Bursting Red

The anticipation of waiting was killing her, slowly.

Was he alright? Please, Kami, tell me he was alright she thought desperately. She had gone two nights without seeing him and she didn’t know if she could stand much more. As the day wore on she had scolded herself for thinking such desperate thoughts. I only met him but a couple days ago and I’m swooning like I’ve known him forever, she had said to herself. It was no wonder her mother didn’t want her around him, he wasn’t just a distraction, he was the very definition of distraction.

Nezumi had stepped outside for a minute, seeming to get lost in her own mind. She didn’t realize how long she had been out there till Rin had gone looking for her. Somber clouds crowded in the sky, fields of grey atmosphere taking over. “Looks like rain huh?” Nezumi glanced over at Rin, watching as she lit up the cigarette that dangled between her rosy lips. “Sure smells like it.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” She replied, returning her attention to the ever changing sky above her. Rin glanced over at the small girl, clenching the cigarette between two fingers and inhaling deeply.

“You alright kid? Something seems a little off about you today.” Nezumi only answered with a shrug. Truth was she was terrible. Her sleep last night was nothing but tossing and turning at dark visions in her head, not only that but Deidara hadn’t come home last night like he had said he possibly might. To make it worse, he still hadn’t come up with anything acceptable to say to him. She missed him, in an odd sort of way considering the unsaid friendship that bordered on something more. “You sure you don’t want to talk about it?” Rin tried again softly, exhaling the toxic smoke that doused her lungs. Nezumi brought her head back down from the relaxing clouds and looked straight ahead, emotionless.

“I’m sure. Arigato Rin, it’s best I get back inside though for now.” Rin turned to tell her that the place was dead and everything was near about done but she decided against it, perhaps the girl just wanted to be alone. Her parents were in the back and she felt it best to avoid them. No, she reminded herself, I just don’t want to be around them. The tension that surrounded Nezumi and her mother for the past two days was taught and heavy, something she simply didn’t want to deal with. She took a seat in front of the welcome stand and stared longingly out the window, watching the empty streets with an empty gaze. Not one person walked by.

She hated dead days for one reason. When her head was not occupied with orders to place and overheard gossip, she had nothing to do but think about everything she didn’t particularly want to think about. Lazily, she looked over a the clock. Day light had about three hours left and soon she’d be on her way home, alone.

She had to get her mind off of him. Anything. But she soon realized that even cleaning already clean tables weren’t enough to fully distract her. After an hour into cleaning Rin crept up behind her, a smile on her face. “Hey Nezumi, having fun?”

“Not really.” She replied flatly.

“Well, I took it upon myself to tell your parents you weren’t really feeling well. And since the place is empty anyway, they said you could just go home.” She turned to look at Rin with an unreadable expression. Her parents, letting her leave early? Impossible.

“You must be lying Rin-chan.” A genuine smile met her lips when Rin shook her black locks around, grinning. “Arigato, I…needed that.” Taking Rin by surprise, she threw her arms around the tall girls neck and squeezed. “Really, Arigato Rin-chan. You have no idea.” With that being said she threw the girl a wink and ran off to find her jacket.

The weather outside had gotten considerably colder, she thought with a shiver as a slight breeze found it’s way around her exposed ankles. Her mint green scarf flew upwards and she cuddled deeper within her thin jacket. She still had a ways to go and the clouds above her threatened showers, something she would have liked if she had been safely inside her house. Vaguely remembering a shortcut her mother had taught her less than a year ago, she peered down an alley that led to the central part of Iwagakure. Taking a chance, she veered off course and headed towards the street ahead of her. Nezumi didn’t travel much around town. She went to the market, to work, and back home. All of which were around the same area, it’s not to say she hadn’t meandered around by herself at times, but it was all very unfamiliar to her anyways. With a slump in her shoulders she realized she was, truly, lost.

How do you get lost in your own village, she thought miserably, scanning the area around her for any sign of anyone. “How strange everyone would be inside, it’s not that ugly out “ she said to herself, glancing up in the sky only to be met with a splash of water. “Just my luck I suppose.” The rain fell harder and no sooner was the girl but a pile of wet clothes. She quickly found refuge under the hood of a closed shop, sitting under the canopy until the weather lightened up, if it ever did. This was the last time, she swore to herself, that I ever try and take a short cut. Time went by and the weather continued to beat down spitefully, it was just her luck she happened to be peering in the distance did she see a group of people with umbrellas advancing.

Her heart skipped a beat, was it…?

“Deidara-kun!” She jumped to her feet and waved her arms above her head, watching as they came to a halt. It was a group of four, she realized. One of them must have been Deidara’s sensei, the rest his team.

“Nezumi?” That familiar voice called out. He said something to the rest of the group before they continued onward without him. He broke into a sprint towards the now shaking girl and narrowed his eyes at the sight of her. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, un? You’re soaking wet.”

“I got lost.” She said shyly, feeling awfully ignorant for getting lost in her own village. That lovely smirk met his lips and he tossed a blue eye upwards.

“Of course.” He took a step closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s get you home, shall we, un?” After correcting his umbrella he held it above her and walked her back into the main street, glancing down at her every now and then. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon, un.” Her eyes moved swiftly to him, paling as she remembered she wasn’t supposed to be around him any longer.

