▼Spill Canvas → All Hail The Heartbreaker

I wouldn't want to go messing anything up
So don't go worrying about me

Deidara eyed the target, an annoyed sigh escaping from his lips. "I've been doing this every day for nearly a month, un."

His partner gave no reply, focusing on the wood carving.

Deidara, certain that Sasori was paying no attention to him, placed his kunai back in its pouch.

"No one told you to take a break, Brat." Sasori didn't look up.

Deidara heaved another sigh. "I've already proved I can destroy all of those dummies, yea. I don't need training."

Sasori finally looked up, the wood carving dropping onto his lap. "I was told you wouldn't need training. I was also told to not let you die." He stood, gathering his items. "Which do you think is more important?"

Deidara heaved another sigh. "Sasori no Danna, un, I can protect myself."

Sasori made a small disagreeing noise and disappeared down the hall.

Deidara kicked at the ground before turning back to the dummies. With renewed vengeance, he began throwing kunai, his palms itching for the familiar clay. He'd show Sasori he could make it, that he didn't need this training. All he needed was a chance to prove himself.

I will breathe in a moment
As long as I keep my distance

"Are you tired already, Brat?" Sasori glanced up as Deidara walked into the room, dropping onto his bed without removing any items.

"Just need a moment, yea," Deidara groaned. His muscles were yelling in exhaustion.

Sasori arched a brow as the room fell silent, and glanced over to see his partner sleeping. Just under a month, he'd been working with Deidara. They'd only gone on a few simple missions, and Deidara did more watching than actual fighting. Sasori wasn't about to let the Brat die on his watch. He kept pushing him, training him despite the blonde's obvious skills. Maybe he could make the Brat quit, simply walk away from the assassin life. Not that anyone could walk out on the Akatsuki. Maybe he would request a change of partners. He could lurk around with Zetsu.

As if hearing his name in Sasori's thought line, the half plant appeared from the wall.

"Sasori, Leader wants to see you." Zetsu started to morph away. "And take Deidara with you."

Sasori stood, a soft sigh escaping his lips. He knew from previous training excursions, the Blonde was not a morning person. He leaned over Deidara, hesitating. With his eyes shut, his mouth not running for a change, he looked almost…peaceful.

Sasori shoved the thought from his mind, grabbing one of Deidara's shoulders and giving it a gentle shake.

Deidara rolled over, clutching at Sasori's hand and drawing it to his face. He nuzzled his face against it, murmuring something incoherently.

Sasori jerked his hand away, surprised by the action.

His motion woke Deidara, who sat up quickly. "What are you doing, un?"

"Waking you, Leader needs us."

Deidara grumbled about watching him sleep and trying to put moves on people as he crawled from the bed and hurried after Sasori. His muttering fell silent as they stood outside the door. He swallowed and shot a look at Sasori.

Deidara had only been in Leader's room three times, never actually seen the man. He wasn't afraid of him, in a fearful sense. He just negatively anticipated when these meetings would happen and what would come from them.

Although he grew bored of sitting around base, missions weren't a highlight for him. He dreaded hearing they would have an impossible task. Although, with Sasori, few things seemed impossible.

Sasori grabbed for his wrist, jerking him into the room behind him.

"Making me wait, Sasori," The voice drifted from the shadows, sounding cold. "That's not in your style."

"Maybe if he hadn't been so busy watching me sleep, yea," Deidara whispered under his breath, receiving a dark look from Sasori.

"I have a mission for you," Leader ignored Deidara's words. He launched into a description of the assignment, this time complete with information on the targets.

Sasori rushed from the room the moment he was dismissed, hurriedly gathering his things from the room. Deidara followed him in less of a rush, grabbing his clay and yawning.

"Let's move, Brat. If we're fast enough, we should be back in under three days."

"Or we could casually stroll along, enjoy the day…" Deidara suggested, shutting his mouth when he received a glare from Sasori.

Sasori left the base at a steady pace that Deidara hurried to keep up with. Concentrating on footfall, they fell into a silent step with each other.

And it's just my luck to end up getting stuck
To everything you are

"That's the target. Can you see the window with the light?"

"I could just make art of the entire place. Mission complete, un," Deidara grinned.

"Art? I don't think a freeze frame of the place is what Leader has in mind." Sasori groaned.

"Freeze frame, un?" Deidara shot Sasori a questioning look. "We could make it explode, yea,"

"Explode? Brat, that's not art."

"Art is fleeting, No Danna, it is too art,"

Sasori tore his eyes from the layout before him. "Are you serious? Art is eternal, everlasting."

