HELLO, EVERYBODY! So, have I been the only one to experience Fanfiction acting wonky these past two days? Cause I was definitely having trouble with it two days ago and even into yesterday morning. Anyways, we're coming up on a serious chapter! YAY! Not a bad serious...a good serious, if that even makes sense. Is everyone still there? I've been feeling lonely not hearing from you all, but I'm hoping that's just the site being weird recently xD Anyways, Chapter 19 is up and ready for your viewing pleasure! And as always, R & R, please! ^_^
One Week Later…
The party was in full swing by the time Deidara entered. Employees he recognized from his work were mingling with employees that must've been from HelioTech, since he didn't know any of them. The venue the event was being held at wasn't too far away from the HQ building. The designers had done a phenomenal job with the interior decorations.
Large, circular glass tables filled the room in interspersed sections, with plush, red velvet lined chairs surrounding them. Near the temporary stage setup was the modern-looking bar with a dark granite countertop, the bartender rushing to take and complete orders as they were given at a mile a minute. Straight across from the bar on the other side of the room was the long line of rectangular tables filled with hors d'oeuvres, everything from bacon-wrapped bits of fillet mignon to sourdough toasts with mushrooms and oysters and to shrimp and grits cakes. On a table of its own sat rows upon rows of glasses filled with Krug champagne. And centered straight in the middle of the room was a giant fountain which casted bright, crystalline patterns on the floor and walls as the giant, hanging chandeliers overhead beamed proudly against the falling water.
Deidara stood at the entryway, feeling a little suffocated in his suit, much like how he had on his first day as Co-CEO. He tugged relentlessly at the black tie around his neck.
"Deidara, stop that," Ino whispered, slapping his wrist lightly with a white-gloved hand. "You'll crease the material."
"Sorry, un. It just feels a little too tight, is all," he explained. She sighed and brought her hands to his neck, feeling around. "It's supposed to fit snugly like that. Don't you remember how to wear a suit?"
"I wear a suit every day, un," he glared at her. "And the tie is too tight."
"The tie is fine."
He scanned the room quickly, eyes darting past a person. "The tie is too tight, I feel like I'm suffocating, it's hot as hell in here, and-"
A pressure on his chest stopped him mid-rant, and he turned his gaze to the hand resting just above his heart. "What the fuck are you doing, un?"
"Your heart is racing," Ino explained. "Why? Are you nervous?"
He could deny being so, but his body was giving him away too easily. "So what if I am, un?"
"It's not like you're going up there and having to give a speech to everyone. Only Mr. Sato and Mr. Iwa will be doing that."
"I know that, un."
"So why are you nervous?" she asked again, pale blue orbs curious. He sighed, doing another quick scan of the room only to return to a smirking face. He blinked at it. "What, un?"
"You're looking for someone!" at a roll of the eyes, she nearly squealed. "Yay, I knew it! She must be here, right?!"
"Ino-"
"Is it the one in that lavender dress over by the bar? That's such a pretty color on her."
"Ino-"
"Or is it the one in the black halter? You know, a halter dress isn't really appropriate for an occasion like this."
"Ino-"
(Shut up)
"Or how about the one sitting all alone, drinking the champagne? It looks like she could use some company."
"Ino-"
(Shut. Up)
"Come on, Deidara, you have to help me here. Is she over by the bar, the stage, the food, the tables, the fountain-?"
"Ino-"
(SHUT UP!)
"Well is she or is she not here, Dei-?"
"Why do you fucking assume that it's a girl, un?!" he finally yelled.
Ino blinked at him, shock marring her entire demeanor.
Fuck…fuck, what the fuck had he just done?
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck-
"D-Deidara…w-what are you-?"
"I'm getting myself some champagne, un," with that, he swiveled on his heel and walked away as quickly as he could, hearing his cousin call out his name, though he chose to ignore her for very obvious reasons.
What the hell had that been back there?
(You told her the truth)
About what?
(That it's not a girl that you're attracted to)
He was attracted to girls.
(Fine…that it's not a girl that you're in love with)
…
(I'll take that as a sufficient enough answer)
Deidara wasn't sure when the 'second voice' first appeared in his mind. He just knew it had started shortly after he had fallen into suicidal depression. It acted as a sort of…remembrance of what he was trying to deny. It told him the truth he didn't want to hear, despite his many attempts to argue with it.
It always ended up being a losing battle on his end.
Much like how it was now.
He reached the table of Krug and helped himself to a glass, tasting the hints of almond and citrus as he took a sip, the liquid running down his throat like smooth golden chocolate.
He didn't expect anything less from a drink that cost $500.
What sounded like the side of a fork being hit against a champagne glass was heard over the surround sound speakers, grabbing everyone's attention and forcing them to look up towards the stage where the owner of Iwa Stratos, Mr. Iwa, was standing proudly before the microphone, a warm smile etched into his aged face. "Glad to have everyone's attention. How are you all enjoying the festivities?"
