Disclaimers: Naruto series is copyrighted to Kishimoto Masashi. No profit made, merely indulging the imagination.

A/N, as of 04/2018: Edited for fluidity and clarity.

I wanted something to connect Sasori, Hinata, Itachi and Deidara, while staying manga-compliant and canon-compliant. For that to happen, happy endings are not possible. It's also my way of writing Sasori and Deidara and keeping these characters IC, because there's a lot of badly-written OOC sap and stereotypes out there. However, is it possible for each of them to find happiness, even if happy endings are not possible for the various pairings, emotionally and psychologically? Must it always be romantic? What defines a happy ending? Sasori with Hinata. Hinata with Itachi. Itachi with Deidara. And of course, Deidara with Sasori.

'Scissors, Paper, Stone' connecting Itachi x Hinata x Sasuke on adultfanfictionDOTnet had been a lovely exercise, before certain manga chapters came out, and I have classified that piece of work as AU. This is a different fic, which can still be canon-compliant and manga-compliant. Looking back on this, it has been a very enjoyable growing experience.

Titles are quoted using lines of a nursery rhyme, from the Mother Goose books.

Words in italics denote thoughts.

Setting: Starts during the timeline jump, in the 6 months before Naruto returns to Konoha.

One for Sorrow

Cold. Drenched. Shivering.

The fierce downpour had deterred her from catching up to her companions.

Today had lapsed into the late afternoon, but there was at least another hour before sunset. It would take her slightly more than that time to get back to Konoha. However, what she needed now was a shelter from this heavy downpour, and the trees weren't substantial enough.

There!

Spotting an opening in one of the rock walls just before everything became only lush forest, Hinata sprinted up the side using concentrated chakra as additional adherence, before leaping into dry darkness.

Then again, it was not that bleak. There was possibly a small beacon of light at the far end. Considering the deceptively small entrance and hardly any illumination available from outside, this cave was presumably much larger in dimension. However, the passageway was rather dark and did not look safe.

Bya-Eh? Impossible.

Her senses detected extremely quiet movement somewhere up ahead on the ceiling, sliding to her left. The moment brought back memories of old fears… of stealthy enemies who had nearly succeeded in kidnapping a hapless child. Shifting further to her right until her back was to the wall, she was about to fully awaken the Byakugan when-

Both palms closed together over flat sides of serrated metal, stopping its advance.

'Hn. Bad weather draws all types of bugs.'

Not releasing what she had clasped, Hinata stared in the direction of the speaker, who had dropped to the ground, to stand between the entrance and her. He was shorter and stouter than she was, and not that… ugly. Really. He sounded somewhat old. This raspy-voiced man somehow reminded her of a giant beetle. The blade she had intercepted was wrenched out of her grip. In the faint light, was that- A tail swayed lazily, mimicking the motion of a sound wave. Looking down at an unmoving individual now reminded her of a peacefully grotesque puppy, albeit a very dangerous one. A tail? What?

At least he was not attacking anymore. Instinct told her to keep her abilities with the Byakugan hidden for now, and she decided to figure out the reasons later. The distant light must be a fire he had made. Flustered, she blurted out the first thing which came to mind.

'Um, uh…m-may I share the f-fire with you?'

Hinata did not know this man had already identified her presence as a chūnin from the Village of Leaf. Hinata also did not realise how this man's normal habit was to mentally classify her as 'it', automatically reducing her to less than anything of value. If she had known, she would have chosen to run out of the cave or fight, since she did not recognise him as an S-class missing-nin. And if she had recognised who he was, he would have immediately decided she must die. Ignorance was her temporary saviour, while he weighed the possibilities, on what to do with this... option.

He could not help wondering if it was afraid. But nothing was conclusive yet. Flipping a switch in his armour, changing and adjusting the lenses in yellow orbs until it was suitable for night vision, he zoomed in.

A short-haired stuttering mouse wanted to breach his privacy. What a dull sight. Drooping shoulders were hunched forward protectively. Pasty skin and the way it shrank away, as if wanting to blend in with the walls and floor, only cemented his opinion. Eyes appearing to have no pupils reminded him of dead fish floating on top of a river. Did it possess any unusual bloodlines?

Should he exercise pest control?

'I-I will go to t-the o-other side, so y-you w-will not get wet.'

That was when he noticed the slight bluish tinge to pale lips, and the trembling… Ah. The combined effect of being cold and wet was also affecting enunciation, but the speech mannerisms… such soft-spoken politeness hinted of a rather privileged upbringing.

