I had lost track of time and, I believe, so had Sasori. It was well into the night before I heard Sasori's whistle calling me back to the base. I wasn't far and I made it back within a few minutes, the rain was still making its way down in lazy drizzling. I was dripping with rainwater once I walked back inside, creating a small puddle. Sasori cut me a mordant look, watching as I dripped water everywhere. I'd begun to shiver from the drafty air.

"Cold?" Sasori asked, cocking a brow. I didn't grace it with a verbal response, but I did glower at the man. He tossed something at me that I had to rush to catch before it landed in the growing puddles. "Our female member has donated some of her clothes to you, it'll have to do until we can get into town."

They had another female member? I hadn't heard of her, I had only heard stories of the infamous men in the Akatsuki, tales of their legendary strengths and their mercilessness. Although I didn't know the woman, I was grateful to her for the clothes I would get to wear. I still planned to wear Sasori's shirt to bed, but at least I wouldn't have to go out into battle in it. As I dressed in the bathroom, I set my wet clothes over the tub to dry before I left.

Cerise colored my cheeks when I realized I'd walked in on Sasori as he was dressing. Lightning flashed outside and illuminated his shirtless form and I ducked my gaze when he turned to face me, abashed. Eager to escape the uncomfortable situation, I went to sit in my designated corner, only to freeze mid-step. There was a crack in the wall that was dripping water, making my lovely sleeping place a freezing and wet pneumonia trap.

I heard Sasori sigh as he eyed the corner, and for a moment I feared I would be sleeping in it in spite of the predicament. Sasori brushed past me and I stiffened at the contact, stumbling to the side to get out of his way. I didn't want him to start shoving me around like Deidara did with my brother. "I'll fix that soon, until then I suppose you'll have to sleep in the bed."

That didn't sound too bad to me.

"Deidara and I have to plan out a mission tonight, I won't be back until later, I trust you to stay out of trouble for a while." With that, Sasori left me standing dumbfounded with little else to do but crawl into bed. Thunder cracked outside as I buried myself beneath the blankets, seeking to disappear as much as I could. It relieved me to know Alex would be on his own for a while, safe from the explosive bastard who had brought us here in the first place. A little alone time would go a long way, I was certain when Sasori came back he would order me out of the bed, once he realized he didn't want to share it. He hadn't shown the same penchant for violence that Deidara had, but there was something beneath the surface, something dangerous.

There was a storm beneath those grey eyes, and I was about to become the lightning rod.

"Too bright," I groaned, having woken from the bright sunlight filtering through the window. I burrowed deeper against my source of warmth in an attempt to shrink away from the brightness, only to freeze in shock when the source happened to sigh. Bolting upright, I looked to the side to find I'd pressed myself into Sasori.

"You're worse than a dog seeking affection." Sasori's voice was gravelly with sleep. I'd never even noticed him slipping into bed, he'd failed my expectations when I'd thought he'd kick me out.

"I was asleep!" I snapped, pulling the blanket up around me. Sasori chuckled and sat up, the blanket slipping off to reveal his bare chest and torso. I pursed my lips and turned my head, hoping to make it look like I wasn't staring—which I wasn't.

I jumped when a hand slid across my leg, making me gasp and pull away. "Relax, girl," I heard Sasori sigh. "You're so jumpy all the time." He picked up the book off the bedside table, and I realized he hadn't meant to touch me, he was only reaching for the book. Chagrined, I cleared my throat and got out of the bed. It wasn't as if he could tell me my paranoia was unfounded.

"Can I leave the room? It's stifling staying here," I asked, fixing the shirt back down over my legs. Sasori waved his hand at me and I huffed. "I'm not a trained circus dog you can just shoo away," I grit out.

Sasori looked over the top of his book with a sly smirk. I bristled at the expression as I rushed to pull on my shorts. I slammed the door on my way out, not missing Sasori's mutter of "terrible attitude" as I left. I could show him a bad attitude. Where did he get off criticizing me in any capacity? He'd abducted me, stolen me off the streets and uprooted my life, and he expected me to accept it? To be prim and happy with it? I don't fucking think so.

