Plums
"Death."
.
His chakra was now mostly unsealed, almost as though the jutsu recognized the moment when it was no longer needed. At least it meant he could make his clay birds fly him back 'home'. Deidara had felt more bare without the energy pulses in his limbs and tongues than he did right then, standing naked under the shower. How had Pein even done it? It would be a useful jutsu to use in combat. He closed his one eye.
After the crazy high of playing stealth, the fact that he was cross-dressed as a woman really sunk in. His potential was put to shame. Pein knew very well he was not a stealthy man. Hear that? Man. He had a penis. In fact, he was looking at right now! It was all in spite, had to be. Pein knew he hated doing anything Sasori would of liked. Sasori would have gladly sent off one of his puppets as Satomi, without hesitance. Hell, he would have gone himself. All for eternal bullshit.
Deidara had to find Tobi, to make it very clear that if he blabbered about the mission details to anybody, bad things would happen. Crap, shit, hell. Deidara bowed down to some worthless garbage with a pretty face, like some whore. He whispered to himself, his voice lulled out by the sound of water hitting the tile floor. It was all pretend. It was pretend.
Not even the mantra helped. He was absolutely sick of people forcing him to withdraw, to kneel. Deidara inhaled sharply.
Not to mention he was outbested by the fool, Tobi! The twerp who couldn't hold a kunai, even when his life depended on it!
The shriek of glass smashing did not deter him from his thoughts, nor did the blood quickly seeping from his knuckles.
That brat stole his kill. He stole it, embarrassed him – Deidara inhaled again, deeper, and breath shuddering – and did it with some semblance of skill. Tobi's taijutsu was incredible, and it pissed Deidara off. He knew exactly why it pissed him off so much. Tobi waltzed around, pretending he didn't know shit, and making Deidara do all the dirty work. The man was mocking him. He sat around in frilly pink robes batting his lashes while Tobi effortlessly took his kill. Right after Tobi showed him the seals on his hands were disintegrating, Deidara tucked his puukko deep in the cavern of his hand, ready for murder. He figured if he couldn't use his bombs, he'd make the blood burst open from Uesugi's veins. A silent, red explosion.
Except, that didn't happen.
Deidara shut off the shower and stepped out, not caring for the shards under his feet, nor paying attention to the water dripping onto the floor. Hell, he would walk out nude if he didn't have the not-so-sneaking suspicion that Tobi would freak out at the sight of someone else's dick. Barely paying attention, he wrapped a towel around his waist and desperately hoped Tobi hadn't wandered off.
He hadn't.
The man had sprawled across on one of the beds, orange mask facing the ceiling, an arm dangling from the side of the hotel mattress. He was still dressed in the same shirt as two days ago, Uesugi's blood drying thick on the dark wool. He wasn't asleep. Tobi looked so relaxed and comfortable, Deidara's urge to kick him in the head only grew stronger. He wasn't playing games this time. Tobi had secrets and there was no way in hell Deidara was going to respect them.
He hissed, "Hey, fool. We've crossed the border, hm. No more stalling. Now talk."
Tobi flinched.
He rose up slowly from the bed, socked toes moving to rest on the ground, fingers fiddling nervously.
Finally, the idiot said, "Yay, I'm talking, senpai."
Deidara didn't miss a beat, "Yeah, and you're going to keep talking. You're going to answer my questions, and you're not going to joke around."
"Yes, sir!" Tobi mock saluted, never rising from the bed to stand up. What was the dipshit doing? Baiting him?
"You've never killed a target, not once, within every wasted week I've spent with you, hm. So, why did you take my kill?"
A gloved finger went to touch the chin of his mask. Deidara's wasn't an idiot. Tobi wasn't thinking about his question. He wouldn't be surprised if his partner was daydreaming about rainbows. All of a sudden, Tobi's head fell between his legs, hands covering his mask in a gesture of shame, "Tobi's sorry. I only wanted help."
"The plan was to seduce him and stab him in the back, hm," Deidara snapped, "You could have ruined everything. We could have been discovered."
"I'm so sorry, senpai!" Tobi wailed, "You looked so sad wearing girls' clothes. I thought it would end the mission faster and you could be a boy again!"
"Man! Man, Tobi! I'm not a boy, hm," Deidara crossed his arms, "You're always against killing, whining about this and that, hm. So... care to explain?"
Tobi shrugged, "He was being rude to senpai."
Whatever. He wouldn't ever understand Tobi's thought process. Tobi got a kick out of seeing Deidara miserable, but got defensive over him when Uesugi crossed a line. While his excuse seemed valid, it was still against Tobi's nature. Even so, he would have to be stupid to lie to Deidara. Maybe Tobi explained the "why", but the "how" was still confusing as hell.
