Sasori explained what had happened to the other two. They were slightly shocked at first. Once Sasori repeated everything Deidara had said, Itachi gave an understanding nod.

"Are you sure you've never seen him before?"

"Well," Sasori's face contorted in deep thought, "now that you mention it... I have been having this feeling ever since I saw him..."

"Go on..."

"Uh... shit... I think I just did the most-no, only- stupid thing in my life. Deidara..." Sasori trailed, blushing at memories of a blonde boy smiling happily, talking while he listened. He recalled a bar, the meeting, a man that claimed to own him- a Master of sorts. "That would explain him addressing me as Master." he voiced his thought, confusing the other two.

"So... you had a past with this kid?" Kisame asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"It was more than just a past, he was my past, present, and future... y'know?" Sasori's blush continued to burn.

"Woah, you mean Deidara's your Itachi? Er, Itachi's mine, but you know what I mean..." Kisame blushed now.

"Um, we should probably go looking for him then..." Itachi pointed in the direction the blonde had fled.

"Right."

Deidara slowed his pace, his feet were bleeding from wearing such poor shoes over such terrain. He stumbled through the forest, panting. He had almost forgotten why he had run. He stopped at the sound of a twig snapping. He whipped around, trying to locate the source. His hand instinctively reached for the pouch at his side, mouth open and poised.

"Who's there, hmm?"

There was no reply and Deidara started to relax. 'Maybe it was only an animal...' he thought, continuing on, keeping his hand in his pouch. He began to mold the clay, just in case. Sure enough a shadow loomed over him. He spun around and tossed his clay bomb, "KATSU!"

The mass of dark red threads attached to a queer mask slammed against a tree, broken. Deidara cursed aloud, he was out of clay now and he saw another one fast-approaching. He ran past it, hoping to find Sasori in the others and get their assistance. He ignored the throbbing of his feet, the tearing of his cloak and the figures behind him. He only paid attention to the road ahead. He broke from the dense forest area and arrived back at the waterfall hiding a ninja settlement.

He paused for only a moment, but it was enough. Three creatures now surrounded him. The only way to run was into the water. So Deidara did what any cornered mouse would do. He ran to the water only to be stopped dead in his tracks by a heavily cloaked figure blocking his path. His eyes widened as a tan hand with black tattooed bands shot from the arm, attached to threads. It grabbed his neck, slamming him into a tree and then dragging his slightly limp body towards him.

"Deidara, I told you not to do anything stupid. Getting so much attention is something very stupid. Do you remember me?" The man hissed and Deidara let out a breathless gasp, trying to form words. "Answer me, Deidara-chan, or I'll finish you now." He loosened his grip barely enough to let the blonde speak.

"Y-Yes, K-Kakuzu-danna!" He gagged.

"That's my good little whore." Kakuzu exhaled, pulling down his mask with his free hand to place his lips against the smaller's.

Deidara gasped, moaning into the kiss. Kakuzu's rough hand moved from his neck after lowering him to the ground. It slid down to unbutton the cloak, The three creatures slunk over to Kakuzu's back. Deidara's hands grasped at his stitched back, pulling closer.

"You've been without contact for so long. You probably still don't remember Sasori."

Deidara froze, suddenly breaking free of Kakuzu's grasp. He was shaking and Kakuzu eyed him in wonder. Deidara looked down.

"Deidara... are you crying? Come to think of it... you were crying when I found you too. Tell me what happened." Kakuzu sighed, tilting the blonde's face up to wipe the tears.

"Y-you're being un-unusually nice... i-it's scary-y." He sobbed, "I-I remember Sasori... I-I found him."

"You did?" Kakuzu was practically purring and it worried Deidara further.

"He doesn't remember me." Deidara finished.

"Ah, in that case... stay here, I'll be right back." Kakuzu said, returning to his usual, emotionless state.

Deidara watched him leave, covering his face and back once more.

"Wait, the trail's reversed, he back-tracked." Itachi stopped in the middle of the dense forest.

Sasori and Kisame followed him back in the direction of the village. They were greeted in Sasori and Deidara's clearing by Kakuzu, looming over Hiruko as he waited. He held a book in his hand, reading a certain page. Once the three were close enough, he showed them the page. It revealed a picture of Deidara, a bold red 'X' over his handsome face.

"What did you do to him?" Sasori snarled, leaping forward.

"He had a bounty over his head, a big one at that, so I did what anyone would do. I killed him. It was pretty easy. Don't tell me you're friends with the kid?" Kakuzu drawled, holding up five strands of long, blonde hair.

"You seem familiar, who are you?" Sasori's eyes narrowed upon recognizing the locks of Deidara's hair. From what he could remember, Deidara was obsessed with his gorgeous hair.

