Clay and Puppets


Summery: In which, Sasori gains, through a string of seemingly unfortunate incidents, a new partner named Deidara. Reluctant to form any kind of friendship with the young Iwa missing-nin, Deidara seeks to get to know Sasori, while adjusting to his new life in the evil organisation of the Akatsuki.

Disclaimer: This product is meant for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. Use only as directed. Flammable.

A/N: Hey there faithful readers, heres the 11th chap. In this chap, they finish off their first mission together! I think this one is a bit fluffy really, but I suppose that entirely depends on what the reader considers fluff. All the same! I like this chap, and I hope you all enjoy reading! Commence chapter.


Chapter 11: Misleading Negotiations


Sasori's hold on Deidara's waist did not slacken as the blonde steered the giant white clay bird they rode on, the sky steadily becoming darker and a bright half-moon shining above them in the ink-black sky.

Deidara was careful, mindful of Sasori's obvious discomfort with flying (although he dare not voice these thoughts), and steering his giant artwork towards a wide clearing not half a mile outside of Kusagakure, where they would find an inn for the night.

Bringing the bird wings down as they lowered through the air into a skillfully gentle landing, Deidara jumped deftly off of the great bird, laying a hand on it's vast white neck as though calming a wild animal, as he held his hand out to help Sasori.

The redhead, being comprised mostly of pride, arrogance and dignity as he was, of course ignored the blonde's polite gesture, hoping off of the bird's back shakily, his legs wobbling slightly, though he stood tall.

Deidara smiled slightly at his partner, 'Trust Sasori-Danna to be stubborn even after a close escape, un.' He thought with amusement.

Silently, the puppeteer signalled for the blonde to follow him, as he led them through the surrounding darkness of the small clearing, towards the gate to enter Kusagakure. Deidara had explained to him as they flew that it was fine to leave his bird - what had he called it? Chocobo - in the forest, that it could hide itself well enough while they finished their mission, after which they would come back for it.

"Whatever you say, Sasori no Danna!"

If Sasori admitted it to himself, he was slightly, ever so slightly, flattered by Deidara's new term of almost endearment for him. None of his previous partners had ever shown him so much respect as the blonde did, after all.

And furthermore...

"Danna! How far to the hotel, un? I'm tired!"

... The blonde seemed quite fond of the title.

Passing the gate was a breeze for the two Akatsuki-nins, not wanting they're presence to be known or traceable, they of course simply had to slip past the minimal security guarding the entrance of the village, done simply by slipping through while they slept. Kusagakure was not a very high-maintenance location, after all, and the area itself was home to many a less-than-respectable clan, many very much like the Gue Clan who they would be seeking out in the morning.

Walking through the dark streets of the village, it seemed just about all of the residents must be asleep, judging by how quiet the area was.

Deidara was sighing heavily under his breath every few moments, making obvious how distressed he was that he had to walk to the hotel. Of course, as opposed to magically appearing there, Sasori assumed.

Eventually, as they walked through one narrow street into a dark alley, they saw a large building with an invitingly bold sign, proclaiming it to be an inn. Sasori judged it to be a mediocre place, likely not very expensive, and not particularly well-kept either. Therefore, making it the perfect place for a couple of wanted missing-nins to stay.

Walking towards the door, Sasori told the blonde quietly, "Here."

"Yay, un!" Deidara replied gleefully, walking behind the redhead as they entered the building.

The interior was bright, disgustingly so, in Sasori's opinion, as he observed with hardly contained distaste the violently pink carpet and lime green countertop where a smiling woman had watched them enter.

Deidara, however, seemed elated by the 'welcoming' colour scheme, and wore a smile as he was the first to approach the woman, who sat waiting at her desk to welcome them.

"Welcome, to the Akarumi Hotel!" The woman gushed, his voice as bright as the room she sat in, as she tapped her pen on the sign-in book in front of her, "How may I help you?"

Deidara smiled in a likeness of the woman, his one visible blue eye shining with appreciation of the place they were staying in, "We would like two rooms, please, un-"

"One room." Sasori interrupted, "I and my little brother will share one room."

Deidara's face spelled confusion, 'Little brother, un?'

