Pineapples
"To Welcome."
.
"We need formations, hm," Deidara said.
"More? But senpai, we have so many already!"
Deidara shook his head. They had plenty, but they needed more. Why couldn't Tobi see that? He had to get stronger, and he needed more approaches to counter genjutsu. He wouldn't make the same mistake of underestimating Itachi Uchiha ever again. If the rumours were true, the ex-Konoha shinobi was a genius, so Deidara had to be even smarter if he ever planned on winning against the Uchiha. He felt very confident in his ability to recognize genjutsu, including more advanced techniques such as the ones used by the Sharingan. Now he had to learn how to counter the genjutsu, not only recognize it. The C4 was one of his most greatest works, but it consumed too much of his chakra. He needed something that had the same element of surprise, but used minimal energy.
More importantly, discovering something new about Tobi allowed for better strategy. It was one thing to assume Tobi was as swift as the wind, but another to know nothing could hit him. Could genjutsu somehow pass through Tobi? In other words, if the man ever faced a Sharingan, he would be unaffected. Would Tobi be able to phase through his C4? His final technique? It would be one less worry knowing Tobi couldn't get hurt, should he get caught within the blast radius.
Deidara remembered to reply, "Tobi, you can do things I didn't know about before, hm. That means we can do things we couldn't do before. So, if you're hiding anything else, spit it out now, hm."
Tobi responded as if he never heard him, "Senpai, where are we going? My feet hurt."
Way to dodge the question, Deidara scowled. He wasn't falling for it, never did. After years of knowing Tobi, he learned it was useless trying to get the idiot to stay focused. It was even more useless trying to pry the man's past out of him. He sighed anyways, "The lake, hm."
"Why?"
"Because it's a safe place to do our formations," Deidara droned out. This was exasperating. He was hoping Tobi could put two and two together. It wasn't even a minute ago Deidara said they were going to train.
They were walking in Fire Country, and the dense forestry didn't do much to hide the insane heat radiating from the sun's rays. Deidara was sure that if he closed his eyes, he'd be wholly convinced they were in Suna. So maybe they could train basically anywhere—the lake, on the other hand, was very tempting for very obvious reasons.
"I have an idea," Tobi said suddenly, "How about I lead and you be the one distracting the bad guy this time?"
He laughed, "Haha! As if! You'd be defeated before you even start, hm! Although, maybe—hey, Tobi, can I stick my arm through you?"
Ever since finding out about Tobi's unique skill, he'd been wondering if it could be put to good use. He was especially curious about how it worked.
"Eh-heh heh," Tobi chuckled nervously, hand at the back of his neck, "Are you sure about that, senpai? What if it tickles?"
"Then it tickles, hm," Deidara nodded. Odds were, he could do it. He explained his reasoning, "If it's some kind of messed up rare bloodline limit you have and you don't want people to know, just fake some hand signs or something, hm. You figure yourself out, because I have an idea."
"Your plan sounds dangerous!" Tobi whimpered. He was patting and poking at his belly, as if he was imagining Deidara's arm coming out of it. It was funny to watch Tobi's nervousness, but it weird to visualize the scenario also. Then all of a sudden Tobi was laughing, "Is your eye still there under your eye scope?"
Deidara was a bit miffed at the utter randomness that was Tobi, but shrugged it off, "Yeah, hm. My eye feels like it's burning to a crisp when I take it off though. It's hard on the eye when I go from long-range to close-range without the support, hm. But the scope is worth it. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to make room for improvement."
"So... during our last mission, were you in pain?"
"I guess," Deidara shrugged, "You didn't hear me complaining about it though, hm."
Tobi went silent.
Now Deidara could enjoy the approaching sound of moving water. He breathed in the thick humid air as the lake came into view. Water was one of his best friends. It kept his clay wet and perfect for molding.
Tobi began shouting about how pretty the lake was, and for once, Deidara let himself agree. There was something refreshing about this place. It was even better not sensing any shinobi within their perimeters. Smart shinobi didn't enter wide clearings. However, even smarter shinobi entered, because they knew no one would be there. There would be no hiding places for enemies to utilize.
They began training again, thinking up of scenarios and ways to get out of bad situations.
