A/N: A new ship is introduced in this chapter, are you ready? I am. e u e
This is kind of just a transition chapter. I don't plan for much to happen in it, but we'll see.
SWEET LIKE CINNAMON
By Kirschstein
Chapter 9: Tripping Over You
"What's wrong with your face?"
Deidara blatantly ignored the question. Instead he kept his attention on the television screen, gently rubbing the head of the bird that was perched in his lap. This was his plan for the remainder of the night: watch Boomerang, hang out with Cheepers and totally not think about Sasori, or that Sai bastard either.
He'd been doing a pretty good job, in fact, until a certain cousin of his came out of Hidan's bedroom, dressed in one of her boyfriend's hoodies and yoga pants. Ino's hair was escaping her bun, and Deidara could only guess what she'd been doing that made her looked so disheveled. But he'd rather not.
He saw her move towards the kitchen out of the corner of his eye, emerging seconds later with two cans of beer. Without a word the blond girl parked herself on the couch and handed a can to him. Deidara accepted it, not bothering to look away from the TV.
"So what's wrong?" She asked him again. "You know I'm gonna keep pressing you until you answer me."
She was right. He did know that. Ino had always been a meddlesome girl; it was rare that one could keep a secret around her. But Deidara wouldn't crack, at least not willingly. He popped open his beer and took a long swig, then he exhaled.
"It's nothing."
Ino narrowed her eyes in the darkness. "Nothing, huh?" She opened her own beer and sipped it slowly, raising her eyebrow at him.
Deidara wanted to roll his eyes at her persistence, but he kept his expression composed. Only for a split second did he look away from the TV and catch her gaze. "You heard me. Now shut up and let me watch Dexter." He was becoming irritated, and she knew it. Grinning widely at him, she crossed her legs.
"Dei." She called out to her cousin. "You know, when you lie you don't do that "hm" thing at the end of everything you say." She snorted a small laugh, running her fingertip over the rim of her can. "Give up already."
Deidara cringed. Fucking hell. His eyes lowered to Cheepers and he rubbed his thumb over his head once more. The bird's eyes were closed; he seemed to be enjoying the palliative drone of the television, even with his aunt's chattering in the background. How he envied his pet.
"Fine." Deidara finally said, letting out a defeated sigh. "Only to get you to stop badgering me. Hm." Blue hues stared into his cousin's and for a while no one said anything, then Ino pressed her lips together.
"You had your date with Sasori today, right?"
Deidara paused, and then he took a sip of his beer. "Yeah."
"So… what's the problem?" She tilted her head, "Did you have a shitty time or something?"
Pursing his lips again, Deidara sank back on the couch and rested the parakeet on his chest. He shook his head. "Not even. We had a lot of fun. Though… he kinda burned a hole through my wallet. Hm." Deidara's eyes shut as he remembered the events of that day, his finger running the length of Cheepers's feathered spine. "…We almost kissed. So there's something, hm." He mentioned it as casually and as offhanded possible; Deidara knew if he seemed even the least bit excited Ino would likely lose her shit.
But it seemed even Deidara's best attempts couldn't stop his cousin from throwing her arms into the air and exclaiming. "Oh my god, forreal?!" She squealed, wiggling around on the couch. Deidara sighed loudly.
"Dude, shut up. It's almost one in the morning."
"I'm sorry!" Ino piped down and turned to face him on the couch, bending one of her legs and resting her hand on her knee. "That's such great news though. Like… you have no idea."
"I said almost." The blonde reminded, looking quite sour as he extended his arm out to let Cheepers hop back onto the branch stand sitting on the coffee table.
Ino brought her beer to her lips and waited patiently for her cousin to elaborate. Deidara tongued lightly at his inner cheek. "…Some guy showed up." He sighed. "His name's Sai and apparently he's Sasori's best friend." Deidara punctuated his disbelief by making air-quotations with his fingers, "But judging by how Sasori practically leapt into his arms, I really think it's something more. Hm." He looked away from Ino and momentarily stared at the wall, clenching his teeth and squeezing his beer can tightly.
Ino frowned. "…Oh fuck. Seriously?" She lifted her thumb and chewed on the tip of her nail. "I mean, if he's his best friend you'd think he'd mention him before…"
"I fucking know." Deidara groaned and pressed his palm to his temple. "One minute we're holding hands and the next he's…" He trailed off, lowering his hand after a second so he could clench his fingers in the suede fabric of the couch. "God. How come whenever I like someone they always end up fucking off with someone else? I'm really starting to think I'm cursed. Hm."
