28

Sun was setting in, and his body felt stiff. The strong smell of wood burning was too intense, Deidara followed the scent, without really being aware of it. His feet led the way to a trail in the forest, and as he got closer to the fire he could see what had brought him there. Of course, there was only one person who shared the same love he had for explosions.

She was standing up, not too far from him, watching the trees burn. She started walking deeper into the forest, and he followed, curious to know where she was going, after a few minutes she came to a full stop and sat on a broken tree trunk. He came closer to her, aware that she'd recognize his scent, but she seemed oblivious to the fact. Self-consciously he sat next to her, facing the girl.

She could feel his penetrating eyes burn in her skin, but she didn't face him, not yet. Instead she forced her head to stay still and closed her eyes. Deidara waited anxiously, not really knowing what to do, or if he should say something. He watched her rest her elbows on her knees, and hold her head on her hands. Painfully slowly she opened her eyes and took her hands off her face resting them on the air between her legs instead, and staring deeply into them.

"I wish I knew what you were looking for… might've known what you would find"

"I've been looking for you, all of my life… I just… didn't know yet, un"

She turned her face to his, and watched his eyes intensely. His blue eyes reflected the fire on the sky, and she could tell he wasn't lying. But it wasn't enough, despite his honesty, his actions had proven him wrong. She got up, unable to keep the charade on for any longer.

She didn't want this, she hadn't come here to find him. She was happy, numb and carefree, and he had to come and stir her blood, and make her bones feel soft and spongy. Nothing could compare to the feeling on the pit of her stomach every time he was near, and how she held on to each and every word of his, and could remember everything he had ever said to her with heartbreaking accuracy.

She had fallen in love, and it had felt exactly like falling. Effortless.

Once she'd walked for a few feet, she turned back to face him again, and she looked defeated.

"What is it exactly you want?" her tone was exasperated, worn out, but the hopelessness of her eyes was lovely.

"I want you, yeah"

"Why?"

She waited for his answer but it didn't come.

He didn't know why he wanted her, this lovely creature standing so close to him. Strong on the surface, but so completely fcked up and so utterly broken he couldn't help but stare in awe. Like a fallen angel, her skin shined with the moonlight, her eyes bright and watery.

"It's not enough" she said, nothing but despair and anger in her tone.

She shrugged and the subtle movement of her shoulders seemed to shake all her walls down. He could really see her now, he could see the missing pieces of this girl, and all the missing figments of her soul. And he was fascinated. Her body moved slowly as she turned her back on him again and kept walking into the darkness.

"I love you!"

It was as if an electric shock had electrified her, and she turned back again, for a moment he thought he had got to her, but her eyes were wild and her face contorted.

" Where?!"

" What?!"

" Show me! Where is this love? I... I can't see it, I can't touch it. I can't feel it. I can hear it. I can hear some words, but I can't do anything with your easy words."

His heart missed a beat and his body was pulled to her like a magnet, one second he was sitting on the broken tree, and the next his hands were on both sides of her face, she stood motionless, obviously taken by surprise, but fire burnt in her brown eyes.

His face leaned in to claim her lips and he felt her body take a step away, his right hand freed her face and went down to her waist, keeping her in place. She didn't react immediately, she didn't kiss him back. It was like tasting emptiness, she was broken in a way one didn't notice until one came close enough.

He let her go, and opened his eyes to find hers closed.

She let go a sight, as if it were her last breath, his blue eyes were alarmed now. What had he done? How deep could he have possibly hurt her? She didn't look alive, motionless, and pale into the dark sky. The wind blew clouds of smoke into the sky, so violently it seemed to want to tear the forest apart.

"What's wrong, un?" his voice was stressed, anxiety pulsing on his veins, furiously.

"I can't do this anymore. I'm leaving"

"What?! Where?! Why?!"

He could feel her hands push him away with all her strength, and when he didn't let go she opened her eyes.

"What do you want from me Deidara?"

Her eyes were like blazing fires, she was angry now, something he had never seen in her, violent, furious, raging, exactly like fire. And he didn't let go, mesmerized as he was.