He wouldn't ever be entirely convinced about Sasori's theory, but it was the best he could do, and as such followed it, breathing out a sigh of fatigue as he headed to his room for the night. He hadn't been doing anything but pencil-pushing and bomb-making, but he still felt as if he'd been fighting all day. She herself could connect with that feeling, rubbing her head in disappointment and frustration at what had happened, their routines to go to sleep mirroring each other. Their thoughts were only on the other, and their minds were so much on overdrive that it didn't seem like they'd be able to get to sleep, even with the exhaustion they felt.

But she was worried.

The only expression she had been wearing for the last few hours had been a frown of concern aimed at Sasori and Deidara. Deidara especially. Everything was alright now, and like today, she had been talking with them, and playing and joking around with Deidara, and had felt more carefree than she had done in years. But things might change. There was always a little worry at the back of her mind, even as she talked to him that day, and any other day that would follow. She didn't want to be that way; Deidara was such a good friend to her, and had done nothing but help her and make her laugh. It was why she felt so guilty about leaving that quickly; about hiding so many things from him. But she didn't know what Bokun would do. She cared for them. So although it hurt her, she kept her silence. She'd rather feel that amount of guilt for keeping things from them than feel horrendous at having gotten them hurt.

She'd just have to try and keep going.

Deidara was worried as well, but this time, it was the other way around. The more he stayed with her, the more he began to see things were wrong. Which made him think that whatever was going on was keeping her away from the outside world. Away from meeting new people like she was now with him. A little bit before talking to her like he had, he might have felt guilty for making things a little worse, but now he was also grateful for being able to figure out a little bit more about her, and get closer to helping her get over it. What Sasori had said made sense, but it would be hard for him to comply. She was the only one who could give them information, and she was protecting it well, for some reason he wasn't quite sure of. A realisation popping up into his head, he let out a bitter laugh at the fact the roles had been reversed, and Sasori was now the one shrugging the time off, like it didn't matter, and he was the one who was becoming impatient over getting the information. But he was just scared that if he didn't get the information quickly, then she'd be hurt.

That the dream would come true.

Because it seemed like what had happened in the dream was connected with the numinous essence of the house and of the very area itself. But of all things, the dream coming true was the last thing he wanted in the world. All they were trying to do was protect each other. And as such, they both had to do things neither of them wanted, but in the end, would ultimately keep the other safe.

Well, at least, for the moment, anyway.

Deidara fell asleep, thankfully, without any dreams, but still woke up the next day with her on his mind. Shaking it off, he got up and continued on like the day before, heading straight to the library after getting something to eat, and returning to the riddles. Using the research as a way to occupy his mind, they found that they were making a pretty good amount of progress with the riddles. The only problem was, that even once all the riddles were solved, they still had all the answers to somehow connect together and find out about the rune overall, and then come up with some sort of plan to get the rune afterwards. But at least something was moving along, and everything they did got them one step closer to what they wanted. If the idea that the closer they got to getting the rune the closer they got to leaving the mansion flashed up in Deidara's head, he pushed it away and focused on what was in front of him. He'd cross that bridge when he came to it. For now he'd make sure she was safe. What would happen when she was okay was something he'd consider another time.

But once again, like yesterday, when it came to twelve, Sasori sent Deidara off to "get something to eat", and he went immediately after it was suggested. He'd been speed-walking to get to the studio before, but now he dismissed that idea and sprinted point blank to the room, flew in and got to work, checking the clock and the doorway behind him every now and again to see if she was coming. And after the first few minutes, he began to get nervous when she wasn't there yet. He didn't even realise how agitated he was getting until she finally appeared in the doorway with the tray of food and a small smile on her face. Hiding a sigh to release the amount of agitated energy he'd been holding for the last five minutes, he merely greeted her and invited her in, their conversation starting up almost automatically.

Though Deidara couldn't bring himself to ask her anymore questions about his suspicion. Seeing her talking to him, her smile, her laugh...he couldn't do it. He just wanted to spend time with her while she was happy. Talking about everything strange going on in her life stopped that. And who knows? Maybe if she was comfortable enough with him she'd reveal it herself in due time. But there was one thing he thought he might be able to blurt out. But even that took him a while. It wasn't until she really noticed him looking a little anxious that she quietened and asked him what was wrong. And with a deep breath to gather his nerves together and build up his courage, he answered,

"I'm fine. I just...I feel kind of guilty, with you knowing my name and me not knowing yours after all this time, un."

With a smile in return to his question, hiding the relief that he had been wanting to talk about something else, or he was going to reveal something that would affect her greatly, she nodded at the question, agreeing to answer it. Frowning in bewilderment at why it had never crossed her mind to state her name in return, she said simply,

"Tenshi. But everyone calls me Angel."

But although a grin blossomed instantaneously onto his face the moment her words absorbed into his brain, his brain also caught onto something else that affected his emotions just as greatly as her words themselves had done. He wasn't able to voice them; his mind couldn't even get a grip on them to tell them to anybody else. Even if he did truly understand them, telling Angel would be the last thing on his mind, considering all thoughts were centred around her in the first place.

Then the word Angel flashed through his head and his grin remained at full strength. He wasn't surprised that her nickname was Angel. With how beautiful she was, and then with the added factor of her wings themselves...she really did look like an angel. Another thought he wouldn't be able to tell her. He'd probably faint of embarrassment before he even managed to stutter out the word 'Angel'. Deidara knew for certain that he wasn't saying that. He'd already embarrassed himself enough in front of her to make sure that he never did it again. All he could do was whisper,

"Angel..."

Giggling with a blush at his sudden whispered comment, Angel looked down at her feet, but with the smile still evident. This did nothing to lessen the mindset that Deidara had managed to get himself into, and his smile widened with no regards as to what was dancing around inside his head. Cursing himself mentally numerous times, he tried to direct his thoughts away from Angel, by doing anything at all that would help him in this goal.

But thinking the idea of her nickname being given because she looked like an angel over another time, staring at her blushing with an absentminded smile on his face, he had to smother a groan and a whispered curse at what he was now starting to think with everything going on. It couldn't be possible. It wasn't rational, reasonable...sensible, in the slightest. If Sasori knew, he'd tell him instantly it was completely and utterly stupid. But knowing that fact changed nothing of what was going on. If it was what he thought it was, then he was done for.

But could it be true?

Was...was he in love with Angel?