Naruto 1. 1: Sasori's No 1 Rule Breached

**A/N: Hey, everyone! This is my second non-holiday themed story, and I hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 1: Sasori's No. 1 Rule Breached**

Sasori rested his hands on his knees. It was a baking hot day, which didn't help his mood, since he was getting sweaty in his Akatsuki cloak and his hair was sticking to his forehead. He pulled at the collar of the cloak. Why did they have to be black? Black absorbed heat.

_Where is Deidara? _he thought impatiently.

Deidara had forgotten his clay bag back at the Akatsuki hideout, so he'd decided to wait – no, stay – here, until Deidara returned. However, he'd ending up _waiting _for at least two hours now, and if there was one thing that Sasori truly despised, then it was _waiting_. Luckily, there was a rock that served as a perfect seat.

What was worse was that Deidara knew he hated waiting, and yet he insisted on taking his time in whatever he was doing. Which meant Sasori had to wait for him.

He drummed his fingers on his knee, and counted each drum. One. Two. Three.

"Sasori, my man," Deidara walked over. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Sasori stood. "I should think so. It's been hours, and I don't like to wait."

"Yeah, yeah, I get the point," Deidara rolled his eyes.

Sasori spied something in his hands. It appeared to be one of his clay figures.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Oh," Deidara looked like he considered hiding it. "I made it."

"You made it whilst you were supposed to be busy," Sasori snapped. "What, did you stop to take in the scenery whilst I sat out here in the bloody sun?"

"It was a deformed tree," Deidara scowled. "It looked weird so I made it. I don't know why…"

"Well, not only have you made me wait, but you've also made Pein wait," Sasori hissed. "And I don't like making other people wait."

Sasori snatched the clay model from Deidara's hands and judged it with sneer. He had to admit, it was one of the ugliest trees he'd ever seen, the branches thick and clumpy with barely any leaves and the trunk was too long and thin for the rest of the tree. He threw it on the rock and it shattered to pieces.

Deidara sullenly followed Sasori through the hot, dry lands. It wasn't quite a desert like Sasori's home, more like savannah with no water in sight. It was a quick way across to their destination, a small village Pein told them a message would be waiting for them. Unfortunately, the walk was incredibly long, and Sasori would hate camping out.

Deidara sped up to walk alongside Sasori.

"Sasori no Danna," he looked at Deidara. "Why do you hate waiting so much?"

Sasori looked away. "There are many reasons why I hate waiting. One of them is that it's rude."

Deidara pulled a face. "Yeah, but, there must be _some _non-cannon series reason."

Sasori looked at him quizzically. "What on _Earth _are you on about? Are you high or something?"

"Never mind," Deidara glared. "You hate it _so much_ that it would be weird to only have one reason."

"Needn't I remind you that the reason is fairly important?" Sasori scowled.

"Well…"

"Deidara, one of the main reasons I hate waiting is because my parents went to war, and told me to wait for them to return," Sasori scowled. "Technically, I'm still waiting now, considering they never did. Happy?"

"No," Deidara stretched.

"Why not?" Sasori stopped walking and gave him a dark look.

"You just said, "one of the _main _reasons"," Deidara smirked. "That must mean there are other reasons why you hate waiting. And since this is such a long journey, I don't see why you can't tell me?"

"Maybe because it's personal…" Sasori said through gritted teeth.

"Sasori, my man, we're Akatsuki partners," Deidara grinned slyly. "We can tell each other anything."

Sasori didn't know about that, since Deidara had been more than happy to disclose information about that ugly tree sculpture. However, Sasori didn't know anyway to get out of this situation. He could tell Deidara, and it would take up the trip, since there were a lot of reasons. Thinking of some of them made his blood boil. It would also keep Deidara quiet for the trip.

Sasori had it mentally settled. He smiled then, much to Deidara's surprise.

"I guess I could tell you, but you'll have to keep quiet for the duration of the stories," Sasori said.

"What if they're boring?" Deidara frowned.

Sasori glared at him. "Well, they _won't_ be. I can assure you of that."

Deidara appeared to weigh his options. It annoyed Sasori since he'd asked for the stories in the first place. He ground his teeth. Deidara then shrugged and smiled.

"Whatever, Sasori, my man," he continued to walk. "I'll hear your stories."

Sasori glared at him and also walked. "There's a lot, and I want you to pay attention. Also, take it seriously, because some of the events that happened did upset me."

"You're a diva," Deidara frowned. "What _doesn't _upset you?"

"Do you want to know the reason I hate waiting?" Sasori sneered.

"Yeah, yeah, I do," Deidara was listening once again.

"As I was saying, you can't tell anyone," Sasori warned. "Nobody. Ever. I'll know if you do. And finally, some of these were, admittedly, embarrassing stages of my life, so I don't want you poking around those stages, since I don't want to elaborate on them, understood?"

"What? Your teens? You still look like you're going through them Sasori no Danna," Deidara chuckled.

Sasori turned on Deidara, halting their pace. "Just because I'm _supposedly _an _inch _shorter than you doesn't mean you can mock me. Technically, had I not turned myself into fine art, then I would still be growing. You should know by now that I have very little patience, and at the moment, it's wearing thin, so just shut up and start listening to me."

Deidara closed his mouth in angry silence. They continued to walk.

"I'll admit," said Sasori. "My waiting years _included _the death of my parents, there were so many other times that incompetent people made me wait..."


	2. 2: Sasori's Story

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry this is late - hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 2: Sasori's Story**

"The first one that comes to mind was when I was just six years old, still a student to the ninja academy. Even at that young age, our school was solidly divided into the cool guys who got all the girls and the insignificant rats who were likely to become scientists or medical Shinobi when they were older – some couldn't even throw a kunai.

"For some reason that just isn't coming to me, I wasn't one of the popular kids. I looked like them, as I was handsome, and I was just as talented, more so even. But they still left me to rot with those geeks, even if I could've taken them all out single-handedly.

"A six year old doesn't need to think about those things. I didn't really, but I look back now and think about them. Either way, I can see myself now. I was one of those cool geeks, the kind who's smart and deserving, and gets the discreet glances from the popular girls; that was me. And the cool must've been jealous, since I would get the attention they didn't.

"However, I was six, and my main focus was on my puppetry, since _she_ taught me how to last year."

"Who's 'she'?" Deidara interrupted.

Sasori glared at him. "My grandmother. Now, don't interrupt me; it's annoying."

Deidara mumbled something, but Sasori looked away so he wouldn't have to hear it. He could feel himself delving back into the past again.

"During those last school years for me, for most would graduate at twelve, I had a friend. I can't remember his name at all, but I remember his face like a scar on the back of my hand that I changed when I swapped my real body for a puppet's.

"He had the most unfortunate appearance, with these huge, puffy lips and an equally big nose, and these tiny, tiny eyes. He was a nice guy underneath, but sometimes it was hard look past all that. Either way, he was my friend, and I hung out with him during my academy days.

"I tell you this guy was nice, but he was the fourth person after my parents and _her _tomake me wait. We used to live fairly close to each other, and whilst I was growing up, there was less corruption and you could walk home at night at age six with a friend without getting attacked or picked on. You can't do that nowadays.

