The Puppet Master's Wife
author: Melby7777
Summary: She had died. He wanted her back. He just never intended for her to come back as one of his artworks.
Disclaimer: Akatsuki is owned by Masashi Kishimoto
Note: This was pulled out of thin air and probably won't make too much sense. Also, Deidara is a woman in this, so if you don't like gender bends, leave.
"They say he killed his wife…" Chuckling, the aristocrat looks to his lady before staring at the large home once more. "It's a shame if that's what really happened."
She too stares at the house in wonder. "Did he not love her?"
He barks a laugh once more. "If he killed her, then I suppose not! But she, she loved him very much."
The woman seems to swoon at this. "So tragic…"
"Indeed…" He turns, escorting her down the path as they head home in hushed whisper.
Once they disappear down the moonlit path, a redhead removes himself from the bushes, a dark glare upon his face and directed at no one. He glances down the path to where the lord and lady headed before looking the other way. Once determined no one was watching, the man turns to the house and walks up the path.
The door creaks open just before he steps in, a small dog yapping in another room of the house. He looks up just as a black and orange puppy runs towards him. A small smirk graces his dark face for a split second before he scoops the pup into his arms.
"They're saying things again, Tobi…" He murmurs to the little dog as his scarred hand brushes against his companion's furry head. Toby's head tilts to the side, his one good eyes questioning his master. "They all believe that Deidara was killed…"
Tobi yaps at this, a small growl erupting from his throat. The redhead nods, standing once more with the small fur ball in his arms.
"Exactly…" The man moves to another part of the dark house, his eyes scanning the walls. Pictures hung in the corridor, all most every single one having the same blond woman in each. The man stops and stares up at the largest one in the hall, his darkened gaze softening. "Oh Tobi, your master wishes they didn't believe I killed her."
The pup looks up at this, his crimson eye full of worry. He whines, gaining his master's attention once more. Toby yaps once more because whining again.
The man's eyes widen, as though he knew just what his dog was saying. "Tobi, that's crazy talk! You know I didn't hurt her…" He looks down at this. "I would never harm Dei… I love her…"
Tobi shakes his head, a noise coming from him that sounded similar to a scoff.
"I do…! I always will love her." The man looks back at the golden haired woman in the picture. "If she were here, she'd probably be telling you, 'Tobi, you listen to Sasori-danna'!" The noise comes from the dog once more. "Oh, don't believe me, huh?"
Tobi barks once more, another growl coming from him.
Sasori scoffs at this, putting the puppy back down. "Deidara didn't love you more than me, Tobi…" The redhead takes one last look at the picture of his wife before turning away. His pup watches him for a second before tottering after.
The door to the basement slams open just before he descends the stairs, puppy in tow. Tobi hops down the stairs behind his master, his one good eye scanning the candle lit stairwell at the various wooden puppets hanging on the walls.
Further down the stairs, Tobi begins to whine again, his tail tucking between his legs; the puppets were becoming more life like the more they went down. Sasori pauses on a step, turning to his little dog to watch him in wonder. Tobi stops as well, looking up at the redhead with uncertainty. Smiling, the man scoops the dog up once more before continuing down the stairs.
Tobi buries his head into his master's chest, his little body shaking in fear from the puppets.
"Tobi…" Sasori starts, his puppy immediately looking up at him in surprise. "Don't be afraid—they're just puppets." Tobi whimpers a little, but keeps his head out of his master's chest.
They finally reach a door, a sign on the front reading 'Keep Out'. Sasori opens this door without hesitation, Tobi jumping a little in surprise when all the candles in the room light up. The redhead steps into the room, his face held into a glare once more.
Tobi glances around the room, his plump body shaking again upon seeing the realistic body parts that belonged to incomplete puppets. Sasori ignores his puppy's fears as he moved deeper into the puppet filled room.
The redhead finally comes to a stop at the end of the room, Tobi sitting up upon seeing what sat on the work table. He barks, panting happily before scurrying out of his master's arms onto the table. Sasori watches the puppy in silence, his expression unenthusiastic.
The dog stops in his frantic sniffing of the puppet to look at his master expectantly. Sasori stares back for a moment before moving closer to the table. "Does it remind you of her…?" Tobi continues panting in excitement, watching his master's every move. Sasori chuckles lightly, reaching for the puppet beside his puppy.
