how did this even happen...

[mooneye]

It wasn't a bad sort of place. Lots of things to do and people to see. Plenty of freedom to dart over the rooftops and down the alleys--or out of the village and into the woods and rocky wild places beyond. Obito liked Michi no Sato.

He had stopped for lunch and was eating at a table outside the restaurant, watching people walk past. The food was good. The cold breeze was nice. Ah, yes. Years and years trapped in a cave with a crazy old man and a bunch of plant monsters--it had left him really able to appreciate the little things.

[ooc: here is an AU Obito in his twenties. Got through the time with Madara, and Rin's death, but didn't go completely evil after all of it...]

Comments

Why, I believe so!

[mooneye]

"So if you told him, 'I met this harmless one-eyed guy in town earlier today'...?

[youngesthokage]

"He'd give me the look essentially demanding to know why it was even remotely important." He nodded once, crisply.

[bunsofsteel]

"Besides, I think harmless is a strong word to use around you, Uchiha-san."

Her voice comes from a nearby tree as she drops down, bag of groceries now securely in hand as she rests a hand on her hip. Record-time~ All those 'sprints of youth' with Gai-sensei must have paid off somehow.

[mooneye]

He looked cheerfully toward her. "I haven't caused any harm recently. And Itachi can tell you that as a child I was barely dangerous at all. For all anyone in this village knows, in fact, I am harmless. There's no evidence against it."

[youngesthokage]

Itachi petted Obito's arm and shook his head. "You're terrible at being terrible Obito-nii. Sasuke would light you on fire. Or, more likely, try to stab you. He's very fond of swords. And electricity." He paused a beat and flashed him a smirk. "He has some gorgeously destructive electric attacks. I'm very proud of him."

[bunsofsteel]

Tenten had to admit, all of those things sounded extremely appealing, and she just grins and approaches, intentionally running her fingers over Itachi's cheek and pressing a kiss there. "Well, we do have to prepare dinner, so if Sasuke decides to electrocute or burn you, we'll have enough meat, anyway~"

[mooneye]

"...Was that an invitation to dinner...? I'm afraid I might have to decline." What with his love of not being electrocuted or stabbed.

[youngesthokage]

"For the best Obito-nii." He swayed toward Tenten as she kissed him. "I don't want you dead again so soon mm? I'll present the topic of you to Sasuke though."

[bunsofsteel]

"That's a shame." Her tone doesn't convey any disappointment at all -- okay, well perhaps a little that she won't get to see Sasuke put this guy in his place, but oh well~ Her fingers stay on Itachi's cheek, just gently carding through his bangs before she lets her hand drop to his elbow with another smile.

[mooneye]

"Harmless, remember," he told Itachi. "Word it carefully. Tactfully." And here he took a few steps backward, in the direction of the town, obviously preparing to part ways with the two of them.

[youngesthokage]

He laughed softly and flashed Obito a smile, then canted his head as it turned into a smirk. "I'll give him nothing but the -truth- Obito-nii~."

[bunsofsteel]

She just hums and offers a small wave. "I'm sure it won't be terrible. Sasuke's never anything but reasonable, after all~"

Well. When it's something she wants, anyway.

[mooneye]

"Ah, truth? What good's the truth ever done?" But he shrugged. They would work it out between them, he was sure. And more softly. "I ought to go. I'm glad you stopped to speak to me, Itachi."

Turning his attention to Tenten. "Lovely to meet you, my dear. Look out for my cousins, hm?"

[youngesthokage]

He tightened his fingers on his sleeve for a moment, looking intently at him. "Don't... don't just vanish again, okay?" It was a very soft murmur before he forced himself to release the cloth caught in his fingers. "The truth can be powerful, when it needs to be."

[bunsofsteel]

"Of course I will." She keeps her hand on Itachi's elbow, giving Obito a respectful bow and watching Itachi's face. She almost, almost feels bad for disliking someone Itachi's so obviously close to, but-- well. "Take care, Uchiha-san."

[mooneye]

He watched Itachi closely for a moment before nodded. "I'll be around," he said. "If you need me, come find me, little cousin."

And a short bow back, to Tenten. "You too."

He gave them both a little wave and then turned and walked back the way they had come, heading into the town again.

[youngesthokage]

He looked after him for a moment before turning to Tenten, drawing a deep breath. "Why?"

[bunsofsteel]

She draws her hand back at his tone, casting her eyes to the ground. "Why, what?"

[youngesthokage]

He reached and took her hand, holding it in both of his. "Why do you want to keep him away?"

[bunsofsteel]

Her fingers curl around his, but she doesn't look up. "I don't like him." It's childish, she's aware of that, but... "I don't like how familiar he is around you. Sure, he's your cousin, but cousins aren't... like that."

[youngesthokage]

"When I was four, he died." His tone was even, low. "I stopped talking, I barely ate, and as I was already easily tired and sickly, I could very easily have died from that. If mother hadn't been pregnant, I might have, but I got attached, and when Sasuke was born he became the most important thing in my whole world." He looked down at her fingers, running his fingertips over the back of her hand.

"He still is, now. I did point out to Obito that as much as I love him, I love Sasuke more. But... when I was small, Obito was the only one other than mother who held me in any value in my family."

[bunsofsteel]

She's quiet for a long moment, her hand slipping itself from his to rest against the middle of his chest, eyes still on the ground. Her throat works for a moment before she answers, "I'm sorry, I didn't... I didn't know." Her fingers curl against his chest as she finally looks up, lips twitching. "But... he's not dead, and according to him, he didn't die. That would be what, thirteen years he didn't come back?" She shakes her head slowly, eyes going back to the ground. "There's something about him, I don't know..."

She huffs an uncomfortable, humorless laugh and tries to draw her hand away. "Or maybe I'm just jealous."

[youngesthokage]

He let her take her hand back the first time, but for the second one he caught it again. "He... I know what happened, more or less. I have guesses. I'm -going- to say he died in my world because it's better to think of it that way." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "Do you know what Obito mentioned to me? He said if he ran across one of the other versions of himself he was going to, as he phrased it, 'try to kill it'. If he's the only version of himself that's not -that- then I'm -not- going to lose contact Tenten. I'm not."

[bunsofsteel]

She wants to tell him that of course he would say something like that, if it was really so terrible, but she's hurt him enough already today. It would be enough to keep an eye on him and make sure that he was truly who he said he was, nothing more, nothing less.

Shaking her head slowly, she tugs at his hands and glances up to him again. "I know... I shouldn't try to force him away from you. It's... pretty childish, huh?"

[youngesthokage]

He tilted his head to meet her eyes. "Do you still not trust me?"