Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Shadows of Darkness ❯ Chapter Ten: The Final Decision ( Chapter 10 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: WolfGoddess_77 
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.14.2012 | Pages: 5 | Words: 6.1K | Visits: 122 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.14.2012 | Pages: 5 | Words: 6.1K | Visits: 122 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any related characters. No money is made from the writing of this story.
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Deidara took her chin in his hand, turning her face gently towards him. He leaned forward, kissing her softly. Resting his hand over her stomach, he let it slowly creep beneath the blanket she had wrapped around herself. She jumped when he first came into contact with her bare skin, but she didn’t try to stop him.
He ran his fingers lightly over her body, moving closer and closer to her breasts. Mika’s breath caught in her throat, and she closed her eyes as she felt a tingle shoot through her blood. The heat that accompanied it was all but obliterating her nervousness, much to her relief. Maybe she would be able to enjoy this after all.
She gasped as she felt his fingers trail along the underside of her breasts, and she bit her lip. It didn’t take her long to realize that he was moving slowly, for her sake, although she had given him permission to do this. He was still giving her a chance to back out, even now.
Resting her hand on his arm, she slid it upwards, over his shoulder. Curling it around the back of his neck, she pulled him down to her, pressing her lips against his. Unlike before, this kiss was more eager. They were both breathless when she finally broke the kiss. Leaning back, she rested her hand against the side of his face.
“I never asked about your arm,” she whispered. He certainly hadn’t been favoring it; in fact, there was no sign at all that he had ever been injured.
Deidara gave a short laugh of amusement. “Is now really the best time to be talking about this?” he asked, tracing soft patterns on her stomach with one finger. “Don’t spoil the mood with medicine, un.” But when he saw the look she gave him, he sighed. “I’m fine. The bones have completely healed. There’s no pain, no discomfort, not even any stiffness. Now drop it.”
The words themselves might have been harsh, but the tone in which he said them was gentle, so as not to hurt her feelings – if such a thing were even possible. He’d already learned that not much fazed her; she usually just grew angry if something upset her. But again, that wasn’t something he wanted to do. He wanted her to let him do this; it was past time. Already, he had seen the growing attraction she had to him, though she had tried to hide it.
That continued to puzzle him. Why was she so determined to deny both of them the pleasure they so wanted? Occasionally, he saw her determination waver, and when it did, he caught a quick glimpse of her true thoughts reflected in her eyes. In a way, he could understand her hesitation. In her village, she had been taught that Akatsuki were criminals. And they were. But she was one of them now. There was no reason for her to try to keep her distance from him any longer.
He wanted to tell her this, but he knew that she probably wouldn’t take it well. Perhaps another time, when he wasn’t depending on her cooperation. She had to give in sooner or later. Hopefully, once she had a taste of the pleasure he could give her, she would see that there was no shame in submitting to her desires, whatever they might be.
Putting these thoughts aside for now, he leaned forward, nipping gently at her neck. His hand came up to cup her breast, and Mika arched against him, giving a quiet whine. She gripped his arm tightly, and for a moment, he thought she would push him away.
“Don’t fight me,” he whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise, un. Close your eyes, and relax. I’ll make sure you enjoy this.” He placed a light kiss on the hollow of her throat, trailing down to her collarbones. Lightly, he ran his thumb over the peak of her breast, feeling it harden beneath his touch.
A trickle of pleasure flowed through Mika’s blood, and she shifted on the bed, her breath catching in her throat. To her surprise, she realized that she wanted more. What he was doing certainly felt nice, but it wasn’t nearly enough. In fact, it was only making the ache within her worse.
The hand that she had rested on his arm slid up and over, coming to rest in the center of his chest. “Please,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. He went still, watching her through one ice-blue eye. His expression held the smallest hint of a question, but more than that, it was knowing – he had a feeling he knew what she would ask. But just to be sure…
“You’ve changed your mind?” His voice was deceptively innocent, with just the right amount of disappointment, as if he truly believed she wanted him to stop, and was disheartened by the thought. He watched as she bit her lip, looking away. This was a side of her he wasn’t used to. Most often, she was hot-tempered and quick to speak her mind, but now she was showing her shy side.
“No, I…I want you to keep going,” she whispered at last, not meeting his gaze. “Don’t stop, please.” Her fingers toyed idly with a strand of golden hair that had fallen over his shoulder, betraying her restlessness.
A smile came to his face; as he had thought. She was in too deep to back out now, just as he’d wanted. “I’m not going to stop, un,” he assured her, leaning forward to place a kiss on her forehead. His hand began to slip down over her body, stopping when he reached the top of her shorts. He glanced downward, then back up at her. “But are you absolutely sure this is what you want?” There was no need to ask, really; he knew what her answer would be. But he wasn’t asking for his own benefit. She needed to hear herself say it, so that she could begin to accept that it was the truth.
Mika nodded. “I’m sure. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have asked. I know what I want.” Her voice was firm; she didn’t want him to think that she had any second thoughts about this. If she gave the slightest hint that she was unsure, he would stop, and that just wouldn’t do. It was true that she was still a bit nervous, but it wasn’t nearly enough to make her change her mind. Mostly, it was the nervousness that accompanied doing something new, rather than the true fear of doing something she didn’t want to do.
Deidara gave her a tiny smile. “Good,” he whispered. “I don’t want you to regret doing this, un.” Agonizingly slowly, he slipped his hand underneath the waistband of her shorts. Almost immediately, he encountered the soft fabric of her underwear. Tracing the top of it with one finger, he arched one eyebrow. “This’ll be easier if you completely undress.”
She shook her head stubbornly. “No; I want to stay at least halfway dressed. It is possible to do like this, isn’t it?” Admittedly, it might be a bit difficult, but surely not impossible.
As she expected, he nodded, albeit hesitantly. “Yes, but it won’t be as comfortable. You probably won’t enjoy it as much this way, un.” His fingers crept down a fraction of an inch, and she shifted slightly, but never took her eyes off him.
“I’ll deal with it. I’m not about to give in to everything, especially since this is the first time we’ve done something like this.” She wasn’t quite ready to let him see her completely unclothed, which was why, even now, she kept the blanket he’d given her tightly wrapped around herself.
