Phew! Man, I was having the suckiest case of Writer's block. Sucked, man. Hmm.. Well, here's the thirteenth chapter. Jesus, 13 already. I've worked on this many a moon, and my only regret is that it's so fucking short. it makes me want to shove my head into a vat of acid, but it kind of works for its shortness. I suppose that makes up with it.

DISCLAIMER: Like hell I own Naruto. If I did, I'd fuck up the plot and I'd have so many musical numbers... With a monocle, a top hat and a cane. Bahaha.

So read, enjoy, and give me feedback!

Sasuke drew back slightly, making like he was about to attack. Naruto thought quickly, almost taking a fighting stance. Sasuke was a crazy runaway, he would stop at nothing to reach his goal, Naruto knew this. But, as he very recently discovered, that man still had some human left in him.

And, as he knew very well, humans were easily manipulated, no matter how bloodthirsty or insane. In fact, it was the insane ones that were one of the easiest.

"Sasuke…" He started slowly. "I'm not here to fight you. In fact, I didn't even know you were here." Naruto rubbed the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. "Funny how that suddenly keeps happening to us, ne?"

Sasuke relaxed a little bit. He knew Naruto, if he said he meant no harm, he meant no harm. But then again… Naruto was a slippery little bastard.

"Get to the point, Uzumaki." Sasuke said quietly, venomously.

Naruto paled. He didn't really have a point. "W… Walk with me, Sasuke." He offered, trying not to let the idiocy show in his eyes. He had to think of one, soon, or else Sasuke and his teammates, who were undoubtedly somewhere near, would gang up on him and…

Hey, now.

I just might have a point to this after all…. Naruto mused triumphantly.

Warily, Sasuke approached Naruto. "I don't trust you, Naruto. If anything, I mean anything, happens to me or my teammates, I'm holding you personally responsible."

Naruto offered his arm to Sasuke reassuringly. Sasuke refused, muttering, "The hell do I look like, a girl…?" Naruto fought back the snide comment he was about to say, and retracted his arm. "Walk with me, Sasuke." He repeated, confidence in his voice.

Why I haven't killed him yet is beyond me… Sasuke thought, disgusted with himself.

"…Fine."

And so their walk began.

Knock, knock.

"Let me in, Deidara-san." A very cool and calm voice emitted from the other side of the wooden door. Deidara glanced up at it, recognizing the voice. "C...Come in, Itachi-san, un."

Itachi slowly opened the door, and glided inside. He always moved with such grace, such elegancy. It was in the Uchiha blood, Deidara supposed. And somewhere out there, Sasuke tripped over his own feet for one reason or another.

"What is it, Itachi?" Deidara asked. Itachi silently closed the door and sat on the bed, looking right at Deidara.

"…Why must you toy with that boy's emotions?" Itachi asked bluntly. He was known for being very straight to the point; it was a quality that many in the Akatsuki admired him and hated him for.

"I do not toy with his feelings, un!" Deidara protested, lifting his head up from the Ball of Shame to cross his arms. He said this almost immediately, but as he thought about it, he realized that yes, he DID in fact fuck with Tobi's feelings.

"Deidara. I shall ask you this once more." Itachi stated, calm as ever. "Why must you treat Tobi like a plaything? Is it for your own sick amusement, perhaps?" Itachi could not deny this; it angered him to see Tobi like the way he is now. It angered him greatly. Annoying as Tobi was, he did not deserve the punishment that Deidara bestowed upon him.

Deidara let out a shaky sigh. "I…I don't know, un."

Itachi nodded. "A reasonable conclusion." He got up off the bed and started for the door. "Deidara-san… I highly suggest that you figure that reason out soon. You have no idea how long Tobi is planning on staying here. And when he leaves… Why, he may never come back."

Itachi opened the door and left, leaving Deidara in his own stunned silence to brood over that small piece of information.

"Tobi." Zetsu finally said, after a very long silence. Tobi nodded to show that he was listening.

"Tobi, I want you to talk with Deidara. Not make out, talk." Zetsu said very firmly. "If you won't do this for yourself, then please… Do it for me, and Itachi, and the other Akatsuki who are so worried about you."

Tobi stayed silent. He considered this. He honestly was confused about his feelings towards Deidara. He wanted nothing to do with him. But another part wanted to smother him in affection and happy things and cereal…

Mmm. Cereal.

And… and butterflies. Butterflies with no butter…

"…No." Tobi finally said in a sullen, monotone growl. He crossed his arms and repeated himself. "No. I will not go and talk to him."

