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“I still don’t understand why we can’t just find an inn, hm.”
Deidara shoves another log into the fireplace, but it doesn’t catch on fire. He sighs in defeat, resting his forehead on his knees.
“Mr. Leader said we shouldn’t expose ourselves to the locals,” Tobi replies.
“Yeah, yeah,” Deidara murmurs, “whatever. It’s not like they would even remember what we look like.”
“Not really,” Tobi says. “These people rarely get visitors; they’d definitely remember if two strangers walk in.”
Deidara huffs. “Can you come and fix this?” he asks. “The logs won’t catch fire.”
Tobi doesn’t look up. “The logs are wet from the snow,” he says.
Deidara clicks his tongue. He turns around to glare at Tobi and expresses his displeasure when he sees that Tobi isn’t even paying attention.
“I know that, dumbass,” he says, “so can you fix it or not?”
“I don’t know how to dry wet logs, senpai.”
“Then what use are you?” Deidara shakes his head and turns back to the fireplace. He stops prodding the logs after a while, wrapping his arms around his legs.
The fire slowly dies and the crackling fades into the damp silence.
“Are you cold, senpai?”
Deidara takes a while to reply, voice shaking and weak. “What do you think, you dolt, yeah?”
Tobi puts down the scroll and sits down beside Deidara. He wraps an arm around his shoulder and rubs his bicep. “Are you feeling okay?”
“How do you not feel cold?” Deidara murmurs. He leans into Tobi’s embrace.
“I guess I’ve forgotten how to.”
Deidara huffs through his nose. “Sure, hm,” he says. He doesn’t stop shivering and he leans closer to Tobi.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Tobi asks.
“Shut up,” says Deidara.
When Deidara tries to get on Tobi’s lap, Tobi grips his arms. “What are you doing, senpai?” he asks.
“I’m cold.”
Tobi thinks about this for a second, then loosens his grip. Deidara clambers onto his lap, curling up and burrowing his head into Tobi’s chest. Tobi wraps his arms around him.
“Maybe you should’ve packed an extra jacket, huh, senpai?” Tobi laughs.
“Hm.”
Tobi continues to rub Deidara’s arms and back. “Why didn’t you pack more clothes?” Tobi murmurs after a while. “You knew we were going to go to the Land of Snow.”
When Deidara doesn’t answer, Tobi huffs. He takes off his cloak and wraps it around Deidara.
Deidara hums his appreciation but he doesn’t say anything else.
The silence drags on long enough for Tobi to think that Deidara has fallen asleep. He stops rubbing Deidara’s arm and Deidara mumbles.
“’s cold,” Deidara murmurs.
“You should have brought thicker clothes,” Tobi replies.
“Didn’t want to.”
“Why not?”
“Quiet,” Deidara mutters. “Quiet now, I want to sleep, hm.”
Tobi says nothing and lets Deidara snuggle closer. He sits there, arms wrapped around Deidara, as he looks at the pile of dry logs by the fireplace. He sighs through his nose, but he remains where he is, stroking and warming Deidara as best as he can.