When reading, Itachi Uchiha had fine tuned the ability to blend and blur into the background all the bustle of conversation and lark circling his table of friends, but upon hearing that laugh. Deidara's laughter. Soft yet so pronounced, its cadence rippled through the still waters of Itachi's mind drawing his concentration. He glanced up from the novel in his hands. Through dark, layered bangs Itachi could see across from him, at the far end of the cafeteria table, Deidara was having a blast at Tobi's shenanigans. The Uchiha couldn't help the warmth that flourished under his skin while simultaneously leaving in its wake short, small chills. It was the same sensation he felt basking in sunlight. Now he centered on his blond friend, the source of such tantalizing sound, in effort to understand why this was.
Hardly anything or anyone really ever held the Uchiha's attention for a fraction of a second let alone his complete and total engagement. On just a hand, one could count those few matters he truly considered, and those he held close to his heart because they were special. There was the village he was born in, his determination to be the best sibling to his younger brother Sasuke, and most importantly, his actual brother Sasuke whom he cherished. All didn't even make it to the count of five fingers. Everything else he approached in the same detached apathy. If it wasn't part of the people or things Itachi already valued then, it didn't concern him, and he didn't give it a second thought. It was evident in the way he dismissed praise from everyone, including his own father, who exalted him for his genius and natural-born talent. In the way he ignored all attempts from his fan club to garner his singled out attention (if they were lucky enough to be in Itachi's line of sight, his exceedingly dark and intense eyes usually conveyed his rejection of them- no words necessary). He especially couldn't care less when some one challenged him or tried to rile him up. At least, that was the case until Deidara showed up. One day in high school, Sasori showed up to the gang's preferred table for lunch with a blond guy in tow.
Evidently the junior attended the art class Sasori was a teacher's assistant in, and they had vibed through a heated argument they had on their differing views of what art should be. Sasori liked how Deidara wasn't a spineless fool like the rest of the student body, and he gained brownie points for appreciating art with as much passion as the redhead. Thus, he was introduced to all of his upper class group of friends, and once seated, Deidara proved to have an affable personality, even when he turned headstrong. He hit it off with Hidan and Kisame. Tobi apparently already knew him, and Kakazu didn't mind him much. At the first introduction, Itachi had been polite but curt like with everyone, so that wasn't new. Soon enough as the start of the academic year progressed, Deidara became an integrated member of the gang. The blond always had something interesting to relay, and he even managed to pique Itachi's interest with the way his mind seemed to operate in opinions and subject discussions. To everyone's slight incredulity, even Itachi eventually began to address Deidara more often in conversation. The blond seemed unfazed in the slightest unaware of what a milestone this was, and so he proceeded in his same dynamic persona when talking to the Uchiha. Now, it was to the point they were actual friends, even hanging out apart from the circle of friends, That in itself- in such a short time frame- an outsider could only dream of, and even in their close-knit group they found it a difficult challenge to get Itachi to hang out outside of school. Obviously, Deidara was the exception. So then, what was it about Deidara that Itachi couldn't just shake him off like the rest? Why him in particular?
Black, piercing eyes further studied the individual before him. The raven first focused on features he found highlighted Deidara the most. His nude lips stretched wide displaying a set of fine, white teeth, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards. His cheeks bunched with his smile causing crescent-shaped imprints to appear high up there where they complimented his squinting eyes. Itachi acknowledged how unique they were to Deidara. No one else came to mind who had dimples.
Still in the throes of mirth, as his shoulders shook, Deidara's shimmering blond hair swayed, reminding Itachi of waves undulating in reflected waters. Itachi could see the allure to his profile. And as Deidara continued to laugh, it really accentuated his glow. Itachi discerned the happiness there in the way Dediara colored life when he was present. The Uchiha's scrupulous, black gaze softened subliminally then.
"The hearts are showing." Kisame teased, low enough only for Itachi to hear.
He followed it with a subtle nudge to Itachi's hand, still balancing the book at the table's edge. It succeeded in breaking him out of his reverie, for he side-eyed Kisame's knowing and smug face.
"Hn." Was all the response Itachi gave before returning to the page he was on.
