Washed Oranges
"Claiming Free Will."
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*Warning: Graphic scenes lay ahead.
Civilian lords were known to be old and greedy, inheriting their title much later in life, once upon their father's death. Royal faces were wrinkled and eyes beady. Every last one of them had a mouth sealed in a neverending frown, their thoughts on war, profit, and possession. Tobi had come across many lords within his lifetime, and each carried a face more hideous than his own. Yet this one, this Lord Uesugi, possessed a face so aesthetically pleasing, Tobi wanted to rid the world of it. It was impossible an artist like Deidara had not noticed the sculpted features.
He risked a glance at the golden haired boy and instantly regretted it. Deidara looked enraptured. A soft hiss escaped between Tobi's lips.
Lord Uesugi grinned, teeth like pearls and cheeks dimpled, "Ah, Kouen, my Lady! What a fair creature you are!"
"Uesugi-sama," Deidara bowed low. Tobi could sense the frustration radiating off of the artist. It was embarrassing, having to kneel for some weakling, "I am honoured. Please, Satomi is just fine."
The artist's face was flushed. Under a sea of vanity, Uesugi would have taken it for attraction, but Tobi could see it for what it really was. A deep anger initiated by one of Deidara's greatest fears, the notion of something taming his chaos. The bomber depended on attention, and being in control. Deidara rose from his bow, eye intense.
Even Uesugi could not look away. He purred, "Satomi. If you would pardon my lack of manners, but what happened to your eye?"
Deidara's lip drew down into a sneer, which he quickly used to feign sadness, "A suitor did not appreciate my declination, hm- Him. He. Oh, I'm so sorry, it brings back terrible memories. The pain was excruciating."
"I hope you have dealt with the suitor," the lord commented, "Should I have been there, he surely would have received the appropriate punishment for hurting an unarmed Lady."
"He has been dealt with," Deidara tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Tobi thought it worked out for the best, given their topic of conversation.
"I was very worried about our deal. It was so out of the blue, so of course I had my suspicions. Thankfully for the both of us, there was no ambush."
Deidara gasped, "Ambush?"
"Yes, yes. There have been several occasions where guests have entered my castle with dozens of shinobi hiding behind them. I do not take kindly to those who betray my trust; hence why I have had my guards scout the area. Not to fear. They will be returning to the castle shortly, so you can be better guarded."
This was excellent news. It only meant they would have to act soon and escape before the guards returned for their rounds. Tobi couldn't sense any deceit from Uesugi. He made a weak Lord. Trickery was a way to survive. Honour was useless. It was probably best if they waited until Uesugi sat down. If Deidara stabbed the man at close-range, Tobi could kill the two servants and rid of all witnesses.
Deidara's feminine voice echoed in the barren room, "I feel very safe here, Lord Uesugi."
"I've noticed you did not say it was because of me, as any other woman would, in a foolish attempt to gain my affections," Lord Uesugi smiled, "Something has been on my mind for some time now. How close are you to your guard?"
Tobi felt Deidara's stare at the side of his head, "Yuudai and I have overcome great pains together."
Not lying, yet evading the truth. Well done, Deidara. Tobi nodded his head to agree with Satomi, crossing his arms.
Lord Uesugi inspected Yuudai, "I wish to test your strength. If you fight well, I will reward with a position in my army."
Such arrogance, as though his military was anything impressive. Lord Uesugi was smirking. Tobi suspected envy was laced in the smile. While Uesugi was beautiful, with long brown hair and green eyes, he was the same as every other lord. He was greedy, possessive, and expected to have things handed to him on a silver platter. Uesugi lived the luxurious life. Joining his army would, in theory, place Tobi under Uesugi's command. He would be treated as a slave, with little entitlement of his own opinion. The life of a mistress could only be worse. Gifted with riches and physical pleasure, only to be stripped of one's power and rights as a person. Nothing in the world could tame Deidara, not even death. Taming Tobi was something else entirely.
Tobi asked, "If you are not satisfied with my capabilities?"
"Hm," the man in plum feigned thinking, "I suppose we will have no use for you here. Whichever route you follow, you should not expect to see Lady Satomi for much longer. I want her. She is mine now."
