Chapter Text
There’s something wrong with Tobi.
No, not in the “he’s fucking annoying” sense, though that is true, but what Deidara is talking about now is in the “he’s definitely hiding something, yeah” sense.
He’s got this overwhelming suspicion that Tobi’s putting on an act, concealing his true strength. Just how strong Tobi really is Deidara can’t guess, but there’s definitely something there, just beneath the surface.
He wants to know what it is. It’s mysterious, it’s dark, it’s unsettling, and if Deidara is being honest with himself, it’s maybe a little sexy sometimes. The handful of incidents where the (metaphorical) mask slips, and facets of the true personality creep out; the times where Tobi lets his voice go deeper, when he thinks Deidara isn’t listening; the times Tobi emerges unscathed despite being at the center of an explosion’s blast radius; the times Tobi’s idiotic prattling takes a morbid turn.
Deidara likes to think that he’s pretty smart. He made great grades in school despite spending most of the time doodling in his sketchbook. Piecing together strategies and ideas comes easy to him.
But Tobi remains an enigma.
There is something extremely alluring about Tobi, though Deidara is loath to admit it. But only as far as curiosity goes. If Deidara’s heart skips a beat whenever Tobi gets too close, it’s just the excitement of learning something new, of putting together the clues, nothing more. If seeing a slip of Tobi’s bare skin is enough to make Deidara’s face heat up, it’s merely the allure of seeing something usually hidden from the world. That’s it.
—
Deidara takes the lead, Tobi trailing behind him. “Tobi, I know you’re not as useless as you pretend to be, yeah? Drop the act. I know you talk in a normal voice to Zetsu.”
Suddenly Tobi is too close, leaning over Deidara’s shoulder. “What act?” he says, voice deep and masculine. “No one will believe you.”
Deidara is petrified, a mixture of fear and arousal coiling in his stomach, the silence of the late afternoon stretching on around the two of them.
“Juuuust kidding! Haha, I got you good, didn’t I Senpai?”
“For the record, I didn’t believe you anyway, yeah,” is what he says, but his heart is still rampaging in his chest. There’s a hint of cruelty in Tobi’s voice now, his towering height and faceless stare registering as a threat to Deidara.
But before he can analyze any of it, Tobi frolics away, humming a dumb little tune.
Okay, maybe Deidara has a Thing for tall, mysterious men, even if they are a bit silly sometimes. Maybe it’s fear of the unknown. Maybe the swirl on Tobi’s mask conceals a black hole, sucking in all that gets too close. Maybe Deidara likes that. Maybe Deidara wants to be consumed.
He lets the revelation sit in his throat while the two of them make camp.
There has to be a way to get Tobi’s guard down…
“Nose goes for first watch!” Tobi shouts.
“Nose goes doesn’t work when there’s only two people, dumbass! Besides, I can’t even see your nose, how do I know if you’re touching it, hm?”
“You’re just mad ‘cuz you lost,” Tobi replies smugly.
“N-no! It’s science, yeah! Everybody knows!”
“Everybody’s nose? Why are you touching other people’s noses? That’s a little weird,” Tobi says with mock concern. “Keep your grubby hands to yourself.”
“Oh my god! I said KNOWS not NOSE! And my hands are NOT grubby!”
“Fine, fine, if it bothers you so much, I’ll take first watch. No need to get so bent out of—“
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it!”
“Too late. Get your beauty sleep, Senpai. I’ll wake you up when it’s time.”
What a liar. All the times he’s taken first watch, Tobi’s never woken Deidara for his turn. Instead, Tobi stays up all night, letting Deidara sleep in. Mostly Deidara is grateful for the extra sleep, if not feeling a little bit guilty.
After all, doesn’t Tobi need to sleep, too?
“I can stay up with you,” Deidara offers.
“No offense, but if we both stay awake, that defeats the purpose of making camp.” His tone is condescending, but Deidara chooses to ignore that.
“I’m just saying, there’s other things we can do.”
“Oh yeah?” Tobi asks, “Like what?”
Deidara scoots closer, pressing his palm against Tobi’s chest. Tobi is stock still. Beneath all the armor and clothing, it’s evident that Tobi is fucking ripped.
“I have needs, yeah?” Deidara’s voice cracks on the last word. “Just— touch me, a little.”
