Was that one of the Akatsuki? She retraced her steps to an ally. Here came the disappointment. It was just another street cat clamoring in search of food. Her senses were really getting duller.

Ino wondered how long it would take Sakurato finish her report to their village. No, actually, she wondered what it would contain. How about somewhere along the lines of: Had a lovely day gambling. Lots of civilians got killed 'cause we didn't do our job properly, but we're alive. Oh, and Akatsuki is here. How's it going over there?

Not a trace of them or the mystery cat like woman anywhere. She and Sakura had checked the whole village over and over again for two days already. One would think that experienced and talented ninjas as them would've easily found out at least a clue. The only explanation this far she'd come up with was that they were young and searching stuff was not their specialty.

Explosive was what you'd imagine the mind reader as after the whole situation. It was some sort of a relief that it didn't last for long. Eventually, she had found herself simmering down, feeling a bit unattached to the world, but other wise fine. Truthfully, it all felt a bit surreal.

From all the places they could be, they just had to pop out here. Not only had they caused havoc, but they were also chasing another ninja, who had also participated in the killing spree back in the gambling den. Ok, so the woman was clearly against the Akatsuki, since they were attacking her and all before they arrived, but that didn't justify her attacking Sakura and Ino, too. Unless she didn't know that they weren't the bad guys. Argh, way too complicated. Leave the thinking and theories to those who can actually do it.

Actually, she should take a long break right now. That's all that girl like her needed right now. Somewhere behind some old buildings was a creek. It was just as lovely as she thought it would be, aside from the moldy like gunk on the bank of the water.

Too bad the place was already occupied by someone. She blinked twice. On the other hand, maybe it wasn't so bad after all. It was Deidara shuffling some clay in his hands. A few steps closer and he looked up. He didn't look surprised; in fact, it was like he had been expecting her. Only, it wasn't that happy expectation.

His hand twitched every once in a while towards his pouch. Had she not known him better, she'd have assumed him to have hidden a gift to her in it.

"Ah." Great opening, Ino. "It's been awhile."

"Come to finish off things? I've been waiting for this moment…yeah." His smirk turned cold and it made her insides churn. It was like he was another person.

She felt ridiculously confused. "What? You mean…" So, maybe he was finally coming around. The date she had anticipated was just in her fingers' grasp. And it didn't even require that much work!

"Don't fuck with me…yeah." He was about to open his clenched hands when he took a hard look at her face.

Yes, I must look breathlessly amazing.Thankfully, Ino had put a lot of effort on her looks today, as she had done so on every other day.

His resolution faltered a fraction. "…You don't know…yeah. If you had, I would've had to-"

"Eh?" she intercepted.

The only answer was a smirk she had grown accustomed to and a visible relaxation. A close inspection on her part was made on his expression. Nothing earth changing was revealed. Then, Ino's short attention span wavered and she went past him.

Ahead of her was a tiny flower with only one bud on its stem. She plucked it and remembered the time she and Sakura had been picking flowers when they were kids. That girl's confidence level had really needed a major boost that time. A smile played on her lips, as she twirled the plant between her fingers.

"Should've known you weren't looking at anything interesting, un." His breath tickled her ear.

She almost knocked him with her head. He had sneaked behind her. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. The tingling made her want to double up from the power of it. Wishing fervently that it'd stop quickly, she tried to subdue it by pulling her hands around her midsection. Things were as distracting as they were right now.

Right then, the flower dropped from her grasp. A spider was creeping next to her exposed foot. Her scream practically echoed. Her frantic stomping had no effect. "It won't die!"

His shocked eyes watched her go ballistic. She hated small bugs. You just never knew where they could go and you couldn't fight them with fists or anything. Ladybugs were fine, bugs bigger than her fist were fine, even flies were ok. If there were Venus traps around. However, this was not fine.

Use your chakra, woman. She thought. Concentrated amount of it gathered into her foot as she took one final stomp. A satisfying crunch resulted. Heck yeah, it worked!

"My piece of artwork!" He knelt down to the crushed pieces.

What was so special about that? He could make a new one.

"Aren't you worried about me?"

He was seething. "You fuckin' bitch!"

The deadliest glare ever was directed at him. It was enough to make him regret slightly his previous words, which wasn't normal. At all.

"I suppose that means you were very, very worried about me, and you would gladly do anything to cheer me up. Right?" She felt like a mother scolding her son. Her posture and crossed arms if not implied the impression, then downright claimed it.

The feeling of his temper reached over to her. Immediately she knew she should have let it slide, but she discarded that thought; since he managed with great effort to subdue his anger little by little. Perhaps hanging around Tobi had managed to work some anger management into him. He was bound to until some extent. Nobody could otherwise last that weirdo.

Settling into his usual annoyed state, he shrugged noncommittally and left it for her interpretation.

Smug as she was, it was good for the sake of the both of them she didn't go further into it.

"Damned bug lover," she whispered under her breath.

§--§

Thank you so much for the reviews! They mean the world to me. I still must add that they were extraordinarily wonderful to read.

I've been thinking over my reviewing experience (sounds grand, heheh) and have come up with a thought that maybe some of you guys don't know what to review on (happens a lot to me). So I decided to ease it up by supplying some questions and ideas.

Is the story too fast paced? Deidara/Ino needs to have more/less of in their character. The transition between paragraphs could be improved by (state something). What exactly didn't you really understand in this chapter? There needs to be more/less (e.g. action/romance/reminiscing/appearance of a character). What should be emphasized? What feels unrealistic or out of character?

I'll come up with more later on. :) Once again, thank you.