Satomi may be his, but Deidara belonged to nobody. The person under the makeup and pink silk was a man of freedom. Gloved fingers clenched tightly over thick biceps.
"...I see," Tobi replied, voice dark.
The soldiers could wait. The mission could wait. Uesugi was going to rot.
"Lady Satomi, will you accept my invitation to attend our spar? You will be out of harm's way."
Deidara cast a glance to Tobi, his thoughts blatantly apparent. Tobi could imagine the terrorist visualizing all of the cruel and vicious ways Tobi would get stabbed. Deidara didn't know Tobi could wield a weapon without accidently getting his blade stuck in a tree. Surely, to him, Tobi didn't stand a chance against a soldier who's only weapon of choice had been a sword.
His partner had been silent for too long. Tobi knew what his response would be before it was confirmed.
"I would like to accompany you, my Lord," Deidara finally whispered. Perhaps Uesugi believed the woman looked eager, but Tobi could see the words never reached those blue eyes.
Deidara was being treated as an object being bought. Merchandise never said no to their owners. Therefore, he was expected to say yes. The system was terrible. It was cruel. Everything was so evil. It had to be fixed.
That was why he was here. Cleansing the world of wicked sickness was his responsibility.
Tobi would have to drop the act to kill Uesugi, because the swirly, orange mask did not know how to kill. He resisted the urge to sigh. It would take some focus to find a balance between idiot and bodyguard.
They stepped out into the halls. Tobi kept close to Deidara. He had to warn him about the extra set of mouths on his hands. As though the things had minds of their own, they had completely broken through the stitching of Pein's seal. It was curious. The mouths must have completely merged with his explosive-release kekkei genkai. No matter. The little tongues could reveal their disguises and jeopardize them.
Lord Uesugi took the initiative to walk ahead, so the Uchiha grabbed the mercenary's hand and slipped his thumb through the opening.
Deidara visibly tensed. He gently tugged on his hand, but Tobi didn't let go. There wasn't much else Deidara could do without causing a commotion. People occupied the halls, and even something as minor as hand-holding had caught their attention.
It felt strange in there. The cavern was hot and wet, ideal conditions for molding clay. Tobi dragged his thumb over the tongue, grateful Deidara kept his real mouth quiet. The texture was rough, but not ridged like the regular muscle. It likely lacked taste-buds.
Upon inspection, Deidara was glaring heatedly at him, face flushed. Tobi locked in the sight, wondering if these mouths held sensitive nerves, or if the boy was purely angry. Tobi gestured to the lord with a flick of his head. It took a few moments, but Deidara realized there would be trouble if Uesugi caught sight of his palms. Tobi knew the very instant his partner came to the realization, because the man nearly tripped over his girlish robes.
Walking side by side so closely was doing things to him. Tobi resisted his need to wrap an arm around the lean waist. It was horrid - he caught a whiff of his perfume, the tantalizing scent of oranges radiating in tandem with the artist's natural scent. To the Uchiha, Deidara had always been exotic - wild, free, and dangerous. Tobi would slice some of the citrus when they completed their assignment, if only so he could see Deidara swallow their burning juices. The last time had been tantalizing, complete torture. Tobi could close his eyes and still feel a different mouth nibbling his thumb, lips stained with peaches. He would never forget the feeling, the sight. Never.
Tobi could feel the heavy muscle of Deidara's tongue attempting to mold his gloved finger. Obviously, it was struggling. It never ceased to amaze Tobi how Deidara could sculpt with his mouth. People spent hours creating one piece with their bare hands. Heat pooled low in his stomach in an instant. He'd do anything to have him. Sometimes Deidara's presence was all it took for him to get all hot and bothered. Moments like these had him boiled over. This lust would drive him mad, this... love would-would...
Tobi wasn't inside Deidara for long, though a century could have passed and he wouldn't know. He pulled his fingers out of the mouth, only moments before Uesugi halted and turned his head, "You will use the katana at your hip, I take it?"
Tobi confirmed, "Yes."
