A/N: This is a yaoi story between the hidden relationship of Deidara and Itachi. There is an explicit scene in this story, and you will pick it up if you squint a little. My way wording stuff makes it difficult to tell that it's there, but yeah it is.
Warning: Yaoi. Death. Blood. Some language (really, really minor).
Disclaimer: The only thing I own retaining to this is the theory. All the characters, speech patterns, and settings belong to Masashi Kishimoto. If I owned Naruto there wouldn't be a Sakura Haruno. Trust me.
'How did this happen?!'
Was the responding thought in Deidara's mind as he rushed through the woods, trying to find where the battle between his two most hated enemies took place.
As he ran, the emotions that ran with him weren't ones of hate, rage, or excitement. They were of worry, concern, and of an impending doom.
Believe it or not, but Deidara didn't hate Uchiha Itachi. He himself didn't really believe it, but as he ran, the memories that went through him were futile proof of the opposing emotion to hate Deidara felt for the apathetic, and seemingly emotionless individual.
=======================Flashback time, flashback time!=======================
"I hate you, un!"
Itachi Uchiha looked at the newest member of Akatsuki, well, soon to be member. The blond was glaring at him as fiercely as his younger brother had so many years ago. It almost made Itachi smile to see such a familiar expression, with such an equally familiar statement to follow, but he didn't smile. He never smiled anymore. To him, there was no longer reason to, but to Deidara, this only made him more upset. "Why don't you respond, bastard!"
"…because I have no appropriate response."
This surprised Deidara. He blinked before regaining his composer, "Whaddya mean 'no appropriate response', un?" he demanded, trying to sound angry, but ending up giving a more curious tone.
"I can't respond with 'okay' because there's nothing 'okay' about it. I can't respond with a sigh, because that in itself is only rude, and I cannot return the statement to you because it would be false."
He explained this patiently and quietly enough that Deidara felt his anger evaporate as the Uchiha drawled his reasoning in that quiet monotone. It almost sent chills up Deidara's spine to hear it, but instead, he forced himself to rile up.
"Well, just you wait! I'll make you hate me the same as I hate you, un! You damn Uchiha! I'll kill you, bastard!"
"I look forward to it."
As the two bodies lay intertwined between each other, only one question raged through both minds; who would take the invitation to lead, and the other to follow? The choice could go in either direction for both had the skill and reasoning to do so.
Itachi had the patience to guide Deidara along, and their similar heights gave them an equal leverage, but Itachi lacked the actual nerve behind the drive to dominate.
Deidara lacked the patience to do so, but he simply refused to let any dare try to control him, and so it was. Deidara pulled Itachi beneath him, the (barely so) older male allowing this. As Deidara settled himself atop Itachi, he was almost surprised at how…natural it felt.
It was nothing like how forced it felt when he had dominated over the actual Sasori. Deidara rested his hands on Itachi's hips and pushed himself inside slowly. As Deidara did this, Itachi's arms were wrapped around Deidara's torso beneath his arms. The stoic Uchiha let out an airless gasp as he clawed his fingers down Deidara's back. As he did this, he uttered a single sentence;
"I…I love you."
"What happened, un?!"
The blue-skinned member looked at the blond with such a strong glare, that Deidara forced himself to be calm as he again asked, "What happened to Itachi, un?"
"His Sharingan is taking its toll on him, not to mention he already has a disease—"
"He's has a disease?"
Kisame looked at Deidara, his look going curious, to the surprised blond bomber guy.
"You didn't know? He's had the disease for a while now. We don't know what it is but it's weakening him severely."
With that, Deidara ran into Itachi's room to see the pale man looking paler than he was ever meant to be. Itachi's skin looked almost as white as the sheets he laid on were. Only now did Deidara see how thin the Uchiha had become. He looked ready to just fade into the blankets and disappear. As Deidara stroked the perfect raven-black hair, Itachi almost didn't respond; but it was a weak response.
Itachi turned his head and opened his eyes, revealing their Sharingan state of red, but it wasn't to pull Deidara into a genjutsu. He closed his eyes, and when they opened again, they were their familiar onyx black. Deidara was ready to scream at Itachi, ready to severely punish him for his stupidity, then Itachi spoke to him. His monotone voice kept its sound, but much more softly and weakly.
