Take Me Away || itadei

Chapter 1: Deidara and the Akatsuki

After losing his battle to Itachi, Deidara joined the Akatsuki. Before long, he quite enjoys himself being in the organisation even though he was forced. Enjoy that he is the one bring destruction to the villages, enjoy the thrill of assassinating bandits or anyone they were assigned to kill, all the while awestruck and fascinated by his creations each time he is able to use them out in the open where he has a large audience who will witness such an event once in their lifetime. Quite literally.

Sometimes he enjoys the company of Sasori, his partner, even though they will always argue about the definition of art since they are both masters of art, however in parallel ways. Sasori believes art is something that should live for eternity and never dies or fade; to be preserved in its final state and continue its existence even as time starts wearing it down it will never die. On the other hand, Deidara believes art is what is made to exist in the moment; something rare to see, therefore, should not be taken for granted once it disappears before the eye. To make its existence complete.

But both definitions are never wrong. 'Art' simply has no correct meaning. As long as one knows how to express it and values art the correct definition should not matter. For that Sasori and Deidara has great respect for one another no matter how irritating either can be from time to time.

They have recently return from their assigned mission to find the whereabouts of Orochimaru's hideout on the order to kill him immediately. Though the three had a huge battle arena and Orochimaru at a disadvantage, his body was nowhere to be found after Deidara's clay managed to land a hit on him.

Frustrated their mission had went somewhat wrong, Deidara tries to steer his partner's attention away to something else by riling up the other's patience, blaming Sasori for taking too long to get started with his 'dolls.' Though it works they both cannot help but question that maybe Orochimaru is still alive. If that is the case Akatsuki will be in deep trouble, because not only did they wreck havoc they had also been unable to retrieve the body. To think the snake had managed to escape Deidara's blow and Sasori's puppets and leave without a trace or evident he was ever there is something Deidara cannot quite sit well with. It disturbs him to the very core and he shivers at just the thought of ever confronting the man again. He did not have such fond memories with the man.

"Sasori-dana, I'll be out." he simply says without waiting for a reply, knowing he wouldn't get a response either way.

Once surrounded by greenery and the woods stretch far and wide with young and old trees standing tall and proud, Deidara leaps up and lands beautifully on a branch that is thick enough to support him and his weight. Making sure no one is around he settles down on the branch, leaning back on the rough bark and placing his left hand inside the clay pouch which he always carries around, moulding whatever his mouth wanted to make subconsciously.

Relaxed and closing his half-lidded eyes he listens to the swaying of trees and chirping of birds and insects that appears to grow louder the longer he listens. Nature, he starts to wonder, will I ever be able to show you my masterpiece?

And he drifts into a dreamland.

"Where is Deidara?"

"Outside." comes the response.

He pushes no further. He figures it will be a waste of breath to retaliate the puppet master and so, he sets out to find the other master of an art which is his own.

Leaping from branch to branch, Itachi keeps his eyes and ears open to sense any type of chakra nearby that could be identified as the blond. When passing a familiar chakra signature he pauses, tracing the chakra with his senses and steadily following it. He stands in front of a wasted blond; head hanging to the side facing downwards and mouth slightly ajar, drool visibly forming at the corner of his mouth. If it is anyone else they may wake the boy from a burst of laughter. He looks ridiculous.

He bends forward to stare at the sleeping blond who's facial expression seem twisted and pained, as though he is wounded. Reaching down to touch the blond, a cluster of clay bats flap furiously around the blond, clay spiders creating a border between Itachi and Deidara, protecting the boy from harm.

Itachi retracts his hand and straightens up, "I will not harm him. He is needed."

As if understanding what the Uchiha had said, the clay figures part. The spiders crawl back into the pockets of the Akatsuki coat while few bats flap around the blond, some even hooking themselves on the boy's shoulders like a tamed pet.

After a few calls and light shaking of the boy's shoulders Deidara stirs awake. Trying to focus on the person in front of him proves to be difficult since it is too bright for his liking and he'd just woken up from an oh, so beautiful dream.

"Uchiha." he says sternly followed by a groan as he neatly gets up from the sitting position. The tree clearly is not a comfortable place to sleep on.

He stretches his tense muscles, his sore back and neck (thanks to the tree) earning a few pops from the joints since he'd been in that pose for almost two hours straight. After all the stretching is done, he is satisfied. A small smile curling on his lips before it is replaced with a frown when he glares up at Itachi.

"How dare you interrupt me, hn? Now what is it you want."

"Pain asks for your presence."

Fool.

"Oh? Is that so? I'll be on my way then."

The boy hums to himself as he push past him and leaps from the branch, landing on the ground majestically with dried soil spilling into the air and surrounding him like a bubble of dust. He marches off in the direction of the basement as fast as his legs can carry him, all the while screaming and beating himself up in his mind because in such a long time fear is eating him inside and out. He fears for the first time in such a long while since he'd left Iwa. But he cannot tell anyone. He will be judged and he doesn't need the extra judgement when he has already judged and is strict towards himself for it. He hates his weaknesses.

His eyes water as he approach the basement, but they don't fall. He will not let them.

[rewritten]