Sometimes, Deidara wished he had just passed away two years ago.
Maybe things would have been different, had his family survived whatever atrocity had ultimately killed each one of them. Different and easier for Deidara, the good pupil who need just exist. Well, quite so these days. There wasn't much more he was expected to do - whether he liked it or not.
The world just wasn't made for him.
From an outsider's perspective, Deidara touted an enviable position in a caste system such as the one the Stone Village operated under so dutifully. He could cast his problems out to the world for whichever hapless bastard reached for them first, but after a gleeful cheer accompanying a mocking gesture they would surely find themselves in a similarly ornate cage. Beautifully crafted, luxurious, and even occasionally fun, a gilded cage would still be little more than a cage in the end.
Even the silken drapes that lined the windows overlooking the city below were a cruel tease. The sun would playfully trickle through the draperies in the early mornings and afternoons; only once pulled back would they confirm indefinitely that the most Deidara could do was gaze upon it. The simple act of basking in sunlight was just too much to ask for.
Admittedly, Deidara knew very little about the reasons for him being permitted to "stay" in the manor of the revered Tsuchikage. Maybe his senility was showing, though it could have been an act of sympathy. He assumed those phrases like "I want what's best for him" and "He will be thankful for this later" were casually tossed around when the notion of this glorified kidnapping came up.
The road to hell was paved with excuses akin to those.
It a just another morning for Deidara, here in this palace. Well, palace would be fair when compared to the pitiful slums that made up the majority of the Stone Village. If placed against any other Kage's manor, however, it would surely look like little more than a giant boulder with windows and a door. That unfortunately wasn't too far from the truth.
Deidara remained in his bed, trying to quietly stir as to not wake the other young children a little bit further down the lofty hall. It was too cold to want to quickly begin his daily activities, at that. The damp air that blew throughout the stone hallways made Deidara's primarily indoor existence utter torture. It didn't help that the Stone Village's climate always carried a twinge of a brisk chill in the wind, either.
Deidara's eyes slowly opened and closed as he turned onto his other side in the bed. He spent most of his time alone, and left to his own devices. That, in turn, lent him ample time to work on his favorite hobby; one of the few things that he wasn't forced to abandon along with his home. It was a small reminder that he was still, in fact, Deidara. His clay sculpting: the one thing that he could use to stand apart from the other thousands of nameless humans in his village was one of the few parts of Deidara that he didn't have to toss aside when he was forced to leave.
"Forced" might have been an exaggeration, however. There wasn't really anything there when it came time to actually leave. It wasn't like he had a real tie to that shack any longer.
There was a tapping noise that echoed throughout the halls, which snapped Deidara out of his woeful musings. One of the children woke up, it seemed. It wouldn't be long until that very child would come barreling into his room, jumping on his bed, demanding his attention be given entirely to them. He would dress them, wash them, and care for them as any parent would. There in which lied the problem: there were no parents to care for these darlings, so the burden fell onto Deidara - the oldest child in the homestead. Regardless of his lack of blood relation to the children, this wasn't some uncommon, uncouth practice. Parents around to raise a child were actually a rarity in his village; even when his family was still alive, his older brother bared most of the responsibility for Deidara's raising.
Needless to say, look at what the hell happened there.
Deidara hastily fixed his hair as the tapping on the door began, trying to look like he hadn't just woken up, as well. Judging by the lighter sound the footsteps made, it was undoubtedly the girl: Kurotsuchi. Her sibling, Akatsuchi, was nowhere near as graceful in his footing. One look at the two could make anybody see the difference.
"Come in," Deidara said as he groggily slid out of his bed.
The door flung open to reveal the sight of his small girl; a pixie in size with a haircut to match. Her dark eyes looked up at Deidara with a twinkle in them, as if in admiration. His little one clung to him, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as she made indistinguishable noises of delight. He couldn't blame her - her real father wasn't around very often these days, and her mother wasn't really "there" anymore either. It was only natural that she would cling to the first parent she was given.
