Greetings!

You all must bow down to the great FluffyKeira for editing this. I have so many errs it isn't funny! She fixed them up and asked questions like a good little beta! So here is the next chapter all fluffed up for you. A couple more chapters and I will introduce Rei and co. to Deidara. Yays for cuteness that will ensue!

Till then, I don't think I had anyone ask any hard questions (other then my beta but I will answer her question at the bottom). Oh! I have a poll! Go look at my profile. I have already begun to write this story, but it will take some time out of this one, but not much (already catching up on my stockpile). So, please, vote!

So let the story begin!

From Leaf to Flower

ARC 2

Chapter 11

Adjusting

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or cute nicknames like Sakurazilla

"The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection." - Michelangelo

There were two things about Deidara that Sakura had totally forgotten about; firstly, he was about as patient as she was, and he wasn't known as the best patient either. These didn't help his current bed rest situation, ending up with her walking in on him trying to get up, arguing over that and Sakura winning the battle of the wills by compromise.

That was what had just occurred. She was now sitting on the bed with Deidara's head in her lab, playing his hair as he tried to get some more sleep. Obviously, that wasn't working.

"Deidara," Sakura said as she ran her hand through his hair again.

Deidara rolled onto his back so he could look up at her.

"Yes?"

"You're not resting."

"Nope." Deidara said as he took his hand and stroked her face.

"Well you're supposed to be." Sakura said as she leaned in closer and took a small kiss from his lips. "That's the whole point of bed rest, not making little circles on my back with your fingers."

"But it's fun, yeah. I could think of a couple other activities that are even more fun." He said as he lifted the bottom of her shirt with his nose, exposing her skin.

"Deidara." Sakura warned as she felt his hand go under her shirt as well, reaching tantalisingly close to the places he knew she loved to be touched.

"Hmmm?" Deidara said with a mischievous look in his single exposed eye, feigning innocence halfheartedly.

"Don't." Sakura said grabbed his hand from behind her.

He smiled as he licked her stomach, causing her insides to turn into butterflies, before kissing circles around her naval. Sakura tired to pull away, but he easily pulled her down on the bed all the way, nuzzling into her stomach, while his hand she had tried to pull away kissing up her spine while his thumb rubbed small circles on the previously kissed disk.

"Deidara," Sakura tried again, losing her tone of voice as well as her will to stop him the more he had his wicked ways with her.

"Hmmm?" Deidara said as he moved to where he was hovering over her with a smug smirk.

"I said 'no'." Sakura said as she gently grabbed his head and brought his forehead to her lips.

He groaned frustrated at her rejection as she just held him there before slowly withdrawing her lips.

"You still have a temperature," Sakura said as she stroked his hair. "Wait till you're better."

He dropped on top of her, squeezing her close as he buried his face into her chest, groaning unhappily.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said as she stroked his hair some more. "But not today, not now."

"When, yeah?" Deidara muttered from where he had buried his face before rubbing his nose up and down in between her breasts.

"When you are healthier; when I have spoken to you about what has happened; and when I have a pretty ring on my finger signifying that I am in wedlock. Like Tsunade-kaa-chan and Haitaka-kun did."

Deidara groaned again before pulling his head up and resting his ear over her heart. "I'm healthy now. Tell me what you need to now, and I'll get you that pretty ring today if I have to."

"No, you are still recovering; you're not ready; and marriage takes time if we want to do this properly. Do you even still want me?"

Deidara looked at her like she had grown a second head, "Why wouldn't I still want you? I have been looking everywhere for you for almost six years. I've checked every place where your name should have been recorded, and usually ended up with nothing, yeah. If it hadn't been for most Akatsuki members knowing your name, I might have thought I dreamed you up."

Sakura smiled happily as she kissed the corner of his mouth. "Well, I am very glad you didn't give up. Now." She got up, despite the fact that Deidara had been holding on to her, "I have to get back to work."

"No." Deidara groaned as he sat up and pulled her into his lap, kissing and suckling on her neck. "Stay, yeah."

Sakura moaned a bit as he licked her pulse before sucking on it. Sakura quickly put her finger in his mouth to pull it away from her flesh to stop the suction he was creating. She did not need a hickey today of all days.

"I have to work," Sakura said as she quickly moved her hand up to pinch his cheek quickly, "But I will be back to do a small healing session and feed you."

"Can I pick what's on the menu?" Deidara said suggestively, pressing her closer to him to hint at what he wanted.

"No, Aozora is making the food. Be prepared, you're getting a bath today." Sakura said, using the moment he flinched to get out of his grasp, scuttling towards the door.

