To test the bounds of one's patience is to test your own limits.

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Had anyone dared to look at Deidara, they may have risked incineration. Fury glinted in the depths of his eyes in a hooded warning that, should you open your mouth, you would be subject to a brutal form of art. Deidara's moods were often tinged with some sort of edge, always waiting to tip the scales between anger and calm. Failure was among the few things that Deidara found unacceptable from anyone, especially himself. That was why he strove so hard to perfect his work, to keep mishaps like this one from happening.

It had been a simple enough objective. Infiltrate the enemy base centered on the outskirts of Ame, retrieve a stolen scroll (wouldn't that just be re-stealing?) and return home without tipping any alarms. Deidara had succeeded dozens of times on missions like this, it was child's play by this point. So why, why on earth did this one go awry so fast? Deidara had landed into a messy situation first thing, with a territory war occurring. That already making the terrain difficult to traverse while staying hidden.

It wasn't all Deidara's fault. When the lone soldier had spotted him and opened his mouth to scream his little heart out, Deidara hadn't had a choice but to incapacitate him. It was just unfortunate that the brat had gotten the first syllable of the warning out. He'd alerted the nearby watchtower that guarded over the base. What else was Deidara supposed to do but blow the entire accursed place to kingdom come? It wasn't clean or quiet. Deidara didn't stick around for the aftermath, though he doubted the scroll had survived. He also didn't stick around for the soldiers to start crawling their way out of the debris of crumbled buildings. It was time to go, as much as this defeat was grinding on Deidara's nerves.

The events that had led him here, awaiting Pein's arrival back to his quarters, were just as frustrating as the loss. The scroll was just a useless piece of paper, there were no doubt duplicates, and Deidara didn't understand what the big deal about the thing was.

"Deidara." The stony voice that broke the silence in the corridor drew Deidara's attention away from his own roiling mind.

He inclined his head in a respectful bow, though his hands remained clenched at his sides. "Leader-sama."

"I don't take kindly to failure, Deidara. Especially not a mistake from someone I thought was above such."

A muscle in Deidara's jaw twitched and he couldn't tell if he was about to open his mouth or if he was struggling to keep it shut. "I'll make up for what I lost, hm. It won't happen again, Leader-sama." That was a promise Deidara could make. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time Deidara's lack of artifice had caused him trouble.

"I can assure you it won't, Deidara. I won't allow it to. This is the final time a transgression of yours costs us. I'm placing you in Itachi's charge for now, see to it you meet with him. I will entrust you with different work later once I believe you have cooled off enough to handle it."

Deidara grimaced, not raising his head until Pein's fading steps had vanished completely. The man straightened up, thankful that he was young enough not to creak like an old floorboard. "Great, now I have to deal with the cold bastard himself." Deidara muttered, lips curled in distaste at the thought. Even with his inhibitions, Deidara was not stupid enough to deny an order from Pein. The heels of his shoes clicked on the hard ground as he headed down the hallway, stalking towards his destination.

Deidara knocked quite hard on the door, sending three resounding bangs throughout the room. The door clicked and opened without a sound just a second after the third knock had finished its echo. Well, as welcoming as that was, Deidara lingered in the doorway for a moment before he finally entered. It was best to just get this out of the way, though Deidara had strong doubts that Itachi would have anything worthwhile to say. The point of this was likely intimidation. Pein had made the mistake of forgetting Deidara clearly wasn't intimidated a trifle by Itachi.

The door shut behind Deidara and doused the room in shadows. Stiff with suspicion, Deidara crossed his arms and closed the eye that he didn't wear the scope over. If this was the intended tactic, it was failing miserably. "Itachi, I didn't come to play into one of your traps, yeah. I don't want to waste my time."

"If you do nothing important with it, what's the purpose?" Itachi's cool voice spoke, boredom evident in its underlying tone. Deidara's brow furrowed. He hadn't come here for an overgrown weasel to mock him.

"If this is all you required, I'll be taking my leave before I get any sicker being around you, Uchiha." The spiteful words didn't garner much of a reaction from Itachi. The only indication he'd even heard was a sly curve of his lips, hidden by the shadows.

"I'm afraid it isn't what I require, but rather what Pein-sama ordered of me. I've heard you're being quite careless in your work, Deidara. That's a threat to us that we can't tolerate." Itachi took a step towards Deidara, who moved backward in response.