"One room then?" The woman asked politely, smiling now at Sasori, recognising him as the one she should addressed as he has asserted himself as the elder. "That will be arranged for you sir, if you would please sign in?"

Sasori nodded, walking over to take the pen she held out for him, and proceeding to write down some details in the spaces assigned for guests in the sign-in book.

Deidara peered over his partner's shoulder, watching what he wrote, and his eyes widened as he saw he had written fake names down, accompanied by a fake signature.

The woman took the pen and book back from Sasori when he was done, and smiled once again at him and his 'little brother'.

"Well, Mr..." She looked to the book's page, "Hoshigake-san, you will be placed in room 17." She leaned behind herself, retrieving something, as she then turned back to Sasori with the key to their room.

"I hope you enjoy your stay!" She finished cheerfully, as Sasori merely grunted in response, and Deidara trailed after him.

Apon finding their room, Sasori slipped the key he was given into the key-lock, and turning the knob, opening the room, as he and Deidara quickly stepped inside.

Two beds, they both noticed with relief, where placed on opposite sides of the small room, each one with the head of the bed against the wall, and a small drawer beside it. The only other notable feature of the room was the door to a small bathroom, which was opposite the door they had come through from the inn's hall.

Sighing happily, Deidara walked over to one of the beds and sat down, while Sasori claimed the other. When Deidara looked over, he saw Sasori was unloading his travelling bags, relieving himself of his kunai pouches and the scrolls he carried, before taking off his Akatsuki cloak.

Then, unable to stop himself, Deidara commented; "Little brother, un?"

Sasori smirked as he turned to the blonde, still sitting on his bed, "We're undercover here. We have to be untraceable, can't let our real names be recorded anywhere."

Deidara lowered his eyes a little, he supposed he should have figured that. Well, you'll have to excuse him, but this was his first mission being a criminal missing-nin for the most wanted evil ninja organisation in the world.

"Besides," Sasori continued casually, hanging his cloak off of the end of his bed neatly, "If I hadn't said you were my brother, what other excuse would I have for going to a hotel in the middle of the night with a blonde boy noticeably younger than me?"

Deidara blushed brightly at that comment, and huffed in reply, choosing not to dignify his Danna's jest with an answer.

Sasori, however, laughed heartily at the boy's reaction, chuckling in amusement as he took off his shoes and started to prepare for bed.

Deidara shook his head as he too, took off his cloak, shoes and clay pouch, and laid down to fall asleep.

Just after the blonde had reached over and turned off the light next to his bed, Sasori having already done the same, and turning over so that he was comfortable, Deidara smirked to himself as he voiced in the silence;

"Goodnight, Nii-san."

Sasori grinned then, not opening his eyes in the darkness as he replied; "Go to sleep, Otouto."

He heard Deidara's light chiming laughter before he drifted off to sleep.


The next day, leaving the hotel early in the morning to continue on their mission, Deidara persuaded Sasori to let them stop at a ramen and miso soup stall for breakfast, despite how insistently Sasori claimed they could wait until after they had delivered the relic, Deidara would hear nothing of it, to the point where he declared that he would make a scene if his Danna did not allow him to eat immediately.

Now, as they walked away from the stall and finally headed off to the Clan estate, a whole hour later than Sasori had planned, he noted with irritation, Deidara was in decidedly better spirits.

"Come on, Danna, let's get this over with, un." Deidara told Sasori, then added as an after thought, "How long will this take, un?"

Sasori sighed irritably, "Not too long, brat. So stop complaining. We will just need to discuss some... arrangements that need sorting out, and then we give them the relic, they give us the money."

Deidara felt himself grow cautious at the way Sasori said 'arrangements', and hoped the redheaded puppeteer wouldn't go making trouble with this clan. But he trusted his Danna, and he was quiet as he followed the larger man through the village.

The Gue clan estate turned out to be some distance from the main village of Kusagakure, and Deidara was surprised when they came to the large building which served as the front house of the estate, which, as it turned out, was huge.

"State your business." A guard, dressed with a large emblem which Deidara assumed stood for the Gue Clan, addressed his Danna with a disrespectful sneer, as he stood protectively in front of the gate which lead to into the estate.

