13. I Should Really Invest In A Four Leaf Clover

As I rouse, my body feels tingly and numb all over - I can't feel a lot but I can tell that I'm covered by a blanket and in a warm bed. The scene of the hot spring and Susuke's naked butt flash through my mind. What in the world just happened?

Oh, that's right... I was taken, again.

"Fuck" I say out loud without meaning too.

"So you're awake I take it, don't move around too much otherwise it will just be painful," a smooth velvety voice says. I open my eyes and see that I'm in a small room. I look around, trying to locate where the voice came from, but I don't have to look far. A guy with short, dark red hair sat at a desk across from the bed I was in. He had his back to me, so I couldn't really make out what he looked like.

He stood up and turned around. His beige brown eyes fell on me. "I'm Sasori, I know your names Tila so no need to waste time on introductions". I laid there numb, looking at him blankly, still trying to process why I was clothed when I can clearly remember being naked in a hot spring earlier. The vision of the scorpion tail hitting me directly in the chest comes back.

"Poison, huh?" was about all I could muster at the moment. I can't believe I let my guard down like that.

He gave a bemused smirk. "They said you were a medical Nin. The poison I use is very intricate, so I don't expect you'd have been able to make an antidote so... I gave you one instead." He paused. "We wouldn't want you dying on us now, would we?".

I closed my eyes for a moment. I really should find myself a four-leaf clover or something, because being kidnapped so regularly was certainly most unlucky. The door in the room's corner creaked slightly. I opened my eyes, and I saw a guy with half tied up long blonde hair walk in.

"Sasori, my man, has the girl woken up yet?" His bright blue eyes quickly go from Sasori to me.

"Ah so you are awake. Hope we didn't scare you too much, un," he sits down on the bed beside me. I look at blondie then back at Sasori. At least good-looking guys kidnapped me this time around... Wait, what the hell am I thinking? Jesus, it's always these darn poisons. I swear they're turning my brain in to mush.

"I'm Deidara, un" the blonde gazed at me. I refocused my head on what was happening in the room. "Deidara?" I say slowly as I sit up, "What the fuck did you guys bring me here for?" I ask, agitation now kicking in. I close my eyes and rub my forehead wearily.

"Calm down yeah?" Deidara replies, "It was orders, un" he stares at me, eyebrows furrowing lightly.

Sasori reaches for a glass of water on his desk and hands it to me "Here, drink this". I take it carefully with both hands so I don't spill any onto the bright red and white bed sheets.

"Are you going to poison me again? What's with you people!" I say weakly as I take a sip "Seriously, how many times does this have to happen to me.. Do I have a sign on my forehead saying 'please poison and kidnap me'," I say as I point to my head. They both just look at me, Sasori's expressionless just like Sasuke and Deidara still has that little smirk permanently plastered onto his face.

"Guess it's just not your lucky day my friend," Deidara says, finally addressing my rhetorical question. I sip the water slowly, still eyeing both of them, god I felt weak.. It's like my muscles weren't working. Deidara looked over to Sasori "Well, I need to inform leader" Sasori didn't object "Don't keep him waiting then," he said calmly. Deidara stood up and left the room, closing the door behind him gently.

"Who's bed am I in?" I said as Sasori went to take back the glass from me and sat back down at his desk. I looked over and saw that he was working on a puppet. "Mine, you can rest here until your able to get up" he replies.

"Who.. Clothed me?" I asked a little more hesitantly this time. "It was me," he replied just like before in the same calm tone.

"Actually, come to think of it, your body would make a perfect specimen for my collection. " he turned his head slightly

"A puppet? You must be a puppet master then," I mumbled.

"You have a keen eye for detail, I see," the sarcasm in his voice clear. I get a little more annoyed now "If you hadn't of poisoned me then maybe I wouldn't be saying such ditzy things okay!" My gaze quickly shot up as I heard the door open again, this time there were two figure standing there.

Deidara walked back in and sat back on the bed facing the doorway. The other figure just looked at me blankly for a moment. He closed the door behind him, but still stood firmly in front of the door.

"Tila, I am Pain".

