Heaven's Regulations {Rewrite}

Chapter 12 ~ I Grew Up

Hi! Hope you guys had a good week. Here goes!

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A week and a little more went by quickly. Rin grew closer and closer with the members, now that she had full access to the hideout. The Akatsuki came and went on missions; Rin would always be ready to heal them when they returned looking like they walked through acid rain. They healed, and Rin was happy.

However, Deidara had not had the courage to bring himself to speak with Sasori - and fortunately for him, Pein did not assign them missions together either (courtesy of Hikaru tipping him off about what had happened between the two).

All the while, Sasori remained cold and tried to distance himself from Rin as much as he could. He ignored the growing pain in his heart.

Rin, though happy, was easily seen through with her disappointment and concern for Sasori. She often wondered what she had done to receive such treatment from him. Others told her not to worry, and that Sasori would eventually snap out of his jerky state.

"I sure hope so," she would say every time.

Days rolled by, and one morning...

Rin jolted awake when her door opened with a quiet click. She had been having a nightmare.

"Whoa, tiger. I didn't mean to scare you," Itachi murmured.

"'Tachi-nii!" she chided quietly, attempting to wipe the sweat and tears away. The Uchiha noticed them immediately, growing concerned.

"Rin, why are you crying?" he asked, at her side in an instant. "What happened?"

"Nothing, it was just a nightmare," she replied, keeping her voice from shaking. The prodigy looked doubtful but did not press on. For that, the medic was grateful. A scene from the night before flashed in her eyes.

Rin yawned as she headed towards her room. She stopped when she heard small voices. Rin, you shouldn't be eavesdropping, she scolded herself. The medic forced her curiosity down and continued to head to her room.

To her uneasiness, the voices only grew louder as she walked towards her chambers.

"You're just gonna let her go like that?" It was Hidan.

"What do you mean? I've got nothing for her." She recognized the voice of Sasori.

"Sasori, you're a total mess-up. I don't know who spoke to you a while ago that made you so cold all of a sudden, but I'm telling you, you're giving something really big up for your flimsy pride. Grow up, Sasori." Then, pressed against the wall with a loudly beating heart, she heard the redhead's enraged voice.

"I told you, Hidan. I don't like her. I have no feelings whatsoever for her. She's no more than a piece of trash, you got it? I don't give a damn about Rin." Angry footsteps echoed down the corridor, heading straight for Rin. However, she was stuck to her spot, frozen in fear and frozen in heart.

Sasori turned the corner, and in the hallway illuminated merely through the moonlight streaming through the window, glittering copper orbs of surprise and horror met hurt, chocolate eyes glistening with tears.

And Sasori made a run for it.

So did Rin.

But not before hearing Hidan call one last thing.

"It's not worth it, Sasori. Man up. Face it. Don't lose her for your pride."

Rin felt a glowing admiration, respect, and love for Hidan. He stood up for her. That made her happy - but there was still Sasori to consider. What would she do with him now?