Sasori had had many outlaws come through the doors of his saloon but in his many years of serving behind his bar, he'd never come across one quite like him.
His hair, a bright yellow colour which reminded Sasori of the desert flowers, was long and impractical for horse riding. Besides, in the hot temperatures that Suna often reached the length would make him over-heat. Heck, Sasori knew how long hair made one warm, himself having grow it out in his teen years before coming to his senses at nineteen and chopping short again.
His eyes were a dazzling blue, or rather eye since he hid one behind a barrier of blonde fringe. Whenever the boy would laugh the skin around his eyes would crinkle slightly, showing the true depths of his mirth. There was no one else in Suna with eyes like his, Sasori was sure of that.
The blonde was petite, the red-headed bar tender had come to notice, with lithe limbs and a certain grace that made his movements fluid. In fact if it was for his overly loud, brash and arrogant way of talking, Sasori may have even mistaken him for a woman at first glance. However, once he'd spoken, assuring everyone that he was indeed a man, the whores were onto him like flies on a dead horse left in the midday sun.
"But didn't that hurt ya?" One of the girls asked, elbowing another just to get closer to the exotic blonde.
"Nah, a thirty foot ravine is nothing to someone as travelled as me, yeah." The man was bathing in the attention and free drinks people were offering him. "But enough of my stories, I gotta go'un find a place to stay for the night." He got up and stretched his arms, giving the ladies surrounding him a tantalising view of well toned muscles through his shirt before picking up his hat from the table and turning on his heel to leave.
"Oh no! I'm sure Mister Akasuna has a spare room!" Sasori looked up from where he was polishing glasses to see one of the man's admirers linking arms with the stranger and leading him over to the bar.
"Temari, you know I don't just give my spare room away." Sasori chided, looking back down to the glass he was halfway through cleaning.
"I'm willin' to pay, yeah. Dependin' on it being a good price." The blonde man assured with a smirk.
Sasori took no notice of the smile and continued wiping the glass. "It's not a case of money. After last time, I don't like letting just anyone staying in my spare room."
"Well what happened last time that was so damn bad? You tell me and I won't do it."
"Things were broken, money stolen and the bed had to be replaced."
"What was wrong with the-"
"You don't want to know." Sasori finally looked up at the unwelcome guest, giving him a glare that told him to drop the topic, pronto.
The blonde huffed, sitting back on the bar stool Temari had dragged over for him. His brow was creased in thought, as though it were painful for him to think. A brief thought about 'dumb blondes' flickered through Sasori's mind before dismissing it.
"Right, so as long as I don't touch anything that ain't mine, take any money or 'bring anyone home', I can stay in your spare room, yeah?"
"For a price."
"Of course! I'm no freeloader, yeah!"
Sasori's eyes scanned over the table a blonde had been sitting at which was piled high with both his and the pack of swooning whore's drinks. None of which the man paid for himself.
"Of course." He said.
"Well if you don't mind, can you show me my room on your next break, yeah? I need to get cleaned up and rested." The stranger placed his hat back atop of his head, pushing the blonde bangs flush against his face.
"Hn," was the only answer he received. Before he was about to leave, the blue-eyed male slapped himself dramatically on the forehead.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" He stuck out his hand at an attempt of friendliness, "The name's Deidara, just Deidara."
Sasori regarded the man's gloved palm before taking it tentatively and replying with a brief, "Akasuna no Sasori."
Deidara grinned before tipping his hat lightly and winking. "It's been good doin' business with ya, Mister Akasuna." He said, wheeling around and out of the shutter doors to tend to his horse.
Sasori smirked slightly. Maybe this lad was going to help brighten up old, dusty Suna? The town certainly needed all the help it could get.
But if Sasori had known how much letting Deidara rent his room was going to change his life, maybe he would have kicked him onto the streets there and then…?
A/N: I got bored, started writing this, and thought you guys might want to read it. It got a general story planned in my head and I might continue it if there's enough interest, so every review counts!
Besides, there aren't enough 'Westerns' for the Akatsuki.