He wasn't going to accept his friend's teasing remark. Instead Itachi tuned him out along with the chatter encircling them, taking up the words of his book once more. And if from time to time he chanced a look across the wooden surface to catch a glimpse of the one person he was enthralled by, well, it was no one's business but his own.
The next time Itachi spared a glance, he met with celestial blue eyes and a smirk playing on Deidara's full lips. Their eyes held together for a long moment. Deidara's eyes appeared to radiate more intensely. Again, that indulgent sensation seeped into Itachi reverberating down to his core. He flexed a brow keeping his steady and penetrating stare, responding back in challenge. A bit more, then Deidara was breaking eye contact as he let out an amused chuckle, immersing back into conversation with others. An interesting rubor had splayed across the blond's face cheeks. Itachi looked down towards his book. He couldn't make out the words just yet, fighting to contain a small, pleased smile which graced one corner of his mouth. The curve threatening to transform into an outright, reckless grin. Maybe in private, but certainly not where his friends were beginning to catch their prolonged stare. Itachi wasn't any closer to identifying the reason Deidara provoked this feeling inside him, but what he did know is he liked it. He liked it very much. Especially more when those lively sounds of his carried over where Itachi could hear. Well on second thought, taking into account this particular claim and analyzing it better, he supposed maybe he did know why Deidara stirred this feeling inside him after all. The fact then became how this was the first time it has ever happened to him. His next step now was to figure out how to manage it.
Deidara looked over his page once more, studying the math problem he worked on. What had become their thing, as usual, Itachi and him spent their afternoons over at each other's houses working on homework. Today, they studied up in Itachi's bedroom. The blond sat in the only chair in front of the desk. Whereas his companion took a seat on the edge of his mattress closest to the desk where he could find area on its end to work from. Still, they shared one another's space.
By now Itachi had silently discontinued his own assignment, the paper failing to keep his attention when a more captivating subject was beside him. He leaned further into Deidara's space making as if he was taking a look at his math when in reality he just wanted to cut the distance between them shorter. This close, Itachi caught his nice, clean scent. He perched an arm at the back of the chair Deidara used, just barely perceiving the warmth from his figure. Itachi observed Deidara's side profile as the latter contemplated the steps necessary in order to solve this particularly troublesome equation; or at least the Uchiha observed what he could make out of his really attractive face because most of it was framed and obscured by voluminous, golden hair. He saw a furrowed brow and thick, fair lashes outlining his set of blue eyes. Their crystal clearness flickered around going over the page placed on the desktop. Subsequently, there was the point of his nose and then the jut of his peach lips. Mostly, Itachi's gaze directed back to Deidara's gorgeous hair.
"Argh, high school should just teach basic math enough for us to know how to calculate taxes and know what the percent off an item really is. There shouldn't be geometric theorems to write nor should there be a quadratic formula to measure, yeah." Deidara exclaimed.
"Right Itachi?". Deidara stopped the furious erasing on paper he had begun, turning to the one named expectantly. One side of his face was still shadowed by the blond curtain of his hair. Itachi's fingers twitched around the pencil he held, tempted to sweep that long strip of bang behind Deidara's ear. His friend raised an eyebrow, and Itachi met his eyes.
"Well, I really enjoy calculating the parabola of a wave when I go to the beach." Itachi countered, with the hint of a smirk.
Following the comment, Deidara tittered, shoving Itachi's shoulder back in a playful gesture. "Of course, so next time we're at the beach, I want to see you measure that wave, yeah." He replied, with a smirk of his own.
That act really did bring a smile to Itachi's face, but he didn't bother to respond. Instead he moved back into Deidara's space. His friend didn't mind, just curiously looked on with those striking blue eyes of his. A warm silence surrounded them. Itachi took the moment to once again see Deidara completely and marvel at his hair. A natural blond for sure, Itachi thought. Inspecting closer, he could discern the variations composing its collective color. While shimmering strands stood out the most, there was other saturation creating a cascading arrangement of lustrous yellow next to an amber or a platinum strand. From afar Deidara's hair shone like the sun, and up close his hair carried the weight of gold. Itachi felt compelled to tangibly meet it.
