Series: Naruto
Setting: AU
Prompt: 06. 夢と現の間 (The Space Between Dream and Reality)
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: Neither dream nor reality can be rewarding, sometimes you find yourself wishing for a medium between the two

Wake Me When It's Over

It has happened to him. Oh my god. Yes. Him! It wasn't some classy socialite that needed a free handout because they weren't able to get themselves any business, it wasn't an already renown somebody that came across the chance meeting but him! A struggling artist barely scraping by with instant noodles and rent two weeks behind. That is right! Him. Him. Him. Him. Him.

"We just hit it off instantly, un. Who would have guessed that me, little old me could have been selected for this. Me, yes me!"

That day was one of the happiest of his life. Yeah being selected for the school to represent in the upcoming show as part as his final project was one thing, this was completely different. Something that pissed all over that minor project making it look like a drop of water in the ocean compared to having his own full scaled viewing completely with rich people who's pockets were too big and their taste of art was in their ass. That did not matter in the world of art, bringing in the big green did.

Sure, okay, he felt that he had been selling out a little with the proposition. Art after all was supposed to be a reflection of yourself and your views of the world no matter how abstract, constructive, blocked, still, colored, it was. People were meant to sit there and stare at it, hum, stare at it some more and then move angles to come to their own conclusion for it and if it was appealing then they purchased it for a ridiculous amount but watching it sell to a yuppie that would use it as a clothes rack felt cheap. For now, he would just relish in the high of being recognized, soon it would surely hit exactly what he was getting himself into.

"My own show. This is the best thing ever."

Not everyone was carrying the same enthusiasm as the blond, particularly one redhead who was at wits end in listening to the fanatical rant for over a week. The same thing repeated that he could cite it back word for word including the raised points of his voice in enthusiasm, well due past the point to put him in his place.

Deidara continued with his retelling of the tale once again as he came close to a happy skip down the street, getting a good ten meters ahead before he noticed that there was no responsive grunt or heavy breathing of annoyance, completely silent from the man. "Danna are yo-..." he cut himself short, spinning around to see where he had just suddenly taken off to without the courtesy of telling him that he was leaving. Folding his arms across his chest puffing it out along with his cheeks ruffling up as big as irate bird ready to stand his ground, the artist stormed back over to the other one and stood dead in front of him staring down at him hindered by the slight height difference between the two. "What is your problem? Why did you stop?"

Sasori, his 'danna', his master of the sorts, had been acting more abrupt than usual. He had only put it down to the fact that he was jealous of his rising fame and wanted to take a stand against him by being more of an asshole than usual. It was seriously childish and immature of him not to be supportive of him which he told him so, going off into a rant pointing out the facts that he should he happy for him, he would cut him into the deal and try wrangle one for his best friend as well. From there is swayed back and forth between sympathetic to irate worse than someone bipolar, unable to know what emotion he should be feeling until the end settling with angry to get the point across. "You are my friend. You should be happy for me, un," Deidara reminded him of that long-term friendship they had forged over the years.

Typical. He got a taste of the high life and he was already turning his back on him, acting like he was one of those egotistical bastards in the rags to riches stories that always forgot where they came from and how they got there. Deidara wasn't going to forget him but his head was swelling to an all new level, expanding his body outwards to boot unable to stop the swell of pride from bursting out.

"Enjoy the show," Sasori huffed, pushing the obstacle out of the way continuing down the path where they were meant to be heading together. He bit his tongue in adding the words 'sell out' after it. No, it was not necessary. Come his own time, Deidara would soon come to realize that his perfect world that he was building around the shithole of his actual life would at one point come crashing down, finding him quickly snapped out of the medium he had created between dream and reality.

There was so much more that he could have followed on with. He could have given him the affirmation that ever since he met the Uchiha mogul he had been smitten, head over heels giddy in lust blinding him for any oncoming attacks that might be heading his way. No one rich wants something without gaining anything in return and Deidara could be found three weeks later in a dumpster rotting away that flawless body that begged to be turned into his own special brand of art, wasted, no longer usable. The hype that he was building around this show would only lead to disappointment, not yet taking it seriously although the time until its viewing was not for a fair few months away. Many artists that failed became acknowledged after their death usually taken by their own hand. Seeing the arrogant blond fall smack bang down on his face and kicked to the curb where he couldn't get back up brought tinges of pleasure up his spine, knowing that he had it coming but the pang of remorse would surely follow. Someone had to watch out for Deidara's stupidity after all, he could at least have fun waiting for that to happen.