Ino tucked some locks of hair behind her ears and bit her lip. "…You're not cursed, baka. Don't say that." When Deidara didn't respond she huffed, scooting closer to him and placing a hand on his back. "Come on now. You know you're, like, a catch, don't you?"
Deidara cracked a tiny smile. Yes, he did know, but for the sake of wanting her comfort he remained silent. To his delight Ino's hand didn't move away.
"You're really going to force me to get soppy, Dei." The blond girl huffed, her lips pressing into a small pout. "I'm about one-hundred percent sure you know all this already. But you shouldn't get down on yourself just because of some guy." Her hand left his back and she took his, prying it away from his face. "Perhaps you should try calling him? See where his head's at."
Deidara nodded thoughtfully. "I'm just… worried. If I confront him he might start pushing me away again." He sighed and took one final swig of his beer, then tossed it at the coffee table.
"You won't know until you try." Ino shrugged. When Deidara began to reach for his phone she lightly smacked the tanned wrist.
Deidara drew his hand back almost instantly. "What was that for?"
"Try tomorrow, genius." She grinned. "He's probably sleeping."
He should be sleeping with me. Deidara thought ruefully as he reclined back on the couch. He tugged the terry cloth blanket up over his torso and shut his eyes, heaving a tired sigh.
"Um, excuse you." Deidara could feel Ino's eyes burning into the side of his face. Smirking some, he decided to ignore her, turning so his back faced her and burrowing deeper in the blanket.
"Oh fuck no." Ino hissed and crawled over to her cousin. "Give it here, you bastard!" She lunged, manicured fingers yanking at the blanket while Deidara used all his might to keep it away from her.
"What's the magic word, hm?"
"It's cold in here! Stop playing with me, Dei."
But the fight for the blanket was promptly halted when the front door opened. Both blondes looked up, their eyes equally as wide when they fell upon the pair pressed against the door frame.
Nagato Uzumaki had his head tipped, his fingers resting on Itachi's bicep as the Uchiha laid a series of kisses on his mouth, and the areas surrounding. They seemed to be completely oblivious to Deidara and Ino's presence, which was strange, because the Uchiha clan was often prided for their said to be "super-human" senses. Or maybe they just didn't care.
Either way, the sight was still pretty surprising. The last time Deidara had seen Nagato was when he'd tagged along on a beach trip that summer. He was Yahiko's best friend, as well as an original member of Akatsuki, but he wasn't around much due to him going to school all the way across the country – in Amegakure.
As for his relationship with Itachi, well Deidara couldn't say it was too unexpected. They'd always had a friendship of sorts, and everyone within a mile radius knew of their feelings for each other. Nothing definite had ever happened though, for a reason Deidara wasn't sure of. He wondered what changed.
"Ahem."
The blonde male shifted, lowering the blanket and folding his arms over his chest. Itachi and Nagato seemed to pull away from each other almost abruptly, Nagato with wide eyes and Itachi with a slightly bothered look on his otherwise impassive face.
Nagato reached up and smoothed his hair down, biting at a kiss-swollen lip as he nudged Itachi backward. "Hey guys."
"Nagato." Deidara and Ino both greeted him with the same, thoroughly amused expression. Deidara tapped his forearm with his fingers.
"Long time no see, man." He grinned at him.
Ino nodded in agreement with her cousin and tilted her head. "Yeah. Didn't even know you were in town."
"I flew in this morning." Nagato informed, his eyes never leaving Itachi's face. He reached out to touch his cheek, stroking it gently. "But I really should go. My car's still on."
Itachi just stared for a moment before he nodded with a faint smile. He leaned forward and sealed a chaste, but lingering, kiss on the other male's lips. Nagato slid his arms around his neck and nuzzled his nose against him when they broke apart.
"I'll call you." Itachi said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. Nagato smiled at him and leaned back.
"I'll be looking forward to it."
He looked to Deidara and Ino and smiled, lifting his hand to wave before he turned and disappeared from the doorway. Itachi watched him go for a second, then he stepped inside the apartment and shut the door behind him.
"You've got some explaining to do, mister." Ino stood from the couch and placed her hands on her hips. "I mean, I totally approve. Nagato's, like, gorgeous."
Deidara nodded. "I can appreciate a guy who appreciates hair care, hm."