"Me and that friend would walk home together. It was when I really started to become conscious of the time, and not making others wait for me, so I'd come five minutes early when I could. At school, it would be just on time. I would grab my textbooks and leave the classroom almost immediately, since we were in a different class, and then I'd wait for him.

"I would stand by the bush that grew red flowers beside the lamppost and I would wait there every day for him. And he would always be late. It didn't matter whether it was hotter than a fire or colder than Yukigakure, the Land of Snow, wetter than Kirigakure or drier than Sunagakure's desert. I would wait either sweating, shivering, soaking or panting for water and he would always come ten minutes late."

"What was he doing?" Deidara asked.

"I don't know," Sasori replied. "All I know is one day, on the second last day of the week, a Thursday, so close to enjoying a weekend of puppetry, I told him I'd wait for him in our usual spot. With the bush that had red flowers.

"I stayed by that bush for ages, waiting and waiting and waiting and he didn't come. For a moment, I thought it would be like my parents. That I'd be left there to wait forever, and I panicked. I thought if I left, he would come and then blame me for leaving, so I stood on that spot, shivering, since it was becoming winter, the cold, rainy season in Sunagakure.

"I know it felt like hours because of how worried I was, but it was actually twenty minutes he kept me waiting that day. Twenty, whole minutes and when he actually did come, there wasn't even an explanation. Just nothing. He said "Hi" as if nothing had happened, and we walked home that night. Unfortunately, I wasn't very talkative.

"The next day was Friday, and although I hadn't completely forgiven him, he was still my only friend, so I ate lunch with him and endured him for the day. I told him we'd meet at the usual spot.

"I came there a little later than usual and I panicked that he'd be mad at me for keeping him waiting. But my friend wasn't there. I waited for him to come, standing in the pouring rain, checking the time at ten past, which then turned to twenty past, thirty past, forty past, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety minutes past.

"The only reason I got home that day was because some teachers leave school an hour and a half later, and one of those teachers called _her _to come pick me up. Turns out, my friend had left without me, deeming that since I wasn't there like I usually was, I'd probably left.

"How little he understood, and it frustrated me so much. His interpretations ruined my weekend; I'd caught a cold from the rain. I have to thank him, though, as getting a cold was one of the factors I used for turning myself into a puppet. I didn't then.

"My much loved weekend was wasted lying in bed and recovering from a fever. And then I had to walk into school on Monday and pretend that our friendship was OK, when really, it was fragile after he'd snapped it in two that day."

Deidara looked at Sasori. Sasori knew he probably had a vacant, haunted expression on his face, but he couldn't help it, especially when he spoke of the times when he waited.

"Onto the next story," he said.

"There's more?" Deidara asked.

"There's always more," Sasori replied.


	3. 3: A Broken Friendship

**A/N: Hey guys; next chapter's out! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: A Broken Friendship**

"Six years later, after I'd graduated from the academy and also achieved my goal of chunin, I returned to Sunagakure after a gruelling yet entertaining mission.

"I was twelve now, three years before I left that wretched place, but I was also having one of the best moments. I'd heard that friend of mine had just graduated from the academy to become a genin, so I called him up and invited him to one of those renowned baseball matches that occur close by to Sunagakure.

"I'll admit, he sounded more grown up. We'd spoken less since I'd graduated from the academy, and as much as I was OK with that, it was always nice to hear from your old friends again. He was surprised to hear from me and he accepted to come to that baseball match.

"It was supposed to happen in a week's time. I told him firmly to write down the times we were to meet. Saturday, at nine o'clock in the morning. I remember clearly, because it was etched into my brain the whole time. Of course, I remembered how bad at meetings this friend of mine was, so in reality, we were meant to meet at nine thirty, but asking him to come earlier didn't hurt.

"Initially, I thought he'd be more time conscious now that we were older, and perhaps even more so since the baseball match was in honour of his graduating. However, I still organised the meeting place. It was at the bush with the red flowers we used to meet at during our academy days together, somewhere easy to remember.

"I asked _her _about tickets, and _she_ said _she'd_ book them, since this was the prime of my experience with _her_. I was excited that week. I fulfilled more of my chunin duties, even staying on gate position when asked to, but my mind was all on the baseball. It was the beginning of a new tournament, and to find out which teams would get through was always interesting. Sunagakure's was often into the first rounds, but I'd never known a time when they'd beaten Konohagakure.

"Perhaps that was this time.

"Just because I was preoccupied with the baseball game didn't mean my other activities were put on hold. I still experimented with my puppets, creating new designs and gadgets that would be used to make them unstoppable.

"During this time, I was in the puppet brigade, and I'd also met my only true friend, Komushi."

"What about the nameless friend?" Deidara asked.

"I didn't regard him as a _real _friend," Sasori chuckled. "Not after he made me wait that long when we were six."

Deidara just slowly nodded.

"Throughout that week, I also readied myself for the baseball. I would sometimes include baseball in my training. I had the cap and the shirt, I even went as far as to get the shorts and shoes and also a set for my friend. I gave that to him, because I was excited, and he was excited too.

"I was determined to rebuild my friendship with this boy and give him the chance he deserved, so when it actually came to the time of the meeting place, I came a little earlier, just in case he was already there. I shouldn't have been surprised, but he wasn't there. I didn't mind though, because I'd come early, so I waited until nine o'clock came, and he still didn't come.

"I waited until the time actually reached nine thirty, since that was the unsaid early meeting time. I waited another five minutes, until it was nine thirty-five, the on time meeting time, and then nine forty, the rush meeting time.

"Right then, I could already tell it was going to be one of those times when he spent hours getting to the meeting place. I'd already waited fifty minutes, which was nearing an hour. I decided that for once, I would take action.

"I went to his house on the most commonly used pathways and asked if he was home, but his mother said he left. She didn't know the exact time, but I had to rush back to the meeting place, just in case he was there. I suppose you can already guess he wasn't.

"I waited another ten minutes until I knew I'd pushed the time to the limits. I hadn't wanted to go alone, but I'd been so desperate to see this baseball match, or any of the baseball matches, so I chose to leave without him.

"I hurried there as fast as I could, knowing that there was the chance that I wouldn't make it in time. I knew that if I didn't, I could never forgive myself for missing that baseball match.

"When I arrived, the gates were closed. Just. I couldn't even convince the Shinobi on guard that I was desperate to see the match and that I'd already paid for tickets. I tried to tell him that my name was Sasori and that I had booked tickets, but he was having none of it. He told me I was a liar.

"But I had to see that baseball. When I was twelve, the Third Shinobi World War was moments to starting, as that would happen when I was roughly fourteen. I didn't know it was going to happen, but when you're young, you can tell when the world around you is falling to pieces and when stress is rising across the world.

"I used one of my early puppets to peek over the wall so I could see the baseball match and that was when I saw him. He was sitting with another friend, and when I went back to ask the Shinobi guarding the gate if a "Sasori" had already entered, he said yes.

