When Ino and I hear Konan coming back to my room, Ino swiftly runs out and leaps off my balcony, scurrying off into the distance. Giggling, because she's devising some sort of plan that I'll never agree to do.
It's about 10:30, so I insist that Konan takes my bed while I sleep on my own personal futon that I keep in my room incase Ino ever wants to sleep over. She gratefully accepts, and I turn off the lights. It's awkward though, because we both know we're awake.
"Crazy day, huh," She asks quietly.
I sigh, "Crazy two days, actually."
"I'm sorry if we're burdening you."
"Oh! No, no. It's not you guys. I've just been stressed out lately. I think you guys are doing me more good then bad."
"Stress? What's wrong?"
"Well…" I stay quiet for a little bit, pondering my life, "Last week the Hokage was putting me and my partner, Rui, on a ton of pestering missions. Non stop. It was only until Thursday that my sensei got put on our team to help us out. I've been exhausted since my last mission and I was going to spend this weekend relaxing."
"It sounds like you just need a good rest. A two man group is small, but… isn't your squad suppose to have three people and a jonin in the first place?"
"Oh man… should I tell her?" I wonder."I don't want to give out too much personal information… but… I can trust her the most. She's like my therapist."
"Um… it's sort of a long story, but to make it short…" I become sullen, but summarize the story in one sentence, "Rui had a twin brother."
Konan becomes dour as well, "Had."
"Right…He was killed on a mission six months ago. Rui just hasn't been himself since. He's really been slacking and it's gotten worse. He's downright depressed. It's almost like he tries to get killed on missions now…And I can't help him. I feel like I don't know him anymore."
"I had no idea that you would be dealing with something like this. You really cover it up," she states.
"I just moved on, really. I spent my time being sad already. Everybody knows that Rui is the one who's just gotten worse. I mean, it was his brother after all."
"Mhm, I understand. It's good that you moved forward. Oh, and I hope your Hokage doesn't pile work on you this week. You should really get a new member to help out your team… but…we might need you some more. I mean, if that's okay with you."
I smile, even though she can't see.
"Yeah, I'd love to."
We say good night. It was nice having a meaningful talk. I wanted to ask her if the others genuinely liked me, or if they were using me. But imagine if they really are just using me. How could Konan answer that? Either way, she would say yes, the only difference would be if she was lying or not.
…Am I just being paranoid?
The next morning, I woke up to the glorious smell of hotcakes. Not just any hotcakes, but my dad's special, and not to mention delicious, hotcakes. He hasn't made these little delicacies since Chouji's 15th birthday.
I yawn and rub my eyes. My back hurts, but I don't know why. Then, I sit up and realize that I rolled off my futon all the way to my dresser-
On the other side of my room.
An invigorating breeze comes by. I turn around to see my balcony door open and notice Konan is outside, looking at the view I have. I look at my bedroom door; someone left it open just a crack, so the smell of fluffy, buttery, hotcakes could fill the room and wake us up.
Konan comes back in the room saying, "'Morning. How'd you sleep?"
As I get up, I stretch my back and say, "Pretty good, except for my back. It so strange, I don't remember ever rolling around in my sleep before."
Konan laughs, "I guess you don't know you talk in your sleep either."
Horror strikes my mind. I have no control of what I would say in a dream! I feel myself go pale, "W-what? I do? What did I say?"
"You imaged you found Hidan's ring," she says chuckling, "It was so cute, you were cheering 'I got it! I got the ring!' You were so enthusiastic. Did you have a dream you found it? Maybe we can look for it there, haha."
I can feel my face getting hot. I'm almost sweating, but I laugh anyway, "Heh, I wish. It might have been helpful… Anyway, I can smell my dad's cooking. Do you like hotcakes?"
"Yeah, they're one of my favorite breakfast foods," she says smiling.
"Well, I bet my dad will make them your number one."
Konan and I walk downstairs and into my kitchen to the sight of my mom and dad laughing with the whole gang of guys. The kitchen is buzzing with sounds; sizzling batter on the frying pan, forks tapping on plates, chatter and laughter, it's like it's a holiday or something.. As we walk in, I can see Pein glance at Konan with soft eyes, as if he's relived she's here.
