#tobiobi

I wnt the slightly more fix-it route of the second option, I hope you don’t mind!

AO3

-

“May I ask you something?” Tobirama did his best to soundcasual, going so far as to lean his weight against the door in an effort toappear nonchalant, but he wasn’t sure it had the effect he wanted it to. Hejust wasn’t the sort to lean against walls and the man across from him clearlyknew that.

“You’re going to ask whether I want you to or not,” Obitosaid. “Go on. What’s knocking around in your head Tobidrama?”

“I truly wish you would not call me that.”

“No luck, bad nicknames are sort of my thing.” The manshrugged unapologetically and Tobirama told himself that he did not find suchconfidence attractive at all.

He wasn’t very convincing even inside his own head.

“Right. That aside, now that your clan and ours haveofficially made peace I wondered if you might be willing to satisfy a few curiositiesof mine. You are quite the man of mystery and I do so hate an unansweredquestion.” Admitting even that much of himself was a white flag, offering tolet the other man in just slightly, though he wondered if the Uchiha understoodhis subtlety. Obito had yet to strike him as anything close to subtle.

“I’m going to guess you’re asking now while we’re still inNara territory so I feel safer, yes? Neutral ground and all that. I’ll bite.What do you want to know?”

“Whether or not the rumors are true,” Tobirama repliedbluntly. “Until several months ago you were never spotted on the battlefieldand you will excuse my rudeness in pointing out that you have quite a memorableappearance, you would have been remembered. Your chakra feels just a little toosimilar to my brother’s at times and despite looking he’s never been able tofind another who can use the Mokuton. Rumor says that you were not born in thisera but walked through time. I want to know the truth.”

He could tell from the tension in Obito’s shoulders that hewas bracing himself, preparing for any reaction to whatever his answer wouldbe. But it seemed he had noticed Tobirama’s offer of vulnerability after alland decided to offer the same in kind.

“The rumors are true,” he stated simply, visibly amused bythe way Tobirama’s eyes lit up with interest.

“I don’t suppose I could prevail upon you to elaborate?”

Obito considered that, shifting against the chair he’d beenlounging in when Tobirama found him. Though no one seemed to have heard of himuntil several months ago, showing up on the battlefield one day and callingthem all sorts of unflattering things for not being able to figure out peace,he had still somehow managed to worm his way in to Madara's trust enough to bebrought along as part of the peace delegations going on around them. YetTobirama had also noticed that he still spent a significant amount of hisdowntime entirely alone as he was doing now.

So concentrated on studying the man’s face for any hint ofwhat he might be thinking, feeling around the edges of his oddly familiar andworryingly addictive chakra, Tobirama was aware of the minute muscle twitchesof a forming smile almost before they began.

“How about a deal?” the man said. “I know about you and Iknow your proclivities for invention and research. Give me some sort of proofthat this is more than just curiosity for the sake of a new jutsu and I willtell you anything you want to know.”

“A date,” Tobirama blurted, much to both of their surprise.

“I…beg your pardon?”

“When construction of the village begins I would enjoy theopportunity to take you out for an evening. No obligation. If you do not enjoymy attention I will not push but, ah, those are my intentions.” He cleared histhroat and determinedly did not look away, refusing to be embarrassed by hisown desires.

Suddenly the past few weeks of denying how attracted he wasto this man felt wasted as he watched the tiny smile on Obito’s face returnever so slowly. He felt almost like he’d already won something even withouthaving any real answers yet but Tobirama chose not to look in to that feelingtoo closely. There was no use in getting ahead of himself at this stage. Peacehad only just been signed; he could hardly believe he was standing hereflirting with an Uchiha.

Leaning back in his chair, Obito cleared his throat as well,though he seemed to have less control over the color rising on his cheeks. “Aninteresting offer, Senju. We’ll see if you’re still interested when the timecomes.”