22
So apparently there was a five day festival going on every year, celebrating art and artists, displaying everything from sculptures, paintings, poems, architecture, photography, music, dances… And every moment she spent with her she could see how Deidara might have fallen for her, the way the lights reflected on her big green eyes, how her hair flew with the wind, how graceful her every movement was, the way her full lips moved when she smiled…

She hated it, being there with this woman, this ridiculously beautiful woman who had captured the heart of her missing-nin. Why was Otamu so happy about anyways, hadn't Deidara broke up with her? She hadn't mention him at all, not one word of what she called her Danna.

It was past midnight now, but the festival hadn't ended yet, becoming brighter if possible and louder, as the children returned home and the older ones drank sake and talked animatedly to each other. Otamu invited her over, which she would have refused if it wasn't for the opportunity to bathe, and much to her horror find out what had happened with her and Deidara.

However not even once did she say a word about him, and as they walked back to her inn, her heart grew more and more anxious.

"So, how have you been?"

"I've been great! The art shop has a lot of new costumers and business is going perfect with the festival, everyone wants to create."

"Hmmm"

"How have you been?"

"Eh… I've been good…"

She had to lie better that that.

"You never showed me that painting of yours, did you finish it?"

"I did, actually. I've just been busy… work, you know"

"Yes, I understand"

They reached Otamu's room, while she apologized about not having a spear room to accommodate her in. Once inside, she started setting things up, prompting her into making herself at home. Her heart just grew darker and darker.

After taking a bath she hurried back to the room, but found it empty. She then felt consumed by the urge of inspecting the perfectly impeccable room, but just when she was about to start Otamu came in.

Her arms carried what looked like an enormous portrait, a beautiful view of the village. She had captured the colors of the sun setting in with such glorious perfection she felt a sudden burst of envy.

"This is my latest work" she said resting the picture on the wall next to the bed, Aline kneeled down to get a better look at it. It felt oddly familiar, like she had seen it before, and then her heart dropped. She had seen it before.

Otamu had captured the moment perfectly, it was the day she shied away from, the one were she had seen Deidara with her. And there he was sitting down on their table, smiling her favorite smile… for someone else. It was too much, much more than she could bear.

"That's your Danna?" she asked. A certain edge to her voice, luckily enough Otamu hadn't noticed.

"He is. I was hoping to present it tomorrow, he promised he'd come to the festival, but I haven't seen him in a while…" her mouth fell on the corners, and her eyes became wistful.

So they hadn't broke up. She felt her heart thump unevenly, much too fast.

"… the last time I saw him, he left all of the sudden. Without saying goodbye"

Aline knew this feeling only too well, she wanted to run away, run away from both of them, demand an explanation, run until her legs failed, scream, set the world on fire…

"Then he came back, and said he couldn't see me anymore, that he was sorry but he had to leave, and that I couldn't come with him, I told him I'd follow him anywhere, but he didn't listen, he just turned around and left" her eyes became teary, and her voice broke at the end, her heart was breaking too.