I'm outside the door, invite me in..

[mokutonno]

Who: Obito Uchiha and Tenzou (Yamato)

When: BGS 12 September

Where: Konoha
What: Tenzou and Obito meet for the first time. Dango is shared.

He had seen the ANBU more than once, coming and going, usually when Kakashi was transitioning in and out himself, and he decided he was curious. At first glance he'd thought the ANBU was a girl, but a closer examination had made it clear to him that wasn't so and he was... intrigued. It wasn't as though Kakashi had a lot of friends and that meant he wanted to vet this one, even if he wasn't in a position to really say anything. It turned into a game of casually stalking around where the ANBU was until he finally confused them enough to be investigated.

Dressed down in his ANBU blacks, Tenzou bid his team farewell and exited into the evening to wind his way into the village proper and eventually home. As expected, the presence he'd noticed several times before was there again, had tracked them from the gate to HQ and now shadowed him as he walked. Curious but unperturbed, Tenzou carried on his way, wondering if this time, whoever it was would reveal themselves.

He had to have been noticed, no way an ANBU good enough to get stuck with Kakashi wouldn't have, and he made his way closer, balancing on the roof overhead as he walked along the ledge, thoughtful as to how to go about approaching. He was hardly supposed to hassle the ANBU as ANBU after all but... He finally huffed a breath at himself for his shyness and hopped down to street level to more blatantly follow.

Tenzou couldn't help but smile, ears perked for the shift in sound and aware of the other person's proximity without turning. He'd ruled them out as hostile weeks before, but respectfully kept up the pretence of their anonymity for a little while longer, even as he stopped at the mouth of the alley way they'd been walking. Fingers laced behind his back, Tenzou tilted his head, listening and waiting with a greeting trapped on his tongue.

He paused at the obviousness of the gesture and could have slapped himself for his own idiocy. It did make him wonder how long he'd known he was being trailed though, and he came to a halt just off to his left, shifting slightly on his feet and taking a deep breath... then huffing. "So. Hi?"

Long hair shifted across his shoulders as Tenzou finally glanced sidelong at the shadow to his left, catching sight of the unsure body language and didn't drop his smile. "Hello." He paused, taking in the other boy's appearance curiously "Should I know you?"

"No idea why you would so... no?" It was a murmur, and he stepped forward so he was in line with him. "Unless you've been watching me without me noticing."

He shook his head, smile growing brighter "Ah, no. That would be your job though? Am I under surveillance?" Tenzou somehow doubted it, but there was still the chance of this being something official.

He immediately shook his head, flushing. "Ah, no, nothing like that. I just um." He visibly floundered. "I got curious?"

Tenzou finally turned to face him, bemusement clear across his features "..About me?"

He gave him a sheepish smile and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Yep."

He blinked at that, unable to fathom why he would be worthy of several weeks shadowing and Tenzou twisted his fingers behind his back self consciously "Really? I'm not all that extraordinary.." A pause and then a rallying of his manners "Ah, are you hungry?"

"You're more interesting than you seem to think." He was blinking over the dinner invitation through. "Yeah... yeah okay, I am, a bit."

Tenzou inclined his head and set off in the direction he'd been heading in before, trusting his shadow to follow "So what do I call you?"

"Obito." He fell in step just to the side of him, noting how much smaller the boy was. It made him wonder how much younger the other was, actually, but he decided not to ask.

The name flared with recognition in his mind, but it couldn't be, could it? "It's nice to finally meet you, Obito. I'm Tenzou.. though perhaps you know that already?"

He gave a small shake of his head, flushing as he glanced away. "I never let anyone know I was following you." He looked back, giving him a sheepish smile. "I kind of was trying to sort it out on my own."

Still confused by the interest in himself, a matching flush spread across Tenzou’s cheeks and he ducked his chin ".. Why?" A simple question, but it burned bright in his mind.

"I... you got me curious." He paused a beat, giving a sheepish laugh before looking back to him. "Your hair is pretty. I didn't expect it so I paid closer attention."

His steps faltered for heart beat, hand coming up to smooth distractedly at one of the tails of hair bracketing his face. His hair was- The thought cut off and he levelled a slight frown at Obito, blushing fiercely despite himself ".. you know I'm not a girl, right?"

"Yep. I figured that out after first glance." He flashed him a little grin. "You are shaped like a guy."

A tiny pleased smile crept back across his mouth at the confirmation "You'd be surprised how often people make the mistake.." It happened a little less now, he'd filled out across the shoulders, but in armour and cloak it was the first taunt used against him.

