Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Cold. Heavy. A flash of humidity. The world was distant, blurred. Unrecognizable voices murmured, as though through thick glass.

Then, a sudden jolt, interrupted by a loud creaking noise and—bang. Something nearby hit the ground.

This is...what is this? 

Deidara had died. There was no doubting it. His final act, C0, had made him a masterpiece. He had died in a sublime explosion unmatched by anyone ever before. It transcended the limits imposed on him, and scattered in a final detonation of pure brilliance.

Thinking about it now, he couldn't help but feel a bit of smug satisfaction remembering that last moment. He had become art itself in that final attack against Sasuke. And it was incredible. 

But yet, here he was. 

Nearby, a voice spoke, almost hissing. Another muffled voice replied, both unfamiliar. He couldn't make out the words, but they couldn't have been far.

Deidara strained his senses. Why couldn't he move? All he could understand was the sensation of damp air against his skin, and the smothered sounds surrounding him. He was frozen, unable to move or see. He was paralyzed, but certainly not helpless. 

He wasn’t a sensory type, but he knew how to feel out a battlefield. And this place wasn’t right. He focused in, assessing his surroundings. Six, maybe seven people were near him. He heard the sound of one voice he didn't quite recognize. It was in front of him? He struggled, trying to move, but he was paralyzed. 

Okay, he thought, am I surrounded by enemies, or allies?

Focusing on the two presences beside him, he recognized one to his right as being quite tall, the other to his left as being around his height. 

Wait. 

That presence on his left was so very familiar. A presence that Deidara could never forget. One that he knew well from years of being around it. He tried to force his eyes open, move his hands, head, anything to get a better look or sense to confirm his theory. His body wouldn't move, but he continued to struggle against the paralysis. 

It was unthinkable, impossible, even. But something in his gut insisted. It has to be him.

Sasori. 

If Deidara could have grinned, he would have. It's funny how fate works. 

The voices seemed to trail away, judging by the sounds. Deidara figured he should wait until they dissipated before trying to break his paralysis again. This would give him time to think. 

Ever since Sasori's passing, Deidara had often thought of what he wanted to tell him, or scold him for, or maybe even not tell him. But he never expected the day would come where he could actually meet him again. 

A surge of something—not quite relief, not quite fear, raced through him. He felt a knot form in his stomach, heart racing. Am I nervous right now? 

He reminded himself that he could be wrong, Sasori might not be there. But he still longed to see him again. 

The room was silent, but Deidara remained conscious. Now's my chance, he thought, focusing intensely on breaking free. He willed himself to remain collected, and center himself. He channeled every fiber of his being to connect to his chakra center, willing his body to obey. 

At last, he felt himself gain control over his body. His muscles unlocking as the flow of chakra spread throughout his veins. First the twitch of a finger, a jolt of an arm, finally, his eyes fluttered open. 

Deidara reckoned whoever brought him here must be distracted, and that may work to his advantage. 

As soon as his eyes fully opened, Deidara searched for Sasori, surveying his environment. His vision was caged in from what appeared to be a giant wooden box that he stood inside. Beyond the confines of the looming walls, a valley outstretched. The atmosphere was unnatural, something was amiss. But he didn't give much thought to it. He needed to get a better look at those surrounding him.

When he was able, he took one step forward, his eyes fixated to the left where a figure stood still.

And there he was. Just as Deidara had guessed, just as fate had twisted things. Sasori. 

Sasori was still, eyes shut. But something seemed...different? Perhaps, the way his hair settled naturally on his face, or the soft appearance of his skin...could it be that he was in his human body? 

Deidara gasped. Damn, he's gonna be so pissed.  

Deidara took a step closer.

"S-Sasori no Danna?" His voice was soft, just shy of a whisper.

No response.

He swallowed, impatience creeping in. “Sasori...” he called again, this time louder.

Still nothing. Sasori remained unmoving, slightly wavy, red hair framing his delicate features.

Deidara pouted. Sasori had always been quiet, but this stillness was unnatural.

Cautiously, he reached out and poked his cheek, finding it to be soft. He had perfectly human skin. 

Deidara glanced around quickly, ensuring no one else was watching. Emboldened, he pressed his fingers deeper against Sasori’s skin, cupping the side of his face. He was breathing.

Even now, he still looks like a doll…

He had wondered, once or twice, if Sasori had truly modeled his puppet body after his real one. Now, seeing him like this, the answer was clear. Aside from the texture of his skin, and the warmth of his breath, Sasori’s face was exactly the same.

Deidara felt an unexpected warmth bloom in his chest. His lips curled into a quaint smile as his other hand joined the first, framing Sasori’s face completely. 

Suddenly, Sasori’s eyes snapped open as he took a sharp inhale. 

In one swift motion, he seized Deidara’s wrists, pulling them down and away from him.

Deidara froze, breath caught in his throat. His pulse hammered rapidly. Those eyes—gray and unreadable, yet wide with something bordering on fear. The sclera had darkened, matching the color of his pupils. An unnatural shift.

Perhaps an effect of being dead? Either way, something was amiss.

"Oh, it's just you." Sasori blinked and released Deidara’s wrists.

"Just me?" Deidara echoed, collecting himself quickly. Despite the situation, he wasn't one to let Sasori get the last word. “How about a ‘Hi, Deidara, my old partner who I rudely left behind in the middle of a battle!’ Hmph!”

“Tch.” Sasori crossed his arms, looking away.

Deidara exhaled in relief. Good. He didn’t notice I was just— He shoved the thought aside. That would have been…awkward.

“Sorry,” Sasori murmured.

Deidara’s eyes widened. He blinked once, twice. Coming from Sasori, those words were golden.

"Uh, well—” Deidara cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his head. He had expected sarcasm, or some kind of pushback. But not this. Not what appeared to be genuine remorse. “What’s done is done, un.”

Sasori watched him with that same unreadable expression, blinking once before taking a step towards him. 

"You look different," Sasori circled Deidara, observing him, "Your eyes...and skin. Are you sick?" 

"Not sick, just dead, un!" 

"Dead, huh..." Sasori's eyes trailed off to the boxes next to theirs. As the realization hit, he pressed a palm onto his forehead. 

"And Itachi and Kakuzu wouldn't happen to be dead as well, would they?" 

Deidara joined Sasori where he was standing and turned around. There were three other figures in boxes just like they had been in. Deidara recognized Itachi and Kakuzu, but not the other person with white hair. 

"Kakuzu...he died before me, but Itachi? I never heard anything about that." Deidara considered the possibilities of how the formidable Uchiha could have passed. 

"Oh, I think I understand now," Deidara smirked and peered at Sasori, "It's because-"

"Edo Tensei."  Sasori interrupted. 

"Huh?! I was gonna say, I killed Itachi's younger brother with my ultimate art, so I'm sure Itachi had a fit and wished to join him in the afterlife," Deidara snickered. Sasori frowned.

"So you blew yourself up. Didn't I specifically tell you not to do that?" He glared at Deidara.

"You weren't there! Un!" Deidara raised his voice a bit, unable to contain his emotions. 

Despite the joy reuniting with his old partner brought to him, he couldn't help feeling anger for how he left him in the first place. 

Sasori stared blankly at the ground. 

Recollecting himself a bit, Deidara pivoted, changing his tone to be more friendly, "Anyway, this Edo Tensei…it sounds familiar."

"Do you remember when we fought Orochimaru?" Sasori looked up, "He reanimated the Third Kazekage during our battle."

"Yeah, I remember," Deidara pieced things together in his mind, "Don't tell me this is that Jutsu!"

"Dark eyes, sallow skin; it seems that it is that jutsu. Only more refined."

"Hmmm,"  Deidara looked up, recollecting all the pieces of information that he could remember about the Edo Tensei, "If I remember correctly, after fighting that snake, you did some research into that Jutsu, un. But you said it wasn't artistic enough to pursue any further, right?"

Sasori nodded. 

Deidara stared at Sasori, searching for an indication that he knew what to do. When it came to these kinds of problems, Sasori was always quick to discover a solution. When he did, the corners of his mouth would raise smugly, and his eyes would narrow. That mannerism was one of the things Deidara loved about working with him back then. He could always tell when Sasori had completed a strategy. Deidara had longed for the little moments like this with his partner until the end. Thinking about how he had it back now, Deidara couldn't contain his smile. 

"What?" Sasori knotted his eyebrows as he noticed Deidara's unfitting mood.

"Hey, Sasori no Danna," Deidara shifted to face him, smile expanding into a wide grin, "It's good to have you back, un."

"We aren't really back, Deidara." Sasori averted his gaze, attempting to suppress the unexpected feelings of nostalgia that Deidara's signature grin brought up. 

Deidara scratched his cheek, "Well, yeah, but I was thinking, we could be back if there's a way out of this jutsu, un."

"A way out..." Sasori raised a hand to his chin, and tilted his head slightly, "Aside from the summoner undoing the jutsu themselves, there are two ways," he turned towards Deidara, "The first method we witnessed ourselves back when we fought the Third Kazekage. Orochimaru's hold over him was not strong enough, and the Third Kazekage's resolve to free himself overrode Orochimaru's control."

"I don't mean like that, un." Deidara waved a hand, "There wouldn't happen to be a way to stay alive, would there?" 

Sasori's brows raised, eyes widening. What did Deidara need to be alive for? "There is a way, the second method is where the summoned person performs the hand seals used to awaken the jutsu, only in reverse."

"So the summoned gains full control of their reanimated body?" 

"Yes, however, I don't know the hand seals to break it. And finding this out would be easier said than done." 

"No problem!" Deidara's eyes widened as he took a step forward towards Sasori, "Come on Danna! Between the two of us, we can figure it out, un!"

Sasori shook his head, "And then what?" He gestured to the other Akatsuki members, "By the looks of it, the Akatsuki has fallen. We very well may have no alliance with anyone in this world."

"That never stopped you before, un." Deidara took another step towards him. Sasori hadn't outright squashed the idea.

"True as that may be, I don't have my puppets, not even my puppet body. My whole life's work, all wasted to be revived like this." Sasori placed a hand where his core used to be in his puppet body. 

"That's also easy, un! You can build new puppets, you've done it countless times before, surely you remember how!" 

Sasori sighed. Deidara paused for a moment, the weight of Sasori's situation sinking in. It was ever so slight, but Deidara could see the deep frustration and loss seeping through. He had to shake him out of this. He crept forward a bit more. 

"Look, I know this jutsu is completely unartistic, and it undermines the beauty of true art, which is of course, a fleeting moment..."

Sasori rolled his eyes. Inwardly, he felt a warmth of familiarity. Deidara never changes, be it for better or worse. And even if Sasori couldn't agree with his sentiments about art, hearing Deidara explain his views was somehow comforting after finding himself thrown into a situation that was so frighteningly unfamiliar.

".. But!" Deidara continued on, fixing his gaze at Sasori, "I think we can both agree that artists should not be contained nor controlled by another! We have the chance to break free from this control now, Danna!" He reached up towards the sky as he fixated on it, "We can take our art to new heights!" 

Sasori mirrored Deidara's gaze into the sky, still unsure of Deidara's sudden desire to live despite having achieved his "ultimate art."

Deidara's arms dropped, the silence from Sasori felt like a weight he couldn't bear. Maybe his sentiments were one-sided. 

"Well..." His voice trailed off, "It's better than risking the possibility that someone could send us away forever..."

A cool breeze hit Sasori's face, the gust of wind weaving through his hair. A bird chirped, and the morning sunlight seemed particularly bright. In that moment, the fact that he had his full senses gripped him. His senses had been dulled out for decades, and now they were alive. Too alive. It was overwhelming. 

Deidara was right. Sitting down and doing nothing isn't like him. It was unartistic. But ever since his final battle, he hadn't been acting much like himself had he? And now, he certainly didn't feel like himself. 

Although he had spent his whole life craving eternity, rejecting that which made him weak…in the end, he had done nothing. He couldn't reach it. There was no reason to keep going. Everything he wanted slipped away. But now...

Maybe it was the passionate look in Deidara's eyes, his words, his presence. It was all so familiar. 

And it wasn't the first time Deidara had had this effect on him in his life. Those feelings would creep in here and there, but he was always quick to ignore and suppress. But somehow, his presence was still grounding. 

At the same time, Sasori knew he couldn't get everything he wanted. It was impossible, so why bother, he could just do nothing...

Right as Sasori considered rebutting Deidara's sentiment, Deidara reached for his arm. The sudden warmth of Deidara's hand freed him from his spiralling thoughts.

"Sasori no Danna, despite everything, I think we made a great team back then," Deidara looked with warmth into Sasori's eyes. "So let's try to break out of this jutsu together, un!" 

"Deidara," Sasori hesitated. He closed his eyes, "What will we do once we free ourselves?'

"Whatever the hell we want, un!" Deidara grinned widely, a look he used to give Sasori before he plunged into battle without a plan. 

Sasori shook his head, corners of his lips upturning slightly. This idiot.

"Then," Sasori met Deidara's gaze head on, "We'll need a plan."

Deidara blinked away his surprise. He hadn't expected Sasori to be so easy to convince. 

Sasori put his opposite hand on the wrist of Deidara's arm that was currently holding his, and pulled him along. 

"Come on, we don't have much time,"  Sasori led him back to the coffins, not looking back. 

When they approached the coffins, he let go of Deidara's wrist, sitting down at the edge of his. Deidara copied him, perching on his own.

"I need you to tell me the most important things that happened after I died."

Deidara leaned forward, considering what Sasori would think important. 

"Well, first, Kakuzu sewed my arms back on, then I got paired with Tobi. Remember him? That annoying guy with the swirly mask?"

"Tch, he's been trying to join since the beginning, the annoying brat."

"It was just as annoying as you'd expect. He has no concept of fine art." Deidara rolled his eyes.

"Something you both share in common, I see." Sasori smirked. He knew he had limited time, but couldn't help himself. 

"Hmph! I'll pretend like I didn't hear that...actually, I didn't live too much longer than you," He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling awkwardly. "You passed in January, I died around the end of October... In that time, the Akatsuki captured all but the eight and nine tailed beasts. Oh, and get this, a few weeks before me, Hidan and Kakuzu died. Immortal my ass, un!"

"Posers." Sasori shook his head. 

Deidara smirked before continuing, "After that, I had the opportunity to go after Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi's younger brother. And there I-"

"Oh that was it?" Sasori interrupted, knowing Deidara was about to spiral into tangent about his "artistic performance" in battle. No time for that again. 

"Hey, what do you mean that was it?"  Deidara huffed, puffing his cheeks a bit.

Sasori ignored his outburst, scanning the coffins, "So you don't know much more than me. I could have guessed most of that just by looking at these coffins," Sasori sighed, "What became of Tobi, Pain, Konan, Kisame, and Zetsu?" 

"Well, I'm pretty sure Tobi got caught in my blast, un. It would be hard to avoid, but there is a chance he saw it coming, and since he had plenty of chakra left, it’s possible he survived."

"As for the others.. ?" 

"The others were alive and well to my knowledge, however, if Itachi over here is dead, perhaps Kisame also fell." 

Sasori's gaze drifted past Deidara, to the last coffin holding a frail man with white hair. "And who's that man over at the end?" Sasori gestured towards Nagato.

"Uhhh..." Deidara leaned forward to get another look at him, then shrugged, "Yeah, that guy, never seen him before. Must not be that important, un." 

"It seems that everyone but him had ties to the Akatsuki," Sasori paused to let the fresh information sink in, "Who could have possibly revived us?"  

"I really don't know." Deidara paused, "But I was thinking, it's very possible that all nine Bijuu were captured. We were very close before, un."

"If the Akatsuki's goals progressed to that point, surely, the hidden villages would oppose the Akatsuki's plans, even if it meant war."

"And whoever reanimated us intends on using the Akatsuki to aid in this fight?" 

"Yes," Sasori firmly nodded, making eye contact with Deidara, "Deidara, listen carefully. I believe we will be reanimated again, or we are on hold for a future battle. We don't know who has summoned us, or for what exact purpose, so we need to play along until they send us to fight. That will be the most successful time to escape. 

"Why not just go now?" Deidara questioned.

"Right now, we are under tight watch. Any disruption will be clearly noticed and addressed."

"I see..."

"That's why we must play along until the right moment." Sasori continued, "If we act up, our summoner will suppress our free-will or release us before we get the chance to escape. Got it?"

"Easy enough, un," Deidara grinned, nudging Sasori's arm with his elbow, "Knew you'd come up with something."

"This plan works best if we are summoned together." Sasori remained serious, "I'm betting on that, since it seems that would be the intention of our summoner." 

Sasori paused, considering other scenarios. 

"If you get summoned to battle without me, just act like your normal self, and pay attention to anything that could help us escape." 

Deidara stretched his arms above his head,"Well, this plan fails if we don't get summoned together but, I will trust your instincts on this one, Sasori no Danna, un." 

He stood up, feeling reenergized. "Besides, who wouldn't want to summon the art duo together hmm?"

Footsteps could be heard far off in the distance. At this noise, the two returned to their respective coffins to pose as the other reanimated corpses. 

"See you later, Danna." Deidara whispered as he took to his coffin. 

"Don't keep me waiting." Sasori said softly. His words not just for Deidara, but the situation itself.

His human heart was racing. It has been so long since he felt like this. So long since anything had mattered.

Maybe…there was something to this after all.

Or maybe he was being foolish.

But as the coffins began to close, sealing them back into darkness, Sasori had one thought.

Fuck it. I’m dead anyway. Might as well see what happens.

Chapter Text

When Deidara awakened again, his senses were scattered, hazy. His body was still. He couldn't blink. Couldn't move. Could barely form a thought. But the sensation of wind on his skin and the subtle rhythm beneath his feet told him he was standing, flying, perhaps. 

The world slowly returned to him in fragments. First, the memory of Sasori. That fleeting moment, the conversation they shared was vivid, like it had only just happened. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed since then.

Then, it hit him all at once. 

These fresh memories led him to realize exactly which situation he was in. He had been revived, once again. This is Edo Tensei. 

His senses strained. He felt as though he was flying high through the sky, cutting across the wind. 

There was someone behind him, a lurking presence. A faint rattling noise whispered behind him. It sounded like...a snake? Could it be...Orochimaru?  

It had to be! That disgusting snake must have been the one who summoned him back from the dead. His first instinct was to turn around and slap that serpent for all the trouble he had caused him and the Akatsuki, but...

Sasori's words rang in his mind, "In front of the summoner, just act like your normal self."

Fine. Sasori had better be right about this. He resolved to restrain himself.

“Looks like you’re awake at last...” an unfamiliar voice spoke. 

So it's not Orochimaru, this has to be someone else.

He suddenly felt a sensation like fingers reaching inside his brain. A burning sensation spread throughout his body as steam hissed from his pores.

“It’s a different seal from Orochimaru-sama’s.” The voice came again. Whoever this man was, he was not Orochimaru. Even so, his tone and aura felt just as invasive.

Deidara's vision sharpened, though he still couldn't move. He could feel his body again. 

He took in his surroundings. He was high up in the air on what appeared to be...his very own clay bird? 

No mistaking it, the smooth lines, white clay, a perfectly blank canvas, and a masterpiece at the same time. This was his work. But he didn't remember making this bird? 

How strange. 

“I won’t bind you completely... Deidara.” 

Just then, he felt his muscles unlock. The corners of his mouth lifted into a small smile, not out of joy, but defiance.

The bird continued flying steadily towards an unknown point. But how the bird came to be, and its destination to were the least of Deidara’s concerns. There were still more important matters. 

Sasori wasn't there. 

His heart dropped. No, no, no. We should have left when we had the chance! He clenched his eyes shut, willing that when he opened them again, the world would reset. 

But it didn't.

“I don’t know anything about art,” the man continued, still standing behind him. “And I know little about you.”

His voice was irritating. Flat. Dispassionate. But it didn’t matter. The steam surrounding him dissipated. 

Deidara shut his left eye, still adjusting to the disorienting feeling of being reanimated. He felt chakra circulate in his body again, a welcome feeling. 

“Well,” he said, with a hint of smugness, “my ninjutsu art isn’t easy to understand, un.”

He flexed his fingers, feeling the clay bird's movements sync with him once more. 

“But I am grateful to you.” He closed his eyes, visualizing the moment of his final explosion, the artistic splendour, “I once perfected the ultimate art…”

He opened his eyes eagerly, gaze lifting to the sky overhead. A sky he’d missed. One he didn’t expect to see again.

“Now I can go even further!”

He felt alive again. More than last time he was reanimated. 

Grateful. It wasn't a lie. This strange man did give Deidara many opportunities, and he planned to seize them all. 

"Speaking of which, that last explosion of yours...it didn't really create a lot of buzz."

Deidara's eyes twitched. 

Not a lot of buzz? How?! After obliterating an Uchiha and creating a blast that was sure to be witnessed from miles around, surely, this guy wasn't paying attention.

He did admit to not knowing about art. But this was more than a lack of understanding, this was willful ignorance. 

Deidara turned slowly, now fully able to move, gaze locking onto the man who stood behind him. 

The man was clad in a deep red hooded-robe. His piercing snake-like eyes glowed beneath the shadow of the hood, partially obstructed by circular glasses. Gray hair peaked out, framing his scaly face. A snake slithered around him, forked tongue flicking out. 

Definitely Orochimaru's lackey. Someone like him could never understand art even if he tried. Deidara decided to brush off his ignorance. 

"I just told you! My art is not easy to understand." He turned back to the front to focus on the flight pattern, "These things take time...un..."

A few moments of silence passed as the wind howled around them while Deidara thought of the right question to ask his summoner. Sasori would want him to be careful. No need to stir suspicion so soon. 

"It seems you know who I am, but I don't know you, un."

"Perhaps you should ask your late partner about me." The man smirked, "After all, I was once a source of intel for him." 

Deidara blinked. A memory clicked into place. The sleeper agent! This must be him! It all made sense.

So this man was Sasori's contact from the Hidden Sound Village. So he is associated with Orochimaru. 

"Oh, so you're Karuto? Or was it Kasuke? Or maybe Ka-" Deidara genuinely couldn't remember, but also felt a little satisfied being able to poke fun. 

"Yakushi Kabuto," The man said flatly, irritation could be heard in his voice.

Deidara tilted his head slightly, peering at Kabuto.

"You know, I don't usually like types like you. You act like you know everything, but don’t even understand art," he sneered.

Kabuto’s glasses glinted in the shifting light. "Maybe. But I do understand power."

"And you’re strong," Kabuto continued. "That’s why I chose you for this mission."

Deidara let the words settle. He was chosen. Even if he still didn’t trust this Kabuto, he wasn’t wrong to chose him. The longer he played along, the more opportunities he had.

He glanced down at his hands. He gently placed them inside his side pouches, feeling the cool, smooth sensation of his clay. As long as he had that, he had control. 

Sasori had told him to wait for the right moment.

"I get it, un." Deidara’s smug grin returned, though smaller this time, "You brought me back because I’m strong. Because my art is explosive!"

Kabuto’s smirk deepened, but he said nothing.

Deidara clenched the clay and began to work his chakra into it. Something about this guy's aura pissed him off.

Finally, Kabuto responded, "Your old partner...Sasori. He would’ve hated this technique, wouldn’t he?"

Deidara whipped his head around at the mention of Sasori's name. He met Kabuto's eyes, forcing himself to keep his emotions at bay. Kabuto had no business speaking Sasori’s name.

Kabuto chuckled. "To be controlled like this…he was obsessed with the concept of eternity. But I imagine, he'd want that on his own terms, wouldn't he? To have his body restored to flesh again sure would be a shock." 

Deidara's grit his teeth. He had thought the same thing. But hearing it from Kabuto was...wrong.

"Heh. I wouldn't worry about what Sasori no Danna thinks." Deidara scoffed, forcing his typical demeanor. He turned back to the front, "He always had a stick up his ass about something."

"Oh, I don't worry about him. I planned ahead." 

Deidara's stomach dropped.

"What do you mean...?"

"Just that...I summoned him differently," Kabuto casually remarked, "No weapons, no puppet body. Just a tool, like he always was."

Deidara felt something twist in his chest. It was getting harder and harder to keep his cool. There are few things in this world that got under his skin more than those who denounce another's art. And this was intentional. 

"Ha. He's gonna hate that, un." Deidara forced a laugh, though it sounded hollow to him.

Kabuto smiled knowingly, "Yes, I imagine he will."

Deidara looked back at Kabuto once more. He knew he may be pushing his luck with this question, but he couldn't stand not knowing...

Deidara’s voice came out lower than usual. "Sasori no Danna...is he here?"

Kabuto didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he adjusted his glasses with one finger, avoiding Deidara's eyes. Deidara figured he was the type to enjoy this. Disgusting. 

"Maybe." Kabuto finally met his eyes. 

Deidara's jaw tightened. He turned back to the front, unable to read Kabuto's expression.

"Tch, what the hell does that mean?"

Kabuto snickered, "Well aren't you the curious type?"

Deidara had prepared several clay sculptures in the time they had spoken. He desperately wanted to jam them right into Kabuto's face and blow him to the heavens. 

But he resisted. Sasori was still out there, so he had to find him first. If he played along, he could find a way out of this. Maybe he could wipe out that Kabuto with his art, while he's at it.

But next time, he’d make sure Sasori was by his side.  

"Oh?" The snake at Kabuto's side suddenly swiveled its way up to his face, hissing as if to tell him something.

"Someone's approaching," Kabuto translated. 

"Then let's give them a diversion," Deidara expanded the clay sculptures he had been working on.

A clay clone of the two on a separate bird appeared. Deidara elevated their real bird high into the clouds above to hide.

"This way, we see the enemy before they see us, un."

Kabuto looked down at the land they were approaching. Deidara followed his line of sight. Below, the land stretched into forested terrain, veiled in morning mist. 

"Based on Kisame's intel, these are the coordinates." Kabuto squinted, trying to make out the scene below, "But they've already moved out."

Deidara barely had time to process this before—

CRACK.

Something slammed into Kabuto’s clone below, ramming through his side.

A shockwave rippled outward as the force sent both Kabuto and his attacker plummeting from the bird.

Deidara caught the attack on the corner of his eye, barely tracking the sudden movement. But he was able to make out the gaping hole that tore through the chest of Kabuto's clay clone.

What the—who could be attacking this high up at such a speed?!

Then, the dust cleared just enough for Deidara to catch a glimpse of the attacker.

Oonoki, Iwagakure's Tsuchikage.

Deidara grinned wildly. If he was to be revived as an Edo Tensei without Sasori, this battle would be well worth it. He had never actively pursued a battle with the Tsuchikage, but here it was, the opportunity delivered on a silver platter. Who was he, a former Iwa-nin, to pass it up?

After all, those people from Iwagakure never did appreciate his art the way they ought to. Especially that Oonoki.

A thrill shot through Deidara’s chest. Kabuto might be a prick, but he sure chose the right person for this job. 

"That was a light punch." Kabuto’s clone smirked, despite the massive cavity in his torso, "Of all of the people to ambush me, it's none other than the Tsuchikage himself."

"I was just testing you out." Oonoki’s arm was still lodged through Kabuto's clone, "Judging by your reaction, you’re a clone!"

His sharp gaze flickered up toward Deidara, narrowing, "And, what's going on with the bird and Deidara?"

"Let’s just say…they’re almost real." Kabuto's clone smirked.

Deidara’s clone grinned wickedly at Oonoki's confusion. This was too perfect.

Ohnoki chuckled dryly. He was beginning to understand the situation, "However…" 

The remaining clay that made up Kabuto's clone melted into liquid clay, swallowing Oonoki's arm. 

"You are…"

Ohnoki attempted to pull his arm out, but the clay hardened, trapping him. His eyes flared in alarm.

"...a clay clone."

"Hey!" Deidara's clay clone yelled down at him as he and the bird began to fade into a pool of wet clay, "Old man Oonoki. Long time no see!" 

"You too, huh?" 

Deidara and his bird collided head on into Oonoki, trapping him further. He stopped inches in front of Oonoki's face, grinning villainously so as to taunt him. 

The real Deidara and Kabuto approached from above, keeping a distance. Oonoki watched with disgust as they closed in. 

Deidara mimicked his clone's expression as he looked down at the scene. He had Tsuchikage right where he needed him for a perfect display of his art.

He reveled in that moment of silence that hung in the air as he focused his chakra in the clay clones. Just the sound of wind and distant waves far below before—

"KATSU!"

The blast sounded. That sweet sound of a whistle before a rumbling crash. Deidara savored it, rubble and smoke dancing about the air around the point of impact.

The blast culminated into a dark circular cloud, pieces of debris and body parts raining down into the ocean below. And there was that scent of heavy smoke that emulated from the impact. Deidara considered this the scent of victory.

Even if his bomb missed, or didn't finish the job, the artistic nature of that moment was still a win in his eyes. 

The two waited for the dust to settle, keeping their guard up for any other surprises. 

And when it faded away, it revealed three figures. 

Oonoki floated front and center, arms crossed, Kurotsuchi to Oonoki's left, and Akatsuchi to his right. 

Deidara’s grin twitched. Oh. Of course.

His old comrades. Sure enough , he thought, those two teacher's pets would still be latching onto the Tsuchikage without any real talent. 

"You took me by surprise," Oonoki said once the smoke had dissipated, "I heard that you were dead, Deidara. I never expected your clay clones."

Deidara grit his teeth. That tricky old bastard!

"So that was..." Kabuto peered over at Deidara.

"A stone clone of the Tsuchikage,"  Deidara rolled his eyes, "We were thinking the same thing, un."

"Deidara-nii!" Kurotsuchi called up at him, "I thought you blew yourself up in a big way! Why are you still alive?"

"So you didn't die after all?" Akatsuchi chuckled. 

God, they annoyed him.

"Don't get excited, Akatsuchi!" The Tsuchikage cut them off, "It's Orochimaru's jutsu called Edo Tensei. It may seem as though he was brought back to life, but he's not real!"

Not real?! Deidara scoffed inwardly. The chakra flowing through his body and clay was real. The destruction he could cause with his art— definitely real. And he'd make sure they all felt it. 

"Damn it," Oonoki squeezed his eyes shut, as if to make Deidara disappear, "Still causing trouble, even in death!"

He looked Deidara dead in the eye. Damn that old geezer! He always knew how to get under Deidara's skin. 

"A youngster from the Leaf beats you, and then you have the gall to sneak back in amongst the living!" Oonoki shouted.

"Shut up!" Deidara scrunched his nose, "I killed Sasuke Uchiha, un! Now it's your turn, geezer, for mocking my art! Un!"

"Enough! I'll capture you both!" Oonoki snapped.

"Do you intend to get in our way?” Kabuto added calmly, "I knew we would be ambushed. You didn't think we'd come unprepared, did you?"

"Oh?" Oonoki narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"

Suddenly, a deep, rumbling, animalistic whimper echoed from a distance. Both groups turned towards the source. 

Kabuto didn't flinch, "Sorry, but we have to go there."

"Why?!" Deidara questioned, when in an instant, his ability to control his body vanished. The bird they stood on took off towards the direction of the sound on its own. 

"What? My body won't respond to me!" Deidara's control of his chakra disconnected.

"No way!" Oonoki took off, "Don't tell me he found them!"

"We're going after them!" Oonoki looked back at Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi, "You too!" 

"Right!" Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi called back as they began to fly, trailing behind.

No more than a minute later, Deidara was able to make out the cause of that noise.

The two were approaching what appeared to be a massive island, nestled in the vast stretch of ocean. Its round, dome-like shape was coated in thick grass and tufts of trees, with narrow mountains that protruded from the island like spikes. 

A giant purple serpent was latched onto it, fangs buried deep near what looked to be the tail-end of the landmass. 

"What's that? An island? What's that island supposed to be?" Deidara attempted to make sense of the scene. 

"It's not an island." Kabuto explained. Deidara looked back over his shoulder at him, "It's a giant turtle, and it's moving. And that is where we'll find the Eight and Nine tails."

"A turtle?" Deidara blinked at the absurdity, "The Eight and Nine tails?"

Kabuto nodded. 

"This is our chance to capture the Eight and Nine tails."

Deidara didn't need any more explanation. Instead, he smiled in response. Another opportunity to battle someone interesting. He focused back on the island. 

Naruto. That Jinchuriki brat who ruined everything.

Deidara couldn't help but remember the day he’d chosen to separate from Sasori, arrogant enough to think he could handle things on his own. He’d chased after the Nine Tails, that Naruto. He had been convinced it was the more valuable target, convinced it would be an easy win.

He hadn’t known about Chiyo, or what it meant to leave her to Sasori. He hadn't understood how perfectly she could counter Sasori, both as a puppeteer and...something more personal. He hadn't expected Kakashi to follow, or for them to have backup. 

Deidara couldn't help but wonder, had he stayed, could the outcome have been different?

Instead, he failed to capture Naruto. And Sasori paid the price.

This time would be different. After Oonoki, Naruto is next.

"I get it! So that damn Naruto is here, hmm?!" He glanced back at Kabuto, "Well, what's the plan?"

Kabuto's eyes narrowed, sizing up the situation, "In any case, we have to stop that turtle island." 

The bird came to a sudden halt, wings flapping irregularly as it steadied them above the island's edge. They were still too high to see beneath the thick jungle canopy, but the scale of the creature was now unmistakable. 

"Deidara, give me a big one!" With Kabuto's words, Deidara felt his chakra restrictions fade. 

The large snake that had bit the tail of the turtle began to wrap around the turtle's shell like a ribbon, crashing through the mountainous spikes as Deidara got to work forming a bomb.

He held out his creation, a squid. Its tentacles wrapped up around itself, as if holding in the immense power it held embedded in the clay that formed it. He dropped it into the ocean, guiding it to swim to the belly of the turtle and latch on. 

"Let's go!" Kabuto interrupted his process. Deidara looked back at him annoyed. 

"Right." He brought two fingers to his chin, finding his focus.

"KATSU!"

