DISCLAIM IT: Puh-lease. Does it look like I own it?

AN: I got tired of reading Harry Potter fanfics and decided to continue my OTP pairing for Naruto: SasoDei. I am extremely disappointed with how the anime is going downhill (at least, in my opinion it is) so this will be AU from the time of Sasori's death (FUCK YOU SAKURA FOR KILLING HIM AND FUCK YOU KANKURO FOR TAKING HIS BODY!) to whatever, okay? I want a happy story, with a bitter ending. I promise I'll finish this because it's summer. +_+

Summary: Sasori was not killed in the battle with Sakura and Chiyo. He was, however, temporarily defeated…

Pairing: SasoDei

PROLOGUE: Physical death

Death is so tedious.

Sasori's soul floated around in nothingness—for how long? He didn't know. Nevertheless from what he could tell, he would be here for quite a while. It was thus a perfect opportunity for some serious introspection.

What was life to him, now that he was—well, dead?

Sasori didn't know. He was just waiting for the time his body healed completely and he was out of here—wherever here was. In fact, it was disconcerting to think that his physical carapace was out there, lying open in the cave, with nothing but the puppets of his dead parents surrounding him.

Even his demise had been pathetic to say the least: being defeated by a female who apparently had to have help from his dearly beloved Chiyo-baa. He was ashamed. But he had accomplished many things in his past life and therefore had nothing to regret. When he woke up from this purgatory, however…

He would get his revenge.

But that would come later.

He had to rebuild his puppet army—and especially repair Hiruko and the Third Kazekage. They were his masterpieces and only needed a few improvements to make up for their weaknesses, though he knew that there weren't many. He made sure of it due to his perfectionist nature.

But what about the Akatsuki?

Sasori contemplated what to do.

Would he go back to them? Would they even allow it? Frankly, Sasori didn't give two shits if they didn't. He was through being part of the 'greater good of the world'. Fighting for world peace and domination was ridiculous because what good did that get them? A picture in the Bingo book and a lot of nations not giving a damn about it.

It wasn't like he was being ungrateful or anything. He owed most of his seal-techniques from the innumerable scrolls from Pein and at the rather large collection of rare, stolen scrolls from the Akatsuki library.

He just didn't want to be a ninja anymore.

He could continue his life as a Master Puppeteer though.

That thought gave him a surge of satisfaction and he knew that it wouldn't be terribly hard to do. It was something he had thought of being all of his life—without the Shinobi part, that is.

Being a regular civilian would probably be the best thing that ever happened to him!

…Oh, who was he joking?

He loved his art and he loved the violence and bloodshed. Deidara would've been laughing his ass off at what Sasori had thought a few seconds ago. Hell, Sasori would've laughed too, if he had a mouth. Or emotions.

And contrary to popular belief, although he believed human emotions to be beyond him, Sasori had a certain fondness for his talented, but hot-headed partner.

Deidara was the favourite of everyone in the Akatsuki (Itachi was obviously excluded from this, yet that was obvious). The irritating blond had somehow managed to worm his way through each and every members' carefully guarded exteriors. He had situated himself in whatever was leftover of their hearts, in some way so that any of the Akatsuki would say, without a certain degree of their usual exasperation, that they liked him. As in genuinely liked him.

For a fearsome group of hardened s-class missing nins, finding someone you genuinely held affection for was a rarity.

Truthfully, from the beginning of his lonely and miserable life, Sasori only had three things he cherished: his art, himself, and his love for art. No one, perhaps except his Chiyo-baa, had ever made that list.

Deidara though…he had worked with that brat for about five years, and in those five years—if he had to be honest—he was the happiest he had ever been.

Sasori mentally sighed.

Here he was, being all sappy. What would Deidara think?

He then mentally slapped himself. Who the hell cared what the brat thought? He could be sappy when he wanted to be! He didn't need to keep caring about the idiot!

Sasori mentally sighed once more and resigned himself to what seemed like an eternity in purgatory.

AN: I already have a few chapters written down. I just want to know your opinion of how the story sounds so far. :]