Eh, just a random thing. I really don't know about this one. I wrote it a while ago, and never got around to finishing it until now (like always xD). So the ending is kinda... bleh. :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. P

State of Doubt

"… A new partner? With all due respect, Sir Leader, I am perfectly fine as a solo member. There is no need for another person here."

Red eyes narrowed, and a figure stepped out of the darkness. "Are you doubting me, Sasori? I do not need you telling me what is right for this organization. You will be having a new partner, and that is final."

Sasori sighed, though his face was as emotionless as ever. "As you wish, Leader-sama. May I ask what his name is, and how old he will be?" The impassive redhead asked, though he couldn't care less about the brat. The ringed eyes blinked slowly, and he heard a sigh.

"His name is Deidara, and he is seventeen."

{Sasori POV}

When I saw him, he didn't seem all that special. To me, he seemed to be a bratty teenager who tried to act cool just to 'fit in'. I didn't like him.

He was tall, and some-what handsome for a man. His hair was a beautiful color of blonde, and his sun-kissed skin looked soft to the touch. He looked so fragile, like he could break at any moment; like he wasn't fit for Akatsuki. And his cerulean eyes seemed to burn into me. He was beautiful.

And I hated him. I hated his smile, his voice, his face, his hair. Everything.

{Normal POV}

"Tch, you damn brat, stop touching Hiruko! You're such a nuisance!" Sasori growled, glaring at the blonde teen in front of him. His iron tail clinked and swiped at Deidara, the boy barely dodging in time.

"What the hell, un?" Deidara yelled in irritation, folding his arms across his chest. Un – another thing Sasori despised about Deidara.

What is it supposed to mean, anyways? Sasori thought. His eyes narrowed considerably, though Deidara couldn't tell.

They traveled on in silence for what seemed like hours, both bitter and infuriated by the other's presence.

Deidara kept sneaking glances at Sasori, and truthfully, he couldn't stand the silence (while Sasori was the complete opposite). "Ne, Sasori no Danna, what is your view on art, un?"

Check; another thing on Sasori's goddamn list. Danna – what the hell? He always hoped Deidara meant it as master rather than husband – he would he kill that brat if he meant it.

Sasori's brow furrowed inside of Hiruko, and he stopped momentarily. "Why do you ask, brat?" Deidara shrugged.

"I just felt like getting to know you better, un. So we can learn about each other's differences; to help more during battle and when we need to work together… y'know, as a team, un," Deidara's mouth twitched into a smile, and he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Tch, stupid brat, what does that even have to do with teamwork?" Sasori scoffed, the iron tail on the back of Hiruko twitching, ready to strike at the blonde any moment, though he answered the question, "Art is eternal; there forever, an everlasting beauty."

"Oh… I mean, I respect you and your… differences, Danna… and as a fellow artist, really, but art being eternal? That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. Art is a moment's beauty, un… It's fleeting! Art is a bang, un!" Deidara grinned at the small hunched figure next to him, and he heard a growl.

"Deidara, you little shit! How the hell is that art?! Are you trying to piss me off?" Deidara could tell Sasori was not angry – he was outraged.

And that was when he heard Deidara laugh. It was like wind chimes; it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. The redhead shook his head. It was stupid – there was no point in laughing… It was just… a waste of time. Yeah, a waste of time! Along with his 'art'; blowing shit up is definitely not art. No. Way. In. Hell.

"Maybe, maybe not, un," Was the blonde's reply, and then he stayed quiet, while Sasori was seething inside of Hiruko.

"Let's just get this damned mission over with," Sasori muttered, his eyes closing and a sigh escaping his lips.

Deidara lunged at the brown-haired man, kunai in his outstretched hand, covered in the blood of numerous ninjas. His face was remorseless, and his heart was beating in time with his movements.

"Sasori no Danna, I will show you true art, un!" He yelled manically, his eyes wide and now turned a dark navy blue. His smile was cruel, and Sasori could tell his confidence was raging.

The redhead groaned, knowing there would be no use in fighting with his partner during a battle, so he ignored the bothersome teenager. He readied himself for the loud detonation, meanwhile dodging each ninja's attack with one easy swipe of Hiruko's tail.

The redheaded stoic member heard the word 'katsu', followed by the blast he was prepared for.

"Art is a bang, un!"

It most certainly is not, the hotheaded puppet master thought, his eyes turning to the blue-eyed brat and sending a death threat his way.

"Damn you, damn you and your stupid art," Sasori hissed, clenching his teeth together and trying hard not to kill the blonde-haired ex-Iwa ninja. It was the sixth time Deidara had broken one of his puppets this month.