A deep, rumbling boom echoed from below, like the sound of rolling thunder from a far distance. Then, the ocean erupted. The turtle cried out in agony, louder than before. Water geysered into the air, the impact rippling outward in massive waves. The force of the explosion flipped the colossal turtle onto its back, limbs flailing helplessly.

Spray and mist filtered the morning sunlight, creating a perfect rainbow across the devastation.

A sure victory. Deidara took it all in.

"It flipped over. It can't move now!" 

The two approached the belly of the now flipped over turtle. Kabuto leapt from Deidara's clay bird, landing lightly on the turtle island. 

Deidara remained airborne, eyeing the horizon. He still had unfinished business after that little reunion with his old comrades.

"Kabuto!" He called out from atop his bird, "You search for Eight and Nine tails, un."

Kabuto's snake hissed as if to refute his orders. 

"I'll handle these guys, I owe them nothing less."

"Fine, let's do that." Kabuto agreed quicker than expected.

Just then, team Iwagakure arrived, hovering above them.

Just as expected, Deidara thought as he looked up, I'm still significantly faster. 

"Deidara!" Oonoki looked down at him, his voice boiling with fury, "You shall feel my wrath!"

That tone of voice brought Deidara right back to when he was a kid, fresh out of the ninja academy back in Iwagakure. He frequently got in trouble from his elders and teachers, but the one that he never wanted to mess with was the Tsuchikage himself. 

It was an evening not long after he'd discovered explosion release. Although he was warned not to use such a jutsu in the confines of the village, that only made him more eager to test its potential. Not just on rocks, but on something more interesting. Something real. 

Deidara knew of some abandoned buildings on the outskirts of the village that would be a perfect canvas. So he set out into the night.

The first building crumbled in on itself upon impact. Deidara's heart raced as he witnessed the moment. He felt alive. 

He hurried along to two other buildings, finding that each explosion was different: the sound, the colors, the scent. It was invigorating, unique, a performance. Like art. 

And then, he heard villagers coming his way. Surely, all the commotion had awakened them. He dove into the nearby bushes to hide.

Little Deidara should’ve left. He should’ve waited for another night. But he couldn't help but wish to see just one more beautiful explosion.

He took the risk, holding up two fingers to just under his chin. 

"Katsu!" 

Just as the word slipped out of his mouth, a villager stepped into the blast’s radius. 

Deidara's eyes widened as he witnessed the man get thrown violently away from the explosion, as if someone had shoved him right in the stomach. Deidara's heart dropped, but his lips formed a smile. 

So it was art. 

And now, it was time to go!

Just as he turned to bolt, he froze. A figure stood atop the fence behind him. 

"Deidara!" The Tsuchikage growled, moonlight illuminating only his face, "You shall feel my wrath!" 

And that, he did. But this time, Deidara thought, it'd be different. 

Still, he knew that tone of voice meant the old man was serious. He felt a drop of sweat run down his temple.

Damn it, the geezer's snapped.

"You haven't forgotten, have you?" Oonoki clapped his hands together, pulling them apart slowly to reveal the particle style pyrimad manifesting between his palms.

Akatsuchi gasped. 

This is getting bad, Deidara thought, don't tell me he's going right to his particle style?!

Deidara wasn’t sure whether to feel honored or alarmed. He grinned confidently anyway, even as doubt gnawed at him.

He took the opportunity while Oonoki charged his particle pyramid to fly off, swerving a bit as he hastily made his way out. 

"I won't let you get away!" Oonoki's pyramid grew as he yelled.

Deidara glanced back to gauge his distance, only to see Akatsuchi rush behind Oonoki, grabbing his arms just in time. The pyramid shattered. 

Deidara exhaled hard, relief flooding in.

"Huh? What are you doing Akatsuchi?!" The Tsuchikage didn't seem angry, but rather confused. 

Damn suck-ups, Deidara thought. After all, the Tsuchikage saw Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi in a different way than Deidara. It was always like that, even when Deidara far surpassed them in every way.

"If you do that, you'll end up killing turtle island!" Akatsuchi cried out. 

"Oh?" Oonoki looked down at the Turtle island, "Damn! This is complicated! It's so large, it just looks like a landscape!"

Although Akatsuchi was terribly annoying, Deidara had him to thank for the opening. His hand mouths rapidly chewed the clay from his pouches.

"There's my chance," his hand mouths popped out several clay birds, and Deidara threw them, letting them flutter towards his targets, "Un!"

Before Akatsuchi and Ohnoki could make a visible move, Deidara detonated the birds, "KATSU!!" 

A bulbous explosion appeared, creating a piercing sound throughout the sky. Deidara knew this had to be the explosion that got them. 

Kurotsuchi covered her head, bits of debris flying towards her. She leaned forward, unable to tell the result of the explosion. She screeched.

Deidara admired his work of art from his bird, wings flapped elegantly as the smoke cleared. Sure that this time he had not only hit the old man, but Akatsuchi too, he chuckled confidently. 

But as the smoke settled, a silhouette of a large figure emerged. Realizing this meant he hadn't eliminated them, his smile dropped with a twitch. 

The last of the dust cloud dissipated, revealing a stone golem. Deidara kicked himself internally for having forgotten Akatsuchi’s signature jutsu, which is capable of quick defense against this level of bomb. 

"Ugh! Akatsuchi's golem! Still attached to the Tsuchikage, I see!" He had to get rid of Akatsuchi, the easiest way would be to out pace him, "What a nuisance, un!"

With a new plan in mind, Deidara flew away, Akatsuchi and Oonoki following behind. 

Kurotsuchi broke away, to where, it didn't matter to Deidara. Her jutsu didn't pose a threat to him at all. 

Deidara lunged forward towards the bird's head, willing a steep ascent towards the sky. He picked up the pace significantly, pushing his clay bird's speed to its limit without imploding it in on itself from the force. At this speed, the wind felt piercingly cold in his face, but he bore the stinging as he continued up. 

Akatsuchi had long since given up on trying to keep up with Deidara's speed. Even if he used all his chakra, it would be impossible.

Oonoki, on the other hand, was more than able to keep up, occasionally hitting Deidara's bird as he did. 

As expected, from the Tsuchikage, Deidara snickered to himself. The geezer is faster than in his prime!

"You've always snuck around and fought from a distance," Oonoki shouted at him as he kept up, "I never liked that about you!"

"Shut up!" Deidara fired back, frustrated. He had hoped the old man would run out of steam by now. 

I'll finish him off with my C4! He thought to himself.

This should be high enough, Oonoki thought, as he pushed a little bit more to force himself to fly right above Deidara's line of flight. Deidara was forced to halt his bird. 

He squinted as he looked up at the Tsuchikage, light pouring in from behind him, "Don't underestimate me, old man!"

He leveled off his bird in front of Oonoki, who was already preparing to attack using the particle style. But Deidara was fully prepared this time.

"Prepare to die! Deidara!" The particle pyramid grew between his hands, a bit quicker than last time. 

"Let's see which one is real art," Deidara held up a chibi-style clay figure of himself he had hastily made during the ascent, "Your particle style or my explosion style!"

His heart was racing, adrenaline flowing as he prepared to face off with yet another Kage. This will make two out of the five Kage he would get to fight. His grin widened wildly. 

Oonoki's focused expression suddenly dropped to that of surprise, and Deidara hadn't a moment to analyze why before he felt his body freeze involuntarily. He saw something the shape of a box in his peripheral. 

"This is-?!" Oonoki dropped his particle pyramid. 

Deidara could finally understand the situation, the coffin was closing in on him. He was being recalled by Kabuto. 

"What?!" Deidara exclaimed, a bit desperately as the coffin door began to shut, "Right when we were getting to the good part, un!"

As the coffin fully closed Deidara heard the Tsuchikage yell, "Damn!"

He couldn't help but agree...a battle he was so excited for, ended abruptly based on someone else's whim. It was unartistic, bland, boring, cowardly, stupid, and so very much not his style. 

Next time I'm with Sasori, I'm breaking out of this damn jutsu no matter what! He thought as he felt his consciousness fading. 

Chapter Text

A hot stinging sensation, almost like pins and needles was the first thing he felt. With that, Sasori knew he was back. Edo Tensei.

His vision remained blurred, obstructed by the thick steam rising around him. He willed his vision to clear. He had to find Deidara. This was meaningless, unless Deidara was here too.

"You will be our commando unit," A familiar voice ordered, "Go by air. Sasori and Deidara will lay traps and conduct enemy raids."

Hearing his partner's name brought immediate relief to Sasori. The steam surrounding them began to settle. He and Deidara locked eyes, giving each other a knowing look. Their shoulders brushed. 

So his predictions had been correct. The summoner intended on having the two artists work together in battle again. 

What he hadn’t predicted was that the user of the Edo Tensei jutsu would be none other than Kabuto, his former sleeper agent under Orochimaru.

He internally scoffed. How very unartistic. 

Kabuto stood beside a man adorning a white spiral patterned mask. The rest of his body was completely obscured by dark layers of fabric, making it impossible to determine an identity. He seemed quite similar to an annoying lackey named Tobi that used to hang around the Akatsuki waiting for a chance to join. But this man wore a different mask from Tobi, and his presence was far more menacing. Even so, Sasori couldn't help but wonder if this was the same guy.

Kabuto turned to another pair of reanimated ninja. These two were unfamiliar. One wore a forehead protector with the Hidden Leaf's symbol, and the other wore a symbol of the Hidden Mist. 

"Chukichi of the Hidden Mist and the Leaf Foundation Ninja, your job will be sensory intel and support," Kabuto nearly hissed. 

The steam surrounding the other two Shinobi disappeared as they gained full consciousness.

"What...is this?" The leaf ninja muttered, clearly dazed.

"You guys are the Akatsuki," Chukichi growled, stepping forward, balling his fist, "Let me make this clear, if you try to control us..."

Right as Chukichi raised his fist to attack, Kabuto waved a hand, and Chukichi's head dropped like a puppet whose strings had been cut. 

Sasori's gaze slid to Deidara. His partner’s brows were furrowed, mouth tight. Clearly, the display had unsettled him. Sasori felt his own confidence in his plan waver for a brief moment. But he resolved to stick it out, and ground Deidara with the illusion of certainty.

"If the Akatsuki has to rely on a wimp like that to order us around," he gestured at Kabuto, "They sure have fallen on hard times."

He kept his voice even and cool. But that jab was intentional. He glared at Kabuto. 

"Not only that, but the only survivor is Tobi, the one who replaced me..." Sasori turned towards Deidara.

"You're quite brash for being dead, Danna," Deidara smirked, knowing full well after hearing Sasori speak, he intended on following the plan. Act natural. And what is more natural than the two bickering? 

"And you used to insist that eternal beauty is art, un!" 

Sasori shot him a sharp glare. It wasn't hard to get into this act. Deidara probably meant what he said. 

"And it's all because of that humongous weak spot stuck on your chest, un!" 

Sasori's mouth twitched, "Deidara, do you want me to kill you?"

"I'm already dead and so are you, un!" Deidara nodded, a mischievous smirk plastered on his face. This was too easy. 

The masked man turned towards Kabuto, who appeared far too amused by their interactions.

"Is this really going to work?" He questioned, voice low.

"There are too many reanimated Shinobi, and it's difficult to control them all." Kabuto turned to face the mysterious man, "Right now I'm focusing on the mobilization. Ultimately," He smiled, eyes glinting behind his glasses, "I will control everything." 

"Listen to them, plotting how they will use us. The nerve." Sasori muttered, low enough for only Deidara to hear. It was a hint, meant to tell Deidara to pay attention to what their summoners were discussing.

Deidara caught the cue, eyes narrowing as he focused, "It's good that I have experience battling in this body, un."

Sasori read between the lines. This meant Deidara was reanimated before this. Questions swirled in his head, but he silenced them by focusing on the unfolding conversation between the masked man and Kabuto. 

"When the fighting begins, I will erase their personalities and turn them into killing machines. There's no need to worry." 

Kabuto closed his eyes, "Of course, it will depend on their characteristics. Sometimes it's better not to change them. Leaving their sentiments intact will cause the enemy turmoil. We'll aim for that weakness." 

Sasori’s mouth tightened slightly. Not good.

Meanwhile, Deidara’s eyes remained locked on the masked man. Sasori had referred to him as “Tobi” earlier, but that couldn’t be right.

"Hey, Danna, I don't think that's Tobi over there." 

"Oh?" Sasori responded, mildly curious. "He's wearing a strange mask, is he not?" 

Come to think of it, Sasori had not cared enough to remember much else about Tobi. 

"Yes, but his voice is different," Deidara continued purposefully a bit louder, "And there's no way someone like Tobi would be in charge of the Akatsuki."

At this, Kabuto and the masked man turned towards them. 

"What are you two chatting about," Kabuto inquired, his voice light, but wary.

"This guy," Deidara pointed at the masked man, "I don't recognize him. He's supposed to be with the Akatsuki?"

"Why, yes," Kabuto smirked, "This is the leader." 

"Pain?" Sasori asked, genuinely puzzled. 

"Pain is dead." Kabuto replied flatly. 

Both Deidara and Sasori stiffened. 

"This is the new leader, but who he is doesn't concern the two of you."

"Oh fuck that, un!" Deidara shot back, his voice raising, "After all our hard work for the organization, you don't even tell us who the leader is?"

Kabuto and the masked man exchanged a brief glance.

Sasori could feel that Deidara was pushing Kabuto and the leader a bit too much. He couldn't risk losing their consciousness because Deidara just had to get the last word in. He had to do something.

"Well, maybe if you stayed alive a bit longer instead of blowing yourself up, you'd know," Sasori kept his voice measured. 

"Says the person who died first out of all of us!" Deidara bit back without missing a beat, "But no matter, I never cared much for the inner politics of the Akatsuki anyway, un. There's no artistic value in it." 

Deidara crossed his arms and looked away. 

Sasori felt a sense of relief as Deidara dropped the issue. Kabuto and the new leader turned to each other to continue strategizing. 

It stung that they didn’t take them seriously, but for now, that worked in their favor. 

"Aren't you taking two-tones Zetsu?" Kabuto's snake hissed as he continued his discussion with the leader. 

Sasori nudged Deidara lightly, voice low, "You were revived already?"

He had tried to ignore Deidara's comment about being reanimated alone, but his impatience got the best of him. Besides, maybe Deidara needed a distraction. He was getting too worked up. 

Deidara nodded, "Yes, but it was just me," he paused, "And you?"

Sasori shook his head. 

"It seems my art was more suitable for that battle then, un." Deidara turned back to him, a smirk forming. 

The masked man and Kabuto moved towards the reanimated Shinobi.

"I'm having the 100,000 white Zetsu travel underground..." The masked man's voice deepened as he continued, "Such a large army would only attract attention."

"Then we shall set out too." Kabuto looked at his reanimated team of the four men as the masked man teleported away with a nod. 

"Now then, first..."

Kabuto seemed to be carefully considering his next move. He turned to Deidara. Sasori instinctively moved a bit closer to his partner, their shoulders touching.

"Let's have Deidara here make two birds, one for our art duo, and the other for our sensory team," Kabuto ordered.

"So we are getting started, un." Deidara mischievously grinned as he reached into his bags of clay, hand mouths kneading it. Although he was told to make two, he kneaded three balls of clay, hiding one ball in the bag on his right hip. 

Sasori instantly noticed that this process was taking a few seconds too long. He needed to distract.

"If this is a war, your army of us four and the white Zetsus won't cut it." 

Sasori wasn't much for giving Kabuto advice, but if it bought Deidara some time, he had no choice.

"Rest assured, I have many other formidable reanimated Shinobi at my disposal." Kabuto smirked. 

Sasori had a sudden desire to knock that horribly smug look off his face. Being controlled by his former spy made him sick. 

Midway through Kabuto's explanation, Deidara expanded his two birds he held in either hand.

Relieved, Sasori hopped aboard the bird that Deidara chose to go to. The other two boarded the second bird. Sasori desperately hoped that Deidara had a plan in mind. He was clever, but he could make rash decisions. Please don't be one of those times.

"Well then, we'll head out, un." Deidara looked down at Kabuto as the bird's great wings began to generate lift, "Where to?" 

"Southeast of here, near the Hidden Frost," Kabuto replied.

"Understood, shouldn't take more than thirty minutes to get there, un."

With that, Deidara willed the birds to take flight, steering them into a steady ascent to about twenty feet above the trees, heading south. 

Sasori stood behind him, keenly watching his partner's every move. He was expecting a sudden opening for their escape. 

Deidara's long blonde hair scattered behind him as they took to the air, sunrays glowing upon each strand. Deidara had taken to his usual stance that he would use when adjusting his clay birds' flight pattern. Sasori imagined the focused look that Deidara must be wearing, one that he knew all too well after years of battling together, traveling together, doing life together. 

There was that feeling again. 

Before long, he realized he had been focusing too adeptly, his eyes narrowed and forehead slightly sore from knotted brows. He forced himself to relax a bit and take a breath. It's just Deidara, he reminded himself.

The birds reached their cruising altitude. Deidara suddenly whipped around to face Sasori before sitting down. Now facing against the direction of the wind, his hair danced wildly before he pushed it aside. Sasori mimicked his partner and sat across from him reluctantly, unsure of Deidara's next move. 

As soon as Sasori had settled in a seated position, the two locked eyes. Deidara threw a determined smile Sasori's way, tilting his head a bit as he did. Sasori raised his eyebrows. 

Just from this look, he knew Deidara had a plan in mind, and that they needed to wait a moment. Deidara knew Sasori hated being made to wait, so he would often try to disarm the puppeteer with this look. Today, Sasori found it strangely cute.

"Let's talk," Deidara began, "We have a few minutes, don't we?"

"I suppose," Sasori's theory was confirmed— impressive that he could tell so much from just a miniscule moment of eye contact, "You do love to talk." 

"I was wondering…" As Deidara began to speak, Sasori felt a cooling sensation creeping up from where he sat. A quick glance revealed what he expected: clay. 

"...why didn't you win last time?" Deidara questioned, almost to himself. 

Regardless, Sasori froze. 

"A few months after you were gone, I think I figured it out." Deidara continued. 

The clay was quickly overtaking both of them, simultaneously molding into perfect replicas of their anatomy. From a distance, no one would be able to tell that they were being copied. 

Sasori wished the clay would hurry up and close them in so he wouldn't have to respond. 

"You were missing something, I'm not sure what it was, but I think I know the feeling, un." 

The clay was at their necks at this point. Good , Sasori thought, he wouldn't have to reply to this. 

"I might not know what it is for you, but I hope this time, I can help you find it, un." Sasori caught Deidara's expression softened as he closed his eyes in anticipation of the clay covering their faces entirely, "That's what I want too, un."

Things went dark for a few moments after the clay enveloped the two artists. They sank into the clay bird as it dropped close enough to the treetops for them to jump onto them. Sasori knew exactly what to do, as he and Deidara had done this before in a pinch, once or twice. They didn’t need words. They hadn’t for a long time.

They landed on different tree branches, crouching down and watching the two birds fly past them, one carrying a perfect copy of them. 

"Do you think it worked?" Sasori questioned. 

"Not too sure yet. If it doesn't, we will have our free will taken away." Deidara expanded a new, smaller bird from the clay he prepared earlier. It floated between the branches they stood on.

This bird was narrow and small, almost like a hummingbird. The wings beat rapidly to stay afloat.

"Let's get outta here, un." 

The two hopped aboard the hummingbird. The size and narrowness left no room to stand as they usually would. It required the two to sit taking a straddled position, one behind the other, legs on either side.

Deidara looked back over his shoulder, "Hey, we'll be going a little faster than usual, so it's better to hold on."

Sasori shot him a confused look. There was nothing to hold on to. Deidara grabbed Sasori's wrist, pulling him closer, and placed Sasori's hand on his waist. 

"Like this, un," he said, almost as a question. 

Sasori inched closer and reluctantly brought his other arm to wrap around Deidara's waist. This was new. They hadn't done this before. Sasori was so close he could smell Deidara's hair. His cheeks filled with warmth, and for a moment he questioned why he had decided to do any of this escaping in the first place. 

As soon as Sasori had settled, Deidara willed the bird to fly. 

Soaring through the trees was not his usual choice, since the tree branches posed as obstacles that would take focus to dodge. But this was the best way to stay undetected while speeding as far away as possible, so Deidara squeezed the bird's head as he willed it to twist, ascend, and descend with precision as they navigated the forest. 

Sasori quickly realized why it was necessary to hold onto Deidara like this. As soon as the bird took flight, the force of its speed caused him to lean further into Deidara's back and squeeze him for support. 

Even with Deidara's expert flying, the sheer force of their speed sent leaves and twigs whipping toward them. Sasori ducked over and buried his head in Deidara's hair to avoid getting hit by the projectiles. 

As Deidara felt Sasori willingly hold him tightly, he grinned. Normally, he'd tease him, But for once, he just let the silence stretch, content to enjoy the closeness they shared.

After a few minutes, Deidara peered back over his shoulder as they entered a clearing from the trees. Sasori's face was still buried in his hair, eyes squeezed shut. 

"Doin' alright back there, Danna?" 

Sasori opened his eyes, realizing the worst seemed to be over. He sat back a bit, still holding onto Deidara's middle. 

"A little warning next time." 

"Sorry, un, we had to get out of there, and quick." Deidara smiled at the fact that Sasori was still holding onto him. He initially thought that as soon as the opportunity arose, Sasori would surely let go. But he didn't. 

"Hey, do you think it worked?" Deidara asked. 

"It seems like it. That was easier than I expected." 

"Well Danna, how'd I do?" 

"If it worked, then you succeeded." Sasori said apathetically. 

"Aww come on, give me a little credit, it was an impressive strategy, un." Deidara teased. 

Sasori was quiet for a moment, "You've always been quick on your feet. It's no surprise."

Coming from most people, a comment like this wouldn't mean much, but coming from Sasori, this was high praise. Deidara grinned. 

"Where are we headed?" Sasori interrupted Deidara's internal celebration. 

"For now, we are going west, un. I'm thinking we may need to go out towards the water and fly over it as we head South towards Takigakure. That way we can attract as little attention as possible." 

"That's good. What will we do once we arrive there?"

"Outside of Takigakure there's all those caves and tiny villages, I think it's a good place to hide while we gather supplies," Deidara poked the center of the back of Sasori's hand that was holding onto him, "After all, you still need your puppets, un"

Sasori clenched his teeth, remembering he was nearly defenseless, "Deidara, we need to get there faster."

"Understood, un!" Deidara leaned forward, focusing in, "Hold on!"

Deidara felt Sasori slide his hands up his torso, stopping in the middle of his chest. Sasori rested his chin on Deidara's right shoulder. He froze for a moment, stunned at the feeling of Sasori making himself comfortable, before forcing the bird to its fastest speed. 

Sasori felt the wind whipping past them as they zoomed swiftly past another forest. Although the wind was cold, piercing even, he felt warm and safe, embracing Deidara like this. He held on a bit tighter.

The clay bird began a steep ascent as they emerged from the forest to a beachy area. Deidara planned to find a patch of clouds to fly through to remain as undetectable as possible. 

Satisfied with the altitude, the bird evened out, headed south. 

"Shouldn't be much longer, un," Deidara turned his head to the right a bit and was able to see Sasori still resting his chin on his shoulder. 

"I didn't know you could go this fast on the clay bird." Sasori stared ahead. His eyes felt watery from the dry air and wind he had been enduring.

"I've been practicing since you left, un." 

Sasori was silent for a moment, imagining Deidara training his clay birds. He used to do that once in a while, while Sasori tinkered with his puppets.

"Deidara, do you know what happened to my puppet collection, or my puppet body?" 

His sudden question caught Deidara off guard.

"Uh, I was kinda forced to abandon them," Deidara explained nervously, "See, during my fight with those Konoha-nin, I lost my other arm. But-" 

Sasori sat back a bit, moving his head from Deidara's shoulder, loosening his grip on his partner. 

The realization that his masterpieces had been abandoned in the end stung. He had finally started to feel a bit of safety with Deidara. But to think that even he would abandon him in the end...it was a stark reminder of why he wanted to become a puppet in the first place. 

His disappointment manifested as anger. 

"You clumsy brat!" Sasori fired, "How are you supposed to fight with no arms? You took off back there in that cave, even though you were already injured and very outnumbered. How did you think things would turn out?!" 

There it was, the dreaded topic Deidara had hoped to avoid discussing. He had relived that choice over and over, countless times in his head after Sasori passed, never able to come up with a good answer. He felt a knot in his stomach as he tried to form a coherent sentence, only for nothing to come out. 

"Well?!" Sasori moved his hands to Deidara's right shoulder, twisting Deidara's upper body to face him a bit better. 

"I have no good excuse…I'm sorry. I got carried away..." Deidara's voice trailed off. 

He couldn't meet Sasori's eyes, afraid of the look of anger and resentment that was sure to meet him. 

Sasori felt a bit of his anger dissipate. Deidara wasn't usually like this. It was more like him to fire back and deflect when he made a mistake. Or ramble on about how his art must be witnessed by the world. But he didn't, and Sasori had the feeling that it was because he was truly sorry. 

Sasori looked down at the world below them.

"Don't abandon me again, got it?" Sasori whispered softly.

Deidara finally met Sasori's eyes, and to his surprise, he didn't seem angry at all. Something else was there. Something unexpectedly raw, almost innocent. 

Deidara halted the bird. 

"What are you doing, brat?!" Sasori looked about, annoyed. 

Deidara didn't care. 

He turned around, and crouched on his knees before leaning forward, and wrapping his arms around Sasori's neck, pulling him into a hug. 

They both held their breath. Sasori froze, shocked at the sudden embrace. 

"I- I won't." Deidara whispered softly. "I regret it, you know...losing you. I will stay by your side as long as you let me this time." 

Sasori remained unmoving, eyes widening. How anything he had done or said warranted a hug...he didn't know. 

He didn't fight it though. Somehow, it felt like what he needed in that moment, and that realization confused him to no end. 

The bird's wings flapped slowly, keeping them afloat. They stayed like that for a bit longer, before Sasori could speak.

"Okay, okay, I get it, you missed me, ha," Sasori said awkwardly, "Was Tobi really so annoying that you'd want to hug me upon meeting again?" 

Deidara giggled and buried his head into Sasori's neck, "Yes, yes, he was." 

Deidara pulled away slowly, keeping his hands on Sasori's shoulders. He was surprised Sasori hadn't been the one to push him away first. 

But today was full of pleasant surprises. 

"Okay, let's go, un." Deidara turned back around and resumed his position on the bird. As soon as he did, he felt Sasori's hands find his chest again. Sasori inched in closer than before, and Deidara figured this was Sasori's way of returning the hug.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Orchestration

One of the more interesting aspects of being in the Akatsuki was the constant travel. Members had to move around frequently to avoid suspicion or capture. It was vital, albeit exhausting to constantly stay one step ahead. But over time, it became a way of life.

Every night was spent in a different village, a new landscape. Since they all had defected against their villages, none of them had a true home. This nomadic arrangement was the closest thing they had to one.

Sasori and Deidara knew this area outside of Takigakure rather well. The Akatsuki had several areas that were known amongst members as good camping spots for the times when they couldn't make it to a proper room. This forest was one of the better ones- thick trees, soft ground, plenty of caves for shelter. Small villages dotted the area, the kind too remote to attract trouble. This meant the Akatsuki members wouldn't need to put too much effort into hiding in order to stock up on supplies or get a hot meal. This was no small feat since they were some of the most wanted criminals in the Shinobi world.

Deidara supposed this was the best area to gather themselves, opting to find one of those small villages. They were in dire need of supplies.

But really, that wasn’t the only reason he’d picked this spot.

Ever since they escaped, something about Sasori had been...off. Not enough for most people to notice. After all, he was still sharp, still quick to snap. But Deidara had seen how vulnerable he looked when he asked about his puppet collection. The way he pulled back when Deidara admitted it had been lost. It stuck with him.

So Deidara figured maybe that's it. Perhaps Sasori just needed his puppets again. It wasn't just a tool for him, it was his art. That was something Deidara understood well. He’d spent a long time thinking art was all he needed too. It was the only thing that grounded him when the rest of the world didn’t make sense.

And Sasori wasn’t so different, he considered himself an artist too. Maybe if he could get him surrounded by his craft, that fire would return. That was something Deidara could understand, and maybe even help with.

At least, he hoped so.

The unnamed village they found was small, just a cluster of a dozen or so one-story buildings and a few scattered farms. But as they drew closer, something felt off. The streets were empty, the doors and windows shuttered tight. It was as if the inhabitants fled, leaving the village to stand frozen in time.

The clay bird carrying the artists touched down gracefully at the center of the town. Sasori released his hold on Deidara and leaned back. Momentarily, Deidara regretted landing the bird, missing the weight of Sasori against his back.

"Looks like no one's around, un," Deidara observed, "Makes this easier for us."

"So we'll set up here?" Sasori asked, taking in his surroundings.

Not far out from the village center, the forest loomed, massive trees surrounding them. He figured the forest was perfect for gathering poisonous material.

"Yeah, un," Deidara hopped off the bird. Sasori followed, "First priority is supplies. You don't have any puppets, and I'd like to prepare my clay."

Deidara began walking down the empty road, hearing each footstep as the dirt kicked up under his shoes. It was too quiet here.

Sasori lingered at the center of the intersection, thinking. There was still much to consider before wasting time creating puppets with no direction on their purpose. A skilled puppeteer knows that everything must have purpose.

"It seems you're forgetting something very important," Sasori finally said, flatly.

Deidara stopped and turned around.

"We’re not free yet. Just because we’ve escaped Kabuto doesn’t mean we’re safe. We’re still bound to Edo Tensei. At any moment, he could recall us."

Deidara held Sasori's gaze, a puzzled look on his face. Perhaps he had gotten a bit ahead of himself.

"So we need a plan to release the jutsu ourselves," Sasori continued, "We just need to know the hand seals. As far as we know, there's only one person confirmed to know them, and that's Kabuto."

"And we have to go back there and force it out of him?" Deidara raised an eyebrow as Sasori took a few steps towards him. Even he knew how absurd that sounded.

"Well, if we went back now it would be futile. We would be severely outnumbered."

"Hmmm..." Deidara slumped against the wall of a nearby building, resting his chin on his hand, "This Kabuto was once your spy, correct?"

Sasori nodded, unsure of how this fact was relevant, "Obviously not anymore."

"Okay, hear me out," Deidara turned to face Sasori, hands animated, "You can use your Memory Concealing Manipulative Sand Technique again. We just need to figure out how to get the needle in Kabuto's head. That's where I come in, un."

Sasori raised a skeptical brow.

Deidara stood up straight, "With my microscopic bombs as a carrier, I can direct the needle to his head, and we can learn the hand seals. Easy, un!"

"That would require extreme stealth," Sasori rolled his eyes, "and you are the least stealthy person I've ever met. Always causing a commotion."

"Hey, who got us out of the hideout undetected just now?" Deidara grinned mischievously and pointed to himself.

Sasori sighed.

He took a moment to process Deidara's idea more seriously.

"Actually, it's a decent start," Sasori peered up at his partner, whose smile widened wildly, "But can you actually control the microscopic sculptures to that extent?"

"If it's just a few, then yes. As for how we could get them in the air undetected..."

Deidara hesitated for a moment, as though he suddenly remembered something.

“I don’t usually make clay that doesn’t explode,” he admitted with a shrug. “But for this, I’ll make an exception, un.”

"Oh?" Sasori peered sideways at him.

“See, Kabuto really pissed me off during my last reanimation." Deidara's voice was quieter, but resolute, "He thinks he can manipulate me like some disposable tool. Not happening again, un."

"I see," Sasori crossed his arms, noting his shift in tone. He couldn't help feeling a bit curious about what happened, but there was no time for that now, "So it's personal."

"Hmm, something like that. But if we wanna get him back for all the trouble he's caused us..."

Feeling emboldened by Sasori's receptiveness to his ideas, Deidara walked right up to Sasori's side, and dropped an arm around his shoulders. He looked directly in his eyes, tilting his head a bit.

"...Let's go for a little collaboration. We need a puppet that can move long range, carrying my microscopic sculptures. And similar to the way you had your Third Kazekage puppet rigged to be able to hose poisonous gas at a target, we can use that method as well. It keeps us far away from Kabuto and friends, un."

Sasori's eyes narrowed, thinking. He leaned in a bit to Deidara's side as he focused his gaze on the ground. This might work...

"Well, Danna, what do you say? Not bad, hm?" Using the arm that was holding Sasori, Deidara squeezed Sasori's shoulder, playfully.

"It wouldn't take long to make a puppet like that," Sasori thought aloud. He gazed out at the forest in front of him, beyond the confines of the village, "This forest has plenty of poisonous herbs. Making a poisonous gas to carry your sculptures would be possible. And there's no need for direct confrontation. We just need to get the puppet into the same room as Kabuto."

Deidara released Sasori from his half embrace to grab both of Sasori's shoulders, shaking him excitedly.

"Yes, yes! This can work! Un!" Deidara was elated imagining them working together again.

While living, they could rarely agree on how to combine their techniques, so they avoided collaborations like this. But today...

"Okay," Sasori looked up through his crimson bangs, "Let's do it, Deidara."

Deidara grinned and tilted his head, staring at Sasori for an extra moment before releasing him from his hold and turning to face the village.

"What supplies will you need? We need to be quick, un."

"Wood, metal, wires, pipe segments," Sasori followed behind as he conjured a list, "As for the poison, I can find plants in the forest. Sculpting and woodworking tools are also necessary."

He paused near a fork in the road glancing towards the edge of the forest, "It's faster if we split up. You can find those items, and I'll-"

"NO!" Deidara firmly snatched his hand and pulled him back towards him, "I told you, I won't leave your side this time. So I'm going with you, un."

Sasori blinked, taken aback by the sudden intensity, "It's fine Deidara, I didn't mean it like that. I-"

"Anyway, you are defenseless, un! At least let me stay with you until you have a proper weapon!"

Sasori sighed, resigning, "Fine. We can start with building the puppet."