A few loud cheers here and there around the room were acknowledged before he continued. "I am glad to hear that. However, as we continue enjoying ourselves on the wonderful hors d'oeuvres and champagne, I must remind all of you as to why we are even having this celebration in the first place. In a few weeks, I hope the merging of HelioTech with us has been successful. Statistics and numbers prove the advantages both companies will earn with the partnership. Tonight, this celebration is to just meet those who you may be working with in the near future. Get to know each other, sit down, have a glass of wine or champagne, and enjoy yourselves. That is all."
"Man, could that have been any more scripted?" a snarky voice piped up next to the blonde. He didn't have to turn towards the person to know who it was. However, when he did, he nearly dropped his glass of alcohol onto the hardwood floor beneath them.
Sasori stood there, clad in a simple black suit with a white tie tucked neatly in between the lapels. The suit fit him in all the right places, clearly indicating that he had at least a medium build underneath.
But it wasn't necessarily the suit that was catching the younger male's attention.
It was the fact that, besides the ear piercings, all of the redhead's facial ones were completely gone, with the holes not even being visible in the sparingly lit room. Even the ends of his hair, which had been dyed a bright green when they had first met, matched the rest of his blood red locks.
He looked…normal…and…
(Amazing)
"Oh, I know. I do look amazing, don't I?" the older male asked, smiling deviously.
Wait, had he…had he said that out loud?
As if reading his thoughts, Sasori chuckled. "You didn't have to tell me what you thought, brat. It's written all over your face. But don't worry, though. You look really good yourself, handsome."
Deidara felt his cheeks flush and an unconscious smile form on his lips at the words. He also became acutely aware of how his body was reacting. Just being so close to his roommate was sending electric sparks to run over his skin, burying into his pores and traveling through his bloodstream, accelerating his heartbeat even more so than it had already been doing before.
And he didn't care one little bit.
"W-What happened to your piercings, un?" he asked, all but too keen on the nervousness etching his tone.
He silently cursed at himself.
"Oh, my boss wanted me to take them out for the occasion," Sasori explained, grabbing his own champagne glass and taking a sip. "Said I needed to look "professional" for it and – wow, this is good."
"You've never had Krug, un?"
"No, because when have I ever invested in an expensive bottle of champagne?"
"Oh…I'm sorry, un."
"Brat, don't apologize," the redhead exclaimed. A few seconds of silence passed between the two before he spoke again, eyes scanning the room. "So…found anyone interesting yet?"
(You)
"Um…no, un."
"Really, not a single person?" Sasori gazed at him with a playful smile.
(You)
Deidara gulped, about to say something when the older male looked past him and his eyes and smile grew wider. "Komushi?! Is that you?!"
The blonde knitted his brows together, but was suddenly shoved almost into the table to his left as a guy with naturally spiky, dark brown hair moved past him to stand in front of the redhead. "Sasori?! Holy shit, long time, no see, yeah?!"
"Yeah, seriously! I haven't see you since-"
"Graduation," they said at the same time, followed by a few seconds of quiet chuckles.
All the while, Deidara just stood there…feeling anger creeping into his face from his neck.
(Who the fuck is that?)
He didn't have a clue, but it sure seemed like his roommate knew.
(Why is the asshole touching him?)
That's what he would like to know.
(Why does Danna seem…comfortable with him?)
(Why is he laughing at everything this guy is saying?)
(Why is he not paying attention to you?)
Clutching the glass in his hand tightly, almost to the point of breaking it, Deidara let his inner voice out.
It wanted to know who the fuck that guy was.
And he was going to find out.
"Sasori, who is this, un?" the redhead pulled away from the conversation to look over at his roommate, noticing the younger male's demeanor had changed drastically within the few short minutes of Komushi walking over.
What was wrong with him?
"Oh, Deidara, I'm sorry," he apologized, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "This is Komushi. I met him in college. We um…we-"
"Dated for a while," Komushi finished, gazing at him with an expression Sasori couldn't quite put down. He looked at the blonde thoughtfully. "Komushi, this is Deidara. He's my roommate."
"Deidara, it's nice to meet you!" Komushi moved to extend a hand out to Deidara, who just continued to stand there, eyes vague and placid as he looked at the redhead's friend. When he didn't take the hand, Komushi just awkwardly retracted it and rubbed the back of his head. "A-Anyways, Sasori, I didn't know you worked for Iwa Stratos!"
"I don't; I work for HelioTech."
"Really? Hell, that's even better! We might work together, then!"
"Definitely," he smiled at him.
"I'm gonna go find Ino, un," he heard his roommate say. Sasori swiveled on his heel, about to call out to him and stride over, when a hand clamped down on his wrist. He turned to see Komushi staring at him with a serious face. "Let him go, Sasori. He doesn't seem to be in the mood to talk."
"He was perfectly fine not three minutes ago," he explained, watching helplessly as Deidara weaved through the tables until he sat down next to a long blonde-haired woman who must've been his cousin. He suddenly turned his head until he was staring at the older male with a passive expression, then quickly looked away again.
What was wrong with him?
Had he done something to upset him?
