Deidara handed Aiko to Tobi, kissing him sloppily on the lips. "See you later!" he called as he ran into the building.
"Deidara, wait!" Tobi called. Deidara paused, turning back to him.
"Hmm?" Tobi reached into his pocket and threw a pink phone at Deidara.
"You forgot your cell phone," Tobi said as explanation. Deidara sighed.
"Thank you so much, Tobi, yeah," he said, smiling gratefully.
"Get going or you'll be late," Tobi said. Deidara, suddenly remembering his meeting, leapt into action and ran up the stairs, doing up his hair as he went. Tobi sighed and shook his head, smiling as he balanced Aiko on his hip.
Kankuro was having a good day. He had actually had a decent cup of coffee at Starshmucks, and it didn't cost him an arm and a leg, and service today had been snappy. After such a great experience at a coffee place he had come to work to find his brother not there and his father preoccupied elsewhere. Such a glorious morning couldn't be improved upon, until he got the call that funding had been approved for the school. And now, in the afterglow of such a morning, he was faced with the first person he wished to see. "Ah, Deidara-san, please come in," he said, standing and bowing politely. Deidara came in, slightly out of breath, and slouched into a seat.
"Sorry, yeah, I had to run, un," Deidara explained.
"No problem. Now, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?" Kankuro said, attempting to be polite and not scare Deidara off.
"Not much to tell, yeah," Deidara replied. "You already know I'm an orphan, yeah."
"When I first called a friend of yours told me you were in surgery. What surgery was that?" Kankuro asked.
"A sex change, yeah," Deidara said without thinking. Kankuro's jaw fell open. The man before him, he had thought, was a work of art. Kankuro liked looking at pretty people, no matter what gender. But to think it was artificial! "Ah, that sounded wrong, yeah. I was born as both genders, and only just recently had my girl bits removed, yeah," Deidara elaborated. Kankuro relaxed.
"Ah, that makes more sense. Who are you living with currently?"
"Oh, an apartment with my boyfriend and daughter, yeah," Deidara said. Kankuro blinked in stark confusion.
"Daughter?" he asked. Deidara sighed, and was about to reply when a woman entered the room.
"Kankuro, stop being prejudice. If everyone hated kids like you do, the world would end," she said, sitting herself on Kankuro's desk. Kankuro glared at her.
"Hi, you must be Deidara-san. I'm Temari, Kankuro's older sister." Temari smiled friendlily. "Anyway, what were you saying about your daughter?"
"Well, um, it's a rather complicated, bloody, messy story, yeah," Deidara said awkwardly. Now that he knew Kankuro didn't like kids, he felt a bit more awkward.
"We've got time," Temari said, waving a hand. "Don't mind him, Kankuro's just a brat," she said, bopping her brother on the head. Kankuro sulked.
"Am not," he mumbled. Temari ignored him.
"So how old is your daughter?"
"Um, about a week, yeah," Deidara said.
"Oh really? How cute. Did you give birth to her, or did another woman?" Temari asked.
"I'm not a woman, yeah," Deidara said.
"I know, but you were, weren't you? At least partly?"
"Uh, yeah, I gave birth to her, un," Deidara said awkwardly. Temari thought for a moment.
"So I suppose you wouldn't want to live in the dorms, then?" she asked. Deidara blinked.
"I'm not here to apply, yeah," he said. "I'm here to negotiate you buying my painting, un." Temari and Kankuro glanced at each other.
"So you don't want to attend our school?" she asked.
"Well, I would love to, but I don't have the money, un," Deidara replied.
"But we would pay," Kankuro said.
"Deidara, it would be very beneficial for both you and the school if you attended," Temari said. Deidara sighed, slouching further in his seat.
"Look, I am deeply honoured by your offer, but I can't make a living as an artist, yeah. How am I supposed to raise a kid by painting?" Temari and Kankuro looked at each other again.
"Deidara, I don't think you quite get it," Temari said. "Allow me to explain. We want you to attend our school, because we believe you can, in fact, make a living out of this. Quite a handsome one, if we're any judges. If you graduate from our school and become a great artist, it could have no negative effects on our school, to say the least. And let's face it, we're a small, new school that could use a bit of fame." Deidara stared at Temari.
"We're talking about that painting, right?" he asked after a long pause. Temari sighed.
"Deidara-san, your painting was the best painting we've seen in a long time," she said.
"I painted that shit in junior high," Deidara said. "I was just hoping to sell it, un."
