Its a little late but as i promised Chaann like a month ago, here it is! HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY KOHAI!
After this, my hiatus continues.

After five months of planning, it was finally the day of the intermediate charity fair. It was a terrible day for a fair too; the sky was clear of clouds and it was entirely too blue, the sun was shining far too bright and far too hot. The flowers were just beginning to bloom and their sweet smell filled the partially shaded area where the fair was being held.

It was a beautiful day, which meant there would be a lot of people at the fair today; too many people for Sasori's liking. But that was mainly because he didn't like people at all, in any numbers.

He found that the only good thing about the weather today was the light gust of wind that blew through the tresses of that blonde brat Deidara, a first year student who was at least ten times too cute for his own good – though if such a thing were said to his face, Sasori was almost a hundred Percent certain that he would argue until the metaphorical cows came home, because he was a brat and brats don't listen.

Not to be deterred by the wind, Deidara walked past, smiling and laughing at the air as it pulled his long hair out from its messy high ponytail and into his too-bright blue eyes.

He really was a sight to behold, and Sasori found himself staring as the blonde made his way towards his class who, being the stupid and hormonal idiots they were, had decided to put on a kissing booth, charging only a dollar for a simple kiss – though a few of the kids had joked that if anyone wanted to go any further, the price would rise dramatically.

From what Sasori had managed to find out – from excited chatter in his mixed level art class – most of the kids would be taking turns to do their part for their class, but some of those unlucky bastards would be standing there all day, stuck with kissing total strangers for cash, like baby prostitutes. And, as luck would have it, Deidara would be one of those bastards, though from where Sasori was standing watching the first year kids stand around and giggle, he didn't look like he minded all that much.

Of course the best part of the entire day, was that the first year kissing booth was right across from his own class' stall, where they would be selling quick sketches of passer-by's or quick sketches of things passer-by's happened to say.

It had been the main topic in their art class the day before, seeing as half of the kids in his home room couldn't draw to save their own mothers – one of the reasons he would be standing in the stall the entire day having to deal with strangers himself – his teacher had decided to beg a few of the art students into switching places. However that only ended in Deidara exclaiming his dedication only to art which was fleeting because only something which could only be seen once, could ever be truly beautiful.

Sasori frowned as he recalled how that had melted away into him lecturing the brat about how true art was everlasting and only an idiot would ever think otherwise. Because really, what the hell was the point of something which was destroyed as soon as it was born?! Nobody could truly appreciate something that was only around for a second, so how could it be classed as art, rather than just as pointless destruction?

But the brat made the cutest face when he was trying to argue his point.

His face went all red, his cheeks puffed out and his every word was punctuated with a powerful pout because he knew he wasn't going to get his way. His hair always ended up in a mess because he was so animated during their arguments and his eyes were wide and resembled those of an insane person.

Sasori didn't care if the brat ever realised he was wrong about art, he was just happy that they were able to interact in a way that was so unique to the way any other first year students treated the blonde.

"You're staring again."

Kisame was another second year student like Sasori, who would've been stuck in the art stall if not for his big hands and careless attention to detail which enabled him to draw only things as complicated as stickmen – though he was surprisingly good at drawing sharks. He was also a good friend of Sasori's, which is why he was comfortable teasing him about his crush on a certain blonde brat.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Sasori said, turning around to face the mess his group had managed to create. They'd managed to set up the stall perfectly fine, but something about the way the tables and chairs were set out annoyed him.

Whatever. He wasn't going to put in the effort to put things the right way.

The plan was for him and two other students – another second year Pein, and a first year Itachi – to sit around all day and draw strangers for a bunch of over-enthusiastic kids from their class, to chase down in order to convince them to buy the crappy art for whatever prize would sell.

Kisame, however, would be far away from this part of the fair. He'd been placed with another bad choice student, Hidan, to oversee the running of the rides – of course the actual rides would be handled by capable adults, but it was good for all of the kids to feel they had a place.

"Don't bother hiding it; you're more obvious than a black horse in a field of snow!" he exclaimed.

That was a new one.

"Look, you don't even have to admit it! The kid is gonna be standing there all day selling kisses for money. Just cut out of this stall early enough to make it to the front of the line before he goes home, and trust me; there will be a line."

Not many people would've noticed the slight change of Sasori's expression, as he realised that Deidara being a part of a kissing booth meant that he would actually have to kiss strangers. Strangers who weren't Sasori.

