"But it's true! Deidara-senpai has a icky temper..."

You laughed and grinned at the person in the orange mask. Tobi. To-bi. You loved him name. It was like happiness for the tongue. He was just happiness, in the simple form of someone who came and sat on your balcony late at night and talked with you. About everything... he'd talk about how he found a huge tree that day, you'd talk about how you got drunk the night before. Tobi would then get worried and tell you not to drink anymore, you would tell him you wouldn't. It was a dowright huge lie, of course. Sake made emptiness go away, but even that being said, you had been going out less and less for liqour since he showed up.

"..Ano, Tobi..." His head shifted a little, in a motion like leaning closer to look more attentive. "Why is it you wear a mask?" You asked, for probably the bagillionth time in the time you had known him. He was grinning, too, you felt it, from under his mask as he gave you the same answer as always.

"Because! I'm not nearly as good-looking as you, Ashita-kijo. Haven't I told you that?"

You grinned again. How you adored that. Ashita-kijo. Ashita really was your name, but it was really something else how he called you 'Lady' Ashita. He had a field day with it, like on the days he promised he'd come back the next day. "Mata ashita, Ashita-kijo!" He'd say.

Mata ashita = 'See you tomorrow'. Tobi was just plainly brilliant. Simple genuis.

"I bet you look enchanting. Really. Honestly," you insisted, smiling in his face. A reply note, a low and irritated note, came from his throat and he cradled your face to make you look him in the eye.

"Tobi. is. not. pretty. like. Ashita. kijo." He said sternly. And you laughed at him again.

"Tobi-san is wonderful."

"Tobi is not, Ashita-kijo is!"

"Nooope, baka-chan. I bet you are."

"Well I bet you are!"

"Fine. If I win, then you owe me a hug. A really nice one."

"Fiiine! Then if I win, you aren't allowed to touch my mask."

"You're on!"

"SAME!"

A moment's pause, and there was hysterical giggling from both of you at the playful arguement. "Myaa, my finger doesn't even hurt anymore... arigatou, Tobi-san, for cheering me up!" You happily chimed. You couldn't see it still, but dear Tobi was blushing from under his mask.

"Nani? DAIJOUBU, FINGER-CHAN?!" He panickedly...panicked, grabbing your finger that he finally had the decency to notice was cut and bleeding gently, which had happened a moment before he came... retarded, over-sharpened, faggoty kunai.

"Daijoubu, daijoubu! It's just a little snip, don't worry!" But of course, Tobi wouldn't have any of this while he was... Tobi-ing.

"I know! Here, I shall use my Ore no Tobi-sama-" that was horrible Japanese grammer, by the by, "- no jutsu and make it better! Neee?" He pleaded hopefully. Even if you had been against it, you didn't have the heart to say no. And you were glad you didn't anyway, because of his solution to fixing your finger..

Tobi lifted his mask just a little and your hand was tugged underneath it; a second passed and you felt something hot and moist closed up around it... ah, yup. Tobi tongue. Joygasm ensuing.

"..E-EH?! T-t-Tobi-san, what the-?!!"

He snickered at your outburst and took your now clean and somewhat-sanatized finger from his mouth, wiping it off on his shirt and giving you control of your hand back.

"There! All better!" He chirped. You sighed, smiling. He was a lovable idiot... nothing less.

Either way, your beloved finger was now actually not bloody, and clean.

"... Ano ne, ne, Ashita-ki-? ... ..."

You turned your head to see why he cut off there, and you were instantly aware of the feeling of a brick smashing you, point-blank, in the face.

There was a kunai there. Several of them, to be more specific. All in his right side, some from the back... and Tobi sputtered as he gently tipped backwards. It was amazing how, even he seeming so bulky and ditzy, could in such a graceful manner...

"... T... To... ... Tobi.. To... bi..?" You breathed out, hand shaking as it feebly reached out a little to grab hazily at him, who was already far out of reach. This was absolutely hopeless, you thought monotonously, as you reached out the other hand.

Cruelly, tears flowed up and away, forcing you to watch with watercolored blur as he fell those seemingly endless two stories and slowly, soundlessly, smashed into a limp heap on the ground.

