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Obito didn’t know how much time had passed since he had been imprisoned. Time and space had lost meaning to him a long time ago.
since that day
Funny how he was trapped in a cave, again. Blind and restrained. He couldn’t see anything or move freely with his eye sealed and his body confined in a straitjacket.
He was on his back, laying on an old bed that trembled at each little movement.
The only company he had were his thoughts and it sucked.
Obito didn’t want to think or to feel.
about Rin
about his mistakes
about him
Sometimes he fell asleep and dreamed.
He dreamed of old times, blood stained faces, and silver lights.
He liked the light, it was cold but like a summer breeze, and so bright as the stars in the dark night who helped you to find your way back home. But Obito had never learned how to read the stars and the light always got smaller and smaller, till it disappeared and he fell back in the black hole that never let him go.
Because he didn’t have a home anymore.
Obito didn't like to dream, not anymore.
Dreams were selfish, dreams were illusions.
Dreams were hope, and Obito had stopped to hope.
But in that cave where everything was dark it was far too easy to let the mind wander.
And unfortunately, it wasn't lonely like his Kamui dimension.
The guards came to check on him every few hours, liked to call him a demon. A monster of children’s night stories the parents told their kids to scare them and make them behave. A monster that destroyed everything you cared about.
Yeah, Obito supposed he truly was.
You are Uchiha Obito!
Uchiha Obito.
Member of Team Minato.
A shinobi of the Leaf who once dreamed to become Hokage.
He was an Uchiha like Sasuke.
Minato’s student.
Rin and Kakashi’s friend.
But there was no more Team Minato. His Sensei and Rin were gone long ago. Only Kakashi was left, but even Kakashi wasn’t the same. He was a sensei now. He had made some friends. Learned to enjoy what little they had in this life.
smiled at Obito after they won against Kaguya, even after all the mess Obito had put them through
Maybe that’s why Obito had despised him, had kept an eye on him even though he had stopped to care about this world.
but not about him
Despite the haunting memories, his regrets, the constant visit at the dead, Kakashi had somehow moved forward in this horrible reality.
Unlike Obito who didn’t know how to do it and lost himself, fixed at the same point, like his name imprinted in the useless memorial stone. Becoming someone his young self would have despised. Someone that not even Rin would have supported.
In the end, that never came, he had thought to atone his sins with his death but, somehow, he had survived.
He was still here, but for what? The world was no more in danger. He should have died in the fight against Kaguya, sacrifice his life for the three young shinobi, and for Kakashi.
He had told Kakashi living to make up for his mistakes would have been too easy, but the truth was quite the opposite. How could he atone for his sins in this life? To change the harm he had caused to this world and its people.
A world he would never feel connected to it ever again.
He couldn’t simply erase everything he had seen and done. No matter how much a hyperactive blond kid empathized with him after he had a chance to peek inside his twisted mind and memories, saw his old true self.
He wasn’t Madara or a nobody hiding behind a mask, but he couldn’t be the young Uchiha Obito either, not anymore. He was a pathetic man, a war criminal, currently being on trial and waiting for the verdict after he had answered to all his crimes.
Life or death. Eternal imprisonment or finale sleep.
The last sitting had been three days ago and the Gokage hadn’t still been able to find an accord.
The Mizukage wanted justice for what he had caused to her village.
“Blood for blood,” Mei Terumi had said.
The Raikage had supported her, of course. He just wanted Obito's head on a spike, A would have done it himself if they just let him do it.
The Tsuchikage was more neutral in his statement since he had hired Akatsuki's services in the past but he wanted justice too.
Only the Hokage and Kazekage were against the execution. Obito doubted it was out of the kindness of their hearts.
“Death is mercy,” had said the Kazegake, and he wasn’t wrong, but the two Kage had clearly been influenced by Naruto’s words in his defense.
Stupid boy.
Well, Naruto was Kakashi’s student, what did Obito expect? Especially after the talk they had inside his. . . Mind? Heart?
did he still have a heart?
Naruto had stood up with passion at his trial and, in his long ramble, he had even called Obito, the world's biggest criminal, “awesome” because they shared the same dream.
Stupid brat.
Even Sasuke hadn’t shown any desire to kill him anymore. Obito had been shocked when the youngest Uchiha hadn’t tried to kill the cause of his family’s death after the fight with Naruto.
Stupid brats.
And then, there was the young medic-nin, Sakura.
who reminded him too much of Rin
She had shown up at the trial and shared how he and Kakashi had evocated together the complete Susanoo, saved her, and helped to defeat Kaguya.
Stupid, stupid brats.