"I am the bounty hunter; Deidara's friend."

"Some friend!" Kisame snapped.

"Heh, he was next in my Bingo Book and fetches quite a high price both on and off the black market despite how few years he has been famous." He flipped through the book and his eyes glinted with glee. "Looks like you're next, Sasori of the Red Sand. You're worth more than Deidara."

They had no time to react as the masks sprang from his back, each wrapping around the three Akatsuki. Kisame struggled, teeth nipping at the threads. Itachi remained perfectly still, Sharingan ablaze. Sasori glared defiantly, trying to find a loophole. His cable slipped from its compartment and slit the strings. He was free in minutes and working on Itachi's. Kisame managed to break free and the masks retreated.

"Seems you've added a new toy since back then." Kakuzu observed, weaving a sign just as Sasori rushed forward, cable slashing at his face.

Kakuzu had hardened his skin and so the blade merely slashed at his mask, revealing his stitched jaw. Sasori's eyes widened.

"You're-"

Kakuzu left him no time, his hand shooting out to grasp his neck, the other for his heart. Kisame and Itachi kept their distance, observing. Sasori choked out as his heart box was pulled from his body.

"You fool, Sasori. I expected you to- no, I made you promise to look after Deidara and I said that, if you ever hurt him, in any way, I would break you." His words were wasted, as the puppet's body slumped, lifeless, a beating heart in Kakuzu's grasp. "Your heart will replace the one Deidara destroyed."

It was at this point when Kisame decided to take action. He withdrew his blade and rushed forward. Kakuzu looked at him, using his free hand to weave a sign. Itachi recognized the fire sign. He shouted a warning to his partner who jumped, weaving his own signs and blasting a torrent of water just as a wave of fire shot from a nearby mask.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, UN!" Everything froze, they all turned to face the blonde whom appeared from the trees behind Kakuzu.

"Deidara?" Three voices blended to one.

"Kakuzu. Put. Sasori's. Heart. Back. NOW."

"And miss out on such a bounty? I don't think so." Kakuzu drawled.

"Look, put it back and I'll help you replace the bounties of my friends by offering you a job. The Akatsuki needs a banker, hmm?" Deidara crossed his arms, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You are such a pest, kid." Kakuzu returned the glare tenfold yet brought up the puppet's body.

Kakuzu replaced the heart and released Sasori just as he awoke. He gasped and jumped to his feet, tensed in defense position. Kakuzu's masks returned to his back once more and he picked up his ruined mask. He shot Sasori a glare before backing away towards Deidara.

"You're alive after all, huh, brat?" Sasori smirked then headed for Hiruko.

"So, does this mean he'll join us, Deidara?" Kisame asked while Itachi reactivated his Sharingan.

"Depends..." Kakuzu seemed wary of the Uchiha, "Been ages since I've seen an Uchiha... first one I've encountered was Madara. Rumors say he's alive. You are Itachi- the bounty on any Uchiha is high enough but yours tops all of the currently known living. Slaughtered your entire clan, save your brother, at such a young age." He trailed, deep in thought.

He stayed like this long enough for Sasori to return to Hiruko and for Hiruko to shuffle over to the other two. Deidara stayed near Kakuzu, waiting patiently. Kisame stood straight suddenly, Itachi soon after. They exchanged a quick glance with Sasori before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Kakuzu watched where they had disappeared.

"Deidara, I don't like to keep others waiting- especially not Pain." Sasori had Hiruko's gruff voice once more.

"Ugh, he's calling another meeting so soon, hmm?" Deidara scoffed, making his way over to his partner.

"Kakuzu, are you interested in joining the Akatsuki or not? You'll get payment almost as good as at the whorehouse." Sasori added the last bit with a smirk.

"Hm, very well. Best to keep a close eye on Deidara so I don't lose your bounties to some amateur kid." Kakuzu pulled a new mask from his cloak pocket, fastening it to his headgear.

Sasori gave a nod and started off. Deidara waited for Kakuzu to catch up and nuzzled him briefly. Soon the three were halfway to Amegakure. They stopped when the sun fell completely and any moonlight was veiled by storm clouds.

"Oh yeah, Kakuzu, I forgot to ask if you needed to get anything from your residence."

"Kakuzu doesn't have a residence and only trust a very small group of individuals with his precious money, yeah. Other than that, he keeps a nice sum on his person at all times just for the use of counting in his free-time. I told you he's a miser, hmm?" Deidara answered for Kakuzu.

"Remind me to give you a concussion next time I get the chance. You've remembered far too much." Kakuzu drawled, heading for a cave not too far from the path.

"Oh haha, Sasori-danna's pissed off at me enough for attempting suicide as it is."