"I can guarantee you that that was the last time I ever spoke to that guy again. He tried calling but I wouldn't answer, and when _she _did I always said I didn't want to speak to him."

"I guess I can see where you're coming from," Deidara said.

Sasori nodded, his mind lost on all the time wasted waiting for that "friend".

"But there's more," Deidara added.

Sasori nodded again, slow like a pendulum.


	4. 4: You Should Always Wait For Love

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry if this also came out late - I've been a little distracted with school work, but from now on I'm really going to try and get the chapters out on time!**

**Chapter 4: You Should Always Wait For Love**

"Of course, there were elements of my life that occurred in a more romantic fashion. You have to remember that during my life, I was growing up, so I was undoubtedly going to encounter love once or twice. Three years after I graduated from the academy, when I was ten years old and slowly beginning to understand what was so great about girls, I met one who changed my life.

"She had never attended the ninja academy, so of course I'd never met beforehand, but she was still just as incredible as any Konuichi could ever be, or even hope to be.

"I can think of her now, her hair as golden as warm caramel and her eyes the softest brown you could ever imagine. She was as sweet as honey, so understanding that it was a miracle just talking to her. I felt she understood me, because she could listen and make you believe that she knew how to solve your problems.

"Unfortunately, I knew she couldn't solve my problems. As wonderful as she was, she could never use kinjustsu to bring back the dead, and she could be frustrating to me since she was as thick as a plank. However, she comforted me during my chunin days.

"I remember the day I met her as clear as a warm summer day in the middle of July. I was allowed a break from my duties, and, being ten, I decided that I would act more grown up rather than spend the whole day making puppets.

"I was just about to give up and return to my hobby until I saw her sitting on a swing eating an ice cream. I remember she was wearing a green summer dress, and how beautiful it looked on her. It was the first time I'd ever felt anything for a girl, and I'll admit, it confused me so much. I didn't have a mother or father to speak to about it, and I didn't want to confide in _her_.

"So I went to talk to her," Sasori sighed, remembering how nervous the ten year old version of himself was.

"What was her name?" Deidara asked.

Sasori shrugged. "I don't remember."

"You don't remember the name of your only love?" Deidara sounded sceptical.

"OK, OK, her name was Yasu," Sasori rolled his eyes. "But she never brought _me _peace. In fact, what I felt for her was one of things I wanted to wipe when I changed my body for a puppet's. And she wasn't exactly mine either, since she didn't hold feelings for _me_."

Sasori would've blushed with embarrassment had he been capable of doing so.

"Enough about emotions," he grumbled.

"But you were just about to tell me about your first meeting," Deidara smirked.

"Yeah, well, nothing much happened anyway," Sasori coughed. "All that happened was me going up to her, stuttering a bit, and then asking her if she wanted to have a milkshake with me. Although she hesitated, she said yes and we went to have that milkshake together where we got to know each other a bit…"

The temptation of the limelight caught Sasori like a fishing hook, and he eagerly to the bait to continue his story.

"I suppose everything went downhill from there, although back then, it seemed to be going uphill for me. I'll admit, I was young and she was beautiful so I assumed I loved her for real, but in reality's version, I just had a massive crush on her. I was intelligent, and she used to like that, I remember, because she'd always ask me questions about things she'd learnt, and always wondered whether they were true or not.

"I was ten, and I got big headed for once, since there was someone who knew me who treated me like I was superior. I'd never felt that way before, since _she _acted like _she _had an iron grip on my entire life. I guess Yasu made me feel like I was making the big decisions for the first time in my life.

"For me, the milkshake bar became our meeting place. It was special to me, so I never went there with anyone else. I'd known Yasu for three months when I decided to step forwards and admit I liked her. I asked her out on a date, and much to my surprise, she said yes.

"I wonder now if she just said "yes" to a lot of the things I said because she couldn't keep up, but that didn't matter. However, I'm not sure Yasu fully understood what I felt for her. She was a year younger than me, and being nine, she was still in school. For all I knew, she could've gone on those dates just so she could tell her friends she was dating 'one of the older boys'. I don't know that for sure though.

"Our date was going to be at this new bowling alley that I'd tried out a couple times just to make sure it was perfect. Who doesn't like bowling? I told her we'd meet at the milkshake bar for a milkshake and then head for a game or two. To me, it sounded like the perfect starter date. Not too awkward, since it held elements of our friendship, but not too friendly, either, since it extended to a little more than friends.

"I came to the milkshake bar around the right time, and ordered the flavours we always ordered. Mine was a triple choc shake; dark, milk and white. Hers was vanilla, with a touch of strawberry and an even lighter touch of honey. I know Sunagakure isn't renowned for its milkshakes like Kumogakure is, but for me, that milkshake bar alone was better than the biggest, most famous milkshake places.

"I waited at the milkshake bar with our drinks. And I waited. And waited. And waited. She never came. I realised that I'd been stood up for the first time ever on my first ever date. I called her up on it. She said she was sorry, that something had come up, and I really thought for a moment that she was avoiding me."

Sasori realised his fists were clenched, then loosened his hands once more.

"Then she arranged another time, where we'd drink our milkshakes, but instead walk the perimeter of Sunagakure, just me and her, and I forgot all my anger, because she didn't want to avoid me. She'd arranged our second, but more official, date."


	5. 5: The Truth About Love

**A/N: Hey guys! Again, I've been lazy and should have posted this earlier, but here it is! Sasori's next love story...**

**Chapter 5: The Truth About Love**

"She told me next week to bring myself to that milkshake bar and we'd meet and walk. I was dazzled long after she'd hung up, but the moment quickly faded when realisation dawned upon me. One, I'd paid for milkshakes and a bowling alley. Two, I was going to have to drink those milkshakes. And three, I was going to have bowl alone for tonight.

"I didn't even like her milkshake flavour, but for some reason, I felt I had to drink every drop just be closer to her. I brushed up on my bowling skills, only to be laughed at by a bunch of boys the same age as me. I have to admit, even as far back as my childhood, I hated being laughed at, so I turned to him in a manner which said 'Bring it on, bastard'.

"This boy became a great element to my misery. His name was Hayate, and he had to be one of the smoothest talkers I've ever met. He was finishing up in the academy at the time, which gave me only one thing to be proud about; I was chunin before he'd even graduated.

"And yet, I was the weaker one in his eyes, just because I was alone. He was a gang type of person, picking on others when he had his mates with him, and I was alone. He told me I was a loser for bowling alone, and that he knew I'd wanted to come here with Yasu. At first, I had no idea how they knew each other, until he told me they were friends through family.

"Ten year old me was jealous, I'll admit. He had just become my main competitor, and I was positive that I was going to win this battle. I checked up the day and time of our date, and realised it was a couple of days before my eleventh birthday.

"I really wanted this date to be special, so I brushed up on my talking skills. Not a single cell in my body would allow me to stutter in front of her, or lose to Hayate. I sometimes wonder whether I actually even liked Yasu towards the end, or whether I was just getting a little competitive. I say a little, but I mean very competitive.

