It takes a month and a half before Kashi lets him even near the pole and by then he's nearly as flexible as Kakashi. After they practice for a while, they have to work. Dei has nothing to do tonight so he convinces Kakashi to come back to his dressing room after his show.
Kakashi shows up, a bit fidgety. "I can't stay too long, I have a thing later-"
Deidara cuts him off with a deep kiss after pulling down the mask, mumbling "I'll make it quick, yeah." Kashi sucks in a breath, hands on his shoulders that clearly can't decide to pull him closer or push him away.
"B- Boyfriend-" Deidara shakes his head, pulling him down on the old couch.
"Jealousy is the last resort, yeah." Deidara says, straddling his hips, "I'll let you top and everything, yeah."
Kakashi's still in his stage make-up, eyes dark and smokey. His pupils are blown big and dark, hooded with lust. "I don't think he'll agree…"
"Mm… Everyone loves to see subs fucking each other, un. Take me home with you, yeah." Deidara kisses him again, deep and slow. Kakashi kisses him again, matching the pace and skill of Deidara before the words sink in. He pulls back quickly.
"I'm not a sub. Why would you want to go home with me?" Deidara slowly moves his hands into the front of Kakashi's shirt.
"You said he fucks other people, so why can't you, un?" Kakashi groans softly, kissing him deeply and murmuring against his lips.
"That's because that's how he works. I have to be home five minutes ago, Dei…"
"Please?" Deidara's eyes and his pleading expression makes Kakashi want to fuck him on the spot. But his cute speech impediment has disappeared. "Tomorrow, at least?"
"I-" A guy walks in, more than a little drunk and he looks pissed. He catches sight of Deidara draped all over Kakashi and his face darkens more. Deidara notices, moving off of Kakashi and glaring at the guy.
"Who the hell let you in here, un?" Deidara asks. The guy turns red, sputtering. Kakashi meekly gets up, trying to steer the guy out quickly.
"Dei, I'll see you tomorrow for lessons-" Deidara gives a little nod as the guy physically drags Kakashi out. The night passes rather slowly, even though Pein and Konan play with him. The idea of going home with Kashi won't leave his mind.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
The next day, Deidara waits for him. When Dei starts to worry about not having enough time to do his makeup, Kakashi finally shows. He's limping slightly, clearly hiding most of the pain. He has semen covering him, along with dried blood and spit. His lip is still bleeding slightly and bruises litter his body like flowers. There's a fairly nasty burn on his arm and he's sporting a black eye.
Deidara gently stops him. "Oh my god. What- What happened?!"
Kakashi brushes past him, barking out a slightly hoarse order, "Kiba! I want a wet washcloth and a basin of water. Now. Where's Kisame?"
Kiba also looks shocked at Kakashi's appearance, but manages to speak up. "He's with Konan."
"Get him. I need him for the show. Are you up to take his place?" Kakashi looks over, a little concerned.
Kiba nods. "I can do it. Konan has given orders not to disturb them."
"Thank you. Get me that stuff then go. Naruto! Sasuke! Come here."
They run over "What happ-"
"Shut up. I'm not up for my full show tonight. You two are doing the act I know you've been working on. You can have the star spot tonight. I want Gaara extending his act as well, and Sakura can perform her second act."
They run off to do his bidding. Deidara shoots him a look saying they will talk later and leaves as well to get ready.
That night's performances are outstanding, but Kakashi's is quite short. He doesn't make his rounds that night, instead sitting on the bar and flirting with everyone for tips.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Deidara comes up to him after closing, cornering him. "What happened, un?"
Kakashi moves away from him, carefully scrubbing away makeup. "What do you mean?"
"You were really fucked up when you came in, yeah. So what the hell happened, un?!"
Kakashi glances away, more bruises being revealed as he scrubs the makeup off. "I have to go home, Deidara. I'll make it up to you tomorrow."
"Are you safe at home, un?" Deidara sounds surprisingly worried.
"He doesn't hurt me. He just- got mad. I'm fine." Kakashi pulls on his street clothes, just more barriers so everyone sees the strong him. Yukio walks in, pulling Kashi close and kissing him deeply in front of Deidara. The way Kakashi instantly curls up against Yukio sparks one of the vague 'I want Kashi to surrender to me like that' thoughts.
Deidara glares at Yukio, however, when he hears a whimper as one of Kashi's bruises gets pressed. "Ya know, it's astonishing that someone like you managed to get Kakashi."
Yukio turns to glare at him, hands tight on Kakashi. One of his hands line up with all the bruises on Kashi's arm. "The fuck'd you say, cunt?"
Deidara raises his eyebrows in mocking surprise. "Cunt? Really? That's the insult you came up with? I mean, I guess it makes sense. I have had way more sex than you, and with much more powerful people. How's it feel to know you're lower than this whore?" Deidara laughs darkly.