"Hey, look who decided to join the party!" My dad greets.
"Yeah, it's sleeping beauty one and two," my mom teases.
"We're already on seconds," my dad says while handing us plates of round and warm deliciousness.
"Tobi wants thirds!" the masked man shouts, running into the kitchen.
"Will you quit running? You're making us dizzy," Zetsu says.
"Oh! Sorry Kakuzu-san but Mr. Nene's-dad's hotcakes are just too good!"
"I think that's the only time you've been right, un," Deidara praises.
"Zetsu," Konan says, "I haven't ever seen you eat pancakes before."
"Well… there's a first for everything…"
I watch Konan's expression as she takes her first bite. Her eyes widen and she stays silent.
"Sooo, what do you think?" I prompt.
"…They're too good for words."
My parents chuckle.
"Konan, you need to learn how to make this," Hidan says scarfing down his plate.
"You need to learn to cook," she comes back.
The kitchen laughs, and I think I even see Itachi smiling.
After breakfast, we all get dressed and get ready to scavenge for Hidan's ring. I got to fulfill Ino's want of Deidara seeing me in pajamas, even though it was just a flowy yellow tank and black shorts. If I wanted to impress him, I would have worn a night gown, but whatever. It's almost eleven thirty by the time everyone's ready. Looking like a tired father, (after watching all the members without Konan,) Pein thanks my parents for letting everyone stay the night.
"It was our pleasure," My mom says. Almost out the door, my dad shouts, "Come again! You're always welcomed here," I turn and give him a incredulous look, but he just winks back at me and my mom gives me a thumbs up.
"What was that for?"
Right as we walk out of the house Konan remembers something, "Oh! Nene, I forgot my eye shadow in your room, can you get it? We'll wait for you here."
"Sure, no problem. Be right back," I respond.
Opening the door again, I see my parents spying out the window. They turn to me simultaneously,
"Those are such great people Nene!" My dad enthusiastically says, "You couldn't have run into a more fun group of travelers!"
"And they're handsome too! Let's see if you can make them one of your boyfriends," my mom grins.
"You're starting to sound like Ino now… Anyway, I just need to get Konan's eye shadow. She-"
"Left it in your room. Yes, we heard through the door," my mom finishes for me.
"Okay… both of you are being really creepy…"
"Don't worry, we're going now," added my dad, going to the kitchen and dragging my mom along. It looked like she wanted to stare at the group a little longer…
.
Sheesh, parents these days.
When I'm up in my room, I realize that I didn't ask Konan where she left her makeup. After a few minutes of searching, I hope that I'm not making them wait too long. Just to make sure that they aren't getting too impatient, I go on my balcony and look over the edge. They're just chatting, but they're huddled in a circle. Maybe they're having a club meeting, discussing topics meant for people with special talents only. Right when I'm about to continue looking for the eye shadow, I see a figure on the other side of the street eating some onigiri. His resemblance with Shikamaru is uncanny.
"What is he doing here?" I wonder, "He can't be jealous of these people, can he? Ino must have told him about 'mysterious hot guys' sleeping at my house. He has Temari, he shouldn't be watching over me."
I turn to go back into my room, but in the corner of my eye is a small palette of blue eye shadow resting in the corner of my balcony. I guess Konan did her makeup outside. I take the makeup, but before I head out, I turn to see Shikamaru again, but he disappeared.
I walk down stairs, greet the gang, and hand Konan her makeup. Then, we take off.
While walking into town, Pein explains that the group thought of a plan while I was in the room. We'd break up into groups of two and search the town in different areas. This way, we'd cover more of the village and seem less suspicious, rather than a huge mass of people oddly scanning every person we see. Pein pairs us up like this: Him and Konan, Hidan and Kakuzu, Tobi and Sasori, Deidara and me, and Zetsu and himself. I guess, technically, he can be counted as two people. I also can't help but to notice that Sasori seems annoyed, but sad too. Maybe he's usually Deidara's partner.
I can feel my stomach flip. I'm Deidara's partner now.
A picture of him from last night appears in my mind, shirtless, undone, and just plain hot. Just knowing what's under his shirt gives me the jitters. I get to spend the whole day with him.