Black Zetsu almost made a guest appearance to yell at Tobi, but somehow he was held back. "Tobi, a wise person once told me this – 'Never give up on someone you can't go a day without thinking about'."

Tobi was silent once more, but slightly turned his head to look at Zetsu.

"You've been thinking about Deidara every single day of your godforsaken existence since you left, haven't you?"

"I-"

"Haven't you?!?" Black Zetsu snarled, glee almost tinting his voice.

"SO WHAT IF I HAVE?!" Tobi snarled ferociously, standing up and letting his arms fall from his chest to his sides, tensing considerably and clenching his fists.

Black Zetsu cackled.

"Tobi, I know for a fact that he's going through something similar to what you're going through." Zetsu said, trying to calm the boy down. "I'm quite sure he had his reasons to do what he did – I'm not saying they were acceptable, of course-"

"Then just what the hell were they." Tobi demanded, very slowly relaxing.

"Gee, that's something you should TALK to him about, now isn't it?" Black Zetsu sniggered, enjoying this. It was better than reality TV. Except this was actually reality.

"Just shut up…!" Tobi drawled out miserably. He felt ready to tear his hair out. Why couldn't Zetsu just leave him alone about this??

Zetsu shook his head. "Tobi, you know you have to do this…" He reasoned, trying to sway Tobi.

Again, Tobi was silent. But he knew. Oh, how he knew. He knew for a damn fact that his mind and soul would not be at ease until he knew exactly why it was that Deidara hated him. And why Deidara kissed him.

So many damn mixed feelings…

Silently, Tobi turned to the door and walked to it, almost stopping as soon as his hand touched the knob. Zetsu held his breath. Tobi quickly twisted the knob and strode out, letting the door close behind him.

Zetsu let out the air he was holding in, feeling somewhat relieved.

"Don't you get this utterly horrible feeling that something vile is about to happen…?" Zetsu pondered aloud.

"…I do." His black side agreed.

"…And that's my plan." Naruto finished, crossing his arms and having a very proud look on his face.

Sasuke stared. "…Let me get this straight. You want our teams to merge."

"Yes."

"Invade the Akatsuki."

"Mhm."

"And this benefits us both, how?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, trying to remember. "…Oh! Well, you want to find your brother. And the sooner that happens, the sooner I can take you back t-"

"Say another word and I will kill you." Sasuke spat. He did not want to hear anything about Konoha. Fuck Konoha. He cared nothing for it. The only thing he cared about from Konoha was staring at him right in the face.

"…Sorry." Naruto mumbled, a little more than slightly deflated. He tried rewording his phrase. "You want to find your brother… I want to find a friend."

"A friend that might not even is there." Sasuke added. "You want my team to risk their lives for someone that might not even be there?"

Naruto nodded, very awkwardly. He just realized how selfish this all was.

"I see." Sasuke said, leaning back slightly, using his hands to support him. They were sitting down, both of them overlooking a hill. How Naruto led them there, he'd never know. "I must say, Naruto. This is actually one of your better plans."

Naruto's head shot up. He couldn't believe it. "Wow, really? Er... I mean… Of course it is. I always have the best plans."

Sasuke held back a snort. How cocky could you get…?

Subconsciously, Sasuke was jealous of this 'friend' that Naruto was talking about. Naruto was all about looking and searching for Sasuke, not some other guy. Sasuke reveled in the fact that he was Naruto's number one priority. And how he hated competition of any kind…

Sasuke and Naruto made their way back to their own campsites. Their hands were barely touching. Just barely. They didn't dare to hold hands. Not yet.

Sasuke turned to Naruto once they began to recognize the landmarks.

"Naruto…" He muttered, looking into his eyes. Naruto looked right back at him, although his eyes were not full of admiration or love, or anything of that sort. They were filled to the brim with determination. Sasuke recognized that and nodded to him.

"I… I will talk to my teammates." He said. Quickly, he turned and made his way back to his campsite.

"…Sasuke…" Naruto whispered. "Thanks."

And he too, strode to his campsite, feeling very muchly accomplished. They would wait until morning for their teammates to wake up, both of them thinking about each other.

Karin was the first one up. She sat up slowly, looking around, her vision bleary. She fumbled for her glasses. She found them and put them on, startled to see Sasuke.

"Oh! Sasuke!" She gasped. Almost immediately, her demeanor darkened as she said, "Sasuke, since they're not up… How about you and I-"

"No." Sasuke said firmly.

"O-oh… okay." She looked away, and almost as if on cue, Suigetsu woke up.

"Ah, salivating over Sasuke again, are you?" He chortled, only stopping when Sasuke gave him a death glare.