They scanned the street until they spotted a building that appeared to be a weapon shop. The inside was a bit dusty, like the place hadn't seen a customer in ages.

Sasori found a spare bag on the floor, and stuffed it with various tools and weapons he found useful. Many of the tools didn't meet his usual standard of quality, but he had to make do.

Deidara picked up a few small kunai which could be helpful in a pinch, but he quickly lost interest. Weapons and tools weren't exactly his style.

He peered over at Sasori, who was kneeling by a shelf with various chisels and carving tools. He was carefully scrutinizing each one like they were rare gemstones.

Deidara knew this could take a while. Sasori took his art very seriously, and it started with the tools and material.

Deidara theatrically collapsed on the floor with a groan, sitting back against the wall, arms crossed.

"Seriously?! You're really gonna spend ten minutes choosing a fancy stick sharpener?"

Sasori didn't look up, "This 'fancy stick sharpener' is what lets a puppet's joints rotate cleanly without cracking."

Deidara scoffed, "And somehow you made that sound even more boring, un."

Sasori paused, then slid the chisel in his bag.

“I didn’t complain when we spent an entire day in that ceramic village looking for Hanasaki clay so you could make your hideous explosions more 'pristine'.”

Deidara blinked. “Tch. That was different. Hanasaki is better than other clay!"

“You dragged me on a detour when we should have returned to report on our progress.”

“Hanasaki is rare! That village was the only place to find it.”

“It’s even more rare since you nearly wiped the village off the map when we left,” Sasori said dryly. 

Deidara couldn't feign annoyance any longer, a smile creeping in. He’d missed their back-and-forth. 

"It was for my art! And now my art is conveyed more extraordinarily than ever before!”

Sasori turned to meet Deidara's eyes, holding a slender gouge, "And who was it that suggested the Hanasaki clay in the first place?"

Deidara turned away, lips twitching. “Yeah, yeah...it was you." He rubbed the back of his neck, "You know I’m not serious. Take your time, un."

Normally, he would’ve kept arguing just to win. But when it came to Sasori, he always folded faster than he liked to admit.

“I’m done. Already found what I needed,” Sasori rose smoothly, then added under his breath, “And you couldn't even find one type of clay in a village called 'Ceramics'.”

Deidara nearly jumped up, “It was underground! Hidden!”

Sasori shook his head as he pushed open the door, “Excuses.”

The two continued down the road. Sasori had what he needed, and was already searching for a quiet place to begin working on the puppet. Deidara lagged behind, distracted by the window displays.

He stopped in front of a store with a mannequin exhibiting simple clothes in the window. He stared for a moment before entering.

"Hey, Sasori no Danna, we need to get new clothes, right? I mean we can't keep running around in these robes, it's way too obvious, un."

Sasori had already walked a few paces ahead, but turned back, sighing, "I suppose that's true."

After rejoining his partner in the shop, they browsed the small selection of clothing and shoes. The collection certainly wasn't exciting, mainly composed of muted neutral colors and basic items.

"Ugh, all of this is too boring," Deidara complained shuffling through the racks, "Who taught these villagers how to dress?"

"Yeah, say what you will about the Akatsuki," Sasori agreed, "But our robes had quite the impact."

Deidara came upon a cropped, muted green shirt. The high collar and short sleeves were loose, which seemed breathable enough. He picked it out from the rack, "This one's passable, I guess." He moved along to a different section.

"You know, I may have been forced to join the organization but honestly, there were some good memories there too, un." Deidara held out the shirt to observe it closer, "It's a bit unfortunate that it doesn't exist anymore, at least, not the Akatsuki we knew, un."

Deidara kept the cropped shirt, it was the closest pick to his style. He moved over to the pants.

"Good memories...?" Sasori glanced back at him as he shifted through a box of accessories. His outfit was nearly complete, but he needed something to protect his hands and wrists while working on the puppet and in battle. Without his puppet body as armor, he would be more comfortable.

Deidara shrugged, pulling out a pair of dark pants. “Being around other S-rank ninjas was motivating. Dangerous, sure, but it sharpened my art. Plus! We got to see the world, un! So many landscapes, so much inspiration.”

Deidara threw pants he found unsatisfactory into a pile.

"And although the other guys could be annoying, there were good times together. Like remember that one time when the leader thought our morale was low so he brought us to the beach?"

"How could I possibly forget." Sasori rolled his eyes as he stepped into a changing room while Deidara kept chatting from outside. He swapped his red robe with his new outfit of choice.

"Yeah, that wasn't so bad, un."

Deidara brought his completed outfit to a mirror to see how it worked together. Dark pants, a simple, gray belt where he could attach his clay pouches. It tied together nicely paired with the cropped shirt. But it felt bare without the mesh armor he used to wear for protection. He searched around for it.

"We dedicated many years of our lives to that organization." Sasori spoke from behind the curtain, "It was overall a good situation, considering the protections and freedom we gained. It's an unfortunate end, to think it would be reduced to a state where Kabuto is calling the shots. Pathetic."

The curtain slid open, and Sasori emerged with new clothes. Deidara was surprised to find that he had found something so him in such a short time: A sleeveless, high-neck shirt with red seams and dark pants paired with a tactical utility belt. He was still adjusting his fingerless gloves as he stepped out of the changing room.

"A bit bland, don't you think?" Deidara teased, gesturing at his new clothes, "But it's your style, un."

Sasori ignored him.

"Ugh, no mesh armor anywhere!" Deidara complained, shuffling through the box of accessories.

Sasori pointed to a different box, "There's bandages in that one. It's the next best thing."

"Hmm, I suppose that has to do, un."

Sasori snickered, recalling how Deidara said he lost both of his arms after they sealed Shukaku.

"Consider wrapping your arms this time for protection. Seems like you have trouble keeping them attached to your body.”

"Hey!" Deidara snatched the roll of white bandages and carried it along with his chosen clothing to change. It wasn't a bad idea though.

As Deidara passed him to reach the changing room, he spoke a bit quieter, "Anyway, being in the Akatsuki wasn't so bad. Because I met you, un."

Deidara looked back to see his partner's reaction as he passed him. Sasori's face was unreadable. He slid the curtain shut.

"Do you think we would have met if it weren't for the Akatsuki?" Deidara called out as he swapped his robes for new clothes behind the curtain.

"Probably not, unless in battle."

"Then that was the best part of the Akatsuki." Deidara said, quietly.

Sasori froze for a moment. He didn't answer, but internally, he found himself agreeing. Deidara was the best thing about the Akatsuki.

Ever since they had become partners, he genuinely had no concept of life without him. His thoughts wondered why he so easily found this to be true. Would it really be that difficult to live without him?

He struggled to remember if he could imagine his original idea of eternity. The one without Deidara. Before him.

Sasori left the building without saying a word. He wasn't ready to face such sentiments. They didn't have time.

Deidara hurried behind to catch up, still struggling to wrap the bandages around his arm. But Sasori entered another building first. It was a house. The interior was cozy, with one bedroom, one bathroom, a compact kitchen, and a wide living area.

Sasori found a low table near a couch in the living room, and with a swipe of his arm, cleared all the decorations off the table. He plopped the bag of supplies on the ground and sat on the floor in front of the table, shifting through the tools. There was a pile of logs near the fireplace that were sure to be useful in this project.

Upon entering the house, Deidara found Sasori had gotten straight to work. He settled on the couch adjacent to Sasori's table and watched for a moment.

Clicking and clanking filled the room as Sasori chipped away at his puppet. He was certainly skilled, and it always blew Deidara's mind that throughout their time together as partners, he was a puppet creating other puppets. The amount of precision, experience, and talent that would require was mind-boggling. But Deidara never told him he found his existence so impressive.

Now, Deidara got to see how Sasori worked in a human body. He was still nimble as ever, but something about it seemed off.

As he carved out different shapes into the wood, there were moments that Sasori's look of stoic concentration would break into one of frustration, and the corner of his mouth would twitch into a distressed grimace before returning to its default.

"You know," Deidara leaned back into the couch, "the sound of you working on those puppets sure beats listening to Tobi's whining any day, un."

Sasori's grip on the carving knife slipped, accidentally driving into the table.

"Shut up brat! I'm trying to work here, and you're breaking my concentration," He growled.

"Damn, sorry." Deidara rolled his eyes and opened his bag of clay to start preparing the microscopic bombs.

A few moments later, Sasori had already carved out several pieces that would make up the puppet. This puppet would be small and boxy. The quality wouldn't be as pristine as his usual work, but it would get the job done for today. He could worry about quality another time, once he secures another day to live through.

This puppet's cubic body would hold the poisonous mist, littered with Deidara's microscopic clay sculptures that host the memory-concealing needles. There would be a pipe that connected to the mouth in the puppet's head that could extend to direct the gas out, triggered by a series of thin wiring coiled through the neck for release. All components were complete, but not attached.

The next step should be to connect the pieces. The most vital step, as puppets are only as strong as their weakest point; the joints. This puppet would have small appendages that would keep it low to the ground, similar to the Hiruko puppet Sasori used to wear. He found that this design would allow for a swift and quiet ambush.

The arms and legs connected with ease, but the head proved to be more complicated. To his frustration, it wasn't attaching properly. Sasori made several attempts to fit the head on the neck. His hands were shaky, less precise than he remembered. The grip didn’t come as naturally anymore. 

At his fifth attempt, the head slipped out of his hands. It rolled off the table and onto the ground.

Deidara looked up at the commotion.

"Argh!" Sasori snapped, slamming his hands on the table.

Deidara picked up the puppet head and observed it.

"Give it here brat, I've got this." Sasori ordered. Deidara flashed a knowing look.

"Doesn't seem like it, un."

"Deidara," Sasori's voice bubbled with anger, "This is no time to play games."

Deidara ignored him, rotating the head to get a closer look, "Oh!?"

"Danna, don't you usually add a notch here?" Deidara pointed to a spot on the neck of the puppet head, "I'm not sure why you do it, but I see you didn't do that this time, un."

Sasori's eyes widened, awestruck. Deidara was right; he was missing a vital notch in the neck of the puppet head, which would assist in attaching it to the body. This notch also helped with ease of movement.

Such a small detail that in his rush and frustration, Sasori had neglected to add it. Yet, Deidara remembered. No one else ever had, not his old comrades, not even his grandmother. Just Deidara.

"Judging by the look on your face, I'm right, aren't I?" Deidara gave a sideways grin as he handed back the puppet head. Sasori took it reluctantly.

"I was just rushing." Sasori attempted to dismiss his oversight, avoiding Deidara's gaze.

"I noticed, un." Deidara slid off the couch and sat in an empty space adjacent to Sasori at the table, "Breathe, remember, you're human now. But you're still good at this. I know it, un. Do you want me to hand you the tools to make it faster?"

Sasori nodded slowly, holding eye contact with his partner. Deidara never offered to help him build a puppet before. He mostly agreed simply to see how well Deidara was really paying attention to his art.

"You need this one first, yeah?" Deidara picked up a carving knife that was just the right size and shape to create the notch. Sasori took the tool, mouth slightly agape in shock.

"You sure know a lot about my process," Sasori smiled smugly, beginning to make the notch. He hoped to hide his surprise from Deidara, "I never realized you actually cared about my art."

"Of course, un," Deidara's voice softened, "It's not my art, but it is yours, and...I remember it all, un. Even after you left..."

Sasori hadn't expected that answer. His cheeks felt warm, and his heart fluttered. He wondered for a moment if he was sick. Can an Edo Tensei get sick?

He felt seen. For a puppeteer, being observed so closely meant vulnerability. But in this case, being seen by Deidara felt so disarmingly safe.

"If only you were more useful back then," Sasori avoided eye contact, burying his head into his work, "Instead, you insisted my art was 'grotesque.'"

"Well maybe it is," Deidara grabbed a few screws to hand to his partner, anticipating the need, "But that's just who you are, you're a little weird, Danna."

"Hey, you're one to talk," Sasori accepted the screws and got to work, "You may be even weirder than me."

"No way, un!" Deidara laughed playfully, leaning onto the table, "But, I do like that about you."

Sasori's chest felt like it was burning; it was hard to breathe steadily, especially under Deidara's intense gaze. He focused even more on his project to repress that feeling Deidara brought him.

After a few moments shared in silence, Deidara spoke up again.

"Hey Danna, can you imagine living somewhere like this?" Deidara observed the decorations that gave the house life, the little touches of a person who made the house a home. It was simple, but cozy.

"What do you mean?" Sasori peered up at him from his project for a brief moment, "This village, or this house?"

"Both, un." Deidara rested his head on the table, his arms folded underneath his head, blond hair scattered about.

"No," Sasori said sternly, "A place like this isn't meant for people like us. But...it is quiet. That I can appreciate."

"I can't imagine it either. I need to live somewhere with more life! More inspiration, un!" 

He sat back, now leaning against the couch, pushing against the table with his hands, "So when we free ourselves from the jutsu, we need to find a place like that. But still quiet enough so you aren't annoyed all the time."

"I can't imagine settling in one spot long enough to care that much anyway." Sasori still wouldn't meet Deidara's eyes.

"You want to keep traveling about?" 

Deidara was a bit surprised. He always thought Sasori would prefer to stay in one place if he could, especially considering he liked things to be predictable and organized.

"We have to. It's a war. If the Shinobi Nations win, then we are still S-rank criminals as we always have been. If Akatsuki wins, then we have defected, and who knows what lengths they will go to eliminate us. Either way, we're in trouble. You hadn't considered that yet?"

"Well, uh, not really, un." Deidara twirled a strand of his hair nervously. How could he have overlooked something so obvious? "That will make our lives harder than ever before, won't it?"

"Yes, are you having second thoughts?" Sasori's hands continued to stay busy tinkering with his puppet, but he glanced up at Deidara. He hoped he was wrong to question him.

"No way! I want to be here!" His voice was sharp with conviction. He shook his head and leaned towards Sasori, "Easy or not, doesn't matter to me. We'll find a way, un."

Sasori redirected his full attention to his puppet, satisfied.

Deidara couldn't read this expression from his partner.

"And you, Sasori no Danna?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to." He pushed the puppet head into the neck. It made a satisfying pop, "Look, it worked."

"Hell yeah!" Deidara held his arms above his head in celebration. "Okay, now what?"

"We need to go to the forest and find some poisonous material. It should be quick."

"Alright, un!"

The two set out with a small container for the plants they would be collecting. Sasori led the way, scanning the fine details on the foliage for signs of poisonous markings.

"Hey, Sasori no Danna," Deidara suddenly spoke up, "I have a question."

"Must you always bother me when I'm concentrating?" Sasori snapped back.

Deidara ignored the comment. He knew from experience it was an empty threat.

"This is your human body, so... do you feel different? Like, is it weird, un?"

Sasori sighed. As expected, yet another unnecessary question.

"Yes, it's weird." Sasori crouched down to take a closer look at the leaves of a plant with a deep red flower blooming from it, "It's different because I feel."

"Well, even before, you felt a little bit, right?"

"I suppose, but not nearly as much as right now."

"Hmm..." Deidara looked up at the sky, framed by the enormous trees, light filtering in through beams, "...do you think when we free ourselves, we can go and get dinner?"

"Naturally."

"I ask because for the first time, we can enjoy it together, un!"

Deidara crouched down next to him to observe the flower, as if he had any semblance of an idea as to why the flower was important.

"That's the first thing you want to do after being freed?" Sasori carefully cut the flower at the base of the stem, placing it in the container.

"Yeah, if there's one thing I'm sure you missed about having a normal body, it's gotta be having a delicious meal after a long day!"

Deidara nudged him with his elbow, tilting his head playfully. "And maybe a drink to celebrate too?"

"Hmm," Sasori picked another plant growing nearby, careful not touch the leaves, "I'm not opposed to that idea."

As Sasori stood up, Deidara did as well.

"Then it's a date, un," Deidara giggled a bit before landing on a determined look.

Sasori clenched his teeth, "Pardon?"

Deidara ignored the question. If he didn’t give Sasori a chance to object, he could pretend it didn’t happen. It was a game they both knew he liked to play.

"I'll find a good spot to get a delicious meal. But wait- are restaurants even open during a war?"

They began to make their way back to their makeshift base at the house.

"As usual, you have big plans without thinking them through," Sasori glimpsed at him.

"Well, no matter. If anything, I'll cook for you, un!"

"Absolutely not. There's no way that the first meal I have after years of not eating will be your amateur cooking."

"Hey, you've never tried it, so how could you know?" That comment hurt Deidara's ego more than expected.

They turned the corner into the village.

"Because you always whine like a child to stop and get food at restaurants anytime you can," Sasori shook his head.

"Oh, come on! That's not true-"

"I never told you this before, but Kakuzu gave me a scolding for how much of our budget went to you eating out for every damn meal."

Deidara couldn't help but laugh at the thought of that.

"He did? What'd he say?" Deidara spoke through fits of laughter.

"He said he thought we would be better for the budget because I have no need to eat. He actually accused me of lying about not needing to eat, considering the amount of our budget went to food."

Deidara doubled over in more laughter. Kakuzu and Sasori usually got along well, likely because they shared such no-nonsense attitudes about their missions. To think that Sasori got chewed out by him on Deidara's behalf was too much.

"I told him I didn't think you knew how to cook, so you had no choice." Sasori continued, "He politely suggested that I keep you away from restaurants for a while so you could learn to be more self-sufficient."

Deidara couldn't imagine a world where Kakuzu said that politely. It was probably more of a violent threat than anything.

“Wait—so that's why we hid in caves so much?” Deidara nudged him, amused. “Damn, hard to get away with anything in the Akatsuki! Not that we’ll be having that problem anymore.”

"Well, maybe you need that," Sasori's face made somewhat of a smile as he looked at Deidara, "You're too impulsive."

"And that's what you're here for," Deidara winked, "Cause you most certainly are not, un."

As he entered the house they had claimed as their temporary workshop, Sasori stopped midway, blocking Deidara from entering.

"Deidara, I'm working with poison next, so you shouldn't be in here. It's dangerous." Sasori turned to face him, "It shouldn't take long, maybe ten minutes."

As Sasori proceeded to shut the door, Deidara reached for the door to stop it, "Sasori no Danna! I told you I'm not leaving your side this time, un!"

"Deidara, we don't have time for this." Sasori looked unamused, removing Deidara's hand from the door. Although his face read annoyed, he gave Deidara's wrist a squeeze before letting go, "I'm just right here. Find something else to do."

The door shut. A lock clicked.

Deidara turned around and slumped over against the door, "Argh! Now what?!"

Deidara had already prepared the microscopic sculptures earlier, and his clay reserves were full enough. He observed his surroundings, thinking of things to do to keep him busy.

Eventually, he set off wandering the street, never straying far enough to lose sight of the house.

He passed a tavern, surely the only one in town. He stopped in front of it, a crooked grin tugging at his mouth. Sasori hadn't completely denied the whole "date" thing.

"So... it's a 'maybe'?" He muttered, amused.

His mind lingered. Why was Sasori suddenly so... receptive lately? Maybe it was the human body. Maybe it was the circumstances. Or maybe, just maybe, it was something else.

Maybe he's starting to trust me again.

He hadn’t been too obvious, right? Just enough to test the waters. He didn’t want to push too far and get shut down. But if things kept going this way...

Maybe the date wouldn't just be a joke anymore.

That is, if they could pull off this escape plan.

His smile faltered. The word 'if' stuck in his mind. He considered an outcome he hadn't wanted to think about.

If they survived. If the plan worked. If Kabuto didn’t see through it all and rip them back into lifeless obedience.

Worse still, what if Kabuto noticed right now? What if he chose this exact moment to kill Sasori's consciousness?

Right there in that little house, working alone. Just like last time...

It would be just like Kabuto to do something like that. He clearly held a grudge against Sasori.

Deidara felt a chill run through his body as the reality of their situation sank in. It's not that he hadn't thought of these things before, but he had a good distraction, so he pushed those thoughts deep into the back of his mind. He felt sick.

The idea of being brought back only to be torn apart again. Of losing Sasori again. And this time...without even a goodbye.

Now, every moment stretched dreadfully long. Deidara turned back to the house where Sasori was working. It had only been a few minutes, but it felt like hours.

Is he okay in there...?

He wondered if Sasori was thinking the same way, too.

He shook his head, hoping to scatter his thoughts.

"Stop it," he told himself, continuing away from the house, "You're overthinking again."

Even so, he didn't stray far.

At the end of the block stood a weathered notice board littered with tattered flyers: events, missing persons, trade announcements. Deidara wasn’t usually the type to care, but he needed something, anything to keep his thoughts busy.

Half-buried under a few layers, an old wanted poster caught his attention. Sketches of Kakuzu, Hidan, Zetsu, himself...and Sasori. But this wasn't Sasori's true form. Instead, it was the face of his Hiruko puppet.

Deidara stared at it, his chest tightening with an odd sense of pride. Deidara was the only one that Sasori willingly showed his real face to. The only one Sasori allowed to hear his real voice. 

But at one point, Deidara had thought that the Hiruko puppet was the real Sasori, too. And the day he first saw his true form was one he’d never forget. 

It had been some time since Deidara had joined the Akatsuki and been partnered with Sasori. They were in the middle of a low-stakes battle with weak enemies. They weren’t skilled, and there weren’t many of them. 

Deidara found the encounter boring as he watched from above on his bird. Sasori had insisted he could handle it quickly. 

Suddenly, a group rushed in from behind Sasori, ready to ambush. Sasori was facing the front, distracted by the original group of enemies. 

Those guys are mine, Deidara thought as his bird nose- dived towards the battle scene. 

“I’ve got these guys, un!” He yelled as he stuck his hands in his clay pouch, ready to reveal a new explosive creation. 

But before he could stop the bird in position, Deidara felt something brush past him, and Sasori’s puppets hurtled at the enemies, slicing through them easily.  

“Hey! I said I’d-” 

Before Deidara could complain any further, the world spun. His knees buckled, like all the strength had been completely drained from them. And the bird continued to dive towards the ground. 

He crashed into the ground, hard. He had no time to process what he was experiencing. 

His vision tunneled, and the last thing he saw was Sasori’s puppet tail curl around him as the remainder of the enemies dropped to the ground. Then, darkness. 

When Deidara came to, his body tingled painfully, his head pounded, and he tasted blood. But he was alive, somehow. 

It was blurry, but someone was leaning over where he laid in the grass. 

“Don’t move.” An unfamiliar man’s voice ordered. The voice was soft and breathy, but gripping and tacitly powerful. 

Just from his voice, Deidara could tell this man had a presence, ominous and obtrusively overwhelming.

Deidara tried to move anyway. He didn’t know this person, so it had to be an enemy. But his body ached too much to let him so much as grunt. 

“I’ve neutralized the poison. But if you sit up too fast, it will hit you all at once.”

Deidara’s vision began to focus, slowly. This person had red hair. He didn’t know anyone like that. 

“Who the hell are you? Why are you helping me?” Deidara struggled to speak.

“Ah, right. You don’t recognize me like this.” 

He blinked hard a few times, and finally, his vision returned. The world was still spinning, and the lights felt especially glaring, but he could finally study the man who stood above him. 

Crimson bangs fell softly above his eyebrows, slightly wavy at the ends, short hair framing his cheeks. Gray eyes sat heavily lidded, laden with detachment. They upturned at the edges, shadowed underneath, and cold in the center. His face was sharp, yet unmistakably young, with a slender nose followed by delicate lips, and pale skin that held a mild glow. The collar of a cloak slightly obscured his chin. An Akatsuki cloak. 

Deidara relaxed just a bit. So he’s an Akatsuki member, not an enemy.

“You’re an Akatsuki, but…” It hurt his head too much to stare at him any longer; bright sunshine pouring in from behind his figure caused his head to throb. “I’ve never met you.”

“You have. I’m Sasori.”

Deidara couldn't help but let out a scoff at that, though it shot a sharp ache through his middle, “You’re definitely not Sasori, un. Sasori doesn't look- doesn’t sound…”

“I’ve been wearing that puppet, Hiruko. This is my true form, if you will.” He placed a cold, wet towel on Deidara’s forehead. 

“And your voice?” Deidara asked, still skeptical. This had to be a joke. 

“I built a mechanism that changes my voice in the puppet. The perfect armor.”

The Sasori I’ve known is a puppet? No way. 

Deidara finally mustered enough strength to push himself up, not fully, but just enough to confirm that what this red-head was telling him was true. And it was. Not too far from where they were was the form of Sasori he knew. It was, in fact, a puppet. The top half of Hiruko was opened like a book, hollowed out in the center. 

“Oh…” Deidara whispered. 

Sasori pushed him back down, “I told you not to sit up, brat.”

Deidara stared at him, eyes wide. He couldn’t believe it. This has to be some kind of dream. 

“You’re…” Deidara said slowly, glancing away, “...kind of handsome, un.”

“Oh, Right, you hit your head.” Sasori rolled his eyes and turned away.

“No, really!”

“I have more poison. I’ll put you back under.” 

“Ah, no, I’m good, un.” Deidara formed a weak smile. Yeah, that’s definitely Sasori. 

“Hey, why did you hit me with your poison in the first place?!” 

“You flew too close to my puppets. I had already launched them. I thought I warned you to keep your distance.” 

“Yeah, well, I guess I trusted you not poison me, un.” 

They sat silently for a few moments before Deidara spoke up again. 

“You came out of your puppet for me?” 

“You were fading fast. I had to move quickly. This form is most efficient.”

Deidara felt warmth bloom beneath the dizziness and pain. Sasori could have left him to die. And maybe he would have, when they first became partners. This could only mean one thing. 

He trusts me, Deidara thought. 

“I guess I’ll forgive you for poisoning me, just this time, un.”

After that day, Sasori made a habit of coming out of Hiruko, usually at night, away from the world. And only Deidara was allowed to catch a lingering glimpse of him as he worked on his puppets or studied scrolls and books. To have seen Sasori outside of Hiruko and lived to tell the story, Deidara knew he was truly lucky.

And now he was one of the few to see him in a human form. Even rarer.

He thumbed through the other flyers stuck to the board. One of the newer ones was bold and official:

"EVACUATION NOTICE: This town has been identified as a HIGH RISK WAR ZONE AREA. All civilians are hereby ordered to evacuate to the neutral territory designated by Allied Shinobi Forces, effective October 6th."

There was more information in fine print, but Deidara lost interest.

However, this notice did confirm that a war was indeed underway.

He blew out a breath. “Well, whatever. Doesn’t matter, as long as we can get free, un.”

But then what? Sasori was right. They’d be fugitives no matter who won. Someone would always be hunting them.

They just couldn’t catch a break.

He turned back towards the house, figuring Sasori would be done soon. Right as he approached it, the door swung open.

Sasori stepped out, the completed puppet slung across his back like a wrapped bundle. Bandages concealed its shape, though hints of wood peeked through here and there.

Was this how Sasori had looked before he started sealing his puppets away in scrolls? Imagining his partner wearing traditional Sunagakure clothing and a forehead protector, Deidara thought he would fit right in there. Perhaps even belonged at one point.

Sasori approached Deidara. He wore an unexpectedly pleasant look on his face as he did. Deidara flashed a smile back.

"Longest ten minutes of my life, un!" Deidara teased, dramatically.

"Hey, come on now. It was ten minutes, not ten years."

"So everything is ready?" Deidara reached for his clay, preparing a new hummingbird.

"All done. We will add your clay sculptures when we arrive."

"How about the memory concealing needle?" Deidara inquired.

"It's ready too," Sasori patted a satchel he wore on his hip, "I made several, for good measure."

Deidara expanded the hummingbird, "Let's head out, un."

At that, the two assumed their positions on the hummingbird, the same way as before.

"Sorry for the close quarters again, un." Deidara lied. He wasn't sorry about it at all. "It's faster this way."

Sasori settled on the bird and wrapped his arms around Deidara's waist, crossing them casually. He rested his chin on Deidara's shoulder.

"I don't mind." He said dully.

Deidara felt his face flush with warmth, "Really? I thought for sure you'd be annoyed, or something."

"Why? You worry about the strangest things." Sasori squeezed him just slightly tighter, "You're warm, and the wind up there is cold."

Deidara blinked, his heart stuttered. He was almost certain he was delusional. There was no way Sasori was doing this on purpose. Right?

Still, he chose not to push it. Not now. The mission came first. They had to get to Kabuto, and fast. The sooner this Edo Tensei nonsense was over, the better.

"Then hold on tight," Deidara forced his voice to steady, "I'm planning on going extra fast this time, un!"

As he gathered his focus, the bird's wings fluttered to life, launching them skyward, "Let's do this, un!"

Chapter Text

The ride back to find Kabuto would be a bit longer due to a headwind. Even so, cutting through the wind remained the fastest route to Kabuto's hideout.

After a few minutes leveled off above the clouds, Sasori shifted a bit.

"Hey, Deidara, is this bird steady?"

"Yes, we should cruise like this for a while."

Deidara wondered if that question meant Sasori was planning on letting go of him. A disappointed knot began to form in his stomach.

"Good. Hold still for a minute."

Deidara felt Sasori's left hand slide away from his waist, followed by the faint sound of rustling fabric. Then, Sasori's right hand rose to cradle his chin, steadying his head.

"What are you—?"

"Just hold still would you? You always protest."

There wasn't a single reason Deidara could think of that warranted Sasori holding him like this. Thoroughly shocked, he remained perfectly still, barely breathing.

Sasori's left hand brought an indistinct gray object up to the left side of Deidara's face.

"Close your eyes. Now." Sasori ordered, almost directly into his ear. Deidara felt chills at the sensation of his breath so close.

Deidara slowly closed his eyes, and they naturally teared from how dry the air was.

He felt Sasori press something cool and smooth above his left eye. The edges of the object were sticky, and adhered to Deidara's face. Sasori applied increasing pressure to the object, digging into the skin surrounding his eye.

Click.

"Ah—"

"Done."

Sasori released Deidara's chin, brushing away Deidara's now messy side bangs. His fingers scraped lightly past the skin on his forehead, sending a sharp flutter through Deidara's chest.

"Open your eyes."

Deidara reached up to feel the object on his face. It was heavy… familiar. And when he opened his eyes—

"A scope!" Deidara gasped, already toying with the settings, "When did you— how did you—"

"I made it while the poison was boiling. I had nothing better to do, so...there."

"Really?" Deidara twisted around to meet his eyes, "Just for me?"

"Unless you know another blonde freak who uses obnoxious clay bombs to fight and calls it art." Sasori shrugged, "Then it's all theirs."

"Hmmm..." Deidara giggled a bit before tilting his head and pointing to himself, "Nope! Just me, un!"

"Then I suppose it's yours."

Sasori leaned in a bit to observe the scope, "How does it fit? It was a rush job."

"Just perfect, un! It's quite impressive, for a rush job," Deidara turned back to the front and fixated on the clouds that passed below them, "Hmm… so it seems you remember little things about me too?"

Sasori stilled. He was taken back to earlier that day, when Deidara had remembered details of his puppet construction that even he had momentarily forgotten. He had proven he knew infinitely more about Sasori’s art than he ever would have guessed.

"I'm just..."

Sasori considered that he did know far more about Deidara than anyone else. Was it proximity? Camaraderie? Something else?

That feeling of warm familiarity crept in, once again.

"...I'm just returning the favor."

Deidara smiled warmly, "Only you could have made me this, un."

Feeling daring, Deidara slowed the bird just enough to steady himself as he lifted both hands off the bird and placed them over both of Sasori's. He gave him a gentle squeeze.

"Means a lot."

Sasori didn’t speak, but the way his arms closed around Deidara a little tighter told him everything he needed to know.

So it isn't just my imagination, he thought.

Deidara placed his hands back on the bird and sped forward with more determination than before.

Just a little further.

After a few minutes, the bird began a sharp turn to the right. The clouds in this area were wispy; thin enough for the two to make out the shoreline and a familiar wooded area, indicating they had reached the Land of Iron.

"How much longer?" Sasori asked, recognizing the passing landscape.

"That would depend on how close we need to get to the hideout, un."

"Hmm," Sasori closed his eyes, visualizing the terrain.

Even without a map, he was well-versed in the geography of the Shinobi world. It wasn’t hard to place themselves with this much visible detail.

During their escape, they had discovered Kabuto was stationed near a crumbling warehouse-like structure. The area was surrounded by dense woods, which would normally make an ideal hiding spot. Today, it was the dawn of a Great Shinobi War. Surely, there would be guards, traps, and sensory-types that could alert Kabuto to any incoming threats.

"We need to stay far away," Sasori explained, "We are lucky the clouds are thick today. If we stay high and out of sight, most sensory-types won't detect us."

"Then, how do we get the puppet on the ground?” Deidara thought through dozens of scenarios, "We can't very well just drop it in, un. Shall we scout the area first?"

"That should help." Sasori nodded, "But we need to be at a high altitude. The enemy knows your clay birds, after all."

"Also," Sasori reached up to tap the new scope, "That scope of yours should have an enhanced setting, you can see further than your previous one."

"Really?" Deidara perked up, excited at the idea of an improvement to his gear, "The scope I used to wear was top-of-the-line, un! Then how did you— "

"Did I make your previous scope?" Sasori smirked.

"Well, no."

"Then that's why it was inferior."

"Fair enough, un."

Deidara scrolled through the settings on his scope. Sasori was right, not only was the magnifying effect superior, there was even night vision. With such little time, it was a wonder that Sasori could do so much.

"Even in a pinch, you did all this?" Deidara wore a proud grin. Sasori always managed to impress him.

"Actually, I had intended on making one for you after our last mission. Before I died, that is."

Sasori rolled his eyes as he thought of their final mission before his death. Deidara had kept him waiting for too long before he captured the One Tailed Jinchuriki.

Sasori clicked his tongue. "You needed it, always taking too long to fight."

"Hey! That’s not true!"

Sasori ignored his outburst and continued, "Anyway, that scope of yours should be able to see the ground from this distance. Look for somewhere that would put us out of harm's way. After that, we will direct the puppet in, set off the poisonous gas, Kabuto will lose consciousness, and you will direct the needle to his brain."

