The Wings of a Dove

IMPORTANT AND URGENT: Guys, before we start this chapter, I just want everyone to know a few things. In about three to five more chapters or so, this story will be over. Now, I don't know whether I want to end this angsty or happy, but I do know that most of my other stories ALWAYS end somewhat cheery, except SSOJ. If you guys could please let me know which you'd like for this story.

Now just because this story is ending doesn't mean I'll leave my loves behind. My new story will soon be posted. It's called All Quiet are the Roses of Thorns (AQATROT) Hehe. Here's the summary and a sneak peak.

When a man died, there had to be blame. You could blame the war. You could blame the idiots who had made the war. You could blame Naruto for going to it. You could blame the rain, the mud, the river. You could blame the enemy and God. He didn't know anymore. But he knew he'd make Sasuke love him again...even if it killed him.

Now although the book doesn't take place fully in war, war does play a large part on some of the most vivid relationships within my story. And of course, it's Narusasu.

Here's a sneak peek:

Naruto inhaled sharply as Jiraiya pulled him into the trench.

His ears still stung and it stunk….stunk stunk stunk of old blood and flies and beasts still holding their rifles, a final gift in this war. Jiraiya's mouth moved in rapid motions, but the only sounds were the humming of the earth and singing of grenades.

Jiraiya pushed him down further as the eighteen year old squirmed and spazzed. Only then did the man's voice come back.

"Calm down, kid!" He yelled over the battle. "It's just a little blood! And it ain't yours! That's a suicide soldier!" The enemy had run up when Naruto had thrown his grenade, ready to kill and ready to die for old men who bickered with one another. He looked up and grabbed hold of Kiba. "Private! Bring out Devil's Piano!"

Kiba looked toward Naruto in concern and then back up. "Yes sir!" And then he was off, crawling through the trench skilfully as he made his way to the machine gun.

Naruto shook his head at his Warrant Officer. "No! No!"

"What the hell are yapping about, Private?"

Naruto shook his head as Sasuke's face appeared before him. 'My picture, sir! My picture of Sasuke, sir!"

"A what!? A picture...of a boy back home!"

Naruto nodded, wiping his enemy's blood from his eyes as he tried to lean up. Sasuke was his baby. If he didn't have Sasuke's picture, would he make it the next years of war? Jiraiya pushed him back down.

"Roll up your flaps, Soldier! We're getting ambushed here! This is no time to think about what citizens are doing back home! I have orders to bring you home safely and-"

The bullet had cut Naruto's officer off, hitting the man in the head, propelling him forward in an awkward cartwheel. The man fell into the dirt, positioned perfectly amongst the other dead. For a few seconds, he looked up at the moon as if trying to admire it one last time. Then the black waves folded over him.

Naruto inhaled, sitting up and grabbing his rifle. "Kankuro!" He called.

The medic ran over, kneeling beside Jiraiya's limp body, examining. Naruto shook his head, knowing there was no reason to even check. Kankuro sighed, his face straight as he grabbed his intercom phone.

His voice boomed in the radio, over the mountains, over the trench where the rest of Jiraiya's soldier fought fought fought for nothing. "Be advised that Major Officer Jiraiya is down."

Ibiki's voice came clear then. "What's his status?"

Kankuro said nothing as he looked toward Naruto.

"What's his status?!"

Naruto inhaled sharply once again at the sharp cries of his lieutenant. He grabbed his radio. "He's dead, sir. He's dead."

And I lost Sasuke, he thought. The only thing he had left to always remember his lover back home was gone. Sasuke had drifted amongst the blood and the bodies and was now eaten by the earth.

There was no call after that as the trench grew silent. Once a major officer died, a platoon felt surrounded. They couldn't function.

Jiraiya fell in October, on a day that was so quiet and still on the whole front, that the enemy report confined itself to the single sentence: All quiet on the Western Front. He had fallen forward and lay on the earth as though sleeping. Turning him over, one saw that he could not have suffered long; his face had an expression of calm, as though almost glad the end had come.

