Title: This Just Isn't My Day/Chapter Fourteen

By: Ice-Eagle Y'Siri

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto or the Akatuski or anything associated with Naruto.

Summary: Normally, I'm a very calm person. So just imagine me coming home with my friends and the Akatsuki in my living room. And all I wanted was a simple vacation annoying the heck out of the preps next door. Great. Just. Great.

Whoo! Next chapter and it's been a week (or less, depends on when I release this)! Awesome!

It's shorter than the last one, but there are also only two characters. The chapters will get longer the more characters are added and the more settled back in I get into the story. So don't worry about that. The next one should be longer and also much more fun.

Also, there is an indirect reference to something from Looking For Alaska. Anyone who read the book will know what I'm talking about. If you haven't read it, it's written by John Green and one of my favorite novels of all time. Go check it out after you read this.

And also, I'm aware that the characters are Japanese and they theoretically wouldn't know any English. However, I'm am bending the rules a little bit for a small part later on in the chapter.

Hope you enjoy the chapter. :)

Don't forget to review!

Cat's POV

I leaned back against the lawn chair with a sigh. A soft breeze slipped around my legs and gently ruffled my hair. With my sunglasses perched on my nose and spf 80+ sunblock covering my arms, legs, and face, I was successfully protected from the sun's rays. A bottle of ice-cold sweet tea sat next to me on the ground and with Looking For Alaska in my hands, I was looking foward to a quiet afternoon.

"Haven't you read that before, un?"

I should have known.

By now, I really should have.

I glanced up briefly at the shadow that covered my book before looking down at the page I was currently on.

"Yes, I have. It's one of my favorites and I like to read it over again every once in a while," I flipped the page.

"Oh."

I shrugged. When I didn't hear any other noise, my eyes flicked up behind my sunglasses to see where the explosives expert went. My eyebrows went up. Deidara was sitting on the railing next to my feet, idly sculpting a piece of clay. His eyes were narrowed and he looked focused and unlikely to continue talking anytime soon, so I resumed reading.

It was another hour or so before he broke the silence once again, "So where is everyone, un?"

"Sparring somewhere," I said absently, "Aya and Rian wanted to watch so they went along, too. Personally, I think it's a little risky, but Aya knows some medical stuff and you guys know jutsu so they should be okay."

"They'll probably get bored, un, because it's unlikely they'll be able to see us move."

I nodded, "I think that thought occurred to them, because I saw both of them take a couple of books of their own to read just in case. Why aren't you with them? Your turn to babysit?"

I was only a little sarcastic.

I looked up and saw Deidara shrug, "Yeah, un. Plus, my hands have been itching to sculpt."

My face must have looked as alarmed as I felt since he laughed and added, "Promise I won't blow up anything, un. I swear."

"Okay, then. You scared me," I closed the book with my finger inside to hold my place.

"So, what is it you're making?"

Deidara shrugged, "Nothing big, un."

His hands were flying around the clay, twisting and pulling it in new directions as he spoke. They were fluttering about the clay so fast that I couldn't get a clear glimpse at what it was he was sculpting. As I continued to watch, I felt myself begin to relax. One thing that all three of us (Aya, Rian, and I) loved to do was go to market days and artist's fairs. There was always at least one whittler or sculpter or carver working on something and we would crowd his/her booth while they were working just to watch. There was something magical to see something be made out of a bit of wood or a coil of wire (or a lump of clay, as Deidara was doing). It's gotten to the point that we each had a small collection of little trinkets that artists had made because they admired our patience and either gave to us for free or for a discounted price.

"I'd have to try this as some kind of hypnosis jutsu, un, if there was a chance that everyone would react as you did," I blinked and shook myself. Deidara had stopped playing with the clay and was smiling at me.

I could feel myself blush and inwardly swore, "Oh. Sorry. I'll just go back to reading now."

I flipped back to the page I was on and steadfastly ignored Deidara's stare, making myself read word after word, sentence after sentence. There was a pause, then I could hear Deidara continue where he had left off and there was silence between the two of us once again.

