A masked raven haired man watch the girl of his dreams work at the table where she developed her medications. The white haired teen had either not noticed him, or she didn't mind him watching, she was very different from Deidara. She was much nicer to him and didn't mind his interruptions.
"Tobi what the hell are you doing?" someone growled at him. Tobi flinched and looked at another raven haired man. The piercing red sharingan eyes glared at him. "What are you doing?" he growled again.
"U-Umm wondering if Eri-chan wanted to hang out with Tobi?" Tobi said. Itachi glared at him some more.
"Go… somewhere… else…"
"Can I help you guys?" Asked the girl whose room both men were outside of. Both of them looked at her, immediately Tobi ducked behind her.
"Itachi-san is being mean to Tobi!" he cried. Eri sighed and looked at Itachi.
"Tachi what have I told you about being nice to Tobi? Can't you guys get along?" She asked patting the masked man's head. Tobi whimpered pathetically just to play it up a bit.
"He was watching you in your room!" Itachi snapped.
"Tobi likes watching Eri-chan work," Tobi pouted behind his mask.
"Oh yeah, and what if she was getting undressed? I bet the 'Good boy" would LOVE watching that!" Itachi snapped again glaring death at the other man.
"Ok guys break it up," Eri sighed.
"Hn," Itachi huffed, and then left Eri with the childish man.
Eri looked at Tobi, "It's ok to come out now," she said smiling a little as she walked back into her room. Tobi nodded and quickly followed.
"So what are you working on Eri-chan?" Tobi asked.
"Oh the cure for the common cold," Eri answered sarcastically. Tobi chuckled.
"No, really? Eri-chan you're so smart you should have figured it out MONTHS ago," he grinned. (though she couldn't see it)
The comment made Eri giggle. "I don't think so. Master Sasori had a new poison developed and I need to have an antidote put together before he kills someone."
"Like Deidara–senpai when he gets him mad?" Tobi asked.
Eri nodded smiling.
"Then that's a good thing to do," Tobi said.
"Don't worry I'm almost done," Eri replied sitting back at the desk. Tobi nodded and knelt beside her like a dog at its master's side. "Tobi you can sit on the bed," Eri suggested thinking the hardwood floor would put stress on the man's knees. Tobi shook his head.
"Tobi's a puppy and Eri-chan is the master," Tobi chuckled then started acting like dog going on all fours. He rolled onto his back and waved his arms and legs in the air in his usual random fashion. Eri watched him and laughed turning in her seat. This was one of the reasons she adored the masked man. He always made her laugh. "What should Tobi do?" Tobi asked sounding like he was imitating a dog's panting.
Eri giggled, "Roll over." Tobi rolled over to all fours. "Hmmm, come," Eri said. Tobi crawled over and put his hands on the girl's knees. "Ok, now beg," Eri smiled.
"Pleeease Eri-chan? Tobi is a good boy," he begged. Eri laughed.
"Yes Tobi is a very good boy," Eri giggled patting his head. Tobi wiggled his butt acting as if he had a tail. Eri giggled more "Tobi give me a couple of minutes then we can goof off ok?"
"Ok Eri-chan," Tobi said standing up. Eri smiled and turned back to her work, not minding Tobi watching over her shoulder.
As promised, Eri finished a few minutes later.
"Eri-chan all done now?" Tobi asked. Eri smiled and nodded. Tobi smiled and took her by the hand almost dragging the girl out of the room and the base thinking he could take her for a nice walk.
"Tobi can I have my arm back before you rip it out of the socket? Or just slow down a bit?" Eri asked. Tobi stopped and looked at her.
"I'm sorry Eri-chan…" Tobi said sadly, upset that he might have hurt her. Eri only smiled a little.
"I know you didn't mean it Tobi, just be a bit careful."
Tobi nodded, "Tobi's still sorry…"
"Its fine, come on lets walk before Pein gives one of us a dumb mission."
"Hey Eri-chan?" Tobi asked as they walked side by side away from the base.
"Yeah Tobi?" Eri asked smiling a bit.
"When do you think we can be real members?" Tobi asked. Tobi was only a mere subordinate of Zetsu's, while Eri was Deidara's and Sasori's subordinate. Back when Eri was first brought to the Akatsuki's attention both artists argued over who she would serve, she resolved the problem saying there wasn't a reason she could simply work under them both. Pein agreed to the arrangement but it was only recently that Eri had started living at the base, seeing that Pein found her to be a useful spy in Konoha until she had completed her medical training under Lady Tsunade.
"Hmm… well when one or two of the current members, you know… get killed…" she said. "At least I think that's how Pein explained it to us. Don't you remember?"
