Work Text:
Deidara hops down from his bird, landing steadily on his feet. “You better not mess this up,” he says when he stands up straight.
Tobi struggles to slide down the side of the bird. The bird bucks and he falls to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dirt around him. He huffs. “It’s just a simple mission, senpai,” Tobi says. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Deidara stares down at him and Tobi pretends not to notice. He gets up and brushes the dirt off his cloak, getting some onto Deidara. Deidara clicks his tongue and starts to walk away.
“H-hey!” Tobi shouts. “Wait for a second, senpai! Hold up!”
Deidara hurries down the path and disappears into the entrance of the village. Tobi jogs to catch up with him but he slows when he notices the decoration around him.
“Wow,” he mutters, looking up and around.
The village is covered in multicolored string flags. He watches as the villagers hoist up poles and secure it on the dirt ground. Other men help set up stands, tossing fabric awning over the top. Everything looks a little fantastical as everyone and everything is bathed in the golden light of the setting sun.
“I wonder what’s happening here…” Tobi wonders aloud.
A villager looks up at him. He stands up straight and wipes a towel across his forehead, an easy grin spreading across his face. “We’re preparing for the fireworks festival tonight!” he says.
“Fireworks?” Tobi asks. Deidara stops just a few paces ahead of him. He just stands there.
“Yes, fireworks,” the man says, reaching up to help his fellow villager to tie the awning to the supports. “We start at seven o’clock tonight. Are you interested in participating?”
Tobi glances at Deidara. Deidara turns around and glares at him. Tobi turns back to the villager and asks, “What do you do in your fireworks festival?”
“We have snacks and then we gather by the river to watch the fireworks go off! We have little sparklers for the kids, but adults are welcome to use them too.”
Deidara stomps over to him and Tobi feels a rough hand grab at his arm. “We don’t have time for this, yeah,” Deidara hisses. “Stop wasting time and let’s go. We’re on a mission. Please do remember that.”
Tobi struggles half-heartedly against Deidara’s grip, but he lets himself get dragged along. “Thank you for the information, sir!” Tobi shouts back to the villager, giving him a wave. The villager waves back at him.
They enter the main hall of the village and are immediately greeted by the village leader. “You must be the Akatsuki,” she says.
“Yes,” Deidara grunts. “Where is your guy?”
“He’s in the dungeons,” the leader says. “How long do you think it will take?”
“Depends on whether or not he’s a wimp,” Deidara replies. “We’ll get what you need, hm.”
“It would be great if you could do it before seven,” she says. “We are having a festival then, you see, and I would like it very much if it were wrapped up before then.”
Tobi appears behind Deidara. “I heard about the festival!” he says. “It’s about fireworks, isn’t it? It sounds very interesting!”
Deidara clicks his tongue and waves his hand at Tobi’s direction, slapping his mask a couple of times. “I apologize for my partner, yeah,” he says. “He doesn’t know how to behave himself.”
“That’s quite alright,” says the leader. “I was actually going to ask if you wanted to stay to enjoy the celebrations. It would be an honor to have you there.”
Tobi watches as Deidara purses his lips. There’s something in his eyes that makes Tobi want to speak up for him. “We’re here on official business,” Deidara eventually says.
“Ah,” the leader says. “You are quite right. Very well, you should continue down to the dungeons. He is already in the interrogation room.”
Deidara nods and grabs Tobi by the sleeve, pulling him downstairs.
“You,” Deidara hisses as they walk down the stairs. “Stop talking. I don’t want to join the festival.”
“But it’s about fireworks, senpai!” Tobi exclaims. He pauses then, looking down at his partner and then deciding to say, “I really want to see the fireworks. It’s been years since I’ve properly got the chance to admire them!”
“I don’t want to stay here,” Deidara says. “We need to send our mission report and reward back to our leader as soon as possible, hm.”
“He wouldn’t mind if we were a few hours late,” says Tobi. “Mr. Leader is a very understanding man.”
“That’s not true at all, yeah,” Deidara says. “Where are you getting your information from?”
“Personal experience.” Tobi shrugs. “He’s always been kind to me,” he says.
Deidara scoffs. “It’s probably because he just pities you so much that he’s got no choice but to be kind,” he mutters.
“I heard that, senpai,” Tobi says.
“Whatever, hm.”
“It’s true, though,” Tobi says. “Mr. Leader really wouldn’t mind if we are a few hours late. I really want to see the fireworks!”
“You don’t need to see the fireworks. My art is good enough, hm.”
“That’s true,” says Tobi, “but I also want to enjoy a festival! The atmosphere is different: the crowd, the food, the music… It’s really an experience! It’s not just because of the fireworks.”
They stop in front of the interrogation room and Deidara rolls his eyes. He pushes a hand against Tobi’s chest and points at him. “Don’t ruin this mission,” he says. “I’m not going to stand another mocking from Hidan, hm.”