"Big brother! Lazy, indulgent big bro! You were asleep this whole time!" Kurotsuchi half-scolded. She couldn't truly exert any real authority over Deidara, but she could mask her well-warranted criticisms with a playful banter. Deidara had no choice but to play along, even when she went out of line; he still wasn't a genuine heir to the line of Kage in the village. His residency here was a mere courtesy, not a right. One retaliation could place him in the same grave his parents and brother laid in to fester.
"I was not, hmph!" Deidara protested, but Kurotsuchi had already moved past the nonexistent argument.
The smaller child opened a dresser drawer and pulled out a silken, blue robe. She handed it to Deidara. "You can't walk around in just pajamas, big brother. Cover up, or you'll get yelled at by grandpa again!"
Deidara hastily put the robe over his equally-blue pajamas. Having so many beautiful clothes specifically made for different occasions was a foreign concept to him, which made him wonder why the Tsuchikage was alright with such lavish excess while his people lived in squalor. It was best that his mouth remained shut, though. No need to poke the ever-generous, yet hypocritical bear. That complaint was, frankly, minor. Especially when held against the many other oddities Deidara had bore witness to in these past few months.
"Isn't your uncle coming to visit soon, hm?" Deidara asked with a yawn. He tied his hair into a loose braid behind him; Kurotsuchi's grandfather - The Tsuchikage - had reprimanded him over his unmanly blond locks before, as well as his strong aversion to the attire of a well-off man. He simply never thought of those things until it became obvious that it wasn't actually normal to walk about as a ragamuffin, especially in the custody of one so high in society. Being sheltered in a valley hidden by mountains, far north of the Stone Village, had skewed his perception of normalcy a great deal it seemed.
Just then, a softened thud echoed throughout the halls outside. It seemed that Akatsuchi was awake now, too. Before too much time had passed, the incredibly tall child was standing in the doorway before Deidara and Kurotsuchi. He was taller than Deidara despite being a year younger, and wider than both the other two children put together; if it wasn't for their father, Kitsuchi, being of a similar build Deidara would have never guessed that these two were full-blooded, biological siblings.
"Big brother! Good morning!" Kurotsuchi gave her customary formal bow, hands folded at her waist. Deidara, being so common, never received such a formality from a princess. He could tell that she tensed up a bit when she had to go through the motions of her birthright; she didn't look like she cared much for her station at all when it came right down to it. He bowed too, hands firmly at his sides. It wasn't worth it to dispute the systems in place within the palace that birthed them.
"Morning to you both. I figured you'd be in here with your new mommy, you two seem to have gotten off to a great start. That's definitely going to make uncle Han and Roshi really happy!" Akatsuchi said with a smile. Deidara's face grew red; he abhorred the various titles some of the residents of this manor had given him, but "Mommy" had to be the most rage-inducing. Whoever was the original source of that title, which was one of the first things he'd been called here, would meet a grim end if Deidara ever found the true culprit.
"I pref-" Deidara was cut off by Kurotsuchi before he could say anything on his own.
"He likes being called Big Brother, Aka-Chan! Mommy is a stupid name!" Kurotsuchi stuck her tongue out after her tiny decree. It made sense that she didn't like that name very much, since her actual mother hadn't lived up to her title at all. That was what little information Deidara was told, at least.
"Alright, alright. Just keep calm, Kuro-Chan. We have a guest this evening, remember?" Akatsuchi said, giving a nod to Deidara. Not sure what he meant by that, and not willing to ask, the oldest child cleared his throat.
"Ahem, why don't we just go and have breakfast together, hm?" Deidara said, attempting to diffuse the situation before it got awkward. The silence that already dominated the manor and the village surrounding it was too overbearing as it was. The three hurriedly left Deidara's sleeping chamber and made their way to the great hall, silently agreeing to keep the conversations light for the morning.
When the three children finally were seated at the dining table they tried to eat quickly and silently, as not to alert anyone that they were up and about. Despite the sibling's fondness of Deidara, he wasn't exactly "permitted" to eat with the noble family. He could stand off to the side and watch, or eat in the butler's pantry, but to eat at the same table as the royal-equivalent in the Stone Village without explicit permission was regarded as a cause for dismissal for a regular servant. Deidara, despite being given a room and all the luxuries the other children enjoyed, was seen as little more than a live-in nanny in the eyes of most adults in the homestead. If he were to be dismissed, he would face homelessness, and a bitter cold winter that he would more-than-likely not survive. He would be face-down on the pavement of this city within a month's time, if he was one of the lucky ones.
