Aspen was worried. So, so worried. Tenner hadn’t come home, and it was three in the morning. With the anger he’d stormed out in, Aspen knew something bad had happened. He didn’t mean to start the argument, and truthfully, he couldn’t even remember what had triggered the screaming. Accusations and names had flown from one mouth to the other, until finally, the door slammed shut behind the albino. All had been silent, and Aspen was, for a moment, relieved.
He regretted feeling what he had, now, as he grabbed his coat and swung open the door. Tenner wasn’t exactly the most responsible man on earth, and had a nasty habit of participating in street brawls. Not only that, but usually, Tenner was hopelessly outnumbered. So, the streets Aspen walked, looking down alleyways and asking the very few people he saw if they’d spotted or heard any shouting. They’d all shook their heads and continued on their way home, as Konaha wasn’t the safest place at night. This continued until dawn, when Aspen’s eyes were drooping and his fingers numb from the cold.
No bodies had been found, and no brawls had been reported, and with a heavy heart, he returned home. The door of his house swung open, and he mindlessly kicked his shoes off and threw his coat onto the ground. He was furious, not with Tenner but instead himself. He’d failed. His job was to protect, and he’d failed once before, and he’d failed again. He kept letting love get the better of him, and he was rewarded with a dagger to the stomach.
He wandered to the lounge room, hoping that if Tenner were to return home, Aspen would wake at his arrival. When the door was opened, however, Aspen watched Tenner rise from the armchair. Aspen assumed he felt as good as Tenner looked, with the split lip, bruised knuckles and swollen eye. Slowly, Tenner smiled, careful not to rupture his lip. Aspen let his feet thump across the carpet, before letting his arms gather up the smaller male and hold him tight.
“Are you okay, Tenner?” Aspen felt Tenner push his face into his chest, heaving a loud sigh. “Tenn-“
Aspen held Tenner as he cried.