What a laughable child. It was obviously frightened of his appearance, knuckles white with the effort of undecided course of action, and doubtless having no clue as to what he meant. Contempt would not be hidden, when it was brave enough to deserve that. Condescension, on the other hand… Those googly corneas were interesting, the way tiny wrinkles appeared at the corners of puckered skin.

Some amusement was needed to pass the time, while he figured out a way to determine -through minimal testing and maximum gain- whether this one was worth adding to his stash, or only good for fertilising the grass. He had assumed passing through the outskirts of the Country of Fire would be another dull journey. Sasori was in a generous and lazy mood. It had to be blamed on the weather. He did not like being bored. And he welcomed the possibility of adding to his puppet collection.

'Come.'

Me. Idiot. On hindsight and further consideration, Hinata reckoned she should not have opened her mouth, and merely chosen to leave this place. Being desperate for warmth was not a justifiable reason to ask a favour from someone who looked and behaved in such an odd manner. Slowly walking behind the shuffling individual and leaving a trail of miserable wetness, the taller figure did not know whether to be relieved or think of an excuse to leave. It was not comfortable.

Blessed warmth did nothing to alleviate her uneasiness.

In fact, firelight made it worse.

Black-and-red scorpions were anything but her favourite insects. Hinata was in a quandary of sorts. She didn't want to look at him, but the wet clothing sticking to her clammy skin needed to be- There was a harsh chuckle.

'As expected.'

What? What was expected? Was he… laughing at her? If so, he was horrid. And disgusting. She wanted to Gentle Fist his mouth shut. But first, she had to stop shivering. 'I-Indeed?'

'You would be fearful. After witnessing such an ugly outward appearance of someone who doesn't care for your presence… Run away, little girl. Or turn your back and hide your eyes. Although if you ask politely, I'll do it so you won't have to try any harder to fade into the background.'

Belittlement was easily recognised, due to her early years of childhood. This stranger was-was- More than anything, she did not like his rudeness, even if it was true. Even though she had lost her place to Hanabi as main heiress of the Hyūga clan, Neji had explained certain ideas, thereby giving her greater inspiration to stand up for herself. After he had lost to Naruto in the exams and received an apology from her father about a certain past, their improving relationship as cousins had led to him opening up, becoming a man she admired more with each passing day. And what he had explained to her was unforgettable. In striving to become the best of herself, as a leader and teammate, she would be a good asset to Konoha, and could surpass Hanabi without having to worry about harming her sister, ever since her father had chosen to transfer such a weighty limiting destiny to her younger sister. Hinata had doubted she would be able to surpass Hanabi, but Neji had merely smiled and said there was no harm in aiming to do so, by finding her own path.

Without the limiting cursed seal of the Branch House or the clan leadership, her destiny could be anything. Certain shinobi such as Uzumaki Naruto had shown her how it could be possible, such as gaining one of the legendary Sannin as a teacher, through hard work and determination. She was responsible for her own path. She was a Hyūga. She was an older sister to a younger sister who would eventually see her as an example of a woman to emulate or disregard. And she would not accept disrespectful impudence or rudeness from a stranger. Beginning twinges of empathy were stomped flat by an inner core of fierce solemnity.

'You need not be so unpleasant, unless it is your intention to repel people. No one here cares about your looks. You- Nevermind. Enjoy your space of self-pity. And please stop projecting your personal problems onto others.'

That hateful yellow gaze now rested on her. About to leave the main chamber, his words stopped her.

'Liar. Your eyes have been averted all this while. Step out, take a deep breath. Catch pneumonia, and you will happily forget this short moment of aggrandising posturing.'

Not moving, head bowed, all that could be heard was the faint plinking of water from sodden clothes.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Raising her head, she looked him directly in the eye.

'What you have said is partially true. To look at someone and be unable to hold back pity, knowing they don't want or need it… only makes the pitied individual feel worse. Frustration. Anger. The humiliation of your own helplessness at preventing unwelcome sympathy hurts. But I have intended none of those things for you. What I have just said to you is completely sincere about what I perceive about you, even if my words are more impolite than usual because of unexpected verbal aggression from you. Besides, I can speak from experience, in terms of being pitied and not wanting to give such an experience to others…'

Unless you've mastered the art of getting over it, which I haven't.

A shapeless mass landed at her feet.

'The rain will not let up so soon. Do what you wish with this cloak.'

Staring at the black puddle a while longer, Hyūga Hinata bent to pick it up. Her antagonist now sounded relatively neutral. Gingerly holding it at arms-length so as not to get it too damp, she realised he had turned away to look at the wall. His studied concentration was on reddish-brown rock, as if the numerous cracks and odd spider scuttling across was completely fascinating. His consideration was oddly touching. His speech mannerisms were formal in a certain manner reminding her of her grandparents, yet… Perhaps she had been too hard on this old man, while making assumptions too quickly.

