Bursting Red

With a loud thud Nezumi’s head hit the countertop, hands sprawled out in front of her. “Didn’t sleep well last night I take it?” She moved her head so that she could peer through the loose strands of hair at Rin and replied with a small moan. It didn’t help that the one morning she was scheduled to work early the place gets swarmed with pushy tea drinkers.

“Ma’am I’m going to need another pot of this tea.” Rin sighed loudly before placing a crooked smile on and left Nezumi to her own exhaustion. It was true, she hadn’t slept well the previous night. It was after she had found the bird outside her window that it had given her almost a push to fix her painting, something that took her well into the early morning light. By the time her head hit the pillow it was time for her to get ready for work. Slowly, she gripped the counter and pulled her head up to peer out at the many chattering people.

“Who gets up this early?” She moaned again, narrowing her eyes as more people pushed through the door. Snatching her paper pad she irritably moved towards the couple waiting to be seated. “Ohayo, welcome to Manami’s Tearoom.” It was like a pre-recorded voice softly set on repeat. “Please follow me.” As she placed the light menus in front of the already distracted couple she ran across a familiar face. Deidara looked around uncomfortably, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. A small laugh escaped her lips and the couple in front of Nezumi looked up at her in surprise. When she caught sight of this she frowned, “sorry.” Before they could reply she walked away towards the glowering boy. “Ohayo Deidara-chan” her voice was lighter she noticed, unintentionally so. “What brings you here?”

“Ah, all I wanted was a drink before I left on my mission but from the looks of it you’re rather caught up with every other person in Iwagakure, un.” With a head shake she moved her arm forward, motioning to the bar.

“I can spare the time, please, sit down.” He raised an eyebrow and smirked at the professional tone she seemed to use around her customers.

“If you insist.” She walked behind the counter as he sat across from her, his eyes focused on her every move. She pulled out a writing block from her apron and leaned against the counter, pen ready.

“What will you be ordering then?” A small smile adorned her rosy lips, he caught himself staring and he quickly averted his eyes to her fidgeting hands.

“Just a glass of water, un.” Her face fell and she set the writing block down with grin.

“You came here…for a glass of water?”

“Not exactly.” He said firmly, watching in amusement as she blushed deeply. With a tilt of his head he looked at her with both of his eyes, gleaming as she stuttered anxiously. She got the hint well enough.

“Le-let me get that for you.” Still blushing she turned her back on the blonde boy, her eyes found Rin’s and widened in disbelief as she realized her co-worker had been eavesdropping on her entire conversation with Deidara. She wasn’t surprised to be followed into the kitchen with the curious girl trailing her every step into the kitchen.

“Tell me Nezumi-kun, who is that boy over there and why is he acting like that towards you?” She grabbed Nezumi by the shoulders and grinned in the timid girls face. Rin was but two years older then Nezumi and ever since they started working together she had been the closest thing to a friend Nezumi ever really had.

“What? No, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nezumi turned away feeling her cheeks brightening again. “I hardly know him.”

Rin lifted her hands away from the girl and crossed her arms. “Right, well it seems to me he’s interested in knowing you a little more.” She winked and Nezumi sighed, grabbing a clean glass from the shelf above her.

“No thank you. The last thing I need is a potential suitor in my life.” Once she had the water in the cup she mumbled past the still rambling Rin and back through towards the seating section, sliding the cup in front of Deidara. “You, sir, are going to get me in a lot of trouble if you keep doing that to me.” She said strictly, her eyes flat.

“Doing what Nezumi-kun?” He asked innocently while he ran a slender finger up the outside of the glass, collecting the droplets of condensation up. “I’m just being honest with you, un. Since when is that a crime?” He flashed a grin at her before she shook her head at his juvenile behavior, it was almost cute. Almost, she reminded herself sharply.

“You said you were leaving on a mission today? Where to if I may inquire?”

“Nothing important really, there have been some bandits coming in from the south of the edge of Iwagakure causing problems outside of their boundary. We have to go relay a message to the bandit lord from the Tsuchikage, un. It shouldn’t take any longer than three days.” He couldn’t help but notice when her face fell slightly upon hearing it would take as long as it would, “who knows though, we could be back by tomorrow evening” he added hastily. She glanced up and shrugged softly at him.

“Well that’s good I suppose. I don’t see where it concerns me however.” She sniffed, looking away at the other customers to avoid his all knowing gaze. She wasn’t fooling anyone, she wore her heart plainly on her sleeve and she knew it despite how much she always tried to disguise it. He laughed loudly and finished off his water before standing up and crossing his arms arrogantly.

“Whatever you say, un.” She peered sideways at him as he watched her with a smirk. “And to think, you were my motivation to come back all in one piece.”

“Don’t say that.” She whimpered. Deidara took a step forward and leaned over the counter so that his face was closer to hers. With a soft touch he brought her chin up so she looked him in the eyes,” I didn’t mean it.” She said lightly, matching the intensity of his stare. For a slight moment she forgot she was in a public place where everyone could see this blatant display of affection. The bustle of the crowd got louder and from behind her came her mother barreling through the kitchen doors, hellfire in her eyes.

“Nezumi! Where are you!?” Both Deidara’s and Nezumi’s eyes got larger and looked at each other, fearing the worst. Her mother snapped her head at the rigid girl and closed her eyes, getting red in the face. “You haven’t been taking any new orders, Rin has had to-“ The raging woman stopped short at the sight in front of her and she cast her eyes at the blonde boy who had jumped back from the girl and was now shifting nervously through his coin bag for money to pay for his drink. “Who is this?!” She took a step closer and Nezumi closed her eyes in defeat.

