Hey! This chapter will tell what Ino was doing and then Hinata during the same day. So if you read it and then are like lolwhyaretheendingsthesame? That's why. So. This chapter. Eh. I'm not so sure where this is going (oooh. That's a terrible thing to admit.) I mean I know the ending but I need to make sure I get there correctly. So I think this will probably be completed in 5 to 8 chapters. I'm a pretty bad with prose fiction. I go to a school for writing but I got in with plays and poems so I like fan fiction to practice with prose.

The next chapter will also have a lot of happenings in Konoha. Cause I think they're important too. Especially to keep this from getting too long.

Disclaimer: I love the band bright eyes. I must belong Somewhere

Chapter nine: me and her, him and her, him and me

….

Ino was messing with her flowers, along with the flowers Sasori had made her a desk to mess with them on and anything she might need. Hinata and herself had finished training early and were given the rest of the day off, mainly because Itachi and Kisame had a mission.

Her day had been incredibly amazing so far. Sasori let her heal her ankle, training was easy and now she got to make arrangements. Hinata was going to talk to her later as well, Hinata had suggested talking as soon as possible but Ino told her she had something to do.

Hinata didn't pry, that was one of the things Ino loved about the quiet girl.

Sure, in the back of Ino's mind, she wondered what Hinata wanted to talk about but it couldn't bother her now because she was submersed into her art. It would only be a couple more weeks and Ino would be arguing with Deidara and Sasori about what art really was.

Ino always felt that Sasori won those arguments.

She thought of him as he put the finishing touches on the current arrangement.

It seemed like lifetimes had passed since the last time she made flower arrangements. So far she had made one for Hinata and was finishing Konan's. Konan's had paper flowers mixed in with real ones.

It was the only origami thing Ino could make and they couldn't compete with all the beautiful things Konan made. Konan's cranes looked beautiful and elegant but Ino's cranes always looked like she had put the paper in her mouth and chewed on it before she made them.

Maybe even worse then that.

Flowers were pretty simple and easy to make. They were also flowers. Ino always did know her way around flowers.

She made the last paper flower and put it with the flowers. The flowers she chose for Konan were forget me nots and lilies. It looked elegant and poised, much like the woman she made it for.

Hinata's was a bit more difficult then the former.

To make it Ino had to take some of Sasori's wood (hopefully he wouldn't notice or mind) and make a sort of fountain. Taking the water in the air, the rain country had plenty of it, she made a simple fountain. Simple cogs in it made sure the water kept on flowing.

She learned the technique back home. Though, getting the water in it had always been a pain but training taught her to manipulate elements which could make some stellar effects.

But it wasn't all about the techniques it took to make the actual arrangement. Ino always felt it was about what the flowers actually said. What happened when you put certain colors with certain textures. What happened when the flowers started to say things. The message behind the leaves and petals.

Ino was going to make flowers for everyone. She already had all the ideas set out. For Deidara's she would use dragon snappers and light flowers, Tobi's would have paper windmills ( she'd have to ask Konan to make them.), Kisame's were going to be aquatic flowers, and so on and so forth. She was even going to make Hidan one, that was how good her mood was.

She was saving one person's for last.

Sasori.

Mainly because, much to her chagrin, she had no ideas for his. She figured by the time she had an idea for his, she'd have finished the rest of them. She continued on her creations each one beautiful and unique. She looked out the small window in Sasori's room. It was about time for the sun to start to set. That meant it would soon be dinner and most, if not all the associates, would be there to eat and receive their arrangements.

" I hope they all like them," Ino mumbled looking at each arrangement. Each one shined but then it dawned on her. There was still one person missing.

Still no idea for Sasori. Still no flowers put together. Nothing. Not even one.

" I can't give everyone their very own arrangement and then be all: Oh. By the way, Sasori. You don't get one. Sorry." Ino uttered to herself, put her head on her desk. " What I do make him one and he's all: I hate it. Oh. I'd cry." Ino told herself as she started messing with flowers.

" Maybe I can give him…" Ino's voice faded as she wondered what she could present to Sasori.

A lock of hair? No that was too creepy.

A cool looking rock? No. He's probably take it as an insult.

Ino was seriously contemplating over a rock or hair would do when all of the sudden a red flower shone through the piles. It matched the color of his hair. Then she saw ones that matched his eyes. Then it hit her.

She would put together flowers that resembled him.

Ino went to work.

When Ino was done she took a step back and looked at the flowers. The red flowers were mixed with light blue and even there, snuck in-between the leaves were yellow and blue. There were no fancy details or elaborate creations. There wasn't a small Sasori made of flowers looking back at her nor was there a fanciful display with fountains and statues. Just flowers.

When Ino looked at it she was sure this was the most beautiful of her creations.

" I'll call it a Little Sasori," Ino whispered, sitting back down at her desk. " and me.." she added in a whisper, a blush on her face.