Deidara wouldn't ever forget the first time he stuck his arm through Tobi, mouth filled with sticky clay, ready to be used as a surprise close-range attack. For the briefest moment, it felt like his arm was being sucked into and forced out of quick-sand, but then it didn't feel like anything. It was as if his arm was in air; nothing felt different between the part of the arm inside Tobi and the part sticking out of his chest. It was a good thing this formation had Deidara behind Tobi, resulting in a greater capacity for surprise against enemies. If he had been facing the man, Deidara would have never been able to live it down. He'd never been all too good at hiding his emotions.
The first time he stuck his arm through him, Deidara really didn't want to step away. When was the last time he was impressed by another person's technique? Not since his introduction to the Sharingan. The urge to play and mess around with Tobi's unique ability surprised him at first, too. He loved letting loose, but wanting to play of all things? How old was he, nine? The urge to experiment was overwhelming. Deidara gave in. Unable to shake away the feeling of Tobi's watchful eye, he tried swishing his arm around, creating meaningless patterns across the wide planes of Tobi's back. Deidara didn't know if he wanted to vomit or cry out in awe. This was so bizarre. Tobi would have felt like a ghost, someone who was a figment of his imagination, or a genjutsu even, if it wasn't for the solid body everywhere else.
Tobi twitched.
"Tobi," Deidara gasped. His other hand was gripping tightly on the man's upper arm.
Tobi stepped forward and Deidara's arm slid out of him. Tobi patted the tan hand latched to his shoulder, "Let's not do that unless we have to, senpai."
"Y-yeah, hm," he agreed, wondering what Tobi had felt. Did it hurt? Did he feel nothing? Or did it tickle like he said it would?
It took a few hours, but they finally formed new formations and had more strategies to use in battle. This was something he never really had the opportunity to do when he was partnered with Sasori. The old puppet master never truly appreciated Deidara's talents, nor did he ever willingly train with him. At least Tobi saw the beauty of his art. There was nothing like that familiar crackling roar trailing behind just slightly after a blinding light. Nothing was more satisfying than the pitter patter of debris falling to the ground, dust quickly filling up lungs and choking lungs, all for it to end with a deathly silence that was louder than the explosion itself. Tobi saw that. Maybe he didn't dive into the abyss, but at least he could see its depth.
Deidara brought himself back to the present. They lingered here for too long. It was time to keep moving.
"Come on, Tobi, it's time to go!" he shouted.
Tobi was lying down in the grass, away from the wet mud and mosquitoes that clung to the water's edge. Deidara walked past him, but stopped when a hand latched on to his ankle.
He stared down into the swirly, orange mask, "What? Hm."
The man sounded shocked, "I just realized something."
Was the sky blue? Maybe this time, Tobi noticed the sun rose every morning. Deidara's eye twitched, "What?"
"I want to show you my face."
A pause. Then, "What?!"
Tobi laughed, "But I won't!"
The man let go of Deidara's leg, scrambled up to his feet, and skipped back the way they came.
Deidara stared stupidly after him, squashing the disappointment he was feeling. He trailed after his partner.
He didn't see the point in hoping for anything. It was exciting knowing Tobi was at least considering it. Though something in him told him that if Tobi were to ever reveal his face, something disastrous had to be happening; the world had to be ending. Deidara couldn't exactly say he didn't like that thought. If the world were to end... that would be wonderful, in a way.
"Ehh, what's with that look on your face, senpai?" Tobi was in front of him, "You looked really happy for a second there."
Deidara shoved him away. That guy had no sense of personal space! And call it petty, but if Tobi wasn't answering his questions, then why should he? No scratch that! He wasn't obligated to say anything, even if Tobi was being obedient!
If the world were to end, and it would, someday, it would be the greatest beauty of them all. Everything would cease to exist and nothing would be left. In that last second, the very instant before everything came to an end, it would be the most sublime moment in time. But who was to say it wouldn't be a slow trickle? Like an old man aging by the day, slowly coming closer to his limit. Deidara couldn't imagine that though. The only way to finish a world as large, grand, and constant as the universe would be by some unfathomable force. The end? It had to be big.
Deidara thought about Tobi and wondered if the same logic could be applied there. What force could possibly get Tobi to take off that loathsome mask?
And it wasn't just the mask, not the physical one anyways. Deidara wanted to see under Tobi's other swirly mask, the one that left the man intangible and Deidara slightly dizzy. It was like Tobi had a switch and something triggered it. It was subtle, something only Deidara seemed to notice. The man wasn't who everyone thought he was. Deidara couldn't put his finger on it. Something was... off about Tobi. Who was under there?
