Hm. I'm not happy with this chapter. xX; It seems so... cliched. Blaahhh. Oh well, sorry if it sucks. D: Andd. Sorry again for the long update that definitely was not worth the wait. Ughh, I've kinda lost my motivation for this fiction, haha. I feel like it's a cluster of crappy oneshots. +.+ Thanks to the people who reviewed though! :D So. Yeah, sorry if this is less than you expected. :\ Please check out RandomlyCheesey, she makes the craziest stuff for Maximum Ride. :D
and happy fifteenth birthday to you Mika, wherever you are in Japann!! :DD

Credits: Eh. Don't own. :PPPP

Chapter Three

He cautiously poked his head into the cramped room, hoping against hope that he'd see the mop of red hair, flaming against the pale walls. As he had expected, Sasori wasn't in his Freelance Art class. Sighing to himself, Deidara entered, tucking his bag higher on his shoulder. He'd have to make new friends… Something he'd been in perpetual fear of when he'd turned in his transfer application. Flopping down at random in a seat near a cabinet that smelled promisingly of newly harvested river clay, Deidara slung his carrier off his person, and deposited it on the floor until the instructor would take control of the class.

As the stool next to his was being pulled out, he looked up at the newcomer. It was a very pretty, blue-haired girl, with a complex origami rose perched in her locks. She had a piercing pattern not unlike Pein's on her face, though with considerably less studded pieces, and a more feminine assembly. She looked down at Deidara from under dark, heavy lids, eyes scanning him over. The blonde squirmed uncomfortably, wishing she'd be less forward with her staring. Finally, the girl spoke in a low voice, "You're Tobi's roommate, aren't you? Deidara, the transfer student."

He started, wondering how she knew this. Campus wasn't that small a world… "Yeah, but…"

"I'll be getting to know you better, then. Pein's told me quite a bit about you… and I'd hoped we'd have a class together."

The boy blinked in confusion. "So… that's why you knew about me, un?"

She nodded gravely, adjusting the origami blossom on her head before taking her seat beside him, nodding. "He's told me quite a bit about you. He says you're the first to get on non-violent terms with Akasuna no Sasori so quickly." She let a light chuckle escape her lips. "More surprisingly, out of all the Akatsuki guys, you chose to hang out with him more. Pein figured you'd like either Kisame or Hidan better, but hey, whatever." She let a small smile quirk her mouth, which looked odd on her face, suggesting she reserved certain expressions for only her friends. Apparently, Deidara was in already.

"Who else is in our… group? Uhm, actually, I don't even know your name." He admitted awkwardly. The shared possessive pronoun felt strangely gratifying, and it pleased him to know that he'd been fortunate enough to kick-start his career here with decent friends. As long as he knew their names.

"I'm Konan. And nobody else hangs out with us than me and the people you met on your dorm floor in Pein's room. Who happen to be the people you'll be going in the corn field with tonight."

"So," he continued, "is everyone going alien-hunting tonight?"

Konan nodded again, absently folding a discarded board notification that she had draw up from the floor. "Yes, if you're bent on using that name that Tobi made up. You too, right? Not going to chicken out on us?"

"Un," he confirmed, wondering what there could possibly be to 'chicken out' about when simply going to a cornfield. "Where do I go? I don't know my way around too well, hm."

Konan opened her mouth to answer, but stopped when at the front of the room, the instructor stood up to start the class. She was a short woman with her hair pulled back in a tight spike, with black, slit eyes. She waved a dango stick between her middle and fourth fingers, and snapped out sharply, "This is Freelance. Use what media you need, I really don't care. Neither does the rest of this college. So today, I want you to create a work of art that represents… 'precious'. Make something up."

With that, she turned away, returning to her desk. Deidara blinked in surprise. "That's it?"

Just then, a familiar tone asked, "Anko-sensei? May I please see what Sasori-kun made yesterday?"

The black-haired woman snarled, "Dammit, Tsuchi, you ask me every day, and the answer is always no. Everyone's work is private."

Kin smiled dreamily, flicking her drapery of black hair behind her back. "There's always a chance that one day, he said I could see…"

Anko scoffed. "Don't trick yourself, Tsuchi, give it up." The snappy teacher returned to her desk computer, which was obviously more interesting than her obsessive student's petty concerns.

Undeterred, the girl began to gush about the amazing puppeteer to her unfortunate table partner, a boy named Zaku.

In front of her, Deidara moaned inaudibly for agony. She seemed an experienced ranter about her favorite topic, who also happened to be his only real friend at the moment. Sighing in defeat, he got up to look for Konan, who had left eerily silently a moment ago, and was leafing selectively through a sheaf of origami paper on a counter. "Konan-san, is there any clay that I can use, un?"

Without looking up from the fish-scale design she was scanning over critically, she replied, "Third cabinet to the left on the east wall. They've got a couple types, so you can take as much as you need."