"Simple as that, hm?" Deidara’s voice was filled with excitement.

"Then," Sasori continued, tone becoming more serious, "Once the needle is inserted, it is our opportunity to enter the building. We will learn the hand seals and get the hell out of there. Be ready. We must move quickly. No mistakes."

"And NO explosions." Sasori added after a moment.

"What?!" Deidara shot back, "Come on, that's not fair-"

"That will attract too much unnecessary attention." Sasori interrupted. "We don't need to find out what trouble that could bring."

"Then I'll just make a tiny one, un." Deidara muttered to himself under his breath.

"I heard that and no!"

"Ugh, fine, un! Then, where to after that?"

"There are small islands west of this peninsula. Bring us there. I assume those areas have also been evacuated. We can release the Jutsu there without interference."

"Got it, un." Deidara set his eyes on the horizon, a new determination in his gaze.

Just as expected of Sasori, Deidara thought to himself, he's always able to formulate a winning strategy in a pinch.

Deidara knew himself, and while he certainly was not stupid, he recognized his tendency to enter battles with little to no direction. He found he thrived under pressure, in the heat of the moment. Just like his chosen form of art.

Although that was his way, Sasori's way was extremely useful in these situations. And he'd missed it.

Only after Sasori's passing did Deidara truly realize the merit to Sasori's calculated moves. Being paired with Tobi, Deidara thought himself to be the smarter, more experienced of the two. Deidara's lack of planning got him and Tobi into some trouble occasionally. He found this way to be fun, but there were days where he missed his voice of reason.

He turned slightly, smiling at Sasori, who looked back at him blankly.

"Hey, I know I mentioned it earlier but, I really missed working together with you, un."

Sasori gave his shoulder a light shake.

“Then focus,” he said, but there was the faintest smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “There’ll be more chances, if we don’t mess this up.”

"Ah, right," Deidara turned back to the front.

He would have been disappointed if he hadn't caught Sasori's little smile.

Within a minute or so, the artists arrived in Kabuto's territory. The hummingbird's wings turned as Deidara guided them into a slight downward spiral before hovering just above the clouds.

"This is good," Sasori reached in his pouch for a kunai, and attached a chakra string to the handle. He carefully lowered it down into the clouds in a spiral motion. This drilled a hole in the clouds just wide enough to act as a window for Deidara to see through, still allowing the clouds to shield them from view.

They’d used this trick before. Deidara immediately caught on.

He closed his right eye, and reached under his side bangs to begin adjusting the scope. The lens zoomed in, closer and closer with each click of the dial.

"We are a bit south of the base," he reported, "But we are high enough that I can see all angles from here."

"Anyone outside?"

"Let's see, hmm..."

Deidara leaned forward across the bird's neck peeking around next to its head. Sasori's hands had moved to the sides of Deidara's waist to steady them both. Deidara smiled to himself when he felt the shift.

"Well...?" It had only been a few seconds, but Sasori had already grown impatient.

"There seems to be a few Edo Tensei Shinobi about fifty feet away from every side of the warehouse. I don't recognize any of them, un."

"Any signs of traps? Which side is the entrance?" Sasori asked, hurriedly.

Deidara clicked the scope again, scanning the dull, gray structure. “Doesn’t look like any traps. Must’ve been in a rush. The amateurs.” He squinted, “No clear entrance. Just a few windows.”

"Windows can work. Now, find us a place to land."

Deidara nodded, scanning the perimeter until he found a small clearing. Trees were nestled close enough to serve as a perch near a window. Perfect. He sat up.

"Found it!" Deidara leaned back into Sasori— a little too far, on purpose. Sasori caught him by the shoulders.

"Are you ready for this, Sasori no Danna?" Deidara looked up at him,

"Stop asking pointless questions and get on with it, Deidara." Sasori pushed him forward and wrapped his arms around him.

They began a plummeting descent towards their entry point. Within a few seconds, they were face-to-face with the window.

They jumped off the bird and onto a sturdy tree branch in front of the window, crouching down. Sasori released his puppet from the bandages and opened a compartment located at the top of its body. He gestured to the opening.

"It's for your microscopic sculptures, or whatever you call that," Sasori's voice was low, "The pieces of the needle are inside."

Deidara nodded, and reached for his bag holding the microscopic clay. He released them into the hatch, and began to sense their locations. He directed them to surround the needles lying in the compartment.

"It's ready, un" Deidara looked up, determined.

Sasori shut the hatch carefully, and attached his chakra strings to various points on the puppet. As he did so, the puppet's limbs began to come to life, and the head of the puppet spun around in unnatural patterns. It was as though Sasori was warming up, his fingers dancing rapidly. Deidara took a step back to allow his partner some space.

Sasori launched the puppet at the building, and it latched onto the brick wall with all fours. It crawled upward like a beetle, quiet and quick. Deidara held his breath and watched it move.

Once it reached the window, the right arm of the puppet extended, and a sharp knife protruded from the puppet's palm. The knife was sharp enough to cut a perfect circle out of the glass. Once complete, Sasori linked a chakra string to the glass disc and gently pulled it free.

Clean. Silent. Efficient.

Vastly different from how Deidara would have approached it.

The two stepped closer to the window to watch as the puppet crawled into the building and up the ceiling, stealthily making its way to a spot directly above where Kabuto was standing.

He stood facing a table, hunched over what looked like a map. His back was to them.

"On my signal," Sasori whispered. Deidara raised two fingers level to his chest, focusing his chakra to his clay sculptures.

The puppet's mouth opened, triggering an odorless, colorless, poisonous mist to release along with Deidara's sculptures. Since Sasori couldn't see the mist, he had no choice but to wait until Kabuto displayed symptoms. Waiting never was his favorite pastime.

Moments later, Kabuto's head suddenly dropped. His glasses slid down his nose, gray hair falling into his face. His knees buckled. He slumped over the table and hit the floor with a dull thud.

"Deidara..." Sasori said sharply.

"On it!"

Deidara sensed the location of his microscopic clay creations and directed them to Kabuto's face. Some climbed up in his nose, some in his ears, floating up through his passages and into his brain. Once Deidara sensed they were all there, he willed them to pierce the memory center together. 

"It's done, un!"

Without hesitation, Sasori surged chakra to his legs and kicked the remaining window in. Glass shattered, raining across the floor below. The opening he created was now sufficient for them to climb in.

"Let's go." He waved at Deidara to follow him as he jumped into the building.

Upon landing, Sasori walked forward, stopping just above Kabuto. Kabuto laid face up on the ground, arms and legs sprawled about from under his robes, mouth slightly open. Deidara joined Sasori, standing a few steps behind.

"The poison should wear off any moment now." Sasori crossed his arms and looked down at Kabuto as he explained. "I designed it to be weak… After all, there's some things we need to discuss."

Right on cue, Kabuto took a sharp gasp of air. Sasori wove several hand seals.

Kabuto's eyes fluttered open. Deidara instinctively grabbed for his clay, ready to attack at a moment's notice. Sasori knew better than to prepare to fight this time, stopping Deidara by holding out an arm without looking back.

"Yakushi Kabuto..." Sasori's voice dropped low and menacingly, "I am Sasori...You will report to me."

Sasori tilted his head with a smirk, his eyes dark, "But you already know that, don't you?"

Kabuto's pupils became abnormally small, as though focusing on a target. Deidara scrunched his nose in disgust. He found his snake-like appearance to make him look especially freakish with eyes like that.

Kabuto nodded robotically, gaze fixed on Sasori's every movement.

"Now, tell me the hand seals in the proper order to release Edo Tensei. Tell me..." Sasori crouched down in front of Kabuto, looking straight in his eyes, "...but don't show me."

"Tiger, snake, dog, dragon, clap," Kabuto's voice sounded a bit hoarse, the tone was robotic, "Reverse the order to end the Jutsu."

Sasori slowly stood up, still holding his gaze with Kabuto. He felt an immense wave of satisfaction having regained full control of his situation.

He smiled villainously, "Deidara, make your ridiculous bird."

"Not ridiculous! It's art, un!" Deidara's hand mouths got to work munching away to make a new bird, his masterpiece.

And watching Kabuto be manipulated by Sasori once again, that was art to Deidara too.

Sasori scoffed at the sight of Kabuto, disheveled and powerless at his feet, staring up with desperate admiration.

"How's it feel to be nothing but a puppet after all?" Deidara expanded the bird as Sasori spoke.

They hopped on, and Sasori looked down his nose at Kabuto, "You brought me back with no puppets, and I know you did that to slight me. It seems you've vastly underestimated just who you're up against."

Deidara couldn't help but admire how cool Sasori looked at that moment. He felt invigorated, knowing that Sasori was acting more like his old self. Deidara could tell he felt alive.

"No matter how many times you think you have out-scaled us, you will never beat me at my own game. I am a puppet master, after all."

The bird began to raise off the ground, wings flapping rhythmically to lift them up. The two took their seated position to prepare to blast out of the warehouse. Deidara leaned towards Kabuto’s direction before they left.

"Sasori no Danna is the greatest fucking puppeteer in the world! And you're nothing more than a wannabe, un!" Deidara almost screamed down at Kabuto as they lifted up. "Also, fuck the new Akatsuki! You're nothing without this artistic duo! Un!"

Sasori smiled slightly at this. He crossed his arms around Deidara, and leaned on his back as they blasted through the window and up into the clouds.

Sasori's heart was still racing from the rush of adrenaline brought on by the victory. It was so very satisfying to have a win, even when the odds were stacked high against them. He closed his eyes, just letting himself feel it all for a moment.

And there was a lot to feel.

Now, he was minutes away from accomplishing everything he wanted. Though he still thought Kabuto was a pesky, unoriginal nuisance, he couldn't help but feel a sliver of gratitude towards him for presenting an opportunity like this one. Once he completes the hand seals, Sasori would have the immortal body he always strived for… and maybe more than that.

He felt the wind crashing against his face, pushing his red hair behind him. It was cold, but Deidara was still so very warm. He held on tighter. Even this high up, he felt grounded.

Then it hit him.

Sasori's eyes shot open. He suddenly felt a bit shaky, queasy, even. Like a slow toxin taking over him.

Deidara didn't want to be immortal. That, Sasori knew. It was against everything he believed in. Completely and entirely the opposite.

Sasori's heart began to beat faster. His breathing became shallow.

Maybe Deidara doesn't understand what he's getting himself into. His body won't be like it was before. He won’t be able to perform his ultimate art ever again. Sasori subconsciously squeezed Deidara a bit tighter.

While alive, Sasori always denounced Deidara's belief in the art of a moment. He believed his concept of eternal beauty far superior. Even now, he clung to this belief.

Perhaps Deidara didn’t understand art. ‘The art of a moment’ was an absurd concept, and expressing this through ‘art as an explosion,’ was even more nonsensical. But he found something that he held meaningful. He enmeshed this art with ninjutsu in a way that no one had ever done before.

It was still stupid, loud, and senseless. And Sasori didn’t agree with it. He didn’t even like it. But if Sasori had found the one thing he believed beautiful, and pursued that until the end, he had to admit, Deidara had too.

Despite everything... out of all the people Sasori had ever known, Deidara encompassed exactly what it meant to be a true artist. Sasori couldn't help but recognize this. 

If Sasori had wanted Deidara to join him in immortality, he could have just made him into a puppet. But he couldn’t. His art couldn’t be mimicked, it couldn’t be reduced to strings. It had to be alive. 

To become immortal is to take away his very essence, Sasori determined. Am I leading him astray from the things that make him unique?

He felt an unfamiliar curl of guilt form in his chest.

After being controlled by Kabuto like a puppet himself, Sasori now understood how violating it was to strip away the intent of an artist. He didn't wish that on Deidara. 

Selfishly, Sasori held on tighter, as if holding Deidara closer would somehow delay the truth.

But why does it matter so much to me? Why do I react in such a way when I imagine eternity without this idiot who knows nothing about true art?

He considered saying something, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

The bottom line, he realized, is that he wanted Deidara to weave the hand seals with him, or else he didn't really want it for himself at all.

He could just do nothing, and at some point, someone, somehow would release his soul. Maybe that would be better than facing Deidara's answer.

"Danna, I know you're glad we showed up that Kabuto..." Deidara grunted, struggling to get the words out, "...but you are squeezing the life out of me, un!"

Sasori released his hold a bit. Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed. He wasn't used to these strong feelings, anyway.

"Ah, sorry," he muttered, releasing his grip on Deidara slightly. 

Deidara let out an exaggerated ugly sigh, dramatic as always, "It's okay, we're here, anyway."

From the sky, the entire island was visible. The bird landed gracefully on the shore of the tiny island. A light snow dusted the ground.

"Ugh, it's too cold over here," Deidara complained as the bird approached the island's shore.

"That's your own fault for choosing such an impractical outfit back at the village," Sasori gave a light tug to Deidara's cropped shirt, "Leave it to you to be unprepared."

"Hey, it's all about the aesthetics, un! I'll freeze if I have to, but at least I look good!" Deidara teased as he stood up before hopping off his bird.

Sasori rolled his eyes and followed.

The bird disappeared into a cloud of smoke. They now stood on the shoreline of the island, a bit of rocky sand beneath their feet. Light waves crashed into the edge of the shore. Despite the fact that it was daytime, the sky was gray and gloomy from the overcast clouds.

"Look, Deidara," Sasori finally spoke, watching the waves meet the rocky sand. His eyes felt heavy in anticipation of the conversation he had been dreading, "I want you to be very sure that—"

"I am," Deidara interrupted, watching Sasori's stoic expression as the wind blew his hair in rhythm with the waves.

"But, I'm not gonna do this without you, okay? Without you, I don't think living is that important. I already achieved my ultimate art, so if I'm gonna free myself..."

The response from Deidara threw Sasori off. His eyes widened a bit. He forgot his original approach.

"Why do I matter that much?" He muttered, almost too quickly.

"I just..." Deidara's voice trailed off, he looked down at a place where rocks met the sand, unable to look Sasori in the eyes, "...I just realized it when you were gone, un. I liked life better with you, that's all.”

Sasori stared at him, speechless. The silence stretched so long Deidara thought it might choke him.

"Anyway," Deidara continued, trying to keep his voice steady as he rambled, "if you don't want to be my partner, or whatever, after this… tell me now, cause I'll just stay how I am, and you can finally have an eternal body,"

He met Sasori's eyes, "Just like you always wanted, hm?"

Sasori looked down at his feet, red hair sliding forward over his eyes.

"Deidara, do you really understand what it means when a reanimated person undoes Edo Tensei themselves?"

Deidara thought for a moment. He figured he already knew everything there was to know about Edo Tensei. At least, everything Sasori knew.

"Is there something I don't know?" He shook his head.

"You will have a completely indestructible body..." Sasori spoke softly, "...forever. And that isn't compatible with your art, is it?"

Sasori waited a moment, expecting a reply. Deidara's eyebrows knotted as he averted Sasori's gaze.

Sasori became impatient, feeling a desperate need to come to a conclusion, "So I need you to be certain, because there's no way to go back, Deidara."

"Well—"

"I need you to be very sure." Sasori pressed, "Don't make another rash decision."

Their eyes finally locked.

"Why?"

Deidara was torn between feeling annoyed that Sasori thought he would regret his decision, and feeling grateful that Sasori was expressing care for him.

"What's it matter to you whether I stay in this body or not, hm?"

"When it comes to me, I don't really have much to do in this world anymore." Sasori's voice sounded a bit strained. He squeezed his eyes shut as he sighed, causing a puff of smoke from his breath to form in the cold air.

Deidara's eyes stayed on him, and Sasori felt trapped. He felt that sickening feeling again, as though too many emotions were swirling through his body.

But there was no way to escape. There was no other way out than the truth, this time.

"I've been tired of living for a very long time, you know," His voice dropped just above a whisper, "But when I got partnered with you, life got… a little more interesting."

"Oh?" Deidara usually had more to say, but this time, he wanted nothing more than to listen.

"Yes," Sasori formed somewhat of a smirk, "someone had to prove you wrong about your art, after all. And I would spend any amount of time to properly do so."

Deidara blinked, then let out a snort that tumbled into laughter. Sasori looked over, slightly puzzled.

"Is that your weird way of saying I'm your friend, hm?" Deidara spoke between small giggles.

Sasori felt his face become warm.

Once Deidara's laughter died down, Sasori spoke up again, "Anyway! That's why I need you to be sure that you won't get upset that you gave up your artistic dreams for this. If you will only regret it, or change your mind, you shouldn't do it."

Deidara opened his mouth to respond, but Sasori took a step towards him before he could, "And if that's the case, then I won't either."

Deidara smiled softly, looking down. So they did agree, for once.

"I am sure," Deidara met Sasori's eyes with a look of resolve, "Besides, it's just like you said, being together is far more interesting than my life before, or even after you, un."

Deidara gestured out towards the ocean, "I think we can keep going together, and maybe..."

He turned back towards Sasori and rested his hands on his shoulders, "...maybe we don't need to change each other, or our art. Existing with you is just enough."

"Really?"

"Really."

They shared eye contact momentarily as the sound of waves crashing against the shore surrounded them. The air was cold, but Sasori found that gazing into Deidara's eyes was warm.

Deidara wondered if he caught a glimmer of something new in Sasori's eyes.

"...Then, do you remember the hand seals?" Sasori finally spoke, unable to hold his gaze any longer.

Deidara grinned mischievously, that way he did before a battle. He wove the hand seals so quickly Sasori barely had time to process his actions before he finished the final tiger hand seal.

"Deidara! You actually—"

"Reanimation: RELEASE!" Deidara shouted as he slammed his right hand into the ground.

A colossal surge of chakra filled his veins as a white glow enveloped his body and raised high above him. A gust of wind shot up from the ground, causing his hair to dance about.

Sasori covered his face with his arms, shielding him from the blinding light. Deidara rose from the ground to meet Sasori's eyes, as the light surrounding him dimmed slowly.

"There, un! Now you can't say I'm not serious!" Deidara grinned fiercely at him.

Sasori still had to squint his eyes to look at him, "I- I can't believe you just—"

"I told you! I'm not gonna leave your side this time, un!"

The light finally disappeared from around him.

"You are a lot of things, but a liar certainly isn't one of them," Sasori softly smiled back at him.

After a moment, he spoke up again, "I suppose it's my turn?"

Deidara giggled, "Yeah, Danna I thought you hated to keep people waiting!"

Sasori stepped forward.

As he formed the hand seals, a rush of memories filled his mind. He remembered the way he had died back at that cave, surrounded by his collection of puppets. It was powerful… but so very lonely.

He remembered what it felt like to be human, the pain of losing his parents, and the hole left so deeply embedded in his heart that nothing would ease his despair.

He remembered when he believed becoming a puppet was his last hope. Leaving Sunagakure behind, and all the painful memories buried in the sand.

And he remembered how this had worked. His emotions were kept suppressed, locked away deep within his core. He had silenced them all.

Until Deidara.

Deidara had given him a feeling he hadn't felt in so very long. Hope.

Not for peace or redemption. Just… for more time. More days. More of this.

He knew he was wrong to trust in sentiments. But today, it

had led him here, to this moment, next to someone who made these feelings seem right.

He let the feeling overcome him.

“Reanimation: RELEASE!”

Chapter Text

After witnessing the immense burst of light emit from his partner as he broke free of Edo Tensei, Deidara reached for his clay to form another bird. Surely, someone had seen or sensed the insane surge of chakra the two had generated. They needed to escape this snowy island before they ran into unnecessary trouble.

Besides, they had a dinner date.

Deidara sculpted his bird, this time, a larger owlish creation with broad wings. This owl was more suitable for long-distance travel than the hummingbird they'd used before. 

He grabbed Sasori's arm and pulled him towards it.

"Come on, Danna, we aren't staying in this freezing wasteland!"

They climbed aboard the owl, this time, standing, Deidara in front, Sasori behind. The owl's wings beat, sand and snow swirling beneath them, pushing them into the sky. Before long, the island shrank into a patch of white amongst the sea. It felt final.

"Where are you taking us?"

"We're going to have dinner, remember?"

Of course, Sasori remembered. After all, Deidara had called it a "date" when he mentioned it before.

"Are you seriously still calling it a date?"

"Whatever you want, Sasori no Danna!" Deidara teased, tilting his head with a wide grin.

Sasori felt his heart flutter, followed by a pang of fright at the implication that he would desire a date with this blond idiot.

He wondered why he chose to spend eternity with him for a moment. Is it too late to go back?

"To be honest, I’ve got no idea where we should go, un. But I'm sure we can find somewhere—"

"We're better off hiding until this war nonsense dies down, don't you think?" Sasori looked behind him, and though it was faint, there were flares of light that occasionally surged from within the forest, indications of Shinobi battle. 

Deidara followed his line of sight, smiling at the idea that they escaped all that mess. 

"Usually, I would agree, but today is a big day for us, hm? It's only natural that we celebrate!" Deidara's grin widened, "I'll just find somewhere that looks safe and going about their business as usual, un."

"That might take a while..." Sasori sighed.

"I know you hate to be kept waiting but don't worry! It will be well worth the trouble, un!"

Deidara turned back to the front, fidgeting with the new scope. He wanted to memorize the order of settings, and this was the perfect time to do so. Behind him, Sasori crossed his arms.

It was freezing, and Sasori wondered how Deidara was able to bear flying like this all the time. He felt himself shiver involuntarily and hugged himself tighter to stay warm.

"It's very cold up here," Sasori muttered.

Deidara paused, letting go of the scope. 

"Oh right, you aren't very used to the cold weather, are you, Danna?" He turned to face him, "Since you are from Sunagakure, the desert. So… did you ever go anywhere cold before you changed to your puppet body?"

"Not anywhere cold like this or that island back there." Sasori turned his head to the side, but Deidara caught him shivering.

He couldn't help but smile. Sasori, even now, was still trying so hard to look unbothered.

"Come up here, it's warmer, un!"

Deidara gestured for Sasori to come to him. Sasori let out a heavy sigh

"How is it possibly any warmer such a short distance from where I'm standing?" He grumbled, though he stepped forward anyway.

Once they were side-by-side, Deidara wrapped an arm around Sasori's shoulders, pulling him closer.

"It's not much, but is that better?" Deidara said softly.

Sasori averted Deidara's gaze, not offering a verbal response. But he leaned into Deidara's arms just a bit, and Deidara felt he knew the answer.

They stayed this way for a long time, watching the scenery change below them as the bird flew onward to an unknown destination. The flight was far longer than earlier when they went to Takigakure.

"Look," Deidara eventually said, pointing off into the distance towards the setting sun. The red and golden rays of light brushed over fluffy clouds like a painting. "It's kinda art isn't it?"

Sasori's eyes fixed on the sunset. It felt calm, familiar. He'd seen the sun set many times before, but this time it felt more... complete. He relaxed more into Deidara's hold. Internally, he agreed with him.

Suddenly, Deidara pulled his arm away, eyes locking onto a small nation below. 

He crouched down and adjusted his scope for a better view. This place was more alive than anywhere they'd passed so far. The village's buildings were aglow, streets lively with echoes of conversations. 

"How about this one? Any idea what it's called?" Deidara pointed towards the town in the distance.

Sasori frowned, arms crossing again. The chill was sharper now that Deidara had let go. 

"No idea. I wasn't really paying attention."

He had been watching how the golden hour caught Deidara’s hair. He was glowing, like he belonged in that light.

"But it's fine." Sasori finished.

The village was nestled between rolling hills and a winding river that shimmered beneath the setting sun like glitter. As they descended, the air turned from a whipping cold to a pleasant autumn breeze.

The bird touched down just outside the village gates. To their relief, no guards approached, and they passed through the gates without question. The atmosphere of the village was surprisingly lax, considering a war was still ongoing.

This place was clearly no Shinobi stronghold. Most people in the crowd were ordinary folk, making a living quietly. Perhaps a few were good with a sword, but none were anywhere near the danger of the two artists, both of whom were powerful enough to eliminate the village on a whim.

As they entered through the main road, Sasori observed the small details of the village and its people. He never thought he’d see a place like this again.

Wooden homes with slanted roofs crowded the narrow streets, their windows lit warmly from within. Lanterns swayed from strings overhead, a source of dim light that replaced the sun as it set.

Children ran past them down the cobblestone street, laughter trailing behind as parents followed at a slower pace. The air buzzed with indistinct chatter and clinking glasses. Couples walked hand in hand. Some strangers passed hurriedly, others more leisurely.

Scenes of a life Sasori could have had… a life he always told himself he didn't want.

For a moment, he felt out of place. 

Do these people not know about the war? Do they just not care? Living peacefully like this, it seemed they didn't have to. Sasori felt exposed. This was a place he didn't belong.

But Deidara moved confidently through the crowd like he was born to be there. His steps were casual, expression bright and pleasant. It was as though he didn't notice how obviously they didn't fit in. But he was always good at this. The art of a moment, as he would call it. Sasori felt a bit of the unease settle.

Upon turning down a busy, narrow road, the atmosphere began to fill with contrasting scents from various restaurants and food stalls that lined the street. Sasori couldn't name the smells of food, but they made him hungry all the same.

"Oh," Sasori said quietly, "that actually smells very good."

Deidara caught a hint of a smile on Sasori's face. Cute.

"Getting hungry, Danna?"

Sasori shrugged. "How are we to pay for a meal anyway?"

"Ah— well..."

"As expected, you have no idea." Sasori shook his head. "Always making big plans with no way to follow through."

"Don't worry, un!" Deidara insisted, feigning confidence, “I'm good at this stuff! Improving is kinda my thing. I'll figure it out!”

"Well lucky for you, I already did," Sasori sneered, "While you were rambling, I managed to obtain some money."

"What?!" Deidara stopped walking, confused.

"Chakra strings come in handy," Sasori said, holding up a full wallet, "And people really ought to keep a better eye on their valuables, don't you think?"

"God, I missed you! Un!" Deidara's grin couldn't be contained.

He glanced about, searching for a place worthy of Sasori's first meal. 

"Okay, how about this place?" Deidara pointed to a small restaurant where the patrons seemed especially loud.

"Barbecue?" Sasori asked, unimpressed. 

"If you're hungry, it's the perfect solution, un!"

Before Sasori could protest, Deidara had already shoved his way through the entrance. There was no choice but to follow.

The air inside was thick with smoke emitting from the tabletop grills. It was a bit stuffy, but Sasori was surprised to find the atmosphere inviting as his stomach stirred in anticipation.

The server led them to a quaint table for two where they would be seated across from each other, the grill dividing them. 

"It's noisy in here," Sasori complained, looking with disgust at the loud patrons at other tables. 

"I guess everyone wants to get their minds off this war, or something, un," Deidara said as he skimmed the handwritten menu. "Wanna take a look?"

"I leave it to you." Sasori slumped over, resting his chin on his hand, watching the busy disorder of the restaurant, "Surprise me."

When the server returned, Deidara ordered the set with the most food— there would be appetizers, vegetables, soup, and different types of meat and seafood, along with a bottle of hot sake. He wanted Sasori to thoroughly enjoy his first meal.

After the server left, the pair settled quietly across from each other, taking in the boisterous atmosphere.

Sasori watched as Deidara idly fiddled with the chopsticks and sauce bottles, a familiar restlessness in his movements. He always got absorbed in his ideas, rarely thinking about basic things like food unless someone reminded him. 

"Hey, Deidara," Sasori spoke up suddenly, "after I died… did you eat well every day?"

The question disheveled Deidara. Sasori wasn't usually one to ask such direct, caring questions. He looked down at the table and brushed a strand of hair behind his ear, nervously. 

"Honestly? It kinda crept up on me."

"What?” Sasori didn't follow. “Eating?" 

"No, no. How much I missed you, un."

"What does that have to do with eating?"

"It has to do with everything."

Somehow, in just a few words, Deidara had echoed years of grief Sasori hadn’t dared name. Maybe they understood each other. Sasori felt a pang of guilt for being Deidara's reason to feel that way.

"You cared that much? We barely got along... "

Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of food. Sasori shifted restlessly in his seat, relieved. The room was starting to feel a bit stifling.

Deidara, on the other hand, welcomed the food, divvying up the appetizers, soup, and side dishes before placing meat and vegetables on the griddle. Once he was satisfied with the arrangement, he poured them each a shot of the sake.

“So even after all that talk about how bad your cooking is,” Sasori rubbed his temple, “you still bring us somewhere where you’re the one cooking. Of all the places."

Deidara smirked as he poked at the meat on the grill with chopsticks, "Ah, well, this doesn't take much skill, so I should be fine to—"

"I have my doubts," Sasori interrupted, "Just try not to burn this place down or make something explode."

"Hey, don't threaten me with a good time, un!"

Once the meat and vegetables were cooked, Deidara served both plates.

"Before you dig in," Deidara lifted the shot glass of sake, tilting it in Sasori's direction, "To us, and whatever the future holds for this artistic duo! Un!"

"...Okay," Sasori replied flatly. The two clinked their glasses and drank the shot. Sasori coughed after his first sip.

"Not used to that, huh?"

"No," Sasori wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "I was pretty young when I turned into a puppet, so..."

"You never drank?!" Deidara thought for a moment. It did make sense, "Well, first time for everything, right?"

"Can we eat now?" Sasori asked, the smoky aroma of the barbecue was surprisingly enticing.

"Right! Let's eat! Un!"

Deidara took a bite, but quickly peered up to watch Sasori, who stared at his plate with genuine confusion. He picked up the chopsticks clumsily, struggling to find the balance to grab a piece of food. Deidara stifled a laugh.

How can he be so good at directing puppets in battle but struggle with something so natural? 

Finally, Sasori took his first bite. Immediately, he spat the food into a napkin. 

“Too hot,” he muttered with an offended look, as if it were the food’s fault.

Deidara covered his mouth so the laughter wouldn't spill out.

Sasori tried again, this time more carefully. He took a smaller slice of meat that seemed cooler.

It was as though he had never used his teeth to chew food before. He focused intensely on every bite. Deidara couldn't contain his laughter any longer.

"You good over there, Danna?" Deidara asked as Sasori chewed the food with furrowed brows. 

Sasori made somewhat of a nod as he avoided Deidara's eyes, focused.

After a minute or so of Sasori looking slightly frustrated as he ate the food, Deidara started to doubt that Sasori even enjoyed it.

"Is it good? Bad? You kind of look like you're in pain, un."

Sasori ignored him for a bit longer before he realized he had finished the food on his plate. He looked at the empty grill, then up at Deidara.

"Aren't you gonna make more?"

"Ah, right!" Deidara urgently placed more food on the grill. "So you do like it!"

Sasori nodded quickly and watched as the food sizzled on the grill. It occurred to him that he would need to eat every day now, unlike before. A troublesome, yet interesting thought.

Deidara poured them each another shot of sake. He was thoroughly enjoying this experience.

"Another?" Sasori asked, brow raised as Deidara slid the glass towards him.

A few moments after finishing the shot, he felt his face become a bit warm, and suddenly the noisy, stuffy room didn't seem so overstimulating. Sasori relaxed in his seat as he stared at his partner through the smoke.

Maybe it was something about this lighting that made Deidara and his long golden hair and bright blue eyes seem… kinda dreamy. A dangerous thought. 

Deidara could almost feel Sasori’s intense stare. He smiled to himself as he distributed the food that had just finished grilling.

Earlier, Sasori had asked why he cared so much, even though they always fought. Deidara wasn’t sure how to put it into words before, but now, with smoke and sake between them, he found the truth came a little easier.

"To answer your question from earlier... being different doesn’t mean we didn't get along. You know that."

Sasori shifted again, caught off guard by the sudden return to the heavier topic.

"Besides," Deidara continued, "After you were gone, I had no one else to talk to about art, un."

"Well, your life wasn't very long, so if you'd actually stuck around, maybe you could have found someone else to talk to about art."

"No… that’s not the same.” Deidara tilted his head, allowing his hair to shield his face, "I think you might be the only person in the entire world that understands me. Even if it turns out you don't like me."

Sasori finished chewing his piece of food, averting his gaze to the bottle of sake fixed between them. The light in Deidara’s eyes was too much.

Without a word, Sasori poured them another shot and drank it before Deidara could reach for his own.

Deidara thought Sasori must be getting agitated. Maybe it was the wrong move to push him too far, emotionally. 

"Anyway, you died before me, un!" Deidara continued after Sasori remained too quiet for too long, voice a bit harsher this time. He drank his shot quickly and slammed the glass on the table, "To an old lady and a kid at that! So you have no room to talk, hmph."

Sasori glanced at his partner across the table once he finished his outburst, remaining agitation clearly visible by his scrunched nose and crossed arms. Sasori sighed.

Sasori understood that Deidara had every right to be frustrated about how things ended before.

Again, Sasori felt a rush of guilt. For leaving him that way. For the things he never explained. For being the reason Deidara had once stopped eating. For having hurt the man who just gave everything to prove his loyalty to him today.

There was so much Deidara didn't know about him, and even if he couldn't express the complexities of why he let himself die, Sasori felt compelled to rid himself of the guilt somehow.

"About that old lady..." Sasori's voice was low this time. He stopped, realizing he didn't know where to go with his sentence.

 Emotional talk never was his strong point.

Deidara looked across to Sasori, arms still crossed, but now a bit curious.

"I know. She was your grandmother, wasn't she?"

Sasori's eyes widened, "I don't remember telling you that—”

"Yeah, yeah, I looked into it after you passed. You left me with a lot of questions, you know? Turns out, she was also the one who taught you puppeteering, hm?"

Sasori didn't respond. He just stared, stunned. 

Deidara leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded as if the memory itself was playing before him.

"When I found out about your death, I tried to forget it. I really did, un. But I couldn't. I don't know why, I just couldn't let you go. It was too sudden."

He didn't tell him the rest.

He didn't tell him about the underground information markets he spent his allowance on searching for leads on Sasori's life before the Akatsuki. Nor the sleepless nights where he'd read stolen scrolls pertaining to Sasori's work. Not even how he used to slip away from Tobi mid-mission to meet up with contacts that told him stories of how Sasori dyed the sand red in the Third Shinobi War.