Tobi sat cross-legged on the cavern's hard ground, back facing the entrance and his partner. There was nothing but darkness ahead of him, where the cave led deeper. The air was thick and hot, cold and too thin all at once. It was raining outside, the sky's heavy tears producing their own thunder as each pellet hit the ground. The ambiance was unsettling. It lead his thoughts astray.
Obito. Madara. Tobi. Tobi. He was each man, but not quite any of them either. Who was he? Nothing. No one. Yet... He turned around and eyed Deidara's prone body, limp from exhaustion, but still alert for threats. The man's gaze was directed towards the entrance, expression grim. His hair was wet, clinging to his skin and the rock wall he was leaning against. Yet, somewhere, deep in the entanglement of his self, there was a core, slippery and hard to grasp. It was his centre. What was it? Peace? Love? Or should the more pronounced pessimistic side of himself admit it for what it was? Hatred.
"Hey, hm," Deidara's voice was soft, barely heard under the thrumming rain.
Nonetheless, the noise cause Tobi to flinch. He replied just as quietly, "Senpai?"
"You're thinking too loudly," he said, head lifting and blue eye landing on him, "Shut up."
Tobi spun around on his butt. He watched the steady rise and fall of the man's chest. There was so much life in Deidara. Tobi ignored the demand, instead speaking, "I was wondering..."
Unable to help himself, Tobi paused dramatically, waiting, waiting. Minutes flew by and Tobi was caught watching the sparks dance in Deidara's eye. It was no ruthless fire, yet it pleased him all the same. Deidara was quick to annoy.
Tobi wasn't sure if he was ready for this; in fact, he may never be. No matter how many scenarios he had run through, planning was futile. This could go either of hundreds of ways. It was impossible to know the full consequence of what he was about to do. The future depended on both his response and Deidara's. If Tobi didn't do something – anything – soon, he would go mad. And if that didn't destroy his plans, his procrastination inevitably would. He breathed in deeply. Where to start? What to say? There was very little he could reveal, and copious amounts he wanted to.
There was an endless wall between them. Its height was so great, the stones touched the clouds, and its roots so deep, it put the rest to shame. The only way they could pass through to each other would be if Tobi directed Deidara to the grand wall's weak spot. The bomber excelled with destruction, so the rest would be a matter of time.
Here it goes.
Lowering his hands onto his knees, Tobi raised his voice, "I'm afraid I've mislead you, Deidara."
It was hard to miss the change, from the octave to the awareness in his tone, especially by someone as sharp as the bomber. Tobi did not let a single reaction escape his sight. The blink, the slackened jaw, the jolt of fingers, the breath frozen in time. There was no denying his fix for Deidara's reactions, particularly when Tobi was the very source of the terrorist's shock. There was very little which could rattle the man, and it was indubitably utterly addicting having this sort of faculty over him. While the physical desire was there, it was comforting to know he could be someone of significance to Deidara.
The moment of silence did nothing to deter his sudden feeling of weightlessness. Something heavy, dark, and painful shed itself off him. He did not understand how doing this – unveiling himself in bits, losing control in pieces, foiling the plan every so excruciatingly slowly – could give him such serenity. It should not feel this way; he was very well aware of the odds. The ache, a persistent sort of pang deep in himself, would never disappear too.
The lower, darker pitch of his true voice sounded foreign to him, but undeterred, Tobi continued, "I would like to give you the chance to see who I really am."
Deidara was shaking, the movements slight, and eye wide. The rest of his body seemed unable to move, "Who you really are—what the fuck is going on?"
"The foundation was a lie," Tobi explained, "Let go of it. Grab a hold of something real."
Brows sharp, Deidara was silent, save for his heavy breathing.
"If you cannot, I will hold on to you," Tobi admitted, mind numb, "Until you see your hands are desperately clutching thin air. If you ever choose to accept my reach, before it's too late, I won't let go of you."
It was no confession, he did not reveal his bloodline, nor his past, nor his future, but he could offer his present.
"What happened? Before, and now! Why have you been acting like – like — !" he paused.
"The Tobi you have come to know is nothing but a false personality covering someone else."
"You... you're..." Deidara trailed off, thinking.
Tobi saw the moment Deidara pieced things together.
There was a pause, before Deidara nodded to himself, looking angry, "I see, hm. Explain then. Who are you?"