Thanking her happily, Deidara trotted to said cabinet, excitement in his steps. This was, indeed, quite an impressive college. As he pulled open the door, his visible eye sparkled in awe, and a huge grin split across his face. The plastic wrapped material was cut into several cubes, and had various labels naming the different types. There was Amazon imported soft clay, a reddish form from the Ganges River, and an exotic one, harvested from the Danube, its silver-grey skin shining with wetness and a promising soft, but sturdy texture. Selecting the last one, Deidara hefted the large cube from its shelf, expertly peeling back the sticky plastic and, with the help of a wire, cut off a good slab for his use. Returning the rest of the clay back to its place on the wooden shelf, the blonde gingerly carried his prize back to the table, finding Konan back already, in progress with a magnificent assortment of feather-like pieces that she was painstakingly folding, each one individually.

Sitting down at his stool, Deidara wielded his chunk and smacked it onto the tabletop, kneading the clay happily with deft fingers. Precious… He'd do something simplistic that didn't relate to his own past in any way; no need to play the tragic hero or draw any unnecessary attention to himself.

But his successful train of thoughts was rudely shattered, when he heard Kin talking again, this time about how gorgeous Sasori's eyes were.

"They're so reddish-brown; they're like chocolate flames… of fire! Like the setting sun, Zaku!"

"Kin…"

"Don't you agree? They're such a different shade, so beautiful…"

"Kin, just shut up, you always talk about him. It's a serious obsession. You stalk him, for Kami's sake. What's he got next on his schedule?"

"I am not a stalker! But he's got no more classes for the rest of the day."

"What's he doing tonight?"

"Going out with his friends."

Horrified, Deidara turned to look at Konan. "That's… really creepy, un," he commented under his breath, fingers absently molding the clay. The blue-haired female creased a paper, gently inserting her feathers into the slots to create a complex wing. "Isn't it? How she knows all this is still a wonder. Don't let it bother you though. Kin's pretty harmless."

"Really… but, you never got to answer from earlier, un. Where should I go?"

"For the cornfield?"

"Un."

"Follow Kin, she'll take you to Sasori."

"What?"

"It sounds stupid, but just do it." Konan finished a second wing and began to crease a larger sheet of origami paper, clearly not in the mood for talking anymore.

Murmuring a noise of consent, Deidara concentrated on his own sculpture, deciding to just allow things to happen.

After silence only broken by Kin's ceaseless babbling of her beloved Sasori and Zaku's impatient growling, he finally had two clay hands, intertwined together in a clasp that seemed to represent a sort of bond, one whose meaning he had no idea. The details were magnificent, every nail and cuticle accounted for. Blinking tiredly but happy, he scraped the thick clay off of his palms, turning to look at Konan's creation. He was thoroughly impressed; it was an angel standing there, completely made of paper, but her face was smooth and untouched, eerie as she rested in a transfixed pose. He admired the paper statuette for a while longer as Konan folded in the final teases.

"Leave your work here and go. Class dismissed." Anko called out in a bored, uncaring voice. Quite clearly, not a very concerned teacher, she allowed her students to leave in as little syllables as possible.

Remembering Konan's words, Deidara hurried to trail after Kin, who had set off with a spring in her step and hard determination in her eyes. He dogged behind the girl, hoping that his new blue-haired friend had been correct in her queer directions.

After awkwardly following Kin though, he saw that she had indeed found Sasori, as if she were in possession of a locator for the boy. Approaching the redhead from behind, Kin suddenly snuck up from his back, and threw her arms around his waist.

"Freaking—" He swore loudly, seizing his assaulter's arms furiously, prying them from about his body. "Get off of me, you—"

Managing to swat the stalker off, Sasori snarled as he attempted to escape. "How was your Woodwork class?" She fell in step beside the boy, and Deidara had to hurry to keep up with ten two in front of him. Kin began to barrage the redhead with questions mercilessly, and Deidara felt it was well time to interfere.

"Sasori, un..."

In relief, the puppeteer turned around, looking for his savior. "Deidara?"
"Uh, where do we go for alien—"

"I'll take you," Sasori hurriedly covered up the rest of his inquiry, shifting his gaze to the intently listening girl.

"Alien what?" She asked interestedly. "Piss off, un," Deidara snapped.

Taking the moment of offended sadness on Kin's face, the redhead surged forward in the walkway, hearing Deidara close behind. Breaking into a run, he dashed to the nearest campus bus stop, barely making it in time to the vehicle sitting there, almost having left. He leaned on the steps, gesturing to the blonde. The sculptor put on an extra burst in his step, rushing on behind Sasori. The two spurted up the stairs and sank down on a plastic seat in relief behind an irate driver, a laugh emitting from Deidara's throat as Kin stopped her run from afar and looking on in defeat from the bus station she'd just reached.

He turned back to Sasori, hoping to start a conversation. To his dismay, the redhead had cracked open a textbook about chemistry, and so the blonde stared gloomily out the window. It was, luckily, only a few minutes later that he heard the boy state softly, "We're back at the dorm now."