On impulse he went for it, although his heart rate quickened, he brought up a hand to Deidara's face. His fingers caressed a warm temple, yet Itachi focused more on gingerly sweeping aside the lush lock of hair and back behind an ear. He stroked down its sleek length as his hand trailed away.
Only after, did he see Deidara staring at him, entertained with a sly smile even if his cheeks denoted a light blush.
"What? Are you planning to tint your hair blond or something, yeah?" He joked.
Paying little mind to the joke, Itachi didn't feel an ounce embarrassed, for his attention was on how Deidara looked more vulnerable in that instant. Alternately, Itachi revealed a dashing smile of his own.
"No, you've grown your hair longer, and it tends to fall over your face." Itachi justified. "It suits you though, and I wanted to know if it felt as nice as it looked, which it does. Your hair is really nice Dei."
That last part he breathed out as it made him feel too exposed. Itachi didn't realize his comment had affected him until after he said it. His face heated, but he remained calm keeping his smile up without ever straying far from Deidara's gaze. His friend straightened in his seat and smoothed back the rest of his hair away from his shoulders, showing more tanned skin at the neck and start of his clavicles from where his uniform polo had the collar open.
"Thanks, I like it long like this too." Deidara replied, flattered. "And you can feel it whenever."
Deidara's smile was coy. The comment coupled with his attitude, and Itachi felt he was meant to read more into it. A pregnant pause developed between them. Then a moment later, they both reverted back to the mathematical equation Deidara still needed to solve. All the while, the Uchiha subtly picked up a ribbon of blond hair ending low at Deidara's back to play with. He felt its rich density between two fingers and ran its silky surface over and again with his thumb. Ultimately Itachi smiled inwardly; apparently he liked Deidara's hair a lot. He also didn't miss the slight quiver that coursed through his friend by the contact of his fingers on his mane.
Their time spent together came to an end when Deidara received a text from his mom who waited outside in the car to take him to an appointment. He quickly gathered his stuff but just before stepping away from the desk, he actually came closer, right in front of Itachi still sitting. He smiled, and Itachi waited looking up at him. Deidara examined Itachi's raven hair then, and taking initiative, he softly brushed the layered fringe. Itachi's breathing deepened but his body remained motionless as fingertips gently skimmed part of his cheek. In this proximity, heat radiated like a blasting furnace. Deidara finally looked into Itachi's deep, doe eyes, so he was able to read the teasing glint in those blue ones.
"I guess your hair isn't too shabby," He gave a light tug to a middle layer, "It suits you too." Deidara commented, finally stepping away.
The Uchiha watched him go, and just as the blond crossed the doorway, Deidara looked back over his shoulder momentarily with one final say. "Text me, yeah."
And he was gone with a trail of laughter not meant to mock, because Deidara was always finding fun like that wherever he went. In the next second, Itachi audibly breathed out, finally taking notice of the rapid thudding inside his chest. He slumped back into his bed dragging both hands down his face where a hot sensation bloomed. He also let out a groan but which quickly turned into a stupid smile. Deidara will be the end of me, was his only claim in mind even adding, and I'm okay with that.
Itachi smiled fondly reading the caller ID before answering his cell phone.
"Yes, Dei?"
His smile widened upon hearing the deep, yet exuberant, voice on the other end.
"Itachi, just the person I wanted to speak to. What are your plans for tonight?"
Itachi considered it for a moment. He didn't really have anything of importance apart from perhaps getting started on assignments due for next week. But he could always throw those on the backburner, if Deidara had something in mind. After all, the blond was calling on a Friday night, and knowing him in surplus by now, his friend was already inviting their entire group to his plans.
"What do you want to do?" Itachi asked, indirectly confirming his availability.
"Perfect. Let's go see that new blockbuster. I've been dying to go, and I know you'll enjoy it too. It has that type of dark pseudoscience plot you're crazy about."
"Alright." Itachi didn't realize his slight pout when replying because he didn't think he was overzealous about science fiction in that regard. Luckily the micro gesture was one Deidara couldn't see anyways because it was his favorite thing to point out when he caught Itachi's pouts labeling them as 'adorable'. Even though most minute gestures of Itachi's went unperceived by everyone else,not to Deidara- he seemed to have a knack for identifying them. To be more honest, Itachi did leave his impassive facade aside anytime he was around the blond. Just something about his friend's presence made Itachi susceptible to show a more open and more willing side to him not even the rest of his friends got to see that often. Deidara just made it different which his core self accepted, allowing the blond to see a level deeper into Itachi's true personality.