And that's the excerpt friends. I can't wait for you all to enjoy this story as much as I do.. Anyway. Here's the story we're focusing on now. A Most Beautiful Mind!

Naruto inhaled into Sasuke's hair deeply as he arose the next morning. The Uchiha had already been awake, opting to lay dazed and admire the flakes kissing his window.

"Hello." Naruto whispered.

Sasuke looked up, blushed deeply, and then looked back down. "Hi." He whispered.

His behavior made Naruto laugh heartily and the Uzumaki scooted even closer to him. Sasuke sighed in content. "I think our love, Naruto….the love we have for one another should be infinite...so I'll never forget it."

His lover hummed. "It does sound reasonable. However, I first have to measure how infinite love can actually go."

"How big is the universe?"

Naruto's immediate answer came precisely, as if he were in a lecture. "Infinite."

"Well, how do you know?"

"I know because all the data indicates it's infinite, Sas."

"But it hasn't been proven yet."

"No." Naruto answered, wondering where this conversation about all the existing matter and space considered as a whole.

"You haven't seen it."

"No."

"How do you know for sure?"

"I don't, I just believe it."

Sasuke smiled, beginning to trace upon Naruto's chest. "It's the same with love I guess."

Naruto laughed heartily. "I think I understand, Sasuke."

"Hn. Tell me about your time in Kumo."

"I met a man just like, if not worse, than Itachi. Instead of suffering from a developmental disorder from an accident, the man had Schizophrenia…..I suppose he just grew with it. His name was B and he was being fiercely protected by his older brother, much how you and Itachi are."

"Was it odd?"

"Not at all. I treated B with my utmost respect as I would any other human being. However, when speaking with him, I believe maybe he had it far worse. Not trying to push Itachi's illness to the side, but Schizophrenia is not a joke. Not only did he see other humans, but he kept going on and on about these beasts."

"Beasts?" Sasuke inquired.

"Yes He claimed one would always follow him. Some sort of Octopus that told him what to do. The strange thing is, when I met him, he looked over my head and said 'Kami! Your beast is bigger than mine! He's a fox!'

I asked him did everyone have beasts of their own, but he just shook his head, almost mournful. He said 'no...just nine of us. There used to be nine of us.'"

"Wow" Sasuke muttered, awwed by the power so many people like Itachi had.

"I know...it's a beautiful thing, but imagine tha he suffers sometimes, Sasuke. When people tell him he's wrong and there is no such thing as beasts with as many as nine tails. He'd lash out because, goddammit, he doesn't want to be wrong.

Imagine it, Sasuke. Imagine if you suddenly learned that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but worse, had never been. What kind of hell would that be?"

"I...I'd feel so horrible with who I was, I'd want to be like everyone else."

"Yes...and that's why you can't treat tachi like a child. He's a growing man and he gets more intelligent by the day. So you can't treat him like a child, telling him what;s wrong and what isn't. He already knows, perhaps."

Tear filled Sasuke's eyes. He'd never meant to hurt Itachi. He just wanted the man to be happy. He'd wanted Itachi to be the best he could ever be. Never once did he think he'd had Itachi's feelings. He thought hard about what must have been going on in his aniki's head and he sobbed, sure that he'd broken Itachi's heart. "I'm sorry."

"Sasuke...why are you crying?"

"Did I make Tachi lash out? I didn't mean to. I ju-"

"What? No. No. No. You didn't make Ita lash out. Stop crying, it had nothing to do with you and Itachi felt so bad because he heard you crying yesterday...in the hallway."

Sasuke nodded and Naruto touched his face softly. "Don't worry. I'm going to make sure Kisame here's what the hell I have to say today. He's lucky Itachi's so nice, because I'd kick his ass if I was allowed."

"What'd he do?" Sasuke asking, genuinely confused.