Deidara happily got up, glad to be rid of the short ride's silence. He followed his classmate off the bus, walking the rest of the decent distant to the Akatsuki dorm. "So do we just go to our rooms now?"

The shorter boy shook his head. "We're staying in Pein's and Zetsu's until everyone's there."

In the room though, there was only Itachi and Kisame, conversing quietly. "Hey, Sasori-san, Deidara-san." The bluish student greeted them, a pointy smile offered. Sasori sat down on the bed opposite of the other two, Deidara doing so as well.

"Hey Kisame-san… Itachi-san…" The blonde replied, folding his hands underneath his legs. "Is no one else here yet?"

Well, Kakuzu and Hidan are probably on the way since their last class is on the other side of campus, Zetsu's most likely volunteered to stay after Botany to water the plants, Tobi's still in your room doing something we don't want to know, and Pein and Konan are… well, they'll be here soon, anyhow."

Deidara nodded, remembering each person with a happy satisfaction that he'd already learned their names. "Yeah, I met Konan in Freelance Art, un."

At that moment, there was a loud banging from the hall, loud screaming and swearing, and consecutively, doors being opened and shouts of "Shut up!" echoing through the dorm building. "Well, there's Kakuzu and Hidan," Itachi noted quietly, an amused expression on his lined face.

"Shut the hell up yourselves, fuckheads!" The doorknob began to rattle violently. "Goddammit, who locked the shitting door?"

Deidara flushed a light red, cursing his instinctive manners that had forced him to slide the bolt shut after him. He bounced up and rushed to the door, wrenching the bolt open and thrusting the barrier away.

A furious Hidan stood there with a bored Kakuzu behind him. "Dammit Blondie, don't lock the fucking door!"
"Don't blame him for your own stupidity." Kakuzu retorted darkly, emerald eyes half-closed.

"You!" Hidan roared once he'd stepped in the room, friend close behind. "Why the hell did you try to piss me off on purpose? You knew people would laugh if you called my rosary a fucking necklace didn't you?"

Deidara hastily stepped back warily, afraid of the hot words. "Don't worry, they do this every day, bickering over the stupidest things." Sasori told him in an uninterested expression.

"Un…"

The four watched on as Hidan proceeded to scream curses, oaths and swears at Kakuzu, until the latter tiredly picked up a water bottle from the desk, and threw it savagely at Hidan's head.

"…my religion is a— Ow! What the—" Falling backwards as the bottle collided with his white head; he tripped over the bedpost, crumpling backwards onto a bed. "Motherfucker!" He roared in pain. Deidara flinched, jumping up in time to miss the falling albino. The violet eyes stared up at the ceiling and at Sasori, who was looking at him in distaste and annoyance.

"Oi, Red, wanna help me back up?"

The shorter boy scoffed darkly, ramming his elbow into Hidan's forehead. The abused religious zealot clutched at his head, ranting in a fury, "Shit! Jashin, what'd I ever do to you? You fuckpansies are all gonna die, dammit!"

Tobi entered the room then, pushing his bizarre mask higher on his face, which Deidara had finally decided not to worry about, though it was disturbing, wondering what was in the same room as him at night. "Deidara-sempai!" He called out happily. "We're going alien hunting! Aren't you so excited?"

He promptly sat down beside Itachi, waving a palm far too close to the sullen boy's face. "Itachi-sama! You don't look excited! Why not? We're going alien hunting!"

The raven-haired student raised a thin eyebrow. "Should I be..?" He asked in his soft, velvety voice, a very monotone quality to it.

"Yes, of course, Ita—"

"Oh, great to see you, Tobi, y'little dumbfuck. Isn't anyone going to help me up yet? Or am I just a fucking pillow now?"

Laughing, Kakuzu held out a tan hand for his roommate to take. Gratefully, the albino seized the appendage, tugging himself up by the support. "Good Jashin, someone who gives a shit."

"Not really," the dark student commented, releasing his hand just before Hidan could sit up enough. He let out another laugh, this time filled with a sadistic note. "Damn it all, Kakuzu!" He screamed, landing back where he'd started. He glared up at Sasori again. "Red, I swear, if you elbow my head again, you'll be shitting your freakish little puppet things out of your ass for a fucking week."

"You always say that, Hidan-san!" Tobi informed him happily as the redhead's elbow once more whacked the exposed forehead.

"Motherfuckers!" He cursed again in a wrath.

"What," came a slow voice, "is going on here?"

"These damn pricks," Hidan shouted, pointing his index fingers at Sasori and Kakuzu, "are trying to fucking rape me!"

"You sick bastard," Sasori hissed dangerously. "Do you want to be raped?"

Hidan quirked his brow at the redhead. "Dude, that came out sounding so fucking wrong—"

Deidara approached his friend warily, whose eyes were flitting again.

Pein interrupted him coolly. "Hidan, get up, we're leaving as soon as it's dark enough."

Tobi flapped his arms ecstatically, chanting, "Yay! This sounds like we're going on a top secret alien hunting mission!"

