Happy Fourth of July to Everyone!
"Come on, we're going to be late, un!" A certain, clay wielding blonde whined, dragging his red and black haired friends along, followed by another black haired boy with a swirly mask, who was dragging a blue haired shark man and a silver haired man.
Just who are we talking about? Why, Akatsuki of course!
"Deidara. We aren't going to be late. It doesn't start for another ten minutes." The red head, Sasori, shook his wrist from Deidara's grip. Deidara looked back at him, a look of hurt in his eyes.
"What's this?" A voice came. Standing at the end of the hall were three more figures, one cloaked in shadows, another seven or eight feet tall, and the last with a plant around his black and white head. The tall one was the one who spoke.
"Come along." The shadowed man spoke, his voice melodic. They followed without argument, for this was "Leader" as he liked to be called. He led the way onto a stone balcony, overlooking Konohagakure no Sato. This was another secret base of Akatsuki's. But it was only for summer use, like for moments like this.
The Akatsuki spread themselves out. Hidan, the silver haired man, Tobi, the swirly masked kid, and Deidara sat on the edge of the balcony for the best view. The Leader stayed in the shadows, Itachi, the other black haired man nearby, his sharky partner Kisame next to him. The tallest member, Kakuzu, settled with standing with Zetsu and Sasori, who were currently talking about poisons and poisonous plants.
"I love watching them. They're so pretty!" Tobi exclaimed in a polite way.
"Me too. Konoha has the best! Why, back in Rain, we couldn't even have them, it was always raining!" Hidan laughed.
"I wonder why, un." Deidara retorted. "They didn't have them in Iwa, for it was too windy, yeah."
"Konoha has always had them." Tobi replied, once again politely. "I used to watch them from the roof of the Uchiha compound."
"So, Hemlock is more powerful or less powerful than Nightshade?" Sasori asked.
"Less powerful. Deadly Nightshade is the most powerful of the nightshades. I don't see how anyone can't see that." Zetsu shrugged. "Because they're all bakas that don't know water from alcohol."
"Well, most don't anyways. They're all a pain in the ass." Kakuzu growled.
"So, Itachi-san. Did you used to watch them?" Kisame asked his silent partner.
"Hn." Itachi replied.
"And were they exciting?"
"Hn."
"Did you like them?"
"Hn."
"Are you going to say anything other than 'Hn'?"
"No."
"Oh my fish! You guys, Itachi has a sense of humor!" Kisame cried.
"Shut up, Kisame." The Leader growled. Deidara, Tobi, and Hidan laughed at Kisame's comment and at him as he cringed from the Leader.
"Look! They're starting!" Tobi exclaimed.
"Ta-maya, un!" everyone shouted. Only Deidara shouted the 'un' though.
The sky lit up with bright colors. Golds, blues, greens, reds, oranges, yellows, purples… Every color possible to put in fireworks. Even cold Itachi looked to the skies, a grin secretly on his face as he remembered watching them with Sasuke as a kid. He used to watch them with his cousin, when he was only a toddler as well, but his cousin had been killed in the war.
Leader looked to the skies. He remembered watching them when he had sat in the Hokage Building, neglecting the paperwork. He had been dreaming of watching them with his son until 'it' happened. Now he had to watch it with his son indirectly. Looking at the city, he could have sworn he saw a head of blonde, shouting the welcoming phrase for the fireworks.
Deidara looked to the skies. He remembered when he had come to Konoha as a Genin, he had watched the fireworks with his long dead team. He was still an Iwa ninja back then. Though he wouldn't admit on the pain of death, he kind of missed his old life, being with his family, which was also long dead.
Hidan looked to the skies. He hadn't seen fireworks until he had joined Akatsuki. They had amazed him when he first saw them. In fact, he thought they were some sort of jutsu at first. But instead, it was just a mix of some sort of minerals that exploded when fire was added.
Kakuzu looked to the skies. Back in Taki, he had never liked watching the fireworks. It was a waste of time and a pain in the ass. But now, sitting with his comrades, he knew it would be something that flashed through his head when he was eventually killed, or when he would die.
Sasori looked to the skies. Fireworks weren't something he had watched in Suna. It was too hot to go out and watch them, when there wasn't a sand storm anyways. But he would glimpse them from the safety of his room, as he worked on his numerous puppets-Crow, Black Ant… ah the memories.
Zetsu looked to the skies. Back in Grass, it was too dangerous to set off fireworks, for the grass would be up in blaze at the touch of flame. He still felt uncomfortable watching them, but as long as he was with comrades, that didn't matter.
Kisame looked to the skies. Kiri had fireworks, when it wasn't too humid out. He remembered how Raiga had once tried to set some off with his lightning blades. What an idiot he had been. The fireworks had blown up in his face. Kisame was surprised the idiot still had a face. Watching these fireworks would bring back that memory, leaving him struggling not to laugh.
Tobi looked to the skies. Memories of his Genin team that he could never return to would pop up. Of course, he'd be arguing with the silver haired one, or admiring the one with the purple stripes on her cheeks, but it was fond memories. His sensei would be drinking some sake, the only time his golden haired blue eyed sensei would drink sake. He would chew on a stick of incense, or a senbon needle. He then thought about his time with the Akatsuki members. He realized that they were like a family, with brothers that always seemed to argue, but they wouldn't hurt each other on purpose. Tobi grinned behind his mask.
Akatsuki looked to the skies, and knew they were a family, like Tobi had thought. And nothing would change that.
Akatsuki is, in a way, kind of a family. A very disfunctional family. This is a little fic for the Fourth of July! Review! My muses would say that, but they're all asleep, except Tobi here.
Tobi: Hello! Review!
Deidara: Hmm? Go back to sleep, Tobi, un. (goes back to sleep)
I started this at 12 am, and finished and posted it at 1 am!
Tobi: Happy Fourth of July again!