"I don't need you to spout your dramatic bullshit at me, it was something out of my control. I won't let it happen again, yeah." With that callous warning emitted, Deidara began to turn away, towards the door. Instead of feeling his hand clasp the cool metal of the doorknob, Deidara felt the harsh surface of the wall collide with his back. Itachi placed his hand beside Deidara's face and the other one still held onto the shoulder Itachi had just taken hold of. Stunned silence in Deidara grew rapidly into a furious snarl. "What the fuck is your problem, yeah? Let go of—"

The hand on the wall left its place and came to cover Deidara's mouth, cutting off the rest of the temperamental tirade that was brewing. The dimness of the room afforded Deidara the sight of red that glinted in Itachi's eyes; it was there only a split moment, but it was enough. Deidara felt his pulse spike, but his body stilled and he leaned back against the wall. Even with his visible eye glaring total destruction back at Itachi, he wasn't going to waste energy yet. "I've had enough with your mouth, Deidara. I think I've dealt enough with your tendencies for error. You go too fast, you put your pride and your arrogance in your art above the mission. I can't allow that to slide for the umpteenth time."

Something in Itachi's voice shifted Deidara's attention. It was a cold hush, yet it seemed to echo in Deidara's ears. It was like Itachi was in on a secret that Deidara, while not privy to yet, was about to discover in the most unpleasant manner. "I'm not your insubordinate, Uchiha. I don't answer to you, and I don't give a shit about what problems you have with me, yeah." Deidara's grit teeth made his voice come out as a hiss. Itachi appeared unfazed by the words, aside from a small quirk of his lips. Had Deidara not been so close to him, so finely attuned to Itachi's reactions, he would never have noticed it.

"Then I'm sure you understand why I don't care about your opinions, either." Itachi yanked Deidara off the wall. He wouldn't let another word come from the blond's filthy mouth. That may have been impossible anyway, with the way he'd knocked the air from Deidara's lungs. He caught the edge of the bed as Itachi shoved him towards it, not caring much if Deidara landed on it or hit the floor.

Painted nails dug into the fabric of the sheets in an attempt to find traction and push himself up. Too bad Deidara's plans didn't include Itachi grabbing a handful of his long hair. A colorful expletive launched from Deidara's lips when Itachi shoved his head back down, tearing out a few strands of blond hair in the process. "Get your disgusting hands off me," Deidara's skin was burning. It was from anger, he assured himself.

Itachi didn't appreciate the commanding tone Deidara took with him. The teenager had gotten far too brazen in his time here without anyone challenging his ways. Although Unintentional, Deidara had forced Itachi's hand–quite literally. To stop Deidara's incessant struggle, Itachi raised his hand and brought it down on the younger man's backside with an audible smack. "Stop moving."

The intent Itachi had originally had worked. Deidara froze, his fervent movement stilled by the shock and disbelief of what had just happened. That strike didn't exactly hurt, since the clothing muffled it. That didn't detract from the immense swell of horror. With patent rage, Deidara fought to raise himself off the bed, slinging threats from his mouth like they were bombs. "What the fuck do you think you're doing, yeah?! If you don't get your damned hands away from me I'm going to cut them off and fucking feed them to you! I—" Deidara was infamous for tirades, Itachi wasn't unfamiliar with that.

As amusing as it might be, Itachi couldn't allow such behavior to go on anymore. It was disgraceful. His hand once again raised and slapped against Deidara's ass. Deidara sucked in a sharp intake of air and almost choked on his words. The ending to that sentence never came, though. Itachi didn't let time for a break happen, now. He kept Deidara pinned to the bed with his hand in the long, golden locks of hair, held tight in his fist. Deidara was of a (marginally) smaller stature than he was, and Itachi used the physical advantage the best he could.

Deidara's teeth bared with his teeth grit, locking them together to prevent any future noise from escaping. The awkward way he'd landed on the bed left his lower stomach pressed against the edge of it, digging into his skin and keeping his hips raised some. Itachi had surely planned this too, just like he planned every other fucking thing that led to Deidara being here. "You won't get away with this!" Deidara winced as Itachi's open palm hit him again. Even with the clothes on, he could feel it starting to take effect. His ass was starting to sting, just a little. It wasn't anything Deidara couldn't handle, this was a punishment for children. Deidara would be damned if he let it do anything to him.

Deidara was fortunate he had his face against the bed. Had he seen the smirk on Itachi's face he would have swallowed all his previous words. Leaning down so that his words brushed against Deidara's ear, Itachi began to hook his fingers in the waistband of the man's pants. "I already have."

Deidara's eyes widened as the black fabric of his pants slid down his legs. It tangled up around his ankles and left him exposed to the salacious view of the man behind him. "You sick asshole." Deidara felt sweat drip down his brow, the sheets beneath him were already clinging to him.

Itachi took no offense from those seething words. When his hand slapped Deidara's ass this time the sound was much louder. Warm flesh bounced beneath Itachi's palm, a much more gratifying experience than when the clothes had been on. Deidara muffled his voice by biting into the sheets that had bunched up beside his face. He could feel his skin heating up beneath Itachi's palm. The asshole would smack the same spot several times in a row before he switched, leaving Deidara sore and red. The burn was far from unbearable yet. In fact, perhaps it was even–

Deidara bit down on his own tongue to stop his train of thought. The absurdity of it would only crash and burn, and he didn't plan to go up in flames just yet. His muscles tensed and he shifted each time Itachi's palm landed a blow. Deidara wasn't sure if he was trying to dodge each hit or struggling to hold his composure in place. Neither was working too well for him, either way.