"Yeah, okay, good for you Tobi, except I'm still kind of stuck."

"Tobi's a good boy!" He claimed, kindly dragging Hidan up at last. "Thank Jashin," the white-haired man grunted, still rubbing his brow ruefully.

Smiling lopsidedly at Hidan's unintentional humorous acts, Deidara turned his head to face the door, where Pein and Konan stood beside each other, the queer Zetsu just in front of them.

"The sun's really sinking now, un…" The blonde noted, motioning to the pink-filled windows as the setting solar light stained campus a calming, cherry hue.

"Perfect," Konan stated, grinning at Pein with a concealed admiration in her heavy set orbs.

"We're leaving now?" Kisame asked, stretching his arms above his head gratefully.

"Let's," Zetsu added, his strangely arranged face looking to Pein in Konan in ready expectance.

Nodding in consent, Pein simply dumped his bag on his desk, exiting quietly. Deidara's blue eye widened and he walked closely to Sasori, unsure of what he was supposed to do. "Just stay close, be quiet, and if anyone asks or stops us, just say we're going to the café for a very late dinner."

"But… I thought that was in campus, and the cornfield is off campus, un…"

"Exactly. It's near the edge though, so we'll be able to go in that direction should we be seen, but then run out."

The blonde nodded, absorbing this information. Luckily, as the large band rushed quickly through the streets, no one stopped them, as there were only other students out, wandering to and from their volunteer jobs.

Deidara couldn't help but to steal nervous looks at his cell phone's clock every now and then. 9:04. Twenty-six minutes to curfew, when they were expected to be at least on their way back to the dorm buildings. Was their story even believable?
"Just keep up with the group," Sasori advised, noticing Deidara's mild time obsession. "If we run into any danger, Pein can take care of it. He's a model student, anyone'd believe him."

At last, the group of ten reached their 'destination'. Deidara nervously flipped his phone open again. 9:21. A cold hand closed the lid, small and pale. The blonde looked up at Sasori in question. "No lights just yet, brat."

He frowned at the nickname, but obeyed, putting his appliance back in his jeans pocket. Pein turned to make sure everyone was still together, before stealing around the corner of the café, safely concealed in the shadow of the building. There, a few meters away, was an automatic car gate, the small, neon plank forbidding vehicles in and out of campus at the hour. Easily, the pierced man vaulted over the board, looking in the empty security gatehouse to reassure himself that they were clear. Following suit, Konan went after him, then Itachi, Kisame, Zetsu, Tobi, Sasori, Kakuzu and Hidan. Deidara hopped nervously about, terrified of what might happen if they were caught. "Hurry up, brat!" The redhead hissed, clearly irked.

Throwing away any caution, the blonde whimpered as he sprang over the gate as well. "About time," Sasori complained, hastening to catch up to the rest of the group. Deidara moaned, not knowing if he'd made a wise decision. Shrugging, he trailed after, realizing where they were. The highway was laid out in front of him, cars roaring as they flew by. The blonde swallowed anxiously. "Is this safe?" He raspily asked Sasori.

"Of course, the cornfield's only across the freeway."

His bright blue eye widened in terrified fear. "Pein will tell you when to cross."

Said boy was picking his way to the middle island easily, obviously unafraid. "Konan, come after this semi." He summoned, waving curtly to his blue-haired companion.

Deidara shivered as the huge vehicle zoomed by, throat constricted in horror as he watched the girl cross.

One by one, the rest of the troupe fled across, until it was Sasori's turn.
"Can I come with you?" The blonde whimpered pleadingly. Rolling his eyes at the boy's fear, the redhead called out to Pein, "Deidara's crossing with me."

"Fine," the pierced face replied. "Come right about…" a pickup truck sped by. "Now!" The blonde grabbed his guide's arm and darted across, his feet dragging far too slowly over the battered tar, the scuffed soles scratching loudly above the rumbling of approaching vehicles. He heaved for breath, cold sweat popping out on his brow as he finally collapsed against Sasori, seeing that they had reached the island. He heaved for breath, staring warily at the next lane to cross.

"You two can go first." Pein offered, not unkindly. He patiently waited for the newcomer to drag himself up by his friend's arm, before scanning the road carefully. He shouted the cue sharply, and once again, Sasori groaned as he shoved Deidara on the highway, practically having to shepherd the blonde over. The most recent student squeaked in alarm as a menacing sedan growled by, honking agitatedly at the two boys. The redhead broke out in laughter, pushing his comrade into the ditch on the other side, finding humor in the sculptor's hyperventilation. "Kami, Deidara, were you seriously that traumatized?"