It wasn’t that she had anything to hide, really. Like all ninja, she bore the countless scars she had accumulated on missions, but they were small, and easily overlooked. But something about the thought of baring herself completely to him made her hesitate. It signified something very important to her; a line that she wasn’t sure she was ready to cross just yet.
She knew that he was getting frustrated with her – that was probably why he was doing this. From the beginning, she’d known what he was up to, but she had played along, mainly because she didn’t know what another rejection would do. But it was also because she was beginning to wonder what it would be like to give herself to him. It was getting harder and harder to convince herself that she shouldn’t do this.
Finally, she had come to a sort of compromise with herself. Although she had decided that she wouldn’t let him take her, she could still let him touch her, and, if he wanted, she would do the same for him. That would have to do, at least for now. She wanted to be completely comfortable around him before they went any further. This was already difficult enough.
Her thoughts came to a grinding halt as she felt his fingers slide lightly over her folds. Although he was touching her through the fabric of her underwear, it was thin enough that she felt a tingle of pleasure from his actions. That tingle grew stronger as he increased the pressure of his fingers, and he smiled as he felt the cotton begin to grow damp from her desire.
He continued the slow movements for a couple of minutes, until he was certain that she was comfortable with what he was doing. Watching her closely, he leaned forward, kissing her neck lightly. Almost automatically, her head tilted back, and she closed her eyes, giving a soft sigh of what he was sure was pleasure.
At last, his hand slid upwards, until he felt the waistband of her underwear. As he slipped his fingers beneath it, he gave her neck a sharp bite, to distract her from what he was doing. If he gave her time to think about it, she would probably change her mind and try to stop him.
His plan worked. Mika gasped at the bite, more from surprise than anything else. Before she realized what was happening, she felt a wave of pleasure flow though her. It had been a long time since she had felt a sensation like that, and a low moan forced its way out of her throat before she could bite it back. She reached up, but instead of pushing him away, she wrapped her arms around him as he carefully worked two fingers into her center.
“Sorry about the bite, un,” he whispered, licking the slightly red flesh. He hadn’t bitten her hard enough to leave a bruise, but there would be a red mark there for a few hours. Still, even though he was apologizing, he wasn’t truly sorry. She was his, for better or worse. And since she wouldn’t let him take her – yet, he told himself with some satisfaction – this was the only way he had to lay claim to her.
“It’s… It’s all right,” she replied breathlessly. It was a bit hard to speak with the electricity shooting through her blood. In truth, the bite hadn’t really hurt; it had stung a bit, but that had quickly faded. What she hadn’t expected was to feel a spike in the now-familiar ache in her lower belly. If anything, the bite had felt good, and that confused her a bit.
But she didn’t have long to think on it, as Deidara continued to move his fingers in and out of her, driving the pleasure she was feeling to ever greater heights. The ache was slowly starting to transform into a mounting pressure, signaling her impending climax.
It wasn’t much longer before that pressure exploded, causing her to arch her back and give a second cry, though this one was quieter. She knew it was unlikely that anyone would be able to hear her, but it wasn’t a chance she wanted to take.
When he was sure that she had ridden out her climax, Deidara withdrew his fingers, and deliberately licked them clean. To his surprise, her essence was slightly sweet. A wicked smirk crossed his face as this discovery brought a thought to his mind. It wasn’t something he would be able to put into action right away, but it was something to think about.
He sat up, watching Mika silently. Her eyes were still closed, but her ragged breathing was beginning to slow down, and a moment later, she looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered, reaching up to run her fingers lightly down the side of his face.
Returning the smile, he nodded, then slid to the edge of the bed, standing up and collecting Mika’s discarded clothes. “Get some sleep. I’ll take your clothes to be washed, and be back before you wake up, un.”
Turning over onto her side, Mika nodded, her eyes already beginning to drift closed. Now that the last of the tension had drained from her body, she was ready for a long nap. Although, she found herself wishing that he would stay with her. She was beginning to prefer having him at her side. The sound of the door closing was the last thing that she heard as she drifted off to sleep.
Deidara slipped out into the hall, closing the door quietly behind him. As he headed up the hall, he caught sight of a figure leaning against the wall a short distance away. When he realized who it was, he arched one eyebrow. “What are you doing back? I figured you would have wanted to stay in the woods for a while, un.”
Hidan straightened from where he was resting against the stone wall, uncrossing his arms. Deidara could see the wounds from his earlier battle with Mika, though they had healed into pink scars. He shook his head. That healing rate was just unnatural.
“Fuck you. I just wanted to go for a little walk before I came back, that’s all. I’m not some kind of damn coward who hides and licks his wounds while his enemy gloats over his victory.” He took a step closer, his red-violet gaze shifting to the clothes Deidara held. “What the hell are you doing with those? Playing housewife now, are you?”
The blonde made a sound of annoyance. “I just didn’t think it was a good idea for her to meet Leader covered in blood and dirt.” He paused for a moment. “You never answered my question. Why are you here? Specifically here, in my hall.”
Hidan grinned, his eyes dancing wickedly. “Can’t I pay an old friend a visit without having to undergo a fucking interrogation? I just wanted to come by and say hello, that’s all.”
Deidara didn’t believe it for an instant. The likelihood of Hidan being friendly with anyone was about the same as Kakuzu suddenly deciding to stop caring about his bounties. It simply wasn’t possible. He was up to something…but what?
Considering for a moment, Deidara suddenly had a thought. It wouldn’t be a good idea to leave Hidan on his own when he was so determined to lurk around, and until Deidara could find out exactly what it was the immortal wanted, he would need to find some way to get rid of him. “Well, since you’re feeling so amiable, do me a favor, will you? Zetsu should be coming soon; go and see if he’s here yet. I’d go myself, but I have something else I need to take care of, un.” He gestured to the bundle of clothes he was holding.
The immortal narrowed his eyes slightly. “What do I look like, your damn errand boy? Do it yourself.”
Deidara had expected this answer. “This could be for your benefit, too. The sooner you tell Zetsu about the results of the fight, the sooner you’ll know whether you can use Mika for a sacrifice, un.” If this didn’t guarantee his cooperation, nothing would.
Hidan gave a soft growl, and Deidara could see that he was thinking about refusing. But eventually, the temptation of a sacrifice became too much, and he straightened from where he had been leaning against the wall, turning away. “You owe me for this,” he called back over his shoulder. “If this doesn’t work out, you’d better find me someone that’s at least twice as good, got it?”