Itachi sighed quietly. He toed off his shoes and set them neatly by the door, then sauntered over to the couch and sat down.
"There is nothing to tell."
"Bull fuckin' shit, dude."
All three of them turned their heads to where the voice had come from. Hidan emerged from his bedroom, naked save for a pair of Under Armour basketball shorts. He was scratching at his bare abdomen with one hand, the other covering his mouth as he yawned.
"Hidan!" Ino sashayed over to him and threw herself into his arms, locking her own around his neck and resting her cheek on his collarbone. "I thought you were asleep."
Hidan used the hand that wasn't on her waist to lift her chin and press their lips together. "Couldn't sleep properly without my baby girl." He grinned. "Missed you."
Ino tiptoed up so she could bury her face in the crook of his neck. "Mmm…" She giggled softly when his hand began caressing her backside. "Missed you too, daddy."
Deidara visibly cringed, sinking his head into his hands and shaking his head slowly. "Must you two be so fuckin' gross? Get a room, hm."
Ino lifted her head and looked at her cousin, a wicked grin on her lips. "Way ahead of you." She pressed at Hidan's pec, pushing him towards his bedroom door as her mouth attached itself to his throat, kissing his pulse point with fervor.
"Babe, wait a second." Hidan firmly smacked her ass to get her to stop. "I wanna know what the fuck Itachi was doing with Nagato." He blinked his eyes to Itachi and smirked. "Looked damn serious."
Ino growled against him and sank her teeth into his skin, hard. "Tomorrow." She bunched her fingers in his hair and yanked his head back, leaning up to whisper against his pierced ear. Deidara was unsure what she said but it must have been enough to make Hidan's eyes widen, and a huge smirk stretch across his lips.
"Damn, bitch." Without another word, Hidan grabbed the girl by her hips and hauled her up, tossing her over his shoulder. "We'll see y'all tomorrow. Somethin' came up."
Ino grinned, her eyes darkening wolfishly. "It sure did."
Pure mortification washed over Deidara as he watched Hidan carry his cousin like a fucking caveman into his room and slam the door. He tried really – really – hard not to hear the sound of a bed creaking and the unmistakable rustle of clothing, but he did. The blonde shut his eyes and groaned.
"Those two are just…" He sighed heavily. Itachi reached both his hands out and gently took Cheepers into his grasp. He petted the bird's head with his finger.
"Deidara."
"Yeah?" Deidara's eyes fluttered open again.
"Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, but I really do believe I'm falling." The Uchiha's eyes were trained on the television screen, voice barely loud enough to be audible. But Deidara heard him. Slowly, he turned to look at his friend.
"…For Nagato?"
Itachi said nothing, and Deidara took his silence as an affirmation. His own problems would take a backseat for a while.
"Tell me everything, hm."
The raven's tongue peeked out to gently roll over his lip piercing. "I'm sure it isn't a secret that he and I have been keeping in touch." He extended his arm, letting Cheepers leave his perch on his index finger and flutter into Deidara's lap. The blonde chuckled lowly.
"Maybe I've just been preoccupied but I really had no idea. Hm." He tipped his head to the side. "I mean I knew you guys always end up fucking whenever he's in town but…" But saying you're falling for him is something vastly different. "Are you sure about this, Itachi?"
Itachi inhaled and momentarily shut his eyes, opening them again with a slightly perturbed expression. "I wouldn't say something like this if I wasn't. You know better than anyone how difficult it is for me to…" He pursed his lips and looked away from him. "Commit."
That was true, yes. Itachi was known as the hit-and-run type when it came to romantic partners. Throughout his life he'd been approached by men and women alike, and he'd turned them all down. The only person Itachi had been on more than one date with was Deidara's childhood friend Kurotsuchi, and that was more of a favor to Deidara than anything else. He'd never shown anything more than carnal interest in anyone except his friends, and Sasuke, of course.
So to hear him speak this way about Nagato was more than a little surprising. Deidara wordlessly stared at Itachi for a moment before he leaned in and rested his arm on the backrest of the couch.
"What about him makes him different?"
Itachi began fingering the Uchiha charm on his necklace. "He's remarkable, Deidara." The corner of his lip curled as he spoke, "He's intellectual, and so worldly. He listens to Sinatra as well." He sighed contentedly and lifted his eyes to the ceiling. "I'm so taken with him. He disarms me in a way that no one else does. It's rather… exhilarating."