"You did tell him it's his fault, didn't you?"

"How the hell's it my fault?" Sasori sniffed.

"After you left, Deidara went looking for you. I accompanied him every once and awhile. One day I guess it just got too much so, while he was helping me with a bounty, he blew the bomb too close. He would'ah been done in if I hadn't hardened my skin and blocked a majority of the blast."

"I hadn't realized you cared for me that much..." Sasori trailed guiltily.

"Of course, Sasori-no-Danna! I love you!" proclaimed Deidara, "Without you, I am dead."

Deidara sat down next to Hiruko once they were in the cave. Kakuzu left them shortly after to fetch firewood before the storm broke. Sasori crawled out of Hiruko to sit down by the blonde. Deidara was staring down at his hands, watching the tongues loll out. The redhead placed his hand in his, intertwining their fingers. He didn't mind the saliva now coating his palm.

"You know... when you die, I wouldn't mind making you a puppet, brat."

"Eh! No way! When I die, I plan to go out with a blast- just like my own art, hmm!"

The two artists broke apart to scowl at one another. Kakuzu came in and rose a brow yet kept silent, setting up the firewood.

"Real art is eternal, brat!"

"Fleeting, puppet!"

"Eternal!"

"Fleeting, un!"

"Eternal!"

"Fleeting, yeah!"

"Etern-"

"Quiet."

Kakuzu's agitated voice interrupted the debate between artists. Said artists snapped their heads to glare at the miser. However he was busily tending the lit fire, his fire mask off to the side. Silence stretched.

"Fleeting, hm." Deidara whispered seductively.

Sasori was about to retort. The bomber's lips stopped this, however, crashing on his own. Sasori had been delayed by the coming hard-on. Kakuzu looked up to see why they were quiet before hastily returning it to the fire. He hid a grin before slouching against the wall, falling asleep to sounds of sweet love. 'How I missed them.'

Kakuzu was the first to wake early in the morning. He was unsurprised to find Deidara and Sasori tangled together, fully clothed. It had been painfully obvious that Sasori was a virgin from the beginning. It was the main reason he let Deidara stay with the virgin for little to no cost. All they did was talk and keep the blonde prostitute from committing suicide. Always so eager to become a work of art. He stood, pulling his hood over his face again.

"Where to?" He asked, kicking the puppet to rouse him.

"Ugh... huh?" He sat up, rubbing his brown eyes and then slipping into Hiruko.

"Where to?" Kakuzu repeated; he was easily annoyed.

"Oh... Amegakure..." He yawned but stopped short.

"Sasori, I thought you didn't like to keep others waiting? Pain-sama requests you hurry to the meeting pla- who's that?" Zetsu appeared from the ground, eying Kakuzu curiously, "A snack for me?"

"No, our new banker," Sasori explained, "Kakuzu."
"Damn... oh well, didn't look all that tasty anyways. Deidara-chan's tastier looking."

"Deidara's mine, cannibal." Sasori glowered.

"Hm. No matter, wake him and follow us."

They started out the cave, Kakuzu helped Deidara up and trailed behind Hiruko. Zetsu led them through the treetops for a semi-vast distance, occasionally pausing to let Sasori catch up. He never trailed too far behind, but they waited all the same. By the afternoon they had reached the usually rainy settlement, Amegakure. Kakuzu was confused upon noticing there was no rainfall at the moment. Deidara shared his confusion in awe. They continued through the settlement of rogue ninja from Amegakure til they reached a tower. They slipped through the fence and proceeded to sneak to the door.

"What's with the sneaking?" Kakuzu grumbled once they were inside.

"This is an evil organization plotting to rebuild the way the ninja world works." Sasori answered.

"AKA, World domination, baby." Kisame appeared in front of them, replacing Zetsu.

"Ah-huh..." Kakuzu didn't look impressed.

"I just joined for kicks- I get all the bodies I need for my puppets while enjoying the occasional company. That and I want to see Sunagakure destroyed along with my damnable Grandma Chiyo."

"Wow, Sasori, never have I heard you speak for so long." Itachi drawled, entering the main room from where Kisame had come. "Greetings, Kakuzu, your new partner will take you to leader. Deidara should accompany you." he added upon spotting the stitched ninja.

"Eh, that dude's my new partner? What's with that mask?"

A boy with short, scruffy, chestnut hair entered from a second hallway straight ahead from Kakuzu. His eyes were a pale hazel color. He was looking at Kakuzu in distaste which automatically made him the victim to Deidara and Kakuzu.

"Who cares, boy, hmm? You'll find out eventually, if you live long enough." Deidara defended.

"Chill, dudette, just curious." The teen laughed.

Yep, definitely not gonna last.