"Yeah, un." Deidara said and pulled him in. He admired the way the sun shone through his room pouring over Sasori's young features making his face appear more angelic than it already was and ash eyes disappeared under long eye lashes. "As ... soon as she gets in ..." Deidara said still himself quietly and snuggled into Sasori under that ridiculously heavy comforter.

Sakura walked through the door, bags in hand. She did a little more than pick up some weaponry but oh well, they needed the food. Kakuzu could be so cheap! No wonder everyone was always starving. Setting said bags down she sighed and flopped on the couch closing her eyes. She was way too tired to even care about the two artists possibly killing each other while she was out. Sakura would worry about that later after some well deserved shut eye.

-

Sasori woke up to see blonde locks in his face. He smiled as everything began to register. He and Deidara made lover and slept together. Everything seemed to be working out after all. Gently, he swiped the sleeping blonde's chopped locks away and kissed his pink lips that were parted slightly causing Deidara to sigh and shift for a moment. "Well he looks peaceful … everyone looks like that until they wake up, neh Deidara?" He mused to himself before carefully dislodging from the bomber's grasp and stepping out onto the cold wooden floor. Throwing on some jeans and a black tank top, he walked out the door but not before giving his partner one last look and shut it quietly.

Sasori shivered at the cool temperature and realized the windows in each room were opened. They weren't that way earlier so Sakura or another member must have come back. Sasori walked to the living room and stopped short seeing pink on the couch. It was Sakura after all. Taking a deep breath he strode over and shook her slender shoulder.

Sakura murmured and sat up on her elbow, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. The disrupting figure came into view and she smiled. "Sasori."

The artist just stared on with stoic eyes as he always did when something weird was going to happen. "Sakura."

"So … how are you and Deidara?"

His eyes widened less than fraction before returning to normal. He knew it was useless to try and hide his emotions because she and Deidara could always see right through him. "We're fine."

"Did you guys have sex?" She looked up at him with a hurt expression.

Wow, this definitely was awkward. He wasn't expecting her to ask that. Sasori switched gazes to the wall and bit on a fingernail. He didn't know why it was hard to look at her … probably because she was hurt.

She sat up and put her hands in her lap unintentionally letting her stare faltered slightly. "Couldn't you have at least waited until the breakup?"

"I could have but …" Sasori sighed and locked his ash eyes with her emerald ones. "You were sleeping with Pein anyway … before this whole thing happened. You just had a crush on me … even though you fell head over heals with Pein."

"I-"

He glared at her. "Does Konan know?"

"I don't think so."

"You might want to fix that. Do you know the difference between a person that loves and a person that likes?"

"No …"

"Deidara loves me. He never wants to leave me. He can't think about anyone else. I'm the only one he wants to kiss, be with … sleep with."

Sakura winced.

"You like me. You don't want to leave me but you leave off with somebody else. I'm not the only one you want to kiss or be with. You don't think about being with me forever."

"A crush is temporary … and love is forever." She put her head down as tears began stream down her cheeks. She thought she was in love. "But I stopped sleeping with Pein when I hooked up with you. I fell in love with you. I just ..." She gripped her knees until her knuckles turned white. "I feel so bad about what I did … to Konan with Pein. I was just lonely and stupid. I-I want to find someone that loves me too Sasori!"

Sasori rolled his eyes. Girls were so dramatic but still, at least she made sense. He made himself comfortable and pulled the new S-rank criminal in for a hug. Suddenly, her crying didn't seem so childish anymore because he remembered when he felt just like her. He was thinking for a long time that no one would ever fall in love with him as a wooden being and it felt terrible. It was a lonely feeling just like she described. "I understand you ssh … it's okay." He wasn't used to making those weird noises and felt foreign on his tongue but it seemed to work because her crying calmed down considerably along with her breathing. He was about to say something else when Deidara poked his head around the corner. He must have heard the crying because concern and curiosity was etched in his face.

Deidara looked at the scene between the two.

Sakura wiped her watery eyes and looked at Deidara who crouched down in front of her and cocked his head to the side.

"Are you alright Sakura-chan, un?"

"Yeah, thanks for asking Deidara …"

Deidara stretched his arms towards the slender konoichi. "Since you're alright, do you need a hug now, un? What's wrong, un?" He and the girl each had their share of differences but she proved to be a great friend in the end and he hated to see her upset.

Sakura nodded and got down the floor with Deidara and let him hold her while Sasori explained the whole thing. Well, most of it.

"We just broke up. She's just upset and I explained the differences between like and love. I told her she didn't love me."

Deidara gave him a hard look.

Sasori caught it and swiftly put his hands up. "She agreed with me because of some things she had been doing … and she wants someone to feel the same way about her as we feel about each other."

Deidara's look softened up and he pulled Sakura to her feet. He had to make her feel better somehow. Out of nowhere, he got an idea and smiled in a 'I-know-something-you-don't-know' kind of way. "Sakura look at me, un!"