Naruto laughed. "Don't you worry your pretty pale face about it. Although, it's not what he did, it's what he said. Don't worry about it, alright."

Sasuke nodded as Naruto sat up.

"What time is it?"

"It's nearing seven in the morning."

"Hm. Deidara and tousan are going to be up in an hour. I should go home and start cooking. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that there's an art show coming up and I want Deidara to try it out. It'll help him open up more."

"Art?"

Naruto nodded, pulling his pants on. "Yes. Ever since he's been painting, he'll willingly speak about his past so that I could find ways for him to get over it." Naruto smiled softly, like a parent. "You know, my lab has turned into part of his lab. He'll go down there and explore occasionally, but usually, he'll do a few stimulations. Most will be encountering past events, but he's doing great. Usually, it takes some people years to recover from traumatic events. It's been some time, so that explains a lot."

Sasuke smiled. "An art show."

"Yes. It costs just 5000 yen to enter, but I'll pay the funds until he gets a working job. However, if many people like his art, he'll win about 15,000 yen. Plus, he can be an art instructor at a nearby university. He always unconsciously teaches me and tousan about art when we come in there. Really good at it too."

Sasuke snorted. "I don't think you've replaced Itachi, but I do think you found another friend."

"...Yeah. Yeah, I suppose so."

"And I think….I think you should place yourself in that book of yours, because you have a beautiful heart too."

Naruto froze and turned to Sasuke, eyes almost comical. "Me? Oh no. I didn't even understand love until tousan told me. I thought I was sick. No. I don't have a beautiful heart."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. For a genius, Naruto could sure be a dimwit at times. "Sure. But if Itachi's happiness and Deidara's progress and newfound love for life were anything to go by, I'd put my money on how large your heart is. And you don't even know it."

Naruto smiled softly, coming over to kiss Sasuke goodbye. "Take very good care of Ita today and know that there will be some tears since he wanted to apologize. I'll be back later alright?"

"Alright."

"And...uh...I uh...I love you. There. Did I say it casually?"

Sasuke laughed heartily, blushing when Naruto made a silly face. "That's good enough for me. I love you too."

Naruto smiled and waved once more before he reached the door.

"Oh and Naruto?"

"Yes?"

"Last night, when Deidara and I were talking, he sort of looked sad and maybe I don't know, afraid. Even if he is recovering, you should talk to him."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you."

Naruto nearly yawned as he walked into his home, smiling softly. His home was so comfortable. Although his lab was just downstairs, he believed most of the credit went to his father and Deidara, who both seemed to bring out different atmospheres for the home.

He walked upstairs, getting washed and dressed quickly, before returning back down the steps with a book in hand.

Starting breakfast, the man leaned upon the counter, reading swiftly and quickly. Never had he stooped so low to read the books of lesser mortals, but he needed to find a way to better understand the emotions dealing with love. He sighed, turning back and watching the fish sizzle on the small grill.

"Hm. By the color, it seems that I have thirty minutes before it's finished. I may as well put the rice on and sit more comfortably in that time."

His propositions led him to the couch as he sat comfortably and continued reading, almost cringing at the words written, reminding himself that this was all for Sasuke.

Ten minutes. He'd gotten ten minutes of reading in before he heard soft padding behind him. He turned nearly smiling at Deidara as appeared by the steps.

Had it not been for the heavy bags beneath his eyes. Had it not been for what seemed to be dried up tears in his pretty blue eyes. Had it not been for how sick he seemed, Naruto would have smiled.

He knew he saw something yesterday. It wasn't just an instinct to coo over Deidara when he saw him. Deidara looked about ready to faint the night before and Naruto gave himself a point for seeing it. "Deidara...what's wrong?"

Deidra said nothing as he looked up, acknowledging that Naruto was here.

"Was it a nightmare?"

The long haired male shook his head. "No. I haven't had those in a while now."

"What is it? Do you have a fever?" The genius placed his book down as Deidara walked over in a fit, tears filling his eyes as confusion and disgust sat near them. He flopped on the couch, next to Naruto, hands near his face, but not touching.