The vibes that he was purposely sending to Deidara was that he was fed up with it all, taken exactly the way he wanted it to by the loud cursing behind him as he walked away. A bastard -- as stated so colorfully hurled out at him, was certainly more than correct, how it was his time to discover how exact he would be about his internal prediction. Would the blond fall down on his face and come crawling back wanting to kiss the ground that he walked on? Of course he would. This was Deidara after all. Without his help, he would not be able to make it through the day to prod him in the ass stopping him from sinking into insufferable boredom. His obsession with that brunette would only suffice for so long before he grew bored, seeing it happen many times throughout the explosive artist's career in relationships. It was just the same as his art. What he was going now although praised by their lecturer as well as the bimbo that Itachi so constructively placed at his party, it was not what he wanted to do. In the end, the explosive personality that could not be kept down, that need to fulfill some kind of quota for chaos would kick in and this road of easy street would come to an end.

Why was Sasori so sure of himself on this? He had known him for too long. Why else would he be his only friend after all these years passing through school and into life? Because he was the only one that could ground him.

Not that Deidara was willing to admit this at all, still abusing him far out of sight faced with only the stares of people passing by close to calling the police on him. That was right! He did not need Sasori at all. Jealously, nothing but jealousy from the red head since he had progressed forth finally, this time he was not coming with him. No more having to rely upon other people, living off instant noodles and cheap cat food made with 99.9% ash. This artist was hitting the high road with vengeance to show those snobs what true art was, branding them with his own special style that the world had yet to fully experience and revel in the awe of his magnificence. That was right, Deidara was going to show them all, and since his supposed best friend was backing out then he was not going to cut him in. Yes, he did not need him at all.

Speaking of the one that gave him this chance of a lifetime, he had not spoken to Itachi since that night well he hadn't even spoken to him that night at all, locked up in that little room of his without so much as a hello. He never showed much appreciation for stuff but for something like this, he wanted to send him a thank you card or something. Call in perhaps only that he didn't know his number, and given how famous he was, looking up in the phone directory or calling directory assistance wasn't going to be any good at all unless he was a stupid rich guy. Not a business card given to him, only knowing his home address barely... okay not really, that was long forgotten after he had been picked up after being left there without a ride. The work address was still fixated in his mind unable to forget that place so easily, deciding that the walk would help to blow off some steam and get in some exercise that he was sort of needing.

He had been thinking about Itachi more and more these days. It was a new feeling to him that was coming close to obsession. Even though he would not be admitting it, at the point where he wished he would vaporize into thin air and leave him alone, the Uchiha would still pop up randomly throwing words of abuse at him in his mind, repeating the hateful statements he had given him from their chance passing. Now it had evolved into the happy high of knowing that there might be something there that was alluring to the Uchiha, being friendship or something else. The guy did not seem like the type at all to pick up friends easily, if he had any at all he would not find that hard to believe, but somewhere, somehow, something in him had picked Deidara. His head was floating up way up high in the clouds drifting off to visit Cloud Nine, losing touch with the world below stuck in the lusty haze induced by one dark eyed male with the piercing state. If this was all a dream and Cloud Nine truly did exist, he would bet it was really a popular nightclub ran by Itachi as well.

Speaking of clubs, he had finally arrived at the quiet destination that looked so out of place compared to the nighttime. A truck was pulled up out the back guarded by two men that passed crates down to one another, stacking them up clanging the glass around on impact preparing to wheel them in to replenish the stock. Only the back was open, a failed rattle, shake and hard pull found the front door closed so sneaking since was going to have to be his option or at least yelling out. Technically it was not breaking and entering, he knew the owner after all.

"Hey Itachi! Are you here?" yelled the blond into the empty space listening to the echo of his own voice.

The sounds of his own voice coming back at him cut short by the rattling of the bottles again as the men pushed past to get through told him that it was a no and the owner was either ignoring him or not in. That was not going to be enough to stop him however, stepping through the entrance into the main area looking around for any one that was not the delivery boys.

"Hello!" he called out again, waiting for a reply of any sorts.

Gee, what security they had on this place. He could be a homeless bum that was waltzing in to steal a free meal, running off with enough to last him for a couple of nights of mindless sustenance. He should really have reported this... nah; it was more fun to search around to find that way up to the illustrious top office that overlooked the floor. The entrance was harder to spot under the dim lighting and artificial fog, this way it was out in the open, clearly waiting for him to go and sneak a peek at what loomed up there. It would have to be something very enticing to keep him up there at all times.

"Fangirl queue does not open for another couple of hours. Come back later."

Fangirl!? How oblivious was everyone to the fact that he did not have breasts? Okay so he was facing backward to them but his slender body did not resemble one of female variety or so he would keep telling himself at least but the hips, his hips damn it where a dead giveaway. They were not the hourglass shape at all, no big behind, no tight waistline, just flat... slightly indented. Okay so he looked like a girl, big deal! This douche should have been able to spot the difference.