"I practised some of my puppetry – Yasu had always wanted to see my puppets in action and I thought it would be entertaining to have them on our walk. That date was going to solely revolve on impressing Yasu with everything I had; my knowledge and my hobby. So far, I'd done well, since she loved how smart I was and she was so excited to meet my puppets.

"I felt nothing could knock me down, but just as I was leaving the door, _she _intercepted me. For a moment, I thought _she _would say I couldn't go, but instead, _she _tried to give me advice about girls. _She _said that love is tricky and much harder than puppetry, and that girls are the most unpredictable factor of a boy's life. I ignored _her _because at the time, _she _was too old to understand my feelings, and besides, it would've been embarrassing confiding in my grandma…

"I left that house with so much haste that I reached the milkshake bar sooner than I'd even planned. I was nervous and excited at the same time because in two days I was going to be eleven. Sunagakure Novembers aren't exactly the nicest; deserts get below freezing at night but Sunagakure's was just as cold in November. November the sixth, the day my world changed."

Deidara was looking at Sasori, confusion in his eyes. Sasori swallowed. To think that such a small event could have a major impact to him as a person.

"I waited at the milkshake bar as I often did, looking down the street either way for Yasu, wondering when she'd show. Again, I was the joke because she never came, but you have to remember that _Yasu _was the one who organised this date. I had done everything for this girl and she'd thrown it back in my face, and even I'll admit that on that day, I was the fool.

"By then, I knew where Yasu lived. I'd been round her house before and I was heading there again. I'd believed in her more, but I was a mess by the time I reached that door and I knocked and knocked and knocked again. Yasu's mother answered the door. She'd always been a nice woman, so when she saw me in such a state she let me in the house.

"I asked where Yasu was, and she said she was in the lounge."

"And then what?" Deidara leaned towards Sasori with wide eyes.

"She was in the lounge," Sasori repeated numbly, then gritted his teeth. "And Hayate was with her. They were talking, playing on her game box that she used to play with _me_. They were talking and laughing the whole time when she was supposed to be meeting me at the milkshake bar. And she didn't even notice me when I first walked in.

"I stormed right up to them and demanded why she never came. She was surprised to see me, and Hayate laughed and told me that it was because she didn't want to go on a date. I asked her if it was true and if it was why she didn't just tell me. I waited and waited for her answer, and she stared at me with those lovely brown eyes before saying…

"…I forgot."

Deidara stared at Sasori in silence. There was no sound but their footsteps.

"That was my first argument," Sasori muttered. "I told her that I thought she'd liked me and that she'd shown every sign of doing so, and she tried to tell me otherwise, but that Hayate came over and he was _so _funny that she completely forgot about the arrangement. _What about tomorrow, Sasori? I can do tomorrow. _It felt like a slap in the face. I told her, straight to her face, that I never wanted to see her again, and she said that was fine, because she felt the exact same way and I left that house on the verge of tears.

"I walked around Sunagakure by myself, just me and my puppets, and I realised that I didn't need her at all. When I got home, _she _said I'd changed after that "date", that I'd become more…cold and aloof. I also realised that I really would never need my mother and father puppets ever again; they didn't bring me the love or happiness I so desired, so I left them for _her _and focused on making the ultimate puppets.

"That was the day I invented my special poison. For me, the poison reminded me so much of sweet, little Yasu…"


	6. 6: Just One Big Mistake

**A/N: Hey, everyone! Look! I've actually posted a chapter on time! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 6: Just One Big Mistake**

"During our years apart, I and Yasu drifted away from each other. The argument had broken our friendship. I based my life on puppetry. I joined the Puppet Brigade and started making something of my life. My Shinobi days were important to me."

"Evidently not your social life, un," Deidara smirked.

"I don't know what _that's _meant to mean," Sasori grumbled. "But I'm just going to continue..."

"I heard Yasu had graduated from ordinary school a year after the argument. I avoided her. As childish as that sounds, I didn't want to speak or see her, and somehow, for once, loneliness brought me peace. I knew Hayate had also graduated a little before her, and although they could never be a Shinobi team, they were still very close. I wanted nothing to do with either of them.

"I was in my garage one day, working on my puppets and generally enjoying the solitude, when _she _came in telling me I had a phone call from someone. _She _didn't say who – _she_ must've known I wouldn't have wanted to answer had I known – so I took the phone and answered.

"'Hello'? I said. And Yasu answered. To her, she must've sounded sensible, but for me, her speech came out as one massive burst down the phone, so much that I told her to slow down. I had no idea why Yasu was calling; we hadn't spoken in two years and we'd left each other on an aggressive note. My first thought was that she going to mess me around again, especially when she sighed and said, 'Can we meet at the milkshake bar? There's something that's been bothering me and I've really needed to talk to you for some time…'"

"She asked you back?" Deidara stared.

"If you want to see like that, go on," Sasori rolled his eyes. "Young people fantasise about true love too much. I'll tell you now - there's no such thing."

Deidara scowled as Sasori continued his story.

"I suppose that should have made me feel big headed, but I wasn't ten or eleven now; I was thirteen. I'd reached my teen years so I was going to act the grown-up, not play pretend. I agreed to meet her at the milkshake bar, but if she was so much as five minutes late, I was leaving.

"I waited at the milkshake bar for the first time in two years, and surprisingly, Yasu came on time. She'd grown up as well. She'd grown her hair longer, and it was still the beautiful caramel colour it had always been. Her eyes were still big and brown, and she looked more delicate than I remembered.

"However, I couldn't afford to let my guard down. Only then was I able to realise that she'd actually hurt me. There have been so few people in my life that I've truly loved, and she was there, just after my parents. Of course, this was just a childhood crush; now I can see that we would never have lasted. She was too incompetent for me."

"Because you need someone with an IQ of 2000," Deidara mumbled.

Sasori ignored him. "We sat at the milkshake bar and she ordered first. I was expecting her to order her usual, but instead, she ordered my triple choc, just as I did as well. I asked her about her old favourite and she shrugged and replied, 'The triple choc became my favourite on November 8th, which if funny… because… umm… that's your birthday…' After she said that, I realised that she'd been thinking of me for two years straight.

"I told her it was good to see her again. We started with small talk. How are you? What have you been up to? Anything exciting? But then she admitted something pretty major. She told me she'd missed me, that it wasn't the same for me to _not _be there, that she felt better in my company, and that she needed her best friend back.

"She'd either confessed to loving me, or friend-zoned me; I couldn't tell. So I said I'd missed her to, and that we should hang out together more often. She said we should meet at the milkshake bar every Saturday at four in the afternoon. It happened; she'd changed. She was always on time, now, sometimes a little earlier, and I remembered just how great it was to spend time with her.

"One day, we were at the milkshake bar. I thought I'd brave potential romance once more, but make it possible to be a friendly moment. I asked if she wanted to see the baseball with me; she told me she loved baseball, that she'd booked some tickets and wanted to book me one. I didn't mind; if her family liked me, then there was a bigger chance that we'd actually get together.

"I gave her money for my ticket, and she booked a seat next to hers. Everything was so perfect. I was happy."