"Umm ha ha I forgot," Tobi admitted. "That's why you should be a member first Eri-chan, you're really good at this stuff."
Eri shook her head, "It'd probably be you Tobi. You've been here longer. Technically I could call you my senpai," she smiled.
"Hmmm Tobi-senpai… It has a really nice ring to it! But Tobi likes it better when you just call him Tobi," he chuckled.
"Alright," Eri said. They walked and continued talking until Tobi's stomach told them it was lunch time, they were able to stop by a dango stand and grab a bite to eat. After which Eri decided they should head back and Tobi agreed. When they re-entered the base they were greeted by a very angry Deidara.
"Tobi…" He started with the all too familiar death glare.
"Yikes!" Tobi panicked once again hiding behind the girl.
"Oh no, you aren't hiding behind her this time! What have I told you about staying away from my subordinate?!" He scolded pulling Tobi away from Eri.
"Master Deidara please, Tobi's harmless," Eri spoke in defense of the masked man with a slight sweatdrop.
"I don't know what this… this moron will do if I leave him alone with you!" Deidara growled keeping a grip on the struggling Tobi.
"Sempai Tobi's a good boy!" Tobi cried.
"So you say, hm."
Eri sighed, "Master Sasori doesn't get worked up over these things, you're being over protective again."
"That's because Danna doesn't understand what this idiot could do!" Deidara snapped.
"Tobi doesn't even know what Senpai means!" Tobi whined continuing his struggle.
"Master Deidara please just let him go, if it was some pervert like Hidan I would understand but Tobi… he's a good boy," Eri said.
Deidara sighed and let Tobi go. Tobi scrambled back to his safety zone behind Eri. "Do anything you would regret and I'll blow you into the next century Tobi," he threatened then left the two alone.
Eri sighed, "Sorry Tobi I wish he didn't get like that…"
"It's because Senpai doesn't like Tobi at all…" Tobi pouted behind his mask.
"Well there you two are," Kisame said walking over to them, "You know it's really easy to find you guys when Deidara's PMSing," he chuckled.
"What do you need Kisame-san?" Eri asked the blue-skinned man.
"Not me, Leader-sama," Kisame replied.
"Both of us Kisame-san?" Tobi asked. Kisame nodded. Tobi and Eri nodded then walked to Pein's office.
Eri knocked on the door. "Enter," came the commanding voice on the other side of the door. Tobi opened the door for her, Eri smiled at him in thanks then walked in with him following. "Ms. Sincera, Tobi…" Pein said looking up at them.
"What is it you want?" Eri asked frowning. Pein and Eri didn't exactly get along.
"I have a mission for the two of you."
"A mission for us leader-sama?" Tobi asked.
"Yes, I need the two of you to go and collect a man with a very high bounty. Our information states that he has been working in a village that is very popular among young honeymooners…" Pein explained.
"Young…" Eri started
"H-Honeymooners…?" Tobi finished blushing slightly.
"I see you two just figured out what your disguises are," Pein said smirking slightly at their reactions. "Now Tobi we already have a set of clothes for you to walk in with, everything else you would need you can go and pack yourself. Now you on the other hand," he said turning to Eri. "We have some work to do…"
"What do you mean?" Eri asked.
"This man is a sensory type, so he will sense your chakra unless we seal it, Tobi will be fine. It won't be suspicious if one ninja walks in with a seemingly normal woman looking to be on a 'romantic honeymoon', but if two ninjas walk in and don't seem to be there for the sights and others, that's when he'll get suspicious. Long story short, you're going to just stand there and look pretty," Pein smirked, knowing it would tick off the konochi.
Eri growled a bit "Excuse me? There is no way I'm acting like a fucking defenseless woman!" she slammed her hands on his desk glaring at him. Tobi flinched slightly watching the usually calm and understanding female.
"Maybe we should fix that temper of yours too, you're lucky you didn't smash my desk."
"I was restraining myself, why can't you get someone else to do this?" Eri growled.
"Really aren't all Konochis taught that they would have to bend in with other women?" Pein pointed out, "Besides I have much more important missions for the others, I put Tobi with you because his… demeanor would throw your target into a false sense of security."
Eri frowned, it was true, but she positively despised the idea of acting like a regular defenseless woman. Having other people need to protect her… die in front of her… Eri went quiet as old dark memories were stirred up. Tobi watched the girl concerned at her sudden change in behavior. "Konan, give Tobi his clothes so he can leave, then you can get to work on her," Pein ordered the blue haired woman. Konan nodded and handed Tobi a pile of clothes then scooted him out. With a gentle smile she led Eri to her room to prepare her for her mission.