"So, little brother, you said we have a guest this evening, hm? Has your uncle finally arrived in town?" Deidara said as he picked at his bowl of oats and fruit. Akatsuchi looked up from his gruel, darting his eyes around the room to check for signs of any eavesdroppers before he gave his answer.
"Our uncle Han is visiting tonight. I wasn't supposed to talk to you about it, but no one will actually tell me why. It's kinda mean if you ask me, you're practically family now," Akatsuchi said, his voice as quiet as possible. Kurotsuchi continued eating her own breakfast, thinking nothing of the situation. Every bit as confused by the aversion the adults had to telling Deidara that the guest they were expecting was just her father's older brother, she didn't feel the need to interject.
"Sounds pretty dubious, doesn't it, hm?" Deidara said softly, his breakfast slowly becoming forgotten.
"I don't get this secretive attitude people have right now either. So what if he has a horse nobody likes? The horse I was given was a huge problem too, and you don't see the town chasing me out at any chance it gets. We just put it down like a normal society," Kurotsuchi said, an indifferent tone in her words. Though rather shocking for a person from a neighboring land, a little girl talking so crassly about a subject like death was per the norm in this hardened country.
Akatsuchi's face twisted for a brief moment, "Kuro-Chan, that's not really the same..."
"I'm just saying! Nothing about our uncles makes any sense! Uncle Roshi and Uncle Han should be able to stay here, shouldn't they? It's so weird," Kurotsuchi said, trying to contain her voice.
"Yeah, I agree with you that it's not right. I just don't think you have the full story quite yet," Akatsuchi said.
"Fine, fine. Besides, we should focus more on our lessons for today. Right, Aka-Chan?" Kurotsuchi said with a smile. That smile meant one thing was on her mind - training.
Training was every day except for Saturday, which was the general day for leisure in the Stone Village. It was a favorite activity for Kurotsuchi, and she showed strong promise to become the heiress to the Tsuchikage position. That in-and-of-itself was a good thing, as Onoki was getting up there in age and would need to have one of his grandchildren take the position eventually. Kurotsuchi was the perfect choice, even able to surpass any bias that may have been held against her for her gender. She truly was a war princess, one never quite comfortable with a time of peace. That was all the DNA testing you needed to prove that she was Onoki's granddaughter, a born aggressor himself.
"Will I be watching as usual, hm?" Deidara asked. He normally was not trained along the two, but he was more than welcome to be on the sidelines in case one of the other children needed a quick encouraging pick-me-up from their "nanny".
The two siblings gave a weary smile, knowing full-well of Deidara's nonexistent aptitude for any form of justu. Even Taijutsu proved to be too much in its most basic form for Deidara to grasp, and he could barely handle a kunai knife without cutting his own hand. Such was the fate of one who lived in the mountains far north most of their life; the need for such things wasn't there, so naturally, neither was the skill.
"You don't have to, per se, though it's always nice to have you around. I like the audience~" Kurotsuchi said with a giggle.
"Mind if I take a bit of a stroll along the creek when we get there? The Autumn is almost over, it'll be nothing but snow soon. Is that alright with you, hm?" Deidara asked as he got up and gathered the dishes to wash from the trio's breakfast.
"Well, it's all good with us, but it isn't really us that you should be asking," Kurotsuchi pointed to the crest that hung over the table, one that bore the Kanji for Earth. It was the mark of the true highest authority in this land - the Tsuchikage. As Deidara glanced upward to the dark umber crest, he was reminded that he had a duty to the Tsuchikage each morning, as well.
As Deidara ran the dishes under water in the scullery, he turned back into the dining hall briefly to pardon himself from the group. "You two go on without me for a little, I have to do the usual routine with Onoki-Sama," Deidara said, bowing as he quietly exited the room.
