Tear of an artist
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Spoilers: Deidara and Sasori are from recent manga chapters, but there are only minor spoilers regarding Sasori.
Deidara ducked as a kunai sailed over his head. Sasori's tail flicked out from underneath his cloak, and the kunai fell limply. Sasori withdrew the puppet-tail back into the cloak, staring firmly at their enemy.
"Deidara. Use it." Sasori's voice was commanding, and Deidara knew, he just knew there was no arguing. But this one was different.
"But… Sasori…" Deidara sighed when he saw his partner's steel gaze. Deidara turned to his opponent, a powerful enemy, but Deidara really didn't need to use it. Frowning, Deidara looked back at Sasori. "Do I have to, yeah?"
"Yes." growled Sasori. "We have to get to the headquarters soon. We're going to be late."
"But we can end it just as fast if you get out of Hiruko." replied Deidara. He had Sasori there.
"No." Sasori growled when the opponent prepared a jutsu. "Do it now."
Deidara nodded. Quickly summoning the masterpiece from the headquarters, he stared at it. A beautiful and enormous clay phoenix. It flew at Deidara's enemy, at it's master's whim. Deidara had been saving it for a special occasion, to kill someone he deemed worthy of the beautiful explosion that would follow.
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Deidara was a simple person. He was an artist. He loved his artwork, and had always been proud of them and this fact. However… Deidara loves his artwork even more so, because after becoming a missing nin and joining the Akatsuki, it was all he had. All he had that didn't involve the Akatsuki anyway.
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A tear silently rolled down Deidara's cheek as the enemy screamed in pain, before silenced by the explosion. Looking away and pulling his hat down, Deidara strode past Sasori; who for a moment, as a fellow artist, felt his partner's pain, before nodding.
"Let's go." said Deidara, the tear gone and no traces of sadness left.
End