Okay. So Sasori and Deidara have always been my favorite Akatsuki pair, and I have always wanted to write a story involving them. xD Forgive me if any of the Akatsuki sound OOC, since it's my first time to ever write them. Sasori and Deidara's conversation at the start is based off their pre-fight scene in Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations. This started off as more of a drabble really, written on a spur of the moment sometime long ago, and am only uploading now. As I wrote more and more, a semi-developed plot happened to come across my head... but as I said, it's not a fully developed idea. Just think of this chapter as a short teaser. You guys decide whether I should write more or not in a review — all thoughts and critiques welcome. Bon appétit.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter Warnings: Swearing

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"You don't get it, hmm." the blonde sighed, as he faced away from his partner, arms crossed. "Art is a fleeting thing, danna, fading but after a moment."

Sasori narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, a faint look resembling that of agitation on his normally expressionless face. "You're the one that doesn't get it, Deidara. Art is a moment of beauty captured and preserved for all generations."

Deidara sighed, closing his eyes in growing frustration. "As a fellow artist, I can respect your point of view, but... But I simply cannot call it art, hmmm."

Sasori grunted. "You're so blind... But what do I expect from someone who plays with clay?"

Opening his eyes, an insulted Deidara turned to glare back at his partner as angry blue met amber ones. "Oh?! You're one to talk, for someone who plays with puppets all the time."

It was Sasori's turn to sigh this time, as his patience was wearing down quickly. "... Deidara. Would you like me to beat some sense into you?"

Deidara scoffed in turn. "Heh... You're the one who needs some sense knocked into, danna..."

It took a lot to see Sasori genuinely smile at something; and after hearing the blonde's response, he did just that. Deidara raised a skeptical eyebrow in response as Sasori proceeded to speak.

"Well... it seems the time has come to find out who's better then."

Deidara instantly mimicked a half grin, half smirk of his own. "Heh heh... There's an idea... A clash of styles, hmmm!?"

"You want to see art?" Sasori asked, as he pulled a scroll out from his cloak. "Allow me to illustrate..."

Deidara stepped back out of instinct, on guard as he prepared for an attack. Slipping some clay into his hand mouths, he had barely begun to form his classic spider bombs before they heard a grunt in the background, also seizing Sasori from summoning what was in his scroll. Heads turned, two pairs of eyes immediately met with orbs of onyx abyss.

"Hn. As much as it would've been entertaining to see you battle, I'm afraid you'll have to do this some other time."

Deidara narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as the Uchiha murderer himself strode out of the darkness and walked towards them. Expressionless as ever, Sasori on the other hand proceeded to meet his gaze with a blank stare of his own.

"And just what is so important that we had to stop, Itachi?"

"We have a mission." Itachi answered the red head's question coolly. "I was sent by Leader-sama to retrieve you two and get back to base."

"Hmm?" Deidara furrowed his brows together, putting his dislike for the Sharingan wielder momentarily to the side. "By 'we', you mean us three?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. It's not just us."

Sasori raised an eyebrow at his response, ever so slightly intrigued. "What kind of mission is this... ? It is rare for Leader-sama to send out teams in combo."

Itachi turned away, a gesture implying for the two to follow him back as he explained. Gathering Hiruko from where he was working on him, the puppet master along with the blond bomber followed the Uchiha as they left the dim forest clearing, leaping from tree branch to tree branch. "All I was informed was that it is a retrieval mission of some sort. He wanted all the Akatsuki members involved in the mission to be present before he relayed any more details."

Deidara cast a brief glance to Sasori who was a few steps in branches behind him, meeting his gaze with the same traces of doubtfulness swimming among their eyes. Deidara was the first to voice out what they were both thinking.

"If this were a mere find and take mission, surely it wouldn't require more than the normal two-man team, hmmm."

Itachi grunted from up front. "That's what I was thinking."

"So, who are the others that are supposed to be on this mission?" Sasori asked.

The Uchiha let out a rare sigh of exasperation to himself at the inquiry.

"Where the hell were you guys? You fuckers sure took your time in getting here!" boomed the infamous silver-haired bad mouth. Beside him, the other person to the zombie duo sighed in annoyance, growling under his breath.

"Shut up, Hidan. I'm too tired to put up with anymore of your yelling, and I'll gladly rip your head off ten times over if you keep on doing so."

The Jashin-worshiper sneered. "Fuck you, Kakuzu. I'll do whatever I fucking please!"

"That's enough now you two," A blue-skinned man intervened before things got ugly and violent. They really didn't need any of this right now. Turning his head over his shoulder, he nodded to his partner and the two artists trailing behind as his way of a curt greeting.

"Leader-sama is waiting in the other room, Itachi."

"Hn."

With a nod back from the redhead and the blonde to the other members, everyone entered the room with slight curiosity and interest in what they were to expect from the sudden peculiar meeting.

— Like I said, it's a half teaser half drabble. Next chapter will be longer and hold more information. Just to throw out something for you guys to go on, I will reveal that obviously, there's more to the mission than meets the eye; and our favorite pale-eyed beauty is involved. ;) —