The blonde shook his head as Hidan disappeared around the corner. The last thing he wanted was to be indebted to someone, but if he was lucky, Hidan would forget about this little favor.
He opened the door at the end of the hallway, and went inside. Looking over Mika’s clothes, he frowned thoughtfully. It wouldn’t take very long to wash these by hand. The bloodstain in the side was small, and the dirt could be easily rinsed out.
The room was fairly small, containing only a sink, a table, and a couple of wooden buckets. Deidara placed the clothes on the table, and picked up one of the buckets, which he filled with water from the sink. Placing Mika’s overshirt in the water, he began to scrub at the bloodstains, using a scrap of soap that had been lying in the bucket.
As he worked, he let his thoughts wander. If it were up to him, he knew that Hidan would lie to Zetsu, if only to ensure that Mika would be turned down as an Akatsuki member. Thankfully, the scars that lingered on the immortal’s body would tell the story. Although the wounds themselves had healed, it would be several more hours before the scars completely faded. Hopefully, Zetsu would come before then.
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Half an hour later, Deidara emerged from the room, Mika’s clothes folded over his arm once more. Washing them had taken a bit longer than he’d anticipated, but he figured he still had some time to kill before it was time for the meeting.
He figured wrong, for as he turned back around from closing the door behind him, a dark mass rose up from the ground a few feet away. In an unusual show of patience, Deidara was still, waiting for the plantlike ninja to speak.
It was the black half that broke the silence. “Leader has been informed of the outcome of the fight. He wants you and the girl to come to the anteroom immediately.”
Before Deidara could respond with more than a look of surprise, the white half piped up. “He was taken off-guard by what happened. He didn’t think she could do it.”
As the black half gave a hiss of annoyance, Deidara nodded thoughtfully. “So he’s coming here personally, huh?” That could be either very good, or very bad. He’d expected the Ame nin to relay his orders through Zetsu, as he usually did. He’d already seen Mika for himself, so there was really no reason for him to return, even if it was only through a projection.
Without another word, Zetsu turned and began shuffling away, leaving the blonde alone in the corridor. He shrugged and headed back to his room, schooling his features into an expression of calm indifference. It wouldn’t do to alert Mika to anything amiss. As far as she was concerned, Pein’s arrival was expected.
When he opened the door, he saw that Mika was already awake, sitting up in the bed with the blanket wrapped tightly around her.
“I thought I told you to get some sleep, un,” he commented, a trace of humor laced through his words, turning what would have otherwise been a disapproving statement into nothing more than a simple observation.
Mika shrugged. “You did, but I couldn’t seem to stay asleep. Maybe it’s being in a strange place with hardly any clothes on.” She gave him a pointed look, noticing that he had brought her newly-cleaned outfit back with him. “Or maybe it’s because I was too worried about the outcome of my test.” It was true that she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since it had first been given to her. The nervousness that she had been able to suppress during the actual fight had now come back full force.
Deidara moved over to the bed, placing her clothes down in front of her. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Leader’s probably just drawing out the decision to make you sweat, un.”
Her crimson eyes turned to look at him, their expression unreadable. “Probably? And what if you’re wrong? What if the reason it’s taking so long is because they’re deciding on a way to kill me?”
Deidara was silent for a long moment. “We’ll think of that if we absolutely have to. It won’t do any good worrying yourself sick when there’s no reason to.” He only hoped that his voice sounded as confident as he’d meant it to.
Clearing his throat, he turned towards the door. “In any case, your waiting is over. Zetsu told me that Leader’s ready for you. He’s made his decision. We shouldn’t keep him waiting.”
Silence reigned for several heartbeats, and suddenly, there was a frantic rustling of cloth as Mika scrambled to her feet and threw her clothes on. They were still slightly damp, and that, combined with the somewhat chilly air, sent a shiver up her spine.
Still, she ignored the discomfort, knowing that she didn’t have the time to let them dry properly. In half the time it usually took her to get dressed, Mika was drawing up the zipper on her overshirt and moving to stand beside Deidara.
Despite the tense situation of preparing to walk into the metaphorical lion’s den, Mika moved with a speed that surprised and impressed Deidara. He had expected her to still be stiff from her ordeal, but if she was still feeling any adverse effects, she didn’t show it.
This would work in her favor. Although her shirt was still torn, and she was in need of a bath to cleanse herself of the dirt and other impurities of the fight, she didn’t look any worse for wear, and the fluidity of her movements –though they betrayed her fatigue – showed that, if the situation arose, she could still fight. That kind of stamina was something that Pein would be looking for.
She still had a good portion of her chakra remaining, as well; proof that she knew how to think ahead and conserve her energy, rather than wasting it in a last-ditch effort to win. That wasn’t to say that she would never resort to this method if forced into it, but she knew how to rely on strategy first.
Impulsiveness wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when there were other options, it was better to think through a situation, and plan out several alternatives, should things go wrong. Deidara had learned that himself firsthand when he’d fought the Kazekage. He had underestimated the little brat, and had nearly gotten himself killed in the process.
Of course, he would never be as reckless as Hidan, but, keeping his own mortality in mind, he had resolved to be more careful in future fights. Two impulsive fighters in a team was never a good thing; in fact, it usually spelled certain disaster. If Mika did indeed have more patience than he had originally given her credit for, so much the better.
Opening the door, Deidara paused only long enough to retrieve Sasori’s ring from where Mika had placed it on the table in the middle of the room. “We’ll be needing this, un,” he told her, rolling it casually between his fingers. Mika had to wonder whether he really was as relaxed as he looked, or whether he was just a very good actor. Either way, it helped to calm her own nerves, something she was grateful for.
“I know that you’re worried, but don’t let them think you’re afraid. Showing any kind of weakness will make them think less of you. Be confident; you have nothing to fear. Not many ninja can claim that they killed an immortal, un.” He gave her a crooked grin, one that she returned without even really thinking about it.
“I can’t say that I really ‘killed’ him, seeing as how he’s still walking around, now can I?”
Deidara shrugged. “No one said he had to stay dead.”
Normally, this thought would have made Mika uneasy, but she recognized the conversation as what it was; a way to put her at ease before she met Pein, this time face to face.
In a walk that seemed to both last forever, and be over far too quickly, Mika found herself rounding the corner of the corridor, and walking the short distance to the anteroom. As she had expected, the other members of Akatsuki had gathered once more, with two new additions.