Coal, glittered with silver, and a pumpkin growing on the patch; Tobi, kunai, and his mask.

A hoard of ANBU came out of nowhere, seemingly, and surrounded him.

"No hitai-ate?" "None." "Look for the ring." A pause, then, "Right here, sir." "Good work. Pick him up."

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!!"

The Black Ops looked up to you, just as you bounced off and hit the ground stumbling, practically throwing yourself on Tobi. A grip like a duct tape crab found its way around him, and you channeled all Hell through your eyes at the circling ANBU.

"Ashita-sama, you're going to need to move away. He's a criminal," He was the captain.

"I'm n-not moving! N-Not an inch!" And he should've know, just by the tone of your voice, that reasoning was pointless. You trembled and shook, holding on even tighter as a small breath of air escaped said victim's lips.

"Ashita-sama, please.."

You clung tighter to him, forehead pressed to his mask. Wasn't he warm only a moment ago? He now felt so cold, but then why was he smiling? You knew he was smiling. You just knew it. There was a small shift, just a little movement like an engine trying to turn when it has a drop of gasoline.

"Ashi.. taaah.... -kiii... jo..."

Unmistakenly, he used the little available breath he had to whisper your name, happy and content as he usually was. But it was heart wrenching as he did; the whisper it was in, the way he sounded airless, and the faint, gurgling trace you knew as blood rising in his throat.

"Nn-no! D-d-don't talk, Tobi!" You quickly shot back, voice horrified. "Don't talk! Stay still! A-and... and... j-just stay awake!"

"Mmh.. mm.."

"Tobi, stay awake and...a-and th-then you'll mata ashita? ..R-right? Right?"

Obeyingly, he did not move, but ignored the first part to answer you.

"Mma... Maa... Mata.. ashi.. tahh, ... Ashita... ...!"

"Ashita-sama, this is your last warning!"

Your head spun and you shot the ANBU captain a dark look, seething nightmarish wishes through your needle-thin pupils.

It was less than a second though, of course. You didn't even feel the blow to the back of your head it was so quick... All you knew was that the person you loved most in the world might... might...

(...He really not not see you tomorrow, after all...)

::::::::::::::::

Your body was not there, and existing.

Like you knew it was there, and your brain knew it was there, and it knew it was there, but you couldn't feel it yourself. You tried to speak, and make sure you were still really alive, but all that came out was a small squeak from your dry throat.

"A-Ashita-kijo! Ashita!"

The numb feeling was matched by warmth, and you recognized the scent of dew on meadow grass instantly. That was how Tobi smelled.

...Tobi?

Your eyes painfully shot open and your body almost had a fit of agony as you sat up to be caught by firm arms.

"Nononononodon'tmoveyoushouldn'tmoveabit!! You're very hurt and now I have to take care of you, so lay down! I'll be right here. I promise!" He spoke at 80 mph, and sounded terrified and blissfully happy, impossibly so at the time.

So, you stayed very still.

You heard a hum as he grinned, and somehow lifted you so gently that you didn't feel a thing, and you were slightly shifted onto something soft. Bedding?

"Tooh...Tobiiii.." Your voice ached as you whined. A gloved hand placed itself over your lips, stopping any attempts at speaking.

"Tobi's right here, daijoubu!"

You sighed out slowly, head tilting a little into his caress. He was okay. He was fine. He was very much alive. ...Either that, or you were possibly in the darkest corner of heaven.

"Wha..what 'appened?" You croaked softly, now that you knew he wasn't hurt. But that meant questions. What the hell was going on? His pet paused and you heard a small sound; the hand cupped your face instead.

"Ano sa... Well... um... I got caught. You know I just got accepted in the Akatsuki! But I haven't done anything bad, really! I haven't killed anyone, and if I did I don't remember, and I haven't stolen anything. But since I'm in the group, they caught me anyway. So they found me at your house and after they knocked me out-"

"Wait wait, stop! Are you okay? The... but the... kunai..?" You breathed out, "Did they hurt you?"

"Nah! I have all that metal on me, so don't worry! I got stitched back up anyway!" He chimed, making your stomach turn and warmth scatter through you. His voice was something like butter; warm and soft, and a delight to consume.