" But what if he thinks it's stupid?" Ino grumbled looking at it, holding her face in her hands. " He might just look at it! That's something he would totally do!" Ino put her face on the table. That's when the door creaked open and Sasori walked in.

" Ino, the idiots want you for dinner," Sasori told her, ever since they walked in on Ino sleeping the puppet master had gotten into the habit of calling all the associates " The idiots." Even those who weren't involved at all. He closed the door behind him when he saw all the flowers.

" Oh! Sasori!" Ino gasped, trying to hide the Little Sasori but the puppet master already saw it and picked it up.

" What is this?" He asked, inspecting the arrangement.

" Well," Ino blushed, messing with a flower awkwardly. " I had thought of making something for everyone but well. This is yours. It's Ok if you don't like it; I'll understand."

Sasori just inspected it. If he was honest with himself- which he rarely was- he would say that he liked it. If he was completely honest with himself - which never happened- he would say that he loved it.

" It's really nothing…" Ino muttered, clearing off the desk. " You don't have to accept it… I mean. It's not that great." Ino took his silent for unhappiness.

This was when Sasori took Ino's hand within his. He didn't look at her but he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

" I'm happy, I think." He told her a smile on his face, a small smile. " I know it…" He looked at her, Ino could almost say he looked shy. She felt her face heat up but she didn't mind. She was enjoying this.

" I should probably go to dinner," Ino whispered, also giving Sasori's hand a squeeze hoping to whoever was out there that he felt it.

" Maybe you can stay longer," Sasori told her, tilting her head up so he could look into her eyes. " I mean. We can talk… How was your day?"

" I trained a little before Itachi and Kisame left," Ino remembered her day smiling, she loved these conversations.

" Did you see the Dragons?" Sasori asked, awkwardly smiling, giving her hand a squeeze himself.

" Yes, how was your day?"

" I had a mission."

" How was it?"

" Quiet," Sasori told her, still looking into her eyes. " Deidara didn't go. The leader felt he'd be worthless in a more stealthy mission so it was just me." He brushed her hair out of her face.

" I can see that…" Ino told him, putting her face closer and closing her eyes when he got closer.

There was a knock on the door. The two broke apart; Ino blushing madly and holding her chest, Sasori looking away.

" Come in…" They both said causing Ino to get even redder.

" Dinner!" The voice, belonging to Hinata chimed as she came in. She saw all the flowers and stood her mouth agape. She didn't notice the tension in the room.

" Hinata," Sasori mumbled, taking some arrangements in his arms. " Will you help me get these to everyone at dinner?"

" Um… Sure." Hinata whispered taking some but let Sasori leave first.

" After Dinner we're talking, right?" Hinata shyly asked and Ino nodded and smiled, trying to hold her blush. Ino was out of it the whole walk into the dining room but her mood lightened when she saw the faces of everyone. Even the totally apathetic looked a bit charmed by the flowers.

The diner went on as people told her how beautiful her work was and Ino smiled and talked and acted merry as ever.

When the dinner was over Ino wanted to sneak to her room but Hinata grabbed her.

" We. Are. Talking. Right?" Ino knew this voice. It was the inner Hinata voice. It was the voice the girl used when she wanted things done.

" Yes?" Ino asked, not wanting to see the wrath of an angry Hinata. Rumor had it that only one person had ever seen it. And they died before the next day was out.

" Um, good," Hinata smiled and led Ino outside to the training area. The stars were out and if you looked up they were the only things you could see. It reminded Ino of the wish she made. She felt as years had passed since that day. She wished for Sasori to be human.

A part of her wondered why she didn't wish to go home.

" Hinata," Ino whined, looking back to the house. " Can we do this-" She was cut off by Hinata.

" Ino." Hinata asked, suddenly turning to her seriously. " What do you feel for Sasori-san?"

Silence.

…

….

Hinata was sitting in her and Deidara's room. On her bed. Which, at one point in time, was Deidara's bed. You could see where clay had dried on the bed posts and floor. Hinata found it comforting; the smell of clay. Ever since she came here, she felt reassured in the company of clay.

Deidara was also there. He was grumbling about why he thought he should be with Sasori today. Hinata felt reassured with Deidara, much like the clay. He was making birds and foxes in his corner, grumbling about everything.

" Deidara…" Hinata said, playing with the sheets on the bed. " You can have this bed today. I don't mind a futon…" Sure she was aching from training, which was more on endurance then jutsu which, to be frank, Hinata never had a whole lot of.

Thinking of training made Hinata think of Ino. And the infamous ' conversation' she wanted to have.

The conversation about Ino's feelings. About Sasori. Her feelings for Sasori because Hinata noticed. That and they were Konoha ninjas. Did Ino remember that oath? Did Ino remember home?

Did Hinata?

