25
His heart was pounding fast, so loud he could hear it, and he wondered if anyone else could as well.
The crowd that had been resting outside to watch his fireworks was coming inside the building now, for the art exhibit. He had some of his past work on display, and even though he once had thought of it as brilliant nothing compared to what he was working on right now, or what he had done on the last couple of weeks.
It was as if he had been living underwater, abstracted on his life with the Akatsuki, a life he never wanted to be a part of, but now it was different, something had changed. He had resurfaced, his world had shifted and everything felt different, the colors were more vibrant, the sounds were sharper… and all of it because of a girl.
Not any girl to say the least, she was what he always had pictured on his head, a muse, a friend, a lover, all wrapped into one. And now he had lost her, lost her to what he had mistakenly thought was "love". He now realized that Otamu, gifted as she might be was not what he wanted, and what he had felt for her was a shadow, a mock of what he now felt.
He examined the faces that came closer now, stopping here and there on the numeral sculptures, paintings and photographs scattered around. His heart pounded unevenly, waiting for her face… but would she be here?
Otamu danced around, talking animatedly to everyone, and exchanging her views on the art's display, he had made good on his promise, he came to see her work, but would she make good on hers… would she come knowing he'd be here?
His heart started pounding even faster, as his body reacted to something his eyes had not found yet, his body tensed, froze as he saw Aline coming inside. Her face gave nothing away, a perfect mask of composure, she came closer to where he was, hidden by red silk curtains. No she couldn't see him, but he could, and he also could see she was not there alone.
His eyes took in every bit of her body, graceful, lean, covered in an elegant red silk kimono, blood red, just like his curtains. Her eyes and lips shared the same shade of crimson and though normal eyes wouldn't be able to tell he could see her eyes were slightly swollen, looking lighter than usual, almost green, she had been crying. Even behind her perfect mask he could tell she wasn't really there, her eyes were far out. Distant, here only in her body, but where was her mind?
A smile escaped her lips as she turned to see her partner. Almost as tall as him, athletic, but he could see he was no fighter, and even if he was, none that could hold a chance next to him. A different emotion rattled his veins, poisonous, he could feel the rage now, forcing his body forward, out of the shadows. He was holding her hand, his hand.
Otamu approached Aline, and they both smiled now, whether she was faking it or not he couldn't tell, but it looked honest enough. Otamu turned and looked around, as if looking for someone and then he realized she must be searching for him, she'd been planning on introducing them.
Deidara stepped out from the curtains in a fluent movement, as if he had always been there, Otamu caught his eye and he approached with the same nonchalance Aline seemed to exude. He could only catch a glimpse of emotion as his eyes met Aline's, then the mask was back on. Vaughn didn't seem to miss the weird exchange between them, as her hand gave his a gentle squeeze, involuntary movement of course, but strong enough for him to feel.
"Danna, this is Aline and Vaughn"
His stomach twitched, so the filthy mockery of man had a name, he didn't like the way Otamu had made their names sound, as if implying something else, as if they were together.
And for all he knew they might have been.
"Hello" she said curtly, meeting his eyes.
He froze again, there was no emotion on her voice, or her eyes, as if she were dead.
"My Danna-
Aline's mask fell again at the sound of "my"flinching slightly, but not slightly enough for Deidara to miss, she was hurting, and hurting bad.
"-made the display of fireworks outside, did you like them?"
Vaughn squeezed Aline's hand gently when she didn't respond, and she turned to smile at him apologetically.
"They were unlike I've ever seen" she said distant again and flashing Otamu a smile that didn't touch her eyes.
"Unbelievable, indeed though I'm afraid… overshadowed by the beauty next to me" Vaughn smiled at Deidara, as if in great comradeship and then winked an eye at Otamu, she nodded in agreement.
"You look extremely beautiful tonight" she agreed.
They stood awkwardly for a few seconds, Aline felt utterly self conscious as all eyes rested on her, a slight blush betraying her perfect façade. Someone in the distance called for Otamu then and she turned to Deidara resting her palm casually on his chest, a lovers reflex, innocent and completely unconscious… which only hurt Aline more.
Then she turned toward them.
"I'm sorry, I have to go present my work now, I hope you like the exhibition. Aline please feel welcome to stay at the Inn tonight, I wouldn't want you wandering alone… Vaughn, it was my pleasure to meet you. Danna." She inclined her head in an act of complete adoration and respect towards him and then left.
"Do you want to go for a drink?" Vaughn suggested as Otamu disappeared into the crowd. Aline nodded once, and then turned to face Deidara. "Do you want to join us?..." he added tentatively his eyebrow raising ever so slightly.
"Oh we wouldn't want to monopolize the artist" Aline said, and she managed to add venom and sarcasm at the same time so subtly no one but Deidara noticed.
"Another time maybe"
"It was nice, meeting the man behind the pyrotechnics, I always loved fire…" she drifted off and eyed him again, no mask this time, only pain was visible in her lioness eyes.
He opened his mouth as if to say something and closed it again, knowing nothing he could say would ease the pain inside her.
"My pleasure"
She nodded once and tugged on Vaughn's hand, leading him out of the building. She wanted to run and she needed it bad. She could feel Deidara's eyes on her while they walked and that only made her go faster.