One was nothing more than a vague shadowy outline; one Mika recognized as a hologram from her first meeting with Pein. But unlike before, this figure was different. It wore the bulky cloak, so Mika couldn’t tell much about it below the neck, but it had surprisingly piercing amber eyes, the only part of the figure that actually held any color. She wasn’t sure, but she thought this one might be female, based on the delicate lines of the face. It seemed to have some kind of hair ornament in the shape of a rough circle, though the details were impossible to make out.
The person standing next to the hologram was the one that quickly drew her eye. She’d thought that she had seen all shapes and sizes in her time as a ninja, but she had never seen anyone quite like this man. He was about the same age as the others, with short spiky hair. This part of him was unremarkable, except perhaps for its vivid color. What immediately caught her attention were the multiple piercings adorning his face. None of them were the more normal hoops or studs favored by so many; instead, they were heavy- looking black metal bars.
She winced before she could stop herself; those had to hurt. Her eyes were then drawn to his. Like before, she found them almost hypnotic. It took a great effort of will to pull her gaze away when Deidara stepped up beside her.
He gestured to the hologram first. “This is Konan. She’s our only female member, and our Leader’s partner.” Mika glanced over to him, wondering if she had imagined the slight emphasis on the word ‘partner’. Did he mean that the two of them were more than just a team? Perhaps they were…
She shut down that thought before it could progress any further. It was none of her business, anyway.
Deidara then nodded to the strange-eyed man standing beside Konan. “And you already know Pein, our leader.” The way he said the name held a measured amount of respect, even if it was grudging.
Mika’s mind immediately flashed back to what Deidara had told her about this mysterious man. He was…different than she had expected. For one, he was much too young to have gained such a fearsome reputation. He couldn’t have been more than a couple of years older than her, if that. For another, although she could sense the enormous amount of power that was radiating from him, she could feel no malice. Each member of Akatsuki had a certain coldness to them – some more than others, depending on their personality – but with Pein, it was absent. The feeling she got from him was… The only way that she could think to describe it was a void. He just seemed…empty.
Swallowing hard, she bowed slightly, never taking her eyes off of him. Not knowing whether or not she was supposed to say anything, she followed her first instinct and kept silent, waiting for one of the others to break the silence.
She wasn’t disappointed; Pein himself was the one to speak, his voice smooth and quiet. “Zetsu has relayed to me the outcome of your fight. Although it was not in accordance with the order I gave…” he glanced over at where Kakuzu sat, making Hidan grin at the obvious disapproval in his voice, “…it is still acceptable as a test of your abilities. I thought it best to come here myself to give you my decision.”
There was a long pause in which the air in the dim anteroom grew almost visible with the tension hanging over them all. Deidara stiffened almost imperceptibly at her side, Hidan leaned forward eagerly, his eyes practically glowing, and Mika could have sworn that her heart had stopped beating.
Years later – or so it seemed to Mika – Pein began speaking again. “I’ve decided to allow you into our ranks, as a full member of Akatsuki.” His voice remained the same as ever, holding none of the pride or other emotions usually present when delivering good news.
The tension that had filled Mika’s body swiftly drained out, leaving her feeling somewhat lightheaded. Deidara had been right…she had been scared for nothing.
Her gaze drifted over to Hidan, who had reclined back in his seat, trying to look indifferent, but failing. Even from here, she could see the anger smoldering behind his red-violet eyes. She would have to be careful around him for a while, until his temper cooled off. She didn’t know what the rule was about killing other members, and it wasn’t one she cared to test out.
Her attention returned to Pein as he resumed speaking. “I trust you still have Sasori’s ring? It belongs to you now. Do not lose it.”
He looked around at the gathered members, the Rinnegan taking them in one by one. “You have all been given your orders. I expect them to be followed quickly.”
There were a couple of nods, but for the most part, the others were still, seeming to be either lost in thought, or simply not caring about the presence of their leader.
Pein watched them for a moment longer, then raised his hands in a seal. In the next instant, he had disappeared in a swirl of smoke. Konan was the next to flicker and vanish, all without a single word to anyone. Zetsu simply sank into the floor, the leafy protrusions covering his upper half closing around him as he did so.
One by one, the other members stood up from the table where they had been sitting. Itachi moved past them like a wraith, leaving Kisame to move over to Mika and clap her heartily on the back, nearly forcing her to her knees with the strength of his hand.
“Congratulations, Mika-san. You’re one of us now.” The tall ninja grinned, revealing unnervingly sharp teeth. “I knew you had it in you, I just wish I could have seen the fight myself.” He looked over at Hidan, who was grumbling to himself as he made his way towards the entrance to the base. “Must’ve been a good one, to get Leader to come here personally.”
Mika gave him a somewhat shaky smile; Kisame had never been anything but friendly towards her, but his appearance alone was enough to make her wary of him. Still, she didn’t want to come off as rude by sidling away when he only seemed to want to congratulate her.
With another fang-baring grin, he turned to follow after his partner, who had vanished.
Deidara gave her a light tap on the shoulder, and a small smile. “See? You were nervous for nothing, un. Although…” He looked over at Hidan, who was arguing with an annoyed Kakuzu. “I would keep away from Hidan for a while. He might just decide to go against Leader’s orders, and unlike him, you can’t be revived.”
Mika nodded. “Yeah, I thought of that myself. The last thing I want to do is end up as a sacrifice after finally winning my place here.”
“He’ll calm down eventually. Right now, he’s just so focused on feeding that dark god of his that he can’t see anything else.” Deidara took her hand, and before she realized what he was doing, he had slipped Sasori’s ring onto her thumb. “Here. Think of this as a mark of your worth, un.”
Mika looked down at the ring, studying it. It was rather larger than she would have liked, and she had never been one to wear jewelry in the first place. Still, she felt a bit of pride, looking at it. It had been hard-won. That, if nothing else, made it valuable to her.
She looked back up at him, a smile lighting her face. “Leader said that we should get started on the mission. When do we leave?”
Deidara shook his head. “You’re still tired from your fight. Leaving now would be a bad idea. After you rest, then we’ll go.”
She nodded her agreement. A long nap did sound nice, as did a shower. “First thing tomorrow, then? I’d like to restock my equipment, too, if that’s possible.”