No…he couldn't have. Everything had been going fine until-
Until Komushi showed up.
Then Deidara became a crab with an attitude to match and had found an excuse to leave the conversation.
Sasori shook his head in disbelief, smiling.
The brat was fucking jealous.
That was adorable.
And damn did he look attractive in that suit.
When the redhead had first walked in, he knew Deidara was already there because he had left the penthouse about an hour before him. And when he had found him over by the champagne table, he had been reminded all over again as to why he had fallen in love with him.
The all, off-white suit went so well with his golden hair, it seemed as if he was an angel sent down from heaven, not with the usual halo, wings, and gown, but in a suit that managed to capture everyone's attention, despite the normalcy of its color.
And when he had stared at Sasori after he made his surprise introduction, his heartbeat had picked up at the way Deidara had gazed at him. Surprise, awe, and enamor had flashed across the younger male's face with such lightning speed, but the older male had captured every part of it.
So he could understand why he was jealous.
But if Deidara was jealous of him talking to one of his exes…
Did that…did that mean the brat had feelings for him?
And was finally allowing himself to be open about it?
Only one way to find out.
Make the brat as jealous as he possibly could.
"Hey, let's go sit down before they make any more announcements," he gazed at Komushi with a smile that welcomed flirting. The other male gave him a questioning look, before the realization hit him and he returned the smile. "Sure."
As they found a table, Sasori smiled in the knowledge of knowing the brat was watching his every move from across the room.
"Deidara what was that back there? What you said earlier?" he heard Ino ask.
But Deidara didn't feel like talking.
He was watching with a hawk's eye Sasori's interaction with his supposed ex. They were definitely getting too close for comfort. The way they were looking at each other, laughing at each other's 'funny' jokes, the way that asswipe was staring at his Danna.
It was enough to make him want to puke.
Sasori was in love with him, not that asshole who was trying way too hard to impress the redhead.
Newsflash, dumb fuck, there had been a reason you two broke up.
Deidara knew he shouldn't be allowing himself to get jealous.
But seeing his roommate's affections go towards someone else made him territorial, like a lion protecting his lioness from other males.
He felt angry, stupid, livid, confused, every emotion that could describe someone being jealous.
And having Ino continually yapping in his ear wasn't helping anything.
"Deidara, answer me!"
What the fuck, why was Sasori touching him?!
(He's only supposed to touch you)
Why was he gazing at him like that?!
(He's only supposed to look at you that way)
What gave that asshole the right to flirt with him?!
(Sasori is yours)
"Deidara?! Answer me!"
(Sasori is yours)
(And you are his)
(Admit it)
Admit what?
(The reason you're jealous)
Why was he jealous?
(You're in love with Sasori)
"Deidara, are you ignoring me?!"
Whoa, wait, what's that folded piece of paper he was handing Sasori?
That better not be a fucking number…
Why was he allowing himself to get to this point?
(You're in love with Sasori)
"Deidara! I swear to God, answer me!"
Why did Sasori take the paper? Did he…did he find him attractive?
Why was his heart suddenly constricting?
Why did his shoulders feel heavy with weight?
Why was the anger slowly changing to rage and hurt?
(You're in love with Sasori)
"May I have everyone's attention, again?!" a voice reverberated through the room. Even though he should be paying mind to what Mr. Sato was saying, he just continued to stare at the flirting men with anger in his eyes.
"I am pleased to have this party hosted in HelioTech's honor-"
"Deidara, answer me!" Ino was whispering, tugging at his sleeve.
Oi, fucker, why the fuck were you touching Sasori?
Stop.
He wasn't yours.
"When I was first asked to merge with Iwa Stratos, I will admit I was a bit skeptical. I had run a successful independent company for years-"
"Stop. Ignoring. Me."
(Ino, shut the fuck up)
Wait…what was he doing now?!
No...asshole, stop. Why…was he…?
Sasori…why was he letting him do that to him?
Why?
"But when I saw the advantages-"
"Deidara!"
Why?
"I just knew something was right about this merge-"
"Deidara!"
Why?
Why?
Why?
Why?
"And I think that once the decision is made-"
"Deidara!"
Why was this happening?
"Dei!"
(She needs to stop calling you that)
Why was this happening?
"Dei!"
Why was Sasori not paying attention to him now?
"Dei!"
Why was he-?
"DEI!"
"INO, WILL YOU PLEASE JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP, UN?!" he finally screamed at her, silencing Mr. Sato, who was busy finishing up his speech, and grabbing everyone's attention in the room. All eyes were turning to the blonde who was still glaring at his cousin.
However, he suddenly realized his mistake.
Slowly, his gaze met the shocked ones staring back, going through each one until he landed on Sasori, whose own shocked expression was enough to get Deidara angry all over again.
Glaring at the redhead, he mumbled an apology to Ino and stood up, hearing the quick and hushed murmurings of the crowd as he rushed to the door, whose gilded threshold called out to him for his escape.
Yet as he exited, he was all but too aware of his roommate's presence following him as they're footsteps hit the sidewalk and headed home.