"Shut up, asshole!" Karin screeched, which made Juugo wake up.

"Hnn…" He groaned, obviously still tired. "You two make too much noise…"

"All of you shut up and listen." Sasuke said sharply, in that tone of voice that actually made them shut up.

"I had a meeting with a colleague last night." He began, ignoring the nudge nudge, wink wink of Suigetsu to Karin, who silently fumed. "He proposed a plan. His team, our team. We are both headed to the same direction…" He paused for dramatic effect. "The Akatsuki lair."

Silence.

"…So?" Suigetsu dared to grunt.

Sasuke glared at him again. "So. We combine our teams. At least, for now. And that way, less of us will die." He placed a hand on his hip, awaiting responses.

"What the hell, Sasuke?" Suigetsu bellowed, obviously the most miffed. "What the hell got into you, you're all about being on your own and shit, why the sudden change???" He gripped the hilt of his sword angrily. Juugo twitched, getting ready to hold back or harm Suigetsu.

"…Do not question me, Suigetsu." Sasuke replied calmly. Well, he couldn't jolly well tell them that his ex-lover and he met up for a little midnight rendezvous in the forest all alone to 'discuss important matters'. Who the hell would believe that? He knew that he wouldn't believe it if someone told him that.

Suigetsu snarled angrily. He growled under his breath, "Stupid little fucker, prissy pants little emo fa-"

Sasuke was behind him in a flash, his hands placed on Suigetsu's chin and shoulder, very well prepared to break his neck.

"Finish that sentence." He hissed into Suigetsu's ear. "I dare you."

Suigetsu gulped, partly wanting to challenge Sasuke. But, he knew that now would not be the time. "Let go of me." He growled back. Sasuke obeyed, throwing him onto the ground roughly.

Karin had little fangirl sparkles in her eyes. Sasuke's so cool…. She thought. Sasuke looked up from Suigetsu's pitiful frame to glare demonically at Karin.

Needless to say, she backed off.

Juugo cleared his throat, and raised a hand. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and nodded at him, signaling for Juugo to speak.

"Umm… Well, I think that's a good plan." Juugo said slowly, glancing nervously around his team. Suigetsu slowly picked himself up but said nothing, scowling at Sasuke.

"Good." Sasuke nodded again at Juugo in approval. Juugo heaved a sigh of relief, happy that he had made Sasuke say something that wasn't completely asshole-like.

"We shall meet with them as soon as we can." Sasuke declared, looking around at his teammates. "For now, I don't care what you do. Just don't bother me." He proceeded to turn around, sit, and clasp his hands together, losing himself in thought as Suigetsu called Karin a whore, Karin beat Suigetsu, and Juugo stood there, unsure of what to do.

Naruto bit his lip in worry. How was he supposed to break it to his team mates? It wasn't like he could gather them together and say, 'Hey guys, we're teaming up with Sasuke and his team of bloodthirsty mutants to go find a criminal that's one of my friends!'

They would leave him on his own. Save for Hinata, maybe. He sighed, burying his face in his hands. He knew his plan was a good one, but there were many flaws in it. There were chances of mutiny in both parties, things could go horribly wrong, and people could die. Hell, people just might die because something went horribly wrong in an act of mutiny.

Naruto put his face in his hands and made a sound that was like a cross between a grunt and a sigh. What was he going to do…?

Tobi stood in front of Deidara's door. He could feel the prescence of many eyes, watching him. He rolled his eyes. "Get the hell away!" He shouted down the seemingly empty corridor, and a thump was heard. "Shit!" A voice hissed out, unmistakably Hidan's. A few more thumps, and a deeper voice saying, "Shut up, asshole…" Then everything was quiet again.

"Nosy little bastards…" Tobi rolled his eyes again, and returned his focus to the door. His heart thumped. Slowly, he raised a fist to knock on the door… And then it opened, a very dark and solemn looking Deidara standing behind it.

"I heard your voice…" He explained, his voice soft. "Thought you wanted something." Tobi looked away.

"…Yeah," he muttered. "Can I…?" He leaned forward slightly, indicating he wanted in. Deidara looked slightly confused.

"Uhm... Yeah, sure." He stood aside, and Tobi walked into the room.

Deidara shut the door behind him.

The hall was silent.

Now that I look at it, to me the ending seems rushed. All well. Man, there's probably going to be a shitload of chapters before the end... I think that it'll go up to maybe 20.

Next time: The confrontation!

Naruto tells his teammates what's up! Tobi and Deidara finally talk!!! Hidan just might win a bet!! Stay tuned!