"Is my apology accepted?" Tobi mumbled.
"No!" Deidara grabbed the man's shoulders, wet and bloody fingers soaking through the wool shirt, "Why didn't you tell me you could fight? Why hide it? What else can you do? If we're going to be partners, I deserve to know this stuff, hm."
Sometimes Deidara felt like the only one in the Akatsuki, besides Pein, who believed Tobi was hiding something – something big. It didn't matter if it was only him who thought so. Deidara was going to figure it out before his grand finale.
Gloved hands snaked around and gently landed on Deidara's wrists. Tobi sounded like he was smiling, because he practically sang, "I can fight! Zetsu taught me. Pein didn't only make me part of the Akatsuki because I was so good-looking. Pein said I was fast on my feet!"
Deidara shoved Tobi away, livid because Tobi was a mysterious little shit just like Itachi, Pein, Sasori, and all of the members - each vain and overconfident shinobi who didn't understand chaos.
Tobi's back hit the bed and the man let out an 'oof'. He lifted his head up in a way that made the bomber think of a dolphin sticking its nose out from the sea's surface.
Maybe Tobi's brain was the size of a peanut, but that didn't mean he couldn't have powerful ninjutsu. Look at Hidan. That guy was batshit insane, and he was as close to immortal as anyone would ever get. It had to be something that Tobi only unlocked on special occasions. Like those crazy psychopaths in his childhood stories, where the innocent little girl was actually a walking, talking manifestation of evil. She just needed a trigger, like a memory or anger.
Tobi had to have that certain something that caught Pein's interest. He refused to believe this idiot could take Sasori's place because he was a "good-looking" guy who could run away with his tail between his legs. Hell, he was probably hiding something hideous under that mask.
He had to pry out more information. Deidara let out something else on his mind, "You've been making me do all of the dirty work, you lazy fat fuck!"
"I only wanted to see your art, senpai!" Tobi wailed, sounding absolutely devastating.
Deidara snarled, "We're going to spar later, and you're going to fight me the way you fought Uesugi. You can keep your jutsu all to yourself, hm. Fine, be a snake. But you can't hide your swordsmanship from me. I already know about that."
Yeah, he was a long range fighter. Fighting against a sword would be bothersome, but it'd be worth it. Deidara turned on his heal, ready to blow something up.
Oh, yeah. He looked over his shoulder, hissing, "And if you tell anyone. Anyone. Even yourself. That I wore a kimono and pretended to be female, hm, I will personally see to it that each of your limbs go missing before the rest of your insides go boom."
He stormed out of the room.
Tobi let his head hit the pillow, sighing loudly, "Senpai is so mean!"
He dare not move another muscle, fighting down the wave of lust which had washed over him. The sight of Deidara fuming like his lethal bombs, clad in nothing but a thin towel, implied something far more physical than what Tobi was comfortable with. He tried to focus on something else, tried to worry about their 'spar', about Deidara's incessant prying to learn the truth. Tobi strained to think about the plan, about the future, and eternal peace, except such thoughts brought acid to his stomach. Something vile was gnawing at his veins, and he couldn't place the feeling for what it was.
Deidara was in the bathroom, most likely picking shards out of his skin. Tobi stood up, going after him. He had to maintain the role of an annoying idiot, after all. And he craved some comfort, of something familiar. Bugging the hell out of the bomber was one way to go about it.
Scampering across the room, he called out, "Senpai! Senpai!"
The reply sounded exasperated, "What do you want now?!"
When Tobi entered the washroom, he caught sight of the Deidara, who was carelessly tending to his cuts, glaring intensely at the bright red blood. If looks could kill...
Tobi squanted down next to Deidara, "Do you want some help?"
"Go away, hm," was the curt reply. A tan hand shoved at his shoulder. It wasn't forceful enough to stagger him, but Tobi gasped and fell over anyways, head crunching into glass shards.
He yelped – exaggerating, obviously – in pain, "Itatatataa—ow! That hurt!"
Deidara ignored him, silently standing up, towel slipping dangerously low. Tobi's eyes immediately latched onto the patch of skin below his naval. Thin scars littered his body, some clearly more recent than others. What soon caught Tobi's attention was the thick line of stitching across his chest. Tobi did not know its exact purpose, but it certainly was not an old wound. If his assumptions were right, that thing glaring across his skin suggested something disastrous.
Interestingly enough, Deidara could feel him looking, despite his mask being directed to the side.
"Stop... stop staring at me, hm," he mumbled, his face flushed. His lashes were thick and wet. Hair down. Face sharp and angular, eye a mayhem of emotions. Breathtaking.
