After Little Sasori had asked his question, Reika had gotten flustered and said that Deidara was trying to find a loose tooth. The explanation seemed to satisfy Little Sasori who went back to his cartoons.
An awkward silence followed his departure until Reika stood up "I got most of the gum out" she said not looking Deidara in the eyes. "Yeah thanks un" he said equally avoiding her gaze. The silence stretched "I'll go check on Sasori while you take a shower okay?" Deidara nodded and Reika opened her mouth like she was going to say something but seemed to think better and disappeared from the room leaving Deidara to mentally kick himself.
He started the water allowing the steam to envelope him. Why did I kiss her? He wondered desperately I completely embarrassed myself he let the hot water hit his shoulders as he combed the peanut butter out of his hair. He had to admit Reika had done a good job of getting the gum out. The shower smelled of peanut butter mingled with Reika's own unique scent of cinnamon and strawberries.
Reika was fussing around in the kitchen trying to corral her thoughts why did he kiss me? Does he like me? she wondered pulling down pots and pans. Cooking always took her mind off things what should I cook? She questioned.
The first thing that popped into her head was bakudan…it was Deidara's favorite. She shook herself. She felt a tug on her skirt and looked down to see Little Sasori with his thumb in his mouth "are you okay mommy?" he asked brown eyes wide. Reika smiled at the little boy and nodded "I'm just trying to figure out what to make for dinner" she lied but it seemed to satisfy him.
He thought hard "you should make dango and bakudan!" he said happily and Reika raised an eyebrow "dango and bakudan hm? Not a bad idea" she picked him up and set him on the counter "do you wanna help?" Little Sasori's eyes lit up as he nodded happily.
Deidara was getting dressed when the scent of his favorite dish wafted over him. He threw on some pants with a raised eyebrow and went to see why. He heard voices drifting from the kitchen "stir it like this" "like this?" "exactly" he poked his head around the door and saw Reika standing in front of the stove stirring a boiling pot. Little Sasori was sitting on the counter next to her holding a bowl in his lap and stirring it "it's really hard" he complained and Reika looked at it "this might make it easier" she said opening a drawer and pulling out an egg-shaped wire thing.
She handed it to Little Sasori who tried to stick the handle in. Reika laughed "no you do it like this" she turned it around and showed him what to do "I can do it" he said and Deidara was reminded of his 'don't keep me waiting attitude'
He wanted to watch the domestic scene in front of him for awhile longer but Sasori spotted him "daddy!" he waved with the whisk splattering himself, Reika and everything else with white. "Sasori don't wave that around honey" she admonished before turning around.
Her face flushed and Deidara realized he wasn't wearing a shirt "get all the peanut butter out?' she asked him and he ran a hand through his hair "I did yeah…you did a really good job of getting the gum out yeah" Little Sasori hung his head "I'm sorry for putting gum in your hair daddy" he said contritely and Deidara went to hug him "it's nothing yeah" he reassured the distraught boy.
"You have something here un" he said wiping a blob of white goo off Little Sasori's face and licking his finger "mmm tastes like dango yeah" he said. Reika turned to him and his heart beat faster. She had more of the flour and bean paste mixture on her nose, chin and cheek.
"Yeah…Sasori felt like bakudan and dango" she said to him catching sight of the mess Little Sasori created. "Oh Sasori" she cried "look what you did" Little Sasori hung his head and Reika rubbed his back "it's not your fault…you were just excited but we need to get you cleaned up"
"Already ahead of you yeah" Deidara came back holding a wet washcloth "hold still my man un" he said and began wiping the mixture off Little Sasori's face. Little Sasori scrunched up his face and held his breath causing Reika to giggle slightly. "Hey, you have some too yeah" he said brandishing the washcloth at Reika.
Reika squealed and ducked. Deidara chased her around the kitchen until he caught her by the stove "can't escape now un" he crowed. "Try me" Reika smirked and ran at him. He was ready and caught her as she tried to run by "I just did yeah" he laughed wiping at the bean paste on her cheek. She squirmed "never!" she gasped out breathing hard from trying to escape. He began wiping the splotch on her chin when their eyes met.
The same feeling from the bathroom overcame them both and before they knew what was happening they were yet again locked in a passionate and heated kiss. "Is daddy trying to take out the tooth?" they broke apart arms still around each other faces flushed "no Sasori" Reika said "when you love someone you show it by kissing them" Little Sasori thought for a moment "so you love daddy?" Reika turned back to Deidara whose eyes widened "very much" she said staring into those deep sapphire spheres.
Little Sasori nodded "do you love me?" he asked worriedly and Reika laughed breaking the embrace "of course we do" she kissed him on the nose "we love you very much" Little Sasori's face broke out in a grin and he glanced at the stove "can we eat? I'm hungry" he complained.
Reika giggled "we're not quite done yet little one but now that Deidara's here it'll go much faster" a look of mock horror crossed Deidara's face and he sighed "if I must un" he said dramatically and Reika threw the washcloth at him.
As Reika had predicted it hadn't taken very long and within minutes they were sitting down to eat. Little Sasori smiled "I'm happy" he said and Reika smiled "why are you happy?" Little Sasori shrugged "cause I am" he smiled his gap-toothed smile. Deidara and Reika exchanged a sad glance.