I was a bit busy being angry to watch where I was going, but I got yanked back to reality when I crashed face-first into someone's chest. I bounced off with a swear and reached up to cover my mouth. I was going to apologize when the person I'd run into beat me to it.

"Watch where the fuck you're going, bitch," the man snapped.

I moved my hand to uncover my snarl as I glared up at the man. I recognized him then, he was the same man I'd met on my first night here. "Why don't you open your eyes, asshole?" I growled.

The man sneered, a sinister glint entering his eyes as he backed me up against the wall. I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat and lifted my head, hoping it made me look much less afraid than I felt. It was always going to be my mouth that got me in trouble. I reared my fist back to sock the man in his face, forgetting that I was all but useless with the bracelet on. Too bad for me that he saw fit to remind me. I shouted in pain when the bastard intercepted my punch and yanked my arm around behind my back, then shoved me face-first into the wall.

It had all happened so fast, but when I felt his hand slip underneath the shirt I was wearing, time crashed into a violent halt that made me feel like all my insides had just gotten launched out. The man's palm was cool against my abdomen as he rested it there, and I tried to back away from it, only to press my body further into his. "Be careful who you fuck with, little girl." The man's warning hung in the air as he dropped me, pulling away and leaving me against the wall. I sucked in a breath, not having realized I'd started holding it.

"Bastard," I called back, my voice shaking with rage and lingering nervousness. Perhaps Sasori wasn't the one I needed to fear. Speaking of him…

"You aren't too bright, are you?" Sasori asked, coming up behind me. "Don't pick fights with those you know you won't beat. You aren't half as tough as you believe."

My knight in shining armor, right?

"Maybe I would be, if you weren't keeping me prisoner, you crazy bastard!" I didn't mean to start yelling. My emotion was spilling over after having boiled for hours on end.

Sasori laughed. Of all the expectations I'd had, that was the last, to hear the incredulous laugh that left him. "Why don't you go find something to do before you get yourself in trouble again?" Sasori's voice brooked no argument, there was no way I could ever mistake it for anything other than a warning.

Coming between our argument, Deidara slipped past us. The sight of him made my hackles rise, remembering what had happened with Alex yesterday. "Where the hell is my brother?" I asked, noticing the obvious lack of him following the blond.

Blue eyes cut to the corners to glance at me. "Yours sure has a mouth, yeah." He turned towards me, folding his arms. Sasori hummed in response, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. I loathed hearing Deidara refer to me as if Sasori owned me. No one owned me.

"He's in my room, yeah. It's the only place he can't get himself in more trouble."

Concern morphed into the longing to see Alex, to ensure he was okay. "I need to see him. Please," I turned to Sasori as I implored, though I knew the choice was ultimately Deidara's. If I had to punch his teeth into his skull to get to my brother, I'd be glad to.

"Whatever, I don't care, yeah," he shrugged. I didn't stick around for him to change his mind, I shoved past him and ran back down the corridor for the bedroom. My mind had conjured all sorts of frightening images of Alex lying, hurt, and I had done nothing to save him. Without even knocking, I burst through Deidara's door, Alex's name on my lips.

Alex was sitting in Deidara's bed in a relatively upright position, but it looked like it was taking all his effort to do even that. I rushed for the bed and clambered on it, cupping my brother's face. His eyes looked glazed over, dazed. "Alex? Alex, can you hear me?" I murmured, brushing his hair out of his face. He groaned, wincing as if my voice alone pained him.

"Sis?" he grumbled, finally snapping to attention. His voice sounded like a croak, dry and painful. "Hey."

He was too out of it, Deidara must've done something. He'd hurt my brother. "Alex, what happened? What's wrong, baby?"

Alex shook his head, leaning back out of my grasp. "It's nothing, nothing serious," he said, his voice gaining more clarity. His expression darkened then, and he reached for my shoulder, where he gripped me tight. "Listen to me, don't piss off Sasori. Don't make him angry, okay?"

"Alex, you're scaring me." Privately, I already thought I'd well pissed Sasori off before. "What did Deidara do to you?"