“Yeah, well, coincidences can be a strange thing sometimes.” Gazing into the puddles they passed she decided she needed to tell him, adequately or not. “Deidara-kun, I have some unfortunate news.”

“Hm?”

“Kaa-san has forbidden me to see you any longer.” As expected, he laughed.

“Ah, I see. Well, do you plan to follow your mothers rules, un?” She didn’t have an answer for him. What could she have done however? Her mother set rules down for a purpose and when Nezumi followed rightly, things turned out as they should. Was there a chance her mother could have been wrong about him?

“I…can’t say. I don’t want to, not at all!” A blush crept in as she realized she said that with almost too much excitement laced in. “But I don’t know how I would evade her rules to start with, you know?”

“Are you asking for my advice?” Blandly stating, he came to a halt and turned towards her. Her eyes drifted to his lips, slightly paling in color due to the cold weather that burned their skin. What she wouldn’t give to-

“Only if you were good at giving advice” she said suddenly, breaking herself away from that damned overactive imagination she was cursed with. Raising an eyebrow she looked at him expectantly.

He gave a shrug and continued walking. “I do my best, un. The way I see it, life’s only beautiful…” he seemed to struggle for the right words, “because it’s so fleeting, so transient. If you don’t take your chances you might miss them, and in turn, miss everything good that could have been there had you opened your eyes to change, un. If I were you I would live a little more, experience everything I could. Because before you know it, it’ll be gone, un.” The rain grew fiercer, pounding on the umbrella with a new violent force. Deidara looked up at the umbrella and narrowed his eyes, prodding a small hole with his finger before muttering a small swear. But Nezumi paid no attention. Her eyes focused in on the invisible street ahead of her, his words switching something on in the back of her mind.

He was right, she realized. All this time she thought she was living like a good girl should, but she was nothing but a caged bird.

“I don’t want to go home just yet.” She muttered, not breaking her stare away from the sight in front of her.

“Hm? Did you say something?” He asked, lowering his head to her level.

“I said I’m not ready to go home just yet” Snapping her head in his direction she flashed him what could almost be called a smile. “You’re right Deidara-kun, about everything. So let me live a little today, take me with you wherever you’re going.” She didn’t want to intrude but she had a feeling he wouldn’t mind.

The way his eyes lit up reassured her of just that. “Yes ma’am.” His voice was lighter, warmer almost she noticed. As he placed his arm back around her shoulder he turned her in the opposite direction and started walking. “I’ll get you some dry clothes at my place, sound alright?” She nodded, trying not to show him just how nervous he was.

Going back to…his place? She shook her head, surely nothing bad could happen, right? She worried too much and she knew this, he held more honor to her name than that. They walked in silence before he came to a sudden halt, looking at her knowingly. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, this is just going to take forever walking. If we ran we would be there in less than five minutes.” He knew she couldn’t run as fast as he could, but he had known that from the start. “Of course, I could carry you if you couldn’t keep up with me, un.” She didn’t want to say yes, she would rather have walked for days on end than be carried by him.

“I don’t know…” she replied, looking down at the ground. The rain was falling harder now, it probably would have been wise for them to get back to a shelter as soon as possible. “Fine” she huffed, her pride somewhat bruised.

“Good, then hold the umbrella for us.” Tenderly she took the umbrella from him, letting out a surprised yelp as he scooped her up in his arms. “You might want to close your eyes Nezumi, un.” As she was about to question why he pounced up to the roof of the building in front of him and began speeding through, roof from roof. She thought she was going to be sick at first, watching the world spin around her. Tightly, she clenched her eyes shut and instead focused on the sound of the passing rain. “Almost there, un.” His voice was comforting, soft and thoughtful as he clenched her closer. Was this living? She wondered to herself, she could get used to spending her time with him. After all, if she didn’t there could come a day when she wouldn’t have an option. Something that she quickly pushed away. She felt her weight transfer, as if she was falling through the air. Keep your eyes closed, she told herself, not wanting to find out if she really was falling. With a soft thud Deidara landed in front of the building, setting Nezumi down on her two, wobbling legs. “Are you alright onna, un?”

“Yeah, just a little shaky.” She took a step forward and stumbled slightly. She much preferred walking over jumping on rooftops. His hand wrapped around her waist and gave her a disapproving look. “Really, Deidara-kun, I’m fine.” With a slight smile she brushed his hands away and looked up at the building she stood in front of, “you live alone?” He nodded and moved his eyes to follow hers.

“Yeah, it’s just easier that way.” He left it at that and she knew it was something she shouldn’t pry further into. His hand slipped into hers and she gazed down at with a sense of confusion, not that she minded. “Come on, un.” He purposely softened his tone to reassure her everything was all right, tugging gently they moved swiftly to the shelter of the canopy and up the stairs to the second floor where Deidara lived, each wet step echoing in the empty stairwell. Her heart picked up pace as he slid the key into the door. Truth was, she had never been alone with a boy, not to mention alone with the one boy she was forbidden to see.

If only her mother could see her right now.