He was still rather unwelcome; he needed to tread lightly when he wasn't being escorted by another. Thankfully the pathway to Onoki's sleeping chamber wasn't very hard to get to; it almost spoke of how proud he truly was, to have his room be the most easily found in the homestead. It invited challengers.
As Deidara walked up to the door which contained the most combat-weathered Kage alive, a man as old as most trees in his garden, he stopped abruptly before he knocked on his door. He could hear voices talking inside, of which he could only make out the old Tsuchikage's. No one else who spoke had even an ounce of familiarity in their voice to Deidara. In fact, they sounded like they were from another country. Visitors were not a concept in the hostile earth country, so it was probably best to book it for an easily-dispatched commoner such as Deidara before he got caught.
It was probably for the best that he didn't hear a word of whatever was being discussed in that room. It would have been. Before he could make a swift turn back to where his children would still be, he managed to hear but one thing said in that chamber.
"This better be worth my time. Yer group have been nothin' but impressive so far, but this might be where I cross the line."
It was Onoki. What the context was, who he was talking to, all of it Deidara tried to walk away from. It worked, to an extent. He made his way down the stairs to the main floor before he heard anything truly incriminating. His words were like a breeze, silent and meaningless. There would be no conceivable way to get anyone to believe Deidara over the Tsuchikage, so it was best that he continue to ignore it.
Before Deidara made it to the dining hall, he noticed a couple dark figures by the front door. They were still, almost artificial-seeming people. Maybe they were a new type of guard that was being implemented? Deidara tried to reassure himself that he wasn't in on a conspiracy; Onoki was a noble old man, not some paranoid schemer. He couldn't simply jump to the worst possible scenario without combing through the alternatives; that wouldn't be respectful to the man who saved him from starvation.
He opened the door to the hall at last, and his troubles seemingly melted away when he saw two people who had his best interest at heart. One day, hopefully not long from now, Kurotsuchi would be the Tsuchikage and he would have a world that was more accepting of one not born in fortune. Deidara smiled, even though the two siblings looked puzzled to see him back so soon. Usually he would be in the Tsuchikage's chambers helping him for at least half-an-hour.
"You're back already? Is grandpa alright?" Akatsuchi asked, a worried tone in his voice.
Deidara played it cool, and shrugged. "Yeah, he's fine, hm. He was busy when I knocked, so I just figured I'd go back to you two for now, hm."
"You're sure gramps is okay?" Kurotsuchi asked, a bit more forceful than her brother.
"Yes, yes. He's fine, don't worry so much, hm. If you'd like to check on him yourself, go right ahead," Deidara said, trying to keep his alibi as honest as possible. He didn't want to weave a spiderweb of lies, as his brother used to tell him.
The two seemed content with his story, and left it at that. Before long, a couple of older servant women came into the dining hall to gather the children for their training. Deidara had been standing off to the side in case something like that did happen, which was usually the right thing to do. It did mean he'd miss out some meals occasionally, however. The servants shot Deidara some kind of dirty look; it seemed they weren't quite used to having half of their job usurped just yet. Nevertheless, Deidara briefly retired to his own room to get in a proper outfit for the morning activities; it wasn't worth it to dwell on other's opinions right now.
Deidara took it upon himself to make sure that the siblings were dressed appropriately for the chilly morning, but not before he bundled himself up in a coat and scarf to keep warm. Gloves were spared, however. They got in the way of his sculpting, which was his precise plan for spending time away from the others. Once he safely secured a good-sized mound of molding clay in his coat pocket, he checked in on Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi. Deidara fussed with their attire a little, as usual. When he felt that they were appropriately dressed for training and would not be hindered, he allowed the two servants to escort them to the training grounds.
His coveted free time drawing near at last, Deidara quietly followed the servants and children to the fields that outlined the city to the west. The walk was long, but boring. Nothing really got in the way of the children, save for the occasional person that shoved past them. The grass had turned brown, and the red leaves on the surrounding trees were beginning to fall off and blow in the wind around them. The sky way gray and overcast; the air so cold that it stung Deidara's eyes. The creek was beyond a small thicket of trees, of which most still had a good amount of leaves on the branches. It was perfect for hiding, and some peaceful meditation.
