Chapter 1
"I'm going with you, Dei."
The teen freezes.
Hands hovering over a pack that he'd been haphazardly throwing his personal effects into. A bundle of dark clothing falls just outside the mouth of the bag. His only visible sky blue eye glances over his shoulder, noting the sharp stare of the dark haired woman behind him.
"Anee. I can't take you with me, it's not safe, un." His voice comes out low, soft, like he's trying to calm a predator or keep a skittish animal from running. He watches her fist clench. Her ivory skin going stark white before she relaxes, exhaling slowly.
"No. Deidara. Either I'm going with you, or I'm leaving on my own. You're the only the only reason I'm still here. I won't let the clan have me." The woman's words are ground out. He can feel the frustration rolling off her.
"I... I..." Deidara falters. How could he leave her? Hell, how could he take her? Knowing her clan, and what could await her outside the walls of Iwagakure. Was there anywhere safe for her? His hesitance has her stepping forward, dropping a large, filled shoulder pack next to his own. Slender fingers weave into his hair, pushing the golden bangs from his face to look him in both eyes.
A touch so comforting and familiar, all he can do is lean into it. "What about your health? Tatsu, you won't be able to make your meds on the road." He can taste the worry and concern on his own tounge. One wrong move and he knows the only person he has left would be gone. He'd already lost the other Ginhari right before his eyes.
Can I risk her like that?
"You don't get to make that decision and you know it." Like she's reading his thoughts. Though the woman probably knows them just as well as himself.
A humourless chuckle escapes her, tucking some of his locks behind his ear before cupping his cheek and tilting him to look her in the eyes. Green eyes normally full of warmth for him are hard, cold. "I made a break through, down to once a week with the current dose. And I have more than enough to start."
"Don't you trust me, little brother?"
With my life.
The thought rattles through the folds of his mind, a hard gulp causing the young man's Adam apple to bob. "Of course... I. If you're sure, hmm. I can't tell you what's waiting out there for us." His hand covers her own, standing finally and taking her in fully for the first time since she entered his home.
She was already dressed to leave. The deep ocean blue and black hair pulled high in a bun to keep it out of the way, cream colored sweater that had long seen better days hanging loose on her shoulders. Fitted black capris hug her legs, finishing out in black ninja sandals. Amusement flits through him at her teal painted toenails.
She was always one to give herself the little joys in life.
Viridian orbs warm on him as he meets them again, taking in the freckles and natural red eyeshadow he'd grown up looking up to. Though with his last growth spurt, he now gets to look down at them. "Wouldn't ask you to Otouto. Go, do what you need too to get this adventure started. I'll finish packing and be waiting for you here, yeah?"
Deidara pulls her palm from his face, sighting the matching polish on her nails, giving it a squeeze before dropping it. His eyes trace over her features one more time, hunting for any hesitance. Tatsu is exuding a confidence he's never seen before, the calm facade she wears at the hospital resting on her like it's all she knows.
He knows it's not.
Deidara knows her as well as she knows herself. As well as she knows him. His adopted older sister is anything but calm and self assured. Simply a learned personality to keep her alive.
Just how many times had she jumped at her own shadow?
A heavy sigh leaves his lips, returning her smile with a strained one of his own. "I'd rather you come with me than go it alone. Watch for the fireworks. My art is your signal, have our bags ready and I'll come get you, yeah?" Blonde hair falls back in his face, turning and leaving the room at her affirmation.
It's about to be an explosive adventure.
It was exactly that. Explosive.
Deidara had successfully snuck into the archives at the base of the Tsuchikage's tower. And getting in had been way too easy. This was his villages elite?
It was a wonder no one else had done this yet. The few guards on duty this late at night too busy sitting around and gossiping. No one noticing him slipping around the corners.
All the way into the great library, and into the restricted area where the lone keeper was asleep at his desk.
He'd quietly found the scroll containing the kinjutsu he'd heard about and wanted. The young ninja even had the time to read over the scroll and cast it on himself. A way to infuse his chakra into his clay?
The perfect step up for his art. The fleeting beauty turning from just a tool to being the perfect long range combat tactic. Deidara had committed the scrolls knowledge to memory before he was done.
So much to learn and such a limited time to do it in.
The power the scroll held was incredible. An innate knowledge of how to use it even came with it somehow. And his hands! The mouths that had formed on his palms were interesting, to say the least. He'd give himself time to be creeped out by them later, when him and Tatsu were safe. She'd surely want to do her mad scientist thing over the new body parts.