“It is. We have plenty of weapons in storage rooms. Take your pick.” He began leading her back towards the room they shared. “But first, you need to sleep.”
Mika followed him silently, not about to argue.
---
Deidara took her chin in his hand, turning her face gently towards him. He leaned forward, kissing her softly. Resting his hand over her stomach, he let it slowly creep beneath the blanket she had wrapped around herself. She jumped when he first came into contact with her bare skin, but she didn’t try to stop him.
He ran his fingers lightly over her body, moving closer and closer to her breasts. Mika’s breath caught in her throat, and she closed her eyes as she felt a tingle shoot through her blood. The heat that accompanied it was all but obliterating her nervousness, much to her relief. Maybe she would be able to enjoy this after all.
She gasped as she felt his fingers trail along the underside of her breasts, and she bit her lip. It didn’t take her long to realize that he was moving slowly, for her sake, although she had given him permission to do this. He was still giving her a chance to back out, even now.
Resting her hand on his arm, she slid it upwards, over his shoulder. Curling it around the back of his neck, she pulled him down to her, pressing her lips against his. Unlike before, this kiss was more eager. They were both breathless when she finally broke the kiss. Leaning back, she rested her hand against the side of his face.
“I never asked about your arm,” she whispered. He certainly hadn’t been favoring it; in fact, there was no sign at all that he had ever been injured.
Deidara gave a short laugh of amusement. “Is now really the best time to be talking about this?” he asked, tracing soft patterns on her stomach with one finger. “Don’t spoil the mood with medicine, un.” But when he saw the look she gave him, he sighed. “I’m fine. The bones have completely healed. There’s no pain, no discomfort, not even any stiffness. Now drop it.”
The words themselves might have been harsh, but the tone in which he said them was gentle, so as not to hurt her feelings – if such a thing were even possible. He’d already learned that not much fazed her; she usually just grew angry if something upset her. But again, that wasn’t something he wanted to do. He wanted her to let him do this; it was past time. Already, he had seen the growing attraction she had to him, though she had tried to hide it.
That continued to puzzle him. Why was she so determined to deny both of them the pleasure they so wanted? Occasionally, he saw her determination waver, and when it did, he caught a quick glimpse of her true thoughts reflected in her eyes. In a way, he could understand her hesitation. In her village, she had been taught that Akatsuki were criminals. And they were. But she was one of them now. There was no reason for her to try to keep her distance from him any longer.
He wanted to tell her this, but he knew that she probably wouldn’t take it well. Perhaps another time, when he wasn’t depending on her cooperation. She had to give in sooner or later. Hopefully, once she had a taste of the pleasure he could give her, she would see that there was no shame in submitting to her desires, whatever they might be.
Putting these thoughts aside for now, he leaned forward, nipping gently at her neck. His hand came up to cup her breast, and Mika arched against him, giving a quiet whine. She gripped his arm tightly, and for a moment, he thought she would push him away.
“Don’t fight me,” he whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise, un. Close your eyes, and relax. I’ll make sure you enjoy this.” He placed a light kiss on the hollow of her throat, trailing down to her collarbones. Lightly, he ran his thumb over the peak of her breast, feeling it harden beneath his touch.
A trickle of pleasure flowed through Mika’s blood, and she shifted on the bed, her breath catching in her throat. To her surprise, she realized that she wanted more. What he was doing certainly felt nice, but it wasn’t nearly enough. In fact, it was only making the ache within her worse.
The hand that she had rested on his arm slid up and over, coming to rest in the center of his chest. “Please,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. He went still, watching her through one ice-blue eye. His expression held the smallest hint of a question, but more than that, it was knowing – he had a feeling he knew what she would ask. But just to be sure…
“You’ve changed your mind?” His voice was deceptively innocent, with just the right amount of disappointment, as if he truly believed she wanted him to stop, and was disheartened by the thought. He watched as she bit her lip, looking away. This was a side of her he wasn’t used to. Most often, she was hot-tempered and quick to speak her mind, but now she was showing her shy side.
“No, I…I want you to keep going,” she whispered at last, not meeting his gaze. “Don’t stop, please.” Her fingers toyed idly with a strand of golden hair that had fallen over his shoulder, betraying her restlessness.
A smile came to his face; as he had thought. She was in too deep to back out now, just as he’d wanted. “I’m not going to stop, un,” he assured her, leaning forward to place a kiss on her forehead. His hand began to slip down over her body, stopping when he reached the top of her shorts. He glanced downward, then back up at her. “But are you absolutely sure this is what you want?” There was no need to ask, really; he knew what her answer would be. But he wasn’t asking for his own benefit. She needed to hear herself say it, so that she could begin to accept that it was the truth.
Mika nodded. “I’m sure. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have asked. I know what I want.” Her voice was firm; she didn’t want him to think that she had any second thoughts about this. If she gave the slightest hint that she was unsure, he would stop, and that just wouldn’t do. It was true that she was still a bit nervous, but it wasn’t nearly enough to make her change her mind. Mostly, it was the nervousness that accompanied doing something new, rather than the true fear of doing something she didn’t want to do.
Deidara gave her a tiny smile. “Good,” he whispered. “I don’t want you to regret doing this, un.” Agonizingly slowly, he slipped his hand underneath the waistband of her shorts. Almost immediately, he encountered the soft fabric of her underwear. Tracing the top of it with one finger, he arched one eyebrow. “This’ll be easier if you completely undress.”
She shook her head stubbornly. “No; I want to stay at least halfway dressed. It is possible to do like this, isn’t it?” Admittedly, it might be a bit difficult, but surely not impossible.
As she expected, he nodded, albeit hesitantly. “Yes, but it won’t be as comfortable. You probably won’t enjoy it as much this way, un.” His fingers crept down a fraction of an inch, and she shifted slightly, but never took her eyes off him.
“I’ll deal with it. I’m not about to give in to everything, especially since this is the first time we’ve done something like this.” She wasn’t quite ready to let him see her completely unclothed, which was why, even now, she kept the blanket he’d given her tightly wrapped around herself.
It wasn’t that she had anything to hide, really. Like all ninja, she bore the countless scars she had accumulated on missions, but they were small, and easily overlooked. But something about the thought of baring herself completely to him made her hesitate. It signified something very important to her; a line that she wasn’t sure she was ready to cross just yet.
