Bursting Red

“The basics ma’am, rice and a bowl of steamed vegetables” her eyes wandered over as she repeated the same words again as she had all day. The woman closed her menu and scanned Nezumi’s thoughtful face with a scowl.

“That’s fine, bring me some sort of mellow tea as well.”

“Black or green?” The words came out sounding more like a drawl as she mentally walked away. The woman placed her order and held out the menu for her to take. As expected, Nezumi ignored her and continued to stare off out the glass doors. It wasn’t until the menu was jabbed into her stomach did she return her attention to the customers. “Oh! I’m sorry!” With a blush she took the menu and walked away as swiftly as she could.

“Definitely not on you’re A-game today.” Rin flashed her a toothy smile and shook out her hair, taking her time to stack every menu together neatly.

“I know, I know. I‘ve got too much on my mind it seems.” With a quick glance at the clock she sighed loudly. “And I still have two more hours to endure. Oh Kami, why now?” She ignored Rin’s teasing voice and slumped off to the corner, waiting for an order or another nagging customer to complain about something that could not be helped. She didn’t snap out of her slump until her father told her to head home and begin preparing dinner.

As she looked from alley to alley way she couldn’t help wonder what Deidara was planning, or better yet when he was planning to act. He had said today, she thought with a finger to her lip, he must have meant tonight. Truth was she had watched all day out the window for any sign of him and to make everything more nerve wracking, the negative feeling that coiled in her stomach hadn’t left but instead intensified ten fold. Something terrible was going to happen and she had already given her word to help. Hoping she hadn’t dug herself a hole she couldn’t escape she knew Deidara was never one to take a challenge lightly.

He would go out of his way to make his point crystal clear, even if that meant taking risks no sane person would ever consider. She furrowed her brow and quickened her pace, her nerves getting the better of her. Every small sound stole her attention in hopes Deidara would come and update her on whatever was happening. She gave up and by the time she reached her door she understood she probably wouldn’t be seeing him for a while and to not get her hopes up. The house was empty and strangely cold, an echo on the floors resonating off the walls as she headed towards the dark kitchen. When she flicked on the light she halfway expected to find her kitchen occupied with him, but no. She was alone.

The rich aroma of spices and herbs filled the air and with another heavy sigh she set the spoon down and stalked off towards her room. Her parents weren’t home yet and even though dinner was done, she just didn’t have the appetite to stomach dinner tonight. “Come on Deidara, stop playing this,” she muttered to herself, casting an apprehensive glare out her closed window. She rolled her eyes and fell backwards to her pillow, figuring she might as well sleep until he showed up. If he ever did.

In her dreams it was her fists beating furiously on a closed door, but when she realized the sound wasn‘t coming from her mind she opened her eyes in fright. Another loud pang collided with her window pane violently, the window shaking from impact. Her heart raced and for a second she didn’t know what to do, with wide eyes she scaled the large crimson smear that trailed the glass. “Deidara?!” She sprang from her bed and tumbled over to her window, flinging it open and falling backwards as the boy stumbled into her room. “What’s happening?!” Her voice was stern but quiet, fully aware her parents were dead asleep across the house. Her eyes cut towards the open window as the sound of a riot creeped closer. He was being pursued, she realized. His eyes were wild and wide, a grin split on his mouth in an almost deranged manner. She had never seen him like this and the fear that stilled her was all she had to keep from scooting back away from him. Dragging her eyes down to his hands she choked at the sight. White wrappings were clumsily dressing his bleeding hands, blood spilling onto the floor in large droplets and he laughed suddenly, breaking the almost silent air.

“I got it Nezumi,” he growled and before he could keep talking he collapsed in a shudder to her floor. The blood soaked into his pants, crawling up like scarlet vines and he laughed lowly. Voices could be heard from out her window, angry and determined.

“What have you done Deidara-kun?!” She cried out as quietly as she could. Nezumi fell to her knees and took his hand in hers to examine the damage that had been dealt. Without warning, he tore his hand away from her touch and almost seemed to choke in pain. Her head snapped towards her door as she could hear her parents exclaiming loudly and rushing towards her room in a panic. The advancing people must have alarmed them straight from their sleep. “We need to leave Deidara, now. Come on, please!” She stood up, tears beginning to leek out and down her cheeks, with all her strength she grabbed his arm and pulled desperately.

It would do no good if he didn’t help her out, she was weak. Weaker than he was even in his tattered state.

“Nezumi-kun! Nezumi!?” The door tore open and her fathers face contorted into one of sheer surprise. “What is this!?” When her mother appeared from over his shoulder she took one glance at the boy and reeled backwards in disbelief.

“Him?! What is he doing here and why- is that, is that blood?” Her voice got weak as did her knees and without warning she crumpled to the ground. Her father dropped his lantern in shock and turned to assist his fallen wife. Taking her chance, she turned back to Deidara, watching in fear as his head hung low with his face hidden beneath his long, blonde hair. What was happening, she thought frantically, using her free hand to gently slap his cheek.