"Guy. Not girl, un," Deidara proclaimed loudly spinning on the ball squeaking his sneakers on the polished floor. Arms crossed over his puffed up chest boasting the manly dominance in case his voice did not. Unfathomable, alluring, clearly puberty graced him with the vocal cords that did not match his effeminate frame. "And I know the boss."

Sticking it to the hired help always boasted an arrogant ego, growing larger with a smirk back at the severely taller man looking down at him who was not at all impressed. Like that was going to sway him, unconsciously creeping up on his tippy toes to make himself appear taller scowling darkly back, coming eye to lowered eye ready to assert himself. "So you will run along and go and get him for me, un."

Laughter, not exactly the response he was hoping for. Deidara was fantasizing about a back down of his defensive stance and an apologetic answer, letting him know that he would run and get him quick smart but instead, the man found something else hilariously funny. The blond shrunk back down flat footed, cocking his head raising his shoulders up allowing them to question what he was amusing himself over since he obviously did not get it.

"Not that I would even bother doing anything you say anyway but to save you the effort, the boss is away for business." He snickered again mocking him openly, finding the short kid all too amusing. Certainly something to brighten up his day and give it some variety, even the put out look given in return was enough to keep that amusement continuing. "Looks like you aren't as good of a friend as you though hmmm."

Friendship might have been stretching the truth there. The two of them were not strangers at least, coming across each other on many occasions plus he had did get him that once in a lifetime opportunity so that along should classify them as friends. Friends that did not spend time with each other or talk, he knew where he lived was not that... oh who was he kidding. That asshole was right. He was living inside a dream world. Deidara's parting words to the man expressed everything he needed to in one go, giving the one-fingered salute on the way out leaving him with nothing else to do for the day.

Disowned, mocked, now left walking back to his place too broke to call a taxi to pick him up; this was not the way to treat the next upcoming artistic genius. He should have been shouted to limousines or one of those huge Hummers to see his way around the city in style. Heads would snap in his direction to get a glimpse of the unknown superstar behind the dark tinted windows, follow him around to get just the smallest glimpse of his greatness. Bodyguards would be at his side while he walked down the street having a ten-meter radius around him keeping the screaming fans away while he ordered his cheeseburger at McDonalds. Okay, so maybe not that grand in his scale of fame but he should have had people at least stopping him to tell him how much they admired the talent he had, have them wish they had half of his skill and then offer thousands of dollars for him to make them something. Instead he was trudging his way back through to his shitty apartment, the stench wafting out would welcome him with open arms and snatch him up, locking him into a tight embrace that he couldn't escape from to remind the blond on how dirt poor he was. What was wrong with living in a dream world? It was better than the reality.

Deidara stomach growled as soon as he placed a foot on the front step complaining it was starving loudly, matched by the kitten sitting on the step's mew for the same, pawing at his jeans for attention. Welcome home. How it held its arms out wide for him.

"Give me a second will you."

He grumbled loudly to the cat for just a moment's peace, picking her up and plopping him on his shoulder in the mean time while he flipped through the set of keys to find the corresponding one for the front door. "You are going to have to get a job soon," he told her, met with the responding loving nuzzle of a furry face against his cheek. "Suck up."

Click, click... rattle. Rattle. Rattle rattle rattle, bang bang bang! Must have been the wrong key. The door would not open. Against the male tried, another key just to make sure only the same result, returning once again to the same one reefing at the flimsy metal to get it to turn until it snapped in the lock. Oh no, this was complete bullshit, his day was already the biggest pile of crap that by laws of crappiness it could not get worse. Loud curses of violence against the wooden barrier came out, only lasting a few seconds before he fulfilled his promise slamming his foot into the door, pulling back radically on the door handle that would have only closed it instead of opening it but Deidara was not exactly in the thinking frame of mind. The poor kitten clung for dear life meowing for him to stop before she got sick from the shaking, throwing around worse than a mechanical bull ride while the blond repetitively kicked and slammed his shoulder into the door to open it up, finally coming to a standstill out of breath after substantial failure.

"Open up you piece of shit!" he berated the inanimate object. It was useless.

For such a rundown place, the doors were made of steel and Deidara just was not strong enough to break through it. "I give up," he sighed dejectedly hanging his head... and that was when something caught his eye. Kneeling down and picking up the pieced of paper that was just tucked underneath the slit of the door, he stared at the unmarked note with a small glimmer of hope that it was going to be something from Itachi, a secret love letter perhaps or maybe an invitation somewhere. A grin started to spread across his face cocksure that it was, tearing open the top pulling out the paper inside scanning over the letter.

That smirk only stayed across his face for a brief moment, dropping down to a frown unbelieving of what it told him. There was no way... this must have been a mistake, yes one big mistake...

This was not the dream world that he was supposed to be living in, this wasn't even reality. Why couldn't there be a place situation between?