"If I hadn't figured it out by now I'd be kind of slow." He shook his head. "I get it though, you have the whole pretty thing going on, it's not just the hair. In uniform though, I guess it'd be harder to see huh?"

Tenzou flashed a helpless look, struggling with the easy compliments, but nodded his agreement "Mnh." He'd almost lost track of where they were, but a glance around revealed their destination and he point past Obito "Dango?"

"I'd love to!" He looked over and spun, walking backward toward it so he could watch the other teen. "Sooo, how old are you? What do you do for fun? Do you do anything for fun? I haven't... seen you do anything so."

Tenzou followed, trying not to flounder under the sudden rush of questions "I'm fifteen and um, I like to read.." 'Fun' for him was mostly training and breaking a mission early, but the library was a second home along with ".. I like to explore, I guess? The village and the forest and other towns when I pass on missions.."

He turned and looked over the dango menu thoughtfully. "You don't read the kinds of things Kakashi does do you?"

He shot Obito a scandalised look, shaking his head vigorously "N-no, I like history books and the big one's on architecture.." There had been that one time he'd picked up his Senpai's literature, naturally curious, but regretted it a chapter in when the reason for the rating had become apparent..

"I don't read them either, don't worry. But the author does good work with his other stuff. Read the Gutsy Ninja sometime if you do storybooks at all. Or can find a copy. I mean, I have a copy but I never see it in shops at all." He frowned, thinking about it as he turned to order.

Tenzou made a mental note, perhaps, Kakashi-senpai had a copy.. it was worth asking at least. Ah, that reminded him "Ah, how do you know Kakashi-senpai, if you don't mind me asking?" It felt strangely like encroaching on his captains privacy, but Obito had sought him out, it couldn't hurt to ask, right?

Tenzou wouldn't be alone in feeling weird talking about Kakashi outright when they weren't supposed to really even... have a clue each other existed. "Teammates." He collected their order when it was brought to the counter and offered Tenzou his portion.

Tenzou accepted his dango with a hum of thanks and took a moment to study Obito a little closer in the light of the counter..Of course. he wondered why he hadn't made the connection sooner, but shook off the frustration quickly. "Oh! I do know you, well..of you. Senpai spoke of you before." No names had been exchanged, but the scarring, the cloth across his left eye, it could only be the friend that had gifted Kakashi his Sharingan.

"...I'm not sure if I should be pleased or somewhat in dread...?" He nibbled on his, moving over to take a seat and gesturing him to join him.

He settled down across from Obito, chewing thoughtfully on his own sweet snack before responding "Nothing negative, I promise! He..well, he spoke very highly of a friend that saved his life.."

He blinked, then a small flush touched his face. "Yeah? I guess I can't fuss about that kind of talk then."

Tenzou smiled, noticing the flush and a little relieved that it wasn't just him this time "Mnh! He was a little less polite before that but.. I think we managed to knock some sense into each other." He was being cryptic, but the smile never dropped, the memory obviously a wry happy one.

He blinked, then flashed a wry smile. "So you beat him up too? Okay so, you just won points then."

He giggled at that, covering his mouth as he swallowed to speak "Not on purpose! It just..happens sometimes.." There was a small understatement there, but no one else really needed to know exactly how they had fallen into dealing with the stresses of ANBU.

"No, no I get it. He needs to be beat over the head to keep him from going stupid, I approve." He waved the hand not holding Dango. "Just make sure someone patches him up okay?"

His expression softened and he nodded "The medic-nin are probably sick of the sight of both of us.." Rarely was it serious injuries, especially on missions, but they had both seen enough time in the infirmary to last them years to come.

"I don't doubt it. Kakashi can be a brat." He flashed him a wry smile. "You seem like you take care of him though, so I guess you'll do."

Tenzou blinked, dango stick tucked into the corner of his mouth as he echoed those last words in confusion "..I'll do?"

"Mm! You'll take care of him when I can't, so, there we go."

His eyes flickered away, chin ducking down "..I don't think Senpai would appreciate that, I think he's allergic to people that care too much about him."

"No he's not and never let him get away with fooling you into thinking he is. The trick with the idiot is not giving up, hear me? If you give up, that means you never cared in the first place to him."

He prodded a little despondently at his last dango stick, still not looking up, but there was the ghost of a smile there "Ah..There's no fear of that. I owe Senpai an awful lot and well, I like to think that he's my friend or that he will be someday and I want to repay him so, I'm not going anywhere."

He studied the younger teen thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded firmly. "Good. The idiot doesn't have enough people willing to do that."

