The fire burns brightly, using the village's mostly wooden huts and buildings to fuel its endless hunger. A blanket of orange shrouds over the rest of the houses, taking over even the ones reinforced with stone.
So the mission went sour. There isn't much for them to lose since it's an A-rank mission with less than half its pay already accepted. In the end, they still got the mission finished, albeit with a little more firepower than expected.
Well, with all of the firepower expected. Tobi didn't imagine this mission without his 'senpai's' special artwork. It seems to Tobi that Deidara can't go anywhere without blowing something up to soothe his ever so prickly temper whenever he's with the masked man.
While Obito dislikes these hasty approaches that lack any sort of calculation whenever someone steps past Deidara's ever shifting lines, he doesn't seem to be able to conjure up the exact criticism when he's acting like Tobi. It's like that dreaded, childish clone has become part of him.
In a sense, it's always been a part of him. Tobi could be some sort of way of letting his childhood seep back out. He's never actually had the chance to experience it fully, given the war and the premature acceptance of death, so it sort of makes sense. Obito doesn't even really know why he's sticking to Tobi's personality so well, so he just uses that as a reasoning.
It has absolutely nothing to do with the way Deidara seems to interact with him way more if he's acting so carefree and childish. It also has no relation toward the way Deidara, whenever he's angry at Sasori, would seek Tobi out to tell him his troubles even if he had been previously "mad" at him because Tobi acts as the only one who cares.
Back when they're not partners because Tobi wasn't officially a member, he'd hang about the base with seemingly no outer motive other than being a pest. He'd bug members and ask them things that seem out of the blue and irrelevant. Then he'll watch Deidara making his clay sculptors and Sasori refining his numerous puppets.
And perhaps it is because of those moments that Obito cannot seem to shake Tobi off of himself anymore, rooted in place in his personality. Obito thinks he's going crazy at this point.
The fire still rages, reflecting the ever burning and dangerous temper within Deidara. The flickers of the various tongues of flame that lick and lap at the ruined village reflect against his partner's face. Deidara's face twisted into some sort of disgusting mix of pride and pleasure, a twisted look of personal amusement. Though Tobi should be recoiling at this aggressive expression, he can't help but feel enticed. He stares at Deidara for a long while, eyes narrowing like he's studying the look in detail.
Someone like Deidara strives in this world. A world of pain and death. It confuses Obito. How can someone be happy in a world like this? He understands at the moment that Deidara holds no bonds with others, but surely he would feel irritated, like dirt you cannot get from under your nails when he witnessed Sasori's death.
Tobi isn't an expert on their relationship dynamic, but they seemed like they were friends. At least the kind of friends that insulted each other for fun. Or not for fun. They always confused him and there are times where they fight to the point where they look ready to tear each other's throats out more often than not and it caused serious concerns for Obito.
Still, he doesn't seem shaken up by Sasori's death at all. Obito has seen a lot of deaths in his time. The wars, the battles... People get upset when their loved ones die and seek revenge from those who killed them. Once they succeed, they only piss off the loved ones of those that they killed and it's just a continuous circle of hate. If no one dies, then everyone will be happy. Everyone will live in peace and no one will have to die meaningless deaths.
But will Deidara be happy when he cannot find pleasure in showing his explosive art to people? Will he be happy if nothing will ever stand by his view of life being fleeting?
Deidara's talking, though. Tobi frowns when he realizes he didn't pay attention at all despite being able to read lips with his Sharingan, and though he could catch the last few words of his sentence, it didn't help him make sense of what he just said.
"Sorry, senpai," Tobi says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wasn't listening."
"Of course you weren't, hmm," Deidara sighs, flicking his head to move his bang out of the way. "I said, now that the village is destroyed, the guy and his village won't be having any more trouble with their trade, yeah."
"Oh," Tobi says, his voice spiking up as if he just figured out the easy, immediate road to world peace. "Yeah! That's right!"
"So, let's get back," Deidara says, sounding slightly irritated. "We'll hand in the mission to the leader, yeah."
And though blowing up this small village didn't take even half of Deidara's strength and power, he still insists on using only one clay bird as transport for them both. He said it'd be less suspicious of anyone who looks up at the sky. No birds around this time would fly in a pair since it's not mating season.
Tobi had once tried to ask why Deidara knows, but he just ended up with numerous clay spiders clinging to his pant legs by the time he finished voicing the question. Even though Deidara is unlikely to actually want to hurt Tobi, he knows now to remain quiet, sensing that there are certain things that are better remain unsaid.
But that doesn't mean that he won't think about them.
Which is what he is doing now. He sits down, crossed-legged, on the back of the rather impressive white bird, wedging his hands in between the junction of his knees. It's a long ride back - he knows because they traveled here much the same way, rather than walking like they do on other missions.
Why that is is beyond Obito, since Tobi never questions Deidara's tactics. Perhaps it is because they both know that this is a simple mission that requires not a lot of chakra and skill, any finesse in battle a simple fancy flourish that serves no other purpose than being cool, so wasting a little bit of chakra on the way and back would not be much of a problem.