"I'm sorry….I…I didn't want you to worry…a..about someone as useless….as an…Uchiha."
"Dammit, you're not useless, un!"
As Deidara neared the arena, he had to distance himself, and quiet his movements. To Akatsuki, he was dead. Dead, dead, and well away from them. What they didn't know that Deidara's 'suicide' had actually been just another clay clone. Deidara had staged his death both to deliver beautiful art, but also to rid himself of an Uchiha. But only one had succeeded.
Hiding himself in a nearby tree (and somehow escaping both Zetsu and Madara's notice) he watched the scene before unfold; horror taking over his state of mind.
Closer and closer he stepped towards his younger brother, his hand out, his first and second finger aiming steadily. Sasuke's back against a wall, he had no escape. He was going to be killed by his older brother, and his eyes would be stolen. But, just as all seemed hopeless…
Itachi poked Sasuke's forehead.
With a smile, Itachi's arm went limply to his side; defeat on his smiling face. Blood began to pour from his mouth, as to be drool, as blood also came from his right eye; as to be tears, with his defeated expression he told Sasuke simply,
"Sorry, but there isn't going to be a next time."
And with that, Itachi Uchiha collapsed. Sasuke slid down the wall, his knees failing him as a stunned expression stayed planted on his face. And there, next to his older brother's unmoving body, did unconsciousness and exhaustion finally take the younger, living, Uchiha with them.
Then Zetsu and Madara make their move. They approached the two Uchiha and tied down Sasuke, before taking the younger, unconscious Sharingan user with them. After they departed, Deidara bound over to Itachi's side and pulled the male to his side. Itachi's face never seemed so relaxed, or so pale, and yet it had always been that beautiful.
"Itachi…don't be dead. Please, please, don't be dead, un!"
Itachi's body felt cold and lighter than ever in Deidara's arms, but a miracle happened. Itachi's onyx eyes opened once again and gazed up at Deidara, then that contentedly defeated smile came back to his face.
"Deidara…." He whispered, and weakly wrapped his thin arms around the blonde's torso, "I'm sorry…I couldn't…I couldn't save you…do you for-forgive me..?" he asked.
Tears. Real, honest to God, tears began to roll down Deidara's cheeks as he hugged Itachi close to his chest. There was no use. None. Uchiha Itachi was going to die in Deidara's arms, and nothing could be done to stop it. All Deidara could was make sure his soul was at peace.
"U-Un…I forgive you Itachi." He said back and planted a kiss on those cold, blood-covered lips. Even in this horrible situation, Deidara's heart fluttered as the kiss was returned. Though Deidara hated himself to do it, he removed his lips from Itachi's and willed his eye not to water as he gazed upon Itachi.
That smile suddenly looked more content that defeated. Like he actually accomplished something, Deidara had never seen Itachi's true smile before and now as he gazed upon it, he wished it weren't there. Though beautiful and enriching, it meant he reached the end.
"I-I'm glad…that even a wor-worthless Uchiha like me…c-could've known…a person…like yourself…I'm-I'm so…sorry…" then Itachi's eyes closed again, as a single tear ran down and mixed with the blood.
Deidara sobbed and hugged Itachi close to his chest and began to hurriedly speak; like his words were an enchanted mantra that could revive the vitality of him.
"N-No! Itachi, please! You shouldn't be sorry. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for only being mean to you, un! I'm sorry for yelling at you, hitting you, fighting you…Itachi…" he stroked the cold cheek of the man in his arms, as tears fell from the blonde's face to Itachi's, "I'm sorry for hating you."
Then, something happened. Deidara didn't realize what it was, but a small throb caught his attention. It was from Itachi's throat. Almost immediately, Deidara took a hold of Itachi's wrist and applied a little pressure…there! A beat! Sure, the beating was weak and slow, but there it was!
Maybe there was still some time, maybe Itachi wouldn't die, just maybe…
A/N: And that's that! We've reached the end my companions, but do not fret, if you wish for me to continue this, just leave me a nice review is all I ask! And, I would again like to apologize for any misconceptions, or spoilers for you all, and to all Dei fans; I'm sorry but this is just a fanfiction. Deidara is dead, and he's not coming back (like Sasori-no-Danna..waah.) But don't hate Sasuke for it. DEIDARA COMMITED SUICIDE, SASUKE COULDN'T CONTROL IT.