[03] Second Chances [Akasuna no Sasori] -Happiness is a Long Shot-

"What the hell are you doing here?"
"Ah, Jiji-chan, didn't you miss me?"
Yumeji glared harshly at the young man before her. He was not part of Yumeji's plans.
Iwagakure no Deidara was not supposed to be here.
The young woman leaned back against the inn wall, crossing her arms as she did so. Deidara could tell that Yumeji was angry, which amused him.
Flustering Yumeji was Deidara's favorite past time, that is, until she ran off to train under Sasori's subordinate, Kabuto. Deidara, idly curious at what Yumeji could have possibly accomplished under Kabuto's training, glanced around the dull inn room that the woman had lead him and his new partner Tobi to.
The walls were painted an atrocious, off-white color that in no way matched the dark, almost black wood trim the room had. There was a single window, which was clouded over with sand and dust, making it impossible to see out of. The floor was the same dark wood as the trim, as was the ceiling.
The only decoration was a small coffee table near the window, which was the home of a small, potted rose bush that looked as if it was wilting.
No rugs, no paintings...no sculptures...
It was one hell of a boring room.
And not to mention there was sand everywhere, Deidara could hear the odd crunching sound of the substance every time someone fidgeted (namely Tobi).
However, there was one thing he did like.
It was the bed.
It wasn't large or beautifully detailed, in fact, it was quite the opposite.
The bed was small and uncomfortable looking, and not to mention it only had one white pillow and one thick red blanket that smelled like it hadn't been washed in weeks.
As one could have guessed, he actually didn't like the bed; he liked who was in the bed.
It was Sasori-danna.
He looked peaceful in his "sleep" and the blonde artist secretly liked it. He questioned himself on why he would like such a thing, and he later discovered that it was because he had never seen his Danna so...
Happy.
Sasori looked happy dead.
"Neh, chikan, just tell me why you're here..."
Deidara glanced over at Yumeji. Unconsciously he gave out a small smile.
The girl had grown quite beautiful during the time he hadn't seen her. He calculated that it had only been about six or seven months at the most, but Yumeji just looked so much...older.
Not because of her steel grey hair or eyes that Deidara used to make fun of because it reminded him of a grandma (Hence the nickname "Jiji-chan"), but more so of her mature air that she now held.
Her hair had grown a bit longer and her cheek bones had risen in a more feminine way, and it even looked like she had slimmed down into more of a curvier figure, although the artist still found himself comparing her small curves to a still-developing body...
Whoa Deidara, control yourself.
No need to get all pervert-crazy over Yumeji.
"Neh Deidara-chikan, stop looking at me like that! I'm not some random girl on the street you can mess around with!"
Yumeji's irritated and embarrassed yelp made Deidara smirk, just pissing the girl off more and making her already pink blush change into a deep crimson. That was what the steel haired girl hated the most about the young artist...
He always found a way to get under her skin and make her nervous, even if he said nothing at all...
He also made her lose her train of thought.
Deidara snorted, masking his urge to laugh and grin at Yumeji's silly behavior. "Well then stop wearing such provocative clothing, yeah."
It was obvious that the Iwa native was taking a stab at the new ANBU clothing Yumeji had adorned herself in. The girl had never once wore such finely made clothes before, considering she had grown up in a poor fishing village and that she had been traveling with Sasori for a large part of her life, who never once bothered to provide her with new garb.
He had told her that it was "her problem" and that she needed to solve it on her own.
So that's what Yumeji did. She solved the problem on her own...by becoming a successful pick-pocket and buying clothes at the villages Sasori and her visited on their travels.
Sasori was pleased with this; not only because he had one less thing to think about, but also because he had successfully taught Yumeji how to fend for herself when certain situations arise.
A good lesson learned, with a bad moral conscious though.
Yumeji unconsciously glanced down at her ANBU uniform as the memories swept by. It was a bit provocative...it was tight fitting, and hugged her body in a flattering way; unlike the normal rags she wore. Her tiny shoulders were bare, along with her right upper thigh, allowing others to imagine (if they were somewhat perverted like Deidara) what the rest of her body looked like...
However it had numerous sections of army and protective ware, making it not only tempting but also defensive.
Sasori's old Akatsuki partner, Orochimaru, had given them to her when she had first arrived in the Sound village that he possessed. Yumeji told him that she had been requested by an "old friend" of his to train under his subordinate, Kabuto.
Orochimaru immediately knew of her connection to Sasori after she said those words, and in a way, tried to manipulate her like he had attempted to do with Kabuto due to her ties. By making Yumeji an ANBU of his new village and treating her like he did Kabuto, he hoped that she may develop some kind of loyalty to him.
However, like his attempt at creating a link with Kabuto, his try at Yumeji also ended in failure.
But hey, Yumeji got new clothes and some special training out of "pretending". And not to mention she had established some incredibly useful connections in Sound...
"Neh, go die Deidara-chikan."
"Right back at ya, yeah."