"You're kidding!" Temari cried excitedly. "Have you done anything recently we could see?" Deidara nodded slowly.
"Sort of, yeah. . ." he said, trailing off.
"What?" Kankuro asked.
"Well, it's not exactly for sale, yeah. My boyfriend wanted to keep it, un."
"We don't want to buy it, Deidara, we want a sample of your work so we're able to gauge your skill and give you a proper education." Deidara was looking around for the hidden camera.
"This has to be a joke, un," Deidara said. "No one would pay for someone else's education unless they were smart."
"But you are smart, Deidara-san," Temari said. "Artistically speaking, you're the best we've seen."
"Yeah, even better than that cocky puppet guy," Kankuro piped up. Deidara looked up.
'Who, un?"
"Oh, just someone by the name of Akasuna Sasori," Kankuro said, waving a hand. "We offered him a spot, but after I criticized him he didn't want to go to this school." Kankuro snickered at the memory. Deidara sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Sounds just like him, yeah," he said. "Anyway, are you sure you don't want to buy my painting, un?"
"Of course we'll buy it," Temari said, smiling. "And I'm sure we'll be able to sell it at a greater price once you graduate."
"Are you serious?" Deidara asked, allowing belief to dawn upon himself.
"Why wouldn't we be?" demanded Kankuro. "There's no way I'm letting you leave until I've convinced you to attend our school." Deidara looked to Temari, deciding he liked her better.
"You're seriously going to give me an education, un?" he asked. Temari and Kankuro nodded in unison. Deidara, though still wary, was convinced.
"So, Kisame, how would you say your image of me and our relationship has changed since we got together?" Itachi asked out of the blue. Kisame thought honestly about it.
"At first, I guess, I thought you were a bit anti-social and used to getting what you want. But I sort of get that money doesn't make life better, and sometimes amplifies problems. My respect for you practically doubled after I fully understood your situation. As for our relationship, I'd say we're definitely getting closer." Satisfied with this, Kisame grinned. "And what would you say?"
"I'd say we have grown closer. As friends, we didn't exactly see eye to eye all the time, nor did we spend much time together. It really took a romantic relationship for us to really see each other."
"Pretty insightful."
"Deidara and I had one of our 'flaw talks'."
"Oh?"
"Yes. We each pointed out flaws in each other, more as constructive criticism." Itachi picked up his tea and took a sip. Kisame sighed.
"Do I want to know why you two have those little conversations?" he asked.
"It just helps to hear it from someone you respect," Itachi replied casually. Kisame grinned.
"What did you tell him?" he asked mischievously.
"I called him fat." Kisame snickered. He then jumped as he felt a nimble foot rub against his. Without a verbal reply, Kisame lifted his own foot to Itachi's knee. Once Itachi showed no hesitation, Kisame moved his foot to his partner's thigh. "Mmm, Kisame?"
"Yes?"
"Are you sure we're ready?" Kisame chuckled.
"Yes, Itachi-kun. I'm pretty sure we're ready."
". . . Deidara?"
"Yeah?"
"Why exactly have you been working out a lot lately?" Tobi asked, peeking over the back of the couch. Deidara paused in his crunches, sitting up.
"No reason, yeah. I just want to lose all the weight from being pregnant, un," he replied.
"I think you're beautiful at any weight, you know."
"I know. But it's healthier, un," Deidara said, going back to his workout. "49, 50, 51, 52. . ."
An hour later Deidara came out of his shower to find Tobi on the couch, looking deep in thought. "What's up, yeah?" Deidara asked, sitting down next to Tobi.
"Oh, nothing, really," Tobi said. Deidara patted his lap.
"Lay down, yeah," he said. Gratefully, Tobi did so, placing his head on Deidara's lap.
"Deidara?"
"Hmm?"
"I don't mean to sound doubtful, but why exactly did you say you would go out with me?"
"Oh, you will get so mad at me," chuckled Deidara.
"I promise I won't," Tobi said.
"You were something to rub in Sasori's face, un. You know, everything he wasn't." Deidara had a sweet smile on his face. "You were nice, didn't point out nasty little details, sweet, I could go on and on."
"Just because I was the opposite of Sasori?" Tobi asked.
"That's a good thing, Tobi, un," Deidara said. "But I mean, it was because you seemed so much more human than he ever did that I wanted to go out with you. And now look where we are, un." Deidara absentmindedly ran his fingers through Tobi's thick black hair. Suddenly, Deidara's phone went off. Deidara wasn't going to turn it off, when he suddenly recognized the caller ID. "Fuck," he whispered, answering the phone. "Hello?"