"Okay, so pick me up at 8pm-"
"Oh, I understand now. You just wanted me for my transportation service is that-" Itachi began bantering, but Deidara cut him off as well.
"Hey! You know as well as I do, you'll be headed down my street on the way to the movies. You might as well give me a ride. Plus, you know you love my company, so don't even go there." Deidara reasoned, and Itachi couldn't deny it.
Once in agreement and with a finalized arrangement to be at Deidara's house by 8pm, the call ended. Itachi had a modest amount of time to get ready, so using the same approach he took with everything, he calmly picked out a fashionable ensemble. He decided on a form fitting, navy polo shirt and tailored black pants. The sole accessory he wore already decorated his elegant, porcelain neck. It was the delicate link of three rings laced by a fine, silver chain. He still kept his raven hair in a low queue with some of his parted fringe out. Itachi normally kept humble about himself, the adulation on his image he received on a daily basis didn't sway his ego, but now he wanted to play up those strengths. On a movie night with friends, he was going to make sure to sit besides Deidara.
Pulling up in front of Deidara's house, Itachi had not even finished stopping when the blond bolted out his front door. He greeted Itachi with a dazzling smile, already climbing into the passenger seat. Deidara was remarkably handsome tonight. His beautiful, blond hair styled in a half updo leaving a section out front to frame one side of his face. He was rocking a black leather jacket, a white button up underneath, and blue levi jeans. The cool, crisp scent of his cologne reached Itachi. He sent his friend a smile back in greeting.
"Itachi, my man. You're right on time, as always." Deidara commented as he was already leveling the car's stereo knobs to connect via bluetooth to his phone. He had an astounding familiarity for navigating Itachi's belongings since Itachi had already given him the go ahead in the past.
Now that he thought more of it, in their phone call earlier, Deidara didn't mention whether the rest of their friends would be meeting up with them too. Itachi wanted to make sure if it was going to be a group thing or just the two of them as they sometimes hung out. He hoped for the latter.
"So, are the others meeting us at the movies?" The raven asked.
Deidara momentarily stopped scrolling on his phone and looked up at him.
"Huh? Oh, nah. It's just the two of us, yeah." Deidara smiled, winking at the last part.
"Even better." Itachi replied, to which the blond let out a half-laugh then proceeded to play one of his songs.
The raven still considered Deidara's laugh to be the most soothing act to ever witness no matter how sudden or brief it stopped. Itachi started the car and drove off meanwhile Deidara bopped his head and hummed along to the chill music. They sent each other fleeting glances along the way. There were times when their eyes did connect with Deidara expressing glee and Itachi returning the sentiment. It was not lost on the both of them what it meant to be in the company of one another separate from their friend group, especially when they were alone together. The mutual attraction between them was palpable in every instance of their interaction, and most times they flirted along a margin of compliments, soft touches, and continual eye contact. It was like stepping into a revolving door and trying to find that one solid step to put forward into a direct opening. One where their friendship transcended to a whole other level, and tonight was that opening. Tonight, one of them was going to make a move.
Once inside the movie theater, Deidara made a beeline to the snack concession stand. There he bought his drink and a variety of sweets to share with Itachi who bought his own drink and their popcorn. They chose an ideal row up in the far back with center seats. During the movie, they shared space leaning towards the middle from where they could eat off each other's snacks, or when Deidara bumped Itachi's right shoulder to indicate a particularly dramatic scene in the film. The movie was great, but it ended way too soon.