Deidara shifted nervously as they settled down to make camp. It was late, and Sasori had barely helped setting up the tents, as he was so engrossed in his own story. The memories of his life were flooding around him. Sasori sat down beside the fire and Deidara sat across from him, miffed after having had to set up a whole camp-site.

"What went wrong?" Deidara dared to ask.

Sasori frowned. "I went to the baseball stadium. It was that time of year, and as you know, I've always loved baseball; I still do. However, I didn't want to wear my full getup, because that would just be embarrassing in front of Yasu.

"It was unfortunate that she chose that day to be late. She wasn't as late as my friend had been, but she was late nevertheless, and she brought Hayate with her. I learnt that day, that she was dating him. There had never been a moment in any of her talks that she'd mentioned him, and at times, she seemed close to sharing a romantic smile with me, suggesting that she wanted to be more than friends.

"Seeing Hayate with her that day snapped me in two. I just came out with my feelings. I told her that I still had feelings for her, and that she should have told me she was dating Hayate. I also told her that she'd led me on to believe that she really liked me this time, and I finished with starting to leave.

"She grabbed my arm and begged me not to go, actually begged me, and she was crying. But I'd had enough. I said, 'I'm done. I'm sorry, but I can't do this. You make the moment seem so perfect, but you don't really mean or feel it; this is the last time you'll make me feel like a joke.' That day, I learnt not to look back.

"I also learnt not to give an unreliable person second _and_ third chances. I've been a one chance kind of guy since the age of thirteen, and since then, I haven't regretted any of it."

"That's deep," Deidara mused. "How come you give me several thousand chances?"

"Because Pein makes me have to tolerate you," Sasori muttered, standing from the fire and heading into his tent. Calling from he inside, he said, "I need my beauty sleep, but we can continue this story tomorrow."

"Hmm," Deidara muttered, surveying the fire and empty unclean bowls from the meal and wondered if this was his punishment for originally being late...


	7. 7: Her

**A/N: Hi, everyone! Here's the next chapter: just to inform you if you don't see it on my profile, but I am without internet or my computer as I go away tomorrow (Sat 15th) and will not be back until next week! So, the next chapter may be posted on either Sun (23rd) or Mon (24th)! Have a good week and a great Valentine's Day! (Remember, for some of you, being a single Pringle is just as good as a double decker burger!)**

**Chapter 7: **_**Her**_

The next day, Sasori and Deidara continued their journey to the meeting place. This day was just as hot as the last, and they were worn out by now.

"You said that wasn't the end, my man," Deidara said. "So what else is there, un?"

"My grandma ruined so much of my life," Sasori scowled. "_She_ played a big part in my hatred of waiting. The first time _she_ ever made me wait was when I was three years old. It was the year my parents departed and when I became so alone. _She_ would often promise me that _she_ would find a way to entertain me.

"It was one day when I was three that _she_ told me that _she'd_ teach me the art of puppetry. _She_ used to make these little finger sized puppets that _she'd_ play with to entertain me. However, that didn't work after some time. But I'd seen _her_ with those puppets and I wanted to learn how to make puppets just like Granny Chiyo could. I wanted the ability more than I'd ever wanted anything before, which is a considerable drive for a three year old.

"I would ask often about puppetry, and many times, _she _would simply brush me off and tell me _she_ was busy, and to save it for another. Another day was very long, since it didn't seem to be any of the following days in that week, or the week after. My days as a three year old were consumed by waiting for the art of puppetry to be bestowed upon me, and I can only blame _her _for it.

"Being a child, I was obsessed with the promise of being given a gift, and I truly believed that puppetry would be the answer to dissolving the misery of the death of my parents. The impact of this promise was much greater than _she _probably thought, but I knew that this could change my life, no matter how short it had been so far.

"Granny Chiyo kept avoiding everything I said; _she _was always busy. It came to the point of my fourth birthday, and although me constantly begging to learn how to make puppets distracted me from the deaths of my parents most of the time, it couldn't keep me happy. I was an unsatisfied little boy searching, merely, for satisfaction. Granny Chiyo continued to feed me with these false promises, until one day I asked _her_ if _she_ would ever get around to doing it. I was four and didn't understand politeness, but I was also desperate. Granny Chiyo told me _she_ would teach me the art of puppetry.

"I could only ask when. _She_ didn't answer with a date or anything, just said soon. It wasn't soon. I ended up in a paradox, constantly wondering whether the only close family member I had left remembered me or not. It was difficult, and I spent a lot of time alone, due to _her _being so busy.

"When my fifth birthday was nearing, I managed to reflect on what I'd been doing in the past two years. I could only come to the conclusion that I had wasted my early childhood waiting for Granny Chiyo to teach me an art I believed would create my next existence, and various other miseries _she'd_ brought upon me.

"Granny Chiyo may have ruined my early life, but I wasn't about to let that go on. It was in those years that I started to gain that little bit of extra intelligence that would help me reach great heights. I realised that I didn't have to be so dependent on Granny Chiyo, that maybe I didn't need _her_. Unfortunately, I was still a four year old, and the most I could was make threats about leaving home as all little children may do at least once in their life.

"I told _her _I'd leave if _she_ continued to delay teaching me about puppetry, but _she laughed _in my face. Even at four, I could perceive that as an insult, and on that day, I liked Granny Chiyo just a little less. I wasn't going to be taken for an idiot, so I packed my stuff and readied myself to leave.

"I had everything planned out. I'd brought my favourite finger sized puppet that looked similar to me, and also seven or eight of my favourite triple choc chocolate bars; a mix of dark, milk and white chocolate. I left that night.

"Unfortunately, I didn't get far, but at the same time, that was a good thing. Admittedly, without Granny Chiyo's early help, I may have never become as great as I am.

"_She_ came after me and we argued that day in the night in the middle of the street. We woke everyone. I was angry at _her, _but _she _was angry at me. However, I strongly believe I was the victim. I was a lost child, abandoning all hope once it was thrown away by my own grandma."

"And you still believe you're a victim?" Deidara said with a dull expression.

"Of course," Sasori huffed. "Great people such as myself will _always _be victimised by those of lesser talent."

By the look of amusement on Deidara's face, he had the slight feeling that the other was thinking about Tobi, who had been sent away to gather cat pictures for Konan. The look on Pein's face when he saw that Tobi was absent had been funny enough, but when Konan admitted to the private errand, Sasori had been unable to stop laughing. The hysterics only came when Konan informed Pein that Tobi had already been gone three days without him noticing. That was the main reason as to why Sasori was on this mission rather than Tobi.

"However, it made _her _promise to help me make my puppets," he continued with grand hand gestures. "There's been friction between us ever since, but at least that made me realise that I could be so much better than Granny Chiyo. I reached my fifth birthday, and it was that day that _she _finally decided to teach me the art of puppetry.

"It was a revelation, the greatest day of my life. I had finally found something that could keep me living as well as warding off my misery. It was that day that I truly treasured the art of puppetry, and not long after, I created my first puppets; my mother and father puppets. Unfortunately, they weren't like my real mother and father, but what could I have expected?