"Deidara? Um, can you come over? I'm sort of having some trouble with the potatoes."
"And you assume I have all the time in the world to just come over and make you food?"
"Deidara, I know you're busy, but- things have been really weird since you left. Could you just come over?" Deidara sighed.
"Fine. Just don't expect it again," he mumbled, hanging up.
"Who was that?" Tobi asked. Deidara didn't answer. Tobi sat up, pushing Deidara's hair back to look him in the eye. "Deidara?"
"It was Ino, yeah," Deidara said. "Apparently she needs dinner made, un."
"Then you should probably go. . ."
"I don't want to, yeah," Deidara sighed.
"I'll be here when you get back."
"I know," Deidara sighed. "Fine." He got up and left.
"You mean he hasn't come back in three days?" Deidara demanded as he walked into the kitchen, Ino following behind him.
"He probably has more important things to do," Ino said casually. Deidara stopped, thinking hard as he rested his hands on the counter.
"What's stopping me from calling the police, yeah?" he demanded.
"Please don't!" Ino cried, flinging herself at Deidara. Deidara whirled around to face her.
"Why, un? This is neglect and abuse, yeah!"
"Deidara, please!" Ino begged, hanging off his arm.
"Give me one good reason, yeah," he growled.
"Because he said not to!" Ino burst into tears. Deidara sighed, taking her arm and leading her to the kitchen table and sitting her down.
"Ino-chan, calm down," he said firmly. After a few blubbers and whimpers Ino got herself under control. "All right, yeah. What did he say?"
"H-he said not to c-call the police, or to tell anyone that h-he w-wasn't here," she gasped.
"Did he say any consequences?" Deidara asked. Ino didn't answer. "Did he threaten you, Ino?" Deidara demanded more harshly.
"S-sort of. . ."
"What did he say, un?"
"You know h-how he is," Ino said. "H-he d-didn't actually m-mean it-"
"Tell me what the fuck he said," Deidara growled.
"He just said th-that if I told anyone he wasn't c-coming home, h-he'd hurt m-me. . ."
"Hurt you how?"
"J-just hurt me. He didn't s-say how. D-Deidara, please don't call the police!"
"Why, un? You've been threatened and abused, and you expect me to just stand here, un?" Deidara got up, whipping out his phone and was about to dial before Ino grabbed his arm.
"Don't! Please, Deidara, just don't!" she pleaded.
"And why the fuck not?" Deidara screamed. Ino remained silent. Deidara ripped his arm from her grip and finished dialing the phone. "Hi, yeah, I'd like to talk to someone who can do something. Oh really? Good. Right, so I'm at an orphanage, and the guardian who's in charge of them hasn't been back in three days. Oh yes, there's some food, but not all that much. Ah, no, I used to live here, un. Oh yeah, a lot of illegal things are going on here. Oh? Ibiki Morino. Hai, hai, good. Great. No, I haven't been able to contact him, but I haven't tried, yeah. Of course. Talk to you soon." Deidara hung up and dialed Ibiki's number. Ibiki didn't pick up. Deidara quickly redialed the first number and relayed this information. Ino watched all of this in silence. Finally, once Deidara hang up, she spoke.
"So they're coming?" she asked. Deidara nodded.
"Ino, he's not going to hurt you, I promise, yeah," he said. Ino nodded. "Are you sure he didn't say anything else?" Ino nodded. Deidara sighed. "I'm going to call Tobi, yeah, so he knows what's going on."
"D-Deidara, wait!" she cried, grabbing his arm again.
"What?"
"H-he did s-say something e-else. . ." Ino bit her lip and looked off. Deidara sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"H-he said he w-would. . .t-touch m-me. . ." Fresh tears bubbled from Ino's eyes and streamed down her already slicked cheeks. Deidara's eyes narrowed.
"He didn't dare," he growled. "He fucking didn't!" Ino flinched at Deidara's anger. "Did he do anything? He didn't do anything, right?"
"N-no, he only s-said," she choked out.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"B-because h-he said he w-would-" Ino flung herself at Deidara, wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing into his chest. Deidara sighed and wrapped his arms around her, attempting to soothe her desperate cries. Finally she was quieted and dragged herself off of Deidara. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. Deidara waved it off casually.
"Don't worry, I won't let him lay a single finger on you. Now just let me call Tobi, and everything is going to be fine. Ino nodded, wiping her eyes.