"I...I...I….please don't hate me." He sobbed.

Naruto shook his head. "Take a deep breath and think, Deidara. Tell me what's wrong?"

Deidara took some time to wipe his constantly leaking tears and Naruto took some time to observe him. He looked confused and disgusted with himself; not wanting to touch his face, but having to. Not knowing what to say, but speaking noncommittally. Naruto's eyes widened and he reached forward, pulling his friend closer and into a bone crushing hug.

"Oh...Deidara. Is that what you were crying about? I don't hate you...you're my best friend and I love you."

He understood now. Love didn't have to come with kissing and sex. The love of his father was the color of the man's eyes. The love of Itachi was the large size of the man's mind. The love of Sasuke was…everything. Every smile, kiss, touch, taste, and laugh. And now he saw too. The love he and Deidara had was the depth of Deidara's soul.

Deidra continued to cry however, as he laid his head on Naruto's lap. "I…"

"First start with how long you've felt this way." Naruto pushed gently.

When Kakashi came downstairs, he first walked into the kitchen, seeing food upon the table. He ventured back into the living room, where he found Naruto sitting, staring into space with a deep frown.

Deidara was sprawled across the couch, eyes closed and in deep sleep. His thumb partially sucked into his mouth, and dry tears on his cheeks.

Kakashi looked to Naruto. "What happened? Is Deidara okay?" He whispered. "Are you okay, Musuko?"

Naruto looked toward him then, shaking his head sadly. "He thought I'd hate him, tousan. He thought that it was wrong for him to be gay. He thought he was nurtured into being gay after being raped and sexually assaulted by only men."

Naruto removed his roaming fingers from Deidara's head and wiped his own wet eyes. "He thought that the only reason he was gay was because he'd gotten raped, which made him believe that he enjoyed being assaulted. And he thought that I'd hate him."

Kakashi nodded. "Do you hate him?"

"No. He's just as close as Itachi is to me. He's my best friend. I love him."

"Good. That's all that matters." Kakashi came over and kneeled down before Deidara, smiling as the man's eyes fluttered slowly. "Goodmorning, sleepyhead. You feeling alright."

Deidara smiled softly and nodded. "I'm just hungry."

Kakashi laughed heartily. "Lucky for the both of us, Naruto managed to cook breakfast. And it's ready."

Deidara smiled a bit, standing. "I'm not so sleepy anymore, un."

Naruto stood too, almost falling, wincing at the pain in his leg.

Deidara laughed softly. "Sorry."

"Why's your head so big?"

They all laughed heartily, walking into the kitchen and sitting. They ate in silence for awhile until Kakashi laughed and looked up toward Deidara.

"You know….there was a lot of crying and confusion when Naruto found out he was gay too. It was actually pretty funny."

Naruto blushed deeply as Deidara smiled. "No, tousan. We're no-"

"Really?"

"Yeah, Deidara. It was a bit funny how it happened. He called me from Sakura's house when he was just 19. They had just finished having sex."

Naruto groaned and facepalmed himself. "Please, dad."

Kakashi ignored his son. "And he said while he was having sex with Sakura, he kept imagining that Sakura was actually Shikamaru, an old friend and rival from his school. Yep, Shikamaru was his first gay experience."

Deidara looked toward Naruto and smiled at his almost fainting features.

"And he was crying saying he was seeing things and it was only because he was Shikamaru's rival. But I just smiled telling him that what he wanted wasn't just a side effect of what he'd been through."

Deidara nodded.

"And he said that was wrong and he cried and cried until finally I said, 'Naruto, you've loved boys since before pre-school.'"

Naruto groaned and Deidara smiled softly, not afraid and confused anymore. "Really?"

Kakashi smiled, leaning across the table and ruffling the young man's hair. "Of course, Musuko."

