Kakashi hadn't been particularly excited to find out who his soulmate was, but he'd been a bit curious about it as he got closer to his eighteenth birthday. Even then, it didn't mean he'd know who it was right away. The mark that appeared represented the bond he had with his soulmate. His soulmate's would complete the story his told. Some marks were obvious they went together, others took some time to find out.
Kakashi hadn't been too eager about it, though, actually he was more anxious about it than anything else. What if his soulmate was dead? He didn't think he was being irrational about it. He'd grown up in war and had seen friend after friend die. His generation was already broken, dozens of people had lost their soulmates before they'd even met them. It was a reality he didn't want to face. To lose another important person, the important person. He didn't know if he could handle it.
He also had this fear that his soulmate would be disappointed to find out they were bonded to Kakashi. Besides a few friends, Kakashi wasn't well liked. He still had the tittle of Friend Killer hanging over his head even after years had passed. He wasn't sociable and he kept even his closest friends at arm's length. He was awkward and had trouble expressing his feelings even when he wanted to. He isolated himself from the world with nylon fabric. Who would want someone like that as a soulmate?
When 2:33 AM passed by on September 15th, Kakashi held his breath in anticipation and pulled up his sleeve. What he saw caused a sinking feeling in his stomach and he didn't think he'd ever been more disappointed. On his forearm was a square that had been cut into dozens of jagged pieces. They were still held together like a puzzle but Kakashi couldn't see any optimistic interpretation from it. Broken. Shattered. That's what it was, what he was.
Kakashi yanked his sleeve back down in disgust, feeling nauseous, and laid back down in his bed. He buried his face in his pillow and tried to not think about what it meant, willing himself to go to sleep. His soulmate had either already or was going to hurt him. Whether it was emotionally or physically didn't really matter, but he hoped for the latter. He wondered what he had done in his past life to deserve all the traumas and tragedies in his life.
Fate was cruel, he decided, and put any romantic ideas of soulmates out of his head. He didn't want a soulmate that was destined to break his heart.
"I'm sorry, Kakashi," Obito whispered to him barely audible as they laid on the soft spring grass.
Kakashi glanced at him, his heart doing that familiar twist every time Obito apologized, and sighed. "Obito, you've apologized enough. I've told you again and again that I've forgiven you."
It had been something of a miracle to find out Obito was alive, a cruel miracle at first. It'd been shocking and painful. The reunion was filled with tragedy and betrayal. But eventually forgiveness and a happiness Kakashi hadn't realized he'd been waiting for it. It was like a weight had been taken off his shoulders and it was so relieving.
He'd done everything he could with the help of Naruto so Obito wouldn't face the death punishment. It'd been a lot of work and a lot of low hopes and doubts. But Obito had gotten away with being sentenced to ten years in prison and for his chakra to be sealed for the remainder of his life. Kakashi had worried what that would do to Obito, if it would make him bitter and a part of the old him would come back. But it didn't. Obito had been ever grateful for a second chance and had a smile on his face every time Kakashi had come to visit him.
He'd been out for a few months now, slowly adjusting to his new life. Kakashi spent as much time with him as possible like he was trying to make up for lost time. Obito was like a gift that had been given to him for all the hell he'd lived through since he was a child. He didn't want to waste it. Obito didn't mind either, so Kakashi sought him out whenever he was free from his Hokage duties.
Like today he'd found him watching the clouds, reminding him of Shikamaru. Kakashi had joined him, comfortable to lay with him in silence. Obito was a usually happy person, something Kakashi wondered if all was an act sometimes. Especially, when he'd have his relapses and apologize to him for all the pain he'd caused. Like now.
Obito closed his eyes like he was in pain and Kakashi watched him swallow a lump in his throat. When he opened them, he looked at Kakashi nervously and sat up. "It's not about that."
"Then, what is it?" Kakashi looked at him worriedly as Obito tried to find his words.
He didn't meet Kakashi's eyes as he spoke, his stare fixated on a blade of grass. "I-I don't know if you already knew or if you've figured it out, but I, uh…" He trailed off and then silently held his arm out to Kakashi with his sleeve rolled up.
Kakashi stared at the hammer etched on his arm, his fingers coming up to trace over the lines. Obito finally looked at him, watching him with a nervous expression. But Kakashi wasn't looking at his face, his eyes glued in wonder at the mark on Obito's arm. He felt a warmth rush through him when he touched it, his own mark burning not unpleasantly on his own arm. He felt himself smiling under his mask.
He'd always been scared to finally face his soulmate, their mark. But that it was Obito with an innocent hammer was fitting, comforting in a way. Kakashi thought it was perfect and when he looked up at Obito's tearful eyes, he didn't feel any fear, only peace.
"It's a hammer, Kakashi," Obito spoke with a crack in his voice and he tore his eyes away from Kakashi. "I-I broke you. Your mark is a shattered square. I've seen it. How – what kind of soulmate am I to cause you so much pain? How could you – you must hate me and I don't blame you."
Kakashi let his hand fall to slip into Obito's interlocking his fingers with Obito's shaking ones. "Mah, Obito, you know hammers also fix things. They build homes and put broken pieces back together."
Obito looked back at him confused. "What?"
Kakashi met his eyes with a warm smile that he knew Obito would be able to see through the mask. "If you think you've broken me, then just put me back together."
Obito stared at him for a moment in surprise and Kakashi tugged on his hand to pull him on top of him. Obito let go of his hand and wrapped his arms beneath Kakashi. Kakashi had never felt so close to a person before than with Obito's head lying on his chest.
He brought his hand up to comb through Obito's short dark hair and Obito hugged him tighter. He didn't know if he was crying, but if he wasn't he sounded like he was on the verge of it, when he repeated, "I'm sorry."
Kakashi kissed his scared face and told him, "Mah, I said it's alright. I'll even help you find the nails."
Obito laughed and sighed, "Okay."