Deidara's POV

Contrary to popular belief, I did enjoy silence and solitude once in a while. If that wasn't possible, I wasn't above sharing that quiet with other-tolerable-people instead. I did value my explosions, but it was the silence afterward that I most revered; I could savor the impact my work had made on the world: the shocked silence and the emptiness that took just a little longer than normal to fill, as if even the air itself was in awe at what I had done.

So I was aware that everyone else had left this morning, but since my main techniques involved my explosion art, I was told to stay back and keep an eye on Catherine-chan. When I had asked Cat that question of where everybody had disappeared, I was gauging her response to see whether or not she wanted to talk. It was rare that the two of us were alone, so I was determined to enjoy it.

And then when she blushed-I smirked inwardly. So that's where the wind blows, hmmm?

Not that I was complaining. The opposite, actually.

My eyes flicked down to the clay in my hands. I was so skilled in molding clay that if my mind wandered somewhere else, my hands would continue their work uninterrupted and (usually) produce a flawless piece. In this instance, it was a swan, wings outstretched, beak extended.

I held out my work to her, "What do you think? Not too bad, yeah?"

Cat looked up and her eyes widened. She glanced at the page she was on, then back up at the swan in my hands, then back down at the page. I tilted my head to the side, confused.

"What is it, un?"

She just shook her head, "Nothing. It's lovely, Deidara."

I narrowed my eyes at her but she ignored it and held out her hand, "May I?"

I nodded and she plucked the swan from my hands and cradled it gently between hers. While she was admiring it, I snatched the book from her lap, ignoring her protests for it back. I quickly scanned the page and started laughing.

"That's why you looked so surprised, un."

Cat nodded. She moved the swan to one hand, "Yeah. I thought you had read it upside down while you were working and decided to make a swan."

I shook my head.

"I don't suppose I could have my book back?"

I looked at it, then over to Cat. I handed it to her, "Could I read it when you're done, un? It looks interesting, yeah."

She looked surprised, "If you want. As long as you don't set it on fire by accident. Or on purpose."

By the way she was holding her book and her glance at her watch for the time, I could tell she wanted to get back to reading, so I jumped off the railing and dragged another chair next to her. I was wearing a plain wifebeater and shorts and I had taken off my eye device. I propped my feet up on the railing nearby hers and grabbed another piece of clay from my pouch.

"It's been a while since you've had some peace, Catherine-chan. I'd enjoy it while you can." At her skeptical look, I elaborated. "We don't fight all the time, you know that, Cat-chan. A lot of time it's hiding out and stuff, un."

"Doesn't that get boring?"

I nodded, "You have no idea." I changed the subject. "Now weren't you reading? I'm going to wait for you to get started on that because I don't know if you want to get hypnotized by my sculpting again, yeah. Not that I'd mind," I flirted gently and she ducked her head a little, "But I think you would."

"Good notion."

I sat back in my chair and looked down at the beach, relaxing. That was an interesting first exchange with just the two of us. And as far as my bit of flirting went-seems like it'd be accepted. And reciprocated. I smirked a little. This was gonna be fun.

Heya, guys! I'm finally getting back into the groove of things. I really do have to say, it's easier to keep up writing when you're past that first semester of college and you've gotten the hang of things. I hope you guys like the chapter.

And Jamie Wilson, I will write Hidan and Itachi next. Just so you know.

And those who like this story, I have another set in the same universe called Numbers and Rainbows: A Series of Drabbles. They are what they're called and they're all over the place, so feel free to look at that, too. :)

As always, if you guys have any suggestions (and that includes plot suggestions, as well) feel free to PM me or leave them in a review. As you could tell, this chapter was more characterization than humor.

I wrote Deidara the way I did because I think he's more mellowed out one-on-one. I also wrote him in this way because the Akatsuki are all S-ranked and in order to get there and not be killed, besides having valuable skills, they must be scarily intelligent. I thought I'd try writing him a little from this perspectiive for a change instead of constantly provoking Sasori and the others. I think it turned out fairly well.

Of course, thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!