A/n: Yay, I enjoyed writing this chapter. Plus, it gave me something to do during Psychology, other than sit around and twiddle my thumbs, cause my teacher gives us the notes, and I have to be doing something with my hands or my mind will wander. So, I wrote! Yays! Ok, on to the important stuff.

Artist's Alley
by: roses.red

Chapter 6

Deidara wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. One hand moved up to my face and trailed down my cheek, coming to rest on my chin. He lifted my face up towards his and leaned forward.

I opened my eyes and blinked at the ceiling. What the hell was I just dreaming? My face grew hot as I recalled the dream. I pulled the covers over my head. Why was I dreaming something like that? I lay there for a moment and tried not to replay it in my mind again. I didn't want to admit it, but I had actually enjoyed that dream.

"Aah!" I groaned, sitting up and throwing the covers off. Forget it. I was just going to forget about that dream and pretend I never had it. I glanced at the clock: 10:22. Holy crap. That's early for me. Well, whatever. More time to myself before Deidara got home and started tormenting me again.

I climbed out of bed and sidled groggily into the kitchen, to find Deidara sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through a magazine with disinterest. Wait, what? Oh, right. Today was Saturday. Duh.

He glanced up as I came in and smirked. "You always look this wonderful in the mornings, un?" he asked, eyeing my tousled hair, which I'm sure was sticking up in all directions, and my pajamas, which consisted of a pair of his sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"Shut up," I muttered, too tired to make an argument. Instead, I walked to the cabinets and got down a bowl.

"Nice pajamas, un," he added.

I shot him a glare over my shoulder, but tried my best to ignore him and the fact that I was blushing again. I poured myself a bowl of Capt'n Crunch and some milk, grabbed a spoon, and slid into the seat across from him.

"What are you doing today, un?" Deidara asked.

I shrugged. "Whatever you tell me to do, Master," I said sarcastically. Yeah, I'm really not a morning person.

"Good, then you're going on a date with me today, un."

My face turned scarlet and I choked on my cereal. "S-sorry?" I said through coughs and sputtering.

He grinned at my reaction and leaned his chin on his hand. "I said I'd buy you new clothes, remember, un?"

"Oh, r-right," I said, feeling dumb. How just like me to start freaking out when all he meant was that. Did he really have to use the word "date", though?

"How long do you need to get ready, un?" he asked.

"Uh, about two hours I guess," I said. He raised his eyebrows. "What?" I cried. "There's a lot to do! I have to shower, and get dressed, and dry my hair, and—"

"Okay, okay, I get it, un!" he said, cutting me off abruptly. "Just hurry up."

I grinned, and hopped up from the table, placing my bowl in the sink before rushing off to get ready. It really doesn't normally take me that long to get ready, but for some reason I wanted to make sure I looked my best. After I showered, I got dressed in my single outfit (which I had fortunately just washed), wishing I had something nicer than jeans and t-shirt. Then I took out my hair straightener (yes, I brought my hair straightener; I can't remember clothes, but I remember that), and spent about fifteen minutes trying to decide if I wanted to straighten my hair or not. He had said it was a date, even though he'd meant it jokingly, but that didn't mean I couldn't look nice, right? Finally, I decided it'd been too long since I straightened my hair anyway, so I plugged it in.

About an hour and a half later (see, I got ready early), I went back into the living room where Deidara was waiting for me. "Finally, un," he muttered when he heard me come in. he looked up and I saw the surprise cross his face. He smiled, standing up to come join me. "You don't look too bad with your hair down, un. You should wear it that way more often."

"Eh, too much of a pain," I said, although my face reddened just a little. "I'm not lucky enough to have perfect hair like yours." I glanced enviously at his sleek, straight hair.

He smirked arrogantly. "You're right. Hair this good is hard to come by, un. What other parts of me do you find perfect?"

I blushed furiously, realizing what I had just said, and had to stop myself from clamping my hands over my mouth. Darn my bad habit of thinking without speaking!

Deidara chuckled at my predicament and placed a hand on my head. I really hoped he wasn't going to get into the habit of doing that. He unlocked the doors of his black Porsche, and we slid in. I scowled at my reflection in the side-view mirror as he cranked up the engine. We hadn't even left the house yet, and I was already embarrassing myself beyond belief!

We spent about three hours shopping. I only picked out a couple of outfits, enough to get me through the week without having to wear Deidara's clothes anymore. While I was trying on clothes, he went off and did some shopping of his own I guessed, because he came back carrying a shopping bag.

Afterwards, we stopped at McDonald's and ate before heading home. We came inside the house to hear the phone ringing. Deidara handed me the bags he was carrying and hurried off to answer it.

I carried the bags into my room and started going through them, looking at what I had gotten. My own clothes at last! No more wearing men's clothes that were way too big for me and that I had to tie just to keep from falling off. Then my hand touched something silky. Trying to remember what I'd gotten that was silk, I pulled it out of the bag, and my mouth dropped. It was a pink and black, lacy teddy. What the crap?

I gaped at it. I hadn't picked this out! Could Deidara have…? I blushed. But, but, why would he get me something like this? He wasn't actually expecting me too—

"Hey, Kaya, un."

I jumped and whipped around, hiding the teddy behind my back. "D-deidara-sensei!" I cried. Why hadn't I shut the door?!

Deidara glanced at the teddy in my hand. "Oh, good. You have it, un."

"H-have what?" I asked.

He pointed and came in. "I bought that at the store. Can I have it back, un?" He held out his hand.

"Oh, uh, s-sure." I handed it to him, my blush deepening.

He took the teddy and eyed my red face. "Did you think I got this for you, un?" he asked. I guess I'm easy to read, because he started laughing. "I can get one for you too, if you want, un."

"Ah! Just get out!" I cried. I pushed him—laughing all the way—out of my room and slammed the door in his face.

Afterwards, it occurred to me to wonder why he had bought the teddy anyway. Then I decided I really didn't want to know. A few minutes later, I heard the doorbell ring, and then a woman's voice.

Curious, I peeked out the door. Deidara was standing at the end of the hallway, talking to a young woman. I say talking, but more like he was all over her, and she was giggling flirtatiously. She had stylishly cut brown hair, fairly large-sized boobs (which she was pressing up against Deidara's chest), and an absolutely gorgeous face. She wasn't even wearing makeup, and she was still about the prettiest girl I had ever seen. And, in her slender, manicured hand, she was holding the teddy.

All of a sudden, I felt very sick, but as much as I wanted to, I couldn't look away, even though Deidara was kissing her mouth, her neck, her shoulders, and his hand was unzipping the back of her dress. Then, for a brief second, he looked in my direction and his eyes met mine.

I jerked back, closing the door as quickly and quietly as possible, then leaned against it, trying to fight back the tears and the hard lump that was forming in my chest.