Explosions of Emotion

The week passed slowly for Deidara, who was very tired of trying to pass as a woman and have small chat with Tsunami when she wasn’t working, and the other ladies in town. Not that he minded talking with them, but whenever he was around the women too much, all their talking eventually started to sound like a chorus of birds, chirping and chirping.



However, Sasori hardly noticed the time pass. He spent a majority of the day playing with Inari and the other children. It took him a little while to come out of his shell and play like the others, although he didn’t know how long he could insist to himself that he wasn’t making up for time that he lost as a child. After the deaths of his parents, he put all his energy into making his puppets and practising with them.



Sometimes, Grandma Chiyo would take him with her when she went shopping and he would get candy, but he always saw the other children with their parents. Sasori hated how the other children took their parents for granted. Whenever they fought back or cried, he wanted to walk up to them and tell them to shut up and be grateful that they had their parents. Back then, though, Sasori was far too timid to do such a thing.



“Um, Kyon.”



Sasori looked up from his thoughts and saw Yuki sit next to him.



“Do you mind if I sit here?”



Sasori shook his head no and leaned back against the tree. Everyone had gone home for lunch, including Inari. Sasori felt like sitting alone for a bit, but he had no idea why Yuki was still there.



“Why didn’t you go home with Inari?” Yuki asked timidly.



Sasori shrugged. “Not hungry I guess. Why aren’t you at home eating?”



“Oh, I don’t eat lunch. We only have enough to afford breakfast and dinner.”



Sasori nodded, not too certain what to say. He had learned many things about Yuki in the past few days. She was thirteen, but very young looking for her age. Her parents were jounin, and they had died in the recent war. After the deaths of her parents, Yuki was sent to live with her elderly grandmother, and found various outlets for her emotion.



“So, you like to make things?” Sasori asked, changing the subject.



Yuki’s eyes lit up brightly. “I love to! Especially out of wood. I made all of the ninja tools for our games in my spare time. I really like working with wood.”



Sasori nodded. “I do too. I make a lot of things, when I have time. Your work is flawless.”



Yuki’s cheeks flushed pink. “Thank you. I’m not really that good.”



“No, I think you are. You definitely have potential.”



“Where are you really from, Kyon?”



Sasori stared at Yuki, unable to hide his shock. How could she tell? For the first time since he’d joined the Akatsuki, he was afraid that a mission would fail.



“What do you mean?” Sasori asked calmly.



“You aren’t from here,” Yuki whispered. “The land of Waves I mean. You can’t be. No one here has red hair.”



“What if my father was from somewhere else?”



“Your facial structure is too different. The shape of your eyes, and you’re of a different build.” Yuki looked away, blushing profusely. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be asking.”



“No, it’s okay,” Sasori put his hand on top of Yuki’s. “I’m originally from Suna.”



Yuki looked back at him with wide eyes. “I knew it. The hair is what really gave it away.”



Sasori tugged at a few strands of his red hair. “Why, hair, why?”



“Oh, I like that your hair is red. But the last thing that gave it away was that you complimented my talent.”



Sasori frowned. “How could that give away my origin?”



“When I was younger my parents taught me about all the different villages. Some people from Suna pride themselves on their craftsmanship, especially regarding carving from wood and making puppets. Sasori of the Red Sand is supposed to be the best puppet master there ever was.”



“You know about Sasori?” Sasori’s head was swimming. Yuki was suddenly more confident. She couldn’t be undercover like he was. That would be too unlikely.



Yuki nodded. “My parents said that, even though he’s now a missing nin, that he was a child genius, and very shy around others. Everyone always said I was dumb because I didn’t talk, and when I told my parents that, they told me about Sasori.”



“I had no idea that Sasori of the Red Sand was famous anywhere other than Suna.”



“I wish I could be good at puppets like he was. I told my parents and they laughed. They said that my dream was admirable, but that the art of puppets was something only people from Suna, and select people from Suna at that, knew.”



“It is true,” said Sasori. “That hardly anyone, even in Suna, can even manage a puppet. Chakra strings alone are difficult to control.”



“So you work with puppets?” Yuki beamed.



“A little bit.”



“I won’t ask you to teach me, although I would love it if you did. It would be rude for me to ask such a thing.”



“I would, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t know how to teach you. I could show you, if you like.”



“My parents bought me a small puppet on one of their missions. I could bring it to you tomorrow.”



Sasori nodded with a smile.



..................................



“Where were you today, Sasori-danna?” Deidara asked later that night.



“With Yuki. She’s a very interesting girl.”



“Don’t tell me you have a crush on her, un,” grumbled Deidara as he pulled Sasori

closer to him.



“I don’t,” sighed Sasori. “She was able to guess where I was from, based on my hair, facial structure, and from my knowledge about our craft. That girl should have been a ninja.”



“You said her parents were, didn’t you, un? They must have taught her things.”



