Luck
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
It was probably going to rain. Thunder rumbled high in the coal gray sky; lightning flashed in the heavens. Rain hung in the humid air.
"You know, I really do hate the rain," Kurenai murmured absently, twirling a kunai in her hands.
"I've gathered," Obito answered. Suddenly, he grinned evilly at her. "Sand princess."
Kurenai cast a small smile in response, then fell back to silence; Obito was the only person she didn't mind referencing her birth in Sunagakure. They sat atop an apartment building in downtown Konoha, two sets of long, slightly gangly legs hanging off the sides.
Kurenai twitched at her red sleeves and Obito tried not to look at her. Apart from Asuma, Obito was her oldest friend in Konoha, and the meetings on top of buildings was just one of many traditions in their long, bizarre routine.
Obito had helped Kurenai integrate into Konoha life far more than Asuma or the family that had "adopted" her, the family that didn't know what to make of her and were rarely home at any rate, ever had, and he had put six months into doggedly teaching Kurenai the basics of taijutsu so if she was ever stuck in a physical fight she'd actually be able to defend herself.
Kurenai, for her part, was attempting to do the impossible and prove that yes, Uchiha Obito could perform halfway decent genjutsu. It was an ongoing battle.
"You've got a mission tomorrow, don't you?" Kurenai's voice never broke, though the tension in her limbs was immediate, and Kurenai's twitching hands went from her sleeve to her thick, coarse flak jacket.
They were both outcasts, Kurenai for her status as a foreigner and Obito for the fact that he was an Uchiha who just didn't seem to get it together. And for some reason, no one could quite figure out why they were such close friends.
Obito started a little bit, at her soft, quiet voice breaking the silence, then looked at her. Kurenai's thick, wild hair was fluttering like some ripped banner over her face, her crimson eyes half-lidded. "Umm, yeah. We're going to blow up the Kannabi Bridge in Tsuchi no Kuni. It's pretty straightforward; we should be back in a couple of days. Why?"
Her red lips parted in a small sigh; Obito prodded the back of her hand, and was amazed to find the skin there warm. He'd always expected Kurenai's skin to be cold. "Kurenai-chan?"
Kurenai's glazed eyes snapped back to reality; she dug into her jacket and came out with a pair of orange-lensed goggles. She smiled shyly. "You smashed your goggles on your last mission. I bought you another pair."
Obito beamed as the thunder tried to remind themselves of its presence. "Gee, thanks Kurenai!"
She smiled, her face for once completely unguarded, a sweet smile with her eyes closed and crinkled upwards. It was a nice smile, Obito thought, his grin turning somewhat foolish as her hair hit his face.
Then he remembered something. "Say, Kurenai, when I get back, can we go over that genjutsu technique again?"
The moment passed, and Kurenai's eyes opened. Her face fell, fell back into what it normally was, a smooth, pale mask, and Obito felt the day grow slightly darker. "Sure," she murmured a bit breathlessly. "Sure."
A large plop of rain hit the concrete roof. Then another. The humid air shifted and wind blew rich and hot across their faces. Kurenai stood up like a spring, her legs, bare from the knee down, stiff and tense. "I've gotta go inside," she said unnecessarily. "I don't like being rained on."
Obito nodded. "Sure. I'll be inside in a couple of minutes."
Her lips quirked. "'Kay. Just…" Kurenai looked away, then met his gaze again, her piercing crimson eyes clouded. "Just…promise me you'll come back."
Standing up, Obito smiled sadly. The quavering note to her deep, smooth voice was all too familiar. "I'll be alright, Kurenai-chan." A weak, quivering smile replaced sad. "Heh, anyone would think I was a walking bull's-eye or something, the way you go on."
Kurenai tried to smile, but Obito realized she was just biting down hard on her lip. Then without warning, she put a hand on the back of his neck, jerked his head down and pressed her lips against his cheek.
"What was that for?!" Obito exclaimed squeakily, feeling his face go ten different shades of scarlet, rubbing his cheek.
Kurenai just shot an inscrutable look at him. "Luck," she told him absently, before disappearing back inside.
Obito stared at the patch of concrete Kurenai had stood on for a few seconds, his heart pounding. Swallowing, he muttered,
"I've never much believed in luck."