A/N: SPOILER WARNING! Chap. VI Vol. 1 of Frankenstein, by Marry Shelley. Yes, I'm rereading it, so I just stuck it in where it was needed. Enjoy!

Tobi was walking down the hall when he noticed a figure hunched over in a corner, obviously crying. Feeling sorry for whoever it was, Tobi went over and sat down next to them. "What's wrong?" he asked. Sasori looked up.

"Why do you care?" he demanded. Tobi, surprised, replied with the logical answer.

"I don't want anyone to be sad, despite who thy are. Mind telling me what's wrong?"

"You should know, you were there," Sasori mumbled.

"You're sad about what happened with Orochimaru?" Tobi asked.

"Wouldn't you be if Deidara did the same thing?"

"I-I'd be sad, but only because he felt the need to do something. Sort of like I wasn't good enough, you know?" Sasori sighed.

"But he was such an ass to go behind my back like that."

"And I suppose that is how it would make you feel."

"What's that supposed to mean, brat?"

"You really do call everyone a brat," Tobi said.

"Who told you that?"

"Who do you think?" Tobi rolled his eyes. "Sasori, I don't get how you can do such terrible things to Deidara and not feel like it was fate when the same things happened to you."

"What do you mean? Is it illegal to end a relationship now?" Sasori asked defensively.

"Why'd you really do it?" Tobi asked, ignoring Sasori's exclamation.

"Why do you even care?" Tobi stared at Sasori.

"In case you don't remember, I'm planning on raising your kid," he said, all humor gone from his voice.

"No one asked you to," Sasori shot. "What fault is it mine if you decide to raise the damn fetus Deidara didn't get aborted."

"How dare you talk about my kid that way," Tobi growled.

"Your kid?"

"Yes, this kid is a bout ten times as much mine as it is yours."

"You can't deny that biologically it's my kid."

"No, but you sure can. Sasori, I don't think you really understand. It's not Deidara's fault he has to keep this baby, the least I could do is take care of him"

"But you're giving up your life, Tobi."

"You don't get it, Sasori. He needs help, and I can't think of myself. I just thank Kami every day that I was given a chance with him. So whatever your reasons for breaking his heart, I can't help but think it was a wonderful thing that he got away from you, and at least somewhere closer to happiness."

"But what about me? I ended the relationship because of stress. My doctor said it wasn't good to be under so much stress and it might give me ulcers."

"Are you sure Deidara was the source of your stress? Sure it wasn't guilt?" Tobi shot. He really didn't like Sasori.

"Guilt?"

"Yeah. Somewhere in your shriveled, black heart you must've known putting so much weight on his shoulders would send you to hell. How can you only think of yourself in a situation like this?"

"If you don't listen to yourself, who will?"

"I guess that's where you have to trust others, Sasori. I don't want to ask Deidara, but I really don't know what he saw in someone so self-centered. I can't help but think it was you that made him think less about himself." And with that, Tobi stood up and left a very confused Sasori, who would never have admitted it, but he felt a bit like he had just lost out.

"Deidara, come and sit down with me," Mrs. Uzumaki said, indicating the spot on the couch next to her. Deidara blinked in confusion but sat down. Not like he could refuse the first mother he'd ever really liked.

"What're you looking at, Uzumaki-san?" he asked politely.

"Call me Kushina, please," she said. "And I'm looking at baby pictures. See? This is Tobi when he was little."

". . .so his hair has always looked like the rear end of a duck, un," Deidara said. Kushina rolled her eyes.

"You know, I was a lot like you when I was younger. I was such a tomboy."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I suppose I'm sort of like that. After raising two boys, how could I not be?" she chuckled to herself and turned the page. "And now I'm going to be a grandmother."

"Do I make you feel old, yeah?"

"Goodness!" Kushina laughed. "You're quite blunt. But that's all right, even more like me." She smiled affectionately at Deidara, and he felt slightly uncomfortable being in such a family environment. "When I first married Minato, I wasn't ready for pregnancy. That's why we adopted Tobi. For a long time, I was scared to bear my own child, and Minato respected that. But finally, I sucked it up, and it didn't turn out so bad. Working and being a mom is a million times harder than labour, let me tell you." Kushina looked up from the photo album, smiling genuinely at Deidara. "But you shouldn't be scared."