It's not like they are short on chakra, anyway. As S-ranked ninjas, they have a pretty impressive amount stored up within them. Enough to rival a platoon or three between the two of them, Obito reckons.
Deidara seems to have sensed that Tobi has already relaxed. Though that is not the case - it is never the case - it is still amusing to see Deidara huff and stop himself from giving the masked-man yet another long and rambling talk about how missing ninjas, as in him now, should be alert at all times.
He says that yet he is the first one to lose his cool when the battle comes. It infuriates Obito but fascinates Tobi.
The trees shiver beneath them as they glide gracefully by. Tobi leans his chin on a gloved hand that rose to support it, watching Deidara through the small hole of his mask, studying once again.
For all his faults, Deidara knew his place. In both the organization and the world. He knows his living purpose and he knows how to achieve it, knows how to keep himself alive and healthy in order to prove it.
And Obito knows he's way too arrogant to just give up for some nobody, that he'd fight the hardest to stay alive in order to make a dent in something, have people keep talking about him - have people keep talking about his artwork and all its glory. Or at least die in a fashion that he knows people will not soon forget.
For some reason, that is becoming more and more beautiful to Obito. No matter how preposterous it seemed at first.
Deidara is still looking like he's about to lecture Tobi again. Obito really doesn't care if he does or does not. He's learned to tune out brats very early on. He rests his head on his hand as his arm supports it from his thigh, watching Deidara. As he opens his mouth to speak, probably deciding to actually scold him for not being alert for enemies, Obito finds his mind wandering again.
Deidara doesn't talk about his past at all. Does he ever think about it? Obito doesn't seem to recognize the expressions of sadness when Deidara is alone. Even when he thinks no one is watching, Deidara does not act on anything that might lead Obito to believe as the emotions of his past.
Quite frankly, Deidara simply continues to refine his artwork when he is alone, even when he has no one to prove himself to at that moment.
Is this what it means to be living in the now?
His actions never seem to show that he's making his mark because he's motivated by a ghost of the past. He doesn't seem like he has anyone to prove wrong, not even Sasori when he was alive and especially not now when Tobi isn't an artistic person.
He isn't doing anything to amend the mistakes of his past. Why is that? Is he not guilty? Is he not sad? Did he have a happy life back in Iwagakure?
Even so, surely he's mad at everyone in the Akatsuki. Not everyone was in on it, but whoever dons the cloak at that time means that they were responsible for his kidnapping to some degree. Well, forced-recruitment.
Other than his constant proclamation of how he hates the Sharingan and essentially all Uchiha who has lived, is living and will live, whenever he's near Itachi, he doesn't really dwell on anything else. No talk of Kisame being there, no anger for Pain despite being the leader of the group to the rest of the members, and certainly no hard feelings on Obito, even though Deidara doesn't know that he's the true leader of the Akatsuki and thus had a hand in ordering his forced-cooperation as well.
He even used that hatred - which, by the way, Obito thinks it's actually jealousy and admiration rather than pure dislike - to further improve himself, rather than wallow in the sadness of lost 'freedom' (the Akatsuki does bring him a more steady income of money and work, as well as a place to hide out and a partner to rely on, so Obito doubts that Deidara is keen on holding onto the belief that the Akatsuki sucks) and continues on like nothing happened. The dent in his life didn't hold him back or change his goals, or view of life.
Obito couldn't help but compare himself with Deidara. He simply allowed one mishap in his life to change its entire course. Kakashi killed Rin even though he promised to keep her safe. It left a sour taste in the back of Obito's mouth when people break promises but did it truly matter?
When Obito controlled the Fourth Mizukage, he learned the truth. He did not even allow the thought to cross his mind when Deidara was at his side when they headed out to capture the Three-Tails.
But now that it has seeped through the walls he tried so desperately to get set up, it will not stop breaking his mind.
Was it justified?
But is it also justified for Deidara to kill innocents just to prove his view on life?
No, but surely people don't always need to know the reason for things that had happened. He watched as Deidara speaks animatedly with his hands, waving them around like he did when he was tossing clay spiders down.
Yes... People don't always need a reason, but how you react to the result says a lot about you.
What does it say about him when he wants to enslave the world just because one little girl died for the sake of her village, just like how any noble ninja would do?
Obito frowns.
His attention is shifted back to Deidara again. If he wants someone who wouldn't hurt him, then he would find someone who wouldn't die so easily. Deidara can take care of himself, but he doesn't strike Obito as someone who would settle down and grow old with someone. If anything, Deidara would die young, preferably as soon as possible, by his own terms and his own hands.
But if there's anything Obito needs to learn by having someone like that as his partner, is that he should be living in the present, rather than dwelling on things that have happened in the past. Since he cannot change the past, he should be grateful for everything that is happening around him right now and experience it in full - because Obito knows how fleeting life is.