Kitsuchi was waiting there when the children arrived at the designated training ground. Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi gave a bow out of formality to their father, while Deidara lowered himself on his knees to bow properly to one so far above him. Kitsuchi gestured for his children to come to him, and Deidara drifted off to the side of the manicured grass. It wouldn't be long before he was completely forgotten, and - if history had proven anything - he would not be missed for a couple of hours. They knew that he knew he had nowhere else to go but back to the manor when the sun set.
The exchange of sparring blows commenced shortly after, allowing Deidara to silently excuse himself from the grounds. Kitsuchi was a far more agreeable man than Onoki; he never questioned Deidara's desires for some minor freedoms. He was thankful Onoki was consumed by the meeting he had accidentally overheard, or he would have spent at least ten minutes laying out an exact time frame for his walk in the woods.
The cool morning air and dew that coated the grass under his sandals provided Deidara with a sense of comfort; it was just like this back in the valley where he grew up. Even the vibrant trees, the sounds of an owl in the distance, and the bugs that would harmonize periodically made him feel at ease. It helped him work on his clay sculpting because it reminded him of a time that he thought things lasted forever.
How foolish a boy he was, to think that he lived in a just kingdom where no one could die.
He knew better now. Deidara hadn't really finished any sculpture he started since he arrived here, and he didn't plan on it. Nothing could be stuck with; he couldn't see anything through to the end. Every thing he created would be crumpled up, and rebuilt in a never-ending cycle of madness. This would be no different; as he sat under a tree to work, he knew this little clay bird in his hands would be nothing more than an indistinguishable mess when he decided to head back.
Nevertheless, he was extremely focused on his work. A rustling bush had come to mean a woodland creature was nearby to Deidara, so he ignored it as usual when it happened this time. Almost completely unfazed by the world around him, it came as quite a shock when out from the corner of his eye a flash of stark red fleetingly rushed before him.
Deidara let out an audible gasp; what was that? Who was that? Should he run, but to whom? He couldn't endanger the noble family, assuming there was an enemy. Frozen, Deidara couldn't quite make a decision. He figured it was better to reveal no information, as it had been a couple minutes since the sighting and whatever that was hadn't returned yet. He was just a common boy, relaxing in the woods while he sculpted a little clay bird. There was no need to make himself known as anything other than what he was.
It wasn't long until Deidara's concerns became reality, though. As he clung to the trunk of the maple tree in apprehension, an unknown figure appeared before the boy. He wasn't a very standout individual, aside from his hair being a cartoonish red color. Everything about him said "harmless", from the neutral shades of his peasant clothes to his calm - yet inexplicably mocking - gaze. His chocolate brown eyes darted over to Deidara, though he didn't move very much at all. It was obvious that this boy didn't want a fight, at least not with him.
"Hello there, what brings you to these parts, hm?" Deidara said, rising to his feet to greet the young man.
The redheaded boy looked at Deidara as if he had just preformed some foreign act, almost puzzled by the blatant hospitality. His expression went unchanged, though Deidara could tell that the cogs in his head were turning on how to give a proper response.
"That probably doesn't matter. I would suggest going somewhere else, if that's not too much trouble," the boy said, directly looking into Deidara's eyes.
"Why? Is something going to happen, hm?" Deidara asked.
"You probably do not want any knowledge I can give. I'd just take the suggestion, but don't take it as an insult. I'm just not in the mood to risk any lives today," he said, heaving his shoulders.
Deidara mulled over what to say next, but ultimately decided to give the usual formal bow and take his leave without another word. Impersonal, but effective in his country when you needed to leave quickly without making things awkward. It was probably for the best, he thought. He wasn't particularly in the mood to gamble his life this morning, either.
Deidara had barely made it out of the forest clearing before Kurotsuchi had spotted him; she darted over to her fake parent and embraced him in a hug. The force of the tackle was enough to make Deidara stumble, but he collected himself in time to return the gesture. He was rather upbeat now, as it wasn't every day that he met a stranger in such a manner. It was like he had a little secret he could keep all to himself.
