A/N: Hello again, everyone! Thanks so much for your interest and reviews!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Naruto!

WARNINGS: None this chapter.


Sasori

They were just some stupid toys his father picked up after a mission in some far away village. He honestly should have gotten rid of them ages ago, but every time he went to dispose of them, something would stop him, and he would put their small trunk back into its spot hidden away in his workshop.

He knew it was ridiculous. He had life-size puppets now, so what did he need puerile marionettes for?

As he worked on his newest project, his thoughts drifted to the little puppets. His father had presented him with them only weeks before both his parents left for their fatal battle. He remembered the smile on his father's face when he pulled them out of the box they were in, his mother's face lighting up in amusement. He hadn't been so impressed, his young mind not quite understanding what the tiny people with strings were.

There were two of them. One was a woman, painted in the likeness of the geishas he had heard about from stories in distant lands. Her face was white, her lips red, and her hair was done in an intricate style for such a little doll. Her kimono was a mixture of vibrant reds, greens, oranges, and yellows, complete with maiko and tabi on her feet.

The other was a man, specifically a samurai. He wore a stern expression, as he imagined samurai did, with his hair in a tight bun at the back of his head. His armor was gray, and he had a miniature sword strapped to his side.

As he stared at them in wonder and confusion, he heard his father chuckle. When honey met purple, his father had picked up the pint-sized geisha, positioning the wooden handle between his fingers. With a patience he hadn't inherited, his father explained how to move the puppets to play with them. He remembered the excitement he had felt, comprehension donning on him.

He had practiced for hours after that, easily perfecting the art of marionette. He would put on little shows for his parents, and sometimes his grandmother, every night. He had even named the puppets, calling the geisha 'Onna' and the samurai 'Otoko'. He remembered the feeling of them watching his performances, how much happiness and peace he felt. He never knew how much joy a puppet could bring until he had Onna and Otoko. Even after his parents had left, he continued preparing shows for their return. One that would never come.

Now, Onna and Otoko stayed locked away, much like his emotions. He only ever took them out a whim, when the mood struck him.

He set down his tool, sighing to himself. He directed his lazy gaze in the direction of their hiding place, contemplating. Deidara would be gone for a few more hours, so there was time now. He rose from his work bench, the stool sliding back, as he strode over to the trunk. He pulled it off the shelf, dust flying around him; it really had been quite some time. As he sat back down at his work bench, he wiped the remaining dust off the trunk before opening it slowly. There sat the geisha and samurai, slightly faded after so many years, but still in near-perfect condition. He reached in, grasping their wooden handles to gently pull them out.

He used his mastery puppet skills to gracefully move them to and fro across the table, acting out a brief show in his head. He felt the corners of his lips twitch as he did so, that feeling of peace washing over him. Once he reached the end of his show, he paused, frowning slightly. This wasn't right; he wasn't supposed to be feeling anything, especially not peace or happiness. He shook his head before placing the puppets back into their trunk. He put them back on the shelf before roughly taking his place back at the work bench. He quickly reclaimed his discarded tool, immersing himself in his latest creation.

Ridiculous. He really should just get rid of those things.


A/N: 'Onna' means 'woman', and 'Otoko' means 'man'. :)

I really just like the idea of Sasori putting on little puppet shows for himself. I don't know, it's just so CUTE! cx