Just don't think at all.
We were moving again, keeping it on the down-low, heading towards the Hokage building with our chakra completely concealed. (Easy for me, and Deidara had experience, being in the Akatsuki and such.)
"Old boyfriend or somethin'?" he mused.
If we weren't trying to sneak around in Konoha—of all places—then I would have punched him again. Instead, I settled for a death glare that was at par with an Uchiha's. (Hey, if you're around Uchihas in your life—as in during Genin days and Akatsuki days—you're bound to get a few erudite hints on The Death Glare™.)
"No," I snarled. Before the male-Ino (by the way, I still feel a bit awkward about that certain situation) could say anything, I whisper-yelled, "And, no, I'm not PMSing."
He cringed. "Wasn't going to ask, hmm. But okay," Deidara put a grin on his face, aiming it towards me. Blehhhh. I couldn't help but to return it tenfold, causing him to actually smile. Gosh, I love his smile.
"We going or what, Princess?"
"Y-Yeah," I bumbled, "Follow me, Dei-chan!" I finished more enthusiastically, winking as I said his pet name.
He laughed (, I melted), "Yeah, alright. Lead the way, hmm."
Barely ten minutes since we had entered Konohagakure's most idle gate, that we found ourselves already inside the Torture and Interrogation building. After taking out a few guards and such, of course. However, the both of us knew that ANBU Black Ops would be in the lower floors.
"Uhm, so, does it suck having to help," I leered, raising an pretty, pink eyebrow, "Itachi?"
"Heck yeah, it does!" he said a bit too loud.
"Shush, stupid. Do you have some sort of death wish?"
He shrugged, "Not particularly."
"Anyways, I don't get what's with you and Itachi anyhow. Why are you so pissy when he's involved?" I questioned, not knowing what that inquiry would bring. I hoped nothing too angst-ridden or anger-consumed. Yeah—that would be rather annoying during this current situation.
"Well," Deidara began—and I knew it was going to be some long-but-not-really story, "One: He forced me to join this pitiful organization. Two: he's an Uchiha. Three: He insulted my art, hmm.
"And he didn't just insult my art—Sasori-danna does that all the time—but he ripped it to pieces. It was hardcore, Princess. You wouldn't understand unless you were an artist, hmm," he said, completely into what he was saying. "When someone says your art sucks, it's just all like, 'Hey, man, go screw yourself; 'cause I'm awesome, hmm.' But if they straight-up butcher your art and style, your heart is all like 'ba-boom: sad.'"
I pressed my lips together, biting them even from the inside, but I couldn't keep in my snickering. "Can you repeat that last part, Dei-chan?"
He paused for a moment, because I had called him his nickname again, but then glowered, "Shut up, hmm!"
Affectionately, I patted his head. "Aw, it's alright. We'll have therapy sessions every Tuesday afternoon once we get back to the Base, if you want."
"You're a jerk."
"I know," my lips twitched upwards.
Suddenly, but not unexpectedly, a chakra signature was sensed, coming our way. I cursed under my breath. "Deidara," in a hushed-tone I spoke, "they're going to find us here."
"So?" he smirked with that crazy, breathtaking look in his only visible eye. His hands got to work, chewing and creating clay creations. I gave him a look (read: "What are you going to do?"). The Akatsuki man simply placed a clay spider on the ground.
But… That means? "Deidara, I don't want to… kill anyone," I whispered. That made him cease his movements. His eyes suddenly turned curious, but then he still placed his hand over the spider, effectively eating it up. "I," a barely-there pause to think: Uh, what to say, what to say, "want this mission to go as smoothly as possible.
"Anyways, the longer and more complicated it gets, the longer we're going to have to spend worrying about Itachi-kun," I intoned.
The blonde blinked, some sort of anger building up in him, "What the heck, Sakura," he glowered, although believing my answer. "Fine, then," he said as he watched me simply shove a chakra-glowing hand into the mask-wearing man's back, temporary paralyzing him and knocking him out.
"Besides: revenge!" I giggled manically as we hopped—nevermind that I was dragging a (pfft) walking Deidara—down the dark halls.
"What the heck, Sakura!"
"You love me; you love me! You hate me, 'cause you love me," I crooned in a hush, melodic tone.
"…You're inhaling too much of that herbal crap." [Weren't we supposed to be quiet, moron?]