"Careful there, you might blow a fuse," Kisame laughed.

Sasori just glared up at him and said, "Shouldn't you be somewhere else?"

Of course it was no secret between the two of them, that Kisame had decided to hang out around the stall in the hopes of catching Itachi, in order to stumble around a mostly one-sided and immensely awkward conversation, which would leave the older in a good mood all day, enough to be able to deal nicely with all of the annoying strangers.

Not that anyone besides Sasori found strangers to be all that annoying.

So it was somewhat of a silent agreement that Kisame would say no more, or risk being kicked out.

The day dragged on and on as people piled into the fair – at first it was students, but then after, came the dreaded strangers. The rest of Sasori's group had shown up a few minutes after the first years who were messing around putting the stall together, scurried off, and many of them had erupted in annoying attempts to hype each other up for the day. Pein had simply taken his seat, nodding silently at his best friend – or at least that was her official title – Konan, who chattered excitedly on about everything and anything.

Sasori opted out of all of the socialising stuff, and sat at his own seat, lining up his art supplies in meticulous order while ignoring the first year giggles from across the walk way.

Itachi and Kisame did indeed spend ten or so minutes doing what one may refer to as talking, while in actual fact Kisame stood shifting from foot to foot while making uncomfortable small talk and wearing the biggest, goofiest grin that had ever existed, whenever he managed to bring a reaction out of the Uchiha.

Itachi didn't do anything to make it less awkward; he was his usual, overly polite self and did his best to pay attention to what was being said – or at least the parts of it which made sense – but eventually he cut in by saying, "I think the fair's about to open."

Those were the words that not only sent Kisame running off to the other side of the fair and out of sight, but they also launched the beginning of a very long day, the start of which Sasori spent wondering why he couldn't be as brave as his friend. Sure, Itachi probably thought Kisame was a total loser, but at least they spoke!

All Sasori and Deidara ever did was argue about who's art was better.

With that thought in mind, he lost himself in a sea of faces, narrated only by Konan's excited whispers of, "hey, hey, draw that one!"

They made a fair amount, harassing strangers into buying portraits of themselves – which was mostly credited to the quality of the art – but through the whole ordeal, he couldn't help the way his eyes would constantly stray over towards the kissing booth where lines had indeed begun to form. Not just for Deidara, but for the other four kids stuck inside the stall.

He had no idea how Deidara could maintain a cheerful smile even after being made to kiss dozens upon dozens of strangers, being of all ages, shapes, sizes and genders. Wasn't there some kind of law stopping a thirty year-old from getting in line to kiss a twelve year-old?

Well even if there wasn't, Sasori knew there was a law stopping him from going over there and cracking the guy's skull in order to stop him – and scare away a lot of the other bastards in line – so it couldn't be helped.

But neither could the way Deidara looked so cute every time he leaned forward for a kiss. His eyes were closed, blonde hair falling in front of his face, his cheeks stained pink as his lips pressed against those of a complete stranger. Sasori couldn't help but wonder what it must feel like – no, what the brat himself must feel like. He imaged Deidara was really soft and warm, but only those bastards standing on the other side would know.

As Deidara leaned back a safe distance, smiled and bid his current customer goodbye, he looked over towards where Sasori was and their eyes met, causing the blonde to blush – or was that just his imagination – and look away.

"Why don't you just draw yourself on the other half of that paper?"

Konan had snuck up on him while racing back from selling one of Pein's pictures. She was peering over his shoulder at his current drawing which just so happened to be of Deidara and that cute face he seemed to be making for everyone except for him. It was one of the more detailed pictures he'd drawn that day, with not even a single strand of hair left out. The only thing he hadn't managed to properly capture was the life in those deep blue eyes.

Konan didn't wait for him to say anything, simply saying, "Do you want me to go over there and try to sell it to him?"

"No," Sasori said instantly. He shoved the picture beneath the pile of papers while hoping he wasn't blushing or showing any kind of embarrassment at being caught. He muttered, "The brat would probably burn it anyway."

"Suit yourself! But you better start drawing actual customers or our stall is gonna fall short at the end of the day."

Right, and nobody wanted that.

For four more hours he sat there and drew pictures which were snatched away from him and sold for whatever Konan or anyone else could get for them. He watched the line grow and grow while exchanging brief moments of semi-awkward eye contact with the bubbly blonde who didn't seem to be getting bored at all like a normal kid would be. He kept smiling throughout the entire day until it was time to go home.