Yukio goes dark red in embarrassment and anger, hands tightening on Kakashi's clearly abused body. Kashi bites his lip, trying to pull Yukio back when he goes for Dei. "Y- Yukie, let's go home-"
"No, I want to teach this slut a lesson." Yukio pushes Kakashi to the ground to get him off, socking Deidara in the face as hard as he can. He goes for him again, only to be pulled back by Ibiki who throws him out. Kakashi helps Deidara up.
"I'm so sorry, I don't know what went through his head…" Deidara's face is bright red, a part near his eye already turning purple. Dei curses, hurriedly wiping away tears when he sees the clock and running off to go see Pein.
Deidara is just on time when he arrives in the basement. He stops in front of Pein who was waiting with various torture implements.
"G-Good evening, Master Pein." Deidara fights to keep his voice even, eye hurting like a son of a bitch.
"Pet, what happened?" And Pein is nice for the first time in a long time, gently checking out his eye. "Tell me everything."
"Kakashi's boyfriend came to pick him up, and Yukio's a-abusing him, and when I tr-tried defending Kakashi, I g-got punched." Deidara looks up at him, black eye steadily forming. He has tears in his eyes and has no un's for the first time in a very long time around Pein.
Pein's voice is soft and scary. "Hatake's boyfriend punched you? This is why you're crying?"
Deidara gives a helpless little nod, attempting to stop crying and ending up sniffling pathetically. "Y-Yes, Sir. But it- it's not his- it isn't Kakashi's fault."
"His boyfriend is dead. You're sure it's not Hatake's fault?" Pein helps him to the couch, grabbing some ice and giving it to him along with a lollipop. Deidara sucks on it, holding the ice to his eye.
"I'm positive, Sir." Deidara manages to calm down enough to where he isn't crying.
"You can stay down here tonight and sleep with Konan and I. Is your nose broken?" Pein touches his hair. Deidara snuggles close to him.
"Thank you, Sir. I- I don't think so, yeah." He leans against Pein's shoulder. Pein puts an arm around him, letting Deidara rest. He calls a few people, barking out orders. Deidara falls asleep during this, enjoying being close to someone.
He wakes up when Konan gets home, the blue-haired girl absolutely refusing to have Deidara sleep in their bed. Deidara tentatively speaks up when Pein outright refuses to leave Dei on his own tonight.
"If- If Yukio's gone can I ask Kakashi if I can stay with him, un?"
"I'll have him out in fifteen minutes. Ibiki will take you there." Pein gives him some pajamas and clothes. Deidara thanks him and he and Ibiki leave.
Kakashi's home is nondescript and cute, a cozy little condo set in an okay neighborhood. Pein called him earlier, so he is an emotional wreck when he answers the door. Deidara is overwhelmed by this.
"Um, hi, un." Deidara says kinda awkwardly.
"What- um-" Kakashi wipes at his eyes quickly, clearly not expecting someone from work. His voice still breaks and he's trembling. "What can I do for you?"
"Pein wanted me to stay with you so that you won't be alone tonight, yeah." Deidara lies smoothly.
He hiccups quietly, looking like a wreck. "I'm fine, th-thanks."
"Kakashi, I swear I won't try anything, yeah. I'm exhausted, can I at least sleep on your floor if you won't give me the couch, un?" He sounds exhausted as well.
"Yeah, I- yeah." Kakashi opens the door a little wider, walking back inside. His hips always have that little natural swing that draws all attention to his ass. Deidara follows him thankfully.
The condo is currently a wreck. Bottles are everywhere, there's a few mysterious stains on the wall or floor, and there's a random hole in the bedroom door like someone punched through it. Clothes are everywhere. Kashi leads him to the bedroom, stripping the sheets off the bed and putting new ones on quickly to hide the blood stains. Deidara just barely manages to hide the anger at the fact that someone would do this to his friend.
"Um- do you mind the bed? I think Yukio broke a bottle in the couch… W- Well, I did. That's what he said. Yukie wouldn't be dumb enough to break a bottle then sit on the glass. I don't think it was all gone when we did it there last night..." Kakashi goes in search of pajamas, voice trailing off.
"Kakashi?" Deidara tries to get his attention before speaking. "He deserved what he got, yeah."
He stops, shoulders shaking a little bit. The articles of clothing fall from his hands. His voice is thick and breaks. "He- He was a good guy, Dei. He just got angry sometimes. It's not his fault and th- they just took him!"
"He abused you, yeah!" Deidara sighs, gently hugging him. "It hurts 'cause you loved him, yeah?"