When a second ticked by that wasn't followed by another slap, Deidara cracked an eye open. Had Itachi finished with his humiliation game? Deidara tried pushing himself up, but his efforts were refuted. Itachi's hand met his lower back and pushed him back into the mattress with force. With a quiet grunt Deidara braced himself against the bed again. The anticipation was the one of the worst things about the ordeal. Just when Deidara was considering opening his mouth to tell Itachi to hurry up and get on with it, an action he was sure to regret, a noise caught his attention. It was the sound of leather sliding against fabric.

Itachi folded his belt and gripped it with ease, an innocent piece of clothing turned into a menacing weapon. Deidara only had the moment of hearing the belt cut through the air to prepare himself. It landed across his backside with a harsh slap, causing his legs to jolt from the force. Deidara's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Not until the second hit landed, at least. That's when a gasp shot forth past the confines of prideful silence. Each time the belt landed, it felt like licks of fire against Deidara's skin. Itachi never gave him a reprieve to catch his breath either, no. The Uchiha was landing every hit without missing a beat.

Watching Deidara's skin turn red beneath his ministrations was extremely gratifying, Itachi decided. An even larger satisfaction was listening to Deidara bite the sheets and try to battle down any noise. Well, that wouldn't do, would it? How else would Itachi know that this was going to stick? He swung his hand with more strength behind it, landing a blow to Deidara's thighs, and listened as a startled cry echoed through the room. Itachi watched as Deidara's sensitive skin darkened and bounced beneath the belt's unforgiving hide. As he watched, he realized something. Deidara was no longer attempting to dodge any of the hits. His hips squirmed some, especially when the cool air made his skin sting, but that was far from trying to escape.

Itachi slapped Deidara one more time before he tossed the belt onto the bed, within Deidara's vision so that he could know it was over. Deidara tensed as the belt landed a few inches ahead of his face, his half-closed eyes snapping open to glance at it. His chest heaved with unsteady breathing and his ass burned with consequences. Neither one felt too unpleasant. Deidara wasn't sure if he was appalled at himself for this or at Itachi for causing this.

Lowering his hand, Itachi's palm rested against Deidara's hot skin, where it was angry and red. Deidara shivered at the cool palm on his punished flesh and was unable to stop his hips from pushing outwards against the relieving touch.

Itachi felt Deidara arch beneath him, pushing his hips against the smooth hand. His gaze flickered up towards where Deidara remained on the bed. "God damn it, Itachi," Deidara exhaled in a voice raw with feeling. "Get on with it, yeah."

Pale lips curved into a smirk. Leaning his body over Deidara's, Itachi's teeth hinted against the blond's ear. "Still as impatient as ever," he said, though not in disapproval. His hands squeezed Deidara's ass before they traveled up his waist, pushing the fishnet shirt clinging to Deidara's skin out of the way. Deidara reached back to thread his fingers into Itachi's dark hair. Using the grip, he tugged Itachi down and crushed their lips together in a kiss.

Itachi groaned against Deidara's mouth. The bomber kissed like he was trying to consume Itachi. Slender fingers trace up Deidara's abdomen and chest, eliciting a shudder from the teenager. Itachi's fingers were cool against his flushed skin, a delicious relief that made Deidara utter a strained curse. Itachi bit Deidara's lip before he pulled himself back, using immense self-restraint to do even that much.

Deidara glanced over his shoulder, hair in disarray and his eyes half-lidded with lust. He watched as Itachi pulled his own shirt over his head. Itachi's smooth, chiseled skin made him look almost ethereal in the shadows of the room. Unzipping his pants with the same fervor, the clothes rustled to the floor in a heap. Deidara's gaze glanced up to catch Itachi's, and a lazy smirk adorned his lips. "Not bad, for an ice-cold bastard," the artist breathed, licking his lips after.

Itachi returned a smirk of his own. "Seeing as you're such a masochist, I assume you can handle a little more." Itachi's voice had taken on a huskier tone.

Deidara thrust his hips against the bed to provide some friction to his aching cock. "Just hurry up, yeah. I feel like I'm going to explode." Itachi chuckled at the dramatic plea, but he wasn't keen on waiting much longer either. He approached the blond, who spread his legs and braced against the bed to keep himself steady.

Itachi spread Deidara's buttocks and spat onto the wrinkled opening, using his index finger to rub against it. Deidara's hands clenched in the sheets when Itachi's finger began to sink inside of him. It wasn't painful so much as it was foreign and odd. Itachi withdrew his index finger and pushed his middle finger in alongside it when he thrust them forward again. Deidara was so tight around his fingers that when he clamped down on them, it almost hurt.