"There were rumors that you'd let yourself be killed. I thought I knew you, I thought there's no way, un. But then I kept coming back to the same thing: there were puppets and scrolls you didn't use before you died.”

Deidara leaned forward, fixing his eyes on the food in front of them that was growing cold.

"I couldn't find an answer to why. It went against everything you worked for. So I guess I didn't know you as well as I’d thought, even after all that time, un."

He turned his gaze toward Sasori.

"But still, I want to understand you. So... why?"

Sasori's eyes felt heavy, he looked up at the ceiling as though there would be an answer to Deidara's question there.

While alive, he particularly hated to discuss his past with anyone. He figured avoiding any mention of it could free him of it. But after his final battle with Chiyo, he really wasn't sure if that had worked as he’d hoped.

And maybe he owed it to Deidara to explain himself.

"Can I tell you something I've never told anyone else?" Sasori's voice was softer than Deidara had ever heard.

Deidara finally dropped his crossed arms, forgetting the frustration he'd felt. As their eyes met, Deidara found something he was unprepared to see. A childlike sadness buried deep behind the usually impenetrable gaze.

Deidara leaned forward onto the table, "Of course, un."

Sasori took a deep breath.

"You're right, that was my grandmother." Sasori looked at his soup and stirred it absentmindedly as he spoke, "She raised me, kind of. See, when I was really young, my parents went to fight in the war, but they never came home. Kazekage's orders. So Granny Chiyo raised me instead."

Deidara listened carefully. He wouldn't dare interrupt.

"But I have nothing to thank her for. She ignored me most of the time, she didn't really comfort me—" Sasori's voice raised a bit, shaky, "Actually, she made it worse. She never even told me my parents died.

“Never?!” Deidara leaned further in. 

Sasori gathered himself as he shook his head. He hated going back to that moment. "No. But I knew."

"She's a puppet master, and a good one at that. Sunagakure's best medical and puppet-style Shinobi."

"So I've heard, un."

"Well, soon after my parents died, she showed me puppets. Maybe she wanted to distract me. It worked. I thought they were fun. She taught me how to use them, and I took a liking to it, so I made my first puppets."

He stopped speaking for a moment as the memory flooded his vision. 

He had picked up the puppet-making tools for the first time. The knives felt dangerously large compared to how small his hands were at the time. But he had a wish, and now he had a means to make it come true. So he began.

Carving the face of his mother and father into a block of wood. Referencing the few pictures he had of them, the ones that rested on the side table next to his bed. Faithfully memorizing each of their features, painting meticulously, obsessively, desperately. Etching, scraping, hammering, forcing the details of his parents onto the puppets so they'd stay. 

Even for a child, his skill was impressive. His commitment was unmatched; he stayed awake all night, barely so much as blinking. Others would have praised him for such incredible effort at such a young age. But to him, it was needed. He had to bring them to life. He didn't want to forget them. Not a single detail. He didn't want them to be gone forever, reduced to a few photos and fading memories.

Granny Chiyo's puppets didn't look perfectly human, but the way they moved was. If he could balance it all, the shape, the movements, the appearance… then his puppets would come to life. He wouldn't have to miss his parents anymore. They'd be right there with him, forever.

That would be enough, he had thought.

When they were complete, he connected his chakra strings. He really could move them the same way they had when they were alive. And when their arms closed around him in a gentle hug, he closed his eyes in anticipation of the warmth and love he used to feel. 

He opened his eyes, their arms still crossed delicately around him. And that's when he found that they truly did look and feel just like his real parents. Dead.

Not enough.

Granny Chiyo saw it. She watched, hidden behind a nearly closed door. She walked away. 

Never enough.

"I remember, back then, it hurt so much, here." Sasori gestured to his heart, “I missed them. So I modeled the first puppets after my parents, to fill that void."

Deidara's heart twisted.

"After she realized I had a talent for puppet-making and puppeteering, Granny Chiyo started to ignore me. I'll never understand why. I even had an uncle who was still alive, too, but even so, no one was there for me."

“But at least, I had found something that I could rely on. Making puppets, bringing them to life, preserving them, it's art. It takes balance, precision, attention. And when it's complete, it's something that lasts forever.”

“When I first started, it was an imperfect art. But I was committed. I could change that.”

"As I grew older, I continued to focus all my attention on my art. I wanted to expand the puppeteering techniques to new levels. I invented new poisons, developed new techniques, I even experimented with ideas no one had ever considered.” 

Sasori scoffed.

“Even though I had done so much to bring this art to new levels, the people in the village, they—"

"They only wanted to use you, and didn't believe in your artistic vision?" Deidara leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms again.

"Not a single person in the village understood," Sasori looked up slowly to meet Deidara's eyes, "But you do, don't you?"

"I..." Deidara's expression softened.

Sasori paused as he remembered how he felt leaving Sunagakure, and never turning back. 

Cold.

“I never thought I’d find somewhere that I could feel safe. Or at home. But then we became partners in the Akatsuki… you’re so fucking annoying, but you were the closest thing.”

Deidara couldn't help but let out a nervous chuckle. Once it subsided, Sasori spoke up.

"But what am I supposed to do with that?"

"Sasori—"

"I made myself into a puppet to avoid feelings," Sasori's eyes widened with something bordering fear, "Only for you to bring them all back."

Deidara's mouth felt dry, words stuck in his throat. Sasori looked down at an empty space on the table.

"When you left to fight the nine-tails' Jinchuriki, I thought you were too injured to make it out alive. I thought that was the end, forever. So when my grandmother sent the mother and father puppets at me in the last attack, I should have dodged it. I could have, but I—"

"Wait!” Deidara slammed his hands on the table. “The ones you made as a kid?!" 

"...Yes." Sasori was caught off guard by the sudden outburst.

"What the hell?!"

The idea that someone would manipulate Sasori like that made Deidara see red. That was supposed to be his family, wasn't it?

"I could have just moved. I saw it coming… but I did nothing. Because in the end, my whole life, I had nothing. I could never have the things I truly wanted."

Sasori gently closed his eyes, remembering his final moments, embraced by his mother and father puppets again. He had wished for one last instance of warmth. He had expected it, foolishly.

And yet, it was still cold.

The story sat with Deidara for a moment. It was as though the room around them, the bustling chatter of the other patrons, the smoke from the grill tops, the distant war, all of it faded away.

To imagine that Sasori had died feeling such immense loneliness… Deidara felt a tear overwhelming his vision. Damn smoke! He thought as he blinked it away quickly.

"I'm glad you told me, un." Deidara finally spoke, voice a bit shaky, "I shouldn't have left you like that. I should have realized sooner—"

Sasori felt a strange ache of clarity. His head spun. Am I dizzy from the alcohol? Or is it because I said too much? He hadn’t meant to appear soft...

"Maybe it was a mistake to tell you this. I'm not really feeling like myself lately..."

"No, no! I think I needed to hear it. Because you were that for me too, you know?"

Deidara's gaze intensified, and he willed Sasori's walls to break, "And before you died, I didn't realize something was wrong. But now, I understand, un."

The two sat silently, contemplating the words the other said. Deidara finally spoke up again.

"I'm sorry, I can't change your past, but I'm here now, un. And obviously, I'm not going anywhere." Deidara smiled weakly, barely meeting Sasori's eyes, "I know there's nothing I can do or say to change your past… Sasori no Danna, this world sucks doesn't it?"

"Yeah..." Sasori sighed.

"With your art, you hoped to make this awful world more beautiful. That's all we can really do, right? And you pursued it until the end."

Deidara wasn't sure if he said the right thing. He knew he certainly didn't do the right thing while alive when the moment mattered most. But still, Sasori was there, sitting across from him. And he had chosen to share his past, this moment, and maybe even his future with him. Deidara was sure that meant something. 

"But it's not really the end.” He continued, quietly, “Maybe we were meant to find each other again, un."

Deidara smiled softly as he watched Sasori do the same.

Sasori thought he should feel embarrassed having opened up to Deidara, the first person he told about his past. He should regret it, like he said earlier. But at that moment, he felt lighter.

Surely, it must be the alcohol messing with my brain , he thought. Everything suddenly felt a little brighter. 

All that time, carrying that burden alone had truly weighed him down. For the first time, he had relived those memories, and he didn't feel completely empty. 

How could this impulsive, noisy, idiot blonde replace that feeling so easily?

"I think you're right." Sasori nearly whispered.

Chapter Text

After paying the tab for the dinner, Sasori and Deidara left the restaurant, content. They hadn't finished all of the food, but they had finished the bottle of sake, and felt satisfied with the meal.

Upon exiting, they found the air was a bit cooler, and the sun had completely disappeared, a near full moon replacing it. But the darkness of the night didn't stop this village from staying aglow. Though fewer people lined the cobblestone road, lanterns warmly lit either side, and homes and restaurants were still bustling.

Before dinner, Sasori had found wandering the streets of this unfamiliar village unsettling. But now, he didn’t mind that they didn’t fit in there. He strolled confidently beside Deidara, at ease.

After walking for a few minutes, taking in the warm atmosphere of the village, Deidara began to fidget with his hair and slowed his pace. 

"Why are you nervous?" Sasori asked as he peered over at him. 

"Huh?! I'm not nervous."

"Yes, you are. You're a really bad liar, you know."

Deidara rubbed his neck, keeping his eyes on the ground.

"Well? What is it?" Sasori pressed.

"It's just…” Deidara slowed his pace even more, “Now, don't be mad, okay?!"

"What? Just spit it out, already." Sasori snapped.

"We are..." Deidara dragged the words out like it hurt to speak them, "...broke again."

Sasori stopped walking. Deidara figured Sasori was sure to be annoyed at the least, irate at worst. 

"How?! I thought the wallet was full...?" Sasori's brows knotted.

"Well, I wanted you to enjoy a good first meal, and we kinda got the most expensive set on the menu...that was all of our money."

"Oh my God." Sasori brought a palm to his forehead.

"So… I'm sure we probably should be looking for an inn or something to sleep at right now, but there's no way to afford it, un."

Deidara leaned in with a mischievous smirk, covering his mouth with the back of his hand, "But hey, can't you just steal another wallet like last time?"

Sasori sighed, "There aren't many people outside right now. I can't just keep using that method to steal things out here in the open."

Deidara searched Sasori’s face for any sign of anger. And there was none. Unusual for him to not scold me, he thought. 

"When we don't have money, the next best thing to do is to camp out at a cave. Kinda like we used to."

Sasori shrugged, "What else is there to do? It might be better to stay covert, anyway. Let's go."

They made their way out of the cozy village, turning a corner towards the forest. They didn't venture far, as there were plenty of viable caves near the perimeter.

As Sasori settled in, Deidara searched for firewood. The autumn air cooled significantly since dinner, but nothing a campfire couldn't fix.

Sasori thought he would be more comfortable camping in a cave than finding an inn— that is, until they started setting up. Initially, he thought it would be familiar. But this time was far from that.

In the Akatsuki, they had camped many nights in the wilderness, and they had a rhythm to it.

Sasori had his puppet body, so he never felt any temperature change. He got right to work, spreading out his tools, and chipping away at any puppets that needed repairs.

If it was cold enough, Deidara would gather sticks and wood to make a small fire before he laid out his sleeping gear. If he hadn't eaten yet, he'd make a dinner that never looked very appetizing. Sometimes, he'd sort through his clay, or practice making new sculptures. 

And once he fell asleep, Sasori would work on human puppets if he needed to. Deidara could sleep the night away peacefully, knowing that Sasori never had to rest. He was always on guard.

And after Sasori finally revealed his face to Deidara, he would use this time to come outside of Hiruko and make repairs if they were in a well-hidden location.

This time wasn't like how Sasori remembered at all. He had nothing to do. They didn't have supplies, or even sleeping gear like they’d used to. Sasori had no active projects he could work on, and they had even eaten dinner already.

All he had to do was watch as Deidara arranged the sticks for the campfire. The difference was sobering.

And Sasori desperately needed something to do. The silence was leading him to think about everything that happened that day. It really was nothing like before, and that was terrifying.

He had just told Deidara something he never imagined telling anyone else about his past. He had let Deidara choose eternity with him. He even let Deidara hold him as they watched the sunset high above the clouds… and he didn't hate any of it.

His stomach knotted. He had told Deidara he meant… something to him. That he was the closest thing to home for him. 

Why did I do that?! How stupid could I possibly be?!

Deidara had finished arranging the sticks, and lit them ablaze. It was too bright. Sasori turned away.

Deidara didn't need to know all that… I'm never drinking alcohol ever again. He decided it was to blame.

Deidara turned around, brushing the dirt off his hands as he approached Sasori. He sat down next to him, arm's length away, mirroring the way he sat with knees pulled to his chest. He looked over at Sasori who now stared blankly ahead at the sparkling fire.

What's going on in that mind of yours? Deidara wondered.

Finally, he spoke up chuckling, "Wow! Really feels like old times, un. Camping out in a cave, again."

Sasori didn't look away from the fire, "No. It's not like old times. Something is different."

Deidara's heart skipped. Certainly, Sasori was right. Things were different after dinner. After everything that happened today. He'd broken down so many of Sasori's walls. Could Sasori really be ready to admit this?

"Oh? How so?" A smile began to creep onto his face.

Sasori didn't speak. He didn't so much as move. 

Finally, he buried his head in his arms, looking down at the ground beneath him.

"I'm cold," He said, voice muffled.

Deidara blinked, "Wha- seriously?"

Sasori looked up at him, brows furrowed, voice sharper, "Yes, seriously, it's freezing outside!"

"Oh, it's not so bad—"

"Have you forgotten the last time I felt warm or cold was in the damn desert?" His voice raised.

"Ah, well—" Deidara scratched his cheek nervously, looking away.

"I thought you said this place would be warmer than that stupid island from earlier."

Deidara had no words. He had said something like that. Even so, this wasn't the reaction he had expected.

"...I made a fire...?" He gestured coyly towards it with a nervous smile.

Sasori crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, agitation spilling, "How are we supposed to sleep comfortably? No pillows, no blankets, and you think a fire is enough? It's a miracle you made it as long as you did after I died. You never think ahead."

"Well, when we are together, isn't it better to leave the thinking to you, un?" Deidara tried to brush off his agitation. Maybe he could make it a joke, "I'm more of a in-the-moment kinda guy—"

"Okay then, in this moment, I'm cold and what are you gonna do to fix it?" Sasori snapped.

Deidara froze, unsure of what he could possibly offer Sasori to make it right.

Hesitantly, he twisted to face Sasori and held his arms open, looking away.

Sasori stared at him, thoroughly puzzled. For a moment, he wondered if Deidara was pointing at something. He looked around, irritated.

"What?!"

"Um, I just remembered that back when we were on the bird, you said it was cold but I was warm, un." Deidara's eyes wandered in every direction but Sasori's, before finally meeting his eyes, "So uh, you can hold onto me again, if you want to. Un."

Sasori eyed him warily, "To sleep?"

Deidara nodded quickly. His cheeks flushed.

After a moment, Sasori shifted closer, still skeptical. Now sitting inches away, he pulled his knees back to his chest with his arms, before leaning into Deidara.

Deidara smiled as he wrapped his arms around Sasori's shoulders and pulled him closer.

Sasori let out a frustrated sigh, watching the fire twirl in front of him.

"Is that… better?" Deidara asked quietly.

Sasori offered an indifferent shrug in response. Deidara couldn't understand the meaning of this. Just earlier he had been so easy to speak to, but suddenly, he was all closed off.

But, he was still in his arms.

"Uh, sorry Danna, I really should have thought ahead..." Deidara said, voice a bit shaky.

Sasori blinked, eyes heavy.

"It-it was a big day huh? A lot going on. I just wanted you to enjoy it in the end." Deidara rambled on nervously, gently squeezing Sasori's shoulders, "Guess I messed that up pretty bad, un. But I promise, the fire will get warmer, and tomorrow we can go find somewhere better to rest, and then..."

Deidara felt Sasori's weight lean into him even more, as his head tilted onto his chest. Sasori's breathing deepened, slow and steady. Deidara glanced down at his eyes to find his agitated expression had been replaced with a peaceful sleep.

Deidara couldn't help a wide grin as he gently brushed the strands of red hair that had fallen in front of Sasori's eyes aside.

Again, he looked like a doll. He hadn't looked this peaceful since he first saw him reanimated...

Deidara squeezed him tighter. He tilted his head to rest on top of Sasori's and closed his eyes.

I did it, it's just you and me again.

Deidara let himself feel the moment as it passed by, quiet and serene. The fire crackling not far in front of them. Creatures and bugs sang in the night beyond the cave. And Sasori was warm.

This liar, Deidara thought as he let his exhaustion finally overtake his mind, it's either he's really that sensitive to the cold, or he just wanted a good excuse to be held.

Yeah, today wasn't so bad after all.

Deidara woke up first, as the bright sunshine poured in from the cave’s entrance. He winced as it met his face, and threw an arm up to shield it. Judging by the angle of the sun, it was well past noon. He rubbed his eyes before looking down.

And there was Sasori, still asleep, breathing slowly and quietly. One of his hands curled around Deidara's left arm, and his head rested on his shoulder.

Deidara considered not waking him. He just looked so calm, like that. 

But if he didn’t say something soon, Sasori would be more annoyed that they’d overslept. While they were alive, he always insisted Deidara wake up with the sun. He said it was because he hated to be kept waiting, but Deidara didn't mind.

He gently nudged Sasori with his left arm, "Hey, rise and shine! Un!"

Sasori stirred, groaning in protest, then wrapped his arms around Deidara's middle and buried his head into his chest to block out the sun.

"Uh..." Deidara was shocked, "I guess you can keep sleeping, but just know it's well past noon."

With that, Sasori shot up. His hair was disheveled, poking out in every which way. He sat for a moment rubbing his eyes that squinted against the bright sun before slumping back against the wall of the cave, looking up.

He let out a long sigh. 

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He grumbled.

"I just woke up, myself, un."

"So you never learned to wake up early, huh?"

"Hey! You're the one who looks like he just had the sleep of a lifetime!" Deidara giggled.

Sasori shot a glare his way, but Deidara only laughed harder. He wasn't threatening like this, he was cute.

Sasori's memories from yesterday hit him with a punch. The escape, the closeness, the smiles, the confessions. And the "date?"

He had begun to think about these things last night. He had started to get scared of them. It wasn't like him to open up like that. But when Deidara held him as he slept, he certainly didn't resist. It should have felt shameful, but it didn’t. It felt necessary. 

No. I can't.

Sasori rose abruptly, and began walking out of the cave, "I saw a river nearby, I'm going to wash up."

"Don't forget to fix your hair too, un!" Deidara called out between giggles.

"Shut up."

Sasori stopped a few paces outside of the entrance to the cave. The weight of yesterday was eating at him. He couldn't just ignore it entirely.

"Deidara, was that really a date?"

That question caught Deidara completely off guard. He wondered if he was still dreaming for a moment.

"Uh… does that matter to you?" Was all he could manage to mutter.

Sasori didn't say a word, nor give any indication that he even so much as processed Deidara's question. He continued on.

"Jerk, un." Deidara said to himself.

Sasori was gone longer than expected. 

Deidara put out the campfire. The air was cool but not cold. It was a pleasant autumn day. No need for a fire so early.

With nothing left to tend to, he stood at the entrance of the cave, thinking. What to do...

It had been years since he had the freedom to ponder how he wanted to spend the day.

During his time at the Akatsuki, the leader always had something for them to do. Sure, some days were freer than others,  but there was still a sense of clear direction. Always something to prepare for.

And in Iwagakure, there was always structure. Too much, in Deidara's opinion. Whether it be classes at the ninja academy, then missions to "help the village," rules stacked on rules, it was all such a bore. Stifling. 

It was only those few months in between his deflection from Iwagakure and joining the Akatsuki that he had absolutely nothing planned. So this was new, but Deidara found it invigorating. The possibilities were endless.

He smiled as looked towards the path Saosori had taken. 

Especially with Sasori by my side, he thought. 

A sudden growl from his stomach interrupted his thoughts. 

“Tch,” He said to himself, “I forgot about the part where we have no money, food, or supplies. So much for endless possibilities.” 

First priority: food. Or money. Whichever comes first. 

Moments later, Sasori returned, carrying several logs of wood. He looked far less groggy than before. His hair was back to its default shape.

"Oh? What's all that for?" Deidara asked.

He frowned as Sasori walked past him without explaining, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Sasori dropped the logs next to a flat rock and settled next to it. 

"I still don't have puppets," Sasori reached in his pockets, revealing a plethora of tools he had brought with him from the village back near Takigakure.

Deidara sat near the rock Sasori had claimed as a table, "Oh! Right, we still need to fix that, huh?"

"We? I can't just rely on you." Sasori began to arrange his tools and material to his liking atop the flat rock.

"I know, but you don't, un."

"Lately, I do. But it can't be like that."

"Aw, come on, we're working together again, it's normal to rely on your partner."

Sasori began to sand the log, not looking up.

"You aren't making human puppets?" Deidara's brows knotted. This was very unlike him.

"Nobody around here is worth using." Sasori picked up a carving knife to chip at the harsh edges, "Besides, I'm trying to keep a low profile."

"Hmmm right, un." Deidara watched carefully.

Sasori always said regular puppets were beneath him. Too simple for someone who brought the craft to new heights. He was a puppet master, not a puppet-user.

Deidara had expected Sasori to still hold this belief. He was stubborn, after all.

Yesterday's puppet wasn't the norm. They both knew that, but they were left no other choice with the time they had.

And yesterday when Sasori worked on his puppet he had almost seemed out of his element, nervous even.

This time, as he worked, Sasori was angry. Deidara could sense it with every move he made, getting more and more aggressive. It's best not to bother Sasori when he's angry. No use.

"What are you gawking at?" Sasori fired suddenly, feeling vulnerable from Deidara's intense gaze.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to get breakfast?"

"Lunch, at this point." Sasori didn't look up.

"Right..." Deidara pushed himself back from the table, "Well, I guess I'll go find some food on my own. I'll bring something back for you. Any requests?"

"I thought you said you didn't want to leave my side." Sasori drove the carving knife so aggressively into the wood, Deidara thought he might cut straight through the stone.

Deidara figured he should be glad to hear this echoed back to him. But Sasori was clearly unhappy.

It's gotta be those puppets, he just doesn't wanna admit it!

"I mean it figuratively now. I feel much safer now that Kabuto is out of the picture, un. And besides, do you really want to pause your puppet-making now?"

"No."

"Didn't think so." Deidara reached across to grab Sasori's wrist, and gave it a squeeze, "I'll be back soon, un."

Sasori flinched at the touch, but didn't stop working as Deidara walked away.

Right as Deidara was about to turn the corner out of the cave, Sasori abruptly stopped his carving and looked up.

"Deidara, you said that you are less worried now that Kabuto isn't an issue..." Deidara stopped in his tracks, turning his head over his shoulder.

"...what happened between you two?" Sasori asked.

"You mean when I was reanimated alone?"

Sasori nodded. Deidara turned his head back to front and continued walking

"He just talked too much about you, un." He said as he turned the corner.

Sasori resumed his work, unsure of what that meant. Deidara usually had more to say.

What a brat, Sasori thought as the sound of Deidara's footsteps disappeared.

Deidara walked back to the village where they had eaten dinner the previous evening, following along the side of a wide river. He found the gentle sounds of running water headed the opposite direction of him oddly soothing.

As he passed, he watched his reflection rippling in the water. Sasori’s question about Kabuto lingered in his mind. Then, Kabuto’s voice rang out like poison:

"—Just a tool, like he always was."

Deidara stopped, shaking his head. No.

Sasori was more than that. He was destined for more than just whittling ordinary wood to make basic puppets. He shouldn't be scraping by with nothing.

Sasori had done everything himself. No special clan, no special eyes, nothing was handed to him. Deidara admired that. Sasori was a true artist.

Sasori would never be happy until he could make art the way he wanted to, Deidara decided.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he remembered the frustration and loss that crossed Sasori's face once he realized he was revived without his puppet body.

"My whole life's work, all wasted to be revived like this." He had said.

Deidara undid his usual half-ponytail. His fingers combed through his hair as he re-tied it into a low ponytail, the way he had before he met Sasori. He looked less recognizable this way, less Akatsuki. 

Just a rogue artist on the run. It suits me, he grinned proudly. 

Then, an idea popped in his mind. 

"That's it, un," Deidara said to himself, determined, "I'm going to find Sasori's art. Yeah!"

He turned towards the village, not too far ahead, "298 puppets. Surely, a few of them survived, un."

He turned back to the area where the cave was, towards the direction of the water. 

"That's the only way to make him feel complete again." He began walking, a bit quicker this time, "I'll make it up to him. For… everything I did wrong before, un."

Once Deidara arrived in the village, he took a different turn from the evening before.

This street was lined with shops of all different sorts: clothing, toys, shoes, groceries, furniture. At the very end, a sign caught his eyes. Weapons.

Perfect. From the looks of it, the shop was sizable– a far cry from the dusty one they had visited outside Takigakure. This one was alive. He thought it was the best place in the village to get some information.

As he pushed the door open, the bell above it chimed. He shoved his hands into his pockets, hoping to hide his hand-mouths. He didn't want anyone to recognize him.

"Welcome. How can I help you?" A tall man, clearly the shopkeeper, looked up from polishing the glass case at the front desk.

"Just browsing, un." Deidara nodded.

He took a lap around the shop. Shelves and walls were lined with high quality weapons and tools. There was a section for kunai, shuriken, scrolls, paper bombs, even various ninja accessories.

The only other patron in the store was a kid no older than twelve wearing a Sunagakure forehead protector. Obviously, a genin.

Once he made his lap, the shopkeeper spoke up, "We have something for everyone here. The biggest weaponry shop in the Land of Rivers. What do you specialize in?"

Deidara smirked. "I'm a puppeteer." It felt completely wrong, but this was necessary to get information.

"Ah, you must be from Sunagakure."

"My master was. But he died some time ago..."

Well, it wasn't a lie.

"Ah, a shame. The best puppeteers come from that village." The shopkeeper gestured to a wall behind him which Deidara hadn't observed yet, "You can find our puppet gear in this area. And tools for puppet crafting would be behind you."

Deidara scanned the wall of puppets and gear. There were a few rusted puppets and two nicer ones. Several puppet limbs of various sizes hung beside them.

They were nothing compared to Sasori’s work. Deidara could tell upon first glance the wooden joints were too loose. The material was low-quality. He almost scoffed.

"The newest model I have is about five years old. Not many new puppets being made."

Deidara thought back to when he infiltrated Sunagakure. They faced one other puppeteer there, a Sasori wannabe. He couldn’t remember his name. 

"Not even from the Kazekage's brother?" Deidara finally asked. 

"Kankuro! He's awesome!" The genin kid spun around with a grin.

"That’s right… I've heard of him modifying puppets but never making them." The shopkeeper added.

What a joke. Deidara thought, a disrespect to art. Can't even make your own.

"He has a rare collection, so he doesn’t need to, right?" The kid spoke proudly.

"Oh, right," Deidara stifled a laugh as he remembered how Kankuro had tried to fight Sasori with puppets Sasori had made. Wrong opponent.

"He has a few puppets from Sasori, correct?" He added.

"Sasori of the Red Sand..." The shopkeeper lowered his voice, as though the name itself was dangerous. He leaned over the glass case toward Deidara, "I heard he turned himself into a puppet… and Kankuro got ahold of that puppet body after he was defeated."

"No..." Deidara's eyes widened. He almost dropped the act. "... No way."

Even in all his research after Sasori's passing, he had never heard of this...

"Oh yeah! The kid cut in, "My dad said he saw it! Kankuro had to fix the body to work as a regular puppet. He even added some new weapons to it!"

Deidara's mouth twitched, speechless. 

How utterly disrespectful.

They couldn't just leave him alone, could they? He left that damn desert and they still went after his corpse to pick at his bones. 

Well, it's a puppet body, but at one point that was Sasori. 

"That’s...." Deidara spoke slowly, forcing a tight smile, "...interesting, un.”

He slowly removed his hands from his pockets. Unclipped the top of his clay pouches. 

And to think they could speak so casually about it like this…

"Kankuro's lucky to get his hands on a puppet like that." The shopkeeper looked back at the junk behind him, "All of Sasori's work was unmatched.”

He smirked as his fingers grazed the clay.

You'll be lucky too. Today, you get to witness my art. And you'll all understand what it means to disrespect Sasori’s.  

They'll all be dust, and that will be better. This shop. This damn village, and every little building in it… 

The restaurant they ate at last night appeared in his mind.

His smirk twitched back to a frown.

He pulled back his hands. He shoved them back in his pockets. 

That will only make a mess for Sasori to clean up. 

He just started to trust me again…

He clenched his fists in his pockets. 

Damn it, I can't.

But still he so badly wanted to use his art. 

Instead, his eyes snapped to the kid’s forehead protector, clean and shiny. That symbol of Sunagakure engraved on it. His gaze darkened as he felt a rage build inside him. One he hadn’t felt since being reanimated.

And one he couldn't just use his art to extinguish. 

Deidara didn’t look away from the symbol. He couldn’t. 

"I've always been curious how much of Sasori's work survived..." He bit his lip. He had to keep his cool, outwardly.

Inwardly, he was unraveling with rage.

"Probably only Kankuro knows," the kid shrugged, "I hope all the human puppets were destroyed though. Those were creepy."

Oh, that’s it. 

Deidara couldn't stand there any longer listening to Sasori's art be disrespected in this way. He turned to the door.

"I see… Well, I should be going now, un."

Deidara slammed the door a bit harder than he'd meant to. Rage still simmering in his chest.

This world, all the people are the same. They don’t get it. None of them do.

He turned a corner sharply. A fruit stall sat unattended up ahead. The owner was distracted, chatting with someone a few stalls down. Deidara paused.

"That's my opportunity."

With one swift movement, he snatched a cloth bag from the stall’s edge and shoved a few apples and a loaf of bread inside before disappearing into the alley behind it. He didn't hesitate.

He also didn't feel bad. 

Fuck this village.

And fuck Sunagakure. More than anywhere. I hope they missed me, because I'll be back soon.

And this time, old Granny Chiyo won't be there to help you. 

He turned the corner to the village gates, bumping shoulders with a few locals as he did. 

Sasori won't want to go back there. He probably won't even want me to go there. But that's fine. 

“I'll just go by myself, un.” He muttered to himself once he passed the village’s edge. “They’ve done enough to hurt him. No more. Not as long as I can help it.”

He slowed a bit as the weight of his own words caught up to him. He had told Sasori he wouldn't leave his side. 

He'd meant it. He still did. 

But if this is what it takes to protect what Sasori cares about, then I'll go. No one else will. No one else can. 

“I refuse to sit around and watch him carve that junk wood and call it fine!” He snapped through gritted teeth.

Even if I have to lie to him, it will be worth it. He'll have what he always wanted. His art. 

As he stormed toward the hideout, bag in hand, he clenched it a bit tighter. He decided to leave in the morning, after he made good on the promise to bring Sasori food.

“It will all be yours again, Danna! Un!"

Earlier when Deidara left the cave to find food, Sasori continued to work on his puppets for a few minutes longer. But his focus kept slipping, and so did his carving knife against the uneven wooden surface. Abruptly, he pushed the half-finished puppet to the side. 

He decided he needed to get some fresh air. And maybe some better materials.

Sasori turned the opposite direction from where Deidara had earlier, away from the village. He hoped the change of scenery would clear his mind from all the thoughts that clogged it.

But one thought stuck stubbornly in place. Deidara’s response from earlier:  

"Does that matter to you?"

He didn't know if it did or did not. It was just confusing.

After some time, he came upon a clearing in the woods. A field outstretched. It looked as though it had been a place that had many battles before, old bent up shuriken were littered about among tufts of grass.

This place felt strangely familiar.

Stuck in the middle of the clearing, an ovular stone protruded from the ground. It was lonely, but covered in flowers. Some wilted, some fresh. Sasori's interest was piqued. 

He cautiously approached it, aware that it could be a trap.

He froze in his tracks once he was able to make out the details.

He was face to face with a photo of his own grandmother situated at the base of the rock. This was a memorial.

So she's dead.

It wasn't a trap, but it sure felt like one.

He stared down at it, numb. He knew he should feel something, anything. But his body felt distant, like it belonged to someone else.

He dropped to his knees instinctively.

So this is what eternal art looks like to the village. A stone in the dirt. Wilted flowers hugging its sides. A name etched for all to remember. To make Chiyo immortal.

Her expression in the photo was neutral. Serious, but not unkind. It wasn’t a picture he remembered seeing before, but it captured her the way he remembered her best: stoic, self-contained, measured.

A woman who raised him after his parents died.

No. After they were sent to die.

Sasori's eyes landed in the text engraved into the stone:

Chiyo of Sunagakure

Master Puppeteer. Medical Shinobi.

Fought with honor in the Third Great War. A guardian of the village.

She gave her life to save the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara. Her final act was one of compassion.

A hero amongst Sunagakure and Shinobi.

Sasori's eyes returned to one word: "hero."

For what? For the village? The Kazekage? Certainly not for me. In my life, she was more like the villain. 

He reread the excerpt on the stone, but stopped at another word: "compassion."

An act of compassion, he thought, for everyone else, but never for me. Not when I needed it as a child. And certainly not in the end. 

But she could find it in her to save Gaara, the Kazekage. Didn’t she seal the One-tailed beast in him as a child? She made him a weapon of the village, just as I was. We both hurt people. But I didn’t choose the village. He did. 

Sasori shook his head.

He had a family. Friends. Even became the Kazekage. Acknowledged. He didn’t need my grandmother’s “compassion.” 

His thoughts went silent for a moment as he stared at the stone. A light breeze flowed past him, rustling the leaves in the trees. He almost forgot to blink. 

Does choosing the village absolve you of all sins? Is the past that easily forgotten?

Or was I never seen as anything other than a weapon for Sunagakure to use?

His brows knotted.

