-Sasori's P.O.V.-

"Okay, let's go Deidara! You've been in there long enough!" I don't know why I was rushing him, we didn't have to move quickly. Deidara walked out of the bathroom, fully dressed, thank God. Now we could go. "Sasori-san? Un" "What?" "Why are you not taking everything here? Un" "Because I don't need everything here." I answered.

"Now let's go." "Okay... Un" I herded him out the door. "Now listen, Deidara. We're never coming back here." "Huh? Why? Un" "Because, I don't stay at one place. I move around. I'm a nomad." "Oh... So we're going to find a new place to stay? Un" "In a while. We're going back to the town for a few things, then we get moving." "Okay. Thanks for letting me stay with you. Un" "Hm." I began walking, Deidara following behind. I was still having doubts about Deidara coming with me.

Once we got to the town, I entered a clothes shop. I told Deidara to pick out some clothes he wanted. "But, I don't have any money. Un" "I'm aware of that. I'm paying." "Oh! No no, Sasori-san, you don't need to! Un" "But I want to." "But Sasori-san-" "Pick out some clothes, brat." Deidara pouted, but did as I told him to do.

I payed for the items and handed the bags to the boy. "Now where are we going? Un" "To get breakfast of course." "Oooh! This early? Un" "This is normal breakfast time..." I replied, giving him a questioning look. "I knew that... Un" "You've never had breakfast near this time, have you?" I asked. He kept silent. "Alright... Follow." I began walking, and Deidara stayed close behind.

-Deidara's P.O.V.-

Oh my God! This food looks so delicious! "Thank-you Sasori-san... Un" I said quietly, hesitant to eat. Sasori just nodded and began his meal. I didn't want to make a bad example by eating like a pig, but the food smelled SO good and I was starving! I started eating really fast. Sasori stopped eating and stared at me. I swallowed a large piece of a pancake and nearly choked. I could still feel Sasori's gaze upon me. I stopped eating and didn't make any eye contact.

Two guys in the booth behind Sasori were talking a little loudly. I think it was annoying him, considering the fact that when I looked up at him he had a weird look on his face. I continued eating, more slowly, while staring at him. I noticed his gaze wasn't directed at me, but slightly to the right of me. I didn't want to pester him with any questions, so keeping my mouth shut is what I was going to do. Aside from when I needed to put FOOD in it of course.

I finished my meal pretty quickly, I don't know how many minutes it took. I gulped down my milk and let out a heavy sigh, then burped. I covered my mouth and glanced at Sasori, but he still wasn't paying me any mind. Which kinda bugged me now. I don't know why, but I wanted his attention to be focused souly on ME. Now I was being selfish...

"Um... Sasori-san? Un" He didn't look at me. "S-Sasori-san? Un" Nothing. "Sasori!" "No." I frowned. "I didn't even say anything yet! Un" "You said my name." "That doesn't count! Un" Sasori's eyes narrowed as he locked his gaze upon me. I resisted smiling. "Um... You've been here before, right? Can you take me to where the bathroom is? Un" Sasori rolled his eyes and made a disdainful noise. "PLEASE? Un" "Okay, fine. Come on." I got up and followed Sasori to the bathroom. "You can wait outside the door, I won't take long. Un" I said, before going into the bathroom.

When I came out, Sasori wasn't there. Of course he wasn't. I headed back to our table, but stopped when I didn't see him there either. I looked around, I still couldn't see him. I ran to the front and asked the lady behind the counter if she'd seen a tall red haired man. "Well, I've seen a few tall red heads. Could you be more specific?" She answered, looking over the counter at me.

"W-well... He has short light-ish red hair, light brown eyes, he barely smiles. He was wearing a brown shirt and black pants. I came in with him! Un" "Oh, he just left." My heart skipped a beat. "He left?! He just walked out?! Un" "Well, yes, after he paid." "Why would he leave me here?! Un" "I'm sorry hon..." "He promised I could go with him! Un" I turned and ran out of the restaurant and looked around. He wasn't anywhere in sight. How could he do this?! I started to cry.

I should have seen this coming. It just wasn't fair! He treated me to breakfast to butter me up so I wouldn't feel so bad when he left! But why?! What caused him to leave?! Am I that annoying?! Did... My eyes widened. "No... No no no..." He saw them didn't he... He could have... When I was unconscious... Or last night... Why do I have to be a heavy sleeper?!

"Now he thinks I'm some kind of freak! It's not fair!" I clenched my fists. "I didn't ask to be a freak of nature! I didn't ask to be all alone! I DIDN'T ASK TO BE BORN!" I sobbed, dropping to my knees. "Why did you have to leave me?! Why did you pretend... To care... At all... Un" I shuddered and wrapped my arms around myself.

-Sasori's P.O.V.-

Maybe I shouldn't have left him alone at that restaurant... But it doesn't matter now, he was taking too long. It wasn't the right thing to do but I had to keep going, there was no turning back now. I wouldn't be able to take care of Deidara anyway, I could barely take care of myself. Right now I was on my way to find a scroll. A very important one. If I had brought the boy along, he could be killed. And he'd just weigh me down.

Two mouths to feed, having to wait for him to wake up, all his questions, him not being able to run as fast as me. It wouldn't have worked out in my favor. Besides, the boy has done good on his own this far. I don't even know if he has a family. Probably not, considering when I found him... Why am I still thinking of him?! It's not like I liked having the brat with me anyway! The company was pretty nice though... "Arrgh!" I heard someone approaching and hopped up into a tree to hide and observe.

