Atopos - I don't own this, believe me. I just want you guys to know that I have this entire story already written out on my computer. I'm just going to add chapters very slowly to make it look like I'm thinking it all over. Yes, I can be evil sometimes :)

The Dreaded Love Potion

Chapter 2

Sasori woke the next morning to find his partner gone. He smiled to himself, knowing that Deidara had listened to him and used that stupid liquid in the wash. It would at least show Hidan that they caught onto his tricks this time around.

The puppet master got out of the bed and wandered into the kitchen. Everyone was there which made Sasori regret his decision. He took the seat next opposite Itachi who he knew wouldn't talk to him. Hidan watched him intently, the coffee mug continually brushing his lips. He seemed pretty wide awake for someone who was up most of the night.

"What?" Sasori snapped at him in a hushed whisper. Even though the puppet only slept if he was bored or beyond tired, he still felt the morning just like everyone else.

Hidan gave an evil smirk, "Just wondering what you did with that fucking potion I gave you."

Sasori nearly gagged on his own synthetic tongue. "What the hell are you talking about? What potion?"

"The fucking small container I gave you, remember?" Hidan laughed for a moment, "You were so fucking excited about receiving it."

"What is it?" Sasori asked calmly.

Kisame was the one who answered. "It was a love potion we found. The person who has it will attract everyone around them. We wanted to see what you would do with it. If you get it on your fingers, it works faster."

Sasori was determined now to figure out what they were talking about. "You can't be serious. What happens if the entire vial is used?"

Hidan and Kisame exchanged looks. Everyone else around them had no clue what was going between the other members. Now the atmosphere in the room was filled with worry.

"You…didn't pour the entire thing on you, did you?" Kisame raised an intriguing eyebrow to emphasis the question.

Sasori shook his head. "I told Deidara to. I got mad at him and told him that if he didn't or if he died, I could get a different partner that's better than him."

Everyone nodded. It sounded like the typical Deidara-Sasori argument. At the end of this one, it was obvious that Sasori would get his way once again. Right on cue, the blond bomb master walked into the room in his baby blue robe, looking fresh from a shower.

"Deidara," Sasori stood up to greet him, "please don't tell me that you did what I asked."

Deidara seemed surprised at being asked this. "Um, of course, Sasori-danna, I always do what you say, un." Then shock made itself known on his childlike face. "Danna, did you find out what it was?"

Sasori swallowed hard then shook his head. "No, it's harmless. Nothing you have to worry about."

The blond's face lit up, "That's good 'cause we have a mission to do, un. Let's go!"

A mission would be the perfect distraction, if one could call it that. Sasori later found out that they were just going a few towns over to pick a few things up from a black market. It was nothing special, every two-man group got stuck doing it sooner or later. Either way, it was a chance to get away from all the accusing glares at the hideout.

Then again, Sasori had a hard time getting his mind off of his young partner as the day went by. It was bad enough that while inside Hiroku, Sasori only came up to Deidara's waist. He was short, but he never spent his spare time staring at his partner's butt which was what he was doing until they got to a village less than half way to their destination.

"Daaaannnnaaa?" Deidara whined, "Can we stop somewhere, un?"

The thought of being stuck at an inn with Deidara hit Sasori with one full swoop. He could feel something quicken in him that felt like a pulse. He was about to say no until he remembered that Deidara rarely asked to stop during a mission and that he never denied him when he did ask for it. Deidara was still a young human, after all.

"Sure," Sasori grumbled. "We'll stop at the closest place."

Luckily for him, Deidara knew where the nearest hotel was. He could remember the town somewhere, but wasn't quite sure why or where. Sasori didn't bring any of it up; he didn't care. They got a small room with two beds and a shower, just like the bedroom they shared at the hideout.

"Can I have the shower first, danna?" Deidara pleaded with his partner.

Sasori nodded, heading for the bed. He closed his eyes and listened to the running water in the bath. Deidara liked it hot so steam crept from under the door that separated the two small rooms. Hopefully, Sasori cried in his head, Deidara would wash off that love potion so he wouldn't feel anything else for him.

After forty minutes, Deidara emerged from the bathroom with only his tight black boxers on and a towel drying his hair. His left hand clutched his headband as he headed to the bed parallel Sasori's. Sasori opened an eye just to see the blond moving around the room. A particular nice view was when the boy bent over to drop the bags that contained his clay gently to the floor.

"Something wrong, danna?" Deidara asked cheerfully enough.

Sasori shook his head. He must have been caught staring. Quickly, the redhead averted his eyes to the steam still pouring from the washroom. "You must be so tired that you're imagining things."

Deidara chuckled to himself, pulling the towel from his hair and letting the blond locks tumble down his back. The swift action caused Sasori's breath to hitch, but he never relied too much on that anyways.

"If you're sure, un," Deidara mumbled before turning over to face the wall instead of his partner.

Sasori got the light, but laid there for what felt like hours. He could hear Deidara's breathing which meant the boy was fast asleep. Most times if someone walked in on him and asked what he was doing still awake, he would tell them that he was just standing guard, now he had no excuse. All he could do here was listen to Deidara breathe softly. The blond wasn't injured in any way and he wasn't having nightmares. Sasori prayed for nights like these, so Deidara wouldn't wake and bother him, now he was thinking how great it was just to have him by his side.

Tbc…