Sasori nodded. “She’s very interested in puppets. And she knows all about my past, or at least the things that are written in most Bingo books.”



“Her parents were ninja, un, you said it yourself.”



“Well, yes, but it’s odd. Almost like she has this fantasy crush on me, except she doesn’t know it’s me.”



Deidara chuckled and kissed Sasori’s cheek. “That’s really cute, Sasori-danna, but if she makes any moves on you, I might have to kill her, un.”



Sasori tutted his tongue and snuggled closer to his lover. “Please don’t do that. Such actions are childish.”



“I was just playing, Sasori-danna,” Deidara nibbled on Sasori’s ear lobe.



“Stop teasing, Deidara, we’re on a mission.”



“But Sasori-danna-”



“No ‘buts’, Deidara. Just go to sleep.”



Deidara pouted, but complied and rest his chin on Sasori’s shoulder. Just being with Sasori normally was enough, but Deidara had never expected that going only a few weeks without Sasori’s touch would drive him completely insane.



...............................................................



“This is the puppet my parents brought back for me when they went on their mission to Suna,” Yuki pulled a small puppet, one about the length of her forearm, out of a carrier bag and handed it to Sasori.



Sasori ran his fingers over the joints. The wood was smooth and sanded, but not finished. This puppet wasn’t just a play thing like he had expected. It was a genuine puppet that could actually be used, probably for formal shows, or maybe even for assassinations.



“This is a high quality puppet, Yuki,” Sasori looked up at her, attaching his nearly invisible chakra strings to the puppet. “It must have cost your parents a small fortune.”



“They said that it was given to them as a gift for their help.”



“Hm.” Sasori set the puppet on the ground, and, with a few motions of his fingers, made the puppet walk towards Yuki. “The trick to chakra strings, in combat anyway, is making them barely visible. If your opponent can see them, then they can figure out patterns in your movements. But even making chakra strings in the first place takes an immense amount of concentration.”



“I was always told I had good chakra control.”



“Then that’s a good thing. Try focusing all your chakra to the tips of your fingers. It’s one of those things that just comes naturally.”



Yuki nodded and before long the tips of her fingers had a bluish glow to them. It didn’t take much time after that before she had managed to form and sustain chakra strings, although they were bold and easily seen.



“I wish I were as good at this as you are, Kyon,” Yuki panted when she and Sasori decided to take a break.



“You’re very good, actually.” Sasori rolled over onto his stomach and looked at Yuki. It almost pained him to lie to the girl about who he was. She was a natural with puppets, almost as much so as he and Grandma Chiyo.



“Why are you looking at me like that?” Yuki squeaked when she noticed Sasori’s focus on her.



“Oh.” Sasori blushed. “I was just thinking is all. That there’s no reason for you to feel bad. It took me many years to become as good as I am.”



“But you’re not much older than me. You’re my age, right, Kyon?”



Sasori was tempted to correct her and say that he was more than half her age, but to do so would cause trouble. However, there was no other way to answer her question.



“I’m a lot older than you think I am, Yuki.” Sasori propped his chin up on the palms of his hands. “I can’t give you details, but I think you know.”



Yuki nodded. “I sort of figured I knew who you were. You seemed to mature to be so young. . .Sasori. That’s who you really are, isn’t it?”



“I can neither confirm, nor deny, such statements,” Sasori said plainly. “Believe what you wish.”



Yuki nodded and was silent. She looked at Sasori, almost scared to speak. “When people talk about the terrible things you’ve done, I would have expected you to kill me just now.”



“Killing you would not help the mission, in any way.” Sasori sighed and rose to his feet. “However, if you tell anyone who I really am, then I will have to kill you.”



“I know,” Yuki sat up and looked at Sasori. “I’m not afraid to die, which is why I spoke up in the first place.”



“Obviously.” Sasori smiled. “If I could take on an apprentice, I would have chosen you. You’re a natural, and would have become a very talented puppet master had you been born in Suna.”



Yuki beamed. “Thank you.”



“But today will be the last day I ever see you. I leave tomorrow morning.”



“May I ask a question?”



Sasori raised his eyebrows and Yuki took that as a sign to speak.



“Are you really as bad as everyone says?”



Sasori frowned, unsure how to answer. Was he what people defined as bad? He was chasing his own goals and dreams, killing people along the way, but in the end, he didn’t wish for world domination like Orochimaru.



“That is a matter of perspective. I’ve killed others, yes. I’m a missing and rogue nin, and hard hearted towards everyone, save a handful of people. You’ve met me. Decide for yourself.”



Sasori waved slightly to Yuki as he walked away. Now he remembered why he avoided children. They always made you think. He would probably never see Yuki again, which in some ways disappointed Sasori greatly. But just thinking about how Deidara would consider his never seeing the talented girl again, well, the mental image made him smile.



..........................................





