Stumble [Rewrite]

Buzzing

Deidara was very bright for his age. Creativity wise, at least. he was already making small sculptures and figurines before he began to train as a shinobi, and by the time he graduated the Academy at eight years old, he became the disciple of the Sandaime Tsuchikage.

Sasori kept himself hidden between the masses of thick green bamboo shoots as he observed a training session between Deidara and his sensei. The old man looked exasperated with the detonated ground and plantation around him, but the boy seemed to be pleased with his handiwork.

"I told you to not blow up the entire training grounds!"

"C'mon, it's not that bad, un."

"We used to have nice grass here, boy. A rarity if you haven't noticed. Now they're all up in the bamboo!" He sighed, "I shouldn't have given you those explosive tags..."

He gestured to the forestry that they were enclosed in. Onoki's eyes slowly moved up and caught a patch of black hidden a little ways away. An intruder? Observer? They didn't seem aggressive, but his old age and vast experiences taught him to be extra careful around those types.

"Next is your punishment," he said, glancing back at the little blonde.

"Sensei!"

"Quit that whining. Get to the rock—"

"I don't like that rock, hm! It's big and ugly and—"

"—I know. That's why you're going to balance yourself at the top and meditate."

"But, sensei!"

"Meditate."

Deidara pouted and trudged to the other side of the training grounds to that stupid rock. That unsymmetrical, gaudy, out of place... The Tsuchikage shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. That boy was going to be an excellent member of the Bakuha Butai one day and it was already showing. Annoyingly, though. Onoki made route to follow after.

::

Sasori drew an amused smile as he watched Deidara stalk off and grumble to himself. Some things never change, do they? He took a silent step back to leave the grounds when what felt like a kunai tip touched the base of his skull. His shoulders slumped.

"Dammit," he muttered.

"Akasuna no Sasori, is it? I've heard that name plenty. You killed the Sandaime Kazekage. He was a good friend of mine, and I didn't appreciate him being taken before his time," a lofty voice hummed. Sasori inclined his head slightly to see Onoki floating there, an arm extended without a care in the world. "So, what are you here for? Reconnaissance? Assassination?"

His eyes trailed down to the unfamiliar cloak.

"Then again, it's possible that you weren't after me."

The younger considered his options. He didn't want to attack or try to escape and cause an international incident, so keeping still was probably his best choice. He relaxed and dropped his guard. "You're right."

Sasori stood up slowly and kept his arms stretched out from his body. His palms were opened to show that he wasn't a threat, something Onoki could never recall a shinobi ever doing in his presence. The man turned around.

"I wasn't here for you," he conceded simply. The Tsuchikage raised an eyebrow. The action was completely unprecedented, though it did match up rather well with the missing-nin's cool and carefree attitude. "I'll be honest. I mean, you're not going to like it, but I'll tell you straight up." Onoki's eyebrow raised even higher as Sasori pointed a finger towards himself. "I'm an Akatsuki. A mercenary business, if you will. We've been looking for future members and keep tabs on the younger ones to see if they'll defect or not. Deidara's one of those on watch," he said. Onoki's hand twitched at the notion.