Konan wasted no time in getting Eri out of her usual clothes. She fitted a silver looking clasp onto Eri's upper arm and preformed a jutsu on it. Eri didn't need to ask what it was for as she felt her chakra being sealed away. She almost collapsed as it felt the wind had been knocked out of her, but she held strong and reluctantly let Konan start putting the very girly kimono on her and fix her hair and put on some make-up to display the guise of a normal woman who was just happily joined to the love of her life.
As soon as Konan finished there was a knock at the door. She opened the door and Pein walked in. He almost froze when he saw the tomboy actually cleaned up quite well. Almost, but not completely. He walked over to her and stared her straight in the eyes.
"What the hell do you want now?" Eri asked. Obviously being dressed as a woman didn't improve her manner towards her leader.
"Just the last part of your little transformation," Pein stated quickly gripping her throat with one hand. Eri gasped and quickly gripped his wrist to pull his hand away but without her chakra her strength was nothing compared to his. With his other hand Pein made signs and black marks appeared on Eri's throat. Then he let go, letting Eri collapse onto the floor gasping for air, she went to curse him off, but her voice was gone. Pein smirked, "Sorry but, with your attitude I didn't want to take any chances, I'm leaving a hot tempered little girl and a complete moron go on a important mission that involves role playing, I'm just being sure at least one of you sticks to the script." Eri glared death at him as he left the room.
"I'll go get Tobi so you two can leave," Konan said. Eri got up with difficultly trying to get used to the kimono and nodded. A couple of minutes later Tobi was staring at Eri, his mouth was a gap and his nose had bled slightly. He was very lucky he was wearing his mask which blocked a very pissed off looking Eri from seeing his expression. Konan had already told him of their aliases, and given him a bag full of clothing for his 'bride' to wear; underneath them was a scroll that he could use to remove the seal on Eri's throat and then reseal it as necessary. Konan said that she thought Pein took it a bit far but to keep it between the three of them. Both Eri and Tobi nodded then they left for their mission.
The trip to their destination was uneventful, Tobi had to remove his mask for this mission but Eri had seen him without it before. Once they entered the hotel, the role playing began. Tobi had his arm around her, smiling and cooing at her, while Eri did her best to play the part of a happy wife, by blushing at Tobi's comments and smiling as well. To say it was only an act for Tobi… It would more than likely be a lie. He secretly wanted this to be real as he did all the talking, checking in as Mr. and Mrs. Yohisu, and openly expressing the affection he had wanted to express to Eri ever since he started to get to know her. As they walked to their room it weighted on Tobi's heart that they were only acting, they were not a happily married couple who could express their love even though his 'wife' couldn't talk. They were not going to spend their nights here making love or cuddling. They were here to work… to kill and gain profit for their superiors' leader. The Akatsuki…
As soon as they settled in Tobi read the scroll and released the seal on Eri.
"Oh thank you," Eri said sighing in relief.
"You're welcome Eri-chan," Tobi smiled.
"It's getting late, we should probably turn in… long day tomorrow…" Eri said smiling slightly. Tobi nodded. But it was when they went into the bedroom that a fact dawned on them. "…There's only one bed…" Eri said. Tobi blushed and nodded.
"Look Eri-chan you've had a rough day, you can have the bed to yourself, Tobi can stay on the couch…"
"You sure Tobi? I-I mean… I could um take the couch…" Eri offered. Tobi shook his head and smiled. Placing her bag on the floor, Tobi left the room and closed the door to give her privacy. "Tobi?" Eri called.
"Yes Eri-chan?" Tobi asked opening the door.
"Um could you um… help me with this?" Eri said pointing at the kimono. Tobi quickly nodded and walked over. His hand trembled slightly as he undid what Eri needed help with, and then left the room to allow her to undress in peace. He sighed, almost miserably. This was going to be a difficult week.
You're so weak a voice snickered in his head.
Shut up… Tobi replied tiredly, not in the mood for him.
It shouldn't be so hard to admit your feelings for her, be a man and make a move! Or… do you want me to do that for you?
No! Leave her alone!
It's pathetic watching you like this the voice retorted, mocking his behavior.
I don't want to scare her away…
If you continue to piss me off like this I WILL scare her away
Please, give Tobi more time… Please Madara… Don't do this to me… I-I love her…
Tobi's other personality went silent for a moment. Fine, but if you don't by the end of the week, I take control
Knowing Madara had always followed through with his threats even when he tried to stop him, Tobi could only nod.