HAHA This isn't over yet, if you haven't noticed :)
-:-
Deidara sent Hinata home well before the school's gates closed. She appreciated that he didn't want to spend another night on a squeaky gurney in the nurse's office. She didn't either. But she felt uneasy about it. She questioned her feelings for Deidara, and they weren't even going out yet. Were they? She had told him that she loved him, but she now felt that it was because he was acting sweet, and her heart fluttered when he wrote to her and kissed her.
Fortunately, he didn't put any pressure on her. He didn't expect anything more from her than he did before. He didn't expect a kiss after every class, not a hug every lunch period, just the absolute best she could on her assignments. She almost felt guilty for not calling him her boyfriend.
This guilt went on for almost a week before Deidara revealed a hint that he was still into her. As he paced the columns of desks in the classrooms, he dropped a note on her desk as he passed by. Hinata looked at him and he winked at her. Hesitantly, she unfolded the paper.
I miss you. Meet me on the roof after school, kay? ;)
Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly folded the note again and slipped it into her pencil pouch.
She made it to the roof first, since he was the teacher and all. She hoped she didn't seem too eager to meet him. The door to the roof opened without her noticing. Deidara sneaked up behind her and caught her in a tight embrace. "That's dangerous, Hinata, leaving your back open like that. Especially when you're alone." he scolded playfully. "I'm not anymore, right?" She put an arm over his. Deidara smiled. "What's on your mind, deary?" he asked.
Hinata paused to think. A lot of things were on her mind. Her grades, her life at home, her love life... her homeroom teacher... her homeroom teacher...She blinked. "This is wrong," she said softly. Deidara frowned. "How?" he asked. "You're my teacher. I'm the student. It shouldn't - doesn't work." she stepped away from him, turning to face him. "I've never heard of a job tearing people apart. Much less lovers." he said in an almost challenging way. Hinata turned away. "You're older than me." she argued. "Lots of boys are older than their girlfriends." he countered. Hinata didn't want to say that he was too old for her. He certainly didn't look that way. But she didn't know for sure.
"How old are you?" she asked. "If I told you, you wouldn't be able to see me anymore." Deidara answered, frustration showing on his face. "It doesn't help that you're not being honest with me." she heard the whisper of him cursing under his breath. "I didn't come here to argue with you." He clarified, walking towards the door.
Don't leave.
The phrase was at the tip of her tongue. But she had too much pride as a woman to let him win that way. Instead she bit her lip. He stopped when his hand gripped the doorknob. "I came here to say that I loved you. Out loud, instead of on paper." The guilt returned to Hinata's chest, and it burned like fire.
-:-
"What happened? I was sure you two would be making out by now." Sasori, the history teacher, said to Deidara at the nearby coffee shop. "She told me it was wrong." Deidara muttered, taking a large sip from his coffee. "Wrong? Well, I suppose it makes sense. I mean, you are the teacher." Sasori shrugged. Deidara glared at him. "I don't get it! Teaching's just a job! What's my pay going to do to her?" he lashed, gulping another sip of coffee. "Well, it's sort of unfair. If she started dating you, she'd get better grades than everyone else." Sasori said. "She already does that on her own! She writes... Writes with her heart! Not a pen! That's what I'm looking for! Honest to God effort!"
Deidara sighed stressfully, leaning back on his chair. Sasori laughed. "You don't really know anything, huh?" Deidara turned to him curiously. "If you and Hinata started going out, and someone heard about it, you could get fired. Or worse, arrested. Teachers here are thought to be way older than their students, and that's why it's considered wrong." Sasori explained. Deidara nodded slowly. "That's weird." He ignored the fact that even if he were dating Hinata, he'd probably get fired for a different reason...
"She's being very bold, on her part." Sasori continued as they walked out of the coffee shop. "I mean, she could really like you, but she knows her parents and society would frown upon it." he munched on the leftovers of the muffin he bought. "So don't get so mad at her, okay? She's playing her role as a student." Deidara stayed silent the rest of the walk home.
-:-
Hinata was absent the next day. She pretended to be sick to avoid actually feeling sick at school. She didn't want to see Deidara until she fully recovered from... from whatever she was feeling. Her mother went up to her room with lunch.
"Hinata, honey, what's the matter?"
Hinata had no idea she was crying. All she knew was that the chicken soup was warm as it ran down her throat. When she finished, she found the strength to speak again. "I'm in love, mother." she confessed, turning a bright pink. Her mother laughed. "Then why are you crying? Being in love is supposed to be a happy thing." She wrapped an arm around her daughter consolingly. "But it's the wrong guy! I can't love him." Hinata sobbed, leaning into her mother for comfort. "Well, who's the boy?" Her mother asked, turning Hinata so that they were facing each other. "You'll think it's weird when I say it..." Hinata turned away. Her mother pressed her on with her eyes.