Deidara listened intently to Itachi's words. He felt a smile spread over his lips as he rubbed his finger over Cheepers's wing. "He sounds really extraordinary, hm." He crossed his legs on the couch and leaned against the armrest. "But… you two have been acquainted for a while, yeah? Why only now have you decided to start something?"
He watched Itachi's face change slightly. Onyx eyes turned down and he sighed quietly. "Sasuke seems to be seeing someone now." He said, "And you're making progress with Sasori, aren't you?"
And suddenly Deidara understood. Itachi had always held himself back for the sake of the people he cared for. It was a quality that often went unnoticed, so it was easy to take his consideration for granted. Deidara found himself frowning as he bent his arm and took a lock of his hair between his fingers.
"So you guys are going to be… dating? Seriously?" He rolled the tress between his fingers.
Itachi closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose. "We don't want to rush into things. But yes, that seems to be the eventual destination." When his lids lifted he stared at Deidara intensely. "Are you alright with that?"
Deidara snorted. "Why wouldn't I be?"
A small smirk crossed Itachi's lips as he inclined closer, his voice lowering. "I know how deeply you're in love with me, Dei." He reached over to gently tug at his cheek. Deidara slapped his hand away as if it'd burned him, features wrought into a deep snarl.
"Shut the fuck up, Uchiha. Hm!"
Itachi chuckled softly and dropped his hand. When his face returned to its stern countenance Deidara looked away.
"In all seriousness." He placed a hand on the blonde's bent knee. "Don't forget he has a relation to Naruto."
Deidara's entire body went rigid at the name. He'd been doing a pretty good job in putting that particular detail out of his mind, for the sake of Itachi's happiness, and he wasn't going to stop now. He returned his gaze to the raven and nodded slowly.
"I'm fine with that. So long as you're happy, hm."
Itachi smiled warmly. A few silent moments passed before they both turned back to the television. Cheepers bowed his head and lay sideways in Deidara's lap.
"You know I love you, right?" Itachi's question was soft, but somehow Deidara heard him clearly. He looked down at Cheepers and sighed. He had a tendency to get sentimental in moments like these, and Deidara really hated it, but he also hated the guilt-trip that almost always followed. So he gave in.
"Of course I fucking know."
The Uchiha chuckled. "Good. Never forget it."
Sasori gasped, his back curving off the mattress. His toes curled, blunt nails pressing into a pair of broad shoulders as a wickedly talented mouth worked him from below. The tongue was hot and viperous, sliding deeper inside of him with each plunge it took. The boy was on the edge of tears now; the sensations were becoming just too much for him.
"I'm gonna... oh fuck…" It was a desperate warning, but the blond head between his legs was unrelenting. He whined and brought his knees closer to his chest. The tongue curled, assaulting the spongy walls, seemingly in search of something Sasori was too far-gone to really grasp.
Large hands held his buttocks, spreading his cheeks wider as he was so brutally tongue-fucked. Sasori's head lolled back against his pillow. His chest rose and fell, a series of cries tumbling from his saliva-stained mouth. His hand moved to that thick mane of yellow hair and he gripped tightly, just as the tongue pressed against a nub that made him arch impossibly on the mattress.
"Fuck! Deidara!" He screamed, glassy eyes shooting open as his nails scraped harshly at his scalp. Deidara's tongue stopped its thrusting, just rolling and massaging deliciously against the boy's prostate until the tears that threatened to slip out finally made their appearance.
"Don't… stop…" He sobbed as he threw his arm over his eyes, thrusting his body down against his tongue. "Oh God, please…feels… so good…" The boy knew he was slurring now, but he couldn't be bothered to care. Deidara slid his hands along the backs of his thighs and suddenly ejected his tongue, much to Sasori's frustration. He pouted and squirmed on the mattress.
"What are you–" He was pacified by a mouth closing over his own and a firm hand wrapping around his cock. The boy sucked some air into his lungs as his nails began to claw desperately at his bicep, whining as Deidara's tongue dove between his lips.
He was at the blonde's mercy as he tugged fiercely at his cock. Sasori bucked his hips into the circle of his hand, thrusting wildly into the friction while Deidara continued to kiss him senseless.
And then all the sensations were gone. Sasori pushed himself up on his elbows, his eyes hooded as he glared at the man above him, feeling personally offended that he'd robbed him of such intense pleasure.