If that’s what it means to choose the village, I never would. 

Maybe my grandmother thought Gaara was better. Worth saving. But me? 

The memory played again in his mind without warning. She watched as he tried to find comfort from the puppets of his mother and father. And still walked away. 

In the end, she used the same puppets to kill him. 

His hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his palms. 

For me, the extent of her compassion was to put me out of my misery. And she knew the best way to do that, didn’t she? No forgiveness, no comfort. Just loneliness. 

He closed his eyes. He scoffed. 

Deidara was right to be mad when he heard how she had betrayed me with my own mother and father puppets. She always chose the village over me. Every time it mattered. 

He opened his eyes. A petal from one of the flowers fell gently to the grass beneath it. 

And they forgave her on my behalf.

His head dropped. He squeezed the fabric at his pants.

I gave that village everything. The puppets, the poison… even the ones I made as a kid are far beyond what they can make now. They still use my work. So what if I hurt people with it? Isn't that what they all do anyway? The villagers, the Kazekage, her. 

His head slowly rose again, eyes locking with Chiyo’s photo. 

She is celebrated, even though she made me this way.

He studied every detail of the memorial. These flowers weren’t just from Sunagakure. They didn’t grow in the desert. Many people came to this place to pay their respects. The numbness was gone now.

Is that what I want? To be remembered like this? For it all to mean something to someone?

“I never really cared if the village gave me that,” Sasori said as though she was in front of him, “But from you that would have been...”

His voice trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. 

That would have mattered, he thought. But I won’t get any of that. 

He stood abruptly, and began to back away slowly, eyes wide with something close to fear. This wasn't what he needed right now… he turned around.

Then, he saw it. Beyond this clearing, a bit further past the trees, tucked inside the cliffs. That was where he had died.

He couldn't stay there for a second longer. It was haunting. Too much. 

Back then, in that cave, he gave up. He didn't want to live. He didn't want to face any of this. 

He bumped into a tree as he backed up, disoriented. He turned around and broke into a run back toward the hideout. 

He had taken this walk for clarity, but what he found was even more confusing.

By the time Sasori arrived back at the hideout, the sun had already set. The day had come and gone quicker than he'd expected, and the chilliness from the night before had returned.

The cave glowed with a dim orange hue, and the scent of smoke met Sasori as he approached it. Deidara had already made it back.

Deidara sat by the fire, idly poking at it with a stick. When he heard Sasori's footsteps his posture straightened.

"You're back," his voice was casual, "Where did you disappear off to?"

"I needed some fresh air." Sasori sat at his makeshift stone table. "Were you able to find food?"

"Yep!" Deidara reached in the sack, and pulled out an apple, "The villagers were so generous, they gave it to me for free, un!”

He tossed the apple to Sasori. He caught it easily.

"Likely story. What's going on with your hair?" Sasori noticed he had pulled it in a different style.

"Oh, this? Just trying something new, un." Deidara brushed his hair aside. He had forgotten he changed his hairstyle to fit in better while scoping out the village.

"Huh." Sasori took a bite of the apple. It was sweet and a little tart. He hadn't tasted this flavor since he could remember.

After a few moments of silence, Deidara glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

"I overheard some people in the village talking about puppets and Sunagakure."

Sasori paused his mid-bite, turning slightly, "Is that so?"

"You've got fans, Danna. They remember your work, even now."

Fans. Funny, that hadn't been the impression he had gotten from Chiyo's memorial. He’s full of it.

Deidara didn't plan on mentioning Kankuro. Or the puppet body. Or how angry it all made him. Much less how he nearly stormed out of the shop and went straight to Suna to retrieve it.

Sasori finished his apple before throwing the core into the fire. The flames flared brightly. Deidara couldn't tell what he was thinking, but he figured something about that truly did bother him.

But he shook off Sasori's discomfort. He already planned to do something about it. Even if it meant going behind his back.

“You ever gonna finish that puppet, Danna?”

Sasori glanced toward the half-shaped limb resting beside him. “Eventually.”

“You can't just stay up all night anymore, remember? You have to sleep now too, un."

“We need to get out of here tomorrow.” Sasori picked up a small chisel, preparing to get to work. “First thing.”

"Oh?" Deidara glanced over at him, sensing the urgency in his voice, "Why the rush?"

"I don’t like this place.”

Me neither , Deidara thought to himself, but if we leave, well only get further from Suna…

Deidara tilted his head, “What's wrong with that little village? Not dangerous enough for you? Remember, there's a whole war going on out there, un."

Sasori didn't speak for a while. He didn't care when, to where, or how, but he had to get away from this place. It somehow felt more dangerous than what they faced yesterday with Kabuto. 

He pieced together his puppet, connecting the limbs to the body carefully. Almost done.

It was quiet for too long. Deidara hated this kind of silence. He stood up and repositioned himself across from Sasori at his stone table.

"What?" Sasori said, not looking up.

"Nothing, just wanted to see what you're working on, un."

Sasori continued on quietly.

"And to my surprise, you're working on a puppet, un!" Deidara chuckled awkwardly. It was his best attempt to lighten the mood.

But Sasori didn't respond. It was as though he couldn't hear him. 

Deidara frowned.

"You're in a bad mood, huh? Been like this all day. Did I do something—"

"No." Sasori said, almost too quickly.

He pushed the puppet aside, and set down his tools. He finally met Deidara's eyes.

"I died not too far from here. I found something that proved it on my walk."

He hadn't intended on telling Deidara. But what else was he to do with all that?

"Oh..." Deidara had heard earlier that they were in the Land of Rivers, but he hadn't realized they were that close, "What did you find?"

"A memorial for my grandmother." Sasori looked outside the cave's entrance. It was dark. "Then, I saw how close I was to that cave."

Deidara's posture shrank. He knew exactly which cave. He hadn't meant to bring him straight to his resting place.

"I didn't know she transferred her life to that Kazekage after I died."

Deidara sighed, "Yeah, I heard about that."

Sasori's gaze stayed stuck to the dark sky outside the cave.

"It wasn't fair." He nearly whispered. He blinked slowly, and Deidara caught the hurt that flashed in his eyes.

He followed Sasori’s gaze to the world outside the entrance of their cave. 

It's not fair. He used to say that to himself all the time after Sasori died. He still found himself thinking it even now that Sasori was back.

But before, he had only said it quietly, to himself. 

After Sasori died, every battle he faced invited those thoughts to creep in. Using that technique became harder to resist. He had let himself grow more and more reckless. He didn’t listen to reason. He didn’t want to. 

Because nothing about it was fair.

C0 used to be something he used to rebut when Sasori would argue that he was more committed to his own art. Deidara would say “I can become my art too, you know! And I will, one day. You'll see, un!”

And Sasori would tell him some variation of, “That’s dumb. Don’t blow yourself up.”

Deidara shifted to face the fire, back turned to Sasori. He pulled his knees to his chest, watching the gray smoke streaming above the fire like a ribbon. 

Back then, he convinced himself that C0 would satisfy his frustrations perfectly. He'd find the right opponent to take down. The right place. And anytime was the right time.

But it wasn't fair that Sasori couldn't stop him. 

He never blamed Sasori for that. He blamed everyone else. Even now.

"That means…” Deidara said weakly, “I died here too, you know. Well, nearby, that is, un."

Sasori turned quickly back to him, "You did?"

"I mean… I chose to use C0 here," Deidara shifted nervously, "I didn’t need to fight Sasuke. I probably could have ran. But, back then I thought… If I was going to create my ultimate art it should be here. I thought maybe you'd be nearby, un."

Deidara hugged his knees tighter with a weak laugh, "I know, it's dumb."

Sasori didn’t respond right away. He stared into the fire, eyes narrowed.

Dumb? Maybe. But to him, the meaning wasn't lost.

Chiyo had left a legacy that was written, honored, and celebrated. She would be remembered by many. He had no such stone. No words, no flowers.

But Deidara had remembered. In his own strange way. It did something that stone never could.

Sasori stood up and walked to where Deidara was seated, and settled beside him. For a few moments, they didn’t speak, both watching the fire flicker and crackle, solemnly. 

Then, Sasori reached over and gave a small tug at the end of Deidara's ponytail.

"Hey!" Deidara was thrown off.

"It's not dumb." Sasori said, just a hint of a smile visible. 

"I'm glad you think so, un." Deidara smiled back, weakly.

They watched the fire for a few more moments in silence, although this time, it felt lighter.

Finally, Deidara felt the weight of his exhaustion hit him.

"Well, I messed up again, un." He buried his head in his hands, "I forgot we needed to get blankets and pillows or something like that."

Sasori sighed, "It's fine. I forgot too."

"Well, I hope you aren't seriously planning on working through the night. It's bad for your health, un."

Deidara stood up and found the cloth bag he'd used to collect food. He set it on the ground as a makeshift pillow.

"Well, I'm going to sleep, un. Especially if we move out tomorrow, we need all the rest we can get."

Deidara laid on his side, just close enough to the fire. Within a couple of minutes, he was sound asleep.

Sasori laid down as well, not quite touching Deidara, but close enough to feel the warmth. 

Outside, a full moon rose above the Land of Rivers.

He finally felt a sense of calm for the first time that day. His body, though new to fatigue, gave in easily. 

Some time later, the earth trembled faintly. Sasori’s eyes shot open. 

He pushed himself up with his arm, looking outside the cave’s entrance. The dark sky revealed it was still nighttime. The trembling continued. 

Are we under attack?  He reached for a kunai in his pocket, eyes scanning his surroundings. 

Did someone see us? 

Is Deidara okay?!

He looked to his left to see that Deidara was still sound asleep, head turned the other direction. He was safe. 

But something wasn’t right.  

He stood up quickly. Just as he did, a soft red glow shone far in the horizon. It pulsed once, then vanished, and the rumbling stopped.

"What was that?!" Sasori muttered to himself, frozen. 

It came from the direction of where they'd confronted Kabuto. 

So the war continues…

Sasori forced himself to relax, letting out a slow breath. That was far away from their little cave. He resumed his position, laying next to Deidara's side. 

We’ll leave right away in the morning. Whatever that was, we can’t risk having it reach us. 

He closed his eyes, but couldn't settle enough to sleep soundly.

Chapter Text

Sasori drifted in and out of a light sleep, unable to fully settle after seeing the powerful outburst shake the world earlier that night. When he woke up again, he felt something was amiss. An uncertain tensity. He sat up slowly. 

Everything was quiet. This wasn't the usual quiet of a late night. Nor the kind of controlled quiet that allowed him space to think. This was complete silence. Absolute. 

Deidara’s slow, steady breathing was the only thing that assured him this wasn’t death.

Sasori rose to his feet, and the world outside the cave’s mouth came into view. 

A cold light stretched in from the entry. This wasn’t the type of light that should exist this late at night. It was different, but not artificial.

He cautiously made his way to the entry of the cave. Then stopped. He saw it.

The massive full moon was dyed red, patterned like a grotesque imitation of a Sharingan. It emitted a light that didn’t glow like real moonlight should. The illumination felt forced down on the world below, casting a colorless sheen.

Sasori's eyes widened. Genjutsu?!

Focusing in, he found there was no disruption to his chakra flow. So it’s not Genjutsu?

Shadows stretched abnormally long, misshapen at the ends like a horrific painting, reaching away from the moon to escape it. The usual vibrant green of the foliage typical of the Land of Rivers was warped into a blue-gray. The dirt at his feet took on a lavender hue. 

Even tones of red were distorted and dampened. Every ray of light was dishonest under this moon. 

He stayed there for a moment, listening. Only the distant sound of water coursing through the nearby river was audible. 

No animals, no humans. Not even a breeze of wind interrupted the silence. Maybe it's just a dream? Either way, it was eerie. He didn't like it.

He hurried back to Deidara, who was curled up on his side, framing the campfire. He looked peaceful.

"Deidara. Wake up." He ordered sharply.

No response.

The panic was instant. He felt a cold sweat overcome him. His heart raced, unsteady. 

What if he doesn't wake up?

He grabbed Deidara's shoulders and pulled him up from where he laid as he violently shook him, "Deidara! Wake up! Now!"

Maybe I was wrong about the Edo Tensei. Maybe they found a way to break it…

Sasori felt nauseous. The room spun. He shook Deidara one more time.

“Deidara, please…” 

And his eyes opened, filled with a combination of fear and confusion, "Ah, what the—"

Sasori finally remembered to breathe. Deidara was safe.

"Danna– what's wrong? You look like you saw a ghost!”

"Something happened." Sasori pointed to the moon, "Look."

Deidara rubbed his eyes and looked to the world beyond their cave. It looked a bit too dreamlike, so he rubbed them again. But the disturbing landscape remained the same. He stood up, for a better view, only to find the red moon covered in concentric tomoe in a Sharingan-like pattern. He understood Sasori’s unease right away.

He didn't say anything. He just stared, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, attempting to explain it away in his mind.

"Listen, too. There's no sign of life." Sasori stood up, now dragging Deidara along to the mouth of the cave.

"It's like... we're the only ones here, un." Deidara spoke slowly, still unsure, "What is this?!"

"No idea. We should go to the village and see if anything has changed."

"Right, un."

They ran towards the village without wasting another second.

The village gates usually had a few guards posted. They weren't intimidating, but they symbolized order, marching back and forth along the perimeter.

But the two found them frozen mid-march, one leg extended, arms at their side. They wore a blank expression on their faces, heads lifted to the moon like they were mesmerized by it. They didn’t blink. And their eyes were different. 

“A Rinnegan pattern.” Sasori remarked as he approached them. “The moon is a focal point…”

Sasori and Deidara looked at each other. 

"Genjutsu," they said in unison.

“The user must have a Rinnegan…” Sasori added. 

"But we aren't affected...?" Deidara drew closer to observe the guards.

"Mass Genjutsu. Perhaps we are immune."

"Why? Think it has to do with being reanimated?" Deidara poked one of the guard's arms. The man didn’t flinch.

"Possibly, but there's no way to be certain." Sasori looked back up at the moon. It still felt oppressive.

"A mass Genjutsu means..." Deidara walked back to Sasori's side, then pointed towards the village, "Everyone in the village will be like that, right?"

Sasori nodded, "If I had to guess, this must have to do with the war."

"Ha, I almost forgot about that mess." Deidara gave a lazy grin, and started making his way into the village, waving a hand, "Well, who cares about the war? This is a golden opportunity for us, un."

"What do you mean?"

"We can finally steal all the things we need, uninterrupted, un!"

"I like the way you think." Sasori smirked and followed behind.

Deidara guided Sasori to food stalls, and stole ingredients for more substantial meals he hoped he’d enjoy. Jerky, vegetables, fruits, bread, even snacks.

They entered homes with ease. They found every villager was locked in a trance, that swirling Rinnegan pattern eclipsing their eyes. None of them reacted as the two shuffled through drawers or lifted wallets, stuffing wads of cash into their bags.

They entered the weapon shop, and Sasori immediately emptied the shelf that displayed puppet making tools. Deidara, tasked with finding useful weapons for Sasori’s puppets, rummaged through the inventory, littering the floors with unneeded tools and weapons. 

“You’re making a mess.” Sasori recoiled when he saw the cluttered state of the shop. Low-quality weapons were layered with half opened scrolls and useless ninja accessories on the floor.

“So? A little mess is the least of these villager’s worries,” Deidara pushed a handful of weapons into a bag, “If they ever wake up, un!

He picked up the bag, and a few loose shuriken toppled out and hit the floor. Sasori sighed. Deidara shrugged. 

"I think we have enough." Sasori picked up his bags as well, full of loot, "Besides, we can't carry any more."

"Agreed," Deidara laughed, "I don't think this was how the caster intended for the Jutsu to be used, but it sure worked out for us, un!"

Sasori hesitated. He placed his bags back on the ground, then patted a pouch on his belt.

"There's something else we can do to make this Jutsu work for us."

Deidara turned around right before he left the shop, "Oh? And what might that be?"

"When you were here earlier, did you interact with anyone who seemed to have a lot of information? Someone important?"

"Hmmm," Deidara thought for a moment. He glanced at the spot behind the counter the shopkeeper had stood at.

"I'm not sure what you're getting at, un," Deidara leaned on the glass case, "But how about the owner of this weapon shop? He said it's the largest one in the land. Seemed like he talked to a lot of passerbys."

Sasori nodded, pivoting behind the front counter, "That will work."

Deidara followed, curious, "Well, are you gonna tell me why?"

"I have two more memory concealing needles."

Deidara grinned. Sasori was in his element. Two steps ahead.

"So you intend on building a network of spies again?"

Sasori found a door behind the front counter. Behind it was a staircase that led to the shopkeeper's upstairs home.

"Of course. We no longer have the protection of the Akatsuki. We don't belong to a village. We need to stay ahead of any danger if we hope to keep going like this."

Deidara hadn't lost his grin, “Of course, you can’t just steal food and money like a normal person, un. You’ve gotta start some elaborate plan in the middle of a world-wide mass Genjutsu. Very you, Danna.”

Sasori stopped in the middle of the staircase and looked back, “Well? Are you going to help, or keep trashing this poor village looking for flimsy supplies and snacks?”

“I like the way you think, un!” Deidara smirked, then began up the stairs.

They found the shopkeeper in his room. He appeared to have been asleep in his bed before getting caught in the Genjutsu. 

"Lift him up, I'll insert the needle." Sasori ordered as he carefully reached for the needle in his pocket.

Deidara propped the man upright, holding him steady. He was limp and slumped forward easily. But he didn't react. This Genjutsu was powerful.

Sasori directed the needle at the base of his head, wove several hand seals, then backed up.

The man's head turned to track Sasori, although he still appeared to be in the Genjutsu, his eyes appearing as so.

"I am Sasori. You will report to me. Any mention of Sasori, Deidara, the Akatsuki, or Edo Tensei should be noted. Pay attention to any changes in patrol patterns from Sunagakure and Konohagakure in this nation."

The man’s head nodded slowly up and down, but he didn't speak.

"Good. We're done here. Sleep.”

The man’s attention snapped back to the moon, and he went limp again. Deidara let go, and he slumped backwards onto his bed.

“Creepy how well that works, un.” Deidara looked back at the man. 

“It’s not perfect.” Sasori began down the stairs, “But it’s better than relying on the off chance that someone will cast a mass Genjutsu so we can steal from a weak village.” 

“Hey! It was a good plan, un! Resourceful!” Deidara shouted back as he followed behind.

They left the village casually, with no sign of the Genjutsu letting up, and no sign that they were in danger of being caught in it. 

No one would remember the intrusion, not even the man who now served them. 

As they walked back to their cave, Deidara got to thinking. He wondered how this Genjutsu would affect his plans to find Sasori’s art. He stopped suddenly, and began sculpting a hawk. Once it expanded, Sasori turned around. 

“Scouting?” he asked.

“We should make sure the Genjutsu didn’t already spread to other villages, don’t you think?” The bird lowered its wing as though inviting them to climb aboard.

Sasori nodded and hopped on. He had been wondering the same thing. 

The hawk pushed itself up into the sky, carrying them just above the rooftops. From here, not much was different. There were still no sounds, no sign of chakra uses, just an eerie quiet. 

As they passed through the Land of River heading east, they found every village that dotted the region was also silent. No buzz of insects, no rustling in trees, no sound of animals. 

After about twenty minutes, Sasori spoke up, “It seems they are all in the Genjutsu.” 

“Right, but I want a little more proof.” Deidara pointed up ahead, “I’m taking us close to the Land of Fire. It’s more populated there, un. We can see how this Genjutsu is affecting them.”

Sasori raised an eyebrow and nodded. Deidara is clever. 

Minutes later, Deidara slowed the bird as a larger village came into view. 

“Are you seeing this, Danna?” 

Sasori leaned in. The village was entangled in thick roots that cut through buildings and wrapped through the streets. Dangling from some of the vines were pods of cocoons. Human shaped cocoons. They lightly swung occasionally, but not enough to signal a struggle. 

“What the hell is that?!” Deidara asked again when Sasori didn’t respond. 

“I’ve never seen anything like it…” 

Sasori remembered when he had woken up earlier that night. The flash of light, the rumbling. He looked up at the direction where that had occurred. 

“Deidara, look.”

Far off in the distance, barely visible from the horizon was a massive object, shaped like a tree. It shot up to the heavens, planted in the area that should be the war zone. 

“Okay, that’s enough scouting for the night, un.” Deidara turned the bird immediately when he saw the tree. 

Too dangerous.

Sasori held his gaze on the Land of Fire as they flew away.

“If we’re immune to whatever that is, the user must be someone on the Akatsuki’s side.” Sasori muttered, mostly to assure himself. But he wasn’t certain. 

Deidara turned his head to look at Sasori, “Then as long as we keep quiet, we’ll be fine, right?”

Sasori didn’t answer. 

Once they arrived back at the cave, Deidara took out the new sleeping bag he had stolen and began to lay it out on the ground.

"Deidara, we should leave now. We will be undetected." Sasori's words cut through the silence, causing Deidara to flinch. 

Sasori was right, this would be the best time to leave. There would be no patrols, no threats. But that didn't fit with Deidara's plans.

Shit, he thought, he'll only want to move further from Sunagakure… and if we leave now, it will only be harder to get back there. The longer we stay, the better…

Deidara ran through a dozen excuses in his head, hoping to land on one that built the least suspicion.

"You didn't really sleep much, did you?" He forced a casual tone.

"Not much, but that's fine. I'll be fine." 

"There's no rush, Danna!” Deidara gestured vaguely to the world outside of the cave. “It’s not like whatever that was is chasing us." 

Sasori stared at him. He didn’t seem convinced. 

“And who knows? We may run into trouble in the next location. We know this place is safe, un.” Deidara turned back to continue laying out the sleeping bag. 

Sasori remained quiet, so Deidara kept rambling.

"Also, if we move on, you need to be ready! Did you even finish that puppet?"

Sasori's eyes narrowed. He couldn't understand why Deidara was so insistent, or why his tone seemed so off, "The puppet just needs some weapons and poison. That's easy."

"Then, finish it in the morning, un." Deidara waved. "You've yet to have a comfortable sleep.”

“Now we have proper sleeping bags!" Deidara held up the edge of his sleeping bag to cover his forced grin, only his eyes visible.

Come on, drop the issue, Danna! He thought.

Sasori rolled his eyes, turning away. He’s insufferable, but maybe he’s right. 

After everything they just saw, the moon, the Genjutsu, the cocoons, the massive tree— Deidara had a point.  

If we are immune, the worst thing we can do is draw attention to that. We can just let this pass before we make another move. I’ll work on my puppets in the meantime. 

He turned back to Deidara who tilted his head at him. 

And he’s not going to change his mind. He wants to sleep. 

"If we miss our opportunity, or run into trouble later because you were being lazy, I'll kill you."

Deidara let out a sigh of relief. That was close. He climbed into his sleeping bag, "Yeah, yeah, you're a little late for that, un."

At the first break of dawn, Deidara opened his eyes. He rolled over carefully to keep from making too much noise. Before he slipped away, he allowed himself one more drawn out glance at Sasori.

He was curled up on his side, less than arm's length away from where Deidara had slept, deep in sleep. He was peaceful, quiet. The last time he saw this look on Sasori’s face was back when he had found him in the Edo Tensei coffin. 

But at that time, Sasori was lifeless, still, barely reachable. Now it was so different. He was really here. 

Deidara couldn't help but smile. He'd miss him. He extended a hand to brush his red hair aside, but hesitated, fingers hovering. No. It’s too risky. He pulled his arm back. I have to do this for him. 

He briskly slid out of the sleeping bag, and crept out of the cave without a sound. On his way out, he grabbed the bag of apples. He left the good stuff they'd stolen last night for Sasori.

Once he walked out of the cave he looked up to the sky. The moon was gone, replaced with the golden morning light of the sun. The crushing silence had lifted too. Now, the air was filled with birdsong and a gentle breeze. Everything was vibrant and alive again. Deidara was relieved. 

Last night, he had decided he would have still gone even if the Genjutsu was active. That would have made it easy to get around. But he knew he would be more uncomfortable not knowing if the Genjutsu was searching for Sasori.

But it seems like that disgusting Genjutsu is over. 

He hid at the side of the cave, out of view, and molded his clay. An owl would do the trick. 

Before he hopped on, he considered his plan one more time: he was going to enter Suna, find Kankuro, then retrieve Sasori's puppet body. And if he could get his hands on more of Sasori's work, he'd take those too.

A thought suddenly appeared in his mind. Since there was a war, Kankuro was most likely not around. Probably far away, playing war hero. 

That's fine, Deidara thought, ideal, maybe.

If Kankuro wasn't there, he'd wait. As long as he needed to. Surprise attacks are a specialty of mine. And the Sand is about to get an encore.

Deidara felt a mischievous grin stretch across his face. 

He imagined the look of shock that would surely cross Kankuro's face when he realized he was alive and back for vengeance.That alone would be worth it.

He probably hates me for attacking his little sandbox of a village. And hates that I captured his brother. He’ll want me dead. But that kid was no match for Sasori, and certainly is no match for me.

And if I do meet that Kazekage again, I've got plenty of new ways to deal with him. I don't need to capture him alive this time. It’ll be so easy.

Deidara adjusted his scope back on his left eye. He had taken it off after arriving in the Land of Rivers. It didn't match the "puppeteer" character he was trying to portray. It clicked nicely into place.

His fingers lingered on it. Sasori had made it just for him. A surprisingly thoughtful gift. I'll repay him tenfold. 

Determined, he hopped on his bird, crouched down, and gripped the bird's neck with one hand.

The wings flapped slowly, generating a quiet lift. Deidara looked back over his shoulder at the cave where Sasori was resting. 

Sasori might not like it here, but this truly was the safest place for him. There was food and water. The villagers weren't dangerous— actually, they were kinda dumb. Never noticed when something went missing. Most importantly, the war was somewhere else, far away. Deidara nodded to himself. Sasori would be okay. He turned back ahead.

Just as his bird lifted above the treetops, he felt a sharp tug at the wings of his owl. He would have fallen backwards had he not been holding on already.

"Argh—!" Deidara's bird teetered unsteadily. He dug his hands into the clay of the owl's neck as he looked behind him to find the cause.

Sasori. 

Shit. He’s not happy.

"Deidara!" He yelled at him from the ground, chakra strings connected to the bird's wings, "Where the hell are you going?!"

Deidara felt a drop of sweat roll down his forehead. How am I supposed to explain this one?

He couldn't explain it. Instead, he attempted to break free of the chakra threads, by forcing the bird to flap its wings. It didn't work. The owl's wings were nearly frozen, only able to move enough to stay afloat. 

"Let go, Danna, un!"

More threads extended from Sasori's fingers, attaching to various points on the bird. He wasn't going anywhere at this rate.

"You're leaving me?" Sasori's voice came out unexpectedly raw. He tried to steady it to no avail, "I thought you..."

The words Deidara had said to him before they broke the Edo Tensei rang in Sasori's mind:

"I'll stay by your side as long as you'll let me."

I let you stay, didn't I?

Sasori's head dropped, and so did his hands. The chakra strings disappeared, and the owl’s wings rapidly beat to life.

Deidara steadied the bird just about ten feet above ground. Though he was free of Sasori's grip, he didn’t leave. Instead, he turned on his knees to face him, looking down.

There was something so desperate, so disappointed in Sasori's voice. He hadn't heard that before. He couldn't just leave him like that. 

He had expected anger. That, he could bear. But this? It was overwhelming.

"I–"

That was that, the plan was foiled. Deidara knew he couldn't lie any longer. He had to tell the truth. Maybe then Sasori would understand his intentions were good...

"I'm going to Suna, un." He finished, feigning confidence.

Sasori's head shot up, a cross of frustration and confusion on his face, "Suna?! For what?!"

Deidara took a deep breath, looking up at the sky. He hadn't thought this confrontation through.

"I heard that Kankuro is using your puppet body. He’s modified it and uses it as a weapon." Deidara swallowed, looking back down at him, "That was your ultimate art, right? And he disrespects it in that way. I- I hate it! And I know you do too."

Sasori looked away.

"I was gonna get it back for you." Deidara raised his voice, "It belongs to you, un! No one else! It's your art, it's important to you!"

Sasori crossed his arms, still looking away.

It would be easy to just let him go. Deidara can do as he pleases, even if he did say he would stay with him. People change their minds...

But Sasori didn't want to let him go. Not if he was going to put himself in danger. 

"You think you can just waltz back into the Sand like nothing happened?!" He finally looked up at Deidara , brows furrowed, "After you killed the very Kazekage that still runs the village? You thought you could trick them just like that?!"

"I beat that guy once, I'll do it again, un."

"Everyone in the village watched you make a spectacle of yourself back then. Everyone! He lifted all the damn sand in the village to battle you! You think people don't remember the strange guy with long hair and mouths on his hands that uses clay bombs? You idiot!"

Deidara knew he was right, but even so, he wasn't going to back down. He grit his teeth.

"Don't tell me that's why you changed your hairstyle?" Sasori continued, pressing a palm to his forehead, "You thought that alone would fool them? Get the clay out of your brain, Deidara!"

"Well it's not like you could do it yourself, un!" Deidara finally spoke as he stood up on the bird.

"If I wanted to, I could. I'm not helpless, you know."

"You would stand out even more there! You're like, the most famous criminal from the Sand, un!"

"Deidara..." Sasori growled.

"Argh, you're impossible! I'm trying to help you!"

"How am I impossible?! I told you, I don't need your help, and I certainly don't need your pity. That's not why I told you all that about… everything that happened to me!"

"It's not pity–"

"Then what?!"

Sasori paused. Deidara didn't answer. 

"Why do you insist on fighting that battle for me?" Sasori’s voice shook, and he hated it. It didn't used to do that. 

Deidara was still quiet, trying to find the words to explain. He squeezed his eyes shut. 

"Kabuto didn't revive you with your puppet body, and no matter how much you try to pretend like it doesn't bother you, I see that it does.” He spoke a bit softer, “So I will—"

"Sure, it bothers me, but it's too dangerous Deidara! You'll be captured! You'll blow your cover!"

"If I can find your art, then it's worth it, un.” He nodded, standing up taller, “So I'm going! I know you don't need me to, but I let you down before, and I have to do this! It's the only way to—"

"Have you ever considered that maybe I don't want you to go because I care about you?!"

The words left Sasori's mouth naturally, with no thought behind it. It was just the truth. It shocked him how easily he said it. He froze, mouth still opened as he realized what that truth meant.

Deidara froze as well, caught completely off guard. He definitely hadn’t expected that him trying to leave would result in… that.

"Um, no, actually..." He rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward smile. 

Neither of them spoke for a moment. They both stared at the ground.

“I didn't mean to say that.” Sasori finally said, eyes wide.

“Well…” Deidara's eyes shifted between different points, trying to come up with a way to hear Sasori say he cared again, “Did you mean it?”

Sasori silently considered if he truly did.

Why does the idea that he would leave make me feel so desperate? Sasori asked himself. Why would I even try to convince him he's wrong?

He looked up at Deidara, who hadn't left. He thought he could do something for me… unasked for, unneeded, and absolutely bound to fail. But he tried anyway. 

And I would have gone after him if he left, Sasori concluded.

"Would you just get off that stupid bird, already?" Sasori finally said, softer this time.

Without protest, Deidara jumped off, landing a few feet away from Sasori.

Deidara looked away, arms crossed. The owl disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"You care about me?" He asked, lingering frustration still in his voice.

Sasori sighed. He took a step closer.

“I- I don't know why, but yes,” He took another step forward.”I hate it, but I do.” 

“So I don't want you to go. The puppet body… it's not that important to me. But you—"

He stopped himself. They both stood quietly for a few moments.

"Are you seriously saying I'm more important to you… than your art?" Deidara looked at him, still doubtful.

Sasori felt a rush of panic run through him. His body stiffened. I said way too much…

"You're the one who said it first!” He snapped as he pointed at Deidara, defensively, “When you broke Edo Tensei before me, wasn't that like saying I'm more important than your ridiculous art?”

Deidara uncrossed his arms, relaxing a bit. A small smile crept in.

"Well, yeah, I guess that is, isn't it?”

Sasori nodded quickly, cheeks flushed.

"I'm sorry, I just..." Deidara placed his hands on Sasori's shoulders and gave them a squeeze.

Sasori felt something flutter in his chest. That touch. It felt familiar. Grounding. Necessary. If I hadn't woken up, he would be gone. All of this would be gone...

"... I- I care about you too.” Deidara continued, stumbling through his words, “That's why I thought I should find the things you care about the most. Then, I could really show you I—"

Before he understood what he was doing, Sasori grabbed Deidara by his back and pulled him into a tight hug. His hands felt shaky as he crossed them tightly.

Deidara froze, shocked. Once he took in the situation, he smiled softly, and slid his hands that held his shoulders to wrap around his neck.

"I wasn't there before,” Sasori nearly whispered, “I couldn't stop you from doing stupid things. But I'm here now, and I guess… I just want it to be true that you won't leave my side."

Deidara tilted his head to lean against Sasori's.

“It’s not like I was gonna leave forever or anything…” Deidara muttered, jokingly. 

Sasori’s grip tightened. Deidara squeezed him back. 

"But okay… I won't, un."

Sasori finally pulled back. They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment.

The corners of Sasori's mouth turned up, just slightly. He lifted his hand from Deidara's back and reached up to tug his ponytail.

"I still can't believe you thought that would work," he shook his head, "soloing the Sand."

"Hey!" Deidara giggled, "If you're just gonna keep pulling my hair, I should put it back to how it was, un."

"It's good either way." Sasori let go, and headed back to the cave.

Deidara paused where he was, happy he didn't end up going after Kankuro and the puppet body after all.

He undid the low ponytail he had been wearing, and redid his hair in the half ponytail he once wore in the Akatsuki. After he gave the last pull to tighten it, he felt the scope on his left eye, and adjusted it proudly, like adjusting a crown on his head. 

If it's good either way, I'll just be myself. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Palette 

Sasori finished the last hammering of a nail into his puppet's arm. The weapons were now fully attached and ready for battle. 