Choking out some form of answer, he merely staggered out of the small hole, scowling darkly at his mocking guide. When the remainder of the group had crossed over as well, Pein walked calmly to the fence. It was an arrangement of poles, each set about a meter and a half away from the other and all four feet high, three rows of wire stranded between each shaft, tiny barbs tying the rusted material together. He signaled to the land that they were attempting to reach, a satisfied little smirk quirking his studded lips. He carefully climbed the bottom two wires, throwing a leg easily over the top third one, the rest of his anatomy jumping down to follow. There was a bated silence as Pein turned to face his followers, proving that the wire had not been updated with electric currents.

"Fucking yes!" Hidan whooped as he hurdled the fence rather overconfidently. As Sasori mounted the fencing, hands grasping a wooden post, he smirked at Deidara. "You're not scared of rusty wires too, are you?"

Huffing, the blonde shook his head defensively, placing his right foot on the top wire, launching himself over effortlessly, dry stalks crunching under his feet. Feeling cocky with his victory, he suddenly leaned back to his friend, wrapping his long arms around Sasori's skinny torso. He grunted, before constricting his appendages about him, pulling him easily across the rest of the fence, as if the boy were a mere child. To his surprise, the redhead only squirmed and twisted in fury at being so belittled, and didn't show his dread of human contact at all, not blanching in terror or tensing.

"Hey, hey, calm down, I'm only trying to help you, un," the blonde laughed, setting his friend down carefully, barely missing a heated punch from the shorter.

"You—you fucking carried me!" The redhead spat, aiming another blow at Deidara's head.

"Guys, stop bickering and come on!" Konan called then, she and Pein running on forwards.

"Stupid brat," Sasori tossed in, glaring up at the taller boy, still stinging from his confiscated pride and dignity. Chuckling, Deidara surged towards the proceeding unit, finding his companion's childish behavior and insults hilarious.

"Deidara-sempai!" Came a sudden shriek.

"Tobi, un?" The blonde approached the masked figure.

"Is that an alien?"

"That… is a water tower, Tobi."

"Oh. Well, can we look for aliens in the sky?"

He nodded hesitantly to his peppy roommate, answering, "Sure, un…" He then realized that his masked acquaintance was on the ground of the field. "Down here, Deidara-sempai!"

A gloved hand wrenched his own, and tugged the transfer student down into the grass as well. "Tobi!" The boy yelped. He found though, that the dead crop floor wasn't itchy at all, or uncomfortable in any other way. The stalks, still untouched by the farmers since last autumn, were crinkly and soft from weathering. In fact, the group had come to the most beautiful spot Deidara had ever seen.

The night sky was a cool, muted ebony, tiny shruiken stars studding the black canvas, the distant roar of cars dulled to a soft purr, subdued vibrations from the freeway gently rubbing his back. He gaped in wonder, delighting at how pure everything seemed.

Lying on his back, he noticed that Sasori was, though however unfairly, taller than him, which displeased him. "Oi, Sasori!"

The redhead looked down at the ground in disdain, raising an eyebrow. "What, brat?"

Grinning smugly, the transfer student leaned up and grabbed Sasori's hand the way Tobi had his. "Deidara, you—!" The outweighed boy sputtered as he collapsed beside the blonde in the softened grass.

He struggled to get up, but Deidara held fast to the smaller hand. Defeated, the redhead let out an angry exhale, laying back in surrender. The blonde grinned, proud of his second win in the same evening. He noticed Itachi staring down at him then, pale eyes glinting curiously.

"Itachi-sama!" Tobi squealed, stealing the quiet man's hand and pulling him backwards, so he was added to the growing line of people laying down. "Tobi, what are…? Hey… Kisame…"

The shark-like one held up his hands in firm denial. "No thanks, Itachi-san."

Deidara snickered as Itachi lunged upwards most uncharacteristically, capturing the blue-haired man.

"Sasori-san, get Hidan," the newest member whispered, a barely contained giggle behind his words. The redhead lifted an eyebrow at the blonde, but obligingly pounced up at the albino. "Oh, no you don't, Red." He shouted, stepping backwards. But Kakuzu pushed him into Sasori's range, who snared Hidan's hand, dragging him down. But before the zealot could be felled, he had seized Kakuzu's hand, taking him down with him. "Haha, fucking backstabber, serves you right."

"Oh, shut up, Hidan." Came the other's voice exasperatedly. "Zetsu, join us?"

Deidara glimpsed the multi-coloured boy quickly moving out of anyone's limit. "We'll sit down ourselves, thanks."

"Hm, you thought I wanted to grab your hand?"

The blonde heard Tobi squeaking happily to his left, "Yee! Now only Pein and Konan…"

"Don't… think about it, Tobi." Pein told the masked form wryly.

"Please, Leader-sama?" The black-haired boy whined. "Kisame, if you get him, I'll stop trying to force you into the Blue Man Group!"

Wordlessly, he got up from the line, and ruthlessly sprang on Leader, roughly dragging him down, snarls of savage protests coming from the ginger-haired man as he attempted to free his hand.

"There, Tobi. Hold to your damn promise."

"I will! Tobi is a good boy."

"Tobi is definitely not a good boy." Pein barked roughly from the other end of the line.