Quietly stepping away from him until she found the largest shadow, a rain-drenched shinobi hurriedly shucked off the wet garments and wrapped dry softness about herself. Picking up her clothing and taking them back to the fireside, spreading out the clothing items nearby, to help them dry… that was the easy part. Addressing the other was harder.

'O-oji-san, thank you. Er, how do I, er-'

'Ji-san will do.'

There was a pause. He still seemed to be enraptured with boring stone. Or- Ack. 'Ah, I- I like the cloak. It's a relief. And it's h-hard to talk to someone when they're not looking at you.'

Now she had his undivided attention. 'It is even harder to return the gesture when one keeps cringing, little girl.'

'Not if a chance is given for interaction and mutual understanding. I am Hinata, and no longer a little girl.'

She did not know where she found the courage, but a fierce desire flared up inside, of not wanting to be mocked. Low sonorous amusement curled around her. 'Generous youth. Even though offended, your speech and manners has betrayed the quality of your upbringing… and the insignia on your neckband is…?'

She did not want to have to answer that line of questioning. It always led back to the clan, and her father had warned her not to give away any more hints. Despite whatever weaknesses she had not yet overcome, she was a Hyūga of the main house, and invaluable as a daughter of the leader of the Hyūga clan. 'A kunoichi of Konoha.'

'…Hinata?'

'Only Hinata.'

Silence enveloped them once more. It felt like a game of Go, both sides probing for openings in shuttered walls. The next round was underway. 'What do you do for a living, ji-san?'

'I make toys.'

Her snort could not be suppressed. His glare just made everything funnier.

Him? Toys? Somehow, she did not think so. For an excuse, it was ludicrous. And she could not believe she had been about to laugh. Trying to contain her amusement, she brought up a more superficial issue, while stretching out her hands, as if to warm them. 'Strange, how smoke from the fire does not choke up this place.'

His masks were as strong, maybe even better than Naruto-kun, to be able to recover so fast and return a neutral-sounding response. 'There are more openings to smaller caves at the top. It creates a natural chimney of sorts.'

'Like a wind tunnel.'

'Must you always state the obvious?' snapped her current fireside companion, who was no longer sounding companionable.

His reply sounded very similar to talking to a petulant thirteen-year-old Neji and from past experience, she knew better than to give in or be soft. No matter how gentle, firm frankness was necessary to wake the speaker to reality and stop such undeserving silliness, or disrespect would continue. Looking away for a moment to stare at him, her answer was more muted but no less prickly. 'That is to make up for someone comfortable at hiding in the shadows, while giving unwarranted immature replies. Pot, meet kettle.'

The last three words were muttered in exasperation, but he had heard her. Hinata did not know why the man laughed at what she said. He could not have given her a precise explanation if she had asked, but Sasori had realised it was wonderful to laugh, to realise someone was able to answer back, despite apparent fear while retaining the wits. The puppet master had also decided she might be worth squandering some intellect on. He was intrigued, therefore shifting a little more towards his right. 'I prefer it. Do you know why?'

The girl shook her head. Her lack of pretentiousness was endearing, and he lowered his guard. Gently. 'In darkness, you paint yourself. In light, others paint you.'

At his words, one small hand loosely made a circular gesture as she asked, 'Then what do you call this?'

He did not bother to glance around, knowing he would see in the firelight, dark phantasms dancing, changing, deceiving but not budging from their origins, a mixture of light and shadow… 'You tell me, Hinata.'

Listening to this man –hearing him hint at philosophical teasing without condescension, not involving usual instructions or battle strategies of how to bluff and defeat an opponent– mellowed and opened something she had always known, somewhere deep inside. He was referring to some sort of possible truth, of life and… his own weakness? Was he testing her about something? She did not understand the question, much less what context the question was in.

How did they get here, from contempt to banished scorn, to her… desiring respect from him? He was smart and more intelligent than her, because he could come up with such clever concepts. He had so much more life experience than she did. All she could do was try and find solutions to already existing mysteries. A mystery he was testing her with.

Think, Hinata. Think. The answer can't be too far away… And then she realised what the initial keyword clues were. The answer had been in her thought process, which he had consciously or unconsciously guided her through. And she shifted more to her left... 'It's up to us then, isn't it?'

A lack of response from the other person made Hinata uneasy, as she wondered what he might be thinking. Unable to stifle sudden weariness and forgetting to cover it up left her mortified. And then he became testy again, and she had to respond, as if pacifying a moody child. All this was more draining than she had expected. She wanted to sleep.