"Oh, but it was an accident, Sasori no Danna, un," He said, as always, all-so-innocently; but the scorpion could see right through it.

"We don't need you in Akatsuki! You hold everyone back, and you're just an annoying brat! So, Deidara, why don't you just get the hell out of here?!" Sasori went ballistic, his anger at its highest peak.

For once, Deidara was completely silent, and he swallowed hard. He seemed to actually be pondering Sasori's 'idea', before he finally spoke.

"Alright, un, I will leave. There was never anything good for me in Akatsuki, anyways…" The ex-Iwa nin said bleakly, his normally bright blue eyes now a pale gray. "I'm sorry I bothered you, un."

The blonde stuck his left hand in his clay pouch, the palm-mouth chewing the clay voraciously. The ninja lifted his hand out of the pouch, the mouth spitting out a small piece of clay.

After quickly molding the earthy substance into the shape of a bird, he set it down and made a few hand seals. Meanwhile, Sasori just stared at him, slightly dumbfounded that his partner actually agreed and decided to go. He was also surprised at how fast the blonde had made the decision.

The bird that Deidara had been holding grew ten times its original size, now big enough to fit several people on its back. Deidara pulled himself up the side of the big clay figure, turning around and grinning at the redhead.

"Farewell, Sasori no Danna, un. It's been… interesting, but I have better things to do with my life," The blonde said lightheartedly, though his eyes had a some-what distant look in them. Then, he added with a dab of sarcasm, "After all, I won't live forever, un."

Sasori's brow furrowed, but he said nothing. "Oh, I almost forgot, un!" Deidara said, unzipping his cloak and throwing it to the redheaded puppet. Next came his ring, and then Sasori thought he was done and would actually leave already.

For some reason, Deidara moved the chunk of hair covering his left eye, but instead of an eye there, it was some sort of mechanical scope. The blonde removed it carefully, wincing when his eye was exposed to the blinding sunlight.

"Here, un… it's supposed to counter genjutsu so I could defeat that damned weasel… I no longer need it, so you can do whatever you want with it," He spoke, his eyes sparking with a slight hate at the piece of metal in his hands.

Truthfully, Sasori was disgusted by the thing the blonde was holding, and he really didn't want it, but something was pulling at him and telling him to take it, so he slowly reached out towards his ex-partner's outstretched hands to grab the scope.

"Ja ne, Danna, un," Were Deidara's final words, and the great clay bird flapped it's giant wings, leaving Sasori with only the small departing image of the blonde-haired brat who was once his partner.

Sasori said nothing, turning and leaving without a glance backwards, the metal scope in his hands clasped tight.

Three long weeks later, Sasori was going insane. "Why the hell do I keep thinking about him?!" He screamed in frustration, pulling out strand after strand of crimson hair.

Sasori's eyes softened as he stared aimlessly at the wall. "What's wrong with me…?" He pondered this for minutes, or was it hours? However long it was, he wasted no time in counting. He had forever.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand why the blonde wouldn't get out of his head. It was always the same stilled scene, over and over. His beautiful smile, bright, hopeful… Innocent blue eyes… Sasori shook his head, turning his head and pouting.

My brain needs to shut the hell up, he thought bitterly, glaring at the wall next to him and crossing his arms. How can I get this damn feeling to go away…? Maybe if I go search for him, bitch to him about whatever this stupid emotion is, strangle him, and then send him to the deepest pits of hell. And then go and get him, bring him back, and do something even worse… Sasori pondered this, but decided it was worthless. Pein would have his ass if he killed the blonde.

Maybe if I sent him a letter? Check to see if the stupid brat is alive at least… I doubt the ditz can hold his own alone, an amused smile crossed the redhead's face, and he chose his second option. He brought out a piece of paper, neatly folded it in half (he didn't need to tell the stupid blonde much, anyways) and grabbed a pen.

He didn't write often, so his handwriting was a bit sloppy, but still legible.

Dear… brat,

You need to get your ass back to the Akatsuki. Now. Pein is flipping the fuck out, and when you come back, I have no doubt that he's going to kick your sorry ass; either way, he is. So either you come back now, or we bring you back with force.

Sasori felt no need to sign his name. He would be able to tell who it was. That thought gave him a small smile.

Love. That word crossed Sasori's mind. Love, love, love… Love. Deidara, love. His eyes widened in realization. That was why his thoughts were constantly on the blonde. He loved Deidara… Oddly, he was okay with that.

Realization hit him hard, but what hit harder was that he knew. He knew Deidara would love him back, and he knew that Deidara would come back.

He would be waiting.

Eh. :/ Told you the ending was kinda bleh-ish. .

Leave a review, favorite, whatev. :3

-Tayler