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“Deidara?” Tobi calls into the room.
“Yeah,” he hears Deidara’s voice, sounding way too tired for his liking.
“Are you alright?” he decides to ask, inviting himself into Deidara’s room.
He looks around, noting that most of the clay pouches and figures have not moved, and finds Deidara seated at the table in the middle of his room, legs tucked inside to keep warm.
“Who told you to come in, yeah?” Deidara asks, annoyed. He throws a glance at Tobi but Tobi can see that it lacks any real heat.
“I heard that you came back from your mission!” Tobi says, ignoring Deidara’s question. “Three in such quick succession, Deidara, you must be really talented.”
Deidara scoffs, leaning forward and resting his head in his right hand. “Flattery won’t get you far here, hm.”
“You’re mean,” Tobi says. As he approaches the table, he notices that Deidara’s sandals, leg warmers, and cloak are all scattered in an unfashionably messy manner. His hair is wild and his scope isn’t even on his face.
Tobi stops just a few inches from the table, bending down to pick up Deidara’s discarded forehead protector to put it on the table. “Do you need anything?”
“Why?” Deidara asks. His eyes are half-closed.
“You’re tired, I know,” Tobi says. He heads to Deidara’s nightstand and grabs a comb. He goes back to Deidara and when he doesn’t sense any hostility coming from the other, he kneels down and reaches for Deidara’s hair. “Why did you agree with three missions so close together?”
“I had no choice,” Deidara sighs, straightening his posture and visibly relaxing when Tobi undoes his hairband and begins to comb his hair. “Sasori, that bastard, he made me do it, hm.”
“Doesn’t he need rest, too?” Tobi asks, feigning ignorance.
“Tobi, haven’t you been listening to me, yeah?” Deidara asks, sighing when Tobi combs through a knot. “Master Sasori doesn’t need any sleep.”
Tobi scoffs. “Why must you be so polite to him if he’s not nice to you?”
“He’s skilled, I’ll give him that, yeah,” Deidara says. He grunts when Tobi finds a particularly stubborn knot. “I am no match for him.”
“I doubt that very much,” Tobi says, leaning forward and press the bottom part of his mask against the thickest part of Deidara’s hair.
“Stop,” Deidara says, reaching back to push against Tobi’s head. “Keep your flattery to yourself.”
Tobi shrugs. He resumes his combing. He puts the comb down and runs his gloved fingers through the untangled locks when he’s done.
“You’re more skilled than me,” Tobi decides to say.
Deidara laughs and then he yawns.
“Did you get any sleep at all?”
“A few hours, here and there,” Deidara replies. He, against all of Obito’s expectations, leans back and Tobi can do nothing but catch him. He wraps his arms around his torso and lets Deidara snuggle against his chest. “Master Sasori doesn’t like to wait.”
“I’ve heard,” Tobi says, keeping his voice low. He reaches up and toys with Deidara’s long hair. “You should get some rest then, Deidara...”
“Hm,” Deidara hums. “Why are you so nice to me, Tobi?”
“Why shouldn’t I be?” Tobi continues to dig his fingers into the river of gold, watching with awe as it parts without resistance. He continues to run his fingers through them.
“I don’t know, hm,” Deidara says.
Deidara does know. Obito knows he does.
“That’s okay,” Tobi says. “I just know that you’re really great, senpai.”
Deidara shifts in his hold, returning to his side and pressing his face into his chest. “What’d you call me?” he slurs.
“Senpai,” Tobi says.
He can feel Deidara smile. He reaches out to run his fingers through his hair once more. Obito likes it when Deidara has his hair down.
“Cool,” Deidara mumbles.
“Very,” Tobi replies.
Deidara is asleep.
He keeps still, his fingers still running through Deidara’s hair while his free hand rests on his lap. He stays like this until he can’t feel his own legs anymore and then he stands, shifting Deidara carefully.
Tobi picks him up slowly and heads to the bed, kneeling down and gently tucks him in. His golden hair frames his face, a perfectly formed face with the cutest nose, and Obito smiles at the sight.
“Sleep tight, Deidara-senpai,” Tobi says. He stills for a moment, hesitating, but eventually decides to move his mask. He leans down and plants a ghost of a kiss on Deidara’s forehead. Deidara barely stirs.
Obito stands and, after double-checking that Deidara is fine, leaves the room.
He is going to have a few words with Sasori.