“Uh, I really do need to go. Bye Nezumi, un!” He flashed them both an innocent smile before tossing the money down on the table and dodging the crowd of people who blocked the door. Nezumi’s face fell. Of course he had to go now, she thought bitterly.

“Back here, now.” Her mother said firmly, stalking off into the kitchen with tightly clenched fists. The girl followed wordlessly, shaking her head at the entire situation. Like she had told Rin, there were reasons she chose not to have any suitors in the picture currently. Example A, she noted. “What do you think this is? It’s not some place for you to blow off your work for some dead end boy!” Nezumi brought her head up and looked at her mother with narrow eyes.

“How can you say something like that, you don’t even know him!” She bravely spat out, watching her mother’s features distort into something of shock. Nezumi had never raised her voice to her parents, she was taught better and for the longest time she let them say what they would. But not anymore. She was tired of silently watching from out of her window life pass her by when all she did was stay put.

“Excuse me?” Her mother took a step back before recovering and clutching the girl by her shoulders. “Can you imagine what your father would say if he saw you like this?” Nails dug into her flesh through the thin fabric and Nezumi flinched at the pain. She considered pushing her mother off but knew she had already tested her limit. “You, you little girl…you will never grow up will you?” Her voice got quieter, and seemingly more cold. “From now on I forbid you to see that damned boy. To see anyone.” With that being said she let the girl go, sending one last stern look in her direction before setting off to go back to her duties. Nezumi stood there, head cast down at the floor. Who was she to go directly against her Kaa-san’s direct orders? Nobody, she thought. She couldn’t disobey so recklessly.

He’s bad news anyway, she told herself, much too mischievous to be hanging around with the innocent likes of her. It was quite a shame she didn’t believe a word of that.

The day passed by slowly, and to make matters worse all she could think of was Deidara and what she would tell him when he returned. She spent hours trying to think of a light way to put it but each time all she could see was him waving his hand in her face and telling her that it would be no fun like that. Typical trouble, that’s all he was she noted. Trouble in the form of an attractive young boy, something that didn’t mix well with traditional styled families like Nezumi’s.

The walk home was loud, as the evening crept closer the crowds stumbled past her with intentions of an enjoyable night. She hated crowds, she thought right before a tall man pushed her back and sent her lanky form falling to the ground. She glared up into the light and met the mans face, a bulky man with interest in his eyes. “I’m sorry darling, here let me help you” he slurred. She could smell the Sake on his tongue as he spoke and she scrunched up her nose and brushed his hand away.

“I can help myself thank you,” his hand clasped tightly around her thin upper arm suddenly and pulled her upwards, ignoring her battering voice. “Let go of me!” She cried out, trying to pull her arm away from his grasp to no avail. He was strong, and even worse he was raging drunk.

“There’s no need to act like that.” Bent down closer to her level he whispered, blowing in her face the foul odor of his tainted breath. “Come on sweetheart, lighten up. No one likes a buzz kill.” She brought her free hand up and struck him across the face with her open palm, making him let go of her in surprise. “You little bitch.” He muttered, gently caressing his cheek with his fingers. Nezumi backed away slowly, surprised at her own sudden bravery. Which by now had quickly diminished. Without a second thought she darted into a run, not making it far before he grabbed her by the back of her shirt and flung her backwards towards him. “Where do you think you’re going baka onna?!” People were beginning to take notice now, some stopping to stare others whispering in the each other’s ears. She was clenched tight against his body. Her eyes searched frantically around her. That’s what she hated about people.

No matter how much they saw trouble, nobody wanted to be the one to stop it. So selfish. Tears leaked absently through her eyes before the man unraveled his grip around her and dropped her to the ground. “Namo, what do you think you’re doing?” She looked up at the two men, one less drunk than the one who had been hassling her. “Get back inside you big thug.” He patted the bigger man on the chest and with a grunt and a glare Namo stalked off back into the bar behind him. The man who had called her attacker off glanced down at her with a filthy look. “Get out of here, girl. You’re causing trouble.” And with that he walked off, leaving the shaking girl in the street. No sooner did people get back into their routine, not so much as sparing the girl a glance.

This is what she hated about people. Everything. She brought herself upright, clenching at her arm which was surely already starting to bruise. She walked home faster than before, urgency pushing her faster and faster. When she made it into her house she burst into a silent flow of tears, the encounter shaking her nerves and giving her a headache. “I cry too much,” she said to herself while wiping off her face. “It’s meaningless, it really is.” All she wanted was her bed and maybe someone to talk to. Not that it was a very plausible option now. She thought about Deidara and how if he had been there none of that would have happened, a thought that made her shake at how alone she really was. She sat on her bed and looked out her window at the blood red sky, the clouds taking on shapes of their own. A small white object caught her eye and slowly she crawled towards the end of her bed towards her open window. “Another one?” She whispered as her hand wrapped around the second clay bird. This one was just as detailed as the last, except the wings were outstretched as if to take flight. A small string attached a note around the neck of the bird and shakily, she turned it to read it.

A bird isn’t happy until it learns to fly.

She re-read the elegant script with a furrowed brow. Who is doing this, she asked herself, turning over the bird with steady hands. Leaning back she held the bird to her chest like something precious, glossy eyes cast at the ceiling. What she wouldn’t give, she thought as a single tear slipped out, to be able to fly away right now.