Tobi exhaled lightly, wondering when the cravings would end. It was bad enough having to carry the piteous feelings of treasuring someone, of wanting to protect the man from danger and lavish him with everything he wanted. It was much worse craving for his touch. How could Tobi possibly hope to stay away when his hunger for the man only grew with each passing day, and every red face and wild expression?
Tobi let it out, "Sorry. You're just so beautiful."
Deidara froze. Tobi recognized his blunder, mentally berating himself. His tone had been abnormally earnest. It was no surprise Deidara's skin morphed into a darker, angry shade of red.
"An – And I was wondering about your chest. Who hurt you, senpai? I'll go beat them up for you!"
"No one you idiot! Piss off, hm," Deidara left the washroom, falling for his recovery.
Tobi remembered to breathe.
The man seemed crankier than usual. He must have been starving, to top a monotonous mission. Tobi stepped out of the washroom, casting a quick glance at Deidara. He was stark nude, ass on display, with a kimono shirt over his head. Tobi was quick to leave their hotel room. Shutting the door behind him, he entered the deserted corridor. Lights hung off the ceiling and there was a gentle whir serving as white-noise, coming from someone's cooling device or another. Opting for the stairs to his left, he made his way outside, choosing to forget about Deidara's body. There was more to the man than the shell he was contained in. It was perplexing. Tobi was very attracted to the man's physique, yes, but it was the man's behaviour which wrenched him in like a magnet.
He shook his head. There was a market two buildings South of their position. Tobi was especially aware of the blood and dirt on his clothes, the weapons on his person, and his swirly, orange mask. To the common civilian, his appearance was quite menacing. He hoped it would aid him when he approached a salesperson. His pocket money was very low, so low he had none. It would be pathetic to have to resort to stealing. He didn't want to bring attention to himself either. Tobi skipped down the dirty path, swinging his arms under the sunlight.
In the non-shinobi dominant villages, it was less risky to steal. The vendors would not see quick movements during theft. However on the other hand, these civilians were used to foreigners, and would not be afraid to cry for help when threatened. Tobi found a vegetable stand, using sleight of hand to snatch some carrots. He casually walked away, striding past a fruit stand. He snagged some plums.
Fucking Uesugi.
The trip back to the hotel was uneventful. It wasn't until he found Deidara that things suddenly grew interesting. The man was dressed in the green kimono layer of Satomi's formal wear, the flowers at the bottom savagely cut off with the puukko, weapon left stabbed into the hotel desk. Either the shards from the bathroom had found a way to span the entire floor, or Deidara had smashed more things. Said man was running through sit-ups – up, down, up, down, up – and aggressively talking to himself about his old sensei. It was charming. Tobi had to wonder how the neighbours had yet to file a complaint on the ruckus.
Tobi shut the door behind him, giggling, "Senpai, you're so silly! You should have worked out before your shower."
Deidara didn't stop, but his brow twitched, "At least I'm working out, you lazy ass."
"I work out!" he protested, "Whenever you make me go on errands or try to blow me up, I run for my life! It's tough being me."
"Might I help you start a workout right now, then?" Deidara hissed, fists clenching.
Tobi 'eeped', stretching out his hands, "Wait, wait! I brought food! You must be hungry. I know I am!"
Deidara finally halted his sit-ups, standing to his feet. He was panting, eye bright. He grinned, "Damn right I'm hungry. Give it here, hm."
Tobi slipped the organics out of reach, just before Deidara's fingers touched the plums, "Nuh uh. What do you say?"
Deidara glared. Tobi knew what was coming. A very slick hand made another reach for it; they were shinobi, above all. Deidara was excellent with his hands. The grab was accurate and quick, so fast he wouldn't have seen it without his maximum level training. Only, Tobi was ready for it, and faster, stepping back.
"Tobi!"
"Senpai!" Tobi mocked. He really couldn't help himself.
The man snarled, lunging, but Tobi sidestepped. He hoped Deidara didn't accidentally step on more glass. His feet were bare.
"Just give me something, hm! We haven't eaten in days!"
Tobi shook the carrots, their leaves rustling at the movement, "Just say it!"
Deidara groaned in frustration, "Please! Please, Tobi! Fuck!"
Tobi's bones felt cold and hot, so he dropped the food on the bed behind him. He wanted to see how far he could get away with it. For a moment, he felt like he was treating Deidara like a dog. The thought disgusted him. Regret and shame put a weight on his shoulders. On more than numerous occasions, Tobi held his pawns' deepest desire in front of them, dangling what they wanted most just an inch away from their fingers. He never felt anything for them. Now, doing it to Deidara in the most petty way possible, had him feel sick.
