Sasori paused for a moment, gritting his teeth at the silence.
He hated waiting—everyone in the Akatsuki knew he was impatient. Were they really just going to stand there all day and stare at him? Even Pein, when Sasori knew he had numerous questions for him—when they all did? He understood they were surprised; though the details of this surprise he couldn’t quite figure out. Was it really that much of a shock? Either way, even if it was, Sasori wouldn’t have counted on it shocking the entire Akatsuki into complete silence. Not with Hidan's mouth, the fact Deidara was his partner or the idea that Pein had come to find him with the possibility of getting an update on the whole situation with Mina being here. Surely he’d be willing to push aside whatever he was feeling in order to get straight to the point—Sasori was sure hoping he would. The scowl he’d tried to hold back forced it’s way onto his face, and just when he was about to start the conversation himself to get it over and done with, Deidara burst out,
“She’s your apprentice, Sasori-danna, un?”
But with Deidara having broken the silence, it seemed to snap everyone else out of their trances, prompting Kakuzu, and then Hidan, to add vehemently,
“How did that even happen?”
“Yeah, Sasori! How the fuck do you know this girl?”
Sighing inwardly, forcing himself not to lose his temper, Sasori didn’t bother answering each of those questions one by one. He wanted this over and done with as soon as possible; and that meant Pein would be the one who would have to hear. The others could wait, and as such he opted to answer all three at once, staring straight back into Pein's expectant eyes as he stated simply,
“Then I’ll explain.”
From there, he began to tell his story. He didn’t go into detail; it wasn’t necessary. Not only did he not want to tell his whole life story here, not considering any of them friends or trusting any of them, but what did it matter? They only needed to hear the basics. So he stated the facts of how he had come across Mina; of how she had become his apprentice. Then he led on to how she had disappeared—and how he hadn’t seen her since until today; until she had called out to him earlier. But while he hadn’t been sure it had been her, Mina had known it had been him, and had therefore done what she could to find him and come to meet him. Obviously she had succeeded, and that was why she had arrived at the hideout, and they’d been talking in his room until Pein and the others had come to see what was going on, Sasori falling into silence afterwards. There wasn’t anything left to say when it came down to their meeting, after all.
The fact that Mina was going to stay, however…
It was why Sasori was a little more patient with the silence this time, absorbed in his own thoughts as to how he would go about telling Pein what he was planning. The others were simply surprised—they’d had no idea in the slightest. The possibility of something like this was one that none in the Akatsuki had been expecting, either, so it took them a while to come up with something to say in response. Pein himself was a little surprised, but that was soon taken over with other things; questions that needed to be answered, and shaking off all that had been holding him back before, he finally spoke up, narrowing his eyes as he questioned firmly,
“How did she find us?”
Glancing back at Pein, glad for the moment that he didn’t have to simply blurt out he was letting Mina stay, Sasori didn’t hesitate at the question. He had asked Mina the same question herself, and as such he replied,
“Mina’s travelled a lot; she’s heard of who we are. And she used her abilities to sense us; no doubt it was extremely easy considering she was searching for me.”
Narrowing his eyes at the mention of her abilities, Sasori had to hide a smirk. He knew Pein was impressed with the idea of her being able to do that, and he didn’t even know the full extent of Mina’s abilities—that would be helpful when the time came. But for now he said nothing, waiting to hear what Pein had to say in return to his words.
“So no one else knows? She was with two other ninjas this morning, after all.”
“No, Leader-sama. She was doing a mission with them—a one off—that was all. She moved from group to group when she pleased; it was never permanent. After she got her payment and completed what she needed to, Mina left them behind and came to find me,” Sasori instantly shot back, not wanting Pein to think Mina was a traitor, drawing them into trouble. She wouldn’t dare—and it wasn’t just because he trusted her. Mina wouldn’t try to double cross him, of all people. Even after the years that had passed.
For a while Pein didn’t respond to that statement, however, taken in this new information as he considered his reply. He had to think about the possibilities, after all. They were all there on a mission, and they wanted to stay hidden, keeping their presence on the low. They needed to, if they were to complete it successfully. And it wasn’t just a partnership of the Akatsuki, here. It was all of them, and he wasn’t about to let one girl ruin all of this because Sasori wanted to have a reunion. True, Sasori was saying this to defend her, but how did he truly know? He said himself that it had been years since he had actually seen and spoken to her. She might have changed in that time. But still…it was Sasori. He was cautious and mistrusting—he wouldn’t simply accept anyone who walked up to him, even if he’d known them from his past.
If anything, it would be the opposite.
And she obeyed him. Yes, it hadn’t been with a bow and a willingness of a servant, but she had done so in a way that wasn’t quite like a friend—it was more than that. It was really like an apprentice, just like he said. If Pein didn’t know any better, it seemed as if no time had passed between them. Like the years had made no difference in their relationship. Well, with the way both of them still looked like teenagers, maybe it didn’t. But the more Pein considered it, the more he felt himself relax towards the idea, and finally he nodded slowly, replying,
“Alright. She came alone, and no one else saw or knows she came here—I suppose I can accept that, considering you didn’t even know about any of this. I wish to meet her as well, though.”
Sasori nodded, having expected that, and called to her, Mina appearing at his side within moments. Raising an eyebrow at this fact, some smirking at the idea that she was so obedient without Sasori even having to use the puppet master jutsu on her, Kakuzu growled with a glare,
“Didn’t anyone teach you it’s not polite to eavesdrop?” knowing she couldn’t have come that quickly without having been right beside the door—only to narrow his eyes as she stared calmly back at him and responded just as calmly,
“I didn’t, Kakuzu-san. The conversation was between you and him. I sensed it all; so I came closer, and then when Sasori-sama called me…”
Once again hearing of her abilities, Pein was intrigued, but shook it off to incline his head in greeting, saying with it,
“Sasori's explained the situation—I’m not about to throw you out, Mina-chan. How long are you planning on staying?”
Glancing at each other, knowing there was no point hiding it any longer, Sasori merely placed his hand upon Mina’s shoulder at this, stating bluntly,
“Indefinitely. She’s staying with me, Leader-sama.”