And if Deidara dies (heavens know how much Obito does not want that to happen now), Tobi would be sad and even upset. But he should also be happy because he will have died proving what he believed. He will die doing what he loves. If that's not something he should be happy about, then Obito doesn't know what else to do. He will not be able to sit there and wish for Deidara to come back, and then he magically does. He will move on, just like he is doing now, and find something else to look forward to.
Something else that doesn't involve ruining other people's lives just because he himself couldn't handle one death.
At that, Obito couldn't help but crinkle up with a smile. How funny that Deidara is teaching him so many lessons, except for the ones he actually says he teaches. Not the "how the Akatsuki should act" bullshit, but the life philosophy he only once elaborated to Tobi. Through action rather than words, Obito finds that he has come to learn a valuable thing.
Perhaps he should enjoy this while it lasts. Heavens know it might be gone by tomorrow.
"Senpai," Tobi speaks up suddenly, interrupting Deidara's impressive monologue about how enemy ninjas could show up anytime. He doesn't know why he spoke, but Obito only knows that he wants to express his gratitude. For what, he is rather unclear of.
Deidara's jaw audibly snaps shut when he stops talking, glaring at Tobi with those brilliant blue eyes, glistening like sapphires on the sea. "What's so funny, yeah," he grunts.
Obito tilts his head, having forgotten for a moment that he is smiling at all. He thinks for a second, tapping against his mask where his chin would be. Yeah, his mask. "How did senpai know that I am smiling?" Tobi asks, almost challengingly but mostly out of pure curiosity.
It seems like the right question to ask. Deidara looks startled at the realization and then thinks for a few seconds because he does not immediately answer him. He crosses his arms and moves to sit down, just like Tobi is, and stares at him like he has offended all of his senses just by asking that question.
"I spend too much time with you, hm," he simply says, as though he is complaining but Obito does not sense any sort of hatred in the tone of his voice.
Tobi laughs. A real laugh. Not the one he did when he made an effort to try and upset his partner by saying he talks too much. It seems to startle Deidara because even though he's as carefree as he appears to be, Obito never allows himself to laugh in front of him before.
Even Obito is a little bit shocked, but he doesn't stop smiling because he's come to a realization.
As Deidara sits in front of him, watching with a perplexed expression at Tobi's genuine shine, it feels as though a light is shining through the darkness that plagues his heart. It fills him up with a glow as bright as the blonde of Deidara's hair and for the first time in twenty years, Obito feels as though there is nothing weighing him down anymore.
He grins even wider when Deidara looks as though he is blushing, averting his gaze from Tobi's mask and turning to watch the passing landscape instead.
If he cannot change the past by living in constant denial and casting an eternal illusion to keep himself happy, while also at the same time giving up his freedom and power to some legendary ninja who should simply remain dead, then he will live in the present from now on.
Tobi hoists himself up and moves closer to Deidara and is keenly aware of how he does not seem to be moving away. "Senpai," Tobi says again when he's barely an arm's length away.
"What," Deidara responds instead of asks, still refusing to look at Tobi.
"Thank you."
Obito does not twitch a single muscle when Deidara's gaze snaps back at him immediately, eyes wide. Either he is confused about the sudden change of pitch of Tobi's voice, or he's realizing that Tobi is not the person he has come to know.
And perhaps this mystery is one of the reasons why Deidara keeps coming back.
They hold each other's gaze for a while, the bird gracefully gliding across the sky and covering more ground than they ever could even if they did not rest the entire day to walk.
Deidara breaks it, looking down bashfully and begins playing with his fingers.
Maybe leaving things that belong in the past, in the past is not such a bad idea after all when he can just reach out and hold something in his heart now.
Hey guys, Red here!
I completely forgot that I had this story in my notebook. It sat in there for an entire year. Seriously, I wrote half of it back on August 30th, 2016, and I only got around to finishing it yesterday, August 17, 2017. It's a year old without me even noticing, my goodness!
I have a general gist of what I wanted to write since I wrote a little summary for it, but I think I changed the path of it after a year because I got around to discuss the characterization of Obito with three friends. They all agree that it's ridiculous for Obito to still be obsessed with Rin after her death. It's lazy writing and a half-assed attempt was made to cover it up by saying the Uchihas have a curse of hatred placed on them. It doesn't make sense and it's completely outlandish in my opinion. Kishimoto could do better.
But since he didn't, I suppose someone has to clean up his messy writing and character creation. A character like Obito could have been extremely 3D but he completely flattened the guy by making him switch sides right at the end of the war because of some crappy Hokage dream. Even Deidara, whose only goal is literally to show off his art and thus is very passionate about only that one thing, seems more interesting than Obito at that point.
TFW a generic NPC is more interesting than your player character because he has a better relationship with his goals and aspirations than even you with your main quest to save/destroy the world.
Leave a review telling me how much you hate how Obito was used in the series as well,
-redskiez:)