After having cleared everything up they tucked Little Sasori into bed and each kissed him good night. He smiled and right before drifting off to sleep he said "mommy daddy?" "hmm?" "I love you" "we love you too Sasori" they said and shut the door.
Reika's violet eyes were troubled as she went to her room. Deidara deiced to follow her; it was obvious they needed to talk about things. She was sitting on her bed staring at the wall. Deidara padded over to her and sat down next to her "hey un" he said making her jump "hi" she said back quietly.
"You were thinking about Sasori yeah?" Reika nodded "I almost wish he would stay this way" she sighed "maybe if he did we could…" she hesitated and blushed "well I can understand if you wouldn't want to" she said softly. Deidara captured her hand in his "I would yeah" he said. Reika smiled and looked out the window "maybe we could change his future" she said and Deidara nodded "take him down a different path un?" Reika nodded "having his parents die so young really impacted him even if he doesn't show it outright" Deidara nodded.
"Let's go for a walk yeah" he said suddenly and Reika raised an eyebrow "a walk?" Deidara nodded "we'll leave one of my clay clones to protect Sasori un…I think we need fresh air yeah" Reika nodded and went to her closet to pull out a jacket.
Once everything had been settled and Little Sasori was fast asleep the two slipped out into the cool night air. Reika breathed in the salty air and a smile ghosted her face "I've missed Takigakure" she said "it's good to be home" Deidara smiled "I wouldn't have minded calling this my home yeah" he said "I hated Iwagakure" Reika looked at him sideways "I know and I'm sorry…I hated Konohagakure" she said.
They walked through the forest for awhile listening to the night creatures when they came to a clearing. "It did hit him hard yeah" Deidara said sitting down underneath a tree. Reika sat next to him and leaned back "he became a puppet because of it didn't he?" Deidara nodded "he won't admit it but it's obvious un" Reika was deep in thought "if he stays this way…we could be a family" she shivered at the thought "are either of us ready for that?"
Deidara studied her face and knew in that instant he was. "I think we could yeah…we haven't done too bad a job with him un" Reika looked at him in disbelief "he almost froze to death, he almost blew up and he fell off a cliff...that's horrible!" Deidara laughed "maybe un but he survived yeah? And other than that he's happy, for the first time in who knows how long un"
Reika was deep in thought "I kind of wish he would stay like this permanently…maybe it's a second chance for him" Deidara nodded "a second chance at having a family yeah" Deidara pulled Reika onto his lap, the girl squeaked in surprise "so about today…when you told Sasori you loved me…did you mean it un?
Reika leaned against his chest listening to his heartbeat, his warmth seeping through her coat and making her sleepy "I meant every word" she said trying to hide a yawn "so you really love me un?" Reika looked into his hopeful sapphire eyes and knew her answer "very much. Do you love me?"
Deidara gazed into her violet eyes "very much yeah" he said holding her tighter. She smiled and rested her head back on his chest. They lay there for a few minutes when suddenly the sky lit up. Reika gasped "fireflies" she whispered in awe as one landed on her nose. Deidara looked confused "what's a firefly hm?" he asked curiously watching one fly past his nose.
Reika had jumped up and was running around the field like a child waving her hands in the air. She came back with a handful and showed them to Deidara. They were bugs with glowing butts. Deidara's eyes widened "what makes them glow like that yeah?" he asked catching one on his finger.
Reika's eyes were glowing "its magic" she breathed "I haven't seen fireflies in forever! The last time Riku my brother caught them in his mouth and when he smiled his teeth glowed" she smiled at the memory. Suddenly the fireflies converged on the couple. Reika felt herself being tugged and pushed and she knew Deidara felt the same way at the way his eyes widened.
It was as if the lightning bugs wanted them to be together. She felt them lift her hand and push it forward into Deidara's. Her heart raced as the little glowing bugs put them together in a way that it seemed like the pretty bugs wanted him to hold her close.
Reika looked beautiful in the light from the bugs Deidara thought as the light illuminated her face and made her ten times more stunning. The little bugs spiraled around them as if willing them to kiss. They decided to do what the fireflies wanted and blissfully kissed with no interruptions. When they broke apart they saw the little lightning bugs had formed a heart around them.
Reika was in awe "I've never seen them act this way" she whispered watching them do their merry little dance in the sky. Deidara sat down pulling her with him. It seemed like they were putting on a show just for those two as the spun and spiraled throughout the night sky every now and then flying around the couple like they were hugging them.
When the little bugs began to take off Reika waved good bye and Deidara could have sworn the little fireflies blinked in farewell. Once the sky had darkened again Reika looked at Deidara contentedly "I never want to leave Takigakure again" she said sadly. Deidara pulled her up.
"We'll always be able to come back yeah" he said taking her hand and heading back to the hotel. They slipped in quietly hoping that Little Sasori was still soundly asleep and their little midnight excursion went unnoticed.
The couple crept to Reika's room and the minute they opened the door they heard a familiar voice:
"What on earth is going on brat?"