"The art of puppetry had brought me something far more greater than new parents; it had brought me a purpose. I no longer needed to rely on my pathetic grandma to bring me happiness. Life was not my aim any more; in fact, human life itself became rather dull. For me, human life became puppetry."

"Well, yes, you'd already abandoned your friends, grandma and lover," Deidara chuckled.

Again, Sasori, with incredible skill that had been practised through experience, ignored him.


	8. 8: The Ugly Trooth

**A/N: I'm really sorry I haven't posted a chapter in ages! I've been busy with a lot of coursework, homework, and generally preparing for exams! I'd much rather be writing than doing Maths! Again, I'm very sorry, and have posted three chapters for your enjoyment! I hope you like them, and I also hope they were worth the wait!**

**Chapter 8: The Ugly Trooth**

"The next time Granny Chiyo made my life a misery was after those two years of waiting, precisely when I was around six. I was going through that stage of toddler to child, and it was frustrating, because I was starting to lose my first baby teeth. The first I lost was sudden, and I only had Granny Chiyo to turn to.

"However, she fulfilled her duty as my carer and told me about the logic of the Tooth Fairy. To a child, and Tobi, that's one of the many wonders alongside the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. I was enthralled that a fairy would collect children's teeth and leave a British pound. It was one of the few things I allowed myself to imagine in this dismal world.

"The Tooth Fairy collected my first three teeth without fail, and it was nice to earn a profit from teeth. Three pounds was a lot to me back then. The Tooth Fairy was also an excuse for me to act like other children. I didn't have to be older since I could laugh aloud at the idea of the little fairy.

"Sometimes, I would try and stay awake for each tooth I lost just so I could see the Tooth Fairy, but I always fell asleep before she came. It was my childhood aim to see the Tooth Fairy. I created a trap to ensnare her using my puppetry, but somehow, she evaded it without me even noticing the smallest of twitches.

"The Tooth Fairy was my unseen enemy, somehow getting away. It was like she knew all my plans, when the only person I'd confided my lost tooth plan in was Granny Chiyo. Of course, I confronted _her_ just to make sure _she _hadn't blabbed to the Tooth Fairy, but _she _hadn't. I had to accept the fact that I just couldn't catch the Tooth Fairy. She was too smart for even me.

"One day, I lost a tooth, but I chose not to tell Granny Chiyo my plans of seeing the Tooth Fairy. I told _her _that I'd lost a tooth, but that was it. I kept my tooth firmly under the pillow, directly under my head, so if the Tooth Fairy even tried to get that tooth, then she would be caught. To me, my plan was inescapable. There was no way the Tooth Fairy could dodge my puppets and then still get the tooth.

"That next morning I checked under my pillow, only to find that the Tooth Fairy hadn't even attempted to get the tooth; it was still there and my trap was still in place. I was confused, but then I realised that the Tooth Fairy was also a tactician. She must've known what I'd laid out for her to discover, and chosen to lay low and watch from a distance before closing in for the tooth. This was a battle between me and an invisible story.

"Each night, I would wait for the Tooth Fairy to come for my tooth. She never would though. Eventually, I took down the trap, because I just wanted her to collect my tooth by now. It had been there for nearly two weeks, and even at the age of six I knew that wasn't right.

"However, the Tooth Fairy wasn't coming for my tooth. I tried holding it my hand and leaving it on my bedside table, but she never came for it. I waited and waited, until I began to question the Tooth Fairy's existence. Eventually, I brought my theory to Granny Chiyo.

"_She _was surprised to see my tooth, but _she_ came clean and admitted that there was no Tooth Fairy. _She _told me it was just a story to keep children entertained and to make the world more magical. _She _didn't realise how much that hurt me. Granny Chiyo was the only one who'd known about my lost tooth, and yet _she'd_ forgotten what I'd told _her_. _She'd_ made me wait, and my waiting would've continued had I never brought my Tooth Fairy theory to _her_.

"That was an important day in my life story. After that, I became a rather impatient child. However, I still wanted to feel the magic that other children were able to feel. I created a Tooth Fairy puppet, and I gave her to Granny Chiyo, explaining that I still wanted to experience the Tooth Fairy like other children did.

"I lost another tooth, and told Granny Chiyo. I was left to wait like last time, but this time I suspected Granny Chiyo was going to take me by surprise and suddenly place money where my tooth should've been when I least expected it. I waited some more, and even lost another few teeth along the way. I had a collection of teeth under my pillow; how unhygienic? And yet I was still desperate for the Tooth Fairy to come for my teeth. I eventually gave up, realising that my hopes were never going to happen. Sadly, I was right. Even though I tried to wait a little longer, the Tooth Fairy never came for my teeth. Yet again, I was separated from the other children through my upbringing.

"I took all those teeth to Granny Chiyo and straight out demanded _she_ give me the money I deserved for losing these teeth. My patience had run out and it would never extend so much again. I was tired of waiting for _her _to fulfil my childhood dreams. It was time I took action for my own happiness rather than let _her_ tread on it.

"After that, my demanding methods were my only way to get money for my baby teeth. I would lose a tooth and then bring it to Granny Chiyo, and ask for the pound afterwards. Granny Chiyo had forced another year of waiting into my life, and by then, I'd waited three years for Granny Chiyo to make me happy.

"At the age of six, I'd already begun to dislike my grandma."


	9. 9: Time Swings By

**Chapter 9: Time Swings By**

"Another year of my life passed, and I eventually found myself to be seven. This was the year I finished my academy life, but I was still able to enjoy my childhood. Just because I was a genin didn't mean I couldn't have fun like other seven year olds. I asked Granny Chiyo if I could go to the park, just like other children did, and for once _she_ agreed with my ideas.

"Each Wednesday, Granny Chiyo would take me to the park to have fun just like other children. At seven, it was still OK to go the park. I was one of the older children, since it ranged from three to nine, and sixteen year olds used the park to hang out later on in the day, although my body has yet to reach the age of sixteen and it never will. The park was the centre of life for a child, and as usual I wanted to be like the other children."

"That also has yet to happen," Deidara muttered.

"You were quiet for the previous story," Sasori huffed. "Why can't you be quiet for this one?"

"Amateur dramatics, un," Deidara played with a blob of clay. "I didn't think there'd be _this _ many stories, hmm. At this rate, I'll know everything about your life with a daily account starting from when you were born, huh."

"You asked, so you'll listen," Sasori waved a hand to silence his Akastuki partner. "I tried talking to the other genin, but a lot of them were eleven to thirteen, and all thought I was too young to hang out with. It was a miserable existence, constantly being excluded from the other children because of how old I was, so I created some puppets to be my friends. I would bring them to the park with me on Wednesdays and puppets became my only comfort.

"I would've invited that nameless friend of mine, but he was incompetent and still at the academy anyway. For me, the park was my new world, since it was the only day I didn't have the small missions of a genin. It was the time I could relax and unwind for the week.

"At seven, my hatred of waiting was only half of how much I hate it now, but it left me with an impatience that often made me snappy to other children at the park. They'd never treated me right, so why should I have any reason to be kind to them? I would always make space for my puppets, but I was beginning to understand that I shouldn't make other people wait.