"I love... Deidara-sensei."
They were silent for a few moments, and then smiled, chuckling lightly. Clearly confused, her mother explained, "My, My. Is that all?" Even more confused, her mother continued. "Just because he's a teacher doesn't mean... Well, Deidara-sensei doesn't look as old as he says he is. But you never know. Still be careful, though, okay?" Hinata nodded. Her mother stood up and gathered the dirty dishes. "Why don't you sleep? You've cried a lot, you must be tired. Sicky." She teased. Hinata smiled at her and pulled herself under the covers.
When she woke up again, she saw the last person she expected in her room.
"Are you feeling better? I'll go tell your mother you're awake."
Hinata watched Deidara as he exited the room, leaving on his chair his briefcase and the few papers stacked on top. That's probably my homework, she thought. But why would he wait for me to wake up to give it to me? Most teachers would leave it with the parents before...She had to admit, Deidara didn't seem to be like most teachers.
Soon he returned with her mother behind him. "Hinata, Deidara-sensei went out of his way to bring you your honmework. He stayed in case you had any questions about it." She explained, heading for the door. "I have dinner roasting in the oven, so I'll leave you up here." She winked at her, which bothered Hinata very, very much. "Study hard!" She cheered before scurrying downstairs.
"Your mother's a nice woman, huh?" Deidara said, smiling. He took the papers off his briefcase and placed them neatly on her lap. "This is from Itachi-sensei. He said this was review for your math test tomorrow. And this is from Sasori-sensei. Review for your History test Friday. You can get started on those; I'll give my assignment last, in case you have time." Hinata nodded, almost hurt at how much like a teacher he sounded. Well, it only makes sense. He is my homeroom teacher. She told herself. She quickly finished both assignments within the hour and told Deidara that she was done.
"Alright, now your last assignment for the day is a short essay for me." He handed her a piece of paper and returned to his book.
Was it something I said? the paper read. She looked up at Deidara, who was looking at her over his book. "Deidara-sensei," she called. "Yes?" he answered immediately. "I don't understand this prompt." He closed his book and leaned close to her. "Make of it what you will. Let your imagination soar, and all that shit I say during the day." he went back to his chair, and before his arm could retreat, Hinata took hold of it. "You're angry." she said softly. Deidara scoffed, a grin forming on his face. "The one time I actually love a girl and she's messing with me. I have no idea if she loves me or not - anymore." he said angrily. Hinata bit her lip.
"And when I gather the courage to tell her that I love her, she turns me down before I get to say it. What am I supposed to feel?" He wrapped his fingers around her hand and kissed it. "She tells me that our love is wrong. Restates that I'm her teacher and she's my student." He leans back again, not letting her grab his hand back. "And she's the one who stays home sick. And I'm bringing her her homework, like a teacher's supposed to do."
Hinata stared at her hand, unable to look at him.
"So I guess that's what the prompt means. Was it something I said? Did I do something to make you change your mind suddenly? To make you not love me anymore?" He lifted his hand and dropped it, signaling for her to write freely.
"It's what you didn't say, Deidara-sensei. What you didn't tell me." Deidara stared at her. "What's wrong with telling me your age? It's such a simple thing - just a number. If you can't be completely honest with me about that, I can't be with you." she clutched the sheets. He leaned over her, softly pressing his lips to hers. It was such a random act, but she answered it quickly with a sigh. She pushed him away, looking downward. "This is..." His fingers traced her cheek, and he kissed her again, longer. "It's not wrong." He stood upright and gathered his things, getting ready to leave. "I hope you feel better tomorrow." he said, closing the door behind him.
-:-
The senior class of the school was going on a school trip. The town they were going to had years of history in the surrounding area of the hotel. They were to be divided into groups of two or three, the groups staying in their own hotel rooms. Hinata, since she arrived at school late the day they chose, was to stay with the teacher. Deidara. How worse could her situation get?
"Aw, Hinata. Don't look so bummed. Think about the people who got picked to be with Itachi-sensei! He's boring and he'd probably burn a hole through you with his eyes." Sakura, Hinata's friend said comfortingly. "Though... I'd kill to be paired up with Hidan-sensei... That man is mighty fine." Ino sighed wistfully. Sakura hit her. "Deidara-sensei's a fun teacher. You should feel lucky. All I got was this Blondie over here." Sakura jerked her thumb towards Ino, who was fantasizing about Hinan-sensei. When she snapped back to reality, she said to Sakura, "Well you've got the hots for Sasori-sensei. DON'T JUDGE ME."
Hinata laughed a bit at their antics. "Thanks, you two. Um... good luck with your... er... problems." She said awkwardly. The two just grinned.
Hinata noticed Deidara staring at her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, then glanced up at him again. He blinked. This is going to be a long hour. She thought.
