Disclaimer: I still do not own Naruto.
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Sakura was slightly forlorn when she entered the apartment, only talking when needed. Her silence did not go unnoticed. It was like a cloud was hanging over her head.
"Why are you so quiet and not spouting off questions like usual, un?" Deidara questioned after dinner.
"I'm not your interrogator anymore, Deidara."
"You're not? Why, un?"
"What we did was a mistake. I need to make a formal apology to the Hokage and the council."
"What about what you want, un?"
"I don't know." Sakura had enough. She couldn't take her inner turmoil anymore. "I just, don't know."
"How can you be loyal to a village that doesn't want you to use your talents, un?"
"What makes you think they don't want to use me? That's the only reason why you're still alive."
"Then why are you hiding, un?"
"I don't want to just be a tool to be used." "By being a konoichi, you're already a tool. But…" "But what? I'll go dull if I don't use my skills?"
"But to me, you have the potential of being an artist, un."
Sakura was a little perplexed at what he said. Artist? Just because they had the same bloodline limit? "I was never very good at art."
"Nonsense! The crater you made with just your fist in the Hokage's office, that was art, un. And I can tell that you are capable of a lot more."
She would love to show him just what she was capable of on a training field. Unfortunately that wasn't an option. "Did you forget that we are under guard? And I wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't allowed to leave this apartment either."
"They didn't take the clay, un."
"What?"
"They didn't take the clay. I can still train you in pseudo art. It's not the same, un," At that point Deidara leaned in to whisper in Sakura's ear. She tried not to blush at the heat of his breath as he continued to say "But eventually we can break out of here and show them real art, un. Of course, I would need your help."
"Why-" shh. "why would I help you destroy Konoha?"
"What has your loyalty done for you? Locked up with an S-class criminal, un."
"What has your own loyalty done?" She thought she would have him with that comeback, but he simply chuckled, tickling her ear. "I was only truly loyal to myself. I didn't give any information away simply because it was in my own best interest, un."
"Then you will just throw me away." Tsunade was right. He was just using her.
"No. I was only loyal to myself, un. By the way, I think that we have been in this intimate embrace long enough, don't you?" At that, Sakura did blush. She hadn't realized the position they were in while they were whispering in each other's ear. They had their arms around each other while her chin rested on Deidara's left shoulder. They pulled apart, slowly so as not to draw anymore attention than they had. As Sakura went to leave the room, Deidara commented "Talk to you later, un."
After not training for over a week, Sakura was tempted to help him blow the apartment up. The only thing stopping her was the knowledge that she would be disappointing her friends, who had run off, leaving her here, and that they wouldn't get past the ANBU guards. Or would they? After all, Deidara is an S-class ninja.