It grew silent and Kakashi's eyes widened. It came out accidentally. He'd grown so attached to Deidara in the past months, he'd began to think Deidara and Naruto weren't so different. Son. So casual a word, and yet sacred to Kakashi. A son to Kakashi was something that he could always cherish. A look at the man Naruto had become, and Kakashi didn't have to explain.

He could have written it off as an excuse of how much Deidara resembled Naruto, but he himself knew it was a ridiculous excuse. He would hope Deidara wouldn't become horrified or confused, but he didn't.

There was a slight gleam to his eyes and he tried hiding his small smile.

Kakashi laughed his tension away and continued eating. Naruto, watching the whole thing, stood with a smile. "I'll be right back. I have to show you something Deidara."

He left quickly to his room, rummaging through his bag. Smiling when he found the object of his desire, Naruto ran back down, handing the paper to Deidara.

They watched the long haired man for some time as his eyes widened. "An art show?"

"Yeah." Naruto smiled. "It's here in Konoha. And it starts in spring. Right at the beginning?"

"It says it'll costs 5000 yen to participate, but I have to-"

"I have that covered, Deidara. Can you imagine the praise you'll get for expressing the way humans live in your art. I've seen it. It's amazing. Would you like to?"

Deidra smiled excited, almost jumping around. "Would I? I have to be prepared, un! Oh, Kami!" Deidara's words became squeals as he ran out into his art room.

Kakashi laughed. "That got him."

"It's only November."

"Trust me, Naruto. Spring is going to come very fast."

Sasuke smiled as Itachi peeped into his room. "Good morning, aniki."

Itachi smiled, coming over and crawling next to his and snuggling beneath the covers. "I'm sorry, Sasuke." he cried quietly.

Sasuke placed an arm around him. "You're fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you and what you did. Sometimes, anger is bottled up for too long and it's good to let it out. It happens to everyone. I'm just glad you didn't get hurt."

"I won't do it again, brother. I didn't mean for you to cry...I just don't want to be dumb no more."

"Itachi Uchiha." Sasuke hissed. "There is nothing wrong with you, do you understand? You are unique, you are an individual. Labels cannot define you, do you understand?"

Itachi thought for a while and then nodded. "I know, but I want. I want to go back to the old me. The one I was born as."

Sasuke tensed slightly. "I...If that's what you want, I'll see what I can do, alright?"

Itachi nodded. "I didn't mean to make you cry, brother. You still love me, right?"

"Love you?" The youngest asked. "You're my everything. Like I said, a man has to have someone, or he'll go crazy. And I have you."

"I love you too."

"That's good."

A knock on the door cut Itachi's next sentence off. Kisame walked in with a small smile on his face. "I uh….Naruto came by today. I wanted to apologize, Tachi."

Sasuke raised a brow. So it was Kisame who'd triggered Itachi. The man looked flustered and embarrassed and ruffled. And Sasuke wondered what Naruto said to him.

Kisame waved at Naruto as he got out of his car with painting canvases. 'Hey, N. how's it going today?"

Naruto stared at him for a while, eventually using his feet and storming over. "Don't you ever have sex with him and then call him a child. He's in love with you. You know that? He loves you and he gave you his heart and you thought it was a joke?"

"What?" The shark man asked confused.

With the canvas still in hand, Naruto grabbed him by the collar. "Look. I do not enjoy bickering with other men, but I do know what you said was wrong. Therefore, you're going to apologize to him and treat him like you always would and not a child."

Kisame nodded, feeling guilty that he'd called Itachi a child...especially after they had sex. "You're right. I will. Right now."

"Good. There has to be a mathematical explanation for how bad you sounded. Just because you're afraid to love him doesn't mean you have to hurt him."

"And Sasuke. Naruto says he'll be over a bit later. He's making sure Deidara has everything he needs for the upcoming art show."

Sasuke smirked. "His eyes closed. He's going to spoil Deidara rotten."

Itachi laughed. "He is."