Deidara almost laughed. "Eternal? What part of that is art? Art should be fleeting, a whisper on the wind, un. There and gone, leaving only fading memories."

"What would be the point of that?" Sasori pressed his lips together to bite back the insults that choked at him. "Art is eternal. To gaze upon everyday, to spend each and every day studying it, finding its new secrets."

Deidara grinned. "You're silly, No Danna, yea"

Sasori arched a brow. "That's hardly a retort, Brat. Let's say I win this one."

"You win only if I can make art of the building."

Sasori almost smiled, but caught himself. No amount of training was going to keep Deidara alive forever. The Brat was head strong and rash; it was a matter of time before he was injured. Or worse. There was no need to start bonding. He wasn't looking for friends. But, even after their argument, he could feel something similar… A slight stirring for the blonde. He gazed into the visible blue eye and shrugged.

"If you want, Brat, but it's not true art."

Deidara shot Sasori a dark look. "Wait until you see it, un. Then you'll know what true art is." He crept closer to the building, his hands disappearing into the pouches.

Sasori watched the blonde, silently keeping cover and making sure Deidara, who seemed to be trying to make himself seen, wasn't spotted and killed.

He waited, expecting the explosion, and was mildly surprised to see Deidara turn and hurry back to him.

What if I ripped your heart apart at the seams
Maybe then you'd know how I feel

"Change your mind, Brat?" He hissed, frowning. This would mean he'd need a new plan.

"No, Sasori, un, I just wanted to see your reaction." Deidara crouched down next to Sasori. "I want to watch the explosion reflected in your eyes. To see it as you do. And so I can be the first to witness your fall when you realize how wrong you are about art."

"Brat-" Sasori was cut off as Deidara flashed a few hand signs and signs and whispered a word that was lost to the wind as the building in front of Sasori exploded.

Flames danced against the sky, smoke raising from them as the building spit pieces of its foundation at random angles.

Deidara stared at the muddy brown orbs, watching the flames dance in them. They were vibrant against the night sky, and more so against the dark color of the puppet's eyes. Deidara moved slightly closer, careful not to block the scene from Sasori.

"Brat…" Sasori whispered, finally tearing his eyes away from the fire to glance at Deidara. "Are you satisfied?"

Deidara nodded, a smiled gracing his face and making his eye sparkle. "It was fantastic, wasn't it, un? You should see it when the wh-" He stopped abruptly, turning away from Sasori to stare at the destruction.

Sasori didn't press any more questions, simply allowing his partner to enjoy the mistake of art. He wasn't willing to call the explosion art, but he could understand how the blonde was drawn to it. It was…inspirational.

Deidara threw Sasori a grin over his shoulder. "Better do a body count and make sure we got all the right ones before the ninja arrive from the next village, un."

Sasori nodded, following Deidara down to the scene.

Maybe he doesn't understand real art, Deidara thought to himself as he called softly the description of a dead ninja. But the emotion in his eyes at the explosion…He let his thoughts trail off as Sasori called the last name out.

Mission complete.

I had the notion that you'd make me change my ways
My bad habits would be gone in a matter of days

"But Itachi went with Kisame after their mission for sushi!"

Sasori growled, setting the wood down. He had already splintered his first piece attempting to hold a conversation with Deidara while working. It was obvious he couldn't do both.

"We never do anything, un," Deidara whined.

"We go on missions," Sasori turned to face the blonde, who was draped dramatically across his bed. "We train." He had to admit, that didn't sound like the most exciting social life.

"Come on, Danna, just once," Deidara whimpered.

Sasori opened his mouth to reject the idea, but paused. Danna? He dropped the 'no.' Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, Sasori stood. "I've said no, Deidara, go by yourself."

"Sasori," Deidara whined, drawing his name out. "If you go, just this once, I'll be real quiet and let you finish your puppets,"

Sasori frowned. "Fine, Brat, grab your cloak."

Deidara bounced off the bed. "Really, No Danna, un, you mean it?" He asked, excited.

Sasori shot him a threatening look. Dinner didn't require that much excitement. "Yes, Deidara, isn't that what you wanted?"

"Well, yes, No Danna, un," Deidara tugged on his cloak. "I wasn't prepared for you to say yes, is all."

Sasori rolled his eyes. If he had held out a moment longer, the brat would have left him alone.

Deidara smiled brightly, chatting on about what restaurant they would go to and what he wanted as he led Sasori from the base.

Sasori dropped the money on the table and stood. Deidara followed him from the diner.