Alex rubbed his leg, the one the bracelet was locked on. "I…I'm not sure. It was…was like this horrible pain overcame me, I think the bracelets do it. Deidara can control it, I know Sasori can do the same. I don't want…you can't experience that, promise me you won't make him angry. Promise me!"

Alex exclaimed his final wish when I started to shake my head. I couldn't promise that, I hardly knew what would make Sasori angry and what wouldn't. But, looking at the pleading face of my brother, I couldn't deny him. "I promise, okay? I promise, now come here," I held my arms out and he fell into them, clinging to my shirt. "God, what's he doing to you?" I whispered, unable to fathom what the bracelet could do to have hurt my brother so much.

I heard a raspy laugh from Alex. "Being an asshole is what he's doing. He's pretty great at it, too," my brother was sounding a little more like himself. "I heard you yelling a few minutes ago, Aya. What happened?"

Ah, right, my encounter. "That man we met the first night here, the one who wears the pendant?" I started, combing my fingers through Alex's hair. "I ran into him by mistake. He…he didn't like it," I finished, deciding to err on the side of caution and not share with Alex what the man had done. Alex was wounded enough without him being afraid either for me or for the same thing befalling him. "No big deal, I can take a big tough guy like him."

Alex offered me a weak laugh, but it was still a beautiful sound. I didn't doubt he could shake off what had happened. Alex was resilient, he'd grown up with nothing but hardship, but he continued getting up each day and putting a middle finger up at the world. I could learn a thing or two from him. Suddenly, Alex asked me a question, something that made my heart sink through the floor.

"Do you think we'll ever be happy?" he murmured. It was such a heavy, dark question for someone so terribly young. "Like getting out of here, escaping somewhere safe? Or do you think we're really trapped?"

I took in a deep breath. "Look, life isn't meant to be easy. You and I both know that. Some people are meant to be strong, life puts them through trials. We're the strong ones, Alex. We can handle anything thrown at us." I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "We'll get through this, whatever happens."

Alex fell silent for a moment, his hand squeezing my leg. Just when he opened his mouth, Sasori's voice broke in. "Amaya!"

I'd yet to hear my name from his lips. It sent a chill down my back, my ears pricking up on full alert as I stood from the bed, leaving Alex bundled among the blankets. On my way out of the room I nearly ran into Deidara; I would have had he not slid to the side to avoid me. I glanced over my shoulder to watch him lift Alex off the bed, carrying him as if my brother weighed nothing at all. "I can walk!" came Alex's affronted claim. Deidara only snorted in disbelief, but he did set Alex down, an expectant look on his face.

"Go on," the blond pushed. I turned when Alex took a single step, paused, and then sunk to the floor, as if his muscles were nothing but jelly. Deidara snickered as he knelt to lift my brother up again.

"What's wrong with you?" I demanded, but Alex never even looked at me, he was busy trying to singe Deidara alive with that glare of his.

"Amaya, don't keep me waiting," Sasori called for the second time. Fucking impatient, as if he was going to age ten years if he had to wait on me. I hurried out of the room (I wasn't going to make him come to get me) with Deidara carrying Alex behind me. Sasori's eyes hardened when he caught sight of the both of them. "If you're already using drastic measures against him, he isn't going to survive the month."

My stomach turned itself inside out. I didn't trust Sasori's tone, implying that Deidara was a sadist who kidnapped kids off the street to kill them.

"Don't patronize me," Deidara scoffed. "I like this one. I might keep 'im around for a while, yeah." I glanced towards the pair, noting Alex clenched his jaw.

Sasori rolled his eyes and sighed through his nose. I couldn't tell for what reason; was he doubtful of Deidara's claim, or annoyed at the thought of Alex and me surviving too long? Neither of those things were bright. Deidara walked ahead with Alex while Sasori and I followed behind. The redhead fell into step beside me and began to talk. "Our leader wishes to meet the both of you today, that's the whole purpose of this gathering. You're going to have to familiarize yourself and understand our goals and members if you're to be of any use to us," Sasori explained, while my spinning mind tried to latch onto bits and pieces. "You're not to do anything, speak out of turn, don't even look at anyone. Stay by my side and you won't get hurt."