Yumeji mirrored the man's still lingering smirk. "You suck at-"
"Hey Deidara-sempai, is this guy dead or something? He's not breathing!"
It was Tobi, Deidara's "new" partner, as explained to Yumeji. The woman was told that he had been hanging around the Akatsuki for some time, seeming to be waiting for an opportunity to join. When news of Sasori's defeat by Chiyo and the Konoha nin, Sakura, had been brought to the leader of the organization, he immediately let Tobi join, no questions asked.
It made Yumeji a bit angry because the Akatsuki seemed to not give a fuck about Sasori like she did, but in a way, Yumeji was happy about their lack of care as well.
It meant that Sasori would be free to live out his life.
That is, if he wanted to...
A moment of silence passed as the blonde haired artist and the apprentice watched the odd Tobi jab his gloved finger at the "sleeping" form of Sasori. He poked at his face first, and as his head fell lazily to the side, Tobi appeared to become even more entranced with the puppet, as he began to poke him in more random places.
And just as Tobi was about to go in for another kill, aiming for Sasori's closed eye, a shrill, animal-like screech filled the once silent inn room:
"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH HIM!"
In a few swift steps, and one deadly kick by Yumeji, Tobi was sent skittering across the room, his back slamming roughly into a nearby wall. He slid down the wall, falling into a heap seconds later, much like Yumeji's doll had done earlier that day.
Deidara, fully expecting Yumeji's sudden outburst, just stared amused at the girl. Her leg was still raised in the air from the kick, and at any moment it looked as if she would go in for another brutal blow. The artist was pretty positive that Yumeji would beat Tobi shitless without any regret, mainly because he had, in the woman's eyes, "harmed her Danna".
Yes, Yumeji was incredibly protective of Sasori. Almost to the point where even looking at him the wrong way would mean certain death...
But even though Deidara's new partner was in danger of losing his life at the moment, the man smiled once again.
Yumeji hadn't changed a bit.
"Stupid...idiot...never touch...hell..."
Oh?
Yumeji wasn't going to attack Tobi again?
Deidara blinked at the said woman, and was a bit surprised. Her leg was retracted back to her side, and she was issuing deep, calming breathes into the air. It was an obvious attempt at self-control.
Hm.
Maybe Yumeji had changed a bit since he had last seen her...
And just as the woman was reaching her final breath, Tobi, now fully recovered (to the surprise of both Yumeji and Deidara) stood in front of her, a finger placed right between her eyes.
Yumeji's eyes widened in astonishment, dumbfounded at how fast the masked man had regained his bearings. Her anger was subsiding...
"Wh-how did you-?"
But the girl was cut off by Tobi prodding rudely and childishly at her head. Yumeji's head bounced backwards as Tobi relentlessly jabbed her with his gloved finger. Out of the corner of her eye, Yumeji saw Deidara stand up stiffly. He was reaching a hand into his (what Yumeji recognized it as) clay bag...
However...
"Jiji-san! That was not very nice! Tobi didn't do anything to you!" And with one rather strong poke, Yumeji stumbled backwards, almost falling on her back. After gaining an even foot hold, Yumeji gazed at Tobi, slightly interested.
That kick should have easily broken at least five ribs, which in all, should have prevented the masked man from standing up. Yumeji's sharp gaze raked over Tobi, trying to analyze him the best she could.
Although Yumeji did have amazing observation skills, the woman could not identify anything strange about Tobi. She couldn't sense any special patterns of chakra or physical stamina that could have allowed Tobi to stand up without, what it seemed, a scratch.
Yumeji, in all honesty, was stunned.
There was something fishy about this Tobi character...
"Oi, Tobi calm down." Deidara finally said, sitting back down in the chair he had been perched in earlier.
Tobi, his orange swirl mask turning away from Yumeji, faced his sempai. "But Deidara-sempai, didn't you tell me that girls are supposed to bow down to men and cook and clean for them? Tobi thinks that this Jiji-san isn't a girl."
Yumeji's jaw literally hit the floor as those words passed through the man's lips, and she immediately shot a look at Deidara that caused him to cringe. But before the other two could say anything, Tobi piped up again:
"And Deidara-sempai, Tobi thinks if Jiji-san is a girl, she should be cleaning and cooking for you right now! Didn't Deidara-sempai say that Jiji-san was his girl?"
The grey haired woman, now in sheer stupor once again, felt her heart leap up her throat.
" Didn't Deidara-sempai say that Jiji-san was his girl?"
"Wh-what?" Came Yumeji's weak reply, which was overpowered by Deidara's much smoother growl: "Tobi, I think you should go see that inn keeper...she seems fun to talk to, yeah..."
Deidara's tone was incredibly threatening and dark, but Tobi, as oblivious as he seemed, let out a happy "Okay!" and scurried out of the room. The slamming sound of the door followed him, and then...
Silence.
There were no words to be said, or rather, the two awkward teens had no idea what to say. Had the words, "my girl", when Deidara spoke them take a friendly connotation or something else...?
Yumeji wasn't sure. The two did have a history together.
Or was it even history?
Deidara, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since Tobi left, stood up from his chair and walked towards Yumeji. The woman, her mind spinning, was now sitting on the edge of Sasori's bed, looked blankly down at the wood floor beneath her.
Deidara spoke: "Tobi's a baka, yeah."