Walking out of the auditorium, they evaluated and discussed aspects of the film that had been intriguing or right out fake. They lingered in the hall where the rest of the showing rooms were lined. Both desired for their time spent together to continue. Deidara directed his sight overhead, and the title for a horror movie caught his attention. An awesome idea sparked in his head. Without preamble, he took Itachi's left wrist steering him in the direction of that film's door entrance. One look at Deidara's mischievous face, and Itachi knew of his intention. Itachi smirked because of course he was going to follow his antics. Then he settled on the fact of cold fingers holding his bare wrist. They felt perfect on his skin since, due to his Uchiha bloodline, his body temperature ran abnormally hot. Even more, he liked the strong pressure Dei was exerting with the hold. Soon, Itachi recognized the distinct sensation raking throughout his body. A recurring warmth that simmered in his interior one moment then, in the next, giving way to an undulating Arctic. Immense satisfaction filled him too with how often he got to perceive this state, and always the cause for it being the lively and captivating, blond he was presently with. He had to make sure the state never eluded him. Itachi yearned to own that feeling for as long as he could. He needed to make a move on Deidara- and soon, because this feeling in his chest was something more than what a friend should have. For the first time in his life, Itachi Uchiha had a crush. But in true Uchiha fashion, their feelings ran significantly more intense than the average joe, and this sentiment was more than just a passing crush. It nestled deeper. He was irrevocably attached and attracted to his friend, so he needed to confess.
Blending into the throng of people passing by, they cleverly slipped inside this new auditorium. They tiptoed in the shadows, but upon hearing a blood curdling scream and the frantic intensification of high-pitched chords, they plopped down in the first set of seats in front of them. For a second, the Uchiha vacillated between retracting right then or toughening it out for appearances with the blond. Casting a peek at the aforementioned, he also wondered how sound were his decision making skills. Whether Itachi meant his own decision making skills in Deidara's company or Deidara's actual decision making skills, that was unclear. Probably a bit of both. Deidara did not let go of his wrist, and obviously Itachi did not mind. The visuals on the screen were even more terrifying than the sounds. Yeah, they lasted a total of ten minutes before noping out of there real quick.
Once they spilled back out into the hall, they returned to a normal leisure side by side. Deidara seemed a little pale, and Itachi was paler than usual. Deidara sheepishly turned his head towards Itachi before uttering words in effort to redeem himself.
"Yeah, why don't we visit the arcade next door? It'll be way better than whatever that just was."
He realized he still had a death grip on Itachi's wrist, which he subtly let go. The sudden awareness helped him regain some color back on his face with a little more on his cheeks. His own suggestion did the trick in perking them up, he didn't wait for Itachi's response, already starting in the direction of their new destination. Deidara wasn't going to go home now- at least not until a while longer.
He did glance back after a couple steps, and to his delight, Itachi was right behind. The raven fell into step with him, and Deidara first saw the faint upward draw of his lips. Then, he felt how Itachi took hold of one of his hands. This time their palms slotted together with fingers, not intertwining, but curling around to the dorsal plane with the thumb resting over the row of knuckles. Itachi's onyx eyes stared deep into Deidara's when he did this. Deidara's heartbeat began thrashing, and he felt it traveling up his throat where his mouth turned dry. Still, he returned the gesture with one of his own white smiles and a meaningful squeeze to Itachi's hand. After, Itachi took the lead in their path to the next location. Both definitely relished the contact of their linked hands.
Funky music played overhead when they arrived, and the arcade was packed with people. The place was huge though, so they had lots of options. Once they purchased tokens, Deidara immediately led them to an open air hockey table.
"Alright kid prodigy. Show me what all that praise is about." Deidara remarked, a challenging gleam in his blue eyes as he smirked.
Itachi smirked back, placing the puck on the sleek surface of the table. He curved forward over the rim of the goal line and with his other hand holding the paddle got in position to strike and set the game off. Deidara mirrored him, but with an offensive positioning of his paddle where he was planning to rebuff the puck from even making it halfway across. Protecting his goalie wasn't in his strategy.
"Just remember, you were the one who asked for it." Itachi quipped, and in a split-second slingshotted the puck straight into Deidara's goal slot.
Deidara hadn't even blinked when the celebratory ding announced Itachi's first point. Let alone, he hadn't even processed when the puck had moved.
A bit befuddled, the blond took out the slim disc from his goal box. Itachi stared at him, his face slightly tilted to one side, and those eyes of his seemed smug to Deidara. His lips were drawn closed as if he were making an effort to restrain his superiority on account of poor Deidara who didn't stand a chance.