"Are Ino and Deidara a mommy and a daddy?" Anko asked, making her presence known for the first time.
"What makes you say that?" Ino demanded.
"Well, Mommy used to cry a lot, and it was usually Daddy who made her cry, so are you two a mommy and a daddy?" Anko stepped further into the kitchen after seeing she wasn't in trouble. Deidara sighed.
"Anko, when was the last time you saw Ibiki-san, un?" Deidara asked.
"Um. . .Wednesday."
"Jesus, that's three days, yeah. You weren't lying, un. Anyway, I'm going to call Tobi, and when the police get here, we'll have a lot of explaining to do, yeah. Anko, do you think you can remember some things that Ibiki said, un?" Anko nodded. "Good girl. Ino, recall everything that Ibiki ever did that didn't seem legal, all right, un?" Ino nodded. "Good, yeah."
"Lovely, Hidan, positively smashing. Ok, it's a wrap for today." The photographer stood up and so did Hidan. "Can someone get this amazing man a towel or something?" Hidan was smirking, enjoying all the praise. Some very cute girls who had been on set squealed at the opportunity and ran off, coming back seconds later with a towel for Hidan. Hidan grinned.
"Thanks, cuties," he said, winking as he took the towel from them. The girls squealed and blushed. Hidan smirked. "What would two lovely girls like yourselves be doing fetching towels?"
"W-we're just doing a b-bit of modeling," one of them stuttered.
"Oh really? I had a hunch," Hidan replied, winking. The girls sighed. Hidan wiped his face off, and just out of instinct, glanced over his shoulder. Kakuzu was standing quietly, not making a sound about ten meters away. Hidan blinked and turned back to the girls, handing them his used towel. For some reason, he now felt guilty. "Well, I'd love to see you two again sometime, but I've got to get going." Hidan turned, waved, and winked as he trotted over to Kakuzu. To his surprise, however, Hidan found Kakuzu engaged in a conversation with the photographer.
"Oh yeah? I have a cousin who went to Akatsuki. Yeah, I wanted to get in, but I wasn't exactly smart enough."
"But at least you have a nice little setup here," Kakuzu reasoned. "You might as well put your talents to use and earn some money."
"Ah true," the photographer chuckled. Hidan cleared his throat and both looked over at him.
"It seems the monster wants to leave. It was nice chatting with you, though," Kakuzu said, bowing and turning, expecting Hidan to follow. Hidan was about to, when the photographer caught his elbow.
"Hey, Hidan," she said. "It takes a special sort of person to date a model. I think yours exceeds all expectations." She winked.
"What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously.
"Those little girls were drooling over you. Good thing you had a towel."
"Are you mad?" Hidan asked. Kakuzu hadn't said much, and sometimes Hidan found himself hating Kakuzu's Keffiyeh for covering his face.
"No, why would I be?" Kakuzu asked.
"Just thinking. . .that I was flirting with those girls. . ."
"Oh come on, you have to indulge the fans a little bit, neh?" Kakuzu chuckled. "You're hilarious, Hidan."
"And you're a bastard," Hidan huffed, annoyed he had been worried.
"Iruka?" Kakashi asked, looking guilty.
"Hmm?" Iruka looked up from his magazine.
"I think it's about time we had a talk," Kakashi said. Iruka patted the couch next to himself and Kakashi sat.
"What's on your mind?" he asked.
"I've been a bad husband," Kakashi said, sounding like a child.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I ignored your needs for what I want. I mean, you wanted a kid so badly, and all I could think about was adopting from my student. And that wasn't the first time you mentioned it, either. I can't believe I was so insensitive." Iruka wrinkled his nose, reminded of the sore spot.
"So where are you going with all of this?"
"I think we need to get our priorities straight, and really get to the bottom of all of this." Kakashi paused. "I mean, with the help of a professional."
"Are you proposing we go see a marriage counselor?" Iruka asked. Kakashi nodded. Iruka smiled a little. "That's probably the nicest thing you've ever done." He quickly leaned forward and pecked Kakashi's lips. Kakashi grinned, ecstatic he was able to make Iruka that happy, for since the episode with Deidara Iruka had refused to touch him. "So everything's going to get better?"
"Yup. Everything's going to be fine."
A/N: All right everyone, that was the last chapter. Next one will be the epilogue, and then it'll go out with a BANG! XD Review, please, or I won't write the epilogue, and no one will get to meet Aiko! Oh no! and about the scenes, I decided just to give everyone a summary scene.