Is that what you'd even consider them?
No matter. He muses. Eye sliding back to the sleeping librarian, the pages of the book infront of the man ruffling with every snore. It's time to go, lest he runs into a fight.
Reversing his previous motions the scroll slides shut quietly, quick to place it back onto the shelf it came from. A particularly sharp snap of the old man's snores makes him jump, just enough for the book against his hand to come falling off the shelf.
THUD
A sharp gasp fills the air, sending him scurrying backwards into the shadows. Shit. Tension keeps the young man locked in a crouch, his low pony tail brushing the floor. He tracks the movement of the book keeper, how he shuffles almost sleepily across the dark red carpet. The librarian doesn't notice him, looking the tome over as he picks it up. Withered hands hold it close as gray eyes sweep the room, never once noticing the blonde.
Once the pounding of feet fills the air he knows he's screwed. A small spike of anxiety flairs in his gut before he settles again. He's a detonations master. A full fledged artist, for crying out loud. His left hand slides inside his clay pouch, ready to blow his way out of here and back to his dear sister. Already he has an idea of what to do and...
Wait.
Was the mouth on his hand eating his clay?
Was that how this whole thing worked? The scroll hadn't actually described the details, only the strength and attributes it offere. That couldn't be healthy. Deidara suppresses a shudder, ears on the rapidly approaching shinobi that inevitably want to capture him. His blue gaze stays fixed on the mouth as it works. Teeth gnash, the tounge pushing the clay back and forth until from his own hand emerges several small clay spiders.
With only a minor thought they scurry off, running through the room towards the doors. Already both hands are scooping more clay out, a similar fleeting thought of what to sculpt in his head before his attention is brought back up.
As three sleek birds rise from his palms the doors slam open, the shuffle of several persons spreading out.
Two of the bone colored birds fly off towards what he knows is an outside wall just as there's a few surprised shouts. A confident smirk slides across his face as he slips out of the shadows, halfway between his fellow Iwa-nin and where his birds had gone. His narrowed eyes land on the clay constructs that have jumped upon his newfound purseurs.
As his index and middle finger come up, pausing in line with his nose his smirk grows. The movement feels like it's always been a part of him, had been and always will be his signature. "Katsu."
Dark almost manic laughter is swallowed by the sounds of explosions and screams. The artist barely notices his feet carrying him the other direction, towards the birds that leave a gaping hole towards the outside world. From his other hand the final bird flies forward, a large puff of smoke surrounding it. Elation and excitement pulse through his veins as he jumps forward, landing on an enlarged version of the creation as the smoke dissipates.
"Tatsu isn't going to believe this, yeah! My art is perfect." The blonde teen whoops and cheers to himself as he lets loose another volley of spiders at the few who still give chase. His sight of them is lost as they latch on and his mount soars. He finds it incredible as the chakra gives him the ability to control them with a thought.
Screams, booms, and the wind whipping is like music to his ears. It's the perfect soundtrack to reaching out and grabbing the freedom he seeks.
That they seek.
That thought is all the bird needs to angle itself, catching an updraft that sends him speeding directly towards his home. The cool air whips through his hair, the stars closer than they'd ever seemed before. And despite the hustle and bustle he knows is still going on below him, up here is almost silent. Peaceful with swirls of inky black and navy blues, glimmering silver lights that are far too many to count. Like a painting.
Everything about this is incredible to him.
All too soon his flight path changes again. Her cream sweater is like a beacon calling to him in the murky darkness. Her smile lighting up the night as he closes in. She reaches up as he leans off the side of the birds neck, palm catching her wrist as hers does the same to him. He prays to the weird mouth not to lick her as he grabs her sweater with his other hand, yanking up and pulling her up onto the construct.
A hysteric giggle bubbles up her throat, wide green eyes taking him in before flying up to stars as they ascend again.
"Oh my god."
He would consider her voice reverent, like she's admiring the greatest work of art. "Dei, this is unbelievable! I... thank you. Thank you so much." She'd started so strong, awestruck even, sliding into that gentle, soft tone that was only for him nowadays.
Her eyes look glassy, reflecting that glimmer of the night sky above as he throws an arm over her shoulders, knocking the side of his head to hers. "I don't know why I ever thought I could leave you." Her arm curls around his waist as his heart steadies. The warmth that fills him almost as freeing as the wind in his face.
"So, where to next, hmm?"