"Why, un?" Deidara asked, mostly out of habit.

"Because you've got us. And I know you have no reason to fear Tobi leaving you. I don't want to say it's from him being adopted, but he craves stability and responsibility. It's what makes him thrive. I don't mind being a grandma, I'll get to spoil your kid rotten." She grinned devilishly, and Deidara decided he liked her very much.

"I'm just a bit nervous about the whole, well, raising a kid thing, un. I mean, I don't really mind it, but if people can't stand the sight of me, how are they going to accept my kid, yeah?"

"Not everyone hates you, you know," Kushina said. "But you're just in a situation where you're around people who disapprove of you. I think once you're out of high school you'll see the better side of people. Just give them a chance."

"Hmm." Deidara placed a hand on his stomach. "It's moving."

"Can I feel?" Kushina asked excitedly. Deidara nodded and moved around so Kushina could put her hand on Deidara's stomach. "Oh, well isn't that something?" she said softly, smiling gently down at Deidara's stomach. "You know, I've always sort of wanted to be a grandmother. I don't have a problem with my boys' sexuality, but I would've urged them to adopt. You've really made me a happy woman, Deidara."

"Hey, don't thank me, un. I was pushing for abortion. Thank the asses who won't let me get one, yeah," Deidara said, but Kushina knew the harshness in his words wasn't meant. He, too, was thrilled.

"You found a job?" Kakuzu asked, looking up from the papers he was reading.

"Yup. I really didn't expect it to last, I was just using it as a filler, but they really like me and want to offer me a full time job."

"Hmm. Way to be vague."

"I'm modeling." Kakuzu blinked, and because of his keffiyeh, Hidan couldn't see his expression.

"As long as you think it's stable," he said finally.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's stable," Hidan said. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What's going on with Obito?" Kakuzu sighed, putting the papers down.

"He's at a clinic, and he's seeing a psychiatrist. But I've talked to his psychiatrist, and he won't talk. He's going through withdrawal, and has stayed sober for a while. But he's apparently bipolar, depressed, and suicidal." Kakuzu sighed tiredly, putting the papers down and rubbing his temples. And, for the first time, Hidan saw the guilt he felt. Quietly, he got off the table and went over to the couch, sitting down on Kakuzu's lap. Kakuzu, though surprised, wrapped his arms around Hidan.

"You shouldn't feel guilty, Kuzu-kun," he whispered. "You've done everything humanly possible and above. It's like you were given an impossible test, with no right answers, and you even got extra credit."

"Hmm?"

"Come on, Kakuzu, instead of looking at what you didn't do, why don't you look at all the things you did? Obito's alive, damn it! That's a miracle in itself, all thanks to you."

"Deidara stopped him from-"

"What, like it was your responsibility? Dude, if you tried to talk to him, he would've blown his brains! If you tried to do everything you thought you should've, he would still be unhappy. If you gave him all of Japan, he would still bitch. I know him too, you know. He needs something to complain about, he just can't function without it. And because you were his authority and parental figure, he has to keep bitching about everything you do." Kakuzu blinked, green eyes meeting Hidan's pink ones.

"Thanks. I think I needed to hear that from you," he said quietly. Hidan, without a word, tugged Kakuzu's keffiyeh off his head and crashed their mouths together. Sometimes it took an inconsiderate teenager to say what a psychiatrist couldn't.

Deidara sighed as he got off the bus, stretching a bit after his long ride. Another rejection, but so what, he told himself. He could handle it. He rubbed his stomach as he started towards his new apartment he shared with Tobi. For some reason, he could handle rejection a lot easier when he was going to a home he shared with Tobi than to a place he knew he was just going to be ignored and told to shut up. And finally, he reached the apartment building, climbing the stairs to the second story.

