Sensing that morning had arrived, Deidara slowly came back to consciousness as he awoke softly from his slumber. His body felt tired and heavy, and his head was pounding. He yawned, bringing a hand to his face to rub his eyes. And then he realized. 'M-My hands!' As his vision refocused, he was able to make out clearly that his hands were no longer tied, however, his wrists were swollen and red. When he went to sit up, a dull, stinging pain jolted up his back and he hunched over, putting a hand over one of his aching hips. "FUCK!" He swore. He had never felt such pain. Then he noticed that he was naked in the bed. 'What the?' He uncovered himself, and his face turned red when he saw all the bite marks across his body. Memories of last night quickly began to sink in. He growled. 'That fucking pervert! I'll kill him!'

While his bruises had completely faded and all the other pain in his body from the beating he took subsided, his skin was riddled with the vicious love bites to his flesh. He began to feel around his neck, frowning when he felt teeth marks and a bit of dried blood crusted off. There was a sour taste in his mouth, and immediately he started to feel queasy.

Slowing trying to avoid the throbbing pain in his backside, he brought his legs to the side of the bed, looking around the dim room for his clothes. They were neatly folded on the desk. He didn't see Sasori anywhere. Good. That man was the last person he needed to lock eyes on right now. "Shit..." He couldn't believe how sore his body was, but he forced himself to stand. Big mistake. He stumbled to the floor and another jolt of pain surged through his back. "Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" As he agonizingly lifted himself back up, a knock sounded on the door. His eyes widened when he heard a familiar, annoying voice.

"Sempai!" Tobi chirped as he turned the door handle.
'Shit, its Tobi! I can't let him see me like this!' He quickly turned around to wrap the bed sheet around him as the masked Akatsuki made his way into the room.
"Sempaaaaai!" The man exclaimed as he tackled both arms around the blonde. Deidara winced. As if he weren't in enough excruciating pain already. He kicked Tobi off.
"Tobi, get out!" He yelled.
"But why? Tobi was worried about you!"
"I said get the fuck out!" He warned yet again, looking for something he could throw at the man. The pillow on the bed seemed to be the closest thing.
"Eek!" Tobi flinched and protected himself from the object that was hurled at him. "O-Okay, Deidara-sempai! Tobi will leave!" With a sad posterior, the man finally left the room for his sempai to be left alone.
Deidara sighed. 'Fucking annoying kid!'

Groaning as he walked to the desk, he let the bed sheet around his body fall to the floor. Rubbing his arms from the sudden goosebumps he got due to the draft in the room, he started to get dressed. After his robe was on, he noticed that one of the drawers to the desk was open slightly. He lifted a brow, curious as to what was inside. When he opened it, he discovered his clay and other weapons inside. He made an unamused expression. 'Guess this bastard really does want me to kill him.' Securing his items, he began to then rub the rest of the sleep from his eyes and sighed. He could really use a nice, hot bath right now.

"Sempai, are you ready to come out now?"
He gritted his teeth. "Get lost, Tobi!"
"B-but Tobi has food. Aren't you hungry?"

Deidara groaned again. He hadn't had anything to eat in about three days. At the mention of food, his stomach growled instinctively. Well, he was going to need the energy anyway. Without further thought, he opened the door to see the masked face of Tobi holding two lunch boxes in his hands.

"We can eat outside if you want, Deidara-sempai. The weather is really nice!" He mused walking down the hallway.
"Whatever." Deidara shrugged as he followed the man. Then he began to wonder where the other Akatsuki were, especially Sasori. He still had a bone or two to pick with him. "Hey, where is everyone?"
"Hmm?" Tobi thought for a moment. "Well Zetsu and Itachi should be back on their way from a mission. Um, Hidan and Kakuzu are collecting bounties and um..." Tobi trailed off. "I think Sasori had to talk to Pein-sama."
Deidara stopped walking just as they reached the entrance.
"Whats wrong, Deidara-sempai?"
"I, uh... forgot something in my room. I'll meet you outside."
"Huh? But Deidara-sempai..."

Deidara said nothing else as he walked off down the hallway; cruel intentions were set in his azure blue eyes as he looked for the red head. 'This time for sure, I'm gonna give that bastard a piece of my mind!' Though truthfully, he had no idea where he was going. This place was just as confusing as Orochimaru's hideout. 'Hmm...' He pondered in thought. Come to think of it, this place did strike him as familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He shook his head. He had other things to worry about. Just as he turned a corner, he suddenly heard a strong voice raise. He listened carefully.

"How dare you defile me!" someone furiously sounded off from one of the rooms.

Deidara followed the voice and stopped at the frame of the door. It was open slightly and carefully, he peeked his face in to see the commotion. In the room, Konan, Pein, and Sasori were standing there. Deidara was able to recognize who the orange haired man was due to the piercings on his face; though his eyes gave off an unsettling look. It was odd yet interesting to see him as an actual person and not a hologram. When the man moved, Deidara watched carefully.