She knew that he was getting frustrated with her – that was probably why he was doing this. From the beginning, she’d known what he was up to, but she had played along, mainly because she didn’t know what another rejection would do. But it was also because she was beginning to wonder what it would be like to give herself to him. It was getting harder and harder to convince herself that she shouldn’t do this.
Finally, she had come to a sort of compromise with herself. Although she had decided that she wouldn’t let him take her, she could still let him touch her, and, if he wanted, she would do the same for him. That would have to do, at least for now. She wanted to be completely comfortable around him before they went any further. This was already difficult enough.
Her thoughts came to a grinding halt as she felt his fingers slide lightly over her folds. Although he was touching her through the fabric of her underwear, it was thin enough that she felt a tingle of pleasure from his actions. That tingle grew stronger as he increased the pressure of his fingers, and he smiled as he felt the cotton begin to grow damp from her desire.
He continued the slow movements for a couple of minutes, until he was certain that she was comfortable with what he was doing. Watching her closely, he leaned forward, kissing her neck lightly. Almost automatically, her head tilted back, and she closed her eyes, giving a soft sigh of what he was sure was pleasure.
At last, his hand slid upwards, until he felt the waistband of her underwear. As he slipped his fingers beneath it, he gave her neck a sharp bite, to distract her from what he was doing. If he gave her time to think about it, she would probably change her mind and try to stop him.
His plan worked. Mika gasped at the bite, more from surprise than anything else. Before she realized what was happening, she felt a wave of pleasure flow though her. It had been a long time since she had felt a sensation like that, and a low moan forced its way out of her throat before she could bite it back. She reached up, but instead of pushing him away, she wrapped her arms around him as he carefully worked two fingers into her center.
“Sorry about the bite, un,” he whispered, licking the slightly red flesh. He hadn’t bitten her hard enough to leave a bruise, but there would be a red mark there for a few hours. Still, even though he was apologizing, he wasn’t truly sorry. She was his, for better or worse. And since she wouldn’t let him take her – yet, he told himself with some satisfaction – this was the only way he had to lay claim to her.
“It’s… It’s all right,” she replied breathlessly. It was a bit hard to speak with the electricity shooting through her blood. In truth, the bite hadn’t really hurt; it had stung a bit, but that had quickly faded. What she hadn’t expected was to feel a spike in the now-familiar ache in her lower belly. If anything, the bite had felt good, and that confused her a bit.
But she didn’t have long to think on it, as Deidara continued to move his fingers in and out of her, driving the pleasure she was feeling to ever greater heights. The ache was slowly starting to transform into a mounting pressure, signaling her impending climax.
It wasn’t much longer before that pressure exploded, causing her to arch her back and give a second cry, though this one was quieter. She knew it was unlikely that anyone would be able to hear her, but it wasn’t a chance she wanted to take.
When he was sure that she had ridden out her climax, Deidara withdrew his fingers, and deliberately licked them clean. To his surprise, her essence was slightly sweet. A wicked smirk crossed his face as this discovery brought a thought to his mind. It wasn’t something he would be able to put into action right away, but it was something to think about.
He sat up, watching Mika silently. Her eyes were still closed, but her ragged breathing was beginning to slow down, and a moment later, she looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered, reaching up to run her fingers lightly down the side of his face.
Returning the smile, he nodded, then slid to the edge of the bed, standing up and collecting Mika’s discarded clothes. “Get some sleep. I’ll take your clothes to be washed, and be back before you wake up, un.”
Turning over onto her side, Mika nodded, her eyes already beginning to drift closed. Now that the last of the tension had drained from her body, she was ready for a long nap. Although, she found herself wishing that he would stay with her. She was beginning to prefer having him at her side. The sound of the door closing was the last thing that she heard as she drifted off to sleep.
Deidara slipped out into the hall, closing the door quietly behind him. As he headed up the hall, he caught sight of a figure leaning against the wall a short distance away. When he realized who it was, he arched one eyebrow. “What are you doing back? I figured you would have wanted to stay in the woods for a while, un.”
Hidan straightened from where he was resting against the stone wall, uncrossing his arms. Deidara could see the wounds from his earlier battle with Mika, though they had healed into pink scars. He shook his head. That healing rate was just unnatural.
“Fuck you. I just wanted to go for a little walk before I came back, that’s all. I’m not some kind of damn coward who hides and licks his wounds while his enemy gloats over his victory.” He took a step closer, his red-violet gaze shifting to the clothes Deidara held. “What the hell are you doing with those? Playing housewife now, are you?”
The blonde made a sound of annoyance. “I just didn’t think it was a good idea for her to meet Leader covered in blood and dirt.” He paused for a moment. “You never answered my question. Why are you here? Specifically here, in my hall.”
Hidan grinned, his eyes dancing wickedly. “Can’t I pay an old friend a visit without having to undergo a fucking interrogation? I just wanted to come by and say hello, that’s all.”
Deidara didn’t believe it for an instant. The likelihood of Hidan being friendly with anyone was about the same as Kakuzu suddenly deciding to stop caring about his bounties. It simply wasn’t possible. He was up to something…but what?
Considering for a moment, Deidara suddenly had a thought. It wouldn’t be a good idea to leave Hidan on his own when he was so determined to lurk around, and until Deidara could find out exactly what it was the immortal wanted, he would need to find some way to get rid of him. “Well, since you’re feeling so amiable, do me a favor, will you? Zetsu should be coming soon; go and see if he’s here yet. I’d go myself, but I have something else I need to take care of, un.” He gestured to the bundle of clothes he was holding.
The immortal narrowed his eyes slightly. “What do I look like, your damn errand boy? Do it yourself.”
Deidara had expected this answer. “This could be for your benefit, too. The sooner you tell Zetsu about the results of the fight, the sooner you’ll know whether you can use Mika for a sacrifice, un.” If this didn’t guarantee his cooperation, nothing would.
Hidan gave a soft growl, and Deidara could see that he was thinking about refusing. But eventually, the temptation of a sacrifice became too much, and he straightened from where he had been leaning against the wall, turning away. “You owe me for this,” he called back over his shoulder. “If this doesn’t work out, you’d better find me someone that’s at least twice as good, got it?”
The blonde shook his head as Hidan disappeared around the corner. The last thing he wanted was to be indebted to someone, but if he was lucky, Hidan would forget about this little favor.
