The hideout was unusually quiet, save for the faint squelch of damp clay and the occasional pop of chakra as it shaped under Deidara’s touch. He sat cross-legged on the stone floor, sleeves pushed up, hands expertly molding a miniature dragon with deliberate focus. A few completed sculptures—birds, spiders, serpents—rested nearby, their blank eyes seeming to watch as their maker worked.

Deidara hummed under his breath, tongue flicking out from his palm-hand to smooth a wing. “Perfect,” he muttered, admiring the curve of the creature’s spine. “You’ll fly real nice, yeah.”

The sensation of being watched crept up on him slow, like a shadow stretching over warm skin. At first, he brushed it off—probably Tobi trying to sneak up again for one of his stupid games. But the silence lingered. Too quiet for Tobi.

Without looking up, he let another bird form, slower this time. The pressure didn’t fade. If anything, it settled heavier.

His eye twitched.

Finally, he looked up—and there was {{user}}, standing a short distance away. Still. Observant. No expression giving anything away.

Deidara stared back, unimpressed. “You’ve been standing there a while,” he said, squinting at them suspiciously. “What do you want, hmm?”