Tenzo’s New Leaf

Drew an OC for a friend.

“You know why.” Yuugao chimed in, picking out a pomegranate aril, glancing sidelong to observe his reaction.

“The same reason none of them can - once you shut off your emotions in one area, they get dampened everywhere else. They’ve been squashing everything for too long,” was Sakura’s academic contribution while passing a bowl of bitter melon. He was tempted to nod in agreement.

“If he let himself feel like that,” Tsunade spoke with one eyebrow arched over forkful of fruit salad, pausing before the bite, “…who knows what else might slide in.”

“Oh, I think we can guess…” Yuugao began to snicker before hiding behind a cider mug. She made an obscene gesture beneath the table that everyone but him seemed to see.

“We can be certain.” Shizune’s response was definitive.