Sasori was calm and unresponsive to the man's rudeness however, as he simply raised a hand and retrieved a small writing scroll from out of his cloak, handing it to the guard without a word.

The guard gave the puppet master one last suspicious glare before unfolding the parchment scroll and reading the contents, which he soon recognised to be in his master's handwriting, requesting the Akatsuki who stood in front of him.

Rolling the message back up and pocketing it, the guard nodded simply, before opening the gate and leading the two missing-nins through the front garden, into the first of three large traditional Japanese houses, where he turned to them at the door.

"Please wait, and I will alert my master of your coming." He told them, a bloody sight more respectfully, Deidara noted, as the guard slid the paper door open to the building and entered, leaving them standing at the door as they waited.

Other guards around the wall surrounding the estate watched the Akatsuki-nins as they stood waiting. It made Deidara feel a little uneasy, but Sasori merely watched the door the guard had disappeared behind, seemingly uncaring that they were being watched, and carefully silent. Deidara decided to take his lead, and stood relatively still next to the redhead, unspeaking.

After only a few moments, the paper door slide open once again, and this time they were faced with someone of obviously higher regard than the simple sentinel that had led them here. The Gue clan representative greeted them with a very wide and very fake smile, as he gestured elegantly with his hand that they should enter, welcoming them.

"Come in, Akatsuki-sans." He told them in a jovial voice, "Akasuna no Sasori." He acknowledge Sasori, obviously knowing him to be a man whom was to be respected.

Sasori merely nodded in recognition of the title, as he continued to walk into the first house of the Gue clan. Deidara walked closely behind Sasori, as the redhead followed the Gue clan member through the halls of the traditional Japanese building.

Soon enough, they came to another door, which the representative stood at. Sasori and Deidara both immediately assumed this was where the Gue clan head, the man they would be delivering to personally, was resided.

As the door to this room was slid open, the aura of the Gue clan house became immediately darker. The large throne-like chamber was visibly dimmer, with fire torches lighting the walls despite the natural sunlight hiding behind the closed shutters of every window. The sentinels and other members of the Gue clan seemed to have gathered for the arrival of the Akatsuki-nins, forming a crowd as the head of the clan sat on a high chair at the far wall of the room, the other members lining a pathway which ran straight through the middle of the room, which the two foreign ninja were obviously expected to walk down.

As they passed the other members, who all talked loudly, laughing and jeering at the new comers, some yelling humorously-meant obscenities, the Akatsuki members made their way calmly towards the clan leader, who sat quite comfortably in his throne, smirking with obvious amusement and pleasure.

Deidara felt his face grow hot, as he was scrutinized by the men surrounding he and Sasori. He almost stopped, slightly shocked, when he heard them whistle at him as he walked by, obviously mistaking him for an attractive woman. Instead, he moved closer to Sasori, who also seemed to have noticed, as he broke his concentration on acting calm to turn to the men who had whistled at Deidara, glaring at them scathingly before he continued walking towards their head of clan.

"Leader Ishikawa-sama is greatly pleased by the news that you have found the relic," The representative who had greeted them at the door spoke up again, his fake smile never seizing as he spoke to them, seeming to be the only well-meant man in the room, though he was fooling no one.

The clan leader Ishikawa said nothing himself, merely watched Sasori for a reply.

Sasori, though, was no bullshitter, and he was certainly not one to go along with formalities. "Of course we did, that's what you paid us to do. Now give us our money." He responded in a bored, and slightly sarcastic tone.

"But of course!" The representative replied, holding his hand out to a large guard who stood directly next to Ishikawa's throne, and whom handed the smiling man a bag which obviously carried their pay.

As the representative held the money however, he continued, every bit as cheerfully as before, "We will, of course, need to see the relic before we hand over your pay."

Sasori nodded, as he reached into his red-clouded cloak, and produced the elegantly-crafted katana with a Gue clan inscription on the hilt.

The entire clan was in an uproar suddenly at the sight of the legendary sword, their talk rising and their excitements peaked, as even their great leader stood from his adorned seat, gazing down at the blade in Sasori's hands.