This puppet was a little rougher than his usual work. The edges weren't smooth enough, the wood and tools were salvaged. It was no masterpiece. But it would protect him in a pinch.

Deidara leaned against the cave's wall, chewing on a stick of jerky they'd stolen last night. He was getting quite bored, but Sasori was working, so he dared not complain.

"It's done." Sasori spoke up, looking at Deidara.

Deidara pushed off the wall and walked towards him to observe the finished product.

"Not bad for the materials you had to work with, un.”

Sasori attached chakra strings to each of the puppet's joints, and rotated them to test the range of motion.

"It's... functional." He shrugged.

Deidara sat down across from him, taking a last bite of the jerky, "Yeah, but not up to your usual standards, right?"

It was obvious that this puppet was still leagues above the ones on display in the weapon shop in the village, but even so, Sasori was just that much better with proper materials that this puppet looked amateur in comparison to his usual work.

"Yeah, until I get a hold of some better materials, this is as good as it gets."

Sasori stood up, brushing the sawdust off his clothes, "Speaking of materials, how's your clay?"

Deidara clicked his tongue, "Low. I only have enough for two more birds, and maybe a few C2 explosives."

He stood up as well, "And that's being generous, un."

"So just enough to get yourself captured in Suna, huh?"

"Shut up!" Deidara snapped, before rubbing the back of his neck, "Lesson learned, un."

Sasori snickered, "In any case, it seems we both need to get better quality supplies."

"About that...” Deidara peered over at him, “I was thinking, we are pretty close to that Ceramics Village we went to before, un." 

Sasori gave a knowing look.

"Hanasaki clay benefits both of us. And you're right, it is nearby." He crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly, "But do you really expect them to welcome us back after that stunt you pulled last time?"

Deidara laughed, nervously. Last time, in search of better clay, he’d set off a C2 dragon in the center of that village. And Sasori certainly hadn't stopped him.

Yeah, that village probably hates us, he thought, but there's one person there who might not totally hate us. Someone who helped us before…

“Remember Kanyu? That girl who was trying to revive the Hanasaki ceramics technique?” 

“Vaguely, yes.”

"Well, at least she owes us one, un!" Deidara said, animated, "Technically, we did find the necklace of her master— Miyaki, right? That has to count for something!"

"You leveled half the village. I eliminated their government."

"It was for art! She's an artist, she might understand, un!"

Sasori began packing away his tools, "There's only one way to find out, I suppose. That Hanasaki clay would improve my puppets quite a bit. They'll be able to withstand higher levels of heat.”

"And my art is best expressed with that kind of clay too, un." Deidara grinned.

Sasori hesitated for a moment, looking outside the entrance of the cave. Deidara turned back when he heard him stop packing.

“What's wrong?” He asked.

“That mass Genjutsu might still be ongoing.” Sasori sighed, “Or that strange tree…”

“Oh!” Deidara followed his line of sight to the sunlight that poured in from the entry, but quickly turned back with a smile, “You didn't notice it earlier, did you?”

Sasori quickly looked up at him, “What do you mean?”

“The light was normal, no weird Sharingan moon…” He stood up.

“Well that much, I noticed. But it doesn't mean—”

“And not totally quiet, un!” Deidara held out his arms, “You really haven't noticed, Danna?”

“Let's just say you trying to leave had me a little distracted.” He muttered.

“I think we'll be fine, un. And if it's not over, we just hide again?” 

"We stay out of the main village and go directly to Kanyu's house. That's the only way to avoid trouble.” He let out a sigh in resignation, “Alright, pack your belongings."

"Already on it, un!" Deidara called back as he rolled up his sleeping bag.

By afternoon, they took to the sky, heading west. After a few minutes in flight, it was clear that the silence of the world from last night had been replaced with the usual low buzz of nature.

"Do you hear that?" Sasori asked once they reached cruise. 

"See? That Genjutsu’s probably done, un." 

"It would seem that way."

"Then, how about the war? Do you think something happened?"

"It's hard to say."

As they approached the Ceramics Village, the air felt livelier. There was a faint scent of smoke that wafted towards them. The village came into view, but it looked quite different from before.

Before, the village was more of a gaudy tourist trap. There were contrasting colors and shapes in the buildings. It was an eyesore.

Now, this aesthetic was gone, mainly because the village was clearly still recovering from Deidara's blast. A majority of the buildings were burnt black. But the areas that were rebuilt? It was elegant, beautiful, it was art.

"Hanasaki style. The way I remember the first time I visited this village," Sasori said as he first took it all in.

"You mean back when you went before you met me?” Deidara clicked his scope to get a better view, “This is the style it had?"

"Yes, what do you think?" Sasori turned to Deidara, who nodded his head quickly.

"It's much better, un. In good taste, now."

They didn't agree on much to do with art, but they always agreed on this village. 

Sasori scrutinized every detail of the village they both found tasteful. There was something to it, perhaps the simple lines, or the colorless blank-canvas look of the buildings. Maybe it was the clean symmetry— this reminded him of Deidara's work. 

At the same time, Deidara looked down at the village. The way it changed… there was a certain methodical nature to the way the buildings were patterned. An elegance. A particularness. It was like Sasori's work.

Neither said it aloud.

"Everything they've rebuilt is much better than before." Sasori nodded.

"That's a good sign, right?" Deidara grinned. "Maybe they're grateful for the 'rebuilding' opportunity I gave them, un."

Sasori shot him an unimpressed look.

Deidara clicked his scope once more, zooming in on the streets of the village. A few people stood in the center of the street, chatting away. Along the road, people carried ceramic vases out of a building. Scenes of what seemed to be a normal autumn day.

“Hey! People are walking around now! No more Rinnegan eyes either, un!”

“Hopefully that works in our favor.” Sasori shrugged. 

They landed in the forest outside of the main village. This was where they remembered meeting Kanyu. Somewhere around there should be her house.

They wandered for a bit before finding it tucked away behind overgrown trees. 

Deidara stopped short of the door.

"Uhh.... so what do we say? 'Hey, remember us, the guys who destroyed your village? Can we get some rare clay?'"

"I was hoping you'd have a better plan than that." Sasori sighed.

"Well, let's just see what happens, un." Deidara stepped forward and knocked on the door.

They waited. There was a sound like something sliding, then the sound of a lock coming undone. The door cracked open.

"You..." A feminine voice hissed at them from behind the door, "You have a lot of nerve showing your face around these parts... Deidara."

Deidara and Sasori gave each other a nervous look.

"Umm...hi Kanyu! Long time no see?" Deidara waved nervously. Sasori looked away cringing, "I promise I won't blow anything up this time!"

"A cheap promise, coming from you!"

"...I'm low on clay, so I'm serious, un."

"So that's what you want?!" The door slammed.

Sasori nearly turned around to walk away. This was not going well at all.

Suddenly, the door knob rattled before swinging open. Kanyu stood, glaring at Deidara.

"You're lucky I owe you a favor for helping me last time!" She gestured at them, "Come in before someone sees you and thinks I’m harboring a terrorist!"

The two looked at each other, unsure, before stepping inside. They followed Kanyu to a table where they all sat.

The house was traditional, and lined with jars of fired and unfired clay. It was a well lived in home, similar to how they remembered it.

But Kanyu herself looked different from how they remembered her. She had a more mature, serious aura. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy low knot streaked with clay dust. Her sleeves were rolled to the elbow, smudged from work. She wore a simple, earth-toned tunic that matched the neutral tones of her home. 

"I never expected to see you again." Kanyu started as she sat down next to Deidara, "And although you caused a lot of trouble last time, I do have to thank you."

"Oh? So you've come around to the concept of explosive art, hm?" Deidara wore a smug smile. 

Sasori crossed his arms.

"I still don't quite get your art, but when you set off that bomb last time," Kanyu's voice softened, though she kept a serious look, "it fired the clay in my kiln to just the right temperature. It turns out, I hadn't been setting the temperature high enough. It made my clay into the Hanasaki pattern I had been trying for so long to replicate."

Deidara leaned in on the table, eyes wide with wonder. His face came inches in front of hers, "You mean my art revived a lost technique?! Wow! Art is an explosion after all, un!"

Sasori bit his lip, glaring.

"Oh," Kanyu leaned back, surprised by Deidara's sudden excitement, she smiled awkwardly, "It did help, so yeah, thanks for that."

Deidara grabbed Kanyu's shoulders, shaking her, "You have no idea how cool that is!"

Sasori bit his lip harder. He thought he might bleed.

"Deidara. Relax. You're being weird." He shot.

"Oh sorry, it's just so cool to hear that I did that, un!" He sat back in his chair and smiled at Sasori, who looked to the side, annoyed.

Kanyu’s attention shifted to Sasori.

"So you have a new comrade that's traveling with you?" She pointed at him.

Sasori didn't flinch. He didn't care to explain himself.

"Huh? No, this is Sasori!"

"Wha- what?!” Her eyes widened, “He looked so different last time..."

Deidara finally realized, last time, Sasori was hiding in his Hiruko puppet. Kanyu never saw the real Sasori. Deidara grinned.

"Oh right, you never saw him outside of the puppet." He placed a hand over Sasori's shoulder, gesturing to him, "I present to you the real Sasori, un. This is what he really looks like."

Sasori still looked away, arms crossed and brow furrowed. Something about this interaction was more uncomfortable than he’d expected. 

Kanyu's jaw dropped, and she visibly blushed.

"Wow. I didn't know! You're actually quite, um, handsome."

Deidara frowned, his jaw tightened, grip tightening on Sasori’s shoulder.

"Okay, no need to get weird about it, un." He said through a nervous grin. 

Sasori hated the tension, "Enough! We came here to ask for Hanasaki clay. It benefits our art."

Kanyu stood up, and they followed. Her voice was higher this time, "I don't have much… but for you, Sasori, I can spare some Hanasaki clay."

Something pulled at Deidara's chest. Kanyu was looking a bit too intently at Sasori.

"How about for me?" Deidara complained.

"Yes, he needs clay too." Sasori said flatly.

"Fine. Follow me, I'll show you to the new, improved workshop."

She led them through a side door in the kitchen, and they passed through a winding garden before arriving at a small, brick building with a smoking chimney.

"This is your kiln, right?" Deidara asked once he recognized it.

"Yes, but ever since I figured out the trick to Hanasaki, I've been taking on some apprentices." She pushed open the door, "It's been slow, but we're reviving the technique again."

They stepped in the workshop. There were three people busy at work, two boys and a girl. They wore matching brown aprons.

They nodded at Kanyu as she passed them, but continued their work.

"This is amazing, right Danna?" Deidara beamed at the sight of it all, "Last time, you said you hoped the Hanasaki technique would make a comeback, and here it is!"

"After you two left and I realized the bomb fired the clay to just the right temperature, I tried for weeks to replicate it, and I finally did."

"We rebuilt the workshop from scratch," Kanyu explained, "Actually, the whole village must be rebuilt.” 

She shot a glare at Deidara. He didn't react, distracted by the shelves of clay and ceramics.

“Well, at least the other villagers agreed to revive the original look of our village now that we are producing the Hanasaki style ceramics again."

"And it's all thanks to me!" Deidara pointed to himself with a grin.

Kanyu ignored him and turned to Sasori, "You said you've been here when my master was still alive?"

"Yes." Sasori observed the jars of clay that lined the shelves. He picked one up.

"So how is it? Is it like how it was before?" She leaned against the shelf, close to him.

"It's good quality." Sasori said, rotating the jar.

Deidara rolled his eyes before reaching for a jar in between them, "I'll have a look too, un."

Kanyu grabbed his wrist before he could, "Careful! You tend to break things."

Sasori shot a side glare at the sight of Kanyu holding his wrist.

"I thought you said he also gets clay?"

She let him go, "Right.” She pointed at Deidara, eyes narrowed, “But I don't trust you. Sasori, you can take extra. That should be enough, right?"

Deidara crossed his arms, "Hmph! I'm not that clumsy."

Sasori’s gaze lingered on the apprentices for a moment longer. They were inexperienced, but they were learning. Carrying on the technique of a small village that created something beautiful.

Hanasaki was alive.

And for the first time in years, he felt like something he had touched wasn’t just destroyed. It was reborn. And it was better.

Kanyu walked to a shelf containing different decorative ceramic pieces. She reached for a small, white flower that was no larger than a teacup, blooming with the Hanasaki flower cracks throughout the petals.

Sasori and Deidara followed behind.

"This flower is one of the first pieces I made after I rebuilt the workshop." Kanyu said, picking it up carefully. She turned to Sasori. "I want you to have it!"

Deidara crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed.

Sasori shook his head. "It's too delicate. I don't need it."

Kanyu grinned softly. She held the flower out further, "You don't have to need everything you take with you!"

Sasori didn't reach for it. He just stared blankly.

"He said he didn't want it, un." Deidara snapped.

Kanyu flinched at the edge in Deidara's voice, but tried to ignore him. She reached for Sasori's hands and placed the flower in them. Sasori's brows knotted.

"Just keep it!" She insisted.

Sasori pulled his hands back, still holding the ceramic flower.

Satisfied, Kanyu turned to check on how her apprentices were getting along.

He turned to Deidara, holding up the flower awkwardly.

"What am I supposed to do with this girly flower?" He muttered.

"Dunno." Deidara clenched his jaw, "I, for one, would love to see it explode—”

"Hey! No explosions in my workshop!" Kanyu shouted over her shoulder.

Once the sun began to set, the apprentices began to pack their belongings and head out. Kanyu tidied up her work station.

"Well, this is usually when we go home for the night. It's getting late, after all."

"Right," Sasori stood up, "We should head out."

"Do you have a place to stay? You're welcome to stay with me again if you need it."

They walked out of the workshop and continued down the path.

"That would be great, right Danna? Been a while since we had a proper bed."

Sasori thought for a moment. He remembered how last time, they didn't stay the whole night. He and Deidara had been too busy finding out the truth about Hanasaki.

"Yes, that would be appreciated."

Kanyu smiled back at them as they approached the front door of her home. She pulled out the keys to her door, beginning to unlock it, "Great! I still have two perfectly good guest bedrooms."

"Just one will do." Sasori said flatly.

Kanyu fumbled the keys she had been attempting to use to open the door. It dropped to the ground with a clank.

"There's only one bed in each bedroom..." She muttered as she picked up the keys. 

"Okay." Sasori nodded.

Deidara felt his cheeks flush. He wasn't mad, but Sasori's bluntness made this very awkward. He scratched his cheek.

"Yeah, uh, we have to do some… strategic planning, un. And there's… lots to discuss, un."

Kanyu finally opened the door, hurriedly.

“I think I get it now, the relationship between you two..." She started up the stairs to her own room, before turning back over her shoulder, "Sorry, Deidara, I didn't know that it was like that earlier, or I wouldn't have..."

She quickly glanced at Sasori, who didn't seem to react.

"Ahh, goodnight you two!" She nearly sprinted up the stairs and slammed the door to her room.

Sasori opened the door to their room, casually. He wasn't affected by Kanyu's outburst.

Deidara trailed behind, face red. He shut the door and leaned his back against it.

"Good going back there, Danna! That was so suspicious!"

"I don't care. Two rooms is inefficient."

"She's never gonna look at us the same way!"

"Good. Maybe she'll stop flirting with you."

Deidara froze, a smirk forming, "Flirting with me!?" He crossed his arms, "Weren't you the one she called handsome?"

"I couldn't care less what she thinks of me. We got our clay, that's what matters."

Sasori laid out his supplies, organizing them carefully on the ground.

Deidara walked to where he was sitting and sat across from him, "So you don't care what she thinks of you, but you care what she thinks of me, hm?"

Sasori didn't look up, "No, what you think is more important."

Deidara paused, watching Sasori carefully organize the tools. He always did this before he got to work on something. He had a way he liked to organize them.

Deidara tilted his head, "Don't tell me you're jealous?"

Sasori rolled his eyes. But he felt like Deidara's stare was burning him.

"Whatever. We actually do need to work on a plan."

"Oh?" Deidara perked up. He hadn't thought much beyond this day.

"What can we really do? And where can we go? Don't forget there's still a war, un."

Sasori unraveled his puppet from the bandages. He picked up a scalpel and unscrewed the jar of Hanasaki clay. He began casting the puppet in the clay, meticulously.

"I've been thinking..." He finally spoke up, "We know what happened to most of the Akatsuki, but there are some members that might still be out there."

Deidara's eyes widened. He hadn't thought too much about the rest of the Akatsuki. It had been so much work just keeping up with Sasori.

"True, un," He counted on his fingers, "Kisame, Konan, and Tobi, right?"

"Exactly. If we can track them down, we might get some valuable information."

"It does bother me, not knowing what happened to the organization after I died, un. How did we go from nearly completing our goals to having Kabuto order us around? It makes no sense."

Deidara leaned back on his hands, “I mean, come on, were we really that valuable that it all fell apart without us?” 

He gave a dry laugh, but the question still lingered. 

Sasori continued steadily brushing the clay onto the puppet, “There may be a truth worth seeking there."

They were quiet for a moment, the only noise being Sasori's scalpel clicking against the jar of clay.

"Do you think any of those three made it out alive?" Deidara finally asked.

Sasori paused, looking up, "Considering Pain didn't, I have my doubts, but..." He put down his scalpel for a moment, and laced his fingers together under his chin, "... We didn't see them in the coffins back when we were first revived."

"So…maybe..." Deidara continued, but his voice trailed off. If Sasori doubted the others survived, he figured he shouldn’t be hopeful either. 

But to his surprise, Sasori nodded, "Kisame was clever. Strong, too. I can imagine a world where he survived."

Deidara looked out the window, into the dark scenery, "You know, he was a pretty nice guy, un. And we still owe him for that tea he brought us back then, remember?"

It had been months since they had made it back to a hideout. Deidara's clay was low, and Sasori's supplies were dwindling. They were far away from the mainland, at the Land of This. 

The goal was to destroy a small nation in order to improve the Akatsuki's reputation. The better they could prove their military prowess, the better they would be paid, or so Kakuzu had said.

The task was easy for the artists. Deidara caused chaos in a spectacular fashion by bombing the gates of the nation, and Sasori used his puppets to overtake the castle. It took no more than thirty minutes. 

Pathetic , Deidara had thought.

They left and found a place to camp in the woods. And that's when it hit them: the task may have been easy, but all that time away from base left them dangerously low on just about everything. They couldn't just go back into the nearby villages, they had special orders to stay as hidden as possible. No traces. 

"Ugh, when are we gonna get a chance to replenish our supplies?" Deidara groaned, "I'm two sculptures away from being out of clay entirely!"

"I could also use some fresh supplies." Sasori agreed.

Their rings pulsated with a flicker of light. The signal that Pain was calling a telepathic meeting.

"How convenient, un. The leader's gonna hear about this! Whoever planned this mission didn't consider our artistic needs."

They held two fingers up, and closed their eyes. When they opened them again, they were stood atop the Gedo Statue's finger that corresponded to their ring.

The others appeared, materializing one by one. A rainbow hue of chakra shrouding the details of their appearance. Only the glow of their eyes was pronounced. 

"Everyone is here. Now, each team, report your progress." Pain's low voice echoed as his eyes slid to the first team, "Hidan, Kakuzu?"

"We completed three bounties since our last meeting." Kakuzu said plainly and Hidan shifted confidently, "I only had to sew his head on twice."

"Hey fuck you Kakuzu!" Hidan screamed, "Don't rat me out in front of the others..."

"Good." Pain interrupted, " Continue with your list of bounties as planned."

"I suppose we're next," Kisame spoke up, "Itachi and I are holding until further notice. Though, we haven't encountered anyone you've told us to watch out for. Are you sure you don't have anything for us to do?"

"No. For now, you are in position for a mission that we will assign later, when the time is right. Just keep watch for any Akatsuki enemies."

"We will enjoy the quiet in the meantime." Itachi said softly.

Deidara grit his teeth when he heard Itachi speak. He hated that guy. So pretentious.

"Sasori and Deidara?" Pain looked to them, "I am the most interested in the status of your mission."

"Success." Sasori's voice was deeper, obscured by the voice changing machine he had installed in his Hiruko puppet, "The Land of This is no more."

"Zetsu, have you confirmed this?" Pain turned to the aloe-shaped man.

"Confirmed!" White Zetsu's voice was unnaturally excited for the topic of conversation, "Maybe you should rename it to ‘Land of Was.’”

“This isn’t the time to joke!” Black Zetsu’s voice cut in, a cold, low difference from his partner.

Konan nodded in approval, "Well done."

"Now we can negotiate better prices for our missions." Kakuzu said as cheerfully as they'd ever heard him speak.

"Well Land of This, Land of that," Deidara said annoyed, "We've been out on missions for months! My clay is nearly depleted, and Sasori no Danna is low on supplies, un!"

He turned and pointed at Itachi.

"Meanwhile Itachi gets to sit around and do nothing, un! How's that fair?!"

"Ignore him. He's cranky cause he hasn't eaten all day." Sasori said, mainly to Itachi.

Itachi simply nodded in response.

"And that's another thing, I never get enough allowance for food!" Now he turned to Kakuzu.

"Yes, minimum wage missions until you prove yourself worthy, Deidara." Kakuzu intoned like he had rehearsed it, "Remember, you're still pretty new."

"Ugh, I hate it here." Deidara crossed his arms.

"It is thanks to you and Sasori's success today that we will build a reputation as a fearsome organization." Pain announced, "You should begin heading back to base tomorrow."

"We will." Sasori said.

"That's all. We will speak again later. Good work everyone." Pain said in dismissal.

Deidara was the first to cut connection, too frustrated to stay a moment longer. The others began to do so as well, one after another.

Before Sasori left, Kisame spoke up, "Sasori, where did you say you are hiding out?"

"Just north of the Land of This."

"We are nearby too."

"Good luck." Sasori said as he cut connection.

Later that evening, while they were relaxing by the campfire, a faint sound of leaves crunching in the forest put them on alert. Deidara reached for his clay, and Hiruko's tail curled around Sasori in preparation.

They made brief eye contact. Both understood the impending danger.

But a familiar figure emerged from the forest, casually approaching. A tall man with a large sword fixed to his back. Kisame.

They both relaxed.

"Kisame?" Sasori said as Hiruko's tail retracted, "So you really weren't that far."

Deidara was still on guard. He expected Itachi as well.

"Long time no see! In person, that is." Kisame waved as he approached the camp.

He noticed Deidara hadn't fully relaxed, nose still scrunched. He gave a light chuckle, "Ah— it's just me today. Itachi sends his regards, but he isn't feeling well."

Deidara finally relaxed, "What brings you here?"

Kisame stopped near their campfire, "Well, it seemed like you two were having a rough time. Despite your success, being away for so long has its downsides."

He held out a bag towards Deidara, "It's not much, but you seem like you could use a good meal."

Deidara stood up, lingering frustration beginning to disappear, "Seriously?! For me?!"

He took the bag and opened it to find a baked sweet potato and a few onigiri. He immediately began unwrapping the food.

"We had some extra food, it's all yours." Kisame said with a smile, "Mind if I join you two for a while?"

"Of course, un!" Deidara, who was already chewing a piece of the onigiri, gestured to a rock that made a nice seat near the fire, "Take a seat!"

Kisame turned to Sasori.

"I would offer you food too, but..." He laughed, "Rumor has it you don't eat! Well, don't feel left out, I heard you might need some supplies, so here's something to get you through the journey back."

Kisame offered a box full of basic supplies: tools, screws, bandages, knives, and tool sharpeners.

"Are you sure you are willing to part with it?" Sasori asked skeptically.

"Of course! We're all Akatsuki, are we not? And I've known you the longest, Sasori." He began to unfasten his sword from his back, "It's not often we get to chat." 

"That is true." Sasori said.

"I brought my kettle, can I offer you a pot of tea?" Kisame glanced at Deidara who's mouth was full.

"I won't refuse, un!"

Kisame set up the kettle above the open flame, and when it finished boiling, he added the tea leaves to it. As they waited for it to brew, he sat back.

"Sasori, I was thinking you might want to visit my old stomping grounds at some point."

"The Hidden Mist. What for?"

"There's a rare poisonous mist they've developed. Maybe it would be useful to you?"

"I've heard of it, but I didn't think it was real."

"Oh it is! I have a map of the area where you can find the scroll with instructions. If you're interested."

"I am."

Kisame grinned and poured two glasses of tea. He offered one to Deidara, who had just finished eating, "For you."

Kisame reached in his pocket and held out the rolled up map to Sasori, "And for you."

"This tea smells amazing! I've never had anything like it, un." Deidara exclaimed.

"It's rare, that's why." Kisame took a sip of his cup, "It's called Yamecha. My favorite.”

Deidara took a sip as well, and to his amazement, the flavor was perfectly balanced, just like the scent, "It tastes amazing too, un! Yamecha. I'll have to remember that."

The three sat silently for a few minutes as they finished their tea. The sunlight was slowly beginning to fade.

Finally, Kisame stood up, "Well! It's getting late. I should head back before Itachi worries."

"Thanks a lot for the food and supplies!" Deidara said, returning the cup to him.

"Yes, we'd like to repay you." Sasori agreed.

"Oh! No need to worry!" Kisame grinned as he picked up Samehada and slung it over his shoulder, "Well, if you ever find yourself in the Land of Tea, and it's not too much trouble, bring me back some more Yamecha!"

He turned to begin walking towards the forest.

"But I didn't come here for a favor." He continued, "Just cheer up!"

"See ya, Kisame no Danna!" Deidara called out.

With a wave, he disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

Deidara turned to Sasori, "I know he said we don't owe him anything, but we really should bring him some of that tea next time."

Sasori nodded, "Yes, we have to."

And they both felt that it wasn't because they owed Kisame. It was just the right thing to do.

But days and months passed, and they never crossed over to the Land of Tea. They barely saw Kisame in person either.

But better late than never, Sasori thought.

"Yeah, I remember." Sasori had gotten back to work on his puppet, "We'll keep an eye out for that tea so we can give it to him when we meet again."

"You seem confident that he survived." Deidara smiled, "I am too, un."

"How about Konan?" He continued, "She was also very smart. The right hand to the leader."

"If anyone knows what happened regarding Pain's death and the Akatsuki after us, it would be her."

"She might even know about the new leader! But..." Deidara looked down, "I'm less confident that she's alive. Not because she wasn't strong, but because she would have tried to protect Pain, un."

"I'm afraid you're right. But a respectable person like her wouldn't leave nothing behind."

"Right!" Deidara looked at the Hanasaki flower Kanyu had given Sasori earlier.

Sasori had placed it far away from his belongings, like he didn't want to admit to keeping it, but didn't know what else to do with it.

Deidara stifled a laugh. In hindsight, Kanyu's flirting was completely missed on Sasori.

He had gotten all worked up for nothing.

"You think Konan would like that ceramic flower?"

"If we see her again, it would be appropriate to give it to her." Sasori nodded. "She did lose her partner."

"Then don't get rid of the flower." Deidara shrugged.

He hesitated for a moment. One more member left, "Okay, then how about....Tobi?"

He cringed. The grating sound of Tobi's voice shouting "Senpai" crossed his mind.

Sasori sighed, "Yeah, still missing."

"He was a fool, but..." Deidara leaned back against the bed, "...I know he wasn't completely stupid. If he's alive, he probably stayed out of sight on purpose."

“You were partnered with him,” Sasori said, glancing over. “You think he made it?”

Deidara shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe I just want to find out. Feels wrong, not knowing what happened to him. Especially since I didn't warn him I was gonna use C0, un."

Sasori made somewhat of a laugh, "Yeah, I doubt he survived that."

Deidara sighed. “He got on my nerves every damn day. But he was still one of us. I’d rather know for sure than wonder, un.”

Sasori was quiet for a long moment. Tobi, Kisame, and Konan were all vastly different. But after years of wearing the same robe, and a forehead protector with the symbol of their birthplace crossed out, they had no one looking for them.

I'm lucky then. Sasori thought as he looked up at Deidara, who fidgeted with his hair.

The least they could do, after everything, was look for them.

“So would I.” Sasori said quietly, focusing again on his work.

"So...how do we even start tracking them down? We have no leads."

"Not here, we don't. But there's somewhere we can go to get better sources of information," 

Sasori finished the last bit of coating on the puppet. He screwed the lid on the jar of clay, "Yugakure."

"Yugakure?! Deidara sat up, shocked at the suggestion, "Don't you think that's too close to the war zone?"

Yugakure was situated north of the Land of Fire, which meant Konoha was nearby. It was just south of where Kabuto had ordered them to go before they escaped. Certainly, many dangers would be waiting there.

"It is close, but the people there hate to get involved in things like war. And they are friendly with Konoha, so they still have plenty of important Shinobi walking through there. We may be able to pick up on fresh information there regarding the war and the Akatsuki."

"So you're serious about rebuilding that spy network, huh?" Deidara stood up, a determined smile on his face.

"The war could end at any time, and we need to be ready for whatever comes next. I won't let us fall behind."

Deidara sat at the edge of the bed, as Sasori carefully propped up the puppet in a position to dry.

"This could be interesting, un."

Sasori joined him at the edge of the bed, "We set out in the morning. Let's get some rest."

Sasori settled under the blankets. It was much more comfortable in the bed than on the ground in the cave.

Deidara still hasn't moved, watching Sasori lay comfortably.

"Uh… do you want me to take the floor?"

"Why would you do that when we have a bed?" Sasori said as he turned to the side, facing the wall, "Always asking stupid questions."

Deidara blinked. “I just thought… strategic planning and all…”

But he settled in beside him comfortably with a smile. Just close enough that they were touching.

Chapter Text

Sasori woke up to a pungent warmth that seemed to be emanating from the kitchen. It was savory, a scent he couldn’t quite name. 

He rolled over to the side facing the window to find Deidara still sound asleep on his back. Sunshine had just begun to peek in from behind the curtains, just beginning to catch the side of Deidara’s face. The incoming air from the open window brought a fresh breeze that gently brushed Deidara’s hair. 

It’s pleasant, Sasori thought. 

"Deidara," Sasori shook his shoulder, "It's morning."

His eyes fluttered open. "Oh?” He sat up slowly with a drawn-out yawn. “Good morning. What smells so good?"

"No idea. I'm trying to find out, but you're in the way."

"Hey! You're the one who suggested one room..."

The two headed down the stairs, trailing the scent. When they arrived in the kitchen, they found Kanyu had cooked breakfast. There was grilled sweet fish, miso soup brimming with mountain vegetables, and a pot of steaming rice. 

"Oh! You guys are awake..." She turned around, a soup ladle in her hand. Her eyes narrowed, "How did you, ummm… sleep?"

"Very well," Sasori said flatly, taking a seat at the table.

"Oh my God," Deidara muttered to himself as he joined him at the table. Sasori certainly wasn't making this any less awkward.

"Um… Anyway! I cooked breakfast. You're welcome to have some." She brought a tray of food to the table.

"Oh, we're being rude. Let us help you." Sasori stood up to help bring the other dishes to the table.

Deidara stood up to help as well, grabbing some bowls and cups.

"He's in a good mood..." Kanyu murmured quietly to Deidara as he passed her. 

He flinched, nearly dropping the dish in his hands, face bright red.

Once they'd finished setting the table, they portioned out the food. 

"Deidara, you need to take notes.” Sasori scanned the picturesque spread of food. “Your cooking never looks this good."

"You even cook for him, hmm..." Kanyu turned to Deidara with a knowing smirk.

"Argh! No, I don't, un!" Deidara buried his face in his hands.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Kanyu reached for the ceramic teapot in the center of the table and carefully poured them each a cup of hot tea.

"This is a special blend I got a while back from a traveling merchant from the Land of Tea." Kanyu returned the pot to the center of the table. "Feels like the right time to share it!"

Deidara looked into his mug. A rich green liquid rippled, with an inviting earthy scent he instantly recognized. He looked up, "This wouldn't happen to be Yamecha, would it?"

"It is!" She said, settling back in her seat. "Didn't expect you to be a tea enthusiast."

"We've been looking to buy some of that tea." Sasori said quickly, "Do you have any left?"

"No, unfortunately, I just had enough for this pot. What do you need it for?"

"It's for our friend, un." Deidara said quickly.

Sasori looked down at his cup. Was that what the others in the Akatsuki were to him? Friends? He had never used that word to describe them, but Deidara said it easily. Naturally. Maybe that's why it felt important to get closure on their whereabouts.

I'd want the others to do the same for me, Sasori thought.

"Considering there's a war, the tea merchant is probably returned to the Land of Tea. He's an old man who wears an indigo robe. He said when he's home, he runs a tea shop called Cloud Fang Ridge Tea.”

"We'll have to go there soon!" Deidara said between bites.

"The tea is quite expensive.” Kanyu took a sip. 

"How much are we talkin'?" Deidara peered over.

"50,000 ryo."

"That much!?" Deidara leaned in on the table, eyes wide, "That's robbery, un!"

"Yeah… If you're looking for a discount, that old man loves to collect handmade tea mugs. If you can manage to make one he likes, maybe that'll help. I could only afford it because I gave him a mug made from Hanasaki clay.”

"Deidara, it's your chance to shine," Sasori said flatly before taking a sip of the tea.

"That's not my style!" He held out his arms, "Art isn't about simple mugs, it's an explo—"

"We know." Sasori and Kanyu said in unison.

"Speaking of travel, are you two planning to stay in this village any longer?"

Sasori shook his head. "We have to move on after breakfast."

"Well, next time you need clay, you'll need to pay for it.” She said with a sure nod, “It seems we're even now."

"This should hold us over for a while, un!"

"Hey!" Kanyu stopped eating and turned to Sasori, "I just remembered! You didn't eat last time. And Deidara told me it was because you had dedicated your body to your art, or something."

"Yep, I was in a puppet, so I didn't eat," Sasori said before carefully taking a sip of the hot soup.

"Art changes, un." Deidara shrugged.

Kanyu shook her head. "You two are very strange..." 