Five minutes later, I had mostly calmed down and Deidara was probably thoroughly peeved. It amused me, but I still loved his happy self. We were on the almost to the very bottom floor now, where I would assume the Uchiha would be. But then…
"Hey: there are Akatsuki members here! Hurry with back-up," someone ordered.
"Fruck," Deidara cursed.
I pouted, "Hidan is a bad influe—"
"Woman, we have no time to discuss language!" He grabbed my hand this time, "Run!"
"But—!" I was going to protest, but then I sensed, as well, how many shinobi were on their way. "Oh, crap."
With ANBU at our backs, we narrowly escaped out of the main part of the village. Only about ten meters to go until we went out the gate we came in. Our hands were still loosely held together, but they were, nevertheless, still attached.
Another loud alarm ran through Konohagakure as Deidara and I made our way past drowsy guards.
"Oi, that's Sakura Haruno!"
"You're right. And she's wearing one of those cloaks… Holy—"
I didn't get to hear the rest—not that I even wanted to. I knew that I was officially, royally screwed now.
"Fruck."
"Hypocrite," Deidara mumbled.
-x-x-x-
"Well, Pein's going to be pissed," I finally articulated after a long trip. We were already practically home. (Actually, we were rambling about this topic before, but never found a solid conclusion. Yeah, and I still think we won't find any solid conclusion now. Eh, it's worth a try.)
Deidara nodded, "You got that right, hmm."
I frowned. "Then what," I began to question, "are we going to do?" He shrugged. I scowled at him, "Yeah, you're real helpful. Thanks."
The blue-eyed man snorted, "I guess just go home and hope that Itachi doesn't get killed by then…? Well, you can hope."
Moping, I said, "Yeah, alright," and moved closer to Deidara.
Do it.
Confused at first, I thought back, Uhm. Excuse me?
Don't make me do it for you again. Hold his frigging hand. Now, my Inner-self commanded, eyes wide and attempting a much better version of my death glare, one that could be said to be an Uchiha's. (Dangit, I was always jealous of my Inner for that.)
Erm. Peer pressure much? Gosh. I put my hand in his, blushing more than little, but in the corner of my eye, I saw him flushing, too. We were just two very good friends holding hands. I grab Naruto's hand at times. …Yeah.
Yeah, very good friends, she smiled evilly, And Naruto's… bah, Naruto's Naruto! my Inner finished lamely.
Choosing to ignore her reasoning, I walked even closer to Deidara, swinging his hand nonchalantly (again), merrily, and heard his nervous laughter.
We were almost home. Wait; did I just say that? The Akatsuki base… my home? I looked up at him, grinning, staring into his eyes but then we were there without me realizing it.
But then I saw him. My hand went limp and I tore my hand out of Deidara's grasp. Oh, God, what are You doing to me? It's him. It's really him. It's…
"S-Sasuke?" I haven't seen you in years. Where have you been for so long? Are you okay? Did you miss Team Seven? Did you miss me? And what the heck are you doing here? I felt Deidara tense beside me. I never had talked to him about Sasuke(-kun?) before. But still the blonde did not seem to like him for reasons I do not know—besides the fact that Sasuke has the biggest stick up his butt ever and is a jerk-face to me.
The pretty boy's—man's—eyes widened for a split second at seeing me. (At the Akatsuki base. With an Akatsuki member willingly. In an Akatsuki robe of my own. Here and now.) I wanted to hug him. I couldn't help but want that. He was my love for the longest time (and what do I feel now?). And he was gorgeous—I could never deny that. But back to the hugging thing… Would he just push me away like all those times in our childhood?
I bit my lower lip and kept myself immobile, still close to Deidara. "Sakura," I heard him murmur (as well) under his breath. I gave him what I thought was a small smile, and stepped forward.
"…I see you've kept your hair short."
A/N: SORRY, THE ENDING WAS RUSHHHED. anywhos. also, sorry that i'm such a fail-whale. towards the middle-ish of the chapter i had writer's block for no real reason. (it's probably because i'm getting too caught up in another fanfiction i'm writing. meow.)
oh, and can anyone else see a HidanxInner-Sakura pairing/thing existing maybe someday? because i could. xD (no, that's not my other fanfiction, but the other one is sort of an odd sakura pairing.)
once again, this is not related to this story, here's another question: do you find this fanfiction by looking up my username, or do you just automatically find it because you've alerted/favorited this story…? [thanksees, by the way for all of that! 'cause it's a goood idea. teehee] —i'm wondering this because i might change my username. it depends on your answers… in your reviews. cough. x3
