A/N: Yay! Chapter Seven is finally here! After about…er a month I finally wrote it. I wasn't procrastinating; I just have been very busy. I don't particularly like this chapter much…I think it's a bit short and choppy. Anyways, enjoy!

Dedicated to my friend Ashlee…Another lover of the rubber duckies

I also want to thank all my readers who reviewed…it means so much to me! I also want to thank one reviewer for some spectacular art! Never stop drawing!


Chapter Seven:

Almost a week had passed since Sasori and Deidara were last in Shiko. They had returned to headquarters with information about Suna, which pleased their leader. Deidara wasn't too surprised when he found out that the mysterious Nin he had called 'Shadowman' for so long was the leader of Akatsuki. He had merely brushed it off and gave his award-winning grin, as if he knew all along. After the information was delivered, Deidara got to meet almost all of the rest of the Akatsuki.

The most intimidating one (except for Zetsu of course) was a blue-skinned ninja named Kisame. He had insane, dark gray-blue spiky hair, a firm jaw line, and piercing amber eyes. Kisame was basically a shark man, to put it simple. He even had some 'fish-like' qualities, like, for example, gills on either side of his cheeks. On his back, Kisame carried a big sword that was wrapped in many white bandages, and was probably just as tall as Deidara himself. To match his already intimidating appearance, Kisame was also very tall himself.

The first time Kisame saw Deidara, his first statement was, "Ooh! So this is the runt, eh?"

Deidara had returned this statement with a long, cold, stare. Usually he had a pretty snappy comeback, but decided not to say anything to a man who towered over him easily (and especially in not front of his new leader).

The next ninja he 'met' was the same plant ninja who had gave him his Akatsuki attire. During the brief meeting, he had mentioned in a low hiss that his name was Zetsu. Deidara learned that there where currently seven Akatsuki in total, not counting the many subordinates that littered the ninja villages, and he had met about four of them; not counting himself. That pretty much covered his meeting.For the rest of the week, Deidara had merely laid on his bed, bothered Sasori with his nonsense, and other hyper-like things. Now that it was Sunday, and exactly one week since the blonde and Sasori had returned, Deidara decided to do something different today. He decided that it was now Sasori's 'day off' from him, so, Deidara rolled off of his bed. He stood up, grabbed his bag, and left the room. Sasori of course was not in the room. The redhead seemed always to be the exact opposite of where Deidara was. This, at times, could be slightly complicated.

As Deidara walked down the stony passageway, thoughts of his trip to Shiko entered his mind. He remembered the first time he saw the real Sasori, and how shocked and confused he was. He also remembered how Sasori had taken care of him when he was sick. And, the last thing he remembered was the kiss. This thought almost jolted Deidara out of his thoughts.

'How could I have forgotten, yeah!?' he thought as he bit his bottom lip. 'Maybe that's why Sasori-Danna has been avoiding me…' he paused in his thoughts, '…how could I have been this slow?' he said densely as he closed his green eyes and a pained expression curved on his face.

Deidara then felt himself run into something. He opened his eyes to see he had run into the exact person he knew didn't want to see him.

He put one of his arms behind his head, "Sorry, Danna! I didn't see you there, yeah!" he said, as he closed his eyes and gave a light smile to the redhead.

Sasori shook off the slight 'collision', as he gave Deidara an odd look with his green eyes. "Do be more careful…" he replied with a bored expression as he crossed his arms.

Deidara gave a nod and reopened his eyes. Sasori returned this gesture with a grunt as he slid past Deidara, who just stared as he left. At least Sasori had avoided another pointless conversation. Deidara had brought them up all week. Oh, what Sasori would do for another mission…then at least he wouldn't be stuck up in a confined space with someone as hyper as Deidara.

In fact, Sasori was on his way to meet with the Leader. This meant that there could be a mission in store for him and the blonde. At this, Sasori gave a slight smile, which seemed devious on his face.


An hour passed since the run-in, and since then, Sasori was slightly pleased to learn that there in fact was an upcoming mission. The mission was to begin tomorrow, and it was a simple mission that was to happen over an exact three-day period.

'That shouldn't be too hard if the Brat gives his full cooperation…' the redhead thought as he walked down a stony corridor, 'I just have to find him first…'

So, Sasori's search began. He first checked the room he shared with Deidara, and to no luck did he find him. He then checked all the passageways that he knew Deidara knew of, and some odd other places he had found Deidara in the past week. He even had asked Kisame and Zetsu, but they didn't know of his whereabouts either. So, Sasori decided to check the room once again. When he entered their room, he made sure to look carefully. He looked in the closet, and under both beds, but to no avail.

' This is just foolish,' Sasori thought as he gave a sigh, 'me having to look under beds for my own partner…'

Then a thought struck him. There was one place he hadn't yet looked. He turned around and walked to the left side of the room. He gave a slight grin at the closed wooden door that stood before him.

'He has to be in here…this is the only place I have not yet looked,' he thought as he clenched his fist and placed it up to the door. He knocked lightly on the door, and waited. No answer. Sasori's left eye gave a twitch of annoyance as he replaced his hand and gave a sturdier knock. Again, no answer. With this, Sasori turned the handle to the bathroom door with slight ease and pushed the door open.