In your daze you finally realized that he had paused, and you attentively looked up to him [Tobi was quite taller than you, you know].

"You know..." He cautiously began, twiddling his fingers, "I remember they hit you, in the back of your neck, and s-so that knocked you out, right?" The tone of voice was asking for permission, and, thoroughly confused, you nodded. "And then you fell on me, and then we got brought to the hospital," he stopped again, fidgeting a little more, before squeaking, "but you... ..you uhmm... wouldn'tletgoofme."

Even in your state, a blush still hit your face and you embarrassedly looked in the opposite direction with APOLOGY stamped on your forehead. You frowned.

"Sorry 'bout that," you mumbled.

Tobi laughed a little, his oh-so charming laugh, and you felt a weight tilt whatever you were on as he leaned down and carefully hugged you. The blush darkened and your eyes gaped, trying to get a view of him.

"Don't be sorry, it was the whole reason I stayed awake!" He hushedly explained as he pulled away some, "And so they had to give you a shot or something that was supposed to calm you down, but it turned out that you were allergic to something in it and you got really sick for a little. They finally fixed you, but you weren't allowed to stay in the hospital for a whole recovery thing... umimasen... So now we're stuck in the large house."

"N-nani?!" You squeaked, regretting it as your nerves shuddered in pain. Tobi gulped and the weight beside you moved; his hand no longer pressed comfortingly to your cheek.

"It's my fault.." He said, very quietly. You heard a motion and his voice was suddenly clearer. "I'm sorry, Ashita-kijo. Tobi's really not such a good boy... and he wishes he could make everything okay for you but...b-but.."

His voice sounded restrained, and two plops followed. Weakly, you opened your eyes open and forced yourself to sit up, and you blinked in the little stream of moonlight from the tiny window up high on the wall.

Tobi's mask was in his hand, and his head was down.

"... ...But Tobi's just not good enough..."

Now you knew he was crying, and your heart throbbed at the despairing thought of your cheerful Tobi crying, let alone feeling dismal.

"No! You... oh, Tobi.." Your mind was forgetting all the words you knew and instead you painstakingly made your way out of the jail bed [he mistakenly called it "the large house" instead of "the big house", but you got it anyway] and tripped a little, but stood wobbly-kneed. On pins and needles you crept over to him and he looked up, suddenly panicked.

"A-Ashita-kijo?! Nonono, no! Don't look, don't look, don't look!!" He frenzied, stumbling as he tried to move out of the light and into the shadowy corner where he covered his arms over his face. It was more than enough to leave your heart a crack away from breaking.

You persistently went after him and saw his fingers split, revealing a hazel eye wide open and scared. His hands left his face as he tried to flatten himself against the walls surrounding him, to pull away from you; he trembled as he saw your soft hand reach out, and jolted slightly as your skin connected.

His face was very cold, first of all. His was skin just like the moon, very pale and soft. It would be glowing otherwise, but a light sheen of sweat made him look sticky instead.

Tobi gulped again, eyes sliding over to glance at your warm hand that made his sensitive skin tingle as he pressed closer in the corner.

The clouds that had shrouded the moon finally passed it, and the freezing light filled the room and unveiled his face. You now understood why he wore his mask.

A line of permanent black stitches ran diagonally across his face, starting from the middle of his forehead where his crow colored, hazardously-spiked hair began, and then across to his right eye where it stopped, then restarted back down his cheek.

And then there was his eye.

It was a glass eye that stared unmovingly until he blinked, and it was the same honey-liked, browned color as his other.

Yet even with this, it was like falling in love twice over again. His skin was porcelain white, but his had pasty pink lips that looked like they wanted nothing more in the world to turn upwards. In turn, every feature of him, you thought, was unquestionably perfect.

But Tobi himself was a nervous wreck.

"No... Ashita-kijo..." He croaked, shaking. You drew a little closer and your wobbly knees finally buckled; he reflexively reached out - hesistating for a moment - but grasped you before you fell. You felt how much he was trembling.

The silence was deafening. Even the stones of the cell were begging for some sound to break the nothing, but Tobi did not know what to say, and your throat had just become inexplicably dry. But, then;

"...You owe me a hug."