Yumeji continued to stare at the floor. "Neh..."
Another moment of silence overtook them. Deidara, not sure what to do, sat down beside Yumeji. The bed creaked under his additional weight.
The artist stared out the dirty window. Yumeji unconsciously glanced over at Sasori, who was still "sleeping" soundly. Of course he was. Had she been expecting him to be back now?
The woman sighed heavily before she too turned to look out the window. However, before her eyes met the glass, an unfamiliar and bothersome sight met her eyes...
She felt herself gasp, which caused Deidara to look at her finally.
The awkward silence was instantly dispersed.
"Deidara...what happened to your arm?"
Upon hearing those concerned words, the artist immediately turned his back on Yumeji, attempting to hide his mangled arm by pulling down his cloak's sleeve.
Even though it was obvious he was trying to send the message that he didn't want to talk about it, the apprentice pressed forward, shooting up and whirling around to seize Deidara's arm, yanking the black sleeve of his Akatsuki cloak up again.
The man let out a hiss before trying to push the girl away, but her foot hold was strong. She didn't budge and now that she had his disheveled arm in her grasp, she was suddenly filled with anxiety.
Deidara's arm was wrapped poorly with dirty bandages, sand and blood staining the white canvas. There were numerous rips in the bandages, allowing Yumeji to see past the cloth and view his severe injuries. The arm looked almost burnt, as it was red and raw. There were multiple intrusions, making it obvious that Deidara had been in a serious scuffle before coming to the backwater village...
Yumeji also noted that at the base of his elbow, it looked as if his arm had been sewn back on...
"Neh, what happened?" Her voice was stern, demanding for an answer.
Deidara, not one to give into anything easily, turned his head to the side, looking stubbornly over at the wilting plant at the shanty coffee table. "Nothing, yeah."
He heard Yumeji curse under her breath before a sharp, horrible pain shot up his arm. He yelped, instantly pulling his arm out of Yumeji's vice grip that had just squeezed painfully at his injuries. "What the fuck are you doing, yeah?!"
The grey haired girl looked absolutely furious as she threw her arms in the air, exasperated. "I can't believe I didn't notice your arm earlier! You should have told me you were injured, with the way it's wrapped it'll most likely get infected you baka!"
Deidara muttered some rather rude words under his breath that Yumeji decided to ignore as she quickly strode over towards the coffee table, where a rather large knapsack was located. She yanked the bag open and whipped out some fresh gauze and bandage cloth before she swiveled around and walked back towards the blonde haired man.
Much to the boy's dismay, Yumeji began to rip off his soiled bandages ruthlessly, causing him to wince every time a piece of crusted cloth was ripped off of his bad arm.
Surprisingly the artist made no noise of rebellion.
However, Deidara was taken by surprise as the last bit of cloth was removed...
Yumeji, her hands forming a few quick seals, leaned herself closer to Deidara where she let her gloved hands hover above his arm. An eerie blue light formed at the bases of her palms, and seconds later, after a slight sting, Deidara's arm was almost completely reconstructed and healed.
Minus a few sensitive spots of skin which Yumeji wrapped skillfully, the man's arm looked better than ever. It almost looked brand new, minus the ugly stitching at his elbow.
Now that Yumeji's work was done, Deidara lifted his arm up a bit and flexed.
It felt as good as it looked.
Deidara gave Yumeji a nice smile. "You learned that under Kabuto, yeah?"
She nodded her head, her eyes still reflecting a hint of worry mixed with anger. How could Deidara have been so careless?
But knowing that it was better for the both of them, Yumeji said nothing. Tossing the extra bandage and gauze she had back at the knapsack, Yumeji sat down beside the blonde again, this time her arms crossed and her head tilted, thinking.
Deidara's grin waned but he merely turned to look back out the window, not bothering to say anything. He didn't want Yumeji to worry.
She always got neurotic when she worried.
And it was pretty annoying, considering it had taken him and Sasori about six months after they found her to make her somewhat "normal" again...
"You aren't going to tell me what happened, neh, Deidara?"
"No, not today..."
"Soon though, right?"
"Yeah..."
Yumeji, suddenly feeling exhausted, scooted closer to Deidara and rested her head gently on the shoulder of his uninjured arm. Her knee touched his, and she tilted herself a bit more against him, making the young artist her support frame. She then slinked her arms around his lean waist, pulling the two of them closer together.
Deidara, not surprised by her sudden mood change once again, responded habitually by raising his arm and draping it across her thin shoulders.
A comforting quietness encircled around them, allowing the two to relax.
That is, until Tobi came bursting back into the room.
[insert long and awkward dialogue here]
Explanation/picture in results...

Hahaha. I found this on photobucket, odd how it matched a scenerio in the story and how the character looks somewhat like Yumeji, eh?

Kill filler/transition chapters. I'm so sorry. ;_; I'm just trying to establish Yumeji so it won't get confusing later on.

Sasori is coming, don't worry!

Message and pick please. ♥

Oh and does anyone know a program that I can use to change already colored pictures colors? Or can someone do it for me? I'd love you forever if you can or if you know of a program I can use...