I looked up at him and bit my lip a little. I'm so worried right now. A bunch of strange characters just keep popping up. Pain cleared his throat a little as if he had wanted to grab my full attention so I met his gaze and held it. "I am aware that you have been held against your will by Orochimaru for some time now. " He paused.

"I assume things wouldn't have been pleasant for you there, so I sent Deidara and Sasori to collect you." I kept listening to what he was saying intently. "I am also aware of your potential and believe you would do better here in the Akatsuki".

He stopped and took an even longer pause, like he was waiting for me to say something. I didn't, so he continued. "I'm not sure if you know what Orochimaru's true intentions for you were, but I can assure you that they were for his own personal gain. I, on the other hand, am going to achieve something greater that will benefit this entire Shinobi world" I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes..

What was with these Shinobi?

I opened my eyes back up quickly, and he went on "When you are rested we shall continue this conversation, for now, rest Tila" he then looked over towards Sasori.

"Sasori, she shall stay in your room and you will look after her momentarily".

He then looked down to Deidara "And you will take over Sasori's role in case I need him on a mission."

Deidara and Sasori both nodded and the person Deidara had referred to as leader left the room. I laid back down and hugged Sasori's pillow, 'What the fuck' is the only question on my mind..

Sasori continues to screw some wood together, and I felt Deidara lied down at the bottom of the bed "Sasori my man, I wonder if Tila will want to stay with us after we ambushed her like that?" My eyes are still closed, but I can hear them loud and clear.

"I'm sure she will get over it. She doesn't seem like the type to hold a grudge," he says back plainly.

"I can hear you both, you know?" I say a little annoyed "But you're right, I'm not holding it against you," I then breathe. After all, how could I? They were following orders and for some reason I don't get the same creepy feeling I did when I had been taken by Orochimaru. Deidara let out a long sigh "Well, I'm going to get some rest," he says as he gets up, he looks around at Sasori and I then closed the door behind him.

I can hear Sasori still working on something at his desk. There were bits and pieces of random stuff sprawled out across the bench. I could feel my muscles going back to their usual reflexes slowly. "Your poison is heavy metal based," I sort of said to myself more than anything

"Smart girl, you must know a thing or two if you've already come to that conclusion.. May I ask how you know this?" He turned around properly and faced me.

"Because my muscles.. Were so weak, it's a dead giveaway" he turned back around to his desk.

"I see." was all he said. I made myself comfortable against the wall side of the bed. A good 30 minutes later I heard Sasori stand up and blow out the candle. I felt him slip into bed next to me. He probably thought I was asleep because I hadn't made a sound since we last talked.

I had been thinking about Sasuke and couldn't help but wonder if he was alright. The last I remember, he had been hit with some sort of explosion.. He risked his own safety to help me out.

I didn't dare ask in case the answer was one I didn't want to hear.

Then again, I'd told myself I wouldn't fall for a guy because all that would eventuate would be pain and I had already experienced enough of that.. All up, I just felt so drained. I couldn't stop myself from feeling these intense, confused emotions.

Tears filled my eyes and a slight hiccup escaped my mouth. The tear drops then fell silently.

I tried my best to keep quiet but my irregular breathing gave it away instantly. I felt Sasori turn over from behind me and touch my head.. He was brushing the hair out of my face slowly. Why? I'm so lost and confused.

"Tila, you're too beautiful to cry.." Sasori's soft voice seemed to comfort me a little..

I took a second to gather my words but not a lot came to mind "It's sweet for you to say such a thing" I replied, my weakness really showing through my broken voice "I just wish I could express the burden inside that accompanies these tears" I say as the dampness continue to flow down my cheeks.

I feel Sasori move closer to me. He slips his arm beneath my head so it's now resting in his arms and he continues to play with my hair as I still sob quietly with my back to him. This was not what I expected to happen. I didn't even know Sasori, but I just felt so comfortable here considering the circumstances -he did just poison me..

I wasn't thinking straight, but I didn't care. All I wanted was for this pain in my heart and in my head to go away. We laid there together for a bit until I fell asleep from exhaustion.