--
"I'm glad you're feeling better, Hinata."
"Actually, I'm not feeling all that well, Deidara-sensei."
"Oh? Why not?"
Hinata was glad it was Friday. "Deidara-sensei, If you're still angry at me, I'm sorry. I'm just not comfortable with this." she sighed. She turned to leave the room, but he quickly stood up and blocked her way. She pouted up at him. "I want to go on a date before we go on the school trip. Just one, not as teacher and student, but as a boy and a girl. In love." He said. Hinata opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't. "At town square, tomorrow at 3. Please." he moved to write it down on a Post-It and stuck it on Hinata's forehead. "I'll wait as long as I have to. All day, if I have to." She rolled her eyes. He ran his finger over her forehead, making sure the Post-It stuck properly. "Please." He whispered.
She tore the Post-It off her forehead. "Don't hold your breath." She snapped, storming out the door.
-:-
He is dedicated.
Hinata arrived at town square two hours early. He was there. She left to get a late lunch at a nearby McDonald's. When she returned, he was trying to feed a pigeon some bread. She sat at the bench for an hour more, and he was still there.
By 7pm, he disappeared. Hinata walked out to the center. No one else was there. Where did he go? She turned around, searching. Nothing. Hanging her head, she turned to walk back home. She bumped into someone's Teriyaki take-out.
"Oh! I-I-I'm sorry! I was waiting for someone and was about to give up when..."
"Finally."
Hinata was pulled into a hug. He smelled like the Thai place down the street. "Deidara-sensei..." She pulled away from him and looked him over. He was wearing jeans, a striped long-sleeved top, and a purple sweater. He had checkered bracelets and a necklace with a cross on it. He looked so much younger than he already did. She felt over dressed, with her long white skirt and light lace blouse (complete with sweater and hat). "What are you..." She stumbled on her words, keeping her mouth shut to prevent from embarrassing herself. "I was just about to give up, but I decided to take a last minute peek. I never thought you'd be here, but here you are!" He grinned at her. Hinata turned away. He leaned down and licked her cheek. She screeched and stepped back a few steps.
"D-D-Deidara-sensei!" She gasped. "What? I got some Teriyaki sauce on your face when I hugged you." He licked his lips.
He walked to her. "Do you have any napkins? I need to wipe this stuff off." He sat down at the fountain and wiped the bits of sauce in his hair. Hinata shyly handed him her handkerchief. "Thanks." he dipped the tip in the water and began wiping off the sauce. In the end he took off his shirt completely, zipping up his sweater. "I'm sorry..." Hinata murmured softly. "Hmm?" Deidara leaned closer to her. "Could you repeat that, miss?" He toyed with the hair on her back. "I'm sorry, Deidara-sensei. About your dinner, I mean." she added the last part quickly. "It would've meant nothing without you anyway." He kissed her cheek.
"Let's go out to dinner; not Teriyaki, since you seem to strongly oppose to the stuff. Where would you like to go?" he took her hand and led her out of the square. She kept silent. "McDonald's again?" he offered as they walked by. She shook her head. "Hmm..." They walked past the big city and had walked into the suburbs where Deidara lived. "How 'bout I cook tonight?" He didn't wait for her reply and walked right into his house. He felt Hinata's hand tense when she realized where she was. He chuckled a bit. "Go ahead and warm yourself up on the couch. I'll get started in the kitchen." She ignored him and followed him to the kitchen, carefully placing herself in one of the table's chairs. He slipped on an apron and took out a pan. "What do you feel like tonight, Hinata?" He asked, opening his fridge. Again, she didn't respond.
Deidara sighed and sat across from her, taking her hands in his. "What's got you down all of a sudden?" he asked softly, pressing his lips against her fingertips. She blushed and continued to look down, staring at the simple wood table. He waited patiently for her answer.
"You'll think it's silly. And childish." she muttered, finally. "Tell me anyway." He said playfully. She tried to mask her laugh with a cough. "I've been had." She started. Deidara nodded, a little bit of an idea forming in his head. "I was actually at Town Square two hours early and... Well, you knew all along. You just let me sit at that bench for 6 hours when at any time you could have..." She swallowed a lump in her throat. He laughed. "So I have to do all the work now?" he teased. Hinata flushed in embarrassment and lost pride. He had a point. "If I'm the one hitting on you all the time, I'd have no assurance whatsoever that you wantto be in a relationship. Think of the guy for once!" Hinata began to say something but cut herself short. He was right on so many different levels.
"If you want me, then you have to meet me halfway, my dear." He pressed her hands to his face and smiled.
-:-
:D
Soo... I didn't mean for chapter 1 to sound like a one-shot, (and it did, to your confusion) so here's chapter two. I did like it, though, as a one-shot. But it would have been a waste of a plot line if I didn't continue.
Ciao!