Now this meeting sounded more like an execution. Despite my desire to object, I had no room to do so. Never did I think going back to hide in that room would be so appealing.

Soon we reached our destination, a looming set of double doors, made of the same cold silver stone as the others. Behind the doors revealed a long table, where several people were seated. I recognized some faces—the man with the pendant, definitely—and others were concealed by the shadows in the room. Sasori led me forward and took a seat at a chair, then proceeded to tug my arm so that I would collapse beside him on the floor. I colored at the indignity of sitting on the floor at his feet, but I didn't dare open my mouth to protest. Deidara sat on the opposite side of us, placing Alex on the ground as well. Beside me sat the asshole, his violet eyes glinting darkly as he glanced down at me. A cold smirk crossed his lips, prompting me to lean away and press against Sasori's leg.

Sasori shot the man a warning look. "Leave her be, Hidan," he warned. It felt better to place a name to the man, finally.

Hidan rolled his eyes, but he did straighten up away from me. Ahead, at the very front of the table, a shimmering silhouette flickered into existence. Beside it at the seat closest to the front, another silhouette glimmered, their head ducked. Around the table, the other members lowered their heads out of respect. I quickly ducked my own to follow suit.

"I have been made aware of two new faces among us," the man at the head of the table spoke, his voice was a quiet calm, yet it seemed to fill the entire room. "Sasori and Deidara discovered two wandering rogues near our village, and chose to take them in."

Well, that was watering it down a little, wasn't it?

"Perhaps they'll be of use to us, instead of only as servants to them." The man delved into deeper details after that, bits that didn't concern me as much. I caught pieces about goals, tailed demons, Konoha is becoming a bigger threat. Things that filtered into my head and into the recesses. Absently, with my attention fading in and out, I leaned my head against Sasori's leg. It'd been unintentional, I hadn't noticed, not until his hand rested against the top of my head. I flinched as he began to card his slim fingers through my hair. It was a benign, gentle action, from a man who was everything but.

I allowed him to continue, my eyes slipping shut as I let myself enjoy the moment's peace. They were rare and far between, and even if it was from someone I should never feel calm around, should never have allowed to touch me, it was…it was nice.

Opposite us, I heard Deidara snort under his breath. It was then that the man's, whom I presumed to be their leader, voice rose and caught my attention again. "Deidara, Sasori, would you care to introduce your captives to us? Perhaps demonstrate their worth?"

Beside me, Hidan sneered, "they're good for sex, not much else," he snickered. I would have loved to punch the smirk off his face, though I doubted that I would have ever made it that far, even if I had access to my chakra. Sasori pulled me from the floor and leaned in close to whisper in my ear, "I've deactivated the bracelet enough for a little chakra, give us your name and try to impress him." With that, he pushed me forward. Beside me, Alex stumbled up as well.

"My name is Alex," he spoke just loud enough for those watching us to hear.

I cleared my throat, "Amaya."

Ten pairs of eyes had landed on us, as if I couldn't feel uncomfortable and anxious enough. I felt myself freezing up when, next to me, Alex raised his hands. It was reflex when I jumped back and away, staying out of my brother's way as a wave of fire encircled around him as he moved his hands. The orange flames vanished as he lowered his palms, though I knew they would still be searing hot for a few minutes to come.

"Can the girl do anything?" I glanced at the man who asked, only catching a glimpse of startlingly blue flesh. Alex opened his mouth instead of me, most likely to smart something off. A gasp launched past his lips instead, and I glanced in his line of sight. A puppet, one with such human features it left me jarred, was headed right for me. Panicked instinct kicked in and I reeled back, electricity crackling at my fingertips as I threw my fist forward and connected with the puppet. It was a weaker one, if I had to guess, it wasn't one of Sasori's best works. He'd used it to boost my strength.

Wood shattered beneath my knuckles as crackling electricity surrounded them, destroying the puppet that would have stabbed me. Hidan's mouth had fallen open as he'd watched the display. I couldn't resist a proud smirk.