They were all idiots, just like their teacher. Their stance could cause a diplomatic incident.
And Obito was not worth it-
“Clang.”
A loud metal sound echoed through the cave prison. Two people were coming. Strange, usually it was always one person who came to check on him.
Obito didn’t move as one of them opened his prison’s door, or when a kick hit him hard making him fall on the floor.
“You are gonna die tonight, monster.”
“Yeah, there is no way you gonna stay alive, not after everything you did!”
Obito didn’t talk and that seemed to make his aggressor angrier. He was hit hard on the stomach and he could taste the blood in his mouth as a foot was pressed against his face while he got kicked.
Obito wasn’t scared of death. He had been waiting for it, desire it.
He just wished he had one last talk with Kakashi, even though he didn’t know what to say to him. He had many regrets, but his teammate will be the biggest one of them. Kakashi had always been a constant figure in his what-ifs, in his dreams. . . It made him wish their entire lives had gone in a different way.
“Die, bastard!”
Obito felt the cold metal of a sharp blade almost touch his neck, then there was a sweep of air. He heard the man groan and fall on the floor, he didn’t know what happened to the other man.
Strong but gentle hands helped him to stand up and remove the straitjacket. His eye was still sealed but he could feel its twin close to him.
they couldn’t break their bond
“Can you keep up?” Kakashi asked him.
Obito nodded. His body was still stiff as it gained back the sensibility, but he had survived worse things.
“Good, let’s go.”
Obito followed the sound of Kakashi’s footsteps. Wherever Kakashi was leading him he knew it would not be another road to desperation and emptiness.
When they got out of the prison the air changed. It was fresh and humid. Obito couldn’t feel the heat of the sun but the night breeze touch his dry skin.
They ran for a few miles before Kakashi stopped. He helped Obito to sit on a rock and removed the seal from his eye.
Obito blinked slowly, absorbing his surroundings. The night sky was free of any cloud and the moon was absent. Only the shining stars above them and the quiet sounds of nature kept them company in the third training ground.
Kakashi. . . Stupid sentimental, what the hell was he thinking?
Obito stared at Kakashi who was facing the memorial stone, standing out like a candle in the darkness.
Obito allowed himself to watch the long figure without having to hide like in the past. It was strangely peaceful, so different from the times he had spied on him. Everything went quiet inside Obito’s head.
There was no desperation, no hate, no regrets. No broken flowers.
Just him and Kakashi.
Obito stood up and joined his old teammate.
His name in the memorial hadn’t still been removed. Obito guessed there were other things to think about than old stone slaps.
“The night after you died,” Kakashi started, staring up. “The sky just looked like this. So vast and bright. It wasn’t fair I could see it and you not, even though I had your eye.”
Kakashi looked down. “You know, you were the person who made me care for people again after my father died.”
“Kakashi-”
“And yet I couldn’t do anything for you.”
“You stayed my friend,” Obito said quietly, “even though I had given up on that.”
“I tried to kill you.”
“I didn’t really give you a choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
“Was is it ever so for us?”
Kakashi looked at him and- and he started to chuckle.
Obito froze.
Kakashi’s laugh was soft and crystalline, so real, like nothing he could have imagined. Obito liked it, especially if he was the cause of it. He didn’t want to be the cause of suffering anymore. Kakashi should always be happy and not moping in front of the fake death like all the times Obito had found him here.
Not everything was corrupted in this world, right? There were still things for him to enjoy.
to protect
Kakashi cleared his throat but his eye still looked amused.
“What’s so funny?” Obito asked, his throat feeling dry as sandpaper.
“Oh, well-” Kakashi raised a hand.
Obito didn’t flinch away as Kakashi took one of his long black strands and showed him the white hair tips. A little memory of the Juubi.
“They don’t really suit you,” Kakashi teased.
Obito shrugged. “Never liked the long hair anyway.”
They were Madara’s thing, too complicated for Obito. He always cut the long hair the moment he had a chance.
Kakashi stared at the tip of the strand between his fingers and then let it go. “You have to go.”
Obito blinked. “What?” he whispered.
“You have to use Kamui and get away from here,” Kakashi said. “They are surely looking for you by now.”
“Why are you doing this?”
Kakashi looked away, gaze boringly staring at the trees. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“You will get the village in trouble unless-” Obito cut himself off, eye going wide. Unless Kakashi took the responsibility. “You are truly an idiot if you think I will let you do this.”
“And you are a bigger idiot if you think you can do otherwise,” Kakashi said back. “Don't waste this opportunity.”
Obito closed his fits as old rage started to feel his body, just like when they were kids. But there was nobody to stop their argument now.