"Sakura, you're not going to let them give me another bath are you?" Deidara said with a horrified look on his face.

"I let them the last time," Sakura said with a grin, "That's a bit of revenge for a very awkward situation you put me in a couple years ago with them."

'For all those sensitive spots they were teasing me about every time I was given a bath for three months.' Sakura thought as she left the room, sealing it after her, hearing Deidara's frustrated groans as he flopped back onto the bed unsatisfied.

Sakura smirked as she came back; she had been riding Tsubasa again to meet Gaara and Naruto for some tea. She had finished talking over what had occurred. Gaara agreed to watch her kids for a while once Naruto was done with them, since he wanted Aisoku to have some friends other then the fan girls' children that were his son's age.

Sakura still couldn't stop snickering that he named his son 'beloved son'. She had been there when he did it too. His wife looked a little surprised, but she agreed to it.

Naruto seemed a bit upset, but he said that he would save judgment till after Rei had made his. Sakura knew she was practically screwed then. Amariris would love her daddy since he was her daddy, but Rei? He would… cause absolute havoc deciding whether to accept him.

After a quick exchange of notes, and Naruto finally revealing his secret to goofing off all the time while at the same time working, Sakura headed home.

Sakura sighed as she ran a hand though her muddied hair. Tsubasa was equally as muddy since she was the one that ran into the giant mud puddle for fun. Sakura was muddied up head to toe, but nothing a quick bath wouldn't take care of.

She just had to make sure no one saw her till she was clean. She snuck upstairs to her bathtub bathroom. She needed to soak a bit to relax before she met up with Deidara and had to deal with his drama. She loved him, was glad he was back, but she couldn't do that to her children without at least having them approve of him first. That would come before the marriage.

Imagine her surprise when she opened the door to see Deidara getting his bath. He froze in mid-movement, in the middle of a struggle to get out, staring at her muddied form.

"Sakura-chan!" Nikkoo said in a chastising tone, "What did you do? Jump in a mud puddle, hm? Come here and let's see if we can get you back to looking like a young lady."

Crap. She needed to get out of there now!

She was not going to be degraded and washed by them again, not when they liked to tease her by running the washcloths over her more sensitive spots. She spun around, preparing to flee.

Sakura sighed unhappily when she felt the arm around her waist while she was in mid-turn to escape.

Not even the Hanakage could escape them…

…

…

"Not. A. Word," Sakura said as she was glaring at the bottom of the tub, the water was shallow since the maids were washing the occupants of said tub.

Deidara grinned happily as he looked over his shoulder, not minding them scrubbing him for once since Sakura was back to back with him, sitting Indian style with her hands in the center gap her legs made. Like a wet cat looked like when it wasn't happy with its predicament.

"Wasn't going to say a thing, yeah," Deidara said as he sniggered a bit.

Sakura yelped unhappily as Kosame purposely ran over her most sensitive spot with the wash cloth. Unlike Deidara though, who usually tried to escape, she just blushed a bit and kept still.

"Still sensitive there, yeah?" Zaazaa said as the ladies giggled.

Sakura muttered a few choice curses.

Deidara must have inherited his mother's non-bashful nature in situations like this, since he pulled her into his lap and let the maids wash him without fidgeting once. Sakura on the other hand was trying to break free of Deidara's hold.

'Oh, this is so embarrassing,' Sakura thought as she swatted at his hand.

"Well, I know what the cure to Deidara's squirming problem is, desu."

"We should have tried this days ago, un!" Aozora said as she scrubbed Sakura's hair.

"Who knew Deidara would sit still if he had Sakura in his lap. Like a child with his favorite toy," Yuki said with a loud laugh.

All six of them began laughing. If Tsunade ever heard of this, which there was no doubt she would, she would never let her live it down. Sakura decided that if Haitaka even laughed once at her, she would suggest this to Tsunade. Hopefully he would be a bit more bashful if she added Nawaki to the picture.

Deidara didn't even retort to their teasing, instead he showed them all how well he could behave with her in his lap, her being the fidgety one instead.

She swatted at Deidara's hand as he tried to pull a move on her while she sat in his lap, being washed right along with him by his old nurse maids.

Sakura noticed she was the only one blushing, Deidara seemingly unaffected by the embarrassing situation.

Soon the bath was done, but instead of drying off her off and letting her leave, they all got up and left both of them in the tub. Deidara was immediately kissing her bare back on his favourite spots.

Sakura knew if she hadn't shushined (1) out of his grasp, that she would have never made it further then another second of him doing that. She grabbed a towel that had been laid out and flung it at Deidara before wrapping one around her own body.