Once breakfast was finished, Sasori and Deidara collected their belongings. Deidara sculpted a hawk for their journey, its wings already unfurling as Kanyu opened the door to her home to see them off. 

"Thanks again for last time, I hope I've made it up to you both." She said, a genuine smile crossed her face as they climbed onto the bird.

"I believe you have," Sasori turned to face her, "Thank you for the hospitality."

The bird's wings began to beat slowly, lifting them above the treetops. Below, Kanyu waved enthusiastically. 

"Deidara!" Kanyu shouted as she waved at them, "Don't blow anything up when you leave this time! I can't afford another workshop!"

"No promises!" He called back, "See ya around, Kanyu!"

Deidara looked behind his shoulder as the village faded behind the trees as they moved away. Eventually, just a small curl of smoke was visible from what he assumed was the workshop.

"Heh, look at us, heroes of the Ceramic Village, un." He joked.

"What are you talking about? We destroyed it."

"And then they rebuilt it! And it's better than ever, un." "You even said so yourself! Starting over works out sometimes."

"I suppose it worked this time." Sasori shrugged.

"It seems like you're starting to get the concept of my art, hmm?" Deidara smirked playfully. He knew Sasori wouldn't agree.

"Don't push it." He shot back quickly, eyes narrowed.

Deidara smiled, and they sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

“I was thinking…” Deidara eventually spoke up, “If we find Kisame around Yugakure, it's better to get that tea for him now, don't you think?”

“I don't mind a quick stop.” 

"Then I'll take a stab at that mug, un." Deidara sat down, cross-legged on the hawk's back, and searched for the jar of Hanasaki clay.

He broke off a chunk and began kneading it in his hands. Since it wasn't meant to explode, his hand mouths stayed shut. This clay wouldn’t hold his chakra. It felt inert, completely wrong. 

Sasori remained standing, crossing his arms as he watched Deidara's process.

"It's been a while since I sculpted anything like this, un." A bit of nervousness seeped into his voice, "But how hard can it be?"

This wasn't anything like how he usually used the clay. He pinched the sides unevenly, and the top wobbled like an overcooked dumpling.

"What are you doing?" Sasori asked, tilting his head, "Aren't you supposed to be good at this? Aren’t clay sculptures your specialty?"

"No, my specialty involves sculptures with more… life, un." Deidara said defensively, "This is just boring and plain!"

He felt the urge to throw the lopsided mug into the trees below and detonate it out of frustration. But he hadn't kneaded the chakra into it, so he couldn't.

"Try again," Sasori ordered, and Deidara rolled the clay back to a ball with a groan.

Sasori took a seat to Deidara’s right, startlingly close. Just as their sides brushed, he quickly wrapped an arm around Deidara’s back. His hands settled softly over Deidara's own like they belonged there. Deidara’s breath caught.

"What are you—"

"Showing you how this is done properly. Your form is off." Sasori's arms bracketed Deidara's, and he gave a gentle push at his elbows, "Your elbows are too wide. And your thumbs..."

Sasori adjusted Deidara's hand placement so his thumbs were positioned properly, "...should be like this. Now watch."

Sasori guided Deidara's hands up, shaping the clay into the figure of an elegant cup.

Deidara's eyes widened.

"You sure know a lot about this, un. You been holding out on me this whole time?"

"I've been using clay to improve my puppets for years, you know that. I've studied and practiced for countless hours."

Deidara turned his head to the right to look at Sasori. His face was just inches away from Deidara's. 

The moment felt just as special as an explosion. Deidara wanted to memorize it. His gaze lingered, studying every detail of that moment he shared with Sasori…

He didn't usually think about beauty in people, but with Sasori, he couldn't think of any other way to put it.

Sasori blinked once before turning his head to Deidara, "What?"

"Oh, nothing," Deidara said with a soft smile, "It's just, you're kinda good at everything, aren't you?"

Sasori didn't respond. But his focus remained transfixed on Deidara. 

Why do I crave such closeness to him like this? 

His eyes widened slightly, searching the features that shaped Deidara’s face, as though he had to memorize them to find the answer there. 

Deidara stilled under Sasori's stare. His heart felt like it might explode from how fast it beat. His eyes fixated on Sasori's lips. 

If I just lean in a little closer… then... maybe…

Sasori pulled away, leaving Deidara to hold the shapen mug alone. His eyes jolted back to it as Sasori shifted through his tools, and he let out the breath he had been holding in. 

Why does he make me think like this? Deidara wondered to himself, watching the scenery pass beneath them. At first, I thought I just missed him, but this is…

"I'm not good at everything." Sasori held out a small carving tool. “You should be the one to carve a pattern into it. Give it life."

Deidara took the tool with a grin, "Now that, I can do, un!"

He held the mug up to his face, and with a concentrated expression, he began chiseling small firework-like patterns into the body of the mug. It created a three-dimensional shape in some parts, like the mug was frozen mid-explosion.

Sasori remained next to him, dangling his legs off the side of the hawk as he watched Deidara work.

"It's coming together quite well," Sasori said once Deidara finished his part.

Sasori searched his supplies for a few paint brushes and tubes of vibrant pigments, holding them out to Deidara. "Add a splash of color, and I'll add the sealant once you’re done."

Deidara grinned. They hadn't worked together like this before. Not on something that wasn't meant to cause destruction. He found it just as fun.

And somehow, their styles and methods combined wonderfully. It was as though they had done this countless times before.

His color additions were complete. Glowing pops of red, orange, and gold peaked from the indents of the firework pattern like a blazing sunrise. 

With a final brush of glaze from Sasori, the mug gleamed softly in the afternoon light. It was complete. He held it up for them both to admire with one hand, the other just close enough to Deidara's that it brushed his fingers.

"Not bad, un," Deidara beamed, "Think the tea merchant will go for it?"

"If he has any taste," Sasori said.

Deidara caught a glimmer of pride in Sasori’s eyes. And he was right to be proud– it was beautiful. 

For once, Deidara didn't want to see it destroyed, or even let it go. He wanted to keep it. Maybe forever.

Sasori suddenly stood up, his eyes locking on a mountain obscured by a haze of light clouds in the distance.

"Almost there," he said, pointing at the mountain that was just coming into view. "That jagged mountain is called Cloud Fang Ridge. So I assume the tea shop is in the village below.”

Deidara stood up as well, "Oh! That mountain looks a lot like the ones in Iwagakure. Just greener."

"If that's where they pick the Yamecha leaves, it's no wonder they charge a premium for it."

The hawk landed softly near the entrance of a small farming village marked by a hand-painted wooden sign that read "Land of Tea."

The air was warm and soft, touched by a pleasant humidity. The scent of fresh greenery clung to the wind. Far above, a light haze diffused the sunlight across the forested ridges.

"Finally, somewhere that's not cold." Sasori lifted his chin to feel the calm breeze as they stepped into the village.

Deidara stretched, taking in the warmth as he stepped onto the dirt path beside him. "See? I told you I'd bring you somewhere warm, un!" 

He gestured towards the main road, where elderly villagers in wide-brimmed hats ambled slowly, some hauling overflowing baskets of what appeared to be freshly picked tea leaves. 

The villagers were friendly and smiled with a nod as the two crossed them.

Just a handful of small, crooked, wooden shops lined the path ahead. 

Deidara stopped suddenly and pointed to a store in front of them. "Oh? Do you think that's the tea merchant's shop?"

Sasori followed Deidara's line of sight. Nestled between two larger buildings was a narrow, one-story shop. It was worn, and the sign that read "Cloud Fang Ridge Tea" was barely legible from years of weathering.

"Let's find out." Sasori nodded, and they entered the shop.

When they pushed open the door, a complex aroma of various teas enveloped them.

Inside the shop was just one narrow aisle lined with wooden shelves packed from floor to ceiling with loose tea, cups, kettles, strainers, and other miscellaneous supplies. There was just enough room for them to stand shoulder to shoulder.

Straight ahead was a counter where a short old man stood facing away from them. He turned as he heard them approaching.

"Welcome, boys! What can I do ya for?"

Deidara leaned an elbow on the counter. "Are you the traveling merchant who sells Yamecha?"

"That'd be me!" The old man grinned, turning to face them fully, "But I remember everyone who buys my Yamecha, and I've never seen the likes of either of you."

"We are looking to buy some Yamecha for our friend who is a regular, un." Deidara continued, stretching one hand high above his head. "I'm sure you'd remember a guy that’s like, this tall, with a grin like this—" he pulled his lips back in a wide, exaggerated smile, baring his teeth. "Really pointy teeth! Kinda resembles a shark?"

The old man's eyebrows raised, "Kisame! A true Yamecha enthusiast!"

So this is the right place, Deidara thought.

The old man chuckled as he shifted through some tins of tea behind the counter, "He travels with another polite young man with dark hair. Never did catch his name."

Deidara rolled his eyes at the thought of Itachi, "Yep, that's him."

"You're in luck! I only have a small supply of Yamecha left. It should be the last of my stock until spring."

He held up a clear bag of tea leaves. His hands trembled slightly, stiff with age.

"I heard that you give discounts for handmade tea cups? It just so happens that we’re artists."

"Oh?" A curious smile formed on the old man's face. He gestured to a shelf behind him and chuckled, "I sure do! I'm a big fan of the arts, though I'm not an artist myself."

Deidara and Sasori observed the shelf behind the old man. It was packed tightly with hundreds of tea cups and mugs of various shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. There were a few that stood out, but none were anything like the mug they made together.

Deidara carefully placed their mug on the counter. "Would this make a good addition to your collection?"

The man took a wobbly step forward to pick up the mug. "Now. Let's take a look."

He held the mug up to the dim light overhead, turning it slowly to inspect each detail. As he did, his expression filled with wonder.

"My, my," he finally said, shaking his head in disbelief, "Hanasaki clay."

"That is Hanasaki clay. You have the eye of an artist, un."

"I’ve only met one other person who used Hanasaki clay," he turned the mug to observe the clean lines at the top and bottom, "That is, young miss Kanyu from the Ceramic Village."

"That's right! We know her. She was the one who told us about your collection, un."

The old man placed the mug on the counter, finally looking up to face them with a laugh, "Kisame and Kanyu… you two come highly recommended!"

They looked at each other quickly.

"So which one of you young men made this here mug?"

"It was a collaboration." Sasori finally spoke up.

"Amazing! A true work of art!"

Deidara grinned confidently at Sasori, who wore a satisfied expression.

“You know, I’ve always thought of each year’s Yamecha harvest as my own little masterpiece.” The old man pointed out the window that held a clear view of the mountain, “Gotta climb that mountain before dawn, pluck each leaf just right. Too early, it’s bitter. Too late, and it's tasteless.”

"Huh, it's kinda like art too. Like sculpting clay. It's all about timing, patience, and control, un.”

He glanced at Sasori, who smiled faintly with a nod.

The merchant slid the bag of tea towards them, "Take it! On the house."

"Wait, seriously?!" Deidara asked, shocked.

"Why not!" The old man shook a finger at the mug, "This here is my new favorite mug. I’d say it's a fair trade!"

"Much appreciated," Sasori said as he stashed the bag of tea in his pocket.

"Yeah, thanks a lot!" Deidara echoed, "By the way, have you heard from Kisame lately?"

The old man leaned on the counter, his cheerful expression softening to something more somber. "Unfortunately, I haven't seen him since last year sometime. He's a busy man, but it's a shame. He didn't get any of this year's harvest of Yamecha."

Deidara sighed. 

It stung to hear, but neither of them was ready to give up on finding him entirely.

"If you see him, tell him his artist friends are looking for him," Sasori said.

"I certainly will!" The old man exclaimed.

He looked them both over, "Now, I can tell you two aren't from around these parts. Do you travel about like Kisame and his friend?"

"Yeah, something like that, un."

"Where might you be heading off to next?"

"Yugakure." Sasori offered.

The merchant froze, "Yugakure, eh? Do you have somewhere to stay up there?"

"Not yet," Sasori shook his head.

"Might I trouble you for a favor?" 

The old man pulled out a drawer from behind the counter and lifted an unsealed envelope. He opened it and wrote something on the paper.

"Deliver this letter to the Innkeeper at the Water Lily Inn, he's an old friend of mine. He'll give you a nice place to stay for as long as you need. Just let him know I'm still kickin'!"

He sealed the letter in the envelope and handed it to Deidara.

"Wow, thanks a lot! That would be very helpful!"

"I know how it is for you artist-types," he let out a loud chuckle, "Never enough money!"

"Hey!" Deidara said defensively.

"He's not wrong." Sasori shrugged, and he turned towards the door. "Thanks again, we should head out."

"Right! Enjoy the mug, un!" Deidara said as he followed behind Sasori.

Chapter Text

It wasn't until evening that Yugakure came into view. The sun was just starting to set, turning the traditional village nestled next to a serene lake and towering mountains in a filter of lavender lighting.

"That's it." Sasori crouched down and pointed at the village.

Deidara's clay bird began a gradual descent, passing through light clouds.

"Looks like a painting, un." Deidara tilted his head. "Hard to imagine somewhere like this could produce… Hidan."

“It's no wonder they kicked him out.” Sasori shrugged, “I would too.”

He looked over at Deidara, who was adjusting his scope for a better view.

“Hidan is the only person I know that's noisier than you.” 

He peered over at Deidara with a smirk. 

“Hey!” Deidara shouted, “I'm nothing like that overzealous bastard! Un!” 

“Shouting obscenities certainly doesn't convince me.” 

The bird touched down outside of the village gates. 

Yugakure was more crowded than usual. Shinobi wearing the battle gear of every major village passed them. Many wore a forehead protector with the kanji that read, “Shinobi” instead of their village.

"It's different than I remember," Sasori said as they passed the entrance and began down the road.

People were everywhere. It was almost suffocating to walk down the main street. 

"Too many people." Sasori scoffed as someone carelessly bumped his shoulder. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Deidara asked, feeling a bit too exposed.

"We should be fine once we get to this inn."

The inn wasn't hard to find. Fixed centrally at the end of the main path was a three story waterfront inn. Though it matched the traditional architecture of the surrounding buildings, there was a particular quality to it that elevated it to a luxurious feeling. 

They entered reluctantly. The place seemed a bit too fancy for what they were used to. And as they entered they found the interior certainly matched the exterior. The lobby was serene, with a flawless balance of open space and intentional decor.

Cedar walls rose to meet a high ceiling, which lit the room warmly by a reed latticework skylight. 

The stone flooring was impeccably clean, with a statement fountain featuring floating lilies, slowly turning in the center. 

To the right of the fountain, a reception desk rested beneath a wooden beam. Behind it sat an old man with a shaved head and a long beard, reading a book. He looked up kindly as they approached.

"Welcome to the Water Lily Inn." His voice was soft and polite, "Unfortunately, we are past check-in time..."

Deidara reached in his pocket for the letter from the tea merchant. He slid it onto the desk.

"We bring a delivery from the Land of Tea, un."

"Oh?" The man picked up the letter, and unfolded it carefully. Once he read who sent it, he smiled, "Ah! From my good friend! I haven't heard from him in quite some time..."

He continued to scan the letter with a pleasant look.

"He sends his regards." Sasori added.

As the innkeeper continued reading, the door to the inn swung open, and several Shinobi, clearly from Kirigakure, stumbled in, loudly conversing with slurred speech, faces red.

One of them bumped into a vase near the entrance, nearly knocking it over. The other stumbled to walk past Sasori, nearly tumbling into the fountain.

Sasori leaned in closely to Deidara to avoid their reckless path, "Tch. No manners. To act that way in a place like this…”

"Yeah, what's up with all these people? Everyone's either drunk or loitering around here." Deidara scoffed, “They’re treating this whole village like a big party!”

The innkeeper set down the letter and stood up, unfazed by the chaos of the guests. 

He gestured to another worker and whispered something to her.

Sasori caught it. This could be bad, he thought. Could he have recognized us as Akatsuki? 

Or did the tea merchant say something in the letter…?

Finally, the innkeeper spoke up, "It's so very good to hear from my old friend. I thought he might not have made it back to his village in time for the war. Now, I can rest assured."

"No problem, un!" Deidara waved a hand, "We were heading this direction anyway."

"He wrote that you need a place to stay. I've already begun making arrangements."

"If it's already past check-in time, we don't mean to impose—” Sasori said.

"It's no trouble at all! You've gone out of your way, it's the least I can do."

"Well, we certainly won't refuse!" Deidara nudged Sasori with a grin.

"Absolutely. It should only be a few minutes before the room is in order."

"Well, we've got time, un!" Deidara leaned on the counter. "By the way, you wouldn't happen to have any knowledge about the state of the war, would you?"

Sasori raised an eyebrow. He wouldn't have chosen to ask so directly to gather information, but Deidara's method was efficient.

The innkeeper paused, then grinned widely with pride, "As of yesterday, the Allied Shinobi forces have claimed victory! The war is officially over!"

Sasori and Deidara’s heads slowly turned to each other with a stunned expression. Each could tell they had the same feeling about the news. Shock.

"So… the Akatsuki was…" Deidara eyes were wide.

"Can you believe it?" The innkeeper looked relieved, "The Akatsuki is defeated!"

They looked at each other again, this time a bit more concerned.

It wasn't that they were rooting for either side, but having dedicated years of their lives to the organization, the loss felt... somewhat devastating.

Maybe they weren't ready to accept the new Akatsuki anyway.

But they couldn't show this bittersweet reaction. The innkeeper was clearly on the Allied Shinobi forces' side.

"Wow!" Deidara forced a grin, "That's… that's really something, un.” He shook his head quickly, “Something good that is!"

He nudged Sasori, who was still frozen in shock, expression unchanged. 

Sasori blinked back to life quickly, realizing he had to play along. He began a slow clap.

“Yaaaaay,” Sasori said blandly. “A hard-earned victory.”

Deidara had to silence a laugh. He could tell Sasori wasn't thrilled by the news.

"I'm happy to be the one to tell you the good news!" The innkeeper seemed to have bought their act, "I believe the world will be changing for the better now! All nations have put aside their differences to defeat the Akatsuki. Perhaps, peace is on the horizon?"

"If it continues that way..." Sasori said quietly.

Just then, the worker the innkeeper had whispered to earlier returned. 

They both found it a welcome interruption.

"Your room is ready. Here are the keys," she held them out. Sasori took it. "You will find it on the third floor."

"Thank you very much."

So she was just a worker , Sasori concluded. It seems I was on guard for nothing. No one suspects us.

"If you need anything at all, I'm here." The old man said as they continued towards the stairs to the right of the counter.

"Yeah! Thanks a lot, un!"

They proceeded up the creaking stairs, then stepped off into a warmly lit corridor. The door to their room opened easily.

And it was far more luxurious than either of them had ever experienced. Two bedrooms branched off the main area. Shoji screens filtered the lavender light from the lake, casting delicate shadows across tatami floors. A wooden low table sat near the center, with two muted green cushions neatly placed beside it.

A painted scroll hung in an alcove near the wall, ink strokes depicting a flower floating in rippling water.

They were both speechless. Deidara walked in slowly, jaw dropping, "Wow! This place is amazing!"

Sasori followed behind after ensuring the door was tightly locked. Then, he slid open the screen door to the outdoor balcony.

Their suite overlooked a still, tranquil lake reflecting the mountains that hugged behind it. The setting sunbeams sparkled in the lake, hues of lavender and gold.

"Nice view." Sasori said quietly.

"Nice view?!" Deidara flopped onto the bed and rolled onto his back, limbs splayed, "Danna, this is the best room in the house, un! What did we do to deserve this?!"

"We made a cup," Sasori turned back to observe the rest of the room.

"If that's all it took, we should collaborate more often, un!"

Sasori’s eyes lingered for a moment on Deidara, who was smiling pleasantly with closed eyes, relaxing on the bed. He thought Deidara had earned the comfort.

He continued through the room, as he removed his puppet from his back. He propped it gently against a wall. 

He considered now would be the time to make a new puppet, so he approached the low table in the center of the room.

Before he laid out his tools, he found an intricate ceramic teapot with two matching cups at the center of the table. There was a folded note propped up against it. He took the note and read it aloud.

"Many thanks for your help. Please enjoy meals at our restaurant on the first floor free of charge. You are welcome to stay as long as you need."

Deidara shot up, "Meals? Well it is dinner time, and I'm getting hungry."

Sasori sighed, thinking of the noisy Shinobi who were surely celebrating their victory. He didn't love the idea of interacting with them again.

"Alright. But we need a plan in case we run into more people."

"We're just two traveling artists who survived the war, un." Deidara was already pushing the door open, "It's not a lie, is it?"

The restaurant was situated behind the check-in counter on the first floor. And it was lively. Surely, the inn was fully booked.

 A host smiled warmly as they approached. "Ah, you two must be our VIPs. A table is reserved for you by the window. Follow me."

Deidara walked confidently with a smug smile.

"VIPs," he boasted, "Damn right, un!"

Sasori grabbed him by the back of his arm and tugged him back before he fully entered the room.

"Don't be a fool. There's too many Shinobi who may recognize your face. Be more discreet. Walk closely behind me."

Deidara let out an awkward laugh, “Oh… right.”

Sasori didn't let go of his arm as they passed crowded tables of Shinobi celebrating the war’s end. Deidara leaned in and turned his face as they did.

They found their table was in the back of the restaurant, with a gorgeous view of the lake. From the first floor, they could see the serene garden that lined the space between the lake's edge and the inn.

"Will this do?" The server asked, gesturing to the table.

"It's great." Sasori said as he pushed Deidara into the seat that faced the window, away from the crowd.

He settled in his own seat. From there, he could see everything. All the tables were within view, the entrance to the kitchen, and even beyond the innkeeper’s desk in the front lobby was visible. 

Perfect, just the way I like it.

They did come here to gather information. Sasori hadn't forgotten that.

Deidara leaned his head on his hand, thinking.

"Maybe we should get a hat or something like we used to have, un. So I can stay hidden.”

Sasori gave somewhat of a self-satisfied laugh. 

“All those years you told me hiding in the Hiruko puppet was a nuisance. Changing my voice was pointless. The chakra suppression cape, that was ‘overdoing it,’ you had said.” Sasori crossed his arms smugly while Deidara tried to appear smaller in his seat.

“Looks like it all paid off. No one will recognize me, even in a room full of skilled Shinobi.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Deidara waved, turning his head away. 

“But you, on the other hand, must hide. You're way too recognizable.”

“Must you always throw it back in my face whenever you're right?”

Sasori smirked mischievously, leaning in on the table. “Absolutely.” 

“Guess I'll just have to change my hairstyle again.”

“Yeah, go infiltrate Konoha while you're at it.”

Deidara let out a playful laugh.

“Well, I’m not changing my appearance again, un.”

Sasori glanced over at Deidara briefly as a thought formed a bit too quickly in his mind. He almost said it aloud.

You look perfectly fine the way you are.

Sasori didn't say that. He didn't respond. He looked away, scanning the restaurant for interesting activity as a distraction, but felt his face warm slightly.

The server arrived with two trays of carefully arranged food. In the center, a larger plate of sashimi was fanned against a serrated leaf. Surrounding the main course were several dishes with pickled vegetables shaped like pressed flowers, rice topped with a fragrant purple shiso, and desserts so delicately dressed they resemble ornaments. In the front sat a bowl of clear miso soup. 

The quality was undeniable. They both marveled for a moment. 

"Looks delicious, let's eat, un!" Deidara finally exclaimed. 

Sasori took a bite, but he continued observing the other patrons. 

Distracted, the piece of sashimi he was holding fell out of his chopsticks and splashed into the soup broth. Some of it got on his face. 

He grit his teeth, annoyed.

Deidara couldn't help but laugh.

"Danna, you still have trouble eating unless you focus, un." He grinned, "Seems you aren't used to the human body after all."

Sasori blinked slowly in agitation. 

"Eating is so fucking annoying." His voice was sharp. He picked up a napkin to wipe away the soup. 

"Embarrassing." He muttered.

Deidara laughed again, then leaned his chin on his hands with a smile, "Don't be embarrassed, it's cute!"

Sasori glared at him. "No, it's not. I'm not-”

"It is, and you can be, un."

"Shut up.” He snapped, though his face turned red, "You forget I'm Sasori of the Red Sand. I'll kill you, you know?"

"Uh huh, you can't kill what's already dead, un."

Sasori turned away, "I suppose that's an empty threat now."

"You're the one who helped me escape death!"

The room suddenly grew louder as a group of four Shinobi entered. One was from Kumogakure, one from Kirigakure, and the other two from Konoha.

The server directed them to the table directly behind Sasori and Deidara's. 

It was obvious that this group had experienced the war. The man from Kumogakure's arms was in a sling. The other three had various gashes and bruises across their faces.

Sasori's eyes narrowed, but he didn't look directly at them, instead he focused on his food, and nudged Deidara with his foot.

"Huh?" Deidara looked up.

"Listen." Sasori ordered.

They were both quiet, feigning disinterest as they ate and listened. 

"Phew! A hot meal and a drink are really gonna hit the spot!" The Kirigakure man said as they settled in.

"Yeah, after all that time in the front lines..." The one from Kumo sat next to him, both facing their table.

Sasori raised a brow. Deidara gave a nod. They knew this was some luck- hearing about the front lines of the war would be valuable.

"I'm still a little shocked we actually won!" One of the Konoha-nin facing away from them spoke, "But man, it’s a relief to not have to worry about those Akatsuki bastards anymore."

Deidara rolled his eyes dramatically and stuck out his tongue. Sasori shrugged in response.

"Yeah, well considering most of their army was dead, I think we had it made!” 

The group burst into laughter.

The server arrived with a tall bottle of sake and four cups. Once poured, they lifted their glasses.

"To the Allied Shinobi Forces!” The Kumo-nin said proudly, “Despite our many differences, I won't soon forget how we all worked together with honor in this battle." 

Clearly, that guy is their squad's leader, Sasori thought.

"And to the end of the Akatsuki!" A Konoha-nin chimed in, cheerfully.

They clanked their glasses and drank. 

“Actually,” the Kumo-nin said, lowering his cup, “don’t be so sure. There are rumors that Akatsuki sympathizers exist in Amegakure.”

Deidara and Sasori’s eyes met, wide with surprise. The same thought was written on both their faces.

Shock.

Deidara leaned in, covering his mouth as he spoke with a hushed voice, “Does that mean the others are…”

Sasori looked down at his food.. Kisame… Konan… Tobi… they might actually be alive.

Could they have all returned to Amegakure to oppose the “new akatsuki?”  Deidara thought.

"What?!" The Kiri-nin slammed the table. "You can't be serious. Who's gonna support their cause after everything?!"

"Not to rub it in your faces,” the Kumo-nin said smugly, “but it seems like ninjas from every major village except Kumo have supported that cause." 

"Alright, alright," the others chuckled.

"Any idea if there's plans to eliminate these sympathizers?" The Konoha-nin asked, "They've gotta go before they become dangerous again!”

"No idea. That's way above my clearance." The Kumo-nin shrugged.

The server arrived again with their food. 

There was considerably less on their trays. 

Sasori found it satisfying that he and Deidara were being treated better than the so-called 'war-heros.'

That table quieted down and shifted into trivial conversation. 

"How interesting..." Deidara smirked, looking up at Sasori.

"You can say that again." Sasori murmured. 

“Looks like we might be able to deliver that tea, un!” 

Sasori met Deidara's eyes, which glimmered with hope. 

“Maybe. We'll talk about it later.” 

Sasori looked back at his food. 

Though he had remained hopeful up until now, the idea that they wouldn't find the others lay dormant in the back of his mind. 

But seeing Deidara hopeful was worth the trouble. He watched his reflection ripple, distorted in the clear soup in front of him. 

To think we might actually find them…

He brought a spoonful of soup up to his lips as he looked up. 

He froze. 

He immediately recognized her. Short, black hair. Dark brown eyes… 

Shizune. The Hokage's assistant. A talented medical kunoichi, and exceptional poison-user.

She will definitely recognize us.

Sasori reached for Deidara's wrist and squeezed it tightly, "Keep your head down," he ordered firmly, not taking his eyes off of her.

Deidara lowered his head and looked towards the wall.

Sasori watched as Shizune took a seat far away on the other side of the restaurant. She was alone.

Another Konoha-nin approached to greet her.

She's distracted.

"We're leaving,” Sasori whispered. "Stay close behind me."

Deidara nodded.

He stood up, pulling Deidara along by his arm. Deidara kept his eyes down, letting his hair fall further in front of his face to obscure it.

The short walk from their seat to the restaurant's exit felt excruciatingly long. 

But they left the restaurant successfully. As they rounded the corner towards the stairs, Sasori exhaled in relief…

…And nearly collided head on with a group of Iwa-nin.

"Sorry. Excuse us." Sasori nodded at them without making eye-contact, guiding Deidara to the opposite side.

Please don't recognize him, Sasori swallowed hard.

Deidara squeezed his eyes shut as they crossed them

"Oi!" One of them called out, right as they stepped passed.

They froze but didn't turn around.

"You with the blond hair! You look a hell of a lot like Deidara.” The man turned to his group, “Remember him?"

"What’d he call himself? An artist?!"

"What a load of crap!"

Laughter erupted between them.

Deidara's free hand found Sasori's arm and squeezed it, fingers digging in. 

"You've got the wrong person." Sasori tugged Deidara again, and continued walking towards the stairs.

“Right.” The Iwa-nin replied, “No way it's Deidara, because he's dead.” 

"Don't mind them," Sasori whispered as he dragged him quickly towards the stairs.

He knew Deidara wouldn’t stay silent much longer. 

“Serves him right, the freak.” Another sneered, “Should’ve never been allowed to become a Shinobi…”

“Never shoulda let him make those hideous clay sculptures!”

Deidara couldn’t hold back any longer. He let go of Sasori’s arm and reached for his clay. 

“Good riddance.” Another Iwa-nin spoke up. “I'd spit in his face if I saw him."

That’s it. His hand closed on the chunk of clay.

Sasori turned immediately.

"I'd like to see you try,” he said.

His voice came out more threatening than he intended. He meant to play it cool.

"Huh?!" The group turned around towards him.

Deidara froze, caught off guard by the heat of Sasori's voice. 

“I said…” Sasori softened his tone, though his fists were clenched. 

“... I’d like to see that battle. I heard Deidara was one of the strongest in the Akatsuki. And Iwagakure. If you could actually fight him, I’d say it’d be interesting to watch.”

They couldn't argue back. They muttered something under their breaths and moved along.

Sasori scoffed, pushing Deidara up the stairs. 

“That's what I thought.” He mumbled. 

Deidara let go of the clay as he hurried up the staircase. 

"You didn't need to defend me like that, you know."

"I know. And I didn't."

Sasori unlocked the door to their room. 

"I just corrected them."

Finally, he let go of Deidara's arm. He quickly closed and locked the door with a slam and a click. 

He twirled around to face Deidara, who paced restlessly in the middle of the room, frustration overflowing. 

“You grabbed your clay. You almost blew this whole place up.”

“Of course, un! They mocked me!” Deidara stormed further into the room, “And my art! You have no idea how frustrating it is to hear that from—”

"We're bound to hear people talk bad about us, our art, the Akatsuki… even each other. But don't react. Especially not here. Not now."

"Argh!" Deidara ran his fingers roughly through his hair, "But if there's one thing I won't stand for, it's—”

Sasori stepped closer to him, "Stop. I know you're angry. How about you direct that towards something that actually helps us?"

"Ugh." Deidara dropped his arms and looked to the ceiling. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to let go of his frustrations.

But Sasori knew he hadn't let it go. He guessed he was probably thinking of new ways to get back at those Iwa-nin. Maybe even behind his back.

He grabbed the sides of Deidara's shoulders firmly. Instantly, he had Deidara's attention.

"If you hope for a future in this world..." He said calmly.

Deidara's jaw was still tight. Hurt still filled his eyes.

"A future together..." Sasori glanced away briefly. 

Maybe I shouldn't have said it like that, Sasori regretted, internally. 

But when he met Deidara's eyes again, the hurt and frustration was gone.

"...well, you can't just go and blow your cover because you're stubborn."

Deidara took a deep, shaky breath.

“The people from my village, they always say shit like that, it's always—”

“Your village?” Sasori reached up and brushed his side bangs, just slightly. “I don't see you wearing their forehead protector.” 

"You're right, un." Deidara looked down, shaking his head, "I was being stupid."

"I know." Sasori said, a faint smile forming. “I did say I'd stop you from doing stupid things.”

Deidara gave a soft smile.

"I do want that. A future together. So..."

He reached forward and, before he could overthink it, he pulled Sasori into a hug, arms tight around his back.

Sasori didn’t pull away, he just held his shoulders gently and let it happen.

"You're probably mad at me, hm?"

"No. I know how you are." Sasori squeezed his shoulders.

It wasn't a jab, but more of a compliment,  and Deidara knew this. He held him a little tighter before pulling back.

"Also..." Deidara said with a small laugh, "You really think I was one of the strongest?"

"I'm not saying that again." Sasori turned away.

Deidara giggled. He didn't expect him to.

"Well, do you think we should get outta here? Since we were spotted?"

"No. Not yet. I have an idea." Sasori smirked, mischievously. "I've found the next sleeper agent."

"Oh?" Deidara matched his expression.

"Shizune."

“Shizune? The Hokage’s apprentice? I thought you were joking when you said I should infiltrate Konoha!”

Sasori shot him a flat look. 

“No, you fool, she's here. Staying at this inn. That's why I had us leave the restaurant in the first place.”

“Ohhh…” Deidara pieced it together in his mind. "Danna! I thought you said we shouldn't take big risks!"

"It's not risky if we are smart about it." He sat on the cushion by the table and began to lay out his tools.

"You're bad, Danna!" Deidara sat opposite of him, grinning mischievously.

"It would be rude to not make use of this kind hospitality." Sasori smirked. 

Deidara grinned wider.

"We'd gain a lot from a target like that, un. We can learn about the Akatsuki, the war, Konoha..."

“And that’s precisely why,” Sasori said, looking up to meet his eyes. “We strike after midnight.”