Tenzou hid his sudden smile behind his hand, huffing out a bright spark of laughter. No one dared to talk about Kakashi-san like around HQ and he almost felt a little bad for laughing about it now.

He noticed immediately, of course, and leaned over the table with a wicked grin, pointing at him with a Dango skewer. "Ha! You totally agree with me don't you?"

He hid behind both hands in response, not meeting Obito's gaze for fear of being read any more than he already had "I wouldn't like to judge Senpai so harshly behind his back.."

"Don't worry, I'll only tell him to his face on my own behalf. I won't tattle on you."

Dark eyes finally lifted to meet the older boys gaze and Tenzou uncovered his sheepish expression "..He's very good at keeping people in line and well.. even better at keeping them distant.."

"I guess you'd know better about the first cause he's always been shit at making me do anything, always the other way around, but... he was good at the other part. He doesn't really do that much any more compared to how he used to be."

His eyebrows went up in surprise, the thought of Kakashi struggling to lead anyone, practically unheard of. Sure some of the older ANBU fought to begin with, but few continued to after the first mission or so.. Perhaps it was the benefit of being Genin together? Other Shinobi had similar stories. "Is he that different around the village?"

"No, he's that different now. He's absolutely cuddly compared to how he was before I got my scars."

Tenzou stared mutely, dango halfway to his mouth and struggled to summon the correct words. This was Kakashi's friend, a close one he knew, but Obito's description hardly married at all with the ruthless Shinobi captain he admired and who was he to say otherwise?

"Ahhh." He studied him a moment. "Unless he's cuddly because he's putting it into what you see, judging by that face."

"Ah, 'cuddly' isn't a word I would ever use to describe, Senpai.. He is, very loyal and sometimes we do not always agree but, he is elusive and well..a bit of a slave driver, if you're not prepared for it.." Tenzou supposed he had seen glimpses of the person Obito described, but they were hard won moments and maybe there was something more to the compartmentalising Senpai had been trying to impress upon him after all.

"He can be cold and sharp, and that used to be all he was, once upon a time. I'm impressed you want to get close to that. Most people didn't bother when we were young."

"We work well together and Senpai never underestimated me. Sure he pushes me until I feel like I couldn't take another step but..If I could choose, there's no one I'd rather have at my back." The truth of that touched a blush to his cheeks and he dropped his gaze.

There was a beat of silence at that, and he leaned in, offering him his last Dango with a grin. "You admire him. He's pretty admirable though."

He accepted it with a grateful nod, having steadily demolished his own snack already. Tenzou was teased often for his regard of Kakashi and it was with some relief that Obito chose not to.

Why tease when he had one too? That was the question here, and he just gave the younger teen an amused look. "You're one of those teens that's never got enough to snack on aren't you?"

He hummed in agreement, the offered dango quickly going the way of the rest "Food pills do their job, but I wish they tasted better and Senpai doesn't like sweet things so.." dessert snacks were usually ones he sought out by himself.

"If you ever want to woo the guy into a good mood, Miso with eggplant okay. And look surprised when he likes it."

"Really?" Tenzou perked up at the advice, filing it away for later use.

"It's his favourite."It was said with a nod, and he gave him a wry grin. "And I'd be happy to eat out with you for sweets whenever." He paused a beat. "Or make you some myself. Dango isn't all that hard after some practice, you know?"

A shy smile touched his lips and Tenzou hunched his shoulders self consciously "I would like that and, oh, um I've never tried to make it..or much else really." Any cooking he did at home was painfully simple and only ever dry ingredients, he was never home long enough for fresh food to be worth it.

"Then... I'll teach you, yeah? No way you'll cause as much collateral damage as I did while I was learning."

He had to squash the urge to bounce in his seat, but his excitement regarding the offer was clear in the way Tenzou straighten up, subconsciously at attention "I don't know all that much but, I'm willing to try at least!"

He gave a soft laugh and inclined his head. "In that case I'd be more than happy to teach you. I mean. I haven't actually gotten to teach anyone else to cook at all."

Tenzou nodded enthusiastically "Mmh!" pushing his now clear plate to the side and leaning his elbows on the table. Talking to someone outside of ANBU was easier than he expected, or perhaps it was just Obito? Either way, he had never had someone offer to teach or spend time with him on anything that wasn't mission related and he was excited for it to happen.

He was adorable. He was adorable and Obito just wanted to hug the younger teenager to little bits. He smiled brightly and inclined his head to him, clearly satisfied. "Just let me know when you have time okay? If you walk with me I'll show you where I live so you can drop message when you're in town and have time without grabbing attention. What with the whole daily job thing I figured you'd prefer that?"