So much had happened since graduation. Kisame and Konan were sharing an apartment, until Konan finally moved in to her dorm. Yes, Konan, the second genius of the group behind Kakuzu, had gotten in to college with an almost free ride scholarship. Kisame was saving up some money to go to a community college, and had refused Itachi's repeated offers to pay for his education. Kakuzu and Hidan were still living together, Hidan becoming more and more famous as a model. Tobi and Deidara had, of course, moved in together into an apartment together. Zetsu had confessed to Tobi he was forced to stay at the mental hospital until he overcame his problems, but he was planning on doing something with his life once he was better. Tobi had completely supported him in this, after all, it was pretty hard for Zetsu, a bright, expressive person, to admit he had mental issues. And as for Itachi? He was destined to go to business school, but it was only a three hours' drive from the city, and didn't have dorms. Itachi, being the heir to an insanely rich company, had rented a single bedroom apartment in a small town closer to his college. Obito was still as insane as ever, and seemed almost to be getting worse. The only real surprise was Pein, who announced he was going to Europe. "Europe?" everyone had cried simultaneously. Pein had simply rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Europe, because I can afford it." and that had been the last of the matter. This week was his last week in Japan.

Deidara opened the door and stepped into the dark apartment. Suddenly, someone threw on the lights and about every person Deidara knew jumped out. "Holy Jesus mother fucker-" Deidara screamed, eyes going wide as he jumped half a meter in the air. He looked around wildly.

"Wow, Dei, nice reaction," Hidan said, snickering.

"I can't help it if you just scared the living shit out of me, un," Deidara shot. "Who let you all in, anyway?" All pointed to Tobi, who was squished between Kisame and Lee on the couch. Deidara looked around the room, and spotted two people he would've never expected to see in his apartment.

"Iruka-san? Don't you think you should've left the baby at home, yeah?"

"Oh ha ha Deidara, very funny," Kakashi said sulkily. Iruka elbowed him.

"I couldn't let things end the way they did, Deidara," Iruka said. "So I decided the least I could do was help a bit."

"I helped!" Hidan chimed in.

"We all did," Lee said, wanting to get his bit in. Deidara was looking around, quite overwhelmed. Tobi saw this.

"They decided to throw you a baby shower," he explained.

"Oh," Deidara said, realisation dawning on him. "Isn't that for women, un?"

"You're so ungrateful," Itachi muttered as Deidara made his way over to the couch.

"Stay standing! It isn't here!" Hidan said, getting up and grabbing Deidara's arm. Iruka got up as well, along with Kisame and Konan. As they pulled Deidara off to the bedroom, he glanced back at Tobi.

"You coming?" he asked. Tobi shook his head.

"Nah, I've already seen it," he replied. The truth was he would like Deidara to spend some time with his friends.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Deidara breathed, looking around the room.

"It's just a crib," Hidan said.

"But it's like. . ." Deidara trailed off, at a loss for words as he went over to the baby crib. He ran his hands over the smooth wood, marveling at the green bedding. What had he been about to say? 'But it's like, not plastic and white paint.' Did cribs actually look this nice? The blankets were green and yellow, soft and fuzzy.

"Do you like it?" Iruka asked, not really understanding Deidara's reaction.

"I love it, un," Deidara said, a grin splitting his face. "Thank you so much, Iruka-san." He turned to face the small group, and instantly Kisame and Hidan were hugging him. Konan was gracing everyone with a rare smile, looking satisfied.

"There's one other thing, Deidara," she said. All eyes turned to her. From behind her back, Konan pulled out a picture and handed it to Deidara. Deidara stared, completely at a loss for words. Hidan and Kisame looked over his shoulders and grinned.

"Now that's something only a woman could think of," Hidan said. In the picture was Tobi and a pregnant Deidara, smiling happily at the camera. Deidara's hand was on his stomach, and Tobi's hand was over his.

"Thank you so much, yeah," Deidara whispered, still staring at the picture.

"You're quite welcome, Deidara," Konan said, walking over and giving him a hug. "We're all behind you, one hundred percent."

There was a tense silence in the living room. Kakuzu and Kakashi didn't exactly get along, to put it nicely. But Kakuzu was holding his tongue, trying not to say anything that might result in a fight. But Kakashi wasn't exhibiting the same restraint. "So, Kakuzu, how's your brother?" Kakashi asked.

"Better," Kakuzu said, gritting his teeth together.

"He isn't making any more suicide attempts, is he?"

"No."

"Is he off the drugs?" Kakuzu ground his teeth.

"Yes."

"Does-" Kakuzu turned away from Kakashi, looking at Pein.