Tobi gives the redhead an inquiry look, his panting dieing down. Sasori's calloused hand brushes the smooth, wooden surface of the puppet's face, moving to tangle his scarred fingers in the yellow, stringed hair.
"It really does look like her…" Sasori murmurs, his eyes locked on the puppet's painted blue ones. The puppet stares back, though he knows there was no emotion brewing in this wooden thing.
A sudden yap from his puppy tears his eyes from the puppet he'd made. Tobi gives his master a look, Sasori immediately taking it as if the dog thought he was crazy.
Quiet laughter erupts from his throat then as he pulls away, the redhead's eyes locking on his latest master piece. "Oh but she was much livelier than this wooden toy…" Sasori turns away from the table and the puppet, his eyes scanning the dimly lit room.
Tobi looks to and fro his master and the limp puppet before he barks once more. Sasori turns to the little pup, a question to his gaze.
"What is it To—?" A wooden hand cuts him off, pulling him back onto the table while keeping his voice muffled. Sasori gasps behind the hand, trying to look behind himself at what was moving his puppet.
"Sasori-danna…" A small voice whispers into his ear, freezing the redhead in his struggles. The puppet's hand releases him then, Sasori jumping away and turning to gape in shock.
The puppet's head tilts to the side, as though Sasori's actions were strange. Its blue painted eyes blink slowly, the wooden mouth hanging open a little. "Dei… Deidara…"
Its mouth clamps shut then, the ruby painted lips coming together to give a light smile. "Sasori-danna, un…" The wooden arm of the puppet reaches forward, its joints moving smoothly—just as Sasori had intended.
"This is impossible…" Sasori murmurs, gazing at the puppet as it caressed his cheek. "You died…"
The puppet simply grins once more. "I'm here now, Danna…" It—no, she leans forward to capture the redhead's lips in a silent kiss.
Tobi twitches from his spot on the table beside the moving puppet, barking in surprise. Sasori pulls away from the puppet, looking to his puppy as though he'd forgotten he was there. "Calm down Tobi…" He gulps before turning back to his Deidara puppet. "This isn't anything… strange…"
The puppet nods a little, her blue eyes turning away from Sasori for the first time to stare at the little orange and black puppy. She reaches out her wooden hand once more, Tobi only taking one step back before she could touch him.
"Does Tobi not remember me, un?" Deidara turns to Sasori, her wooden face holding more emotion than a puppet should.
Sasori shakes his head slowly. "No… it's not that, Deidara…"
"Then why is he backing away?"
"Because… you shouldn't be able to move on your own…" Sasori turns to his dog, which at this point was nearing the edge of the table top. The redhead reaches out, taking his dog back up in his arms. Deidara was giving him a quizzical look, confusion on her painted face.
"Why should I not be able to move, un?" She reaches for Tobi again, only to be growled at.
Sasori shakes his head before tapping the tip of the pup's nose. "Calm down, Tobi…" He turns to the puppet once more, his eyes shined over with unshed tears. "You died, Deidara. You shouldn't be here… in fact, that body is a puppet, and puppets don't move."
Deidara simply stares at him, her face twisted in more confusion. "When did I…?"
"A few months ago, darling…" Sasori turns away, still holding Tobi. "And right now, I have no idea what's going on…"
"Wait…! Sasori-danna, please don't leave me here, un!" Sasori stops at these words, his heart pounding in his chest. Slowly, he glances back to the living puppet. Her face held a look of abandonment, her eyes looking as though she'd cry; but that was impossible, she was a puppet.
Sasori returns to her, Tobi trying to disappear in his master's embrace. The redhead slowly lifts his hand and presses his calloused hand to the wooden surface of her face. "I'm sorry Dei… I'm sorry you died…" He bites his lip, takes a deep breath and pulls her close for another soft kiss. "But, you were the wife of a puppet master… it almost seems suitable that you're a puppet now…"
Deidara's painted eyes looked back and forth between her husband's, her eyes slowly narrowing. "Are you telling me you'd rather have me as a puppet than a human, un?"
A chuckle escapes his lips at that. "No; I like you here with me rather than dead in a hole." He kisses her once more, sealing her forever as the puppet master's wife.