Re:live

Re:adjust

Obito gathers the courage to meet Deidara, the only constant in his dreams.

-

Dokuzetsu is glad at his progress and takes the stacks of papers and requests with accepting hands.

"Thanks for helping," the troubled teen says, shuffling the pieces into a neater file once he separates them according to artists. "If you want to help out again, I can drop in a good comment for you."

"Thanks," Obito grins. "It's really enlightening."

"I take you had fun loitering around the art exhibition?" Dokuzetsu asks, neatly placing the papers into another folder. Obito assumes it's for handing to the art teacher, or some other higher up that he has to answer to.

"Yes," Obito nods. "I saw some pretty impressive artwork and their meanings are pretty deep."

"You looked at their statements?" Dokuzetsu asks, raising a dark eyebrow at Obito.

"I glanced at only the first ones while I was waiting," Obito explains hurriedly, waving away the topic. "It doesn't matter anyway because you know me when it comes to art. I know nothing about it, and when I can't understand what's going on but know there's a deeper meaning, then I'll just say it's deep."

"Right," Dokuzetsu nods. He studies Obito for a while, his gaze a kind of heavy in weight that makes Obito very uncomfortable. Funny, he remembers that he does not like Dokuzetsu as much as he likes Jozetsu, even though the two Zetsus are practically inseparable. You can hardly see one without the other unless it's rare times like these when they both have things that do that require them to be apart from one another.

When the two are apart, though, Obito could see clearly their differences. In fact, even when they are together you couldn't ignore the stark differences between the two brothers. They're twins, yet no one has ever mistaken one for the other. They aren't fraternal twins, but for some reason, Dokuzetsu looks way tanner than Jozetsu.

Coupled with their almost polar opposite personalities, where one is serious and the other is much of a jokester, Obito didn't need anything more to be reminded that they're two different people.

And Jozetsu never has a gaze this heavy, pregnant with a strange kind of judgment that is way too loaded with negative emotions for it to just be about him peeking at the artists' statements.

"Well, if you don't need me for anything else," Obito says curtly, nodding his head and steeling himself against the weighty gaze. He shifts his shoulders and stands a little higher, using the few centimeters difference of height to express superiority above Dokuzetsu.

Obito is sure the sense of having to forcefully express his dominance toward Dokuzetsu has always been. It is fact to him at this moment and nothing else matters. By peering down at Dokuzetsu over the bridge of his nose, Dokuzetsu seems to shrivel just a little and nods once more.

"Alright," he says dryly. "Whenever you feel it, come back to only help."

Obito doesn't know if it's a threat. Whatever this art exhibition means to this school, or to the Principal, him just peeking at the statements do not warrant this kind of reaction. If Dokuzetsu isn't Jozetsu's older brother, he'd stop any relations with him at the first given chance.

They're friends in nothing but name. There is no trust. Obito feels it in his bones.

He doesn't say anything else after that, giving no wave as he turns to leave. He passes through the schoolyard again, though this time taking his time to avoid the students that are playing basketball.

He eventually makes his way toward the entrance of the school, recalling the entire day on the way there fearing that he had forgotten something, like having to see a teacher before he actually leaves. But seeing as his very reliable mind and memory doesn't come up with anything, he steps foot out of the rather modern building and heads for the open street.