He opened the door at the end of the hallway, and went inside. Looking over Mika’s clothes, he frowned thoughtfully. It wouldn’t take very long to wash these by hand. The bloodstain in the side was small, and the dirt could be easily rinsed out.
The room was fairly small, containing only a sink, a table, and a couple of wooden buckets. Deidara placed the clothes on the table, and picked up one of the buckets, which he filled with water from the sink. Placing Mika’s overshirt in the water, he began to scrub at the bloodstains, using a scrap of soap that had been lying in the bucket.
As he worked, he let his thoughts wander. If it were up to him, he knew that Hidan would lie to Zetsu, if only to ensure that Mika would be turned down as an Akatsuki member. Thankfully, the scars that lingered on the immortal’s body would tell the story. Although the wounds themselves had healed, it would be several more hours before the scars completely faded. Hopefully, Zetsu would come before then.
---
Half an hour later, Deidara emerged from the room, Mika’s clothes folded over his arm once more. Washing them had taken a bit longer than he’d anticipated, but he figured he still had some time to kill before it was time for the meeting.
He figured wrong, for as he turned back around from closing the door behind him, a dark mass rose up from the ground a few feet away. In an unusual show of patience, Deidara was still, waiting for the plantlike ninja to speak.
It was the black half that broke the silence. “Leader has been informed of the outcome of the fight. He wants you and the girl to come to the anteroom immediately.”
Before Deidara could respond with more than a look of surprise, the white half piped up. “He was taken off-guard by what happened. He didn’t think she could do it.”
As the black half gave a hiss of annoyance, Deidara nodded thoughtfully. “So he’s coming here personally, huh?” That could be either very good, or very bad. He’d expected the Ame nin to relay his orders through Zetsu, as he usually did. He’d already seen Mika for himself, so there was really no reason for him to return, even if it was only through a projection.
Without another word, Zetsu turned and began shuffling away, leaving the blonde alone in the corridor. He shrugged and headed back to his room, schooling his features into an expression of calm indifference. It wouldn’t do to alert Mika to anything amiss. As far as she was concerned, Pein’s arrival was expected.
When he opened the door, he saw that Mika was already awake, sitting up in the bed with the blanket wrapped tightly around her.
“I thought I told you to get some sleep, un,” he commented, a trace of humor laced through his words, turning what would have otherwise been a disapproving statement into nothing more than a simple observation.
Mika shrugged. “You did, but I couldn’t seem to stay asleep. Maybe it’s being in a strange place with hardly any clothes on.” She gave him a pointed look, noticing that he had brought her newly-cleaned outfit back with him. “Or maybe it’s because I was too worried about the outcome of my test.” It was true that she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since it had first been given to her. The nervousness that she had been able to suppress during the actual fight had now come back full force.
Deidara moved over to the bed, placing her clothes down in front of her. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Leader’s probably just drawing out the decision to make you sweat, un.”
Her crimson eyes turned to look at him, their expression unreadable. “Probably? And what if you’re wrong? What if the reason it’s taking so long is because they’re deciding on a way to kill me?”
Deidara was silent for a long moment. “We’ll think of that if we absolutely have to. It won’t do any good worrying yourself sick when there’s no reason to.” He only hoped that his voice sounded as confident as he’d meant it to.
Clearing his throat, he turned towards the door. “In any case, your waiting is over. Zetsu told me that Leader’s ready for you. He’s made his decision. We shouldn’t keep him waiting.”
Silence reigned for several heartbeats, and suddenly, there was a frantic rustling of cloth as Mika scrambled to her feet and threw her clothes on. They were still slightly damp, and that, combined with the somewhat chilly air, sent a shiver up her spine.
Still, she ignored the discomfort, knowing that she didn’t have the time to let them dry properly. In half the time it usually took her to get dressed, Mika was drawing up the zipper on her overshirt and moving to stand beside Deidara.
Despite the tense situation of preparing to walk into the metaphorical lion’s den, Mika moved with a speed that surprised and impressed Deidara. He had expected her to still be stiff from her ordeal, but if she was still feeling any adverse effects, she didn’t show it.
This would work in her favor. Although her shirt was still torn, and she was in need of a bath to cleanse herself of the dirt and other impurities of the fight, she didn’t look any worse for wear, and the fluidity of her movements –though they betrayed her fatigue – showed that, if the situation arose, she could still fight. That kind of stamina was something that Pein would be looking for.
She still had a good portion of her chakra remaining, as well; proof that she knew how to think ahead and conserve her energy, rather than wasting it in a last-ditch effort to win. That wasn’t to say that she would never resort to this method if forced into it, but she knew how to rely on strategy first.
Impulsiveness wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when there were other options, it was better to think through a situation, and plan out several alternatives, should things go wrong. Deidara had learned that himself firsthand when he’d fought the Kazekage. He had underestimated the little brat, and had nearly gotten himself killed in the process.
Of course, he would never be as reckless as Hidan, but, keeping his own mortality in mind, he had resolved to be more careful in future fights. Two impulsive fighters in a team was never a good thing; in fact, it usually spelled certain disaster. If Mika did indeed have more patience than he had originally given her credit for, so much the better.
Opening the door, Deidara paused only long enough to retrieve Sasori’s ring from where Mika had placed it on the table in the middle of the room. “We’ll be needing this, un,” he told her, rolling it casually between his fingers. Mika had to wonder whether he really was as relaxed as he looked, or whether he was just a very good actor. Either way, it helped to calm her own nerves, something she was grateful for.
“I know that you’re worried, but don’t let them think you’re afraid. Showing any kind of weakness will make them think less of you. Be confident; you have nothing to fear. Not many ninja can claim that they killed an immortal, un.” He gave her a crooked grin, one that she returned without even really thinking about it.
“I can’t say that I really ‘killed’ him, seeing as how he’s still walking around, now can I?”
Deidara shrugged. “No one said he had to stay dead.”
Normally, this thought would have made Mika uneasy, but she recognized the conversation as what it was; a way to put her at ease before she met Pein, this time face to face.
In a walk that seemed to both last forever, and be over far too quickly, Mika found herself rounding the corner of the corridor, and walking the short distance to the anteroom. As she had expected, the other members of Akatsuki had gathered once more, with two new additions.
