A/N: Sorry for taking so long between updates. I blame it all on school.
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Itachi entered the kitchen, where Kisame, Hidan and Kakuzu were just finishing breakfast, looking slightly confused. Most people would, of course, claim that he didn't 'look' anything at all, since he wore the same stoic expression as ever, but Kisame knew better. Left to himself, Itachi wouldn't wake up until lunch time, or at least he wouldn't leave his room until then. Since Deidara joined the Akatsuki, however, the blonde had taken to waking him with a minor bomb outside his door every morning, supposedly to make up for Sasori forcing him to get up at eight.
Today, Kisame guessed, Deidara hadn't followed his routine and Itachi had probably woken by himself, confused by this sudden change.
The Uchiha sat down by the table, casting a look at Sasori and Deidara's empty chairs before glancing quickly at Kisame.
"They're with Leader-sama," Kisame answered his silent question. "Or at least Sasori is, I don't know if Deidara can stand."
Itachi halted mid-movement, his hand hanging in the air halfway to the rice bowl.
"Yeah, er, apparently Deidara wanted to do some kind of artistic cooperation with Sasori," Kisame scratched the back of his head and sighed, "so he blew up one of Sasori's puppets."
There was a snort of laughter form Hidan, earning him a scowl from Kisame.
"It's not funny, Hidan."
"Sure as hell it is!" The silver-haired man chuckled. "That fucking idiot..."
"The poor boy was just trying to be friendly, so cut it out."
"Lay off my partner," Kakuzu interfered, glaring at Kisame and getting up from his chair. "It's time for us to get moving." He struck Hidan hard across the head, almost causing him to bury his face in his bowl of soup. "Come on."
"Ouch!" Hidan yelled. "That fucking hurt! Hey, Kakuzu, you bastard, wait!"
There was a loud 'bang' as the door slammed shut and silence fell.
"Anyway," Kisame took up the conversation again, "Sasori didn't kill him, so I think it's all right. I mean, I know that Leader-sama threatened to exclude Sasori if he killed another partner and all that, but I still think he likes Deidara. They just need to learn to deal with each other."
---
Itachi stared at the door in front of him. He'd done so for the last fifteen minutes, listening carefully for any sound that might tell him if there was anyone behind it. He had already heard breathing, the slight creaking of a mattress and several deep sighs, not to mention sensing a familiar, if somewhat weakened, flow of chakra, so he should be able to draw the conclusion there was indeed a person behind the door and that he was alive and reasonably well. Yet he couldn't force himself to leave.
"If you're going to stand there for much longer you might as well come in here and laugh at me, yeah?" an impatient voice suddenly demanded.
Itachi started and looked more carefully at the door, from which the voice had come. He had lost his concentration and been discovered. That hadn't happened in years. He carefully entered the room, eyes immediately falling on Deidara, who was lying in his bed, grinning at him.
"Did you think I was so hurt I wouldn't notice you or were you just insulting me?"
Itachi shrugged, gazing at the blonde. There were no visible signs of injury, but then again, Sasori never left any marks on his victims. He had probably just put a senbon in some well-chosen nerve.
"Sasori-san got a bit upset with me," Deidara said, "but I guess you've already heard the story, yeah?"
Itachi nodded.
"He's getting yelled at by Leader-sama now, though," Deidara continued, looking rather pleased with this. "I don't know why he's always such a grumpy-ass. I was just trying to connect with him, yeah? How do you and Kisame-san get along so well?"
Furrowing his brow slightly, Itachi contemplated this for a while.
"He doesn't bother me," he answered finally.
Deidara sighed.
"You never talk much, do you?"
"No."
The blonde grinned.
"So, are you going to stand around here much longer or could I get some sleep?"
Itachi turned to leave.
"I'll wake you up as usual tomorrow, so no worries."
"Hn."