"Granny Chiyo had only one purpose of being there. To me, _she _was the person who would push the swing. It was a great experience for me; I would have the time of my life on that swing, and there would be nothing I needed to worry about. The park was my place of enjoyment.

"One Wednesday, there was quite the crowd in the park. There were more children there than I'd ever seen before, and they would stare at my puppets. Back then, I didn't know some kid had told his friends that this boy would come to the park with a whole bunch of puppets. I avoided the other children, since I'd never had a good experience with other children due to my nameless friend.

"Because of the crowds, there were queues for all the activities, and I had to wait for each one before I could play with my puppets. It was frustrating, and sometimes these mean boys would cut the queue and then lie that they were there first. It angered me, and also tempted me to extend my time on each park activity. These busy Wednesdays continued throughout the rest of the year, much to my misery.

"One other particular Wednesday stuck to my head. I was readying myself for the park, and Granny Chiyo was being slow. I tried to get _her _to hurry up a little, but _she _never would. We ended up arriving later than usual, and there were queues for everything. That day, I'd desperately wanted to go on the swings with my puppets, but there was a huge queue for that.

"Granny Chiyo had this way of saying I had to be the last person on the swings of the day, since me and my puppets took up a lot of space. I'd always thought it was a ridiculous thing that added to the miseries of my life, and _her _pitiful reasons for making me wait were more annoying than the children themselves. By the age of seven, I was beginning to no longer depend on Granny Chiyo like I used to, and we'd grown more distant because of that.

"I could no longer understand why Granny Chiyo denied me of spending more time on the swings, but I had to wait a whole day sometimes just to use the swings. All that waiting used to get to me, but it especially did that Wednesday due to the massive queue.

"As the park started to empty, I was waiting for the last child to finish with their swing, as I needed it for one of my puppets. I never liked to start without them.

"Just as the child was coming towards the end of their turn on the swing, Granny Chiyo told me it was time to leave. _She'd_ made me wait a whole day for the swings, only to decide we couldn't stay a few minutes longer. The park had no closing time, so I could only blame _her _on depriving me of my time of the swing.

"I begged _her_ to let me stay just that little longer, but _she _refused, deciding that I should come home with _her_. _Her_ blatant idiocy annoyed me past the point of caring for _her_ opinion, and that day, I refused to leave the park without having my turn on the swing. I'd waited so long and I wasn't going to let Granny Chiyo say otherwise.

"That was the last time I went to the park with Granny Chiyo. From then on, I went alone, and it would be at a certain time. It would be that time between the children and the teenagers. I would go on whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, and my puppets could push the swings for me, and I could push the swings for my puppets.

"During those moments, I didn't have to wait for anyone, and I learnt that waiting was definitely a bad thing…"

Deidara shivered, the image of a hollow eyed child swinging in the park with only his puppets. It was an awful thought, almost as bad as Tobi himself, so Deidara pushed it to the back of his mind and desperately hoped it would never resurface.


	10. 10: A Not So Special Gift

**Chapter 10: A Not So Special Gift**

"During my life, I slowly began to realise that Granny Chiyo had a habit of ruining everything I liked in my childhood. When I reached the age of eight, I was finally gifted with the opportunity to distance myself from her for a bit. I made my way to a chunin rank, which meant I would finally be given some proper missions. The only negative side was that I no longer had time for some of the things I used to enjoy; I couldn't spend my Wednesday afternoons at the park or hang out with my academy level 'friend'.

"However, my chunin rank taught me a lot about the outside world. It taught me that the world was a dangerous place, and it finally started to make sense to me how my parents may have died. I grew up significantly in my chunin days, but I grew up later rather than sooner. I was definitely no longer a genin, that was for sure, and I knew I wouldn't miss Granny Chiyo once I started exploring the world during my missions.

"My puppets were finally of some use to the real world. I was attending C rank and B rank missions, and later in my chunin days was allowed to fulfil A rank and S rank missions. However, for me, C and B were far greater than D rank missions that most other children older than me were doing. I was superior to people. I had quickly and effectively climbed halfway to the food chain, just coming under the Kazekage and jonin level Shinobi. My final goal was jonin; I wasn't after the position of Kazekage, although that would be nice, yet it didn't interest me.

"What did interest me was experimenting with my first puppets, and being away from Granny Chiyo for some time. I'd just come home from a C rank mission, and decided to attempt speaking with Granny Chiyo. I told her about my mission, and the only negative thing being the wind and sand getting in my eyes. She told me that she would make me a scarf to keep both the wind and the sand from my eyes. A gift from Granny Chiyo interested me, as she seldom gave me anything other than hours of waiting.

"I waited eagerly, telling her of my next C rank mission I would be departing on soon. To me, this scarf was a pat on the back for becoming a chunin level Shinobi. It was something I felt I deserved, and Granny Chiyo said she'd make it by hand, which made the scarf even better.

"Unfortunately, I left for my next mission without a scarf. Although, that didn't particularly bother me. I was content to wait just a little longer. For that time only, I believed that if Granny Chiyo spent a little longer on my scarf, it couldn't hurt. It made me feel more special, and then attention aimed at me made me feel better."

"And you started the long and miserable lifestyle of a diva, un," Deidara cut in.

"Shut up, Deidara," Sasori snapped. "And no, that's not what happened. You asked me why I hate waiting, so why not have the decency to just listen to me whilst I tell you the story. Anyway, my C rank and B rank missions were coming and going, and each time I asked Granny Chiyo if _she'd_ made my scarf, I would get the same answer. _She_ would always tell me that _she'd_ make it another day. _She_ always said 'another day'. I learnt too slowly that Granny Chiyo's version of another day could be the equivalent to two years, and I soon lost hope of ever receiving that scarf.

"However, Granny Chiyo would sometimes mention the scarf, which made the promise of ever owning one seem more likely each time _she_ spoke of it. I soon began to get excited once more, falling into the same trap that had ensnared me last time. For some reason, I hung onto _her _words, despite being a smart kid. I should've known that I was being prepared for a whole world of disappointment.

"We both discussed what I wanted my scarf to look like. I was unsure at first, saying I wanted it red, then blue, then yellow, and so on. _She_ would suggest navy blue, or brown, but I wanted something that would be noticed. Eventually, we both settled on this white and cream striped scarf, something bright that would be noticeable compared to my hair colour. It was a dream that I was getting so close to.

"I excitedly left for my first B rank in a while, and I told Granny Chiyo I would be back. _She _told me my scarf would be waiting for me when I returned.

"It was an exciting prospect, and I left more eagerly than I'd ever left before, with one intention in my head; returning. It was the first time I'd ever held so much faith in Granny Chiyo, and this time I was sure _she'd _make that scarf. I finished my B rank mission with success, and when I returned, waiting for my welcome back present, I was thoroughly disappointed. There was no scarf, just a forgetful grandma who had nothing for me but apologies. For me, that was enough time for apologies. No 'sorry' was enough to make up for my potential scarf.