"Fuck, just put your cock inside me!" Deidara rocked his hips back against Itachi's hand, his cock straining against the mattress beneath him. Deidara wasn't going to let Itachi take his time. No, not after Itachi had worked him up so much. Deidara could take a little pain, especially if it meant relief came sooner.

Itachi cocked a fine brow at the demand, doubtful for a second, but Deidara's writhing wasn't doing him any favors. Itachi pulled his hand back and gave his cock a few good strokes, spreading pre-cum around the head and making it wet. Aiming his cock against the puckered hole, Itachi pressed in a bit and rubbed against it, coaxing a moan from Deidara. Finally, thankfully, Itachi began sinking into Deidara's body. The tight ring opened up for Itachi's cock, stretching around it in a lewd display.

Deidara's mouth opened and his voice pitched in a sharp sound. Itachi's cock made him feel so full and hot inside that he was lucky he didn't blow his load right there, he'd been on edge for so long now. Itachi kept his hand curved against the small of Deidara's back, preventing the younger man from moving too much. If he did that, this would be over faster than Itachi wanted it to be. Once he was inside to the hilt, Itachi stilled for a moment to allow Deidara to compose himself a little.

Quiet panting sounds were the only noises in the bedroom. No matter how much air he sucked into his lungs, Deidara still couldn't seem to catch his breath. His back arched, curving perfectly against Itachi's strong chest. With their skin slicked with sweat they slid against one another with little friction. The wait was becoming unbearable for both men by now, thus Itachi began to withdraw from Deidara's body. He slid out until only the tip of his cock remained in Deidara's tight hole. Itachi then thrust forward again, eliciting a sated groan from the man below him.

"Shit," Deidara cussed when Itachi's hips began to rock into his at an erratic pace. They were both past the point of calculated or caring, they were only seeking their own release now. Itachi's hips pistoned into Deidara's with crude, wet sounds each time he plunged inside. Deidara's muscles clamped down on the thick cock with abandon, tightening each time it pressed against his prostate. It was almost painful; the stimulation was mind-numbing and reaching a crescendo. Deidara could hardly imagine anything ever feeling as good as this. It erased all thoughts from him other than achieving the highest point of bliss with the one person powerful enough to give it to him.

"Come for me," Itachi's low voice growled behind Deidara. He wrenched a handful of Deidara's hair in his hand, tugging his head back and making the artist cry out. "You're going to come without me ever touching your cock." Deidara bit his lip, his cock pinned to the mattress beneath him and leaking pre-cum. Fuck, Itachi was right, without even touching his cock he was going to force Deidara to come. The teenager felt his muscles starting to tense up, like a coil pulled taut.

"Ah!" Deidara's cry tapered off into a moan, spurts of white shooting out from his cock and smearing a mess on the bed and his abdomen. He tightened up around Itachi's cock and the pleasure made the Uchiha's vision go white for a moment. That followed with him harshly burying his cock inside of Deidara to pump him full of come. Itachi's nails dug marks into Deidara's hips as he held his lover still, riding out the high of his orgasm. Deidara shivered, feeling some of Itachi's seed dripping down his inner thighs. "Fuck, Itachi," Deidara winced. All his nerves were buzzing with electricity, he was sure it'd take a little while to recover.

Carefully, Itachi slipped out from Deidara's hole and watched his own come leak out of the red and raw ring. Cautious, as to not jar the sore blond, he moved to sit a little further up on the bed and left Deidara to try to catch his breath.

Itachi leaned against the headboard and glanced down at the blond beside him. Deidara's hair splayed about the pillow and stuck to his forehead with sweat. Itachi took no incentive to force Deidara out of the room and to his own, so neither of them moved. They simply chose to catch their breath and allow the afterglow of their coupling to dwindle serenely.

"I wouldn't assume this has changed anything in your habits," Itachi mused, tilting his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. To his side, he heard a scoff of air.

"Of course it hasn't, un."

If anything, it had made Deidara much more brazen.

Fourth story in my rewriting process. This is the first one where I basically changed the whole premise of the story, though I did try to keep the original aspect of punishment in it. I understand some people, despite the errors and extreme OOC quality of it, enjoyed the original, so I'm sorry if you dislike the new version, but I cannot stand the original and I'd hope you can understand that. :)

Also, yes, this story does still have OOC qualities in it because on one point it's hard for me to write someone else's characters in a way everyone else views them, and another point is it's not like it's easy to keep two serious, high-ranked assassins in-character during this.

And Jesus, I hate writing dialogue for Deidara. I forgot his speech habit and had to go back and edit it in. I try not to add it in an overt amount, just enough that it's acknowledgeable. But fUcK man, I forget he even has it and then I don't even remember what to write down since people always use a variation of un, hm or yeah.