"You're what?"
"Y-you heard me," Deidara stammered, looking away from Kakuzu, trying to reassure himself with Sasori's encouragement. His hands, balled tightly at his sides, were trembling nervously. "I can't take this anymore. I'm not your punching bag, hm."
Sasori had helped Deidara dry off at the stream, telling him that he had to do something to punish Kakuzu. He didn't taunt Deidara for crying over the issue, mainly just acting like he wasn't except for occasionally wiping away a tear before it could leave the blonde's chin. Sasori told him to go back to the headquarters, back to his bedroom where he stood now, and sort things out.
"I never said you were," Kakuzu protested desperately. "Please, Dei, don't do this to me. You mean everything to me."
Deidara met his gaze. "Then why hit me?"
Kakuzu's eyes flared with frustration, and Deidara felt a wave of fear wash over his heart, sending it fluttering. The senior man slammed his palms to the wall on either side of Deidara, blocking him from getting away. "I just can't control everything," he growled.
Deidara felt his stomach twist into a knot and he stared up at Kakuzu through fearful eyes.
The masked man saw the fear in his lover's eyes and his anger left him in a rush, like a dam breaking. His arms relaxed and he slouched self-disappointingly. "And I can't control the fact that I do love you," he murmured.
"Or the fact that you can't stop yourself from hurting me," Deidara grumbled, dropping his gaze.
The terrorist squeaked in surprise as Kakuzu wrapped his strong arms around him and hugged him tightly to his chest. Deidara instinctively responded by grabbing onto the tall man's cloak and pulling himself up to his tiptoes, holding him tightly.
"I can't give you up," Kakuzu whispered pleadingly. "Please don't leave me." One of his thick hands ran down the blonde's body, lifting his shirt up to expose his chest.
Deidara stifled a moan from the cool bite of the air and pushed on Kakuzu. "No," he said shakily. "That's not working this time."
As expected, Kakuzu ignored him, running his thumb over a sensitive nipple. Deidara clutched Kakuzu's shoulders and gasped, a shudder passing through his body. Still keeping one arm around the blonde's body, Kakuzu managed to reach up and pull down the fabric of his mask. He pressed his warm lips to Deidara's neck, leaving a trail of kisses as he glided up to his cheek.
With a frustrated cry, Deidara shoved Kakuzu away and scrambled out of the way. Kakuzu lashed out and grabbed Deidara from behind. Deidara's back was pressed to his stomach as his arms wrapped around the terrorist again. One hand slithered back up his shirt, while the other slowly crept down, slipping through the hemline of the blonde's pants.
"Ah! Stop, Kakuzu!" Deidara squeaked, trying to pull himself away, but his muscle strength was no match for Kakuzu's. He could feel heat creeping into his cheeks as pleasure coursed through his body.
Kakuzu's breath was hot against the blonde's ear. "Please just let me make things up to you, Deidara. I love you," he added.
Deidara tipped his head back and to the side to look into Kakuzu's eyes. "I love you, Kakuzu," he said, trying to keep his voice from cracking with pleasure, "but I don't think—"
The senior cut him off, pressing his mouth over the blonde's with a gentleness that Deidara hadn't seen in a month. He didn't try to push his tongue through or bite the terrorist's lip for entrance. He just kissed him.
Deidara felt a new elixir of emotion pour into his body and was overcome with the need for Kakuzu in his life once more. He couldn't part with him, no matter what Sasori told him. Sasori could be right about Kakuzu sticking to his old ways, but that wasn't on Deidara's mind right now. All that he could think of was the fact that Kakuzu was being gentle now, and that nothing was between them but Deidara's sensitive ego.
Allowing himself to melt into Kakuzu's touches, Deidara moaned softly and reached up to caress Kakuzu's stitched jawline. He could practically feel joy radiating from the senior. Kakuzu pulled Deidara's smaller body closer to his own, deepening their kiss.
Kakuzu ended the kiss and looked into Deidara's visible eye. "Let me make it up to you tonight," he whispered.
"I shouldn't," Deidara whispered back, and he saw disappointment cross Kakuzu's eyes. He smiled warmly. "But I will."
Kakuzu spun Deidara in his arms and lifted him off the ground with ease. Deidara wrapped his legs around Kakuzu's waist and draped his arms over his shoulders, pressing their mouths together once more.
Deidara felt a wall press against his back and leaned against it, breaking their kiss to look into Kakuzu's eyes. The senior gently eased Deidara's shirt over his head, tossing it away.
"I promise you," Kakuzu vowed, pecking the blonde's lips, "I will never hurt you like that again."