"Big brother! Uncle Han is here! He's ri-ight over there, the one with all the armor on! Can you see him? I was just about to come get you so you can meet him!" Kurotsuchi said, pointing over to a rather tall man in a very noticeably red armor that covered his entire body. Almost all of his body was covered, save for his eyes.
He took notice of the two children, though he didn't wave back when Kurotsuchi did so. Deidara felt uneasy a the sight of him, but if he really was his surrogate daughter's Uncle then he most likely didn't have much to worry about. The duo made their way over to where the others were, which had a somewhat larger group than before. Onoki was there, as were several servants from the manor along with Kurotsuchi's sullen-looking biological mother in the background. It was a rather large group of important figures - all for Han. Why did Deidara even need to be there? Wasn't this something that shouldn't concern him?
"There ya are, sonny. We've been wonderin' where ya got off to," Onoki said. Deidara sunk to his knees to greet his most superior, his head lowered.
"My apologies, I didn't know I would be needed so soon," Deidara said, giving all he had to hold back his speech impediment. He knew it wasn't a favorite of most people in the noble family.
Onoki turned to Han without another word to Deidara, "Well, what do ya think?"
Han remained silent, and Deidara kept his head down out of habit around his elders. Within the minute, Han walked away from the group and back toward the village. Sure that there would be tension, Deidara felt himself shrink when he took notice that everyone in the party was focused on him. He wanted to shrivel into a corner in that moment; only when he created a piece worth showing off did he want such intense attention on him. This was becoming too much, but he was determined to keep his composure.
Deidara took notice that Onoki was looking directly down at him, with a rather happy grin on his face. Confused, Deidara looked at him with pleading eyes for an answer for what was happening.
"Relax, Deidara. Yer problems are over now," Onoki said; rather kindly, Deidara noted. He was positive now that something was amiss.
Kitsuchi approached Deidara and lifted him from his kneel, his arm wrapped tightly around Deidara's shoulder. Deidara could barely move in such a lock, let alone run. Whatever was going to happen was not favorable to him, so he braced himself for the inevitable end.
"I'll bring you back to town. We have to get you ready for tonight," Kitsuchi said as he began to walk away with Deidara firmly in his hold.
Deidara looked up at him, his concern ever-growing. "What's going to happen tonight, hm?" he asked.
"My brother must have liked the look of you, which is good news for you. You'd know if he didn't," Kitsuchi said as he continued walking at a steady pace.
"Why? I don't really understand what's happening, hm," Deidara said, his breathing labored from the brisk pace Kitsuchi kept him at.
"You'd have been killed right there if he didn't like what he saw, though I don't think the alternative is much better myself. I'm still glad at least someone will be there to do what needed to be done eventually, might as well be you."
Deidara was now completely shaken. He hadn't the faintest idea what "needed to be done", but he was terrified to find out. As they approached the imposing manor, Kitsuchi handed Deidara off to three female servants who grabbed ahold of him hastily before Deidara could react. He didn't bother to struggle; he had spent three months with people he assumed were trustworthy, and he didn't want to lose that to something he didn't know the full story of yet.
"I wish you the best of luck, Deidara," Kitsuchi said before the manor door shut with an echoing thud, sounding almost final.
Deidara was led by the three women to a parlor not too far from the entrance. It was adorned with fragrances, makeup, and several gowns and kimono to adorn the most noble of women in the Stone Village on only the most ceremonious of occasions. As Deidara glanced up to the white satin fabric and rabbit furs that were hung just above the vanity, he knew what was going to be taking place tonight. There was no other way to explain it, and no way he could deny the truth any longer.
Without any way to fight back, Deidara obediently sat down on the vanity bench and allowed the women to begin on what was needed to prepare him for his wedding.
-and-and-and-and-and-
a/n: This was just a small fun project I played around with for a little while. I do appreciate any advice on how characters or places should be. Unfortunately, the Stone Village in the canon has some of the worst world building I've ever seen. So I've had to play connect the dots to tie most things into the canon, and mad libs with the rest. I'll probably continue this at a leisurely pace.
