Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters therein.

.cake on the podium

"Where are you going?"

Kurotsuchi turned halfway. "Nowhere in particular," she responded breezily.

"Liar." Akatsuchi regarded his fellow bodyguard calmly. "We have to leave for Konoha again soon, to finalize treaty details. Normally you wouldn't leave the gates until we were off, much less go off somewhere and risk being late. Never mind that you've never been late in your working life."

The kunoichi shrugged. "What if I feel like taking a walk?"

Akatsuchi chuckled. "Sure. Kuro, shouldn't you know by now evasion won't work with me?" His grin faded. "I know where you're headed."

Her own smile, which had made a brief appearance at the use of her childhood nickname, vanished. "Then why ask?"

The big man ignored her question. "Why do you do this every year? I know you two were close, but this is ridiculous. He was a traitor, to the village and to the ways of the shinobi. You should be ashamed of him, not proud."

Kurotsuchi whirled, eyes blazing. "Don't even say that," she hissed. "I'm not proud of what he did. How could I ever think something like-"

"Then you feel you owe him something," Akatsuchi cut in placidly. "Take my advice: Don't. I won't say he didn't help you, but that's no reason to-"

"That's got nothing to do with it." The fire had quickly gone out of her eyes, leaving her calm and relaxed-seeming as usual. "Now if you'll excuse me."

She started to leave again. Akatsuchi sighed, shook his head, and called after her one more time. He'd meant to say it before, when she'd first heard the news, but she'd kept so calm he hadn't thought she needed condolences. Clearly, she did now.

"I'm sorry about your brother."

Kurotsuchi's steps didn't falter. "Yeah. So am I."

.

She passed the official Earth cemetery for those who had died in action without so much as a glance. He wouldn't be there, of course. Nobody knew that better than she did. He'd betrayed them, after all, and traitors were never buried within village grounds.

Kurotsuchi remembered clearly the day news of his death had reached her. She'd handled it as she handled everything else: by taking it in stride and accepting it. That was the easy part. The difficult part was getting over the demise of someone who had meant so much to her. She hadn't seen or had any contact with him since he ran off to join the Akatsuki, and now she would never have the chance.

She was well aware that even wanting to see him violated at least ten different rules of shinobi conduct, including detachment of emotion (especially with regards to missing nin). But somehow, even after a lifetime spent moving up in the ninja ranks, he was the one wound she could never fully close.

After hearing the news, Kurotsuchi had allowed herself one hour of grieving, no more and no less. She spent that hour starting and finishing a small sculpture she'd once wanted to try as a little girl-a small bird, stone because she was much better at carving than sculpting-and placing it carefully in a spot just outside Earth borders. Technically, it wasn't breaking any official regulations.

That spot was where she approached now. Kneeling down in front of the stone bird, that grave marker for a body that would probably never be found and would only be utterly dismantled if it ever was, she grinned a little bit and spoke words that would damn her to three months of desk duty if her superiors were to catch her saying them:

"Happy birthday, Deidara-nii."

.Owari

A/N: Tanjoubi omedetou, Deidara!!