Pein kicked Sasori in the stomach, sending the red head flying back into a wall across the room. He then approached him and grabbed him by the locks of his hair and smashed his face against the wall. Sasori grunted as he took the hit, keeping his head lowered as he sat on his knees. Pein then kneed him in the face, and stepped on his head. "You're beginning to piss me off, Sasori." he said, his voice becoming more agitated by the second. "Thanks to your carelessness with that damn assassin, our hideout was nearly discovered."

"Y-yes. I apologize, Master Pein." Sasori mumbled out.
Pein kicked the red head in face. He would have gone on kicking him more had Konan not stepped in and stopped him.
"Pein!" she grabbed his arm. "That is enough."
Pein gave a piercing stare to the man on the floor. "Hmph." he made his way across the room to sit down on a chair. "Get up." he demanded. Sasori complied and stood shakily to his feet. "Don't pretend to act weak. I know how resilient you are. If I did not require your services, I'd kill you."
"Yes." Sasori nodded in understanding to the man's threat.
"Remember, you owe us. So you are to do as I say. Don't fucking play with me, Sasori. I'll tear you apart limb from limb to the point where even you will know true pain."
'Huh? What does he mean that he 'owes' them?' Deidara continued to listen in.

The man stopped speaking when suddenly he began to cough. He cupped a hand over his mouth; his breathing suddenly turned ragged and rough. Konan patted his back gently.
"Pein, are you alright?" She asked with concern.
"Damn." Pein grabbed tightly at his chest. "This body is growing weaker. I will need a new vessel soon."
Deidara raised an eyebrow. 'A new vessel?'
Sasori looked at the man. "I will continue my research so that you will no longer need to continue searching for vessels."
Konan frowned. "I'm growing impatient as well, Sasori. Pein is suffering, and I will not continue to watch him struggle. Remember, everything is on your shoulders. And should you fail," she pointed a finger at him, "'You will suffer dearly!"
Sasori bowed. "Yes. I understand."

'What? I don't understand any of this...' Deidara closed his eyes in thought. When he opened them, he suddenly saw Sasori glance at the crack in the door without turning his head. Deidara flinched and moved back. 'Sh-shit, did he see me?! I better get the hell out of here; I've already heard too much.' Deidara quickly made his way back down the hallway. Now there were more questions than ever in his mind. What were the Akatsuki's goal? What does it have to do with Sasori? No... what does it have to do with himself? He pondered across the endless questions in his mind, neglecting to watch where he was going as he bumped into something.

"Hey, watch it!" an aggravated voice arose.
Deidara looked up only to see the blue-ish skinned face of Kisame. The man glared at him but Deidara only scoffed and moved around him. "Whatever. If you saw me coming, then you should have been the one to watch out!"
Kisame grabbed Deidara by the collar of his shirt. "What did you say to me?!"
"Kisame." Sasori suddenly appeared from the darkness of the hall. "Just let it go."
"Tch." Kisame unhanded the blonde and walked towards his room. "Annoying piece of..." he mumbled before closing the door behind him.

Deidara huffed. "Now what do you want?"
Sasori said nothing, he stood in silence simply staring at the blonde.
Well if he wasn't going to say or do anything other than to make his appearance known, then Deidara didn't feel the need to humor him. "I don't have time for this. Un." As he turned to leave, Deidara suddenly found himself shoved against the wall. "The hell?!"

Sasori had both hands pinned on either side of him, blocking his escape while he moved in closer. While Deidara was still in surprise of the action, Sasori leaned forward and pressed his lips against his. Deidara flinched, bringing his hands up to push the red head off, but it had no effect. Sasori moved his hands under the assassin's robe, touching and caressing his skin forcibly.

Deidara growled. 'This bastard!' He rose his hand up and slapped the man straight across the face. This shook him off and Deidara quickly took a few steps to the side. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" He demanded, glaring at the man as he waited for an answer. He was tired of being played with; tired of being manipulated with and not getting an answer. He half-expected Sasori to retaliate by knocking him through the wall. However, the red head only stood there, face pointed to the ground in the direction Deidara had slapped him. His eyes were hidden due to the small shadow his bangs emitted, showing no expression on his face.

Deidara balled his fist. 'What the hell is he just standing there for?' Honestly he was hoping Sasori would put up more of a fight. At least then he would be able to get him back for what he did last night; but instead he just looked like a lost soul. "Tch." Deidara pursed his lips. He didn't have time to figure this complicated man out, not when there were so many other things on his mind. 'I swear if he touches me again...' Though he began to think of something else. It wasn't like Sasori to act so defeated, like a kicked puppy. 'Wait, what? Now I'm 'concerned' about him? Great. Just great.' He rubbed his forehead as he kept walking. His mind was fucked up even more now.