Deidara and Sasori left very early the next morning before dawn. They would creep out of the town without a word, which would arise more suspicion than had they just left later that morning. However, the two were very eager to get out of town, for very different reasons of course.



Sasori wanted to get away from the girl who reminded him about the way things could have been had his parents not died, had that time in his life not hardened his heart.



Deidara, on the other hand, was eager to get back to his Sasori. The fact that they had to pose as immediate family bothered him immensely. It had been a whole week since he’d received even a kiss from his redheaded lover, not to mention anything else.



“It sure is quiet out here, Sasori-danna,” sighed Deidara as they finally crossed the country’s border.



“Don’t get any idea’s, Deidara. I will not sleep with you in the middle of no where,” Sasori replied firmly.



As Deidara crossed his arms and began to sulk, Sasori tried his hardest to ignore his partner. He honestly wanted to be closer to Deidara, but the bigger issue than there being a lack of proper furniture for such acts of sodomy was the fact that he was turning more puppet like as time went on. The ability to feel things with his hands was dying. Sasori could tell because of the pins and needles in his finger tips. Not to mention his ability to digest green vegetables had almost completely vanished.



So, as much as Sasori longed to be Deidara’s, there was just no way it would work. He had to break it off with Deidara, but at the same time he had no idea how. At first Sasori had figured a quick, clean break would be best. Like an explosion almost. Then he decided that he didn’t want to lose his partner completely. Deidara and he worked very well together, so to ruin that would damage not only the two of them personally, but the entire Akatsuki. Perhaps it was best for Sasori to calmly explain to Deidara why he just couldn’t be with him any more.



“You’re being awful quiet, Sasori-danna. What are you thinking about, un?”



Sasori looked up at Deidara and shook his head. “Nothing of great importance.”



You liar, Sasori’s thoughts hissed at him.



“Well you just look rather upset, un, so I thought I would ask.”



“It’s no big deal. There’s nothing you can do to help”



Liar, liar, liar! You know exactly what he can do to help you, you idiotic bucket of wood and metal!



“I was hoping there would be something, Sasori-danna.” Deidara looked at Sasori with such intensity that it was almost unnerving. “If there ever is, ask and I’ll do it, un.”



Sasori stared at Deidara. He noticed several things at once. Deidara’s eyes were tired from lack of sleep, although he wore a smile on his face anyway. They had stopped walking. Sasori was oddly close to Deidara, and not the other way around.



“Well, I guess. . .”



Go on, tell him, you stupid boy!



“Yes, Sasori-danna?”



“I. . .um. . .maybe you could-”



Deidara tilted his head to the side, completely unaware about the internal battle to which Sasori was losing dismally.



“Promise me that you’ll care for me no matter what, Deidara!” Sasori blurted, covering his mouth with his hands quickly and looking at the ground.



Deidara raised his eyebrow. “I’m rather confused, Sasori-danna.”



“Forget it.” Sasori tried to push passed Deidara, but was quickly grabbed and pulled into a hug.



“Nope, Sasori-danna. You’re going to tell me what’s on your mind, un.”



Sasori sighed and let himself lean into the hug. Things were not going as he had planned. They were supposed to be breaking up, not getting into things.



“I just want you to promise that no matter what sort of dumb things I do, that you won’t stop caring about me. If you do, that is. If not, forget everything I’ve said.”



Sasori tried to pull away but Deidara held him tightly and sat down, pulling his partner onto his lap. “You honestly think I would still be holding you if I didn’t care, un?”



Sasori shook his head and leaned his head against Deidara’s chest. He could hear his heart beating rapidly. Of course, Sasori knew that Deidara was aroused, but this seemed different. He could feel his own chest clenching, so much that it hurt, but it wasn’t a painful feeling. At the same time, Sasori could tell it was a good thing to feel.



“Deidara?”



“Un?”



Sasori looked into Deidara’s face, then looked away. He felt so childish, so ridiculous, but at the same time, he wanted to regress to that point.



“I think that-”



“Yes, Sasori-danna?”



“Well, there might be a possibility that-”



“Mhm?”



Sasori growled and pushed Deidara onto his back. “Would you quit interrupting me and let me finish, you brat?”



Deidara nodded playfully. Of course he knew what Sasori was trying to say, and it wasn’t nice to pick fun at him, but it was so hard to resist.



“I think that, well, I think I love you, Deidara.” Sasori looked away, his face glowing pink. “But I just said that I think, I’m not certain!”



Deidara chuckled and grabbed onto Sasori’s cloak, pulling him into a gentle kiss. “I heard you, un. It’s cute, Sasori-danna.”



Sasori began to stammer something about not being cute, but his lips were covered by Deidara’s before he could get out more than ‘I am not’.



.............................



Author's Note: Yes, I know the last two chapters were relatively cliche, but things get muy interesante now. There will be mucho limon! Yay!! Much lemons, much lemons in the next chapter. College is crazy though so it could be a week or two.