"Interesting," the shimmering outline of their leader murmured. "I see they can become allies of value." He waved his hand at us, indicating we head back to our spots. I nodded my head before I headed back to Sasori's side, my veins still thrumming with energy and my head spinning from what had transpired. Would this mean that Sasori and Deidara wouldn't…dispose of Alex and me? Now that they had a real reason not to?

But…did I really want to fight for the Akatsuki, to do the dirty work of an infamous, criminal organization? Was that a fate worse than dying?

"I will call another meeting soon to discuss plans of our next Jinchūriki capture. Until then, you are all dismissed." The two silhouettes in the room vanished, and the members around the table stood to take their leave. As I approached Sasori, Hidan cut his eyes towards me, annoyance evident in his sneer. I ignored the sound of Deidara bickering with my brother in favor of meeting Hidan's glare head on.

"Tch, fucking dog," he muttered.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Bastard," I snapped in return. It was a petty, petty argument, and not one my pride could deny rising to.

"Whore," Hidan retaliated.

I bristled at the comment and bared my teeth in a furious snarl. "Snow white!" It was a reference to his pale complexion and light-colored hair, and it seemed to get under his skin. He raised a hand to hit me, but before he could, I lashed out. Sasori had yet to cut off my chakra, I realized, as I swung my fist and caught Hidan in the jaw. I would have never, ever been able to land that hit had Hidan not severely underestimated me, but I wasn't one to turn down a freebie.

Sasori grasped my arm while Hidan began a litany of swears and threats, none of which he got to carry out as Sasori all but dragged me out of the room. I stumbled over my own feet as he stormed away, only coming to a stop when we were almost to his—our—room. He glanced over his shoulder at me. "What did I tell you? I warned you about starting fights you wouldn't win, didn't I?"

I was too afraid to answer him, but I wasn't sure if it was a rhetorical question. I was struggling to pull my arm away from his painful hold when Deidara sidled past us, Alex trailing along behind him. I couldn't bring myself to look at either of them. "Are we sticking with tomorrow's plan, yeah?" Deidara asked, "we can map out the area and be home sometime in the night, they should be fine being alone for that long."

I perked up at the thought. Perhaps Alex and I could figure out a way to escape the pair before they returned.

Sasori inclined his head. "That sounds fine. You take to the air, I'll stick along the northern pathway." Suddenly, right after finishing his sentence, Sasori dropped my wrist. It might've been a relief, had he not wrapped the same arm around my waist and tugged me close against him. I voiced a startled sound, but found myself too shocked to pry myself away from Sasori's grip.

Hidan strode past us then, slowing as he passed us. I flinched at his hard look. "I never thought I'd see the day the puppet bastard got a slut," Hidan jeered. I could feel my face heating up, but from anger or embarrassment? I flinched when Hidan cut his eyes towards me. He walked off cackling, and Sasori's arm tightened around me, perhaps the only thing standing between me and Hidan.

Deidara snickered beside us. "And you told me not to get attached?" he asked, and I glanced up to see his eyes glittering with smug mirth.

"Go to your room, brat," Sasori coolly remarked. Deidara started to say something else, but Sasori was done listening to him and continued down the corridor.

"That hurts," I finally hissed, once he'd reached our room. Sasori only let me go once he'd shut the door behind us. I rubbed my red wrist, certain there'd be a pretty bruise there by tomorrow.

"Hidan likes when you do that. You have to get over it," Sasori said.

Confused, I took the bait. "Do what? What are you talking about?" I had no idea what Sasori meant.

Sasori narrowed his eyes. "When you act so innocent, it makes him want to toy with you. Hidan likes any reaction he can get from people, and when you act like a blushing virgin it only encourages him."

I spluttered for a response, completely caught off guard by his bluntness. It was my fault Hidan was out to get me? Right, all of this was my fault, wasn't it? How could I forget? I couldn't find a proper retort, so instead I crossed my arms like a petulant child. "I do not!" I exclaimed, scorned.

"So, you won't react if I do this?" Sasori queried, and I rolled my eyes.