“Yessir!” Tobi says, giving him a salute.
Deidara rolls his eyes again and enters the room. Tobi tries to follow, but the door shuts in his face and he is locked out. Tobi hurries to the window and peers in.
He can barely make out what they are saying, but Obito couldn’t care less. He leans against the window as he waits for Deidara to squeeze the information out of the crook.
It takes a little longer than expected, but after a few tiny explosives are shoved in the man’s face, Deidara manages to get what they need. He walks out of the room and Tobi is immediately by his side.
“Senpai!” Tobi complains.
“Shut up, you were just going to ruin it for me, yeah.”
“I could have helped.”
“Really? How could you have helped?”
“I could have stood there looking intimidating. Then he would be really scared and would have given you the information immediately.”
“Somehow, I highly doubt that, hm.”
“That’s very hurtful, senpai.”
Deidara glances at him. “You really don’t seem like the intimidating type, Tobi.”
Tobi chuckles.
“Well, let’s go, then,” Deidara says. “We already have what we need.”
“Wait!” Tobi says. He grabs Deidara’s arm and successfully stops him from walking away. “We need to stay for the festival!”
“No,” Deidara says.
“Why?”
“Because I said so, hm. Now, let’s go. We’re wasting daylight.”
“It’s almost six, senpai,” Tobi says. “The sun is going to set soon. We shouldn’t travel at night.”
Deidara scoffs. “As if that has stopped me before.”
“Has it?”
“No, it hasn’t,” Deidara says. “We can’t participate in the festival.”
“Why?”
“I already said why.”
“That’s not a reason, senpai,” Tobi says. “You have to give me a good reason why, or we’re not leaving!”
Deidara bites his lip and looks away. Obito stares at him, searching his expression. Eventually, Deidara throws his free arm up in the air and says, “Fine, we can stay, hm.”
Tobi cheers.
“But!” Deidara interrupts him. “We are only staying for an hour. Then, we are heading back, hm.”
“Oh, you’re no fun,” Tobi says.
“I was never fun.”
Tobi laughs.
Deidara stares down at his arm. “You can let go now, hm,” he mutters.
Tobi looks down and then lets go. “Sorry,” he says. “Am I hurting your wound?”
Deidara shakes his head. “No,” he says. He twists his arm this way and that and shakes his head again. “It’s fine,” he says.
“Alright,” Tobi says. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s whatever. Come on, you’re wasting your hour, hm.”
Tobi grins and takes Deidara’s hand. “Come on, then, senpai,” he says. “Let’s go report to the village leader and then prepare for the festival!”
“Hey!” Deidara says as he is pulled along. “I never said that I will be participating!”
“Too late now, senpai!”
Tobi drags him back to the lobby of the main hall, where the village leader is waiting. She stops talking to the person next to her when she spots them, and he steps back.
“Did you get the information?” she asks once they are close enough. She glances down at their connected hands but says nothing about it.
“Yes,” Deidara says. He tries to take his hand back, but Tobi only tightens his grip. Deidara shoots him a glare. He reaches into his pocket and takes out a scroll. “Here is everything you need to know, hm.”
The leader takes the scroll and unrolls it, nodding as she reads the content. “This is good,” she says, though there is a pinch in her eyebrows.
“What’s wrong, ma’am?” Tobi asks.
She looks up, surprised, but she shakes her head. “I shouldn’t trouble you lot again,” she says, “you’ve already fulfilled your part of the bargain. Speaking of which, here is your payment.”
She gestures to the man she was talking to earlier and he hands them a bag of coins. Tobi takes it and puts it in his cloak.
“Thank you so much for your help,” she says. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay for our celebrations?’
Tobi looks down at Deidara, who is staring intently at the exit, and says, “Actually, we want to stay!”
“That’s great!” she says. She gestures to the man again and he hurries to take them out of the hall. She follows them. “We have a few rules for our festival and even though you are outsiders, you still have to follow them. Shiroko will show you around and teach you how to prepare for the festival.”
The man, Shiroko, dips his head and leads the two of them toward one of the stores in town. The leader stays behind and gives the three of them a big wave goodbye.
“First, you must wear our traditional kimono,” Shiroko tells them as they head into the store. “We have a few pre-made ones, but for esteemed guests such as yourselves, we will get them custom-made for you. The tailors will have them ready before the festival starts.”
“That’s cutting it a bit close, isn’t it?” Tobi asks.
“Our tailors are very skilled,” Shiroko says. He guides Deidara up to the stand and two women approach him with measuring tapes. “They will be able to handle the task without any issues.”
“Well, if you are sure about that,” Tobi says. He watches Deidara. “How much is it going to cost?”
“It will be free,” says Shiroko, “courtesy of our leader.”
“That’s too kind,” Tobi says. “You guys are so nice.”