"Sakura," Deidara purred as he chuckled, smiling in realisation. "you really haven't been with anyone else have you, yeah?"

He wasn't getting out of the drained tub, but had moved the towel around his waist, tying it securely so she would turn around and talk to him. For some strange reason, she was being rather obstinate about being with him, so he had figured he would wait and she would come back to him, like she had before.

"No! I haven't," Sakura said as she blushed, "Is it really that obvious?"

"Your body's memory is still there. If you had been with another, you would not respond to my favourite spots but to the other's, yeah." Deidara said as he tried to pull himself up.

Sakura sighed as she realized why he hadn't gotten out; he couldn't. He wasn't strong enough to pull himself up yet. Sakura sighed as she grabbed another towel and flopped it over his head before gently drying his dripping hair.

He groaned a bit in pleasure; obviously, they still liked to rough him up at bath time if he was enjoying her gently massaging his head with the towel. She eventually pulled that towel away and grabbed a new one to help him dry the rest of him, pulling him up after a while and letting him stand as she finished drying him.

She was about to go for his dressings for his wounds, but he had pulled her back over to him with a towel he had grabbed around her waist.

"Let me dry your hair," Deidara said as he used the towel he had pulled her back over with and began to gently dry her hair.

How much did she miss this? She mused as she leaned into him a bit. She had not had male affections pointed at her like this in forever. Rei was different, he was her son and so were Ichigo and Kagerou. She had yearned for touch like this for years, not even a week went by after she had last been with him did she begin to ache to see him and be touched lovingly.

She hadn't even realized Deidara had pulled her close enough to whisper on the shell of her ear until she heard the faint words, "I don't know why you've been avoiding me, but I will wait till you come to me to give you all of me, yeah."

Sakura sniffled a bit, touched by his words. "Thanks Deidara…I will come back to you… just wait… please…"

"I will always wait for you," Deidara said before kissing the shell of her ear and pulled away, "But that doesn't mean I'll stop harassing you, yeah."

Why did that sound like something Tsunade had told Haitaka?

"Deidara," Sakura said in her warning tone.

He was misbehaving again and had followed her to her room. She turned around to face him, only to see an innocent look on his face, like he didn't know he was following her around like a little duckling.

"Yes, Sakura-chan?" Deidara said, pulling his face into the sweetest smile he could.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sakura demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"Going to your room, yeah."

Why did he make it sound like it was so simple? Sakura lamented to herself as she rolled her eyes a bit before looking at him again. He was trying hard, but she knew that her room was closer; he couldn't stand much longer, so she just groaned as she led him to her room. He smiled happily as he followed her angry footsteps.

"Go lay on the bed," Sakura said pointing at the bed. "Before you break something."

"Of course, Sakura-chan," Deidara said as he walked past her in his clean pjs, radiating smugness.

He was able to talk her out of the stupid nightgown thing. It didn't help his male ego very much. He kissed her head as he passed her and walked to the bed and relaxed. Sakura huffed as she walked into her closet to try to find something other than the towel around her to wear.

She muttered angrily at the closet since there was nothing like what Deidara had, simply, comfy, and not too layered. She finally found a simple pair of slacks and a yukata top with a simple obi around her waist. Sakura was just surprised that Ino had put something so not extravagant in her closet.

Deidara was lounging on her bed, hands holding his head up as he lay on his belly, watching her come out of her closet.

"It took you long enough, yeah," He said with a huff, looking up at her with reproachful eyes.

"I have a lot of clothes," Sakura defended, "Being Hanakage isn't easy you know! Especially when I divide up my time for other things."

"Like?" Deidara said as he raises a brow. "You goof off?"

"No!" Sakura said with a blush crossing her face. "I have other responsibilities! I have to make sure that the development of the village is going well; I make my rounds and make sure everyone is good; I have several clans that I maintain good relationships with; and I teach children at the Academy!"

She wasn't about to tell him it was because her handful of children that she had been named guardian over were prone to scare off other people capable of teaching them.

"You teach, yeah?" Deidara sounded interested.

"Yes!" Sakura said with a huff as she grabbed a brush off her vanity and began to work it though her short locks of hair, wincing as it caught and tugged.

She moved to the edge of the bed and sat down, angrily trying to get her hair untangled. Deidara sat up, pulled her into his lap while swiping the brush and began to gently comb her hair for her.

How did she live without him so long?

She couldn't remember how. All she knew was this was paradise for her. She obviously still had problems combing her hair, though that had been his job.

"Then why aren't you teaching them right now?" Deidara asked as he gently untangled a knot.