Taunting Deidara was incredibly intense. He wanted more Deidara. More, more, more. There was something absolutely delicious about the man. He couldn't get these salacious images out of his head. He didn't want to.
As it turned out, the bomber surprised him. The boy shut up, ice engraved to his face, not moving an inch to cross the prickly floor. The expression was a slap to the face.
He must have become conscious to the situation. Must have felt he was being pushed around and told what to do, crawling, begging for food, similar to a pauper. He would have compared himself to an imprisoned weakling rotting away, chains shackled to his ankles. Especially after their last mission. Tobi made a mistake. He'd been making so many recently.
Tobi stepped forward, sandals crunching with each step across the floor. Deidara did not move, arms crossed and eye frigid. He placed his hands on the man's shoulders, grateful his partner was familiar with "Tobi's" lack of understanding for personal space. He didn't enjoy treating Deidara like a bomb about to explode; he felt this compulsive need to give the man everything, for he was a shining masterpiece. Tobi leaned low, mask almost touching the man's nose. He kept his eyes closed, should the man see anything within.
Tobi spoke, "I'm only teasing. You know I know you're the best senpai ever. And from now on I promise when you say 'do something Tobi', I'll do it. Or I'll try to anyways. Promise. That's what friends or for, right?"
All Deidara got out of the ramble was, "Friends?"
Friendship. It was useless. They ended, be it by death, feud, or some other triviality, leaving pain and suffering in its wake. Friendship gave motivation to many shinobi, but how many times did it distract them in battle? How many times did someone die protecting their friends, leaving them to mourn and feel guilt for the rest of their lives? Allowing Deidara to be his friend would be a disaster waiting to happen.
Tobi shook his shoulders, opening his eyes, careful about catching the light, "We're friends, right?! You're my best friend. More best than Zetsu."
Deidara resembled a ghost, features blanched and solemn. His face turned away, baring his sweaty neck. Tobi nearly flinched at the display, the depressing expression on Deidara's face igniting a strange sort of nausea. Sorrow was not something the boy should be associated with.
"Friendship should be fleeting."
The whisper was so breathy and quiet, Tobi was left wondering if the boy was in a distant memory, lost and wandering. Tobi understood, but didn't fully understand. Did Deidara not believe in friendship, find it fruitless, or had he never experienced it? Maybe a combination of all three?
Tobi hugged Deidara, "Our friendship will be a never-ending explosion!"
The slim waist in his arms, lithe shoulders, and trembling figure soothed his very core. He yearned to stay like this forever. Would a genjutsu feel like this? The scents of blood, sweat, clay, and bombs, combined with something so very Deidara. Would the artist he conjured quiver from feeling? The man had passion and mountain of piled emotions, stacked and stacked with complex layers. Tobi feared the genjutsu would not be enough. He would see right through it. He ran one of his hands up Deidara's spine, the leather of his glove clinging helplessly to the pale green silk. Deidara didn't say anything as Tobi began petting the ends of his hair, the strands possibly even softer than the kimono. He couldn't tell. His fingers were covered.
"Tobi... Why are you acting so strange? You've been weird lately, hm," Deidara's voice was shaky.
Tobi continued petting him softly, the smallest of strokes, slow, attentive. He replied honestly, "I care about you, senpai. You flipped my world downside up."
He did care, he does, and he would for a very long time. There was a bead of hope somewhere in his heartless soul. It was causing him to re-evaluate everything. Anything. He had to make a decision soon. He would have to choose between squashing out the flame while it was still thimble, or allowing the fire to grow, so it could light his path on his journey to greet Death.
Deidara pushed him away, but it was a light half-hearted gesture, "That's great, Tobi, but as your 'senpai', heed my advice when I say don't care for anyone, hm. Everything ends with a bang."
"The span of life is an explosion," Tobi detached himself from Deidara and tossed him a plum, "To die is eternal."
He watched Deidara's expression shift to something unidentifiable. Perhaps the words hit close to home.
Tobi laughed as though nothing happened, "I already ate on the way here, senpai. So, I guess you can have the rest of the food. When we return to report we'll get fish. I saw a vendor selling some. They looked so tasty! Hey, maybe I'll go buy some right now. We don't have a cooker though. Huh. Oh, well. Be right back senpai!"
"...Yeah, hm," Deidara was staring at the dark fruit in his hands.
Tobi strode out of the room, knowing Deidara was contemplating life and death. He swore he would protect his last ray of sunshine. If the sun exploded, not only would the leaves on the plant stem wilt, but the world would burn.
Nearly eight years with these two. I still can't stop crying while typing. My stomach lurches when I think about them. Their story was already sad enough before Tobi's identity was revealed. And now... Take the time to think about it. Tobi's need for something eternal, and Deidara's love for what is impermanent.