"Yes, Tobi is," he protested, sniffling a little. "And Konan-san, please come down too! We are incomplete!"

Unexpectedly, just as he finished his declaration, she screeched in surprise as her partner, Pein, suddenly vaulted up, seizing her by the shoulders. The two collapsed in a pile, most odd behavior rolling off of them that no one would've expected of such normally impassive, uncaring people.

An extremely awkward atmosphere settled over the rest of the group as they tried desperately to block out Konan's strangely feminine laughter.

"Look: a shooting star." Itachi mumbled randomly, his monotone sounding quite anxiously forced. Grateful for the pleasant distraction, they began to converse.

"That's an airplane, Itachi-san."

"Shut the hell up, it's a fucking jumbo jet."

"ALIENS!"

"Tobi, nobody wants to listen to you."

"Aw, Kakuzu, don't be such a cruel—"

"You think it's aliens, Kisame?"

"Well, no, but— I mean, you don't have to be…"

"We have seen that Kisame seems to be confusing himself. Yes, what an idiot. As usual, he does that."

"Zetsu-san, why do you talk in plurals, un?"

"Deidara, you'd be better off innocent. About a lot of things here."

"What's that mean, Sasori-san?"

"He means you're too stupid to—"

"Hidan, you can't possibly be much brighter."

"What the hell! You always put me down, you damn fuckberry!"

"Fuckberry? That's new."

"Yeah, well you're— Jashin DAMMIT, there's a fucking mole EATING MY—"

"That's a stick, Hidan."

"How the fuck did it get-"

"Magnetism."

"Kakuzu! You put it there, didn't you?"

"What? Honestly, why'd I have the urge to, let alone actually stuff a stick up your ass?"

"'Cos you think it's too fucking cute."

"What the hell?"

But before the rest of Hidan and Kakuzu's conversation could continue further, something whitish-yellow flashed across the sky, and Tobi screamed, "ALIENS!" Standing up, he chased after the object, flapping his arms and screeching hysterically. Smiling broadly, Deidara got up, stretching his limbs happily. "Want to join him?"

Sasori let a chuckle escape his lips. "Definitely not." But he lifted himself, and along with a few other could-care-less friends, ran after Tobi and the shooting star. Hidan was hollering with rejuvenated ecstasy, and only Itachi, Pein, and Zetsu followed slowly behind, as if terrified to be caught seen with the reckless others, but glad to not have been dragged into the chase as Kakuzu and Konan had been.

Suddenly, Tobi halted in his tracks, the others stopping in confusion as well. "What's wrong, Tobi?" Kisame asked concernedly.

"Tobi's tired." He answered simply.

Hidan burst out in a rage, "What?! You get so damn hyped up over this fucking alien, then you're just tired and you stop to take a shit or something?"

Tobi nodded eagerly, excited that Hidan understood him so well. The Jashinist roared, "That was lame-ass, wasn't it? I'll give you aliens, you damned fucker!" With his outburst, he suddenly pulled his black cell phone from his hoodie pocket, and catapulted it into the sky, its white light searing through the night canvas.

"ALIENS!" Tobi screamed again, running after Hidan's phone.

The violet eyes rolled in infuriation. "Tobi, you fucking shit-head! I thought you were tired!"

Just as quickly as he'd left, he returned then, cradling the device in his hands. "It's not broken yet, Hidan-san! Isn't that amazing? That was very pretty. I'm so happy I found it!"

"Tobi, shut the fuck up." Hidan grumbled, ripping the phone from the gloves, and launching it forward like a discus. As the masked boy went after it again, wailing like a siren, the albino laughed cruelly. "Ah, that'll take care of the little loser for a while."

Again and again, Tobi returned with the phone, begging for more 'pretty lights'. Deidara noticed the cracked screen with a web design implanted on its glass eventually, and leaning towards Sasori, he asked, "What about his phone though, un?"

The puppeteer laughed in amusement as Hidan dropkicked his cell with a loud cry of, "Take that, motherfuckers!"

"He could really care less, I think. He'll be able to afford a new one anyhow."

Silenced by his vague reply, Deidara shrugged, having to admit to himself that the cell phone's weakly shining light was quite stunning, spiraling slowly through the air. "Art…" He sighed happily, ignoring Sasori's flinch of annoyance and disagreement.

By that time, the remainder of the group had already joined the fireworks display, silently marveling over how alluring the dead cell phone's lights were.

"Hey, Hidan, don't throw it just yet." Kakuzu stopped his roommate, withdrawing a small lighter from his pocket. "Want to set it on fire?"

The amethyst eyes glowed along with an azure one in delight as both boys contemplated the idea. "Fire, un…" Deidara whispered happily, leaning forward eagerly.

As the tan student flicked open the fuse, Hidan cackled maniacally, holding his cell phone over the fire, throwing his head back in laughter as the crackling, acerbic scent of singed plastic filled the area.

Deidara could feel a huge grin cracking his face, and he turned to Sasori to comment on the show, but stopped, awestruck.