Sakura stared at the cheery blonde with a questioning look, blinking through her puffy eyes. "What Deidara?"

"As you're gay friends I and Sasori are responsible for reporting all Akatsuki gossip to you, right Sasori, UN!?"

Sasori smirked and rolled his eyes towards the sky. The blonde could be such an idiot. "Sure why not."

Deidara's smiled widened more if that were even possible. "Drum rolls please danna, un!"

"… Just say it brat!"

Deidara pouted. "Killjoy"

"What did you say to me?" Sasori growled.

"I said killjoy, un!"

"Brat, I am not a-"

Sakura rubbed the bridge of her nose and laughed. It was good to have them back to their normal selves. "Guys, tell me!"

"Sasori you tell her, un."

Sasori stood up to head towards the lit kitchen. "Itachi seems interested."

Sakura gasped and blushed furiously. She had the hugest crush on him. "… Does he really?"

"Duh, un! Itachi just hasn't said anything to you, un."

"Why?"

Deidara shrugged. "I don't know … maybe because he's shy, un?"

Sakura put a finger on her chin in thought. It was strange. Itachi didn't really seem like the shy type. Quiet definitely, but shy ... that's ahell no.

"Shy people don't kill their clan and join the Akatsuki Deidara. Shy people stay home."

Deidara and Sakura chuckled. She never thought the subject was funny but the way Sasori worded the shy subject just made it funny even if it strung a small cord in her heart.

"Whatever, un!"

"Quiet people are usually shy." She said, still smiling. She felt tons better knowing that Itachi may be interested in her and that the two artists cared enough to make her feel better.

"More power to whatever you two choose to believe."

Deidara was about to retort when Pein appeared through a hologram causing the three to look over. "Now he's killjoy, un!" Deidara thought to himself before returning his attention back to the shadowy figure.

"Leader-sama." All three members said in unison.

Pein nodded. "You three have a mission."

"We three?" Sasori asked unbelievably. It was never more than two assigned to a mission in the Akatsuki.

Pein shot Sasori a glare. "Is there a problem Sasori?"

Sasori immediately shook his head. He didn't want to get on the leader's bad side. "No sir."

"Good. I take it you're feeling better?"

"Hai"

"You and Deidara will have to get along for this mission."

"We are now."

Pein looked pleased for a moment. "What about you Sakura?"

Sakura nodded her head quickly. "I am Leader-sama." The guy still managed to freak her out even when he wasn't pissed off.

"You three have a mission as I said. This mission is to travel to the Water country where you will infiltrate a hidden base in the Waterfall Village. I have reason to believe that they're keeping powerful scrolls in their possession to attack us and plan on allying with the Leaf Village just for that cause. Steal the scrolls, find out any information, and destroy the base. If you need to, destroy the entire village."

Sakura gulped. She would really be betraying Konoha if she disrupted any of their alliances.

Pein caught her worry. "This is where you prove your honor."

Deidara interjected. "Can Sasori room back with me, un? We get along, un."

"That's fine. You two are partners again. Sakura, I will address the issue of a partner later. I have someone available but am I clear about your honor? Your responsibility as an Akatsuki?"

She nodded and Sasori stepped up from behind the counter. "How are you sure that the Leaf will accept their invitation for an alliance?"

Pein closed his eyes, ready to leave. "Don't question me. I think that beating faltered your judgment. Do as you're told."

Deidara and Sakura glared but wiped it from their eyes when Leader caught it.

Sasori let his gaze fall. "Gomen gozaimasu, Leader-sama."

"You have a month. This should prove to be a relatively difficult mission but I expect nothing but success from you three. Is that clear?"

"Hai."

"Un."

"Ee."

"Leave tonight."

When he left the group let out a sigh. Dealing with Leader was no fucking joke even on the lightest of terms.

Sasori finished his miso ramen that he left to cool when Pein appeared with details of their mission. "Let's get prepared. Are you two ready?"

Deidara smiled excitedly it had been too long since he had a mission. He was ready to go.

Sakura slipped on her black gloves. She had to pull through or Leader would kill her and she would never find out any information about Orochimaru and Sasuke. "Let's get to it."

Sasori threw his bowl in the sink and left to his shared room. He would move his things after the mission. He had to train before they left.

Sakura glanced over at Deidara and called the red head back over.

"What is it?"

"Just come here, un!"

"Sasuke and Naruto used to do this for good measure."

"Do what, un?"

"This …" She began and formed a fist.

Deidara stared until realization hit him. "Oh, bump knuckles, un?"

Sasori blinked. "This could have waited."

Sakura gave a small smile. "I know but I want to do it now for good luck."

That being said, the three held out their fists and bumped knuckles.

"Let's complete it and get out."

TBC

A/N:

This was a fun chapter for me. I had a good time writing it! Sorry I kept everyone waiting for this I was just busy and had to think of a good one for Chapter 10. Chapter 11 will come soon. I'm excited to write that one.