"The great Katana of the Gue clan..." Ishikawa spoke, to the great astonishment of his clan members, who immediately went silent. The man then looked Sasori in the eyes, the puppeteer's face holding its bored expression and unwavering gaze. "You have done a good job, Akasuna no Sasori."

Sasori seemed utterly unfazed by the respectful title by which the clan leader had addressed him, despite the murmur of excitement of the men around him, the puppeteer focused himself simply on the plan of action he was about to take.

"Hai." The puppet master agreed, "But you have not done us well, Ishikawa."

Ignoring even the disrespectful term of which Sasori had referred to their leader, by not adding the suffix 'sama', to insinuate that their leader had done them wrong when he was gracing them the honor of his speech, the members of the Gue clan silently clutched their weapons as they waited for their leader's reprimand of the redheaded Akatsuki stranger.

Ishikawa, however, smiled imploringly at Sasori's insolence, "Come now, Sasori-sama," He replied, sweeping a hand in front of him in a friendly manner, "We are on good terms, the Akatsuki and the Gue clan. There is no need for animosity!"

"You have mislead the Akatsuki, Ishikawa." Sasori continued sternly, a glare evident on his features, "And for this I require compensation."

"How, Akasuna no Sasori, has leader Ishikawa-sama mislead you?" The representative replied, coming to his leaders defence as he smiled once again at the puppet master.

Sasori turned his glare to the representative, "My partner and I were put under direct danger, by the lack of information given to the Akatsuki by your clan head. Ishikawa," He directed his words to the clan leader once again, "You have requested the services of the Akatsuki for a simple retrieval and delivery mission, you did not specify the safety precautions surrounding the relic accurately. We have had to battle shinobi from a high-security warehouse, and escape ANBU to retrieve it. For this kind of mission, we would have charged a great deal more than what has been agreed."

In his mind, Sasori also added that, had he known this was not the simple straightforward mission he thought it was going to be, he would not have taken Deidara. Therefore, this man had also threatened the life of his inexperienced partner.

"Sasori!" Ishikawa referred to the redhead informally, his tone light and carefree in an attempt to relieve the redhead of his anger, "There are no hard feelings here! We have made a good arrangement, have we not? I did not know of any more than I told your Leader."

Sasori saw right through this though, easily spotting the malicious glint in Ishikawa's eyes as he lied to the redhead, but Sasori smirked, as he responded;

"Well, now you know."

Ishikawa suddenly frowned at this response, knowing then with a certain clarity that Sasori would not be so easily swayed. "I will not pay you any more, Akasuna no Sasori." He returned quickly to Sasori's respectful title.

"Then I will not grant you your katana." Sasori answered easily, shrugging, and preparing to the replace the katana back into the billowing folds of his cloak.

The men surrounding them were suddenly up in arms in anger, yelling and growling angrily at the Akatsuki ninja, however they did not move without the order of their leader, they hungered to strike at the redhead who was compromising the return of their treasured relic.

"Wait!"

Ishikawa wore a pronounced serious look apon his features, and Sasori knew that the clan head understood his threat was not empty. After all, he could get a good price from many clans for the same legendary relic.

"I will pay you double, more than making up for your trouble during this mission, if you hand over the relic," Ishikawa announced, much to Sasori's satisfaction, until the arrogant man finished with; "As well as the blonde."

Sasori was shocked, and he knew it must have shown for a moment, because the room seemed to still, and the expression on Ishikawa's face was amused. Deidara shifted next to him, and the puppeteer heard the blonde gasp in fear at what the Gue clan head had suggested.

For a moment, Deidara was inexplicably worried. He knew, he should trust Sasori, that this was his Danna, and yet he couldn't bring himself to stop thinking that maybe, just maybe, Sasori would agree. Clutching his hand to Sasori's arm, Deidara told himself he simply would not let go.

And the blonde felt himself despair, as the voices around him jeered and cheered at him, the men laughing loudly at the thought of owning the blonde, while Sasori stayed carefully silent.

Then Deidara felt Sasori clutch his hand, the puppeteer's warm fingers comforting and protective, and in that moment, suddenly, inexplicably, Deidara knew with an absolute certainty that Sasori would never give him up.