Four Months Later

Though the winter had been long, the first signs of spring grew boldly, as if commanding the warm weather to come all the faster. It was as if the teeth of winter had shattered and the kiss of a new season approached.

Deidara breathed in deeply, so wanting the pretty flowers and blossoms that he could almost smell the promise of their fragrance. Just to imagine the change of season relaxed him and he walked down the wide hallway with a smile, his steps bolder than they had ever been before.

It was amazing to feel this way. To be loved and love others in return. It was an amazing feeling, when he knew his life was more important and his courage was in need. Looking into his art room, he felt his fears flow out and a warrior broke free inside him. He felt like he could do anything, unstoppable, fearless; death, pain, torture couldn't hold him back.

It was spring.

The previously denuded branches offered their wands of tight green bud to the brilliant rays of spring. The wind had lost its bite, it had become ambient, congenial, blowing branches and tousling the hair of pedestrians - but no longer stealing their warmth. From the gardens waved the precocious yellow bloom of the daffodils, and should Deidra be drawn into the woodland today there were bluebells too. He tilted his head toward the sky to feel the new heat in the sunlight's kiss. How he had missed it in these long grey Konoha months. The only clouds were fluffy, white and quite dispersed, there would be no rain today.

"Dei?" He turned, finding Naruto down the hall with his bag. "Are you ready for the art show? We're all waiting."

Deidara nodded, looking once more at the art room filled with paint and graffiti, and moving out. They walked toward the living room where Sasuke, Itachi, Kisame and Kakashi stood. Sasuke smiled at him. "Don't tell us you're afraid."

Deidara blushed. "I'm not. Just nervous is all."

"Don't be." Itachi stated, his eyes squinted as if he could not see. 'I like your pictures."

"Thanks, Tachi."

Naruto grabbed his keys as Kisame grabbed his. "Well, come on then. The show started 30 minutes ago."

The drive to the art show was short. Outside, it looked like a dark warehouse, places where bad things happened. But, Naruto and Deidara had come the night prior with Deidara's finishing piece, having the time to admire other artists' work and speak with the hosts.

"We're here, un!" Deidara squealed jumping out of the car as Kakashi and Naruto did the same.

"Woah, buddy." His surrogate father muttered. "We want you to see how others react to your art, not see you faint."

"I'll try to contain myself." Deidara smiled as Kisame pulled in near them. But even that was said with excitement.

Naruto shook his head and checked his phone. "Obito will be here in approximately 900 seconds." They stared at him. "15 minutes."

A series of okays were passed around and Kakashi ruffled Naruto's head. "Smartass."

Deidara squealed and nearly jumped ahead, fixing his Kimono and pants beneath. "Let's go."

Deidara's piece was beautiful. As what most people said. It was all he heard all night.

"Did you see the dove?" They would murmur.

"Who's the artist?" The would ask.

He even saw a few security guards telling people they couldn't stand in one place for so long because other people wanted to see.

Deidara sighed. He enjoyed his own painting as it hung on the wall in its glory. It was his shattered dove once again, soaring into the air, searching for a better life as rain, red in its pigmentation, bleached his fuzzy skin.

And yet, the man chose to move around, admiring the works of other artists and sculptors. He'd go back to his when not so many people were around.

The art around was so beautiful and creative. And a human's creativity brought their dreams to life; inspiring, enchanting, bringing them closer to Kami. In art, their souls rised; in stories, they were enthralled and elevated. With creativity, they made connections between disparate people, learned that through their many lenses, they were seeing the same whole, only the path before their feet is still blurred.

"Enjoying it all?" Naruto asked coming up to him, and staring.

Deidara smiled. "Thank you, Naruto. For everything."

Naruto smiled and shook his head. "It's nothing, Dara. Your painting's open."

"Huh?"

"I know you've been waiting to admire yourself. Go ahead."

Deidara smiled brightly and walked over, smiling at the painting. Those were his fears, his hopes, everything that had happened in his life...in that one painting.

