A/N: Thank you everyone!! :D I'm so happy you like it…! So…many…reviews….and…alerts…! How is that even possible? xX I'll try my best for you. :3 Here's chapter four! It's sort of here to fill up some time, but please enjoy it. I know everybody hates fillers, so you'll be happy to know that for the next chapter, I have an EXCURSION planned! Which will involve weirdness and bad singing from Hidan. X3 Review if you like it, pleasey?

If I owned Naruto, Orochimaru would be in jail because HE SCARES ME TO DEATHHHH. AUGH…!! -hides-

--

A Tall Cappuccino with a Dash of Yaoi

FOUR

Why did I choose to live off-campus? Why? Sasori scolded himself, sprawled in the chair at his work bench, the fan in his window blowing on high. It was too hot a day for this…

A half finished puppet lay in a heap on the desk, and he stared at it scornfully. According to the theatre's order, it was meant to be a well-meaning thief, a heroic one. The show it was for was some sort of reworked Robin Hood thing, nothing too special, but Sasori couldn't figure it out. The damn thing wasn't turning out the way he wanted it to… Something was wrong; he just couldn't pinpoint how to fix it. How could he give this puppet life?

"I should have stayed in the dorms…why the hell was I stupid enough to rent this apartment? There was plenty of space in my old room…but now I've got to pay for this place every month…eh. I'm an idiot." He grumbled, tossing his sketchbook away. The only reason he was taking on extra jobs was so he could afford his rent.

Well, maybe also so he could afford all the extra Starbucks runs, but most of those were brought on by frustration from the puppet orders…

So it wasn't the coffee's fault.

It could never be the coffee's fault. (Even if it was.) Because, just as Konan had put it that one day, it was the Nectar of the Gods.

No one could ever blame something as sweet as that, right? It was sort of like the way pet owners believe that their dog or cat can do no wrong, you know…? Even if technically they watched Rufus chew up your sandal…?

Yeah, coffee was that way too.

But really, it wasn't the coffee's fault.

Sasori promised it…

Eheh.

"Okay, time for a break." The redhead stretched, gave the bothersome project one last condescending look, and set off for greener meadows.

Meadows with twin-tailed mermaids and cute boys named Deidara.

Woah, did I really just think that…?! Cute boys named…? Um. Wow, I did. Where did that come from? Ah…it must mean that I need caffeine. I'm loosing my head, that's all…

Cute boys named Deidara.

Hm.

--

Admittedly, the said boy was sort of cute when Sasori found him attempting a Sudoku at a corner table.

"Shouldn't you be making coffee?"

"Oh, Danna!" Dei smiled, waving his pencil cheerfully. "Hi, un. I guess I should, but it's empty here right now, un. You're the only one."

"Oh…" Aha. He hadn't noticed. Deidara's was the only table occupied at the moment.

"Kakuzu-san is working tonight though, un! So really it's his fault that I'm out here. He said he wanted to handle all the money, un…" He lowered his voice, "He's not going to rob us, is he, un? I know Leader-sama hired him a long time before me, but he got really excited when I opened the cash register for him, un…"

"Haha!" Sasori tittered, "Kuzu is Kuzu, he just does that."

"Oh." The new kid brightened. "Good, then!"

"Blondie! Is someone here?" The miser's voice floated from up ahead. "If they're staying, make them buy something! I don't want them taking up our air if they aren't going to pay for it in some way or another…!"

"Kakuzu-san, it's me." Sasori called.

''Ah, only Sasori. Even though I never bet, I'm sure you'll get something. Because, I mean really…you're you."

He smirked lightly. What a reputation he had. "I guess…can you make me a…God, I don't even know. Deidara-san, what do you have?"

"Me, un?'' The blonde blinked, "Oh, it's a…a café latte."

Kakuzu fetched one for the puppeteer, and relished putting fresh bills in the register before Deidara mentioned to the Akasuna, "You know Danna, you don't have to call me –san, un. Dei-chan is fine."

"But I barely know you yet…"

"Hmm." He set down the Sudoku, which he was failing at, judging by all the wild eraser marks, and said, "So where would you like me to start, un?"

"What?"

"With my life story, un!"

"Excuse me…?!"

"How else can you get to know me besides from me?"

Wow, he was abrupt.

Well, Sasori was quite curious about one thing. "Okay, um… Not to pry or anything, but is it true that you set off an explosion in your art school and got expelled…?"

And how much less abrupt was he then? Ha.

Deidara stifled laughter. "Um. Heh. About that…well…! That was fun, un. See, they didn't understand my art, and I wanted to show them it, un. Only it turned out to be bigger than it should have… So you see, they sort of took it the wrong way, un. Luckily, all they did was kick me out. Ha ha…" he grinned, "But it was beautiful, un! Maybe even one of my best, un…!"

Wow, he looked like a little elementary schooler, rambling about it… He was so happy. In his face there was a sparkle, a sparkle of a mission. No matter who told him no, it was like he'd plow through anyway. Despite how Sasori strongly disagreed with his opinion, he could tell Deidara meant that he was serious, and the red head couldn't help but respect it some.

"Oh, Danna! When can you see it, un? My art!"

"Ah, damn, I forgot…"

Deidara's expression fell, and he whined, "Don't you want to decide which is better, un…?"

"No, I do!" Sasori reassured him, and it wasn't a lie, just more of a fib. His puppets would be better without any question, but of course. Only he still felt himself drawn to the blonde himself.

Sasori wanted to see Deidara.

Only he still couldn't figure out why he was so entranced by him.

"Yaye, yaye, yaye, un!"

Draining the rest of his lovely coffee, Sasori semi-reluctantly mentioned, "I need to go now, though. There's a puppet I have to make."

"Aww. Okaysie, un. If you have to…"

"Hey, I'll think about when we can compare, though."

Deidara perked back up, his lopsided grin returning. "Heh! Thank you, Danna, un!"

"Bye…"

I wish I didn't have to leave. I wish I could stay here and keep talking to you.

"Bye bye, Danna!"

--

When he returned to the puzzling puppet-in-progress, he suddenly found that it was not quite so puzzling. He'd managed to find the feeling he wanted the face to bring.

Since the puppet was meant to be a good thief, it was bound to have non-believers in the higher-ups. So, Sasori felt that the puppet's face should reflect how firmly it still had faith in its cause. Though he'd give it a slightly boyish face, its eyes would receive a firm luster. A gleam that showed his stubborn conviction.

When Sasori carved that luster, it was Deidara's perpetual happiness he held close in mind.

No, hold on…it wasn't Deidara in his head, it was… It was Dei-chan's sparkle that he drew from.

There would never be a way to capture all of that unique energy. If there was, it would have to be via fireworks. Unfortunately, he had to be fleeting in every way. There would be many, many colourful fireworks going off everywhere in a mess, yet still were somehow harmonious.

Yes, that was Dei-chan.

Sasori could tell already.