A servant slid open the shoji screen. They entered a very large room, bare, save for the weapons hanging on the walls. Deidara sat near the exit. It was a good placement. If something went wrong, he could quickly slip out.
Uesugi told the servant, "See to it that we are not disturbed."
"Yes, my Lord," she bowed low and disappeared behind a shutting screen.
They went through sparring pleasantries before both men had their swords unsheathed. The best way to approach this was to play defensive, act hesitant, and ensure Yuudai resembled the Tobi who always dodged bombs. This way, Deidara would not get suspicious.
Would killing Uesugi here be a good idea? No. There was no where to dispose the body.
Tobi lifted up his sword and met the lords eyes. The man was poised well. Clearly, he had been trained proper form. Tobi wasn't. Yudaai was.
In the end, Tobi chose to be Yuudai. He could impress Deidara and gain some respect from him as an Akatsuki member, kill the greedy Lord to satisfy himself, and free the soldiers working here.
What was Pein planning, with Uesugi's death? These people had little to do with shinobi. He would investigate at a later time. And should Deidara feel tempted to spread tales about Tobi having skill, no one would believe him. How could foolish Tobi ever land a hit on anyone? It was a blessing most of the members knew him for several years now. They were so accustomed to his idiocy, they no longer questioned him and dropped their guards.
Lord Uesugi shifted his footing before striking a glance towards Deidara.
Tobi changed his mind. Killing him here would be a great idea.
Not a single servant would suspect anything if they heard the sounds of blades clashing. They could spend hours in here before someone came in to check on them.
They were physically unable to use chakra, so where to dispose the body?
...Under the floor.
Tobi broke one of his rules and attacked first. Uesugi must not have expected this, scarcely prepared for the sharpened blade rapidly closing in on his neck. The katana was blocked - in the nick of time - otherwise Uesugi's head would be rolling on hard wood. Tobi did not waste a moment; he released a series of strikes, a slash, slash, jab, slash, jab, and each were thwarted. The clang of metal rung in his ears.
When was the last time he fought with a sword? He could not remember. Chains were his specialty and preferred choice of weapon. Their fight would have been a lot more interesting with his old tools back.
Lord Uesugi was agile, but even without the use of his Sharingan, the lord was predictable. Tobi let himself be pulled into defensive, if only to prolongate the fight. Let him have a taste of victory. It would end soon enough.
Just before the lord's katana swung through the air, Tobi twirled out of the way, only to see it land where his neck had been. He struck back against Uesugi's next swing with a kick, pushing the lord's blade away with his foot, then twisting in the air to strike back. The blade hit his shoulder, leaving not more than a nick.
They both lowered their swords. Lord Uesugi was panting. Tobi stood rock still.
"You fight very well," Lord Uesugi sounded astonished, "No one has ever touched me before."
Deidara snorted, but quickly covered it up with a clap. Tobi didn't dare look at him. Things weren't going according to plan, or at least, it wasn't what he and Deidara agreed upon. Tobi would deal with the consequences later. Right now, he had to shake up Lord Uesugi.
He raised his katana, and Lord Uesugi mimicked his movements. Not only did the mongrel crave attention, he also imitated those better than him. He was like a lost pup.
The next sequence was quick. Tobi was relentless. Attack after attack, he did not give the fool a chance to breathe. He could sense the fear growing in the green eyes. Uesugi was crying out in panic, releasing little grunts and whines. It was delicious being in control of some pathetic pig. Heartily conscious of Deidara watching him, as he forced the idiot to squeal like a dying hog, it grew something wicked in soul.
Was this how Deidara felt before an explosion? He felt powerful being in control of something so chaotic. He was bloodthirsty.
Tobi let himself get disarmed. He was going to kill the man with his hands; he had to. Tobi needed to feel the life drain out of Uesugi. The lord's cause of death had to be from his own touch.
Without another thought, Tobi dodged, kicked, ducked, and grabbed the sword mid-strike. A fist to the stomach and Uesuagi's grip loosened around the hilt. Tobi flung the blade across the room while kicking the lord in the jaw.
Breathe stolen from his lungs, Uesugi wheezed in outrage, "How—how dare you attack m – !"