Kakashi turns around, curling like a flower toward the sun in the gentle affection. "H- He didn't… It wasn't ab- buse. I was his sub. It was punishment for being ba-bad."
"There's a line, un. And I thought you said you weren't a sub, yeah?" Deidara holds him, keeping his touch gentle. Kashi sniffles softly, hiding against his shoulder.
"Wh- Whad'you mean, line? I was b- bad. … I was his Sub. I lik- loved him so I could trust him. He was nice, Deidara. Really nice. He said he loved me." There's a long pause of Dei just holding him before the blonde speaks up.
"Kakashi, did you have a safeword, un?" His question seems completely out of the blue to Kakashi.
"Wh- What? No. Real Subs don't need safewords. You just trust." Kakashi looks up at him, face still black and blue and the most adorable little eyebrow furrow of confusion happening. Deidara smiles very softly at that, a faint sliver of real emotion that quickly fades.
"I trust Pein with my life, un. I have for years, yeah. He keeps me employed and puts a roof over my head, yeah. I'm his whore, and I still have a safe word, Kakashi." Deidara says, looking at him seriously. Kakashi just hides in his shoulder again, shaking his head and murmuring something like 'but he loves me'.
"If he loved you he wouldn't abuse you, yeah." Kakashi moves out of his arms at that one, stripping to put on a large t-shirt that's clearly not his and a pair of boxers.
"He loves me. Yukie's just… He's just not good at showing it sometimes. And he gets a little angry. It's okay though, because I keep him calm."
"He hurt you, yeah. Can I put something into perspective for you, un?" He waits for Kakashi's little nod before continuing. "I'm a hooker, yeah? When I got punched, Pein gave me candy and comfort, un. He could have sent me away and he didn't because he likes me, yeah. I've never had someone else love me before, but I really doubt that love would make people treat you terribly instead of better, yeah."
And fuck- there's something that Dei must've broken instead of making better because Kakashi- strongest stripper and biggest, sassiest badass around- crumples to the floor and is crying. Deidara gently pulls Kakashi to his feet, digging in the small bag of clothes he brought before handing him a lollipop. He really hopes it'll help, because he doesn't know how to deal with emotions.
"Here, un." Deidara says as he hands it to him. Kakashi gingerly takes it, looking up at Deidara.
"What do you want me to do with i- it?"
"Didn't you ever eat these as a kid, un?" Deidara asks in confusion. When Kakashi simply blinks in confusion, Deidara lightly rolls his eyes, pulling down the mask before tapping Kakashi's lips gently with a finger. "Open, un."
Kakashi does as he's told, blinking again when Dei sticks the lollipop in his mouth. He talks around it.
"Do 'ou waunt 'e to shuck it for 'ou?" Deidara kisses his forehead, surprisingly gentle.
"It's yours, sweetie. It's candy, yeah."
"Oh." Kakashi closes his lips around it, curiously sucking on it and enjoying the taste. He blinks innocently at Deidara. Deidara sighs softly, hugging him.
"I'm not great at this emotional thing, but I'll try to help, okay, un?" Deidara says, gently nuzzling the top of his head.
"Would you- I mean, was it Pein who- um, couch or floor but- I mean, I'd like-" The words all try to tumble out at once, tripping over Kashi's tongue in the rush.
"Do you want me to sleep with you, un? Like- actual sleep, yeah?" Deidara supplies, trying to decode the jumble of words. Kakashi nods slightly. Deidara smiles at him softly.
"Sure, un." He says. Kakashi finds him pajamas as well, Kashi's pajamas and not Yukio's. Kakashi pulls him into bed, at first scooting away to give him space. Clearly, it's been a while for both of them since they slept in someone's bed who wanted them.
At some point in the morning, Deidara cuddles close to him with a small whimper, breaking the awkwardness. Kakashi wakes up that afternoon without Dei in bed to the sound of clinking glass. Kashi takes a moment, making himself more presentable than last night and heading out to the noise.
He finds a mostly clean apartment, Deidara having woken up early by their messed up sleep schedule standards and worked on the apartment. He's getting glass out of the couch and the carpet, hence the sound of glass clinking into the trash can. Kakashi quietly comes up behind him, tapping his shoulder.
"What do you eat for breakfast?" Deidara looks up from where he's kneeling on the floor.
"Hey, un. Coffee if you have it, yeah."
"And what real food?" Kakashi snags a piece of glass by his foot, tossing it.
"Huh?" Deidara sits back on his heels, looking at Kakashi in utter confusion. Kashi helps him up, steering Dei toward the kitchen.
"Real food. Eggs, pancakes. That sort of thing. God- we're a mess together. No lollipops or breakfast." Kakashi says. Deidara chuckles.
