[Closed] I'm taking a ride with my best friend

[eternalscorpion]

Who: Sasori (eternalscorpion) and Deidara (transient_art)
When: Evening, after this thread
Where: The skies over Anatole
Format: Paragraph
What: Deidara and Sasori begin their aerial survey of the city
Warnings: Language, high altitude awkward, angst

Comments

[transient_art]

That was one of the first things Deidara ever learned about Sasori. The man hated waiting. Snapping at him through the wooden core of Hiruko's body, telling him to hurry up, and grow up already! The bird was beating across the sky in record speed, giving Deidara something else to think than his recent, constant failures. Wind screaming against his face didn't quite prove to be as much of a distraction as he would have liked, but it was something.

He had not expected anything else than what he had got from Sasori, a lecture that was well earned. It did not change the fact that Deidara wished he could have avoided it. Pride was one thing, being disappointed in yourself was another. Even the fact that he knew that Sasori was trying to make the blow softer made him ache.He shouldn't have needed to do that for Deidara

[eternalscorpion]

It really was impossible for either of them to truly hide anything from each other for long; eight years of partnership were to blame for that. Perhaps Sasori too was merely staving off the inevitable.

He pushed that uneasy thought aside for the moment, however, when Deidara greeted him. Instead his gaze turned intent as he searched his partner's face and body, trying to gauge the results of that ill-advised showdown with Yachiru.

"I take it anything that proved debilitating was healed by Sakura." It was a neutral observation; he'd already scolded Deidara, so there was no need to do so again. And if Deidara was standing here on the rooftop instead of confined to a bed at the clinic, clearly any injuries he'd sustained weren't serious and there was no need to be worried or anxious, was there?

Unfortunately that logical, rational approach wasn't completely effective in quelling those emotions in him. At least he was able to hide those ridiculous, irrational feelings.

[transient_art]

Deidara paused, giving Sasori a long, hard look, half irritated, half baffled. What was the asshole babbling about? Sakura? Healing? Healing Deidara? He tilted his head as if confused, and he was.

"...why would she have healed me?" he asked quietly, his gaze trained on Sasori, asking answers for a lot more than what his question alone expressed. There was something off with Sasori, the same with the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, the medic from Leaf had been almost homey compared to the two together, full of acid and anger, like she should be.

Like she should be!Deidara snorted softly, decided to let his feet take him to his partner, careful not to limp. He leaned his hip against the ledge and reached for that cigarette that was dangling from the corner of Sasori's mouth, plugging it off, between an index and a middle finger, rolling few times to get a feel of it. Then Deidara brought it to his own lips, took a drag, and watched Sasori carefully through the smoke. Lungs emptied to the side as a narrow stream from the corner of Deidara's

[eternalscorpion]

Sasori normally would have protested the cigarette theft, but the subject of Sakura gave him pause. He looked away. Deidara's confusion on the subject was only natural. A few months ago Sasori himself never would have conceived of the shift in his relationship with her.

"...She's healed me in the past," he said. "We reached an agreement not too long before you arrived here. A truce, regarding Madara. She has reason to despise him and Itachi's been training her as well."

There was so much more to it than that; that stubborn, lingering attachment that had persisted ever since they'd been forced together by the gods in Kannagara. He'd set aside any thoughts of ever pursuing her long ago, instead deepening his bond with Deidara in that place. But still, he'd never quite let go completely.

He shook it off, reaching over to take his cigarette back. "I'd also advise you not to underestimate her. She's quite skilled. Certainly the most able medic in this place."

[transient_art]

We reached an agreement.

A truce.

Not to underestimate her.

Deidara bit his teeth together as the cigarette was taken back, just staring at his mentor and teacher through wisps of blond hair fanning over his face in a sudden cold breeze. He said nothing for a while, gathering his thoughts.

Usually Deidara could read his Danna, like one would an old book of familiar covers and chewed up stories. Sometimes he'd run into a new mystery, but more often than not, he could tell what each chapter stood for, and what kind of plot twists he was supposed to expect. However, lately it had been more like he'd have received an abridged version of the sequel, and trying to cope with that.

Sakura. Another piece in the puzzle, it seemed. What did she represent? A main character or a side story with little real connection to the big picture?

An agreement. What did that mean?

He leaned his back against the ledge and lifted his chin to look up at the sky. It was dark and starless. Madara. His fingers curled into tight fists. That bastard...