One was nothing more than a vague shadowy outline; one Mika recognized as a hologram from her first meeting with Pein. But unlike before, this figure was different. It wore the bulky cloak, so Mika couldn’t tell much about it below the neck, but it had surprisingly piercing amber eyes, the only part of the figure that actually held any color. She wasn’t sure, but she thought this one might be female, based on the delicate lines of the face. It seemed to have some kind of hair ornament in the shape of a rough circle, though the details were impossible to make out.
The person standing next to the hologram was the one that quickly drew her eye. She’d thought that she had seen all shapes and sizes in her time as a ninja, but she had never seen anyone quite like this man. He was about the same age as the others, with short spiky hair. This part of him was unremarkable, except perhaps for its vivid color. What immediately caught her attention were the multiple piercings adorning his face. None of them were the more normal hoops or studs favored by so many; instead, they were heavy- looking black metal bars.
She winced before she could stop herself; those had to hurt. Her eyes were then drawn to his. Like before, she found them almost hypnotic. It took a great effort of will to pull her gaze away when Deidara stepped up beside her.
He gestured to the hologram first. “This is Konan. She’s our only female member, and our Leader’s partner.” Mika glanced over to him, wondering if she had imagined the slight emphasis on the word ‘partner’. Did he mean that the two of them were more than just a team? Perhaps they were…
She shut down that thought before it could progress any further. It was none of her business, anyway.
Deidara then nodded to the strange-eyed man standing beside Konan. “And you already know Pein, our leader.” The way he said the name held a measured amount of respect, even if it was grudging.
Mika’s mind immediately flashed back to what Deidara had told her about this mysterious man. He was…different than she had expected. For one, he was much too young to have gained such a fearsome reputation. He couldn’t have been more than a couple of years older than her, if that. For another, although she could sense the enormous amount of power that was radiating from him, she could feel no malice. Each member of Akatsuki had a certain coldness to them – some more than others, depending on their personality – but with Pein, it was absent. The feeling she got from him was… The only way that she could think to describe it was a void. He just seemed…empty.
Swallowing hard, she bowed slightly, never taking her eyes off of him. Not knowing whether or not she was supposed to say anything, she followed her first instinct and kept silent, waiting for one of the others to break the silence.
She wasn’t disappointed; Pein himself was the one to speak, his voice smooth and quiet. “Zetsu has relayed to me the outcome of your fight. Although it was not in accordance with the order I gave…” he glanced over at where Kakuzu sat, making Hidan grin at the obvious disapproval in his voice, “…it is still acceptable as a test of your abilities. I thought it best to come here myself to give you my decision.”
There was a long pause in which the air in the dim anteroom grew almost visible with the tension hanging over them all. Deidara stiffened almost imperceptibly at her side, Hidan leaned forward eagerly, his eyes practically glowing, and Mika could have sworn that her heart had stopped beating.
Years later – or so it seemed to Mika – Pein began speaking again. “I’ve decided to allow you into our ranks, as a full member of Akatsuki.” His voice remained the same as ever, holding none of the pride or other emotions usually present when delivering good news.
The tension that had filled Mika’s body swiftly drained out, leaving her feeling somewhat lightheaded. Deidara had been right…she had been scared for nothing.
Her gaze drifted over to Hidan, who had reclined back in his seat, trying to look indifferent, but failing. Even from here, she could see the anger smoldering behind his red-violet eyes. She would have to be careful around him for a while, until his temper cooled off. She didn’t know what the rule was about killing other members, and it wasn’t one she cared to test out.
Her attention returned to Pein as he resumed speaking. “I trust you still have Sasori’s ring? It belongs to you now. Do not lose it.”
He looked around at the gathered members, the Rinnegan taking them in one by one. “You have all been given your orders. I expect them to be followed quickly.”
There were a couple of nods, but for the most part, the others were still, seeming to be either lost in thought, or simply not caring about the presence of their leader.
Pein watched them for a moment longer, then raised his hands in a seal. In the next instant, he had disappeared in a swirl of smoke. Konan was the next to flicker and vanish, all without a single word to anyone. Zetsu simply sank into the floor, the leafy protrusions covering his upper half closing around him as he did so.
One by one, the other members stood up from the table where they had been sitting. Itachi moved past them like a wraith, leaving Kisame to move over to Mika and clap her heartily on the back, nearly forcing her to her knees with the strength of his hand.
“Congratulations, Mika-san. You’re one of us now.” The tall ninja grinned, revealing unnervingly sharp teeth. “I knew you had it in you, I just wish I could have seen the fight myself.” He looked over at Hidan, who was grumbling to himself as he made his way towards the entrance to the base. “Must’ve been a good one, to get Leader to come here personally.”
Mika gave him a somewhat shaky smile; Kisame had never been anything but friendly towards her, but his appearance alone was enough to make her wary of him. Still, she didn’t want to come off as rude by sidling away when he only seemed to want to congratulate her.
With another fang-baring grin, he turned to follow after his partner, who had vanished.
Deidara gave her a light tap on the shoulder, and a small smile. “See? You were nervous for nothing, un. Although…” He looked over at Hidan, who was arguing with an annoyed Kakuzu. “I would keep away from Hidan for a while. He might just decide to go against Leader’s orders, and unlike him, you can’t be revived.”
Mika nodded. “Yeah, I thought of that myself. The last thing I want to do is end up as a sacrifice after finally winning my place here.”
“He’ll calm down eventually. Right now, he’s just so focused on feeding that dark god of his that he can’t see anything else.” Deidara took her hand, and before she realized what he was doing, he had slipped Sasori’s ring onto her thumb. “Here. Think of this as a mark of your worth, un.”
Mika looked down at the ring, studying it. It was rather larger than she would have liked, and she had never been one to wear jewelry in the first place. Still, she felt a bit of pride, looking at it. It had been hard-won. That, if nothing else, made it valuable to her.
She looked back up at him, a smile lighting her face. “Leader said that we should get started on the mission. When do we leave?”
Deidara shook his head. “You’re still tired from your fight. Leaving now would be a bad idea. After you rest, then we’ll go.”
She nodded her agreement. A long nap did sound nice, as did a shower. “First thing tomorrow, then? I’d like to restock my equipment, too, if that’s possible.”
“It is. We have plenty of weapons in storage rooms. Take your pick.” He began leading her back towards the room they shared. “But first, you need to sleep.”
Mika followed him silently, not about to argue.