'Ji-san, my apologies for the rudeness. It has been a long day of missions, and I am tired… It's not a good justification, but it's the truth. I'll probably be turning in soon.'

Thankfully Kiba had mucked up enough of the second mission, so the entire team had to take a delayed lunch. Rest was a bigger priority than food at this point and judging by the half-open packs of her current companion, Hinata going to sleep would allow him to take off black cloth covering the lower half of his face, to eat without her scrutiny. Or leave without her noticing. Besides, the rain had not subsided. He obviously had his reasons for not wanting to show his face, and she was not about to pry, since he had not demonstrated any intention of harming her.

'What you have said is partially true. To look at someone and be unable to hold back pity, knowing they don't want or need it… only makes the pitied individual feel worse. Frustration. Anger. The humiliation of your own helplessness at preventing unwelcome sympathy hurts. But I have intended none of those things for you. What I have just said to you is completely sincere about what I perceive about you, even if my words are more impolite than usual because of unexpected verbal aggression from you. Besides, I can speak from experience, in terms of being pitied and not wanting to give such an experience to others…'

If Hinata could read a certain man's mind, she might have fallen over with surprise. He could hear her unspoken finish, in the way her voice no longer sounded tight and less high-pitched, verbal speed slowing, as each word became less pronounced. He knew she was seeing something else, even though she was facing him. Her answer reminded him of the boy who had not grown up fast enough to know his parents, and how other children treated him because he had lost them in a bloody war, and those ugly children did not know how to react. Wretched fools. This girl might not be one.

'It's up to us then, isn't it?'

Such an answer had Sasori smiling beneath his shell, which she could not see, and he had been impressed. Almost impressive. Good. She had been able to evaluate and reconstruct the boundaries, while meeting his careful vagueness with true imitation which only came from equal understanding. And… he had never seen a sweeter smile. That observation wiped a temporary smile off his actual face, gladly hidden within the armour. His frostiness returned as he snapped, 'There's no need for you to come closer.'

'Er, I did not want to have a shouting conversation with you, so I moved a little to the left just now. But I haven't moved, since then … and I moved closer to you only because you moved to your right first, hence shifting closer to me. W-what were you intending, by doing so?'

Oh. He was embarrassed, which was something not been experienced in years. Chopping off her head was a tempting prospect, maybe plucking out her fingernails one by one and more… after telling her a story. Seeing her yawn, he decided to flay her alive later. Definitely.

'Ji-san, my apologies for the rudeness. It has been a long day of missions, and I am tired… It's not a good justification, but it's the truth. I'll probably be turning in soon.'

Harbouring a completely different train of thought from hers, Sasori had to stifle a chuckle. Being given such an apology led to an unusual grin the kunoichi was better off not witnessing. It was due to a mixture of emotions and circumstances, and the result was anything but pleasant. Malicious mischief was possibly one of the strongest inspirations.

'Hm. Would you like to hear a story? Makes it easier to fall… asleep. But you'll have to come closer.'

Sasori did not know she could hear the not-so-disguised sneer in that last sentence. He also did not know that after considering everything, she would take him up on his challenge. And more. Rising and walking over, she lay down next to his seated form, pretending not to see the startled jerk of his head, or the slight shuffle backwards.

'Why not? I have had trouble sleeping, so maybe your storytelling will help.'

He did not ask why. And perhaps she was glad not to have to answer.

His retaliation only cemented indefinable strangeness between two individuals. A connection had been forged, but what did it represent? Fingers in her hair caused the entire body to tense. As they continued stroking, she relaxed. And tried not to think about a dangerous tail swaying like a tree in the wind.

He told her a story about the cruelty of children, and how their innocence was the worst weapon of all. The topic was not a suitable tranquiliser but the voice he used, a smooth unrelenting pouring of honeyed syrup into a well… His voice had the intended effect. Coupled with irrepressible exhaustion making itself felt… there's something else, wait…

Fighting off an impending tidal wave of unconsciousness, she managed to blurt out, 'I… didn't… get your name…'

Movement ceased.

'Then come back for it in a month's time. Same time and place, if you are still interested.'

There was no response. From the way she had curled up, breathing regularly and practically dead to the world, it was uncertain whether she had heard him. But this prelude had been an indescribable exchange of views between himself and this- She was not as gullible as he had assumed. And here he was, forgetting his first lesson: looks were deceptive. For unadulterated amusement, and the joy of frustrating while intriguing him… he would let her live this night.

Until he had certified her full battle-worth in their next encounter. After all, his collection could always do with more interesting tools.

Next up: What would a story about Sasori be, without Deidara? And what is happening with Deidara?