The two men walking past were the same men that were sitting behind me. This was good. I needed them. They had something I needed. I waited until they walked past and hopped down, behind bushes. I pulled out a scroll of mine and summoned a puppet. Then I made my way in front of the two, stopping them in their tracks.

They looked shocked. "Who are you?!" I smirked, "You have something I need." "Yea? Move outta our way kid." "Give me the map." I said coldly. The two men pulled out kunai. "This is your last chance to move, kid." "Hmm... Oh well, I tried." I said, flicking my wrist.

-Deidara's P.O.V.-

I made my way out of the town, shouldering the bag that Sasori gave me. "He's stupid. STUPID... No, I'm the stupid one... I was the one who went back... Un" I mumbled to myself. I've handled life alone this far, I can continue. Sasori only gave me a boost. Now I have some clean clothes and a full belly. "That's it! Think positively! Un" I grinned.

Now all I had to do was find some work to earn money and eventually find a place to stay... Wait a minute... Sasori said he was never going back to that house! I can live there now! I took off full speed down the path to the house.

I walked in a shut the door, tossing my bag to the side and sighing. The house felt so empty without Sasori here... I shook my head. "You are your own man Deidara! You don't need anyone to hold your hand when your scared! You don't need anyone to talk to when you're lonely! You don't need someone to baby you! You're nine years old, act like the man you are! You've survived this long you can do it till the end! Un" I picked up the book Sasori left behind. "He didn't even get to finish it... Un" I opened to page one and sat down, starting to read.

-Sasori P.O.V.-

I bent down and grabbed the map out of the jacket of one of the motionless shinobi. I put my puppet away and looked at the map. My eyes widened and I quickly put it in my bag. I turned and quickly head back the way I came. I went into the town and looked around. I went into the restaurant. The woman at the front glared at me and turned her back to me, "He's not here." She said dryly.

What? Oh, she means Deidara. That's not what I'm looking for... Wait... The little brat must have taken it. I ran out of the restaurant and searched the whole town, every building, nook and cranny. Everywhere. It was getting dark. "Arghhh! Where could he have gone?! Whe- ... I know." I ran out of the town and went down the path of the house of where I used to stay.

I grabbed the front door's handle and twisted it. Locked. Of course. There was a lamp on in there, but there was no sign of life. I went to the backdoor and tried opening it. No luck. I went into the woods and came across a trap door on the ground. I unlocked it and went down. I walked down the long musty hall before coming to a ladder.

I climbed up and pushed on the ceiling above me. It swung open and I climbed out. I sighed and went to the door, unlocking it, and going out. I was in the house. I went to the living room, but Deidara wasn't there, or in the kitchen area. I checked the room I let him stay in. No luck. The bathroom light was on. I twisted the handle. It wasn't locked. I slowly opened the door. There was no one in there. I felt relieved.

The last place to check was my room. I opened the door and entered the dark room. Something hard hit my forehead. "Ow!" "S-Sasori? Un" I knew it... "Deidara, did you take anything of mine at the restaurant?" "... No. Go away. Un" I heard blankets shift. "What are you doing here?" "Sleeping. Go away. Un" "No... Are you sure you didn't t-" "I DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING! LEAVE ME ALONE! GO AWAY! UN" His voice was cracking.

"Deidara-" "I KNOW YOU DIDN'T COME BACK FOR ME! YOU LEFT ME! ALONE! YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE TRUSTED YOU! I knew this would happen... Go. Away. Un" "Just list-" "GO AWAY!" He screamed, then started sobbing. "My promise..." "Stupid... Un" "Deidara, please, just listen..." He didn't respond. "I don't want you to get hurt. Or worse, killed. It's dangerous, what I'm doing."

"I have a higher risk of being killed alone... Un" "What do you mean?" No response... "Deidara, I don't mean to hurt you, I don't want to hurt you. I don't want something bad t-" "Then you should have left me to die in the freezing rain. Un" "That's not what..." I sighed. "I'm sorry." "No you're not... You were right, you are a horrible person... Is that why you left me all alone? Why you broke your promise? Because you thought leaving a nine year old alone would keep him safe? Un"

"... Yes. I don't want you to get hurt." "Well I'd rather be hurt when I'm with you. Because the pain of betrayal and loneliness is far greater. But I won't ask you to bring me with you. I don't want to weigh you down. I don't care anymore. I don't need anyone... Un" "You won't ask to come, huh?" "No... Un" "Fine then... Don't ask. It wouldn't matter anyway." "Yea, you'd say no anyway... Un" I could hear in his voice that he was still crying. "No. That's not it. Deidara... Will you come with me? It'd be worse knowing that not only did I leave you all alone but..." "..." "But also knowing that I broke my promise to you."

-Deidara's P.O.V.-

Should I trust him? Should I say yes after he broke his promise? Should I give him I second chance? "Give me one good reason to trust you... Un" "... I can't." He replied calmly. "But I know what it's like to be alone, and betrayed. I don't want that for you." I turned over and sat up. I couldn't see him since it was so dark. I wiped my tears and nose.

"Fine. I'll go. But under one condition. You never leave me all alone, ever. You always come back no matter what. Un" "..." There was a long pause. I knew he was making it up. "... I won't leave you alone. I'll always come back for you." I felt the mattress depress and arms wrapped around me, making me gasp. "I promise, Deidara."


You promised to always come back...