As the blonde disappeared down the dark hallway, Sasori brought a hand to his cheek, stroking the red print left behind from the slap; it stung slightly. For whatever reason, a tiny smile appeared on his lips. 'You have every right to hate me. I'm the one who put this burden on you.' As he lifted his head to stare at the wall, he immediately began to think on what his next plan of action would be. With Pein's life coming to a threatening end, he would soon have to make a sacrificing choice.

~:::~

Deidara sighed, contemplating on the things that ran through his mind. First the Akatsuki were planning something, then talk of vessels and other complex crap. Maybe it would have been better if he didn't seek the red head out and hear all of this unique information. But still, maybe it could be advantageous in the future? Yeah, he could use what he heard to blackmail Sasori if he tried anything again! Wait no, bad idea. It would backfire because he was in the wrong for eavesdropping in the first place. 'Dammit...' Well if all else fails and he managed to escape this god forsaken place, he could at least use what he just heard as a little pocket change from Orochimaru; this information wasn't going to be for free after all. When he approached the entrance to the hideout, Tobi was still waiting there.

"Oh, sempai!" he chirped.
Deidara groaned. "Now what? I thought I said I'd meet you outside."
"Um, well, you see..." Tobi looked down at the ground. He seemed nervous about something.
"What?!" Deidara snapped which caused the masked Akatsuki member to flinch.
"T-Tobi lost his ring!"
Deidara raised an eyebrow. "Your ring? So, what about it?"
"Well, all Akatsuki members need their rings to enter and exit the hideouts." He explained. Suddenly he dropped to his knees and clung to one of Deidara's legs. "Please don't tell Pein-sama that I lost it! Tobi doesn't want to be punished!"
"Ugh, ok, ok! I'll just use mine, now get off!"

Once he managed to shake the man from his leg, he looked at the ring on his thumb. 'So thats what these things were for?' Of course he had no clue how the blasted thing was supposed to work.

"Its simple!" Tobi said seeing the confused expression on his sempai's face. "Just hold two fingers parallel to your face, and say the color of your ring. Then the door will open!"
Deidara thought that sounded weird, but followed his instructions, bringing his index and middle fingers up to the bridge of his nose and whispering the word, "Green."
Just a few seconds later, the entrance was revealed. The staircase reappeared and sunlight from outside shined brilliantly down the earthy walls.

"Good job, sempai! Now lets go eat!"

Once outside, Deidara and Tobi sat on some large boulders. Tobi handed Deidara his box of food, which consisted of eggs, lo mein, dumplings, and two slices of toast. It didn't seem like much, but after not eating for three days, anything at this point was a meal to him! 'Itadakimasu.' As he chowed down on his food, he suddenly saw two figures approaching them in the distance. 'Great, now what?' The one time he didn't feel like fighting. Maybe he'll let Tobi do all the work this time. He slurped on the noodles as the two strangers continued moving toward them.

"Hey! Its Itachi and Zetsu!" Tobi said pointing his chopsticks at them.

Deidara looked at them. One had long, black hair tied into a ponytail with daring red eyes that looked as though they could pull someone right into another dimension. The other, was just some kind of weird variation between a plant and a panda. Seriously, was he even human at all?

Zetsu yawned. "I didn't think we'd ever make it back."
Itachi made no comment. However, when he saw Deidara, he couldn't help but to stare at the blonde.
"What are you looking at?" Deidara said with his mouth slightly full of food.
The man didn't answer. He turned his head and continued into the hideout with Zetsu behind him.

"The hell's his problem?"
"Thats Itachi. He doesn't talk a lot..." Tobi slightly lifted his mask to take a bite out of his toast. "Ever since his little brother was killed by Orochimaru."
"What? His brother?" Deidara asked curiously.
"You don't know, sempai?" Tobi asked. "Tobi thought you worked for Orochimaru."
Deidara rolled his eyes. "Just because I work for him doesn't mean I know everything about him!"
"Well, Orochimaru did an experiment on Itachi's brother and he died as a result. So Itachi-sama doesn't talk since that happened. Tobi heard he only joined the Akatsuki to get revenge."

At that, Deidara gulped his food down nervously. 'Revenge? I hope that doesn't mean he's gonna come after me!' He looked down at his almost empty plate of food. Little by little, he was learning more and more information about the Akatsuki. Though he still had no clue what their actual goals were, somehow it felt like it only revolved around him, Sasori, and Orochimaru. A chill went up his spine; it suddenly felt like he was out staying his welcome in this ruthless gang. 'Just what the hell is going on?'

So here's where things start to get interesting! Thank you everyone for the reviews and patience I've received on this story so far! You have no clue how happy they make me! ^.^