“Come on Deidara, get up.” She whispered heavily. Faintly he brought his head back to meet hers and with a short nod he forced his legs to work, is was all that more easier to move him. “Out the window, now.” He stumbled out the window and glanced up a her hopefully, and for once showing fear in those bright, blue eyes.

He wanted her to follow him. “Please,” he muttered, his eyes growing more alert with every beat of time. Her heart said follow, but her brain said no. In a last ditch effort to convince herself she turned towards her father and as their eyes met she knew she was nothing to them now.

So cold and seemingly angry, it was nothing but a stare filled with confusion and rage. What have you done, it screamed. It was the push she needed and deep inside she knew, she had no choice now but to leave. She threw her leg out the window and slipped her hand around Deidara’s wrist, squeezing gently. It was too late to wonder if she had done the right thing.

A sound pattern of footsteps were advancing and a distant voice called out behind them. This was absolute panic, she thought, numb with the pain in her chest. Deidara was limping but not completely useless and as she brought her eyes to his palm she noticed a hollow indentation beneath the wrappings, spitting more blood out.

“You must move faster, they’re coming.” She whispered urgently, moving her eyes back towards the pitch black road in front of them. He grunted in pain and forced his posture straighter, his pace slowly catching up to her slow one.

“Let me go Nezumi, un.” His voice was weak but forceful and hesitantly, she released him. From where she stood bathed in the moonlight, she watched in confusion as he shoved his hand deep into a bag on his hip and no sooner slapping his hands together. He winced in pain but continued to move his hand in a small circle.

“Deidara, we can’t waste time like this!” She cried out, her voice already growing faint and ragged. “What…” a small bird appeared in his palm when he unclenched his hands and a faint smile found his lips. Before she could blink the bird flew off, racing towards the advancing crowd of Jounin beyond them. Not a word could be muttered and as he slowly raised two fingers towards his mouth her eyes flew shut instinctively.

“Katsu!”

Even through her tightly clenched eyes she could tell the world around her was painted with fire, it’s fringes warming her skin. Screaming could be heard and when she opened her eyes to search for Deidara she saw something in him she had never before witnessed.

Insanity.

With a wide grin he lowered his hands and stared, merciless. “This is…” hell, she thought quietly. As the blaze burned shorter he turned towards her and his smile died away. He brought himself to his knees and she could tell now how badly wounded he had been before coming to her house that night.

“Was that not true art Nezumi? Was that not something beautiful, un?” Her voice was lost and he took her wide eyes as a simple agreement. His hand gently lifted her and a twitch in her skin forced her to pull away from his grasp.

“What happened to your hands?”

“Not now, un. We need to leave.” Though everything was chaos the minute he paused and stared into her eyes she knew everything would turn out ok. As long as he was there, she thought hopefully. She couldn’t run fast, but she ran fast enough to keep up with Deidara and his wounded state. He stopped running when he was sure they weren’t being pursued any longer, with a groan he collapsed onto the forest floor pushing his back against a tree. “We’ll keep moving soon, but I need to rest right now, un.” She nodded understandingly and sat herself directly across from him, searching his body for any signs of severe wounds.

Not that she would be able to do anything about it, she was a waitress not a medic.

“Are you going to tell me what happened?” She whispered, her head now turned away from him. The silver light fell through the branches of the trees, drenching her face in harsh patches. As he looked at her he couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

But what else could he do, he wasn’t about to leave her in Iwagakure. With a nod to himself he was reassured that in time she would be happy and come to understand just how strongly he felt for her. No one would touch her, no one but him. His hand reached up to stroke her face but when he noticed it was still bleeding he dropped it. “If you really want to know, un.” This scared her, was it really that bad that she was possibly better off not knowing?

“I do.”

“I stole a Kinjutsu from the village. And with this technique,” he glanced up to look at her, pleading with his eyes for her to understand, “I can make the ultimate art, un. Now everyone knows, they understand.” She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and began sobbing, something he wasn’t expecting. She muttered some things about missing and wrong but the rest was caught in his neck. He wanted to comfort her but his hands were in no shape to touch her milky skin. “Don’t cry Nezumi, this isn’t a bad thing, un.” She pulled away from him, a question in her eyes. “Don’t you get it, you’re free now. Isn’t this what you wanted, un?”

She didn’t answer but instead curled down to rest her head in his lap, tears still seeping through. “I cry too much, I’m sorry.” He didn’t have anything to say to her and he waited there until he felt her breathing steady out and he knew she was asleep. To hell with it, he thought, bringing his hand up to brush her face. He could feel the tip of the tongue press through the bandages on his palm and he bore a smile he was glad she couldn’t see. Cutting his eyes towards her sweet face he noticed a smear of blood on her cheek that he had left and the contrast of crimson on white made a fire swell inside of him.

What could he say, she looked good in red.