He hoped people understood. This was not just some paint and platter. It was a story. It was an experience.

Next to Deidara's painting must have been the second most spoken about piece of work. And Deidara admitted, it was indeed beautiful. So beautiful, he could hardly explain it. He knew for sure it was a sculptor. A puppet more precisely. Of course, it looked deathingly close to any human, but this puppet was so….so fucking beautiful. Maybe it was colors.

The art was coloured glass sculpted by high power water jet, then formed into a mosaic that invited the curiosity of the mind. The flowing blues and greens could be so many things, perhaps like a fading dream it is what people wanted it to be. For Deidara, it was fish in cool waters, swimming freely in their own salty utopia. Maybe that's because He'd love to dive right in with them and feel the soft currents moving past his skin, his hair moving like deep blond kelp. Frankly, he got lost every time his the eyes fall on this piece. It was a place to escape into without leaving these walls.

"Hey." Someone called.

Deidara's eyes turned toward, Sasuke who stood across the balcony with Kakashi. The man raised his glass of wine. "Kudos to you. You're the talk of the night."

Deidara smiled, raising his glass as well.

Sasuke smiled. "Hn." with that he walked away, admiring everything else.

It was only at that moment, when Deidara seemed ready to turn back to his work when his eyes stopped by the stairs.

Two men were walking up speaking to one another, their hands in the pockets of their suit pants. The one toward the left looked younger than he. And he had some sort of weird painting upon his face. Still, Deidara didn't judge the man for expressing himself.

The one on the left however. Although he was looking away, Deidara could tell he was gorgeous. His grayish brown eyes were hazy and his red vivid hair was mousy.

Almost as if feeling someone stare at him, the man looked over to Deidara, making a blush spread across the latter's face.

And yet, he didn't look away. And the man continued to stare at him. Eventually, the blond smiled softly, toward the ground, his eyes then finding his painting.

He stood alone for more then ten minutes or so more.

"It is beautiful." Someone spoke.

Looking back, Deidara watched the mousy haired man as he walked toward. "You think so?"

"Yeah."

"You should look at the painting, un." Deidara muttered softly.

The man blushed. "Yeah. Sorry. You're just...you're really pretty." he took some time to admire the painting. "I always loved stories told in art."

"Stories?" Deidara questioned.

"Of course. This is someone's life. It seemed forged in unhappiness, but there's hope."

Deidara looked down toward the ground to smile.

"I knew it was yours." He looked back up, shaking the man's hand. "I'm Sasori."

"Deidara."

His voice didn't match how beautiful he was. But, still Deidara loved it. The low rumble of his voice was comforting as it wrapped around Deidara and carried him off to a world where sound was the power that could change everything wrong in the world.

It boomed across the sky. He could listen to it all day. It was a voice to sink in as it wrapped you up. Yet, vibrating with power and command. It was a voice with authority. And Sasori saw the blush before Deidara could hide it.

A kindly laugh shook the ground like a storm.

"How do you feel about mine?"

"Where is it?" Deidara remarked.

"The puppet."

His eyes widened. "It's beautiful."

"Really. He kind of looks like a hideous creatures."

"It's the colors that make him beautiful."

He and Sasori looked toward one another and the blond laughed softly, once again looking back down.

"You're cute."

Deidara looked back up and unmistakably, his eyes met the form of Naruto across, giving him some sort of flamboyant thumbs up.

Sasori looked back and laughed. "That your brother?" He questioned.

Deidara blushed deeply, somehow knowing Naruto would find a way to embarrass him. It was good to be loved by a family and loved in return. So he smiled softly, his eyes closed, knowing that Sasori's dreamful eyes stared at him the whole time. He'd never even felt so beautiful until the man came over. "Something like that."

And that's the chapter guys. I think Deidara's recovered well, don't you all? If you look at it, Naruto has been caring for him for at least a year. I hope you all liked the excerpt of my new story. And much love to you all.