As the gang departs, everyone takes different directions. Deidara and I are left with the more country side of the Leaf Village, which I think is pretty dumb. I mean, c'mon, what are we going to do out there? Inspect farmers?
I'm laughing so hard I snort.
"Oh my gosh, that was so embarrassing," I giggle.
Deidara pulls out a miniature Kisame figure and mimics his voice, "Not as embarrassing as my affair with Samehade!"
I laugh again.
Deidara has figures made of clay of everyone in the group and is pretending to be them. I swear, I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard. I as I catch my breath I ask him where he got such things.
"Deidara, where in the world did you find figures like that?"
"Find? Oh no, I make these little guys myself, un." he explains, looking accomplished.
"You're a sculptor? That's so cool!" I exclaim.
"You really think so?" he grins.
"Yeah! That's serious talent you got there. How do you make them?"
He pauses for a little bit than starts saying, "Hmmmm…." for almost a minute, teasing me. He's wearing a very long sleeved light grey shirt with black straight leg pants with deep pockets. His shirt sleeves are so long though, it covers his hands. I always thought that was a girl thing, but anything goes with him Deidara. He's also carrying around a weapons pouch, just for safety I'm assuming. He's quite the fashionable one.
"Well, I guess I can show you as long as you don't freak out, un," he declares.
"Freak out? What do you mean?"
He rolls up his sleeves up to his elbow and holds out his fists, "Pick one…Or both, un."
I give him a questionable look, "both," I say tapping the tops of his fists. He grins and turns his fists around and unclenches them.
He has mouths on the palms on his hands.
It is so incredibly hard not to freak out right now.
"Whaaaat?" I say confused. I take his hand while he just smiles amused. His hand-mouth grins and licks it's lips.
"I'm just glad you aren't screaming, un."
"…Do you brush their teeth?"
He laughs, "I don't think anybody has asked that as their first question before! But no, the clay I use keeps them pearly white, un."
"So… these mouths make the sculptures?"
"Yep, just watch," he says as he puts his hands into his pouch, "I keep my special clay in these pouches, un."
He pulls out a lump of clay and his hand mouth starts chewing it up.
"You mean, you don't keep weapons in there?" I ask perplexed.
With the sexiest smirk I've ever seen, he says, "The clay is my weapon, un."
He looks at me, but I just raise an eyebrow. Out of his hand a small little bird pops out.
"Aw, it's adorable!" I say.
He puts his Itachi figure on the bird and passes it to me, "Now, throw it."
I listen to him and chuck it in the air, but it keeps going.
"I-it can fly? Awesome!" I exclaim.
"Hope you like explosions too. Art… is a bang." He makes a single handed hand sign and yells, "Katsu!"
The bird and mini Itachi bursts into a magnificent array of oranges and yellows. It was prettier than a firework.
"Speechless, huh?" Deidara notices.
"Yeah…I…really wasn't expecting that!" I babbled, "It's so deadly, but so pretty."
"Exactly why I love it. It's a work of art, fleeting in a blast of beauty, un."
"That's… pretty deep. I didn't know you had such an artistic side to you," I stated. "I feel bad for Itachi though," I giggle.
"Pft, that guy really pisses me off…" He stays silent for a second, "He forced me into the… Uh, I mean he tricked me into joining this group… I lost a bet, un…The only other person who likes art is Sasori. But he has a completely different point of view, un."
"I see…" I squeak.
Did he just open up to me? Guys barely ever talk about their feelings… right? This shows he trusts me, right?
"This moment is too perfect,'I think. It's just me and Deidara, sitting in a field under a tree. Alone. Goofing off from our mission because the people here have exactly zero correlation to the ring. Plus, I know that none of the others will find it because it's in the trusty hands of Ino. This means that everyone is rigorously looking throughout out the village all day long. He's all mine.
"Is this really a sign like Ino said? She wants me to go after him, and now my mom even wants me to get a boyfriend. And my dad approves, too… "
I might as well try to get him to like me.
"...I don't know much about art…" I start, "But I'd really love to learn from a great artist like you."
A/N: Getting romancey ohoho~ Hope you like this chapter! Constuctive critisism is welcomed along iwth reviews c: They fule my writng XD More to come soon!