"I haven't had a real breakfast in a very long time, yeah. I'll just mooch off of whatever you make like I do with lunch, yeah?" Deidara winks at him. Since they have been spending their afternoons together, Dei normally steals bits of Kakashi's lunch before work starts.
Kakashi rolls his eyes good-naturedly. "See, you think you're stealing. I just started making enough for you too." Kakashi grabs stuff for breakfast, ignoring Deidara's flabbergasted look.
Deidara rolls his eyes. He finishes cleaning Kakashi's condo and it looks completely different by the time breakfast is ready to eat. After a quiet breakfast (good god! You can eat! Shut it, yeah.) they get ready for the day, Kakashi pausing before they go out and scratching the back of his neck.
"Look, I… Thanks. For staying." Kakashi says awkwardly. Deidara pokes his shoulder gently.
"Don't get all sappy on me, un. But… Thanks, yeah." Deidara glances away with a very light blush, "For letting me stay and feeding me, yeah."
Kakashi grins, bumping their shoulders together as they start walking back to the club. "Don't get all sappy on me, Dei. But… I wouldn't mind doing it more often. Yukie- um, Yukio just didn't like other guys around."
"After meeting him, I can see why, yeah." Deidara says bitterly, brushing his bang over his hurt eye, "Pein's gunna be pissed if I can't work today, yeah. I have a pounding head and he doesn't let others top me, yeah."
"Work with me. You need to finally put some of the pole skills to use."
Deidara nods. "Alright, un. That'll work, yeah."
"Good. You'll be helping in my routine tonight." Kakashi whistles casually, like he isn't their star performer that attracts the biggest crowds. Deidara laughs so hard he has to use Kakashi's shoulder to keep from falling over.
"Mm?" Kakashi wraps an arm around his waist, keeping him upright. After a few minutes, he manages to find words.
"Sorry, sorry, un. It's just- I've never seen you so relaxed, yeah. Kiba would die, yeah!" He laughs for a while longer, his whole face lighting up with real emotion. Kakashi grins back at him, poking his side.
"No one hears about this. I must keep up the impression of having no weaknesses and able to shit diamonds I'm so uptight." Deidara gives a half hearted boyscout salute with Kiba's signature "yes ma'am".
Kakashi laughs, an honest-to-God laugh and soon they're both falling over each other like loons, cracking up. This is how they walk into the club ten minutes to opening and run right into the strip club's owner and operator: Sasori.
Sasori gives them both a once over, looking unimpressed at Kakashi. "Don't you have a boyfriend you should be being abused by right now? And Deidara, Pein wants you."
Deidara glares at Sasori before heading towards the elevator while Kakashi scampers off to change. Pein is waiting in his room. Deidara walks over to him, black eye still shiny because he has yet to do his makeup.
"You wanted to see me, Sir?" Deidara asks, a bit nervously.
"How're you?"
"I'm okay, Sir. How are you, un?" Deidara is still confused as to why he is here.
"... And how is Kakashi?" Pein beckons him over.
"He's… better, I think, un. I cleaned his apartment this morning, yeah. It was horrible, Sir. I can't believe he could live there with that guy, yeah." Deidara says, always honest with Pein.
Pein strokes his hair when he comes close, pulling them to the couch. "How much has he told you about what went on?" Deidara leans into the gentle touches.
"Not very much, yeah. I know that he was a submissive who had no safe word because Yukio told him real subs didn't have them, and that there was glass all over the couch from a broken bottle and blood on the sheets, yeah." Deidara says quietly.
"And he physically managed to do his job everyday and stay the best performer?" Deidara nods.
"Yes, Sir. And he has been teaching me how to do what he does so that I could do that for you too- to, um, to keep things interesting, yeah." Deidara drops his gaze. Pein is shocked. He never asked Deidara to do this, yet the younger man went out of his way to do so.
"I… see. Good boy." Pein kisses his head and lets Deidara snuggle into his lap. "Was Hatake still mentally sound?"
"...Kinda, yeah."
"Mm. Keep an eye on him and stay close by any means. He's a sub, so you can top him. But I don't want it the other way around. Got it?"
Deidara nods. "Yes, Sir. Master Pein? I was wondering if you would-" He is cut off by Konan who snaps at him that he isn't supposed to be here during open hours. He heads upstairs to dance, a little heartbroken that Pein won't get to see him.
Everyone upstairs is running around as per usual before a show, the later acts still getting their makeup on. Kashi and Kisame are some of those, in a deep discussion while they put on mascara. Deidara joins them. The act goes off without a hitch, Kakashi and Deidara getting an insane amount of tips because everyone knows them and now they're working together.
They make rounds together after, both getting requested for lap dances and handjobs under tables that rake in a ton of cash that night. Sasori goes to Pein that night, telling him about the act that got them so much money.