"Granny Chiyo may have failed me, but I tried to make a puppet who could make me the scarf I so desired. However, I had no idea how to make a scarf myself, and instead ended up with a puppet who could barely fit the wool together. It was a miserable attempt, and I turned the puppet into a battle one.

"Granny Chiyo had made me wait another year, however, she surprised me, by telling me _she'd_ made me the scarf. What I received was not what I expected. It was such a poor imitation of the scarf in my imagination. It was brown, made of the cheapest, scratchiest wool ever, and there were gaps in the knitting. The waiting had been for nothing but a bad scarf I never wore. Not even once. Even if she told me to.

"However, it added to my life. I'd spent five years out of eight waiting. It was most of my childhood, and _she _still hadn't finished with me."


	11. 11: The Final Wait

**A/N: Hey, people! This is the penultimate chapter of the Anti-Waiting Rule! I hadn't realised! I apologise that I haven't been very organised between my FanFiction life and my real life; and it's really put me off balance on the Saturday-Wednesday posting them. For those reading this directly, I'm actually going to put you on a _bit_ of a cliffhanger since I'm going abroad for three weeks! I'm back at the end of April, which is where the final chapter of The Anti-Waiting Rule will be posted! I hope you've enjoyed so far - Sayonara!**

**PeinKunx**

**Chapter 11: The Final Wait**

Sasori's face darkened. The wait he was about to tell Deidara about was the worst of them all. It was the wait that had convinced him to defect from Sunagakure and turn towards changing himself into a puppet, against the awful fact he would never drink such a good triple chocolate milkshake again - Kakuzu didn't invest in decent chocolate and he could exactly eat any more anyway. Their journey was coming towards a close, and this one last wait would fill in the gap. He closed his eyes.

"At the age of fifteen, I experienced my final wait," Sasori sighed. "It was the last time I would endure waiting before I realised I'd had enough. By this time, I'd learned everything I needed to know. Waiting was bad, those who made me wait were annoying, I shouldn't be made to wait, but I shouldn't keep others waiting, if I was made to wait then it should be for a good reason, and many other things.

"I'd endured a tragic childhood tainted by the actions of an equally tragic grandma; I'd also endured a traitorous friend and the incompetent Yasu with her mocking boyfriend Hayate. By the time I was fourteen, I'd been built to join the Third Shinobi World War. Although I was flung in, I didn't care. I became a war hero, earning the title 'Sasori of the Red Sand'. It was even during that time that I discovered the fascination of human puppetry through Komushi, my only true friend.

"The Third Shinobi World War smacked any sense of morality and belief from me and I chose a nihilistic attitude, seeing no pleasure in life or what awaited me in life. I realised things that no other teenager could ever dream to discover; I had finally found what I'd been looking for my whole life, and yet I still didn't have quite enough reasons to pursue that dream. I was on the edge, tilting one way and another. One push would've sent me falling one side."

"Have you ever considered writing articles? A book about yourself? An acting career?" Deidara asked sarcastically. "I dunno, your descriptions are very... exaggerated."

Sasori rubbed his temples. "You don't understand anything; and to answer your question - I've always wanted to be an actor. My beautiful face and lilting voice were made for the stage."

Deidara stared at him in disbelief. Revelling in the shocked attention, Sasori smirked and chose to continue with his final, incredible story.

"That one push had to be my fifteenth birthday. November 8th, a day even Yasu could remember; it was one of the most important days to me, as it reminded me the littlest joys of life. I'd barely had any family to celebrate any of my birthdays with me, but I'd still taken enjoyment from each of my birthdays, including my eleventh, where Yasu had unintentionally taught me to love my puppets even more.

"Of course, my birthday would inevitably happen around the time of the Third Shinobi World War. However, that was no reason not to celebrate it. My birthday was my only grasp of life; it was the one event of the year I could look forwards to. Even now, in the Akatsuki, I like to celebrate my birthday, even if it's always my fifteenth birthday. Fifteen's a good number. You should've stayed fifteen, Deidara - it's quite fun to tell the girls you're actually in their thirties and then still have them adore you for your beautiful eyes and lovely red hair."

"What are you implying?" Deidara asked, pushing images of a wooden Deidara from his mind.

"Nothing," Sasori waved a dismissive hand. "You're not handsome enough to be made eternal anyway... When I actually turned fifteen, it would be my final wait. I'd waited so long for the moment to occur, three hundred and sixty five days to be precise, and because each year became a bigger deal, I wanted fifteen to be more special than fourteen. I would still be able to see Granny Chiyo that day, and _she _was the only living person who gave me presents for my birthday.

"I sought _her_ out the night before my birthday to make myself known, and when the morning of my birthday to make myself even more known, however, Granny Chiyo didn't take the hint. _She_ didn't give me a single present, and although I don't blame _her_ for that, as it was wartime, _she_ left me to wait a whole day.

"For me, the fifteenth was one of the most miserable days of my life. I was in the middle of the war, taking no enjoyment from killing my foes, and the last chance for Granny Chiyo to acknowledge I was fifteen and wish me a Happy Birthday was slowly nearing. I worried _she'd_ forgotten and left me to wait.

"That day passed in a blur and when I sought out Granny Chiyo _she_ still didn't wish me a Happy Birthday."

"Sasori no Danna, maybe she didn't know what day it was…" Deidara rolled his eyes, knowing that Sasori did, and always would, have a flair for the dramatic.

Sasori slowly shook his head. "_She_ knew. I know that because I asked _her_ what day it was, and _she _said November 8th. I was left to wait and wonder when _she'd _turn to me and smile with a Happy Birthday, and yet the sky turned to black and there was none. _Her _only words for that day were 'Goodnight'. _She _left without a backwards glance.

"I was left to wait some more, hoping _she_ was savouring presents back at home and would surprise me tomorrow with a Happy Birthday. I just wanted _her_ to say it, and acknowledge that I was now fifteen. I tried repeatedly saying 'It's good being fifteen' around _her_, but _she _didn't get it. My squad unit noticed, but they weren't the people I wanted to say Happy Birthday. _She_ was! And _she _never did. She was such an idiot... Stupider than Tobi, in fact.

"For my fifteenth birthday, I sang Happy Birthday to myself and I realised that there really was no joy in human life. Granny Chiyo had ruined my childhood and impacted my teen years greatly. I hated _her_; I still hate _her_, and I wish her dead every waking minute, because _she _didn't know my birthday. I knew _hers. _It was October 15th; _I know that_."

"Hey, Sasori, my man," Deidara frowned. "Calm down."

Sasori sighed and nodded. "That was the last wait I ever made because after that I defected from Sunagakure and sooner changed my body into one of my finest puppets. I didn't need to wait for time to age and weaken me; I stopped ageing so I wouldn't have to wait for my own death once I reached a certain age.

"That was the day I decided I would never accept being made to wait ever again, and that I wouldn't make someone else wait, either. I changed a lot after that, but I can tell you that was the ending of my line of waiting.

"Those, Deidara, are all the reasons I hate waiting…"


End file.

Naruto, Humor