Tobi's face lit up, not missing a beat, and smiled lopsidedly. He proceeded to give you a very tight hug; the kind like a manga hero would. Where one arm clings and its hand holds to your shoulder, and the other one going around your waist so your whole body had to press to his.

"..Nande?" He asked, softly. You tiredly looked up at him, heart skipping a beat. "Nande?"

Nande, nande, nande: Why, why, why?

You hid your face in his chest, but a gloved fingertip took up your chin so your eyes met him. "Nande, Ashita-kijo?!" He repeated. The tone in his voice was actually demanding an answer, and your face went rosy.

"B-Because... I... I-I... I love you..." You mutedly answered.

Tobi blushed, too, and you saw his Adam's apple bounce. "You...y-you...do?" He croaked, blinking. It was the last thing he expected to hear.

"I...I d-do! I love you times a million-billion-jillion everythings and a ton more than sake, okay!?"

Three.

Two.

One.

Soft and warm lips were on the corner of yours, and then the apple of your cheek, and then your temple, and honestly he tried to kiss as much of you as he possibly could. He took your hand gently and kissed the top of it in the most gentlemanly manner, before going up to your exposed forearm, eyes flitting up to you.

Still on his mission, he sat up straighter and pulled you on top of him, applying his face to your neck.

"I ouvv oouh, Asii'aah-iijoh," he grinned against your pulse that was going so fast, it probably made him proud. 'I ouvv oouh.' The beautiful phrase that translated to: I love you.

His wiry arms held you even tighter, and with great nervousness you slid your fingers in his hair, restraining the urge to give him a suffocating hug.

"Ashita-kijo?" Tobi asked quietly.

"Yup?"

"You have very nice hands and all, and I do like them there, but I think we need to let go," he whispered back, lifting his head and turning his big eyes on you. You blinked in return. "How come?"

"Because there's kinda someone at the door," his laugh mixed in with the sentence as, sure enough, the cell door opened and you jumped back from Tobi.

"Ashita? That you?" The voice was wary, young ... ... ... drunk.

"Tsuna?" You asked back, staring blankly. What in God's name was she doing here?

"Aaah, yup! That's you alright! Anywayyy~ Out you goes, while I'm still a biiitty-bit tipsy, mmkaay?" She sang cheerfully, swinging the keys in her hand.

You stared.

And stared.

And just stared.

And suddenly, she was very serious:

"Your Grandfather would've wanted me to, you know. Sarutobi was good like that."

::::::::::::::::

BOOM!

Your bed lurched, and your eyes shot open.

"OHMYGODWHATTHE-!?"

"Good morning, Ashita-kijo~! How are you on this fine day?" Obviously the window was open, because when your lids flickered you were stunned bright sunshine and light breeze. Back and forth you looked across your queen-sized bed, but couldn't see a spot of orange anywhere. This was real, wasn't it? You weren't just dreaming you heard h-...?

A warm kiss planted itself on your lips, and your eyes instantly adjusted on a line of stitches and sienna eyes, one of which was Sharingan and whizzing in a happy manner before reverting back.

"Did I wake you up too early?" He asked bashfully, sucking on his bottom lip. You were still dazed, both from just waking up, and the kiss.

But mainly the kiss.

"Uhh... um... no, not at all... I'm just kinda... uhm.."

The raven-haired maniac grinned, and shamelessly said with vigor, "Nahh, that can't be it! You must be jealous that I kiss by th' book." Which made your jaw drop.

"You never told me you read Shakespeare!" Let alone Romeo and Juliet.

Tobi simply scratched his head, and shuffled closer to you. "Shakespeare's good! But Dr. Seuss is better. Is Ashita-kijo still sleepy?" He asked, bouncing from one subject to the next. You gave a small nod, accompanied by, "Just a little."

And in 7 seconds, the windows were shut, curtains closed, and you were snuggled up again someone bulky, warm, and dreadfully comfortable.

"Okay then. Oyasumi, Ashita-kijo! Mata-! ... ... I'll see you in a little bit, okay?"

"Sounds good to me.." you tiredly replied. He wound you up tighter in his arms, nuzzling the crook of your neck affectionately.

[You were asleep in minutes.]