Deidara leans in, his head tilted upwards: a challenge. Whatever underlying power Tobi is hiding is immensely attractive. Those brief moments when Tobi’s façade breaks; when he thinks no one is listening and his voice drops to a baritone. But Deidara is always listening, and he can’t help but half-close his eyes as he slides himself into Tobi’s lap. His hands climb closer to Tobi’s silly orange mask so he can tilt it to the side and finally feel the rough texture of Tobi’s lips against his own.
Deidara doesn’t get that far. Gloved hands encircle his wrists like iron shackles before roughly forcing him backwards against the ground. Tobi is strong, and though Deidara struggles, he is unable to free himself, disheartened to find that Tobi is now holding both of his wrists with only one hand.
“You have no idea what you’re asking for.” The deep voice, so mismatched from its speaker, sends shivers down Deidara’s spine. He’s lost control of the situation far too easily. He let himself lose control of the situation. He knows it’s his own fault, the result of his teenaged hubris, but he’s still overflowing with indignation at it all. He aims a kick at Tobi, and failing that flails his legs in a panic, but Tobi just shifts his body to immobilize Deidara with his weight, folding him in half to where his knees kiss his ears.
Deidara hates not being in control, but he hates his body’s reaction to not being in control even more. Already his breath has quickened, heat pooling in his groin. This was so humiliating, but isn’t this exactly what he wanted to happen? Isn’t this the reaction he was aiming for?
“T-Tobi,” Deidara bites out. It’s taking all his strength not to rut against the other man. He needs this. He needs this so bad.
“What is it, Senpai?” Tobi says with his usual, silly voice. “What’s got you in such a tizzy?”
Deidara flushes a brilliant red. Tobi knows damn well what! As if he’s not the cause!
Tobi suddenly withdraws, leaving Deidara wanton and needy. “You need to go to sleep,” he says flatly, “You’re letting your exhaustion get in the way of your judgment.”
Panting, Deidara drops his feet back to the ground and lets out a frustrated groan. When he finally retreats to his bedroll, he hopes Tobi will get the hint and leave for a moment, just long enough for Deidara to take care of his raging boner. Tobi does not, and Deidara does not sleep.
The next night, rather than sleep in the wilderness, they stop at an inn. Their assignment is a stakeout and assassination, and their mark is easier to track from the inn. Deidara is mostly glad for the opportunity to actually sleep. Still, he tries to get some work done, perfecting the design of a new bomb. It’s almost too much effort to keep his eyes open, but god knows when he’ll next get the time for this.
He hears footsteps behind him.
“Tobi? Why are you being all quie-“ Deidara startles, dropping the clay figure he’s been contemplating and scrambling for a kunai. The wet clay hits the floor with a whump. “Who are you? What the fuck are you doing here?”
The stranger tilts his head. “Are you saying you don’t recognize me, Deidara? And here I thought you were smart enough to figure it out.”
Deidara inhales sharply. This man’s aura is oppressive, malice radiating off of him. It’s like Deidara is a terrified little child again, desperately waiting for his mother to return from a mission. The ringing in his ears is so loud he can barely hear what the strange man says.
“T-Tobi? Is that you?” Deidara hates the way his voice shakes as he says it.
He’s never been so scared in his life. This is ridiculous! He’s a member of the Akatsuki, he doesn’t get scared! It’s other people who are afraid of him.
The man steps into the light, where Deidara can more clearly see him. He’s handsome. The entire right side of his face is scarred badly, but that only seems to enhance his attractiveness. His eyes glow red, and Deidara can feel the whole room being sucked away as if in a black hole.
“S-stay away from me!” Deidara throws the kunai, and despite his shaking hands, his aim is spot on.He watches as it pierces the man’s forehead and goes right through him, leaving no injury.
He can feel himself being pulled in, the room around him spiraling towards the man’s eyes. It won’t be long before Deidara, himself, is consumed.
“It’s only me, senpai,” the man says sarcastically.
Deidara wakes in a cold sweat, his hand-mouths chewing nervously on his blanket. He turns to look at the figure sleeping soundly on the other futon. Tobi’s shoulders rise and fall with the movement of his breath, and Deidara feels a little silly for worrying about his dream. It’s just Tobi. Just Tobi.
Just Tobi.
Right?