"Do wh—mmf!" Sasori cut my question off by pressing his mouth against mine in a hard kiss. My heartbeat started to pick up the second his lips touched mine, and color flushed my face. I was too taken off guard to do a thing, I didn't even break the kiss.

Sasori pulled away after only a second or two, leaving me standing frozen. "You're redder than your hair," Sasori pointed out, as if I couldn't feel how hot my face was. "If you don't learn to control yourself, he'll continue doing things to get such a rise out of you."

"Fuck you!" I snapped breathlessly. "How is someone not meant to respond to someone kissing them?"

Why would he kiss me?

Why was my heart going so fast?

I was hoping that if I glared hard enough, I could put a hole right through Deidara's head. It was a funny thought, and I couldn't keep a smirk off my lips.

"Quit pouting at me," Deidara said stoically, as if I wasn't currently attempting a murder. His careless responses to my rage only succeeded in driving my annoyance further—how could one man be so infuriating?

"Why should I?" I retorted. Perhaps it was a little petty, but hey, I was a little petty.

Deidara inhaled slowly and sighed, his eyes falling shut. "You're a pain in the ass you know that, yeah?"

"Yeah," I said, grinning ferally when he turned to look at me, his eyes slitting in a narrowed glare. I was sitting on the ground at the time, having started to play with some of the extra clay Deidara had lying around. He said he hadn't cared if I messed around with it, and I'd made good with that permission for a little while. It looked like the time of peace was up.

Deidara started towards me. I only had time to put my hands in front of me, a weak line of defense, before he was on me. I cried out as he grabbed me by the hand. It was more out of shock than pain, but either or, Deidara didn't pause as he hauled me up. I pressed my hand against his chest when he pulled me close, attempting to keep some distance, however small, between us. "I've had enough, un," Deidara seethed, inches from my face.

I gasped as he whirled around, shoving me onto his bed, where I bounced a little on the mattress. I rose on my elbows, still shell-shocked by the events. "What the fuck is your prob—"

Deidara climbed atop the bed and shoved me back down, effectively shutting me right up. The blond straddled my hips as he looked down at me, a smug curl to his lips. Heat flushed my face first, but it was rushing through the rest of my body fast. "You need to be taught a lesson, kitten," Deidara hissed as he lowered his face close to mine. I pressed into the mattress, but it didn't stop Deidara from crushing his mouth onto mine.

The kiss was all raw and brutal violence, there was no passion or romance anywhere in it. My lips parted in a startled and pained gasp, and that turned out to be incredibly stupid on my part.

Deidara's tongue pressed into my mouth, brushing past my lips. It was an odd, hot sensation. I arched beneath Deidara, our chests pressing together as I attempted to free myself, but it did me no good. Deidara nipped at my lower lip and prompted a quiet groan from me—I was unable to resist it. Sharp, warm pain bloomed on my lip. Deidara smirked against my mouth as he lifted up some. "Lesson starts now," he murmured.

Panicked, I tried to move my wrists, but he rushed to pin them above my head. I struggled against him, rustling the sheets beneath us. Deidara hardly seemed put out by it. He cocked his head and lowered, his lips grazing, against my throat, where I was certain he would be able to feel my pulse racing. I flinched and cried out when he sunk his teeth into my neck, surely leaving a mark behind. I wished that sound had been entirely pain.

Deidara laved his tongue over the wound he'd left on my neck, the wet and warm sensation chasing a shudder down my back. My body arched once again, a weak attempt to escape, and perhaps a bit of something else. Panic was meeting with heat in my chest, and it was an ugly concoction. This was what Deidara had wanted this entire time, wasn't it? The whole reason he had captured me.

For the first time, I felt genuine fear.

Deidara's hand slipped up my shirt, the tongue in the mouth on his palm licking a wet stripe up my abdomen. The muscles in my belly trembled as Deidara moved his hand higher, prompting me to exhale a shaky breath. "Get the fuck off me!" I managed, though my voice was too unsteady to pack much of a punch.