" Hinata, un?" Deidara had sat next to Hinata and was waving his hand in front of her trying to snap her out of her thoughts. " I said you can have the bed, un."

What Deidara actually said when Hinata was spacing out was: " No. Your comfort means more then mine, un."

But that sounded cheesy and it thoroughly embarrassed Deidara.

" Deidara…" Hinata whispered, looking down. " What do you think of me?"

Since coming to the Akatsuki, Hinata had gotten more and more blunt and started being extremely direct.

Deidara swore it was Kisame's influence, since the fish man spent an odd amount of time with her. Not that he was jealous or anything…

This sudden bluntness she adopted made Deidara find himself in many sticky situations. She was always asking questions about everything. The other day she asked Deidara if he thought Ino loved Sasori and the same with Pein and Konan.

Deidara felt the life sucked out of him every time she did. How was he supposed to know?

" I think you're one of a kind," Deidara mumbled looking down as well, his face tinted pink. " Like I wouldn't want to blow you up, un." Hinata started to laugh softly.

" And you've gotten extremely blunt, un." Deidara told her, messing with some clay. " But. You're modest and less annoying then Ino. And when you talk you usually say something, un and I respect that and you're…" Deidara trailed off. He wanted to say: you're the single most beautiful person I know.

Yet. He was pretty sure you don't say that to your hostage roommate.

Somewhere in the Akatsuki handbook that is a pretty big no-no. But it said nothing about thinking it, right?

Hinata felt her heart pounding in her chest. It hadn't felt like that since she last saw Naruto. Her face heated up and she was pretty sure this was what Ino was probably feeling too.

" You also can't lie, un…" Deidara teased looking at Hinata.

" That's not true!" Hinata told him, looking up and to the left. " For all you know I lie all the time!"

" But you don't, un." Deidara laughed. " Besides. I know when you are!"

" How?"

" You look up and to the left when you lie."

Hinata blushed. No one had ever told her that before. Deidara told her a lot of things she had never heard before.

" How about me, un"? Deidara asked, starting on a clay creation. " What do you think of me?"

" I think you're loud," Hinata told him, laughing when Deidara held his heart dramatically. " You're very kind. I like how you finish your sentences and you always think of me. I know your back hurts sleeping on the futon but you still let me have the bed. I think you're kind."

" I blow things up, un."

" That's your biggest drawback."

" I'm really not though."

" I try to look past the whole Akatsuki thing."

These conversations were common. Hinata, who had always fought with crippling shyness had become comfortable here. She still stuttered and mumbled with Ino, and she was becoming her closest, female confidant. Her face still heated up and her words faltered with Kisame, who she talked to often.

But this guy. She could talk for hours and not once feel like that.

She felt that he was listening and that made her smile.

" Are you having your chat with Ino today, un?" Deidara asked, messing with the clay. He disproved of the conversation, since she would probably just start unnecessary girl drama.

Deidara wasn't a fan of unnecessary girl drama especially since he lived in a house of men for so long. Konan, who is a girl, but Deidara didn't think that she counted.

" No…"

" I just told you I know when you lie, un."

" But I need too!" Hinata whined, playing with her hair. " You don't understand. It's really important."

" Whatever, un." Deidara rolled his eyes, taking the clay creation to Hinata. " I still think it's a bad idea, un."

He tossed the clay thing into Hinata's lap.

It was a cat. But since Deidara wasn't a normal sculptor the cat could sit up and purr.

Hinata loved it.

" It's adorable!" Hinata smiled, petting the cat. " I'm naming him Inky."

' He won't move forever, you know…" Deidara mumbled, pretending to mess with things. " He'll use up the chakra eventually."

" Then one day, maybe we'll have a live cat…"

" Maybe…" Deidara smiled. He didn't think about the future much but here. In the now. It didn't seem so bad.

" Dinner!" a voice boomed in the hallway, probably Kisame who was often the most excited ofr that time of the day.

" I'll go get Ino for dinner," Hinata smiled, waving to Deidara. She wanted to talk to him longer but she was waiting for this all day.

Deidara went to dinner wondering about things unsaid. He waited for Hinata before touching his meal and when she came back. She was carrying flowers

" Look!" Hinata smiled, handing Deidara his arrangement. " Ino made them! Aren't they lovely!" Deidara felt his face drop after looking at Ino's arrangement for Hinata. It was lovely. Made the cat he made look ugly.

But Hinata added in a whisper only Deidara could hear.

" But Inky still has my heart."

The rest of the dinner went on without of hitch, finally Hinata summoned Ino to the training field.

Hinata noticed the stars and remembered the day before she left. She wished for the mission to go smoothly. To have a good experience. Was this that experience?

" Hinata," Ino whined, looking back to the house. " Can we do this-" She was cut off by Hinata.

" Ino." Hinata whispered but suddenly got serious, mustering all her courage. " What do you feel for Sasori-san"

Silence