"Why'd you stop?" He asked, breathless. Deidara was smirking at him as he lowered himself so their noses almost touched.
"Tell me you want me, hm."
The redhead's eyes widened at the request. His cheeks began to heat up and he looked away, feeling infuriatingly bashful.
"…What?"
"You heard me, baby doll." Deidara pecked his nose softly. "Tell me you want me, and we can continue."
Sasori's hand left his arm and it dropped to his side. He parted his lips, unsure of how he should respond. He knew the most logical thing to do was to give Deidara what he wanted, but he just… couldn't say it.
Suddenly he felt a pair of lips against his ear and his eyes fluttered. The blonde's voice lowered an octave, his breath hot as his fingers walked a teasing path up his inner thigh.
"Come on, Sasori." He urged him, "Tell me you want me. Hm."
The boy shuddered. More than anything, he wanted Deidara's hands on him again, and he knew what he'd have to do to get that, but even in this state Sasori's pride was very much intact. He sighed to himself and wrapped both his arms around the blonde's neck.
"I…" He gulped. He could feel Deidara smirking against him, and his whole body began to tremble.
"You what, baby?"
"…Want you…"
Sasori's fingers sank into the bedsheets and his eyes shot open. His chest heaved, nightshirt deeply soaked in sweat. There was a tightly-coiled heat in his nether regions that Sasori tried really hard to ignore, but even his best efforts couldn't make the hardness between his legs go away.
…What the hell… He shut his eyes again and tried to remember what he'd dreamt about. It must have been pretty damn perverse to give him such a severe case of morning wood. How shameful… He sighed and turned his head to bury his face in the pillow, nearly jumping out of his skin when a cold hand touched his arm.
"Sasori?"
Sasori sat up abruptly. Sai was standing at his bedside, a look of concern on his pretty face. Sasori eased back into the sheets after a moment and moved his gaze to the ceiling.
"You scared me." The boy breathed out, keeping his voice surprisingly leveled despite the ache in his undershorts. He noticed the suspicion in his friend's charcoal eyes and he sighed mutely, suddenly feeling as if he was being scrutinized under a microscope. He prayed to the high heavens that Sai wouldn't point out the sweat on his brow, or the unnaturally pale hue to his skin. Sasori wanted to sink deeper in his duvet but he kept deathly still, for more reasons than one.
He was sure Sai was speaking then – he saw his lips moving – but strangely enough, the loud thudding of his heart was all Sasori could actually hear. He felt his cock twitching beneath his blanket and he squeezed his thighs together, but that only made things worse. A soft, uncontrolled whimper escaped his lips and he immediately slapped his hand over his mouth. Oh God, oh fuck—
"Tell me you want me."
The voice was frustratingly familiar. It wasn't Sai; the black-haired boy's lips had long-since stopped moving. Sasori knew very well who the voice belonged to, and for some reason, when the words relayed in his head the stirring in his lower-half increased. He wanted to groan, but the look Sai was giving him made his entire body stiffen.
…Please just… don't say anything…
"You look… tired. Perhaps you should get some more sleep." The raven's eyes never left Sasori's face. The boy knew he was thinking something completely different – Sai had always been strangely perceptive – but Sasori was just thankful he didn't comment on his behavior. He wasn't sure, but he thought he uttered a small sound in reply, because Sai turned and walked towards the door in quick strides.
When he was gone he breathed a heavy sigh and burrowed deeper in his blanket. His eyes shut tightly, and when they did, he saw something that made his blood run cold.
Deidara was looming over him, his hands on either side of his head. His torso was naked and his hair tumbled over the sides of his face, covering them both in a silken veil. Sasori drew some air into his lungs when he began to lower himself against him, his neck tilting so his mouth was pressed right against the shell of his ear.
Sasori couldn't quite hear what he'd whispered to him, but it must have been enough to send shockwaves right to his cock, because his back arched and his jaw slacked in a silent cry.
He didn't realize he'd gripped his cock until the friction hit him. His eyes opened again, and he was somehow comforted by the darkness that surrounded the area beneath his duvet.
As he stroked himself, his mind unwittingly wandered, imagining a larger, tanner hand in his stead. For some inexplicable reason Sasori wanted Deidara's hands on him more than anything else, not that he'd ever admit to it. He probably wouldn't admit to the soft moan of his name he let out when he came in his night shorts, either, but the aftershock of the orgasm was enough to remind him that it had indeed happened.
