Tobi laid awake the next morning, amazed at what had happened the previous day. She had said yes, Eri agreed to be his girlfriend and didn't hold it against him when Madara pretty much made him take her virginity, not that she knew it wasn't Tobi's intentions. He felt happy about being able to call her his own, but afraid at the same time. What if Madara wanted to have his way with her? What if Eri rejected him when she learned of his other personality? What would he do if Madara hurt her, but Eri didn't understand it wasn't Tobi?
Tobi sighed and ran his hands over his face. He didn't want to tell Eri about him, he didn't want to tell her the truth. He wanted her to continue to believe that only Tobi inhabited his body, but if Madara reviled himself to her… wouldn't she be upset with him for lying? This was way Tobi hated Madara… he made everything complicated…
Feeling Eri move he looked at her. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled tiredly at him. "Morning…" she said softly.
"Morning," Tobi replied kissing her forehead. "How do you feel?" he asked.
"Sore…" she admitted.
"Sorry…" Tobi sighed. Eri smiled and cuddled him a little.
"You didn't know… that it would… well hurt me… the first time…" Eri said comfortingly.
"Yeah…"
Eri nuzzled his neck a little, obviously wanting him to smile and relax a bit, but then he heard a growling sound come from her stomach. "I'll order room service, what would you like?" he asked turning and reaching for the phone on the nightstand beside them.
"Pancakes… eggs… bacon and sausage," Eri said cuddling into his back. Tobi nodded and ordered their food. When he hung up he smiled a bit at her.
"So, another day for just the two of us," he said. Eri smiled and nodded.
"Mind if we just stay in bed? You're really comfy," she giggled.
"Whatever you want Eri-chan," Tobi replied. Eri smiled softly.
"You're so sweet."
Tobi smiled at her as they enjoyed the relaxing day together. It was over too soon when they found themselves walking back the base the next day. Tobi was perfectly happy holding hands with Eri letting their fingers intertwine. Each held one of the suitcases in the other hand. He wanted to talk with her but since they promised Konan to not let Pein know that she had given Tobi the scroll to unseal Eri's throat, Eri was currently mute once more. But it didn't seem to faze her as she smiled and walked along with him. When they approached the base entrance though, Eri pulled her hand away from his. He looked at her confused, "Did I do something wrong?" he asked. Eri shook her head and motioned that she would tell him later. Leaning over and planting a soft kiss on his cheek she walked inside. Tobi sighed softly and followed her, both walking directly to Pein's office. Pein looked up from his work.
"Well?" he said. Eri replied with a frown and placed her case on his desk; Tobi sighed softly again and did the same. "Very good, well you're dismissed…" Pein said shooing them with a hand. Eri scowled and slammed her hand on the desk pointing at her throat and then at the clasp that was keeping her chakra sealed. Tobi saw Pein smirk with amusement.
"Speak up girl, I'm no good with charades," he said. Eri's frown deepened until it was menacing. Pein smirked again and shrugged. "Is it that time of the month?"
"She needs to you unseal her voice and her chakra… sir," Tobi said finally speaking up for his woman.
"Ah well I thought we could keep these improvements," Pein replied. Tobi looked at Eri and saw she was preparing to lunge at the man. Tobi quickly went behind her and held her back,
"Sir please… th-this isn't funny, just unseal Eri-chan," Tobi said as he held back the struggling Eri.
"I will once she behaves," Pein sighed, "I'm not giving her any power back until I'm sure she won't attack like some animal."
Tobi sighed and kept his grip on Eri. Once he was sure that she had given up on attacking Pein for the time being he let her go. She took a calming breath and looked at the man. Pein got up and walked around his desk to wrap his hand around her throat. The black lines appeared then disappeared as Eri looked at him.
"You lied," she accused.
"I lied?" Pein repeated.
"The man, he wasn't a sensory type, he wasn't even a ninja! Just some sick, disgusting rapist!" Eri yelled. Tobi blinked, his memory of the man Madara had killed was foggy so he didn't know if she was telling the truth or not.
"Oh was he?" Pein replied.
"If Tobi wasn't there I would have been raped and killed, just because of some useless disguise you had to make me go through," she growled. Pein showed no signs of pity.
"I didn't say you had to be captured," he said. Eri looked like she was about to attack him again.
"U-Uh, sir maybe we'll er… get Konan to unseal Eri-chan…" Tobi said before Eri did something she'd regret.
"Fine, dismissed…" Pein said. Tobi nodded and had to carry Eri out of the office because she looked so upset. He went and knocked on Konan's door.
"K-Konan-san?" he asked. Konan opened her door to see the couple. Then she saw the expression on Eri's face.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Pein's a bastard," Eri frowned crossing her arms. Konan sighed and stepped aside to allow Tobi to carry her in.
"Eri-chan's chakra is still sealed," Tobi said looking at the woman as she put her down but kept her close to make sure she was calm. "She and Pein-sama well er… disagreed…"
"They fought?" Konan asked with a small amused smiled as she sat Eri down then pushed up her sleeve showing the clasp that had been sealing her chakra for the past week. Konan then preformed some hand signs then removed the clasp. Eri sighed relieved as she felt her chakra return to her.
"… Why are you partners with him?" Eri asked Konan without thinking. Konan looked at the younger female.
"Well just because you and him do not agree doesn't mean he's like that with everyone," Konan answered, "Maybe if you tried showing him just a bit of respect…?"
"I show respect to the people that earn it," Eri stated. Konan gave Eri a look. "What?" Eri asked.
"Just try."
"But Konan-sama," Eri whined. Konan frowned at her.
"I'm saying that you have to try to get along with him, he is the leader after all," Konan said. Eri sighed.
