Un beta'd version


"I'm trying not to be rude here, but when are you leaving exactly?" Naori ventured to interrupt Tobirama's sentimental gaze at 'nothing-in-particular', as he himself put it when she tried to strike conversation by asking (needless to say, that attempt was terminated by another uncomfortable silence).

"Um… I could leave now," the man replied.

"Uh ok… do you want to? I mean you don't have to, I just needed to know if you're… staying for dinner considering the fact that it's still rather unclear whether you are… let's say… enjoying yourself or not…" her face contorted quite uncomfortably as she forced out these words, genuinely hoping that they did not serve to aggravate the already prevalent awkwardness.

"I'd… well—"

"Hi Tobi and Nao!" Kagami had just woken up from his slumber.

"I think I'll leave," Tobirama only needed another glance at the kid to reaffirm his decision; Naori noticed that his hands fumbled across each other—he was fidgeting uneasily.

"Right… okay, so, you know the way out of here, right?"

"Actually, not particularly, since—you know—this is in fact my first time here and my brother was the one who showed me to your house."

"Oh okay."

"I'm familiar with the directions near Madara's old house though, considering how I had to pick my brother up from a drunken hangover over there."

"Oh… gosh, sounds troublesome," Naori commented.

"Yes, quite troublesome indeed."

"So, do you need me to take you there?"

"Eh… sure. Thanks."

"How about me? Tobi, you still have to play with me more!" Kagami's whining interrupted their contrived conversation.

Sighing, Naori looked at him.

"Kid, that's enough for today, 'Tobi' is tired. If 'Tobi' is tired and deprived of rest and sleep, he'll get sick, and if he's sick he won't be able to play with you anymore," she explained using kid logic.

"Awww…" Kagami looked downcast, yet conceded. "Bye bye Tobi, come back tomorrow!"

Afterwards, Tobirama had to endure a pestilent embrace and a melodramatic farewell (he suspected the kid had picked up a few tricks from his brother) before he would finally be out of the house.

"Hey, Tobirama, it's that way," he grinded to a halt at Naori's voice and realized that he was travelling at the exact opposite direction from her. Well, screw that. It was slightly embarrassing that such a prodigious shinobi like him messed up with laughably simplistic directions—but hey, it was a tiresome day and Tobirama Senju was exhausted.


A/N: Dear me, it's been a while again, I'm so so so sorry for my unpunctual updates, been drowning in homework :( You'll have to thank Tinasan25 AGAIN for prompting me to write.

On another note, thanks so much for your responses for last chapter, I'll try to extend this as much as possible. Anyways, I'm still debating whether I want Tobirama and Naori to be together so leave me your responses and let me know what you feel about this chapter.