“So what about now what I want?!” Obito spat. “What should I do out there?! Help old ladies crossing the streets?”
“You have found the will of fire, didn’t you?” Kakashi said, annoyingly calm.
No, there was nothing for Obito out there. Nothing he could fix with the blood on his hands or with Kakashi’s cheesy words.
“What makes you think I will not do a rampage again, seek revenge?” he asked darkly, taking a step forward.
Kakashi moved his gaze back to him. Dark grey eye and Sharingan stared at Obito. “My fate in you,” he replied, his voice gentle, vulnerable.
Fuck your fate, Obito wanted to say, but not really. Because Kakashi’s trust made him feel things in his belly that he hadn’t felt in a while. Not since he had been a fourteen year old boy.
Hope.
Obito looked down, not able to face what Kakashi was giving to him.
He didn’t deserve this. People like him didn’t deserve second chances, especially at the expense of others.
“Kakashi, I can’t go.”
“Sure you can.”
“You will get in trouble!”
“I will not, I’m a war hero, remember? The Gokage will be kind to me.”
Kakashi was only saying it to reassure him.
“Stop lying!” he snapped, grabbing Kakashi by the collar of his flat jacket. “Stop doing promises you can’t keep!”
Kakashi’s eyes went wide. He grabbed Obito’s arm and tried to push him away but Obito didn’t let him go.
“I won’t let you do this for me, Kakashi!”
Stupid Kakashi had done enough for him and this fucked up world!
“The peace we fought for is at risk if you are here,” Kakashi said, gaze narrowing. “Do it for the village, for Rin, Naruto, just go please.”
Obito huffed, shaking his head. “If you really think I’ll listen to your shit talk-”
“Do it for me,” Kakashi whispered. “I don’t want you to die.”
Obito let go of Kakashi's jacket. This- this wasn’t fair. He shook his head. There was nothing in this world, only Kakashi.
“Kakashi-sensei!”
Kakashi sighed at the call and put a hand on his temple when the three students showed up.
“What are you doing here?” Kakashi questioned them.
“You did a breakout,” Sasuke pointed out. “Everyone is looking for him.”
“Don’t talk like I’m not here,” Obito chided but Sasuke did not dignify him with an answer.
“I know what you are thinking, Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura broke in, “but you can’t take the responsibility for Obito.”
“Good finally someone who thinks straight,” Obito uttered.
Naruto was strangely quiet. He had a deep frown on his face and a hand under his chin. His eyes were almost closed as he thought deeply about something Obito didn’t trust.
“Ne, Sensei, don’t you have a lot of days of vacation?”
Kakashi blinked. “Hu?”
“I remember Lady Tsunade complain a lot about it, I’m sure you can go on a very long vacation.”
A compromise.
“You heard him, come with me,” Obito turned to Kakashi who had a confused dumb face.
“What?”
“I’ll not go if you don’t.” Obito raised his hand. “Come with me, Kakashi.”
Kakashi's gaze softened. He raised his arm, going for Obito’s hand but then he let it go slack against his side and shook his head.
“I can’t,” Kakashi whispered. “Naruto- the others and Gai. I can’t leave them behind.”
Obito felt inside him withering because he didn’t have any place anymore in Kakashi's heart.
“But Gai-sensei is not alone,” Naruto jumped up. “We and the village will be fine!”
“Come on Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura intervened. “It’s not like you are gone forever.”
Obito met Kakashi's gaze, his hand was still raised, offering two fingers to him.
please
Kakashi stared at his hand, eyes inscrutable. He then looked at his students and shot them one of his smiles at them.
“Well, then see you later kids.”
He looked back at Obito and took his hand. It was warm.
Obito felt warm. He smiled and together with Kakashi he activated Kamui and they were gone.
“So, you are telling me Kakashi decided to take a vacation?”
Naruto nodded eagerly while Sakura avoided her gaze. The Uchiha boy was leaning against the wall like this discussion didn’t involve him.
“Well, then.”
Tsunade stood up and took the Hokage hat laying abandoned on the desk.
The three kids stared at her quietly as she walked around the desk and stopped in front of Naruto.
“Congratulation, Naruto,” she said, putting the wide hat on the blonde head. “You are Hokage now.”
Tsunade enjoyed the shocked expression of the brat and then walked out.
She was done with this shit! She will let Naruto and his peers resolve this new world crisis. Kakashi wasn’t the only one who needed a vacation.
Obito opened his eye.
It was almost morning.
He looked around and found Kakashi on the beach. He was staring at the sea.
Obito walked to him and sat beside him. Hands close, finger brushing. Together they watched the start of a new day.