"Tch, obviously I gave you that freebie." Deidara proclaimed.
He served the next shot, keeping his hand extended. And just like before, Itachi's hit was as quick as lightning. The puck disappeared into the goalie with Deidara's reflexes moving a second after. It was Itachi's point again.
The blond straightened up, briefly narrowing his eyes at him, but then giving way to an impish smile nonetheless.
"Alright, time to start this for real. Don't think I'll be that easy for you." Deidara said, all the while removing his leather jacket and setting it aside.
The white sleeved shirt he wore made him enticing to look at. Its snug fit kept the buttons down the middle stretched taut, and Itachi could make out his defined pecs and lean torso. The white fabric at the arms also contoured his biceps well. Deidara pulled back the open cuffs of his sleeves towards his elbows, and Itachi drank in how those bare muscles flexed at the forearms too. His dark, transfixed stare did not go unnoticed by Deidara who smirked.
"Okay Uchiha let's make this interesting. I bet I'll win, and when I do you'll be at my service for the rest of the night, yeah."
"Sure, but when you actually lose, I want you to give me something in return." Itachi replied.
Deidara sent him a suspicious look, "And what is that?"
"It's something I have wanted from you for a while now. You'll just have to wait and see."
The only possibility crossing Deidara's mind of what it could be had his heart going into overdrive. Itachi's pointed stare coupled with a side smile only affirmed what they were both thinking. Deidara fought the rising heat in his face. He assented, tucking away the long tress of golden hair that usually obscured one side of his face, and they both delved back into the game. Adrenaline thrived in the both of them, as well as wildly beating hearts, while they continued their match. If Itachi won, his recompense was about to change everything for their friendship. The following outcome was imminent. They both knew it as they moved in the significantly charged atmosphere.
Even so, Deidara's pride was on the line, and he refused to be a piece of cake for Itachi. After the first two points, he was more alert and flinched at the slightest movement his raven-haired opponent made. They countered the puck back and forth vigorously, and it stayed on the table more often than it was delivered into the goal slot. Deidara managed to gain some points. Then, they were tied for a good while. Sometimes the disc flew off the table with neither willing to concede just yet. Ultimately, it was Itachi who sent the puck into Deidara's goalie that set off the winner's bell.
Deidara dropped his paddle making his way to Itachi who met him halfway. The pounding of his heart was nerve wracking, and he mentally cursed this feeling even if he felt happy as to the cause. He stopped right in front of Itachi. The distance was less than a step apart.
"Fine, you win. What is it you want me to give you?" Deidara asked at once.
His head was slightly tilted up as he pinned Itachi with those celestial blue eyes of his. Itachi thought he'd never seen a blue more pure than those of Deidara's irises. He got pulled in, mesmerized by them. He leaned in close to Deidara. Now, their faces were centimeters in reach. They felt each other's warmth when their respiration caressed the sides of each face. Itachi's deep, dark eyes left Deaidara's to descend down to a lower point on his face, then they slowly came back up. Deidara felt light, his lungs contracting as air fled them. There was an anticipation for something to happen. He kept motionless, but his patience was steadily leaving the longer the moment dragged on with the intensity only increasing. The raven moved even closer. His fragrance of a warmth underlined of spice was rousing to Deidara. When he spoke low by the blond's ear, the outline of his lips lightly grazed the other's right cheek. Deidara contained the tremble in his spine from the brush of skin.
"What I want from you," He paused, once and continued, "You'll know at the end of the night."
Then, Itachi was pulling away and Deidara had heard and seen his smugness. Incredulity flashed through Deidara, and he stopped Itachi, by seizing a fistful of his navy polo at the chest, which kept him from getting fully away. Deidara's vibrant eyes criticized him as did his following words.
"I won't wait that long." Pulling Itachi back in by his shirt, Deidara craned forward.
Their lips finally, finally met.
A long awaited moment, Itachi smiled against those peach lips, bringing up a hand to cup Deidara's jaw and hold him there. The culmination of that something more was as delicious an impact as it was soft. Closing his eyes, he reciprocated the kiss.