“You helped us a lot,” Shirko says. “We have been chasing that criminal down for months and he refused to talk the entire time he was here.”
Tobi nods along to Shiroko’s words. “Deidara-senpai sure does have a way to make a man talk,” Tobi mutters.
Shiroko glances at him and then at Deidara, and he pretends he doesn’t notice him flickering his gaze back and forth. “I hope it wasn’t too…,” Shiroko pauses and then says, “troublesome.”
“Huh?”
“We didn’t mean for it to hurt your relationship,” Shiroko says hurriedly.
“Oh, we’re okay,” Tobi says. “Nothing was hurt. We’re still good friends.”
“Friends?”
“Yes,” Tobi says, turning back to Shiroko. “What did you think we are?”
“Well,” Shiroko says. “It wasn’t my position to assume. I’m sorry I did.”
“Huh?”
“Tobi,” Deidara bites out, rolling his shoulder as he steps down from the pedestal, “it’s your turn, you numbskull, hm.”
“Yes, senpai!”
Shiroko turns to Deidara and the two exchanges a few words, though Obito is too distracted by the measuring to really pay attention. The only thing he knows is that once he’s done, Deidara is looking more flustered than before and refuses to stand close to Tobi, insisting Shiroko to stand in between them.
Shiroko takes them to the town center and gestures to all the stands, which are now being filled with stoves and other appliances. “These stands will be providing everyone with snacks once they are done,” he says. “It is customary to visit at least one of these stands.”
“Consumerism,” Deidara mutters.
Tobi snorts out a laugh and Deidara glances at him. Tobi just shrugs.
“Here,” Shiroko says, picking up a wad of sparklers and two firecrackers. He hands them to Tobi and Tobi struggles to carry them all. “Please only light the firecrackers at the bank by the river. The sparklers can be used anywhere, but it would be preferable if you kept their usage to the edge of the village.”
“We have our own—” Deidara says but he is cut off by Tobi, who steps in front of him.
“That’s great!” Tobi says. “We will do that, and we will also only use these fireworks that you gave us, nothing else.”
Shiroko gives them a weird look but he shrugs it off. “I will notify you when your robes are ready,” he says. “For now, please do enjoy yourselves before the festival begins.”
“Will do,” Tobi says.
Deidara pokes him in the side and Tobi squeaks, almost dropping his arm full of fireworks. “What’d you do that for, senpai?” Tobi complains.
“Do you know what he said to me?” Deidara hisses.
“It’s probably the same thing he said to me,” Tobi says with a shrug. “It’s no big deal, senpai. There’s nothing wrong with just them assuming.”
“I have a reputation to keep, hm.”
“Yes, yes,” Tobi says, “I know, senpai. Come on, do you want to play with these sparklers?”
“The sun’s just setting,” Deidara says. “It won’t look good.”
“Oh, so now you’re an expert?”
“I’ve always been an expert with these things,” Deidara says. “Keep carrying them, I want to buy some food.”
“I thought you said you weren’t interested in participating!”
“I’m not,” Deidara says. “I’m only doing this because you want to.”
Tobi snorts. “Of course, senpai,” he says, “of course.”
The town center fills with more and more people as the clock nears seven. Many villagers are already beginning to line up for stands that are barely ready to open, placing down orders for snacks.
Deidara finishes his second bakudan and licks his lips. Tobi catches him staring at another group of villagers wheeling in a cotton candy machine.
“Do you want some cotton candy, senpai?” Tobi asks.
“Hm,” Deidara hums.
Tobi puts down the fireworks by Deidara and hurries to get him some cotton candy. The villager he saw when they first entered the village is manning the machine. He perks up when he sees him approach.
“It’s you again, masked sir!” the villager says.
“Yes, it’s me,” Tobi replies. “Are you in charge of the cotton candy machine?”
“Yes, I am. Are you interested in getting some cotton candy?”
“Yes,” Tobi says. He digs into his pockets and takes out a few coins. The man accepts the cash and he readies the machine.
“Are you going to stay and participate in the festival?” the man asks.
“Yes, I managed to change my partner’s mind.”
“That’s great to hear,” the man says. He finishes with the cotton candy and hands him the cone. “I hope you have a wonderful time. Many folks come here just to celebrate our fireworks festival!”
“Why is that?” Tobi asks as he takes the cone.
“We make our own fireworks,” replies the man, “so we often take special requests, especially from couples.”
Tobi is quiet. He glances at Deidara, who is still sitting on the bench and staring down at the fireworks behind him with a strange look on his face. “That sounds like a great deal,” he eventually says.
“Enjoy your candy!” the man says.
Tobi heads back to Deidara, handing him to cotton candy. “I heard that they take personal requests when it comes to the fireworks,” Tobi says.
Deidara scoffs, peeling a chunk out of the cotton candy and putting it in his mouth. “So what?”