Tobi ran his hand across his mask, "A question with no answer."
Deidara took in a breath, let it out, and repeated the motion, "Alright, hm. Whatever floats your fucking boat. Who else knows your act?"
"Pein, Konan, and Zetsu, among some," Tobi said, "However, only one knows the entire truth."
"Entire? What else are you hiding? Hm," Deidara asked.
"More than you could imagine, I'm afraid."
He'd chosen not to reveal the Sharingan or his emotional state until they could put aside their differences. It was a safe move.
"And? Why me? Hm."
Tobi shrugged, temporarily reverting and giggling, "Because, you're my senpai!"
He stood up, towering over the little bird on the ground. He knew, from a strategic stand point, Deidara wouldn't tell a soul about this. Whilst severely impulsive, the artist was a tactician in combat, and surely in his mind's eye this was another battle. If Deidara wanted more out of him, he would keep it to himself. The past events have been proof enough. Tobi's occasional – now more frequent, if he was being honest with himself – slip-ups were definitely caught by Deidara, but never mentioned to anyone else. Not once. How strange, one would think. Except, Tobi could see the wheels turning in that head of his. The man who defined spontaneity was planning, of all things.
Strategy aside, Tobi also believed Deidara couldn't tell anyone, because he wouldn't want to. Anyone else might have assumed Deidara would tell the world his secret, be it for the attention or out of spite. However, beyond his art, he was a relatively private person. He'd deny it, of course. Like a bomb, everything was densely packed in a container. Only when sparked did Deidara really let go.
Tone light, he told Deidara as much, "You won't tell anyone about this."
"Yeah?" Deidara's brows shot up, the edge of a smirk gracing his lips, "What makes you think I won't? Hm."
"Easy! Because I trust you. Besides, even if you did, no one would believe you!" Tobi peered down at Deidara, arms crossed.
"Y-yeah, hm," Deidara's eye crinkled in a strange expression, "But trust isn't a word that should be used between rogue shinobi, Tobi. Least of all between me and you, hm."
Yes, the man had a point. Tobi grew serious, "There is more than one form of trust."
"Hm... you might be right, hm," Deidara leaned his head back, closing his eyes, "So then how do you trust me, Tobi? You know I'd kill you, if you got in my way."
Tobi knelt down beside Deidara, dropping to sit next to him. The heat radiating from the man's body was welcoming, even with the inches of space between them. He thought about Deidara's words. It wasn't as if the idea never crossed his mind; it did, on countless occasions. Deidara would be happy if he died, or at least a part of him would. The terrorist's fire for destruction was a piece of his being, comparable to the human's innate thirst for water and desire for sex. Knowing Deidara was permanently fixed to the notions associated with his art, and asking for it to be ripped away from him, hurt Tobi.
He could accept that a part of Deidara would find pleasure in Tobi's explosive demise, but he could not accept that the artist was entirely immune to him. Somewhere, somewhere deep inside, Deidara cared for him. They shared something, however slight it was. Deidara may not have recognized it yet, or perhaps he was refusing to acknowledge it, but it was there. Tobi had been observing humans for as long as he could remember. Something was very apparent, and it separated shinobi from civilians like a blade cut flesh. One didn't have a partner at their side, whilst facing countless life or death situations, and not build trust. Even Akatsuki members—Orochimaru excluded. That snake was an exception to all rules.
"Upon my death, I trust you will find it in you to feel grief," Tobi said, stretching his fingers, "To remember my presence. I trust your decisions. Most of all, I trust your sincerity."
"You talk about trust," Deidara finally replied after a long moment's break, "Tough luck then. I trust you less and less by the day, hm."
Tobi eyed the entrance of the cave, noticing the rain was now a downpour, each droplet hungry for a solid surface. Tobi breathed in deeply, "I know. You may never trust me."
I promised to protect you.
That wasn't something Deidara wanted though, was it? He was determined to end, one way or another. He couldn't promise Deidara to trust him with his life, and that was the brutal truth. The very essence of his being called out for peace. War was sick; evil was a constant. Tobi wanted the hate to end.
"Say I do eventually learn to trust you," Deidara started, "What's in it for you? Hm."
Tobi languidly traced the swirls on his mask. He said, "That is for you to decide."
He didn't say another word, allowing Deidara to digest the past several minutes. The man was likely thinking of the months, years even, that they've known each other, connecting clues and hints he missed. Though tempted as he was, sitting so close to the artist, Tobi did not touch him. Now was not the time to forget himself. The dam was breaking and he needed to find some semblance of control.