An eternity enveloped the intimate touch, or so it seemed. They separated after a long moment with their noses still brushing. Itachi's hand still laid on Deidara's jaw line while the aforementioned had never ceased his hold on the raven. They shared a significant look staring into one another's eyes. They each took one, slow and shuddering breath. That made them share a smile too. Slowly and barely perceptible, Deidara tipped back his head to see Itachi completely.
"Did I give you what you wanted?" His voice was husky when he spoke.
Itachi swallowed once, refreshing the palette of his mouth before giving a nod and answering. "You did, but I don't want it to be a one-time-thing and not just for tonight either."
There went Itachi's confession.
Deidara dissolved his fist from Itachi's shirt, cracking a smile in the process while replying, "Well, how greedy of you."
The blond dropped his gaze away from Itachi's briefly, considering what had been proposed. He instead focused it on smoothing the fabric of its respective chest, giving it a few light, sweeping pats. He then slid up that same hand to rest it on the junction where the neck and shoulder met of the taller man. The tendons there felt firm and secure under his palm, also providing heat.
Once again, his glittering blue eyes fixed to Itachi's black awaiting ones.
"I guess I'm just as greedy too. We are really doing this, yeah?" Deidara's question became more so redundant when his confirmation on the matter was sealed with another kiss to Itachi's sweet lips. This was the initiation of that something more.
The following Monday back to school, Itachi arrived with Deidara in the morning. It wasn't out of the ordinary, since it was a usual occurrence from them being friends. They proceeded normally and entered the building to meet up with their group of friends. The only small detail being how they found each other's gaze when the bell rang, and they all dispersed to their own first period. They treated each encounter of their regroup just the same throughout the morning. Then came lunch hour. With all their friends present circling the cafeteria table, Itachi and Deidara sat together. Still, nothing out of the ordinary. That was typical for them too. Everyone continued their lively hang out all the same. What wasn't typical of them, and what caught the group's attention this time were the new gestures being displayed by the Uchiha. The most reserved and impassive guy to ever be. The first thing noticed, that everyone played off since they all knew how the blond and raven had a thing for each other by now, was how Itachi leaned into Deidara's left side in a more snug fashion than what was casual. The blond seemed to even welcome it as he also reclined with him to the middle, but it wasn't an apparent deal altogether as the blond kept engaged in conversation with Sasori on his right. The second thing noticed by most in the group was how Itachi did not have his usual novel in hand absorbed in its content. Actually his sight was set on Deidara's profile as the named one continued to speak, again seemingly unperturbed with Itachi's disposition towards him. This was more obvious when Itachi was openly gawking, yet no one mentioned anything and left it alone not wanting to be pinned by the Uchiha's extremely penetrating and intimidating, onyx eyes. What really interrupted the chatter and pulled everyone's attention, well it was when Itachi leaned in close to Deidara's face, whispering something into the blond's ear. Deidara turned to Itachi with a smile and a nod of his head. The defining moment that sent everyone into a craze was the contact that followed. Deidara kissed Itachi on the lips, and Itachi kissed back. It was a short, sweet kiss that was observed by every single one of their friends, and a few outsiders.
"Deidara-senpai!" Tobi exclaimed, erupting the uproar.
Eyes around the cafeteria singled them out catching the end of the kiss and murmurs traveled. Itachi and Deidara paid them no mind.
Next to Itachi, Kisame playfully said, "I see you finally did something about that staring problem of yours."
They all turned to Hidan, who let out a grumble with swear words all the while pulling out his wallet and angrily turning over a bill into the outstretched hand of a cocksure, smiling Kakazu. Deidara guffawed seeing this and realizing what it was. Itachi only limited to shaking his head. There was a Sasori expectant, who looked at Deidara with one raised eyebrow.
"Oh, Itachi and I are dating, yeah." Deidara grinned, shooting his raven partner a side-ways glance.
He caught the red tinge of his ear only, since the Uchiha was currently more interested in nosing along the hinge of Deidara's jaw right underneath his earlobe. There he placed another chaste kiss because his blond had an inviting scent emanating from his washed hair and glowing, tanned skin. It coaxed Itachi into doing uncharacteristic things. Deidara was sure his face was equally as red, but he didn't care now. They, at long last, were something more together.