“We can probably request it to look like your art.”
“And let them steal my designs? I don’t think so, hm.”
“It’s not stealing if you let them use it,” Tobi says.
“Who says I want to let them use it?”
“Don’t you want more people to witness your art, senpai?” Tobi asks. “The man says that there’s going to be a lot of people coming here, so you can use this time to advertise!”
“I don’t want to do that,” Deidara replies. “Besides, it takes a long time to personalize fireworks. The festival is about to start, so I don’t think they will have enough time to make it, yeah.”
“You know so much about fireworks, senpai.”
“It’s offensive that you think I don’t,” Deidara says.
Tobi sits down next to Deidara, a little closer than he usually would, and nudges his shoulder. “Come on, senpai, I’m only teasing you,” he says. “I think it’s very cool that you know so much about fireworks. Can I ask why?”
To his surprise, Deidara actually answers him. “I was interested in fireworks first,” he says. “I wanted to know everything I can, yeah. Then I switched to explosives.”
“Oh, I see,” Tobi says in a sing-song tune. “That’s very cool, senpai. I’m very impressed. I wish I was as knowledgeable like that. I know nothing cool.”
Deidara scoffs. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere, Tobi,” he says, though Tobi can see a little pink in his cheeks.
“I’m not trying to go anywhere, though, senpai.”
Deidara nudges his side with his elbow, and he hisses immediately afterward. Tobi sits away a little and holds his arm.
“Are you okay, senpai?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Deidara says. “I’m fine, hm.”
Shiroko finds the two of them moments later, kimonos in his arms. “Sirs,” Shiroko says, “I have your kimonos here. You can wear these on top of your clothes to minimize changing time.”
“Is the festival about to start soon?” Tobi asks.
“In fifteen minutes,” Shiroko says. “You can head down to the hill if you are done buying snacks. The lines can get really long if you wait until later tonight.”
“We’re only going to stay here for an hour, hm,” Deidara mutters.
Shiroko says nothing. He hands them their kimonos and leaves them alone.
Tobi takes off his cloak, folding it neatly and places it beside him. He unfolds the kimono and admires the fabric before he puts it on.
“Oh, this is nice,” Tobi says. He turns to Deidara and finds him staring at him. Tobi poses a little. “Do you like what you see, senpai?” he asks.
Deidara blinks and frowns. “Shut up.” He shoves the cotton candy in Tobi’s hands and turns away, grabbing his own kimono. Tobi does not stare as Deidara puts it on.
“Their work is really impressive, huh?” Tobi says once Deidara is dressed.
Deidara looks down at himself, patting the clothes. “Yeah, it’s whatever,” he says.
“Well, I think it’s impressive,” Tobi says. “It’s really hard to get custom-made kimonos nowadays.”
“Whatever. Let’s get this over with, hm.” Deidara takes the cotton candy back from Tobi and he starts to head down to the hill.
Tobi gathers all of their fireworks and hurries to follow him. The darkness makes the trip a little dangerous, but they eventually find their way to the hill and stop at a good spot. There are others around them, all carrying their own piles of sparklers and firecrackers. Some children are already running around with lit sparklers.
“One hour,” Deidara says.
“Huh?” Tobi questions. He puts down the firecrackers and sparklers on the ground. He takes out two sparklers and hands one to Deidara. “Want to play?”
Deidara finishes his cotton candy and places the cone down. He takes the sparkler and doesn’t repeat himself. “It’s not a toy,” Deidara mutters.
Tobi takes out a lighter and lights his own. He touches the tip of his to Deidara’s. Their sparklers crack and spit as they light up. Tobi turns to watch Deidara, who is staring intently at the sparklers. There is a strange look on Deidara’s face that warms Obito’s heart.
“It’s starting!” someone shouts from behind them.
Tobi looks up and a second later, the sky lights up with fireworks. The explosions are deafening, but the resulting light is impressive. It lights everything up; the previously dark hill illuminated every time a firework is set off. Tobi can’t help but let out a soft, “wow,” as designs are formed once the fireworks are in the air.
“Isn’t this so cool, senpai?” Tobi asks Deidara. When Deidara doesn’t respond, he looks down at him. The fireworks are casting multicolored lights on Deidara’s expression, his blue eyes lighting up with each firework’s explosion. Even though Deidara is barely twenty, in this light, he looks even younger.
He looks less troubled and less like the hardened criminal Tobi knows him as. Suddenly, Obito finds it hard to breathe and his heart is in his throat. He swallows thickly.
Tobi lowers his sparkler and takes Deidara’s free hand. Deidara looks down from the fireworks and stares right into his eye. He doesn’t pull his hand away.
“I thought you wanted to admire the show, hm,” Deidara mutters.
“I am,” Tobi replies.
Deidara looks down at their joined hands. Obito does too.
And the two of them just stare, fireworks going off behind them.