"So, Pein, where exactly in Europe are you going?" he asked.

"London." Kakuzu sighed. Wrong person to strike up a conversation with.

"How about your parents?" Kakashi asked. Kakuzu turned to Tobi.

"Have you ever read Frankenstein?" Kakuzu asked.

"Yeah. Are you reading it?" Tobi asked.

"Rereading, actually. I read it in seventh grade. What did you think of the portrayal of the monster in the first part, before William's death?"

"I didn't really understand it, actually. What about the creature made him so repulsed after spending so long trying to create it?"

"At first I thought it was because it was ugly, but it shows a bit more than that, doesn't it?"

"Kakuzu, have your parents by any chance been arrested?" Kakashi asked. Kakuzu raised an eyebrow.

". . . the hell, Kakashi-sensei?"

"I heard on the news that a couple of drug addicts got arrested for child abuse." Kakuzu growled, grinding his teeth harder.

"Kakashi-sensei, I heard a man with grey hair was arrested for child molesting. Was it you?" Kakuzu had expected the response to come from his own mouth, but instead it came from Tobi's.

"Uzumaki! How dare you speak to me that way!" Kakashi cried.

"I'm sure Kakuzu-san was about to say the same," Tobi said flatly. "And if you continue acting like a prick, I have every right to throw you out of my home." Kakuzu stared at Tobi. Pein didn't exactly care, though if it had come to blows he would've been the first. Itachi didn't exactly know what to say.

"So, Kakuzu-san, what were you saying about Frankenstein?" Lee asked. Kakuzu smiled.

"Kakuzu! Mail!" Hidan called, slamming the door behind himself with his foot. Kakuzu came out from the hallway, walking over to the table where Hidan had slapped the mail down. Bill, bill, bill, a savings account notice that was Hidan's problem, and. . .what was this? Kakuzu plucked the letter from the stack, opening it quickly.

Dear Taki Kakuzu,

We are delighted to inform you that you have been awarded the Mokuton Scholarship. All your educational expenses for the next five years at Akatsuki Business and Financial School. Your books and tuition will be completely paid for, along with living expenses for the entire five years of your education. You are allowed to activate your scholarship whenever it is convenient to start your education. We look forward to seeing you at our school.

Sincerely,

Madara,

Headmaster of Akatsuki Business and Financial School.

Kakuzu stared at the paper, blinking slowly. He read it again. Hidan was standing quietly by his side, waiting for him to finish. Finally, Kakuzu looked up from the paper, still confused. "They accepted," he stated. "Akatsuki Business and Financial School. They're going to pay for my education."

"Ah, good. I thought they might," Hidan said, smiling sadly.

"What?" Kakuzu focused on Hidan.

"I sent in a video asking them to give it to you." Kakuzu blinked.

"You did that?" he asked. Hidan nodded. Kakuzu ripped his keffiyeh from his face and crashed his mouth onto Hidan's, his hands sliding to Hidan's waist. Hidan smirked, wrapping his arms around Kakuzu's shoulders. Kakuzu finally separated their mouths, pulling Hidan to his body and resting his head on his lover's head. "Oh God, I love you," he mumbled.

"God?" Hidan asked, smirking. Kakuzu rolled his eyes, pecking Hidan's cheek.

"You, Hidan, have just done the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," he said.

"Mmm," Hidan mumbled, leaning his head on Kakuzu's chest.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Well, Akatsuki isn't exactly near here. . .and, well, I. . ."

"You're not coming with me?" Kakuzu asked.

"Um, how?"

"Akatsuki doesn't have dorms, at least not for scholarship students. I'll be living outside Amegakure. You can come. . .if you want. . ."

"I want to go with you. I'll talk to my boss."

"Of course." Kakuzu bent, pressing his lips to Hidan's once more. "Have I ever told you I love you?"

"Yeah," Hidan said, smiling and hugging Kakuzu again.

"So we're going to Amegakure?"

"Yup."

A/N: The results are in! From greenpanic6: 'Deidara fits his ponytail under his hat with a secret chakra technique.' XD I love that, don't you? Anyway, review please. And I PROMISE the baby comes in the next chapter. And let me tell you, it's one hell of a birth. Review please!