"No." Sasori answered, his voice seeming loud in the room, though he had no more than whispered the answer.

The laughing seised, and Ishikawa was now filled with anger.

"With what manner do you say this, Sasori?" The man yelled, all of a sudden overcome with hostility towards the redheaded Akatsuki ninja, "You demand of me more than what I owe, and I agree to your terms, with the exception of a single woman!" He growled, "I have been more than reasonable! May I remind you that you are in my house!"

"And may I remind you that what you ask of me is my partner." Sasori responded, every bit as scathingly.

It was then that every manner was broken, and the men went loose. The Gue clan members leapt forward, as Ishikawa reached for his own sword, all bounding to attack the foreign ninja, meaning to kill and take the relic for themselves, relations with the Akatsuki be damned. And it was with lightning speed, that all motion soon stopped, all but one in the room filled with shock as Sasori stood with a kunai pushing into the pronounced jugular vein on the neck of a man in the crowd.

"Do not move," Sasori announced, Deidara pushed behind him protectively, as he pushed the kunai he held threateningly against the neck of the man he held hostage, "Or I will kill him."

Ishikawa was silent for a hesitant moment, before he laughed, loudly and arrogantly, "And what makes you think I would care about one sentinel!" He asked cockily.

"Because," Sasori answered in his usual calm monotone, emanating control as he continued, "This one is your son."

Deidara was shocked, as he looked over his Danna's shoulder at the boy he held in his arm-lock. The boy was definitely younger than the others, but was he really the Gue clan leader's son?

Ishikawa answered this himself, as he stood stock still, shocked and suddenly alarmed, "How.. how did you know-?"

"You were watching him out of the corner of your eye." Sasori answered, "And he seemed to signal to you every few moments, watching you with obvious admiration. One could only assume he was a lover or a son. I think, for the sake of my own sanity, I wished to conclude it was the latter."

Ishikawa did not even register the insult in Sasori's words, instead filled suddenly with a great fear. "Release him!" He all but pleaded with the redheaded puppeteer, "I will grant you your pay, double as you asked, and you and your partner will walk free from these halls!"

Sasori nodded, solemnly, as he held one arm out for the bag which held his, now doubled, pay - never letting his kunai leave the neck of the younger boy.

The pay was quickly handed to him by the representative, who was no longer smiling, the redhead noted with satisfaction, and once it bag was given to Deidara and safely tucked into the blonde's cloak, the puppeteer released Ishikawa's son.

Rushing forward to his father, Ishikawa placed a hand on his son's shoulder. Sasori threw the katana, rather unceremoniously, onto the ground at the Gue clan leader's feet, before turning, his arm around Deidara protectively, and they walked out of the room.

Before they reached the doorway, Deidara made note to yell over his shoulder; "And I'm a boy, un!"

As soon as they left the estate, Deidara breathed a sigh of relief, almost disbelieving they had gotten out of their safely. It was then, as he looked to Sasori, that he noticed the puppet master was smirking happily, apparently having gotten what he wanted from the exchange.

Deidara laughed out loud then, as they walked back towards the village, and he heard Sasori laugh with him.

"Good work, Danna! I can't believe you even got us double pay!" The blonde praised.

Sasori nodded proudly, obviously also pleased with himself and enjoying Deidara's acknowledgement of his well-executed plan.

"Come on, brat," Sasori replied then, the smirk staying planted happily on his features as he told the boy in a light tone, "I think we should buy some dango on the way home."

'Home...' Deidara thought, realising that was what the Akatsuki had become.

"Sure thing, Danna," He replied as the redhead walked beside him and a calmness settled between the two, "That sounds nice."


A/N: Now, I consider that a fluffy ending to the chapter. But anyway! I hope you all enjoyed this installation, and I shall be back with more in a week or so! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far, as I am thoroughly enjoying writing it.

Also, for all that are interested, I currently have another fic going that some of you may appreciate; its called 'Companion of the Kazekage' and is a Gaara/Neji fic. Check it out if you like :)

Oh, and appease the gods of Nartuo fanfiction by pressing the pretty purple button below, would you?

-Emerald-