"That would be best. The shop owner below my apartment is already suspicious that I don't use the door very often..." He offered a sheepish grin, sure that Tae-san would corner him at some point to pry in her oddly chatty manner, Tenzou just had to make sure he avoided longer than her curiosity held out.

"Ah! The easiest way to curb that is to go down and talk to her and make the saddest eyes you can at her okay? And just mumble that you don't want to bother her, so you've been trying really hard to keep out of her way and not bother her customers."

Strangely enough, actually talking to her had never really occurred to him and he nodded dazedly along with Obito's advice. "I'd been trying to keep our contact to a minimum, but it's just made her worse..I'll have to try that."

"Right? If she's confused why you're talking to her, get all quiet and embarrassed and say something about how you noticed she seemed to be watching for you and didn't want to worry or upset her any more."

Tenzou tilted his head, considering "Well that isn't exactly a lie. She does watch out for me, but it's making me nervous more than concerned. I will do that though!"

"That's the point. I was just pointing out to you to use your mannerisms to smooth things over while using a version of the truth. It's the best way to handle an uncertain situation and you're cute enough it would readily work in your favour."

There was that word again, 'cute'. Tenzou looked away, expression bashful even as he nodded. Obito was just as good at flustering him as Kakashi-senpai and he wondered if that similarity was driving the ease he felt, despite the embarrassment.

"Just like that." He laughed softly and leaned, tapping the back of his hand with a fingertip. "It's cute and you'll melt hearts if you use that while you have it."

Tenzou shot Obito that helpless look from before and dropped his head down to hide his face in his folded arms and grumbled "I have enough trouble being taken seriously than to play on things like that." His blush was hidden, so he allowed it to burn hotly out of sight, hair curtaining the sides of his face. "...I'm not cute."

"You're adorable actually. I suspect when you get older that'll fade into something else though. You have that kind of build that some Uchiha get then turn into these manly men. Maybe that'll be you? Better you take advantage of looking sweet while you can."

"if you're trying to make me feel better, it's not working..." Though that wasn't strictly true. The idea of growing taller and filling out enough to be taken seriously on sight, was almost too good to consider, as Tenzou had already resigned himself to being small and a head shorter than everyone else for the foreseeable future.

"You sure? You don't sound as depressed." He leaned down, grinning at him. "Come on, admit it, you have to see the benefits."

He peered up from under his messy bangs, frown still visible "Senpai would give me hell if he caught me trying to do anything like that around HQ.."

"Then don't do it around HQ, obviously."

Tenzou hummed non committally in agreement "..I guess so."

He grinned and tilted his head, moving to get up. "C’mon you, walk me home."

He finally relaxed at that, frown melting into a smile as he stood. "That I can do!"

He nodded and gave a little laugh, having paid before they got their food, so he headed for the door. "I'd hope so!"

Tenzou was glad for the distraction. He would definitely take Obito's advice into consideration, but he struggled somewhat with the idea of using such traits to his advantage; he already worried that his comrades didn't take him seriously, if they caught him acting like that on purpose, would it do more harm than good? He chewed over the thought as they stepped outside and promptly stopped dead when he realised what he'd done. "Oh! Uh..thank you, for paying I mean. I didn't even notice.."

Obito waved him off then tilted his head, continuing on his way. "If you want to next time, go for it, it's no big deal."

He bit his lip, nodding as he followed "Mnh, I will. It's only fair after all."

He looked sideways at him with a wry smile. "Alright, I'll hold you to it."

Tenzou threaded his fingers behind his back as they walked, taking in the route and subconsciously committing it to memory. He vaguely recognised the area and glanced at Obito curiously "Do you live far from HQ?"

"Not exactly. I live pretty close to the center of town." Which was nowhere near most of the Uchiha.

He nodded absently, noting that he'd probably have to double back to find his own way home, but it wasn't all that out of the way.

He finally slipped into his building and up to his apartment, shouldering open the door. "And this is me."

Tenzou glanced around the building and finally smiled up at him "Then I should get home too." He looked away, chin tucked down ".. I'm glad you finally came out of the shadows. Thank you for tonight."

He looked at him for a moment, then moved over and ruffled his hair a bit. "See you again soon." He then slipped into his front room and closed the door behind him.

He blinked at the shut door for a moment, then frowned. Of course, just like Kakashi-senpai, no wonder they were teammates. Tenzou rolled his eyes and headed for home, very much ignoring the spring in his step.