The redhead's already flaming hair was sent into even more hypnotic hues of blazes, and it blew in the sweet wind, like fire itself. His haunting, scarlet eyes danced a shocking shade, the tiny inferno reflected in them. As the dim light scattered over his face and cast shadows, Deidara could make out the sharp tip of his nose, the perfect cheekbones, and the frame of his soft lips strong on his pale skin, giving him an overall childish appearance.

The blonde blinked, overwhelmed by the sweet, immature face of an innocent, and he gawked, so stunned that such a cold boy could be thrown into such a differing light. A tinge of jealousy filled his stomach as he realized how truly handsome the redhead was. More so than he thought he'd ever be.

But as he returned his attention to the fire, it suddenly disappeared, sucked back into Kakuzu's lighter. "Shit…" He mumbled to the gathering, tucking the tool in his pocket. "Farmer."

All ten stares instantly went behind their backs, and true to word, the silhouette of a strong, lithe man approached them menacingly, flanked by three, equally intimidating farm hands. For a moment, the college students simply stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do in such a situation, clearly one they'd never been confronted with before. "Run!"

Tobi bawled in finding of the answer. Doing so, the ten began to flee, worry starting to drain as they discovered themselves much better runners than the pursuing men.

Deidara laughed shrilling, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he simply concentrated on planting one foot far in front of the other. From behind him, he could hear the farmer screaming in outrage, "What school do you shits come from?"

"Konoha U!" Kisame shouted back, barely keeping in a snort as he recited, much to the amusement of his friends, their rival school's name. He tossed insults back at the farmer between the distances, vying for some time as the large mass of students crossed back to the freeway.

"Haha, you suckers aren't too bright, are you? You can bet your asses I'm talking to your school presidents!'

But the pursuer never received a reply, as the blue-skinned boy noiselessly fled across the highway.

Any feeling of giddiness evaporated in Deidara, as he realized that the farmer and his hands were a mere dozen meters away from the fence at the time. "Kuso…" He muttered, breathing heavily as he prepared to launch himself over the wires. His feet sprang gracefully onto the metal and his body rolled on the other side, sighing in relief as he found himself temporarily safe. "Sasori..?" He looked around him in the black setting, trying to find the boy. He could see Kisame making it back to campus. Why were he and the redhead always last..? Staring back at the fencing, he realized in horror that the puppeteer was struggling to free his foot from the wires, seething under his breath darkly. "Sasori!"

"Fuck…" Was his only reply. The redhead gripped the two strands that entangled his leg, prying them apart. But as Deidara darted up to help Sasori, he saw the three farmhands appear behind him, grasping the latter's arms tightly as they carefully jumped over the wires as well to join their prisoner. Heart sinking in misery and ill-feeling, the blonde felt a set of firm hands take his upper arms in turn. "You dirty kids, trespassing on my land, ruining my farm profit, filthing my soil! Do you have any idea how much--?"

"Don't just lecture us, old man."

"Getting cocky! God, that is what seriously pisses me off!"

Deidara flinched as the man raised a hand to lash out at the small redhead, instinctively curling his hands into fists, as if he could protect the boy from the strike. But Sasori stood still, cocking his head in that childish way, as if questioning the farmer's actual strength. The hand hovered suspended in the air, and in the moment of hesitation, the boy twisted out of the farm-assistant's hold, elbowing him in the gut, and proceeded to wind the remaining three men, almost effortlessly, much to Deidara's amazement. He delivered a quick series of punches to their lower abdomens and one to the temple for a particularly die-hard farmhand.

"Hurry up, brat," he muttered as he looked over his work in contempt. The four crude farm-workers were sputtering in disbelief, clutching their stomachs in agony. Scoffing at this, Sasori quickly took Deidara's trembling hand, and tugged him to the lip of the freeway, the men stumbling up behind them in a vengeance. "Now." The redhead cued, as the two began the return to campus.

Then, hastily escaping the bitter rage of the farmer and his hands, running madly across a blackened freeway at night, doing the most illegal things Deidara had ever carried out in his life, he realized at that moment, just how cold Sasori's hand was. It was smooth in his grasp, and he subconsciously stroked the back of it with his thumb, fingers tightening around it as their feet skimmed over the last yard of tar. It was… really comforting…

'Kami, what the hell!' Deidara blanched, the understanding of his private thoughts echoing loudly in his mind. He'd only just met Sasori a few days ago, and he was a transfer student here, solely for the purpose of getting a better education, not for thinking about how comforting his friend's hand was. The blonde flushed a deep crimson and shuddered inwardly, loosening his hold on the shorter one's fingers considerably.

As they quietly bound over the car gate and slowed to a more relaxed pace when the men's loud swearing became distant, they proceeded deeper into campus. Sasori coughed softly. "Deidara, do you mind…"

Yelping, the blonde realized that he was still clinging on, however lightly, to the shorter one's hand. He released it instantly, as if it contained an electric current. "S-sorry, un!" He stammered, mortified at his shameful display. He clutched his arm to his chest carefully, humiliation taking place on his face as a deeper red.