"That wasn't so bad, was it, un?"

Sasori shrugged, unwilling to answer. Deidara had been a little less talkative during the meal, but had still kept up a pleasant stream of chatter.

Pleasant? Since when is that Brat pleasant? Sasori mentally shook himself.

"Sasori? Oh, you must be tired, un," Deidara fell silent, his footsteps timed with the puppet master's. "You've been staying up late working on those puppets," He spoke as the base came into sight. "You should go to bed when we get back. I'll be so silent tomorrow; you won't even know I'm there. So you can finish your puppets." Deidara nodded at the stars.

Sasori arched a brow at the bomber. "What is it you want?"

Deidara looked surprised. "Who said I wanted anything?"

"Dinner? A bedtime? Peace? They sound like you're preparing me for something." Sasori shot Deidara a look. "Whatever it is, the answer is still no."

Deidara shrugged. "Whatever, Sasori, un."

They entered the base, heading to the room silently.

"Goodnight, Danna, un," Deidara called softly as he slid under the blankets.

Sasori sat on his bed, the blankets around his lap, not actually laying down. "Goodnight, Brat,"

Deidara lifted himself onto his elbows. "You're suppose to go to sleep now,"

Sasori opened his mouth to tell the brat off, but instead, slid down into the bed.

Deidara smiled at him from across the room. "Goodnight."

So tonight I'll sit and pick apart your pictures
And overanalyze your words

Deidara's soft breathing floated across the room to him. In, out, in, out. He whimpered softly in his sleep and the bed creaked as he rolled over. In, out, in, out.

Sasori sat up, glancing over at the blonde's bed. He had his back to Sasori, curled in a ball. The blankets had fallen to the floor.

Sasori slid out of bed, silently crossing the room to pick them up. In swift motions, he covered the blonde, sliding the blankets up around his shoulders.

Deidara stayed in the ball, clutching at the blankets. He whimpered again, and Sasori wondered what he was dreaming of.

He grumbled incoherently in his sleep and rolled over, his hair spread over his pillow like a sea of blonde waves.

Sasori brushed a stray strand from Deidara's cheek. He was half puppet, but he could still feel the soft skin under his finger tips. The glossy strands drifted from his fingers and he shook himself from the trancelike state.

He stood, returning to his bed. He shot Deidara a dark look from across the room, as though the blonde had caused his actions.

Come on, Danna, just once.

Sasori shivered, laying back down with his arms crossed under his head.

Danna.

Deidara's voice taunted him.

I'll be real quiet.

Sasori groaned, rolling over again. Deidara had merely meant he wouldn't try for any dumb conversations while Sasori was working. He hadn't had any hidden meanings. But, out of context, it almost sounded like Deidara was offering to keep a secret.

Danna.

Sasori rolled his eyes at himself, running a hand down his face. Deidara had made him go to bed early to get rest. So he could actually get something done tomorrow. Yet, he'd stayed up past the normal rate. With his thoughts on Deidara.

He shut his eyes, trying to force Deidara from his thoughts.

He drifted to sleep thinking of the blonde.

I had the feeling that you'd open up my eyes
To a whole new world that had since been in disguise

"I know you murdered my family, blew apart my entire village," Sasori's face was twisted in disgust.

This is a dream, this is a nightmare. Wake up, wake up, wake up. Deidara's voice was panicked, echoing loudly in his own mind. His heartbeat was racing and he could feel sweat forming on his body. This was too real to be just a dream.

"You think I'm going to let you live?" Sasori scoffed.

Deidara was paralyzed with fear. He couldn't move, couldn't talk. This was it. Sasori had found out the one secret Deidara had hidden. The only thing he couldn't tell him. And now, he'd have to pay.

"Kill me," Deidara whispered. "I'll be glad to die at the hands of the one I love."

Sasori didn't even blink at the words, his cable unwinding and stabbing the bomber in the chest.

Deidara's eyes flew open. His heart was pounding, he was covered in sweat, and the blankets were twisted around his ankles. But he was alive, blood free, and secret safe.

I'll be glad to die at the hands of the one I love.

I don't love Sasori No Danna.

The two sentences ran through his mind at the same time, and he knew he was lying to himself. Maybe he hadn't been in the Akatsuki for long. Maybe life was throwing him every curveball it had. Maybe he wasn't sure of much of anything anymore.

But he knew two things.

He was hopelessly, desperately in love with Sasori Akasuna.

He needed to talk to someone.
What's the point when my dreams are infected
With words you say