He glanced around the bathroom and came upon a very awkward scene. Deidara was sitting in the bathtub surrounded by many foamy white bubbles. They also covered every inch of his head, bare neck, and shoulders. He was currently playing with a little yellow rubbed ducky that he was making swim through the bubbles. Sasori took a couple of quick glances and then turned and dashed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Sasori pressed his back hard against the wood of the door as he slowly slid down till he was in a crouching manner. He placed his hands up to his forehead and cradled his head.

Deep lines of embarrassment appeared on Sasori's face as he shook what he just saw out of his head.

'My head hurts….' he thought as he lifted his head up a little out of his hands.

Then Sasori felt a slight push against his back as he slid forward a bit, and the door he was leaning against began to slowly open. He widened his dark green eyes, and was about to scramble out of the way when Deidara called down to him.

"What'cha doing down there Danna, yeah?" he questioned as he placed one of his hands slightly on his hips, and the other was scratching his wet head. He wore only a white cotton towel around his waist, and it hung dangerously low on his hips. His straw blonde hair was wet and clung to his neck and bare shoulders, and beads of hot water dotted his skin. On one side of his head, there was still a small cluster of bubbles.

Sasori took one look at him and automatically looked back down at his feet as the same embarrassment returned to him. Deidara cocked his head to one side and looked down at the redhead with slight confusion.

"Are you ok, yeah?" he asked in a worried town as he bent down towards Sasori and placed a hand on his shoulder. Sasori pushed Deidara's arm away, and pulled away from him slightly. He gave a quick shook of his head.

'I can't let him see…' thought Sasori as he tried to hide his slight embarrassment.

A slight frown curved on Deidara's lips as he retracted his arm.

'Have I pushed him away completely?' wondered Deidara as he held his hands close to his chest. A sad sensation entered broke through Deidara's heart as he stood there, 'Does this mean…that he doesn't like me anymore?' Deidara gripped Sasori's shoulder with one of his hands and directed the redhead back towards him.

"Do you hate me now, yeah?!" exclaimed Deidara as slight hurt filled his eyes. He was finally getting along with his partner, and now Sasori was acting strangely. "Did I do something wrong?" he questioned quietly.

'It's actually the quite opposite…' the redhead thought.

Sasori turned and looked at Deidara and saw the hurt filled in his eyes. His sleek features were curved into a sad expression. "…No…" Sasori answered as plainly as he could. Deidara kneeled forward and grabbed Sasori roughly by the collar and pulled him forward. He looked directly at him with his forest green eyes. "Then why don't you ever talk to me anymore, yeah? I mean…you never really talked before…but, now you talk even less than when I first met you!" exclaimed the blonde as he leaned closer to Sasori, his beautiful face with the same expression, " why? Aren't we friends?"

Sasori's shoulders drooped a little to what Deidara was saying. Why had he been ignoring him more lately? Than Sasori had a slight idea why. Though, he wouldn't tell Deidara this. He also wondered why the blonde was getting so upset over such a thing. "..No. That's not it…we ar- " but he was cut off as Deidara gave him a rough shake.

"Then tell me why?" he questioned as his grip became a bit less, and tears burned behind his pretty green eyes.

"…It's just how I am…but, why are you acting this way, Deidara?" he inquired.

Deidara's sad eyes widened slightly. He had been acting overemotional without really meaning to drag Sasori into it…He released Sasori's collar and slowly lowered his hands.

"People in Iwa…used to befriend me…then leave suddenly without telling me why they didn't want to be friends…" stated Deidara quietly as a hurt expression found it way on his face.

'Oh…so that's why he is overreacting…' considered Sasori as he looked at Deidara.

"That's why I h-had to as-ask…" Deidara said as he choked on the last couple of words.

Sasori looked at this with slight interest. For some unknown reason, he hated seeing Deidara look like this. He slowly leaned up to the blonde. Even though he was on the verge of just letting all of his misfortunes in Iwa come pouring out, to Sasori, the blonde still looked beautiful. Sasori leaned forward and pressed his lips against the blonde's. As soon as he did so, a sensation filled Sasori's heart. He half-expected Deidara to pull away, but he did not. So, he continued. He leaned in more to Deidara, deepening the kiss and felt the blonde flinch as his back hit the wall of their bedroom. Sasori could feel his own lips against Deidara's soft ones as a jolt of electricity ran through him. Sasori grabbed the back of the blonde's head and pulled him up and closer to him. He ran his hand through the wet, straw blonde hair. It felt so soft. After a few minutes, Sasori snapped back to reality. He released a shocked and confused Deidara and almost fell over backwards.

What had he been doing just a couple minutes ago?

Sasori slowly stood up, but did not look at the Iwa Nin who was still leaning against the wall. The redhead didn't want to look at him. Not now. So, he quickly turned towards the left and exited out of the room, leaving Deidara behind. Deidara watched him go, but couldn't move. He was still slightly high off that kiss. When he shook it off, Deidara's head began to swirl with confusion.

'Why the hell did he kiss me, yeah?' He thought to himself as he stood up and tightened his white towel that was about to fall off of his waist. 'Was that my answer?' wondered Deidara as he moved over to his bed and sat down upon it.

'How should I answer him in return?'


A/N: Hehe…how is Deidara going to answer him, eh?

I hope this chapter isn't akward in any way…for some reason I just don't like it.

I really wanted to do more with Sasori and Deidara than that…but decided against it, for now at least. I want their relationship to develop a little deeper…I have a slight idea for the next chapter, seeing as it will be another mission. Whoo-hoo! Please review and tell me your thoughts on this chapter...I may rewrite it