"It's fine, just…" The redhead smiled lopsidedly, raking a hand through his scarlet locks.

Deidara chewed his bottom lip furiously, leaving deep, stinging imprints in the flesh where he had involuntarily crushed his teeth. Turning his visage away despite the relatively safe cloak of night, the blonde screwed up his face in what he hoped to be a look of disgust, mouth twisted in a grimace. He didn't want these thoughts in his mind… He only wanted a superior learning experience here… Not any petty feelings of admiration.

'Of course,' he concluded, 'I'm just jealous that he's so good-looking and even has a stalker… Hell, I haven't had a girlfriend in my whole life. That's… really sad. And no boyfriend to speak of, either. I took my sculpting teacher's daughter to Homecoming, for Kami's sake. Sasori's probably been dating since the fifth grade and had way too many dates.'

Needing solid proof to support his self-analyzing, he mused out loud, "Hm, Sasori-san, have you ever had a girlfriend? Or boyfriend? Whatever?"

The redhead responded uncaringly and without emotion, "Eh. Too many. Can't remember."

Intrigued by his suave, indifferent answer but pleased with the confirmation that the boy merely had looks to truly be envious of, Deidara pressed on, "What? Can't you even remember your first?"

Sasori chuckled dryly. "Not really. Some clingy woman, I think."

"So… are you with anyone now?"

Suddenly, the boy's face hardened into a cold figure. "I'm…" He seemed to be struggling for the words through a choked voice. "Not dating anyone. And never will." He searched for some other way to elaborate. "I'll never trust anyone." He continued hesitantly, as if unsure that he could tell the blonde anything more. "If this means staying alone for the rest of my life, it won't matter to me. I can't trust any person with… me."

Deidara scanned over his companion's expression, scrutinizing it as he attempted to define any of the emotions he was feeling. But the eyes were frozen, leaving the blonde to only mull over what he meant.

At last, they got to the dorm building, all throughout the same, awkward, edgy silence that seemed to taint all of the conversations he had with Sasori that he hated so much. He moved forward to tug open the door handle, all perpetual fear from their close scrape with the law completely dissipated by his much more troubling matter of Sasori. The two silently entered the vacant lobby, a few of the student mail boxes posted on the wall now sporting yellow banners that signaled the mailman's deposit. Deidara strode to the white-washed elevator and summoned the mechanism with his middle finger pointed outward, in what he then realized, must have been a most feminine way of doing it. He glanced back at the redhead as the doors slunk open and the duo paced into its confines, and noticed that the other student was getting uneasy, kneading his pale fingers in various weaving patterns. The rouge eyes flickered about frenetically, darting through all parts of the elevator, and he constantly shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Raising an eyebrow at this unusual behavior, Deidara wondered if he was claustrophobic. But when the elevator surged upward and the tiny note chimed, indicating their arrival on their floor, Sasori made no wild attempt to be the first out of the machine and into open air, actually trudging his feet nervously, hesitant to exit into the cramped hallway. The blonde watched him slowly make his way to his room, and he stood in front of his own door, unwilling to go in until Sasori did so first (as if he were on a date, was his first, stupid thought).

The redhead reached out an unsteady hand to take the knob, and tossed a strange look at Deidara. "I… I…" He started to speak desperately.

"You should get to sleep, un." The flaxen boy adamantly encouraged, hoping his friend would get any amount of decent rest.

"I… was thinking about… maybe studying in the library tonight…" He protested in a strained voice.

"Don't, please. You're tired enough as it is, and study way too much! And… I'm not going in 'til you do, un."

Sasori stumbled for some sort of answer, and placed one hand over his jeans pocket, admitting, "My keys aren't here. And the people with the extra ones aren't downstairs at this hour anymore."

"Uh, well—" Deidara started, trying to think of some sort of solution. Maybe his roommate could do something about the situation, but then, as if on cue, the doorknob on Sasori's door clicked, announcing that it was unlocked. "Oh, he got it." He piped happily, wondering why the redhead didn't just knock before to see if his dorm partner could've opened the door. He patiently watched his friend open the door carefully, and he was about return to his own room he shared with Tobi. But then, to his shock, before Sasori pushed the barrier completely ajar, the red orbs shot to his blue one, and glared in a hostile, cold way. Deidara blanched, backing up at the sudden coldness. 'U-un?" He stammered quietly, scared by the abrupt show of contempt. Wordlessly, the redhead turned away, shoulders warily raised, as if he were anticipating something. Worried, the blonde kept his eye on the door until it snapped shut loudly, before retreating to his own.

What had he done?

OMG WTF WAS I THINKING. Xx;; THE ENDING IS SO FREAKING STUPID. I know that a lot of facts concerning college are wrongg. x.x Uhh. They go to a. Special college. " Uhhhhhh. Sorry. I'm having self-esteem issues. " Review prease!