"They are with Naruto-kun. He said he would take them in and show them what a different village is like. They are going to Suna next so Gaara can show them his village as well," Sakura said as she leaned into him a bit.

"I see," Deidara said, "So does the Kazekage know I am here? How about the Hokage, yeah?"

"They know you're here, I talked with them this morning, that's why I had to leave. Gaara has already pardoned your crimes against him, thank your father for that later, and Naruto has decided that…"

She paused. How in the world was she going to tell him that Naruto was saving his judgment for when Rei decided whether or not he liked his father?

"He decided…" Deidara drawled, trying to get the answer from her.

"It's complicated." Sakura said as she looked at the window, "When you're better, okay?"

Deidara let out another frustrated groan, when was she going to tell him anything?

There as a knock on the door, but to Deidara's surprise, Sakura didn't jump off his lap in embarrassment.

"Come in," Sakura said, looking at the door with a smile.

Haitaka and Tsunade popped their heads in and looked at the two. Tsunade frowned for a second before putting a questioning look on her face. Sakura seemed to know what it meant.

"Go ahead, let's see how he'll take this," Sakura said as she finally slide off his lap and stood next to him.

"Alright," Haitaka said, pulling the door all the way opened to reveal a blonde haired child with honey and blue eyes being held by Tsunade.

"I'm guessing Sakura told you about me and Haitaka, correct?" Tsunade said with a pointed gaze.

"Correct," Deidara said with a bit of confusion in his eyes, "Congratulations on your wedding, yeah."

Oh boy… This was awkward. He hadn't actually seen his father in almost eighteen years, so he didn't really know how this should be going.

"Thank you Dei," Haitaka said, smiling a bit at his eldest son, "We thought you should meet someone, hm."

He took the child from Tsunade's arms and walked over to Deidara, looming over him a bit, like he always did, as he played with the child in his arms a bit. Deidara remained silent, trying to figure out what was going on. He almost feared the child to be Sakura's, but his father was holding the child much too fatherly for that.

"This is Nawaki," Haitaka said as he looked for Nawaki to Deidara, "He's your little brother, hm."

"Hi Aniki!" Nawaki said with a happy wave, "Daddy said you and Sakuwa-nee-chan like each othe'. "

Deidara passed a look over to Sakura, questioning whether he was sane or not, but she nodded, a blush on her face at what the child said.

"Um…" Deidara said, not really knowing where to go from this.

His world had been limited while being in Akatsuki. Though he knew how to react with Sakura, he didn't know how to feel about having a little brother. How was he supposed to react? Wanting to hold him? Falling in love with him? He didn't know.

So he just stared, shifting uncomfortably. It wasn't until Tsunade had walked up and took Nawaki and held the boy out to his brother.

"Do you want to hold him?" Tsunade asked, she was trying hard to be friendly with the boy who she was still angry with, for Haitaka's sake.

"Could I?" Deidara asked as he sent a look to Tsunade.

"Of course, he's your little brother," Tsunade said holding Nawaki out farther.

Tsunade almost forgot why she was angry at the blonde when he awkwardly took his little brother into his hold, sitting the boy on his lap and staring down curiously at the child, lost at what to do.

"You name? Is Deidawa, hm?" Nawaki asked.

"Yes," Deidara said as he still watched the child, "And you're Nawaki, yeah?"

"Hai! You look lots like daddy. He said you from a diffewent mommy, but you still my aniki because you awe his son. What you mommy's name?"

Haitaka never said Aya's name much in front of the child. If he had, Nawaki never registered it as his first wife's name.

"Aya. Her name was Aya," Deidara said as he gave a small smile, forgetting his earlier nervousness as he spoke to the social child, "She was really pretty."

"Like my mommy?"

"Like your mommy. She was silly and spontaneous."

"Spon..tan..eous, hm?" Nawaki looked at him questioningly.

"Random and always doing something different, yeah."

"Ah! Like Sakuwa-nee! She always doing spontan…eous things! She took me riding! And she likes adventuwe and playing and all sowts of fun things! Why you say yeah? Not Hm?"

"Why do you say hm?"

The look on Nawaki's stumped face made Deidara chuckle lightly, a grin spreading across his face and his eyes light. It was a new side to Deidara that Sakura had never seen. He was a natural at handling Nawaki, once he wasn't as nervous. She could tell he really liked his curious little brother and a smile spread on her lips as she darted her eyes over at Haitaka and Tsunade who were also still there watching.

Deidara seemed to have forgotten they were there. He was still talking with the toddler that knew too many words. Tsunade was actually trying not to smile. She was finding it hard to keep her grudge against the blonde. Haitaka had quietly moved his fingers and laced them with hers, probably kissing her palm to show his affection. He wasn't hiding that smile on his face at all. He was watching his sons be brothers.