"Tobi?" Deidara looked annoyed, "How strong are you? Hm."
"A touchy subject," Tobi stood, cloak whipping behind him, "We'll avoid it for the time being."
"Tsk," Deidara glared at the wall, "When you aren't butthurt about your feelings, we'll spar, for real this time, hm."
How in the world did he fall for this man? A man passionate for war, with a heart filled with destruction? Deidara was fervent for fighting, gaining strength, and killing. Perhaps Tobi was fascinated with such behaviour because unlike the rest of the world, there was little hatred in the terrorist's motivation. It stemmed from love, a love for his art. That did not make the act any less severe, but sacrifices had to be made. It was not reasonable to take, take, and take. At times, it was necessary to give. It was a flaw in Deidara which he could not ignore, but accept. There was no sick pleasure in the kill itself, nor any love for causing misery to his victims. Deidara simply saw beauty in his art and lived for it, Tobi reasoned. Like the tangy sweetness of the inside of an exotic pineapple fruit, Deidara's centre was protected by the wildness of his skin. Tobi would still welcome Deidara into his life, no matter how sharp the leaves were.
"I'm glad," Tobi told him.
"Don't mistake my patience for tolerance, hm," Deidara looked up at him from beneath his lashes, the gaze confrontational, "If my hunch is correct, your digging me deeper into the Akatsuki. I don't want that, hm. I don't know what the hell is going on, why you're so concerned with me, or what your goal is, but cross any lines, and I will kill you."
Tobi nodded, "Fair enough."
An hour passed by, and neither of them uttered another word. It was only when Deidara noticed the rain had stopped did they get up to go. Tobi watched Deidara run his hand through his drying, tangled locks. The man was a dark silhouette against the light from outside, movements rough and graceful all at once. Tobi hadn't realized he was staring, so enraptured by the sight. It was the sharp inhale he heard that brought him back to his senses. Deidara was flushed red.
The bomber sharply turned on his heels, ready to step outside.
"Wait."
After another step, Deidara went motionless.
"The instant you leave this cave," he walked to stand behind Deidara, leaning down to murmur in his ear, "I am Tobi."
Deidara's heart hadn't stopped pounding erratically since. Mind numb and eyes unseeing, he moved one foot in front of the other. Grass tickled his toes, the breeze further cooled his wet skin, and birds chirped from their perches. He barely noticed, having gone deaf to his surroundings.
Everything that just happened... It couldn't be true. He'd known – thought he'd known – Tobi since his first Akatsuki meeting. That was years ago. The man was supposed to be a goofball, an idiot incapable of taking anything seriously. Was this another one of Tobi's jokes? Prank or not, if Pein was involved, Tobi was likely another tool being used by the organization. And if it was being kept a secret, the situation had to be dangerous. Was Tobi involved with the jinchuuriki somehow? Another sacrifice? Deidara couldn't wrap his head around it. The nausea wasn't helping either.
Deidara was a fool. It had been years of seeing the idiot as an idiot. To find out the man was just like other rogue – solemn, obscure, and scheming – Deidara felt stripped bare. It was if all of the layers covering him were lies. He wanted to vomit. At least Deidara wasn't the only one falling for Tobi's tricks; it made this whole mess more impersonal. Deidara could deal with that. He could play it cool. He could accept this, whatever it was. It was just a matter of why. What was Tobi after?
He cast a sly glance at Tobi, who was skipping around and swatting away mosquitoes. Could Deidara have just been hallucinating? A genjutsu, maybe?
But everything added up. This explained why Tobi was so readily accepted into the Akatsuki, despite the common knowledge that there were plenty more skilled candidates out there. And then there were the hundreds of instances when Tobi would fall silent instead of making a stupid remark, as if he was observing and thinking deeply. Even before the man replaced Sasori, when Tobi went quiet, something about the air would make his skin crawl. It wasn't quite the sinister feeling he got while in Hidan's presence, nor the disturbing one with that snake he briefly met; the feeling was just ominous.
If Zetsu was the one who knew the entire truth – something Tobi hadn't confirmed, but Deidara's guts were kicking – about Tobi's intentions, then he was left wondering how much information Pein had. Was it going to lead to a betrayal against the Akatsuki, against Pein? Though, Pein was aware of some things. Was Zetsu planning on taking over the Akatsuki? Was Tobi a double spy? No. That couldn't be it. If anyone was going to gather information, it would be Zetsu. Maybe, Tobi was the one planning on betraying the Akatsuki.