Deidara chuckled above me, lowering to kiss my mouth again. This kiss didn't cut my lips against my teeth like the first had, but it still felt no less violent. I kept my lips firmly together this time, disallowing him any entry. Unfortunately, Deidara didn't take too kindly to that. He bit my lower lip hard, and what could I do but cry out in pain?

Deidara's tongue slid across my lower lip to taste the small droplet of blood that bloomed, his sharp teeth having cut me. I tried to turn my head instead, but Deidara's hand moving up to my chest made me freeze with my heart thudding in my chest. Deidara's calloused fingers slipped across the sensitive peaks of my nipples. I groaned in protest and yanked on my wrists, tears of frustration burning my eyes. Deidara couldn't do this to me. I didn't want it like this, nothing like this. I would apologize a thousand times if he'd let me.

Deidara's tongue glided over mine before he pulled away from me, both of us breathless after such a kiss. I shivered as Deidara circled one calloused fingertip over one of my nipples, gritting my teeth to stop the sound that threatened to bubble forward. "Get your hands off me!" I snapped, "don't touch me!"

With his blue eyes at half mast, Deidara looked down at me, lust having darkened his gaze. "Magic word, un?" he asked me, his voice raw and throaty. I swallowed, suddenly worried my own voice sounded that way. I couldn't allow Deidara the satisfaction of knowing he'd gotten to me.

"Please," I choked out, "please get the fuck off me!"

Deidara hummed, considering, before he shook his head. The whole reaction was drawn out, like he thought this was all a great game. "I don't think so, yeah."

My eyes widened at his denial. The mouth on his palm opened suddenly and the tongue laved hotly across my nipple, causing me to arch up with a startled cry. "Stop!" I grit out, struggling to form words around the haziness settling in my head. "Please, I'm sorry! Just let me go!"

I wasn't even sure if I was pleading for him to let go of me now or altogether. I doubted he was ever going to set me free, but it was a wish that still permeated my thoughts.

Deidara hushed me softly, returning his attention to my neck as he began to kiss at it again, his lips smooth as they glided across the expanse of skin. He paused as he did, stopping near my racing pulse, where he sucked harshly at my flesh. It was a pleasant feeling that served to cloud my head even further, and I had to bite my own lip to not moan. It shouldn't have felt good, it was disgusting that it did. Fucking asshole.

Deidara smirked against my neck. "Nice. A little more, yeah," he murmured. A warning growl rumbled in my throat, my tail winding around one of my legs in my anxiety. Deidara's hips rocked above me, pressing into my own.

I didn't know which was more startling—his hardness, or my own.

Deidara groaned against my neck, his voice shaking with pleasure. "Excited, kitten?" he smirked, continuing to roll his hips.

I grit my teeth, struggling not to rock my body up into Deidara's. This was cheating, it was absolutely damned unfair.

"You're so shy, yeah. You a virgin, pretty boy?" Deidara's question gave me the strength to buck my body, almost succeeding in throwing him off. Of course, "almost" didn't mean shit. Deidara dug his knees into my hips, grinding himself down against me. My mouth opened in a moan that time, the friction too much for me to ignore. Deidara's hands dropped low then, too low, skimming the edge of my pants. I repressed a whimper, unwilling to let him see me afraid.

"Deidara, don't," I had to stop and clear my throat of the sudden lump. "Deidara-sama, please." I resorted to lowering myself to using the respectful honorific, too afraid of the consequences if I didn't. For a moment we were both still, and I feared Deidara would deny that request, too.

Fortunately, he pulled his hands away, freeing my other wrist and removing his hand from private places. "Good boy," he cooed the praise. I almost choked on a retaliation.

I jerked both my hands down and pushed him off me, sitting up and hugging my arms around me. I was furious, I was violated, I was furious.

"Aw, are you angry at me now, yeah?" Deidara grinned sinisterly. "I warned you, didn't I?"

I grit my teeth. I didn't trust myself to talk. If I did, I was sure I would spew something that would get me in further trouble. Deidara smiled, a genuine smile, and leaned forward to kiss me. That kiss was a far cry from the ones we'd shared earlier; it was calmer, it was softer.

"Yeah, I think I'll keep you around for a while, un."