"Right…"
"Well, I've done what I can. So both of you go and behave," Konan said with a teasing smirk. Eri and Tobi blushed.
"U-Uh whatever would you mean by that Konan-sama?" Eri stuttered. Konan giggled.
"You two are acting a bit differently, I guessed the atmosphere of romance on your so called 'honeymoon' got into you," she replied.
"We're that obvious?" Tobi blurted out. Eri blushed deeper making Konan laugh.
"I was only guessing cause she didn't care that you were carrying her. I wasn't sure until just now," she said. Eri looked away still blushing.
"I kinda… didn't want anyone to know about it…" Eri said. Tobi looked down, was Eri ashamed to be with him? Is that why she made them stop holding hands when they got here?
"Why?" Konan asked.
"Deidara…" Eri sighed. "If he knew I was dating Tobi he'd blow him to the next century… I just don't want you to get hurt Tobi," Eri said looking at him. Tobi looked at her feeling relived.
"Oh a secret relationship, I got it," Konan replied.
"Thank you Konan-sama…" Eri said as she hugged the other woman. Konan hugged her back.
"Don't worry about it, now go rest," she said. Eri nodded and went to leave the room but looked at Tobi when Konan stopped him from leaving. "Don't worry I'll return your boyfriend after a quick chat," Konan reassured her.
"But, um why can't you just say what you want when I'm around?" Eri asked.
"Cause I'm giving him tips on how to please you and it's a surprise! Now run along into bed," Konan said almost shoving Eri out.
"I'm not a child Konan," Eri retorted.
"I promise you won't miss anything, now go," Konan insisted. Eri went to argue again when Tobi spoke up.
"Give us five minutes Eri-chan. It seems important to her… I promise I'll tell you if you need to know," Tobi swore.
Eri sighed, "Fine… I'm going to my room, meet me there Tobi." With that she walked out on her own, but Tobi saw the rejected pout. He sighed and looked at Konan.
"Why didn't you want Eri-chan around…?" he asked.
"Because this is about him Tobi," Konan stated. Tobi looked at her and sighed. Konan along with Pein knew about Madara, and knew Tobi had problems controlling him. Tobi suspected some of the other members knew about his dirty secret as well. "Look Eri is a nice girl and I'm happy that you two have finally decided to go out. But this means you really need to work on controlling him, I don't care if you are cursed to share a body with him, I don't want her to get hurt because of this. We both know he is a sadistic evil man who will probably force himself on her, but at the same time you deserve to be happy with her. So please… for her sake as much as your own… keep a tight leash on him. You feel him try to take over you get away from her, is that understood?"
"Of course, I don't want Eri-chan hurt," Tobi replied with all his heart. "I'll do my best to control him, I promise. But um… I don't know if I should… you know… tell her…"
"That is a tough decision..." Konan said, "Maybe wait a little bit on it… I honestly don't know."
"…Is that all you wanted to speak to me about?"
"Hm… Play safe," Konan teased after a minute to think of something to say. Tobi blushed deeply and quickly walked out of the room. He knew what she was hinting at.
Eri sighed as she looked at the ceiling. She felt like an idiot for thinking that she could change Pein's mind through being violent. It was as moronic as it was against what her clan's philosophy. "Don't let negative emotions cloud your mind…" Eri sighed remembering what her father would tell her. She heard the door opened and turned her head to see her man.
"I didn't keep you waiting did I?" Tobi asked.
"Not really," Eri said sitting up, "Nothing important?"
"No…" Tobi said.
"I see… hey Tobi?" Eri asked.
"What is it Eri-chan?" Tobi asked walking over and sitting next to her. Eri leaned on him.
"Thanks for holding me back… Pein just gets me so mad sometimes…" she replied. Tobi nodded.
"You're welcome, I knew if you did anything you would be in trouble, so I have to protect you… even if that was all I had to do…" he said.
"Still… thank you," she said kissing his cheek. Tobi smiled and kissed her on the lips for a brief moment, only to pull away to the sound of a door opening.
There in the doorway stood the blonde Eri was wary of crossing with.
"Eri I heard you were back from your mission that idiot didn't make you do all the work did he?" he asked as he looked in, then frowned seeing the masked man he was slighting. "What is he doing in here?" he demanded.
"W-We were just talking master…" Eri said. Deidara huffed.
"Well it's getting late so he should leave," he stated. Eri sighed and looked at Tobi.
"Why can't I stay…?" Tobi asked.
"Because you can't," Deidara growled, "I don't trust you."
"Master I've been alone with Tobi all week I think its fine," Eri said frowning.
"I think a week is long enough."
"Master listen to me, I-" Eri started but Tobi put his hand up to interrupt her.
"Eri-chan… If sempai really doesn't like me in your room… I'll go," Tobi sighed getting up.
"But Tobi…" Eri replied watching him. She had just grown use to sleeping next to him; she didn't want to start sleeping alone again, not to mention that she liked waking up in his warm embrace.
"Good choice Tobi," Deidara said still with displeasure in his voice. Once Deidara turned and left Tobi looked back at Eri.
"I was hoping you'd stay," Eri sighed.
"I wish I could, but like you said… sempai would murder me… that's why we need to keep this secret right…?"
"Only cause I don't want you hurt over me… If Deidara wasn't so protective then there wouldn't be a problem."
Tobi bit his lip looking at his love, he almost let it slip that Deidara wasn't their only problem. He sighed and leaned down kissing her on the lips. "I promise… when sempai leaves for a mission… I'll stay right by your side…" he said giving her a kiss again and again.
"I'll keep you to that…" Eri said after she had returned them. Tobi smiled gently and left the room. Eri could only sigh and lay back. "Why do things have to get complicated when I start feeling real happiness for the first time in years?" she asked herself. Of course there was silence as her answer.