Tch. Deidara wasn't sure if anything even centered around a betrayal.
Tobi and Zetsu had some sort of bond, possibly even a friendship. It wasn't too long ago when Tobi said he was Deidara's friend too. Back then, the statement sounded like all the other flowers and rainbows Tobi spit out on a regular basis. If he was being genuine, and Zetsu was his 'friend', did that not suggest Deidara was bound to end up tangled in all of this? He wasn't sure how he felt about friendship, but he did feel companionship towards Tobi – the old Tobi. The man beside him right then was a stranger.
"Ehh, senpai? Why did you stop walking?" Tobi's voice cut him from his thoughts.
Deidara's head snapped up. He was irked to find that yeah, Tobi was right. He'd gotten distracted. Tobi was paces ahead of him.
He grimaced, "Stop prancing around like an idiot, hm. You're making my eyes bleed!"
Deidara remembered the threat from earlier and shrugged it off. It didn't take much acting to be himself around Tobi, especially when he was being his usual, idiot self.
"But Dei-dei – !"
"Don't call me that!" Deidara cut in,
"– Your blood must be transparent! I can see right through it!" Tobi brought a finger to his mask, where his lip would be. His tone went quiet, voice like bells, "Or... are they tears? Heh hee."
"I'm not crying!" Deidara snapped, "Keep walking, I want to find some shelter, hm."
Bastard! Implying he was an over-emotional softie... that conniving son of a—! Only a deaf man wouldn't hear mockery under the question. Tobi thought he couldn't handle his little secret? Fuck that! Deidara had seen it all, every last shred of insanity out there! This was nothing! Tobi was overestimating himself and underestimating him.
By the time they caught sight of a village, it was already approaching sunset. The place was a dump, if he was being honest. Everything was filthy and the people were poor. The civilians had their eyes glued to the two foreigners dressed in strange clothing. At the same time, they seemed to recognize Deidara's headgear and the meaning behind the scratch etched deep into metal. Like many other impoverish villages, the people cowered and hid behind closed doors, peaking out the windows. They had no shinobi to call for help, and no courage to face a possible raid.
Lucky for them, Deidara and Tobi just wanted a place to sleep. Unfortunately for the two Akatsuki members, the inn was as equally as shady as the rest of the village. Deidara sighed for the hundredth time that night, pulling out the futon and laying it against the wall. Tobi was struggling to do the same to his own futon, against the opposite end. The corners of the room were moldy and a thin layer of dust covered the minimal items in the room. There was no heating, which didn't help at all, seeing as they were still wet from the rain. Not to mention how they were recognized as Akatsuki by the inn keeper. The old granny said she'd let them stay for free, in exchange for sparing their lives.
Deidara turned to Tobi, "Stay on your side, hm."
"Yes, boss!" he replied.
Deidara watched him pull off his cloak. Somehow it was worse now, knowing Tobi flat out knew he was being annoying. The black fabric was still soaking wet, creating a puddle of water right beside the thin blankets. Tobi would be freezing all night if he kept that up.
"Careful! You're going to get everything wet," Deidara warned, "I'm not sharing my futon with you. Go step outside and change first, hm."
As if Tobi would undress in front of him. Ever since Tobi confirmed his face was scarred, Deidara would briefly wonder if the rest of man's body was as well. Tobi didn't try to hide just his face, but everything. The only skin Deidara ever saw were his toes, after all.
Deidara groaned softly, getting into bed. It was nice being able to rest his feet. He'd taken off everything so they could air dry, but kept his clay and weapons within reach.
"Stop staring at me, hm. I won't peak. And dry up the mess you created, hm," Deidara said. Before he lay down, he undid the string holding his hair in place.
Tobi looked down at the puddle, "Uwaah! My bad! Be right back!"
He ran out of the room, noisy as ever. The door slid shut with a quiet snap. And the silence that stretched after suffocated him.
Nothing was the same now.
Let me tell you, finding out someone was not who you thought they were? It's awful. Clearly neither of the two are at a state where their feelings for the other is healthy. Also, thanks to everyone who puts up with these awful timings of updates! You're very appreciated for sticking by on this unnecessarily long journey.