The entire time, Sasori was trying to convince himself to go over there. He had enough money and even if he didn't have the patience to wait in line behind all those people surely the thought of what was to come would be enough to get him through, however he simply couldn't calm his nerves.

What would Deidara think of him? Was it weird? Would he see right through it and realise that Sasori like liked him? Argh, he wasn't cut out for all this teenage stuff, he really wasn't! And by the time they started to pack up, he hadn't gathered up enough courage to do anything but stare.

At the end of the day all he had to show for it was a pile of Deidara pictures which would never see the light of day.

Sasori watched the other two begin to pack away their things and followed suite, listening to Konan's excited chatter from near the back of the stall, though she spoke too fast for anyone to possibly understand her.

He piled his pencils and coloured into his bag along with the papers which had gone unused – technically most of this stuff belonged to the art department but he figured he deserved at least something for his trouble – and was just about to pack away his unsold drawings when the pile was snatched off of the table.

Sasori looked up to snap at Konan for touching his art but was instead confronted by a pair of bright blue eyes – focussed on the papers, not on him – and a mess of long blonde hair.

His stomach sank and began to knot itself up while his heart began trying to escape his chest. He kept repeating the phrase don't do anything stupid over and over in his head. He didn't want the brat to think he was some kind of nerd or freak.

"Wow Sasori Danna, these are really good, un!" Deidara exclaimed.

He had taken to calling Sasori by that nickname the first time they met in art class, and even though they often fought over the right style of art, the name had stuck.

"Yeah well they're mine brat," Sasori snapped, "so give them back."

He wondered briefly as he snatched the papers back, if it was weird to be possessive over the drawings. Especially since most of them were of Deidara anyway.

Deidara huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of his face only to have it return to that exact spot.

"Can I have one, please Danna, un?" he asked. His eyes lit up with hope.

"You have to pay for it first," Sasori answered, feeling pretty smart for coming up with that. "If you spend money on it, you're less likely to burn it."

"But all I've got is my bus money, un!" he exclaimed. Deidara looked disappointed for a moment before a mischievous smile spread across his face. "I have an idea; how about we trade for it?"

He was leaning over the table now, his hands pressed against the flat surface and his eyes wide with excitement.

Sasori narrowed his eyes suspiciously and said, "Trade what?"

Without hesitating, Deidara leaned completely over the table and pressed his lips lightly against Sasori's, pulling back quickly and taking one of the drawings off of the pile.

"Mine now, un!" he said, a proud smile on his face.

"H-hey wait, I wasn't ready!" Sasori managed to say.

Deidara's smile died down and he leaned over again until he and Sasori were only an inch apart, he whispered, "I'll trade you again for this one."

He slipped another drawing off of the pile in Sasori's hands and once again closed the distance between them for a brief three seconds. For three blissful seconds Sasori was immersed in the soft, warmth embrace of his long term crush, before Deidara broke away again. He wasn't able to move fully back his side of the table as Sasori placed a hand on the back of his head and said, "I'll trade you for this one," and slid yet another drawing across the table before kissing him again.

This went on for a solid two minutes, with the pair exchanging chaste and somewhat innocent kisses for drawings which might've creeped any normal person out, before it came to a sudden halt.

"Brat, that was the last picture," Sasori said, immediately regretting it.

Deidara parted from him completely and stared down at the pile of drawings he held. They really were beautiful and he supposed he could go home now and burn them so that they'd become real art, but there were always better things he could do with them.

"Well this has been fun, but I have to get home now un," He said with a cheeky grin, "Maybe you should come over and I'll trade you these drawings back."

Leaving no room for an answer, Deidara began to walk away and it took Sasori a few moments to realise he was supposed to follow. He grabbed his bag, showing the rest of his things inside with no thought to the rest of the world and was about to leave when he was stopped by Konan who wore a wide smile. She held up a very rough but very detailed drawing of him and Deidara kissing. In the right corner of the page was Itachi's unmistakable signature.

"Hey Sasori, I'll sell you this picture for five dollars!" Konan exclaimed, waving the paper in front of him.

Sasori scowled, "I'm not paying for that," he said, even as his hand dug the money out of his pocket. Konan laughed as he handed her the money and ripped the drawing out of her hand before hurrying off to catch up.