"I think it's someone's naptime," Tsunade said eventually, when Nawaki yawned again.

Nawaki looked over his shoulder before glomping onto Deidara, hugging the man close by wrapping his arms around the older blonde's neck. "No want to go, hm! Want to stay with Aniki!"

Tsunade blinked, her son never had done that before. Haitaka had a surprised look on his face as well as he looked over to his wife. Deidara had stiffened at the contact, but was now relaxing as he pulled the child in closer and whispered something in his ear. Nawaki looked over at his mother then back at Deidara with a question written on his face. Deidara nodded before releasing the boy enough for him to reach out for his mommy.

Tsunade was confused as her child willingly came back to her, snuggling into her with more affection than he ever had.

"Bye bye, Aniki, Sakuwa-nee-chan!" Nawaki said as he yawned again.

"Bye Nawaki-chan, yeah," Deidara said as he smiled at Tsunade, "Your son is very sweet."

Tsunade grinned a bit but made sure he knew she wasn't pleased with him, "You're still on my list, brat, but I guess you're an okay brother. Nawaki-chan is free to play with you anytime, except right now. It's naptime."

She looked over at Nawaki who was already asleep and laughed lightly before kissing his temple and walking out with him.

"Deidara," Haitaka said, getting his son's attention. "When you're labelled 'better' by Sakura, come visit me in my suite. The maids will point you to it. 'Till then, I have business I need to take care of, hm. Take care alright?"

"Hai, tou-san," Deidara said with a light nod of his head. "Take care of that new son of yours, yeah."

"Take care of our kage, hm," Haitaka shot back before leaving himself.

Once they were gone and the door was shut, Sakura was on his lap and giving him light kisses on his jaw line. He chuckled a bit as he looked down at her, getting a kiss on the lips as she continued to kiss him gently.

"What brought this on? Not that I mind, yeah," Deidara said as he buried his face in her hair, enjoying her warm, feminine fragrance.

"You looked very cute with your brother. I never knew you'd be a natural with children." Sakura said as she kissed him again, "What did you tell him? None of us could hear."

Oh. So she wanted to know what he had told Nawaki. He smirked as he pulled away, smiling a bit wider as his eyes danced with mischief. He had always been good at spotting opportunities like this.

"I don't give away information for free, yeah. I'll trade you something for it though." Deidara said as he watched her expression turn into a cute pout.

"What?" She said as she crossed her arms, ending the soft kisses, "You want to trade? You're still stuck in bed and I still won't go that far with you Deidara. Your lungs won't have it."

"I haven't been coughing that much," Deidara said as he furrowed his brow slightly before lightening his expression. "But that's not it. What I will trade for what I told him is if I can stay in here with you, yeah."

"You want to stay in my room?" Sakura asked incredulously.

"Yes, and-"

"Oh, there's an and?"

"Yes." Deidara said as he laid back on the bed, dragging her with him and nuzzling her hair as he breathed in her scent, "I would like a child of our own, yeah. Not today, since you're not ready for me yet, but soon."

Sakura pulled herself up a bit, looking at him rather surprised as he stared at him with those gleaming blue eyes. She had only dreamed of him wanting to be a father. She had only wished every moment of her adult life for this. Her eyes grew gentle as she laid her head on his chest so she could listen to his heart.

"I would like that. But the whole pregnant thing will be long and tiresome, Dei. Are you willing to put up with a 'Sakurazilla?"

"I would, yeah. I think you're cute when your ticked off and rampaging about."

That got him another kiss.

"Alright, what did you tell him?"

"I told him that I only had my mother till I was eight, then she went away, so he should treasure his mother as long as he can." Deidara said. "He's a smart kid, yeah."

Sakura smiled as she played with one of his locks of hair. She wasn't afraid of him rejecting his children anymore, and he was a natural at being a father. Now all she had to do was get Rei to see that. As soon as he was won over, the rest would follow.

But till then she was going to get him back into health so he could survive the obvious battle that was coming down the road. Gaara would only be able to entertain the kids for so long. She could predict them back within a week.

Okay! Cut! That's a wrap!

Well here is the one thing my Beta wanted an answer for:

(1) Shushin- a ninja move that allows the user to teleport to a different location. It cannot be used long range, but short range. (The fancy pantsy move Sasuke and Kakashi used to show up during the finals of the chuunin exam)

Other then that, you know the drill:

Tell me what you think! Your input is used in my stories, so give me what you think!

Alright, that's it for now.

Till next time

Unknown Artist of Hanagakure

signing out

-bleep-