Tobi flipped the man onto his back, feeling gratification at the crack of a skull being crushed, and the sight of his head bouncing off the floor. He put a leg on each side of the man's hips, bending down to grip Uesugi around the throat.
Always acutely aware of what Deidara was up to, Tobi sensed the man rise to his feet. He must have recognized the act was over.
Fingers wrapped tight around the thick neck, Tobi lifted the body up with one arm, using the other to latch onto the lord's pieces over the plum robes. He wasn't smiling under his mask, "You won't be needing this any longer."
He cut it off with a knife hidden in his sleeve, grip around the pulsing throat only tightening as the man lashed and attempted to scream. Tobi was not fond of torture, not in the bloody way Hidan did it. Those methods were sickening. However, he couldn't help himself. Uesugi was his least favourite type. He took and he took, things he didn't deserve.
"What the fuck – ," Deidara's voice shook Tobi from his thoughts. He wasn't Satomi anymore, and the lower timbers sent a pleasurable shock down his spine.
Uesugi froze in his hands. He was staring at Deidara in horror.
Deidara noticed this and smirked, "Heh, surprise. Bet you didn't see that one coming, hm."
Tobi had to be Tobi now.
He cried out, tears in his eyes, "Senpai, I'm too scared to kill him!"
Deidara's lip sneered at the sight of the bloodied plum fabric on the floor, covering a noticeable lump. He stepped away from it, moving into Tobi's direct line of sight, "What you did to him is worse than death, hm. Just choke him harder."
"Yes, sir!" Tobi saluted, arm shaking, dropping his hidden knife in the process. The small blade clattered to the floor, blood splattering with it.
He forgot about Uesugi, still squeezing, but opting to observe Deidara's expression. The shock was most prominent, and there was disgust as well, but it was from the flesh on the floor. It must have been quite difficult to see such a grotesque picture. Explosions didn't often leave room for intact body parts, pieces disintegrating into unrecognizable ash. Other than nausea, something Tobi dare not say aloud lingered on the expressive face. It was awe.
Tobi took a moment to bask in the attention, wishing things were different.
Uesugi died. Tobi let him go and promptly wailed about how gross it was, "Ew, senpai, ugh, gross. It felt so heavy in my hands, and then it was on the ground, and bleh, it smells so bad, ah!"
"Shut up, Tobi! We need to leave now," Deidara hissed.
Tobi put a finger to his mask, "Senpai, I was thinking we should hide the body under the floor."
Deidara stared at him for a long time. Then he nodded, "Yeah, hm."
Tobi opened his mouth, but Deidara cut him off,
"Don't say anything else. On the rare occasion you suggest something remotely intelligent, you go about ruining it by saying something stupidly idiotic right after, hm."
They went about discarding the body. Cutting through floor-boards with minimal chakra wasn't an easy task. It took almost an hour, but the body was safely hidden.
The people of the castle would eventually smell the foul odour of rotting flesh and come to investigate, but that would be long after they left. An autopsy would prove no shinobi had killed their precious lord, as all wounds were inflicted by a blade, which they had thrown in with the body.
Escaping was an easy feat, seeing as both infamous men avoided enemies for a living. They had been stopped once or twice on their hasty retreat. When questioned, they explained they were requested to meet the lord in the courtyard for a tour. Some even offered to escort them, but Satomi was quick to remind them that she didn't think Lord Uesugi would appreciate his soldiers flirting with her. Passing the gates required knocking out the guards and making a mad dash out of the area.
Tobi prepared himself for an interrogation. Deidara was not one to let his curiousity go. The man was cunning and sly, despite his reckless front. Tobi did not know what to expect from the artist, nor what actions to take in response. Soon he would be sitting on a clay bird flying for several days with only Deidara as company, before they returned to the Akatsuki base. He would have to think of something, and something fast.
It was also time he had a discussion with Nagato.
It's been nearly two years and within that time span, I lost the final chapters to this story. This is great news because the ending I had planned was absolute garbage. Maybe this time it will be better and I won't take a 2 year break? Character personalities and writing style need some warming up too, of course.