AN: Happy New Year! Wanted to give you a big juicy update on this fic. Received quite a negative review on another story recently, and last year experienced some homophobic trolling and people telling me my work is 'shit' etc so if you do like my work and how I choose to write / interpret characters please let me know! Not that I am fishing for compliments, but I do like to hear from people who enjoy my fics. After all fanfics are supposed to be fun to work on, ne?

Chapter 10

"O- Obito-sama," Kakashi whispered, his voice cracking. Their eyes were locked, both held a wealth of emotion, both watering with suppressed tears at their predicament; Obito was ashamed at how his clan were treating Kakashi, and Kakashi ashamed of what he had become.

Kakashi wanted nothing more than to lean into Obito's body which was kneeling next him. The Uchiha's hand was still on his shoulder, and the other moved to cradle his delicate, bleeding ones.

"You're bleeding…" he stated as if Kakashi hadn't noticed.

"It's OK… Obito-sama…"

Obito didn't even realise as his chest inched towards Kakashi's crouched figure, his grip on his shoulder tightening. He felt an almost overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around the boy and pull him close, to tell him that everything would be OK.

Except it wouldn't. They both knew that. But neither wanted to face it in that moment as their eyes stayed locked. For those few moment's it was as if it were only the two of them in the room.

And for Kakashi, it seemed, all good things must come to an end.

"Obito!" Fugaku snapped. "What the hell do you think you are doing? Get back to your place at once and finish your breakfast!"

"B- but Fugaku-sama, Hatake-san-" Obito blushed at being addressed in such a way in front of all his peers and family; in front of Kakashi.

"What did you just call him? Drop the honorifics Obito- no wonder the Hatake brat has delusions of grandeur still and has served appallingly this morning. You will address him in a way that's appropriate between master and servant. Don't you dare give him any ideas that he is above his station. Now step away from him and finish your food."

Obito frowned, torn between shrinking back from his Uncle's aggressiveness and taking a defiant stance. Being one who had always found it hard to follow the rules, he took the latter. "But he needs medical-"

"Enough! I won't ask you again! If your parents could see you now they would be embarrassed. Thank kami they didn't survive long enough to see you become so insolent. My brother younger would have hated to think of his only son behaving in such a way, speaking back to his elders. Is this how you thank the uncle that took you in, by disrespecting him?"

Obito stood, looking at the floor in his sudden guilt, embarrassment and shame, and not meeting Kakashi's- or anyone else's- eyes any more. But that meant he also missed the looks directed at him. Most were curious, questioning, a few pitying… but there was one gaze that was so intense it was a wonder that Obito didn't notice it: Itachi's glare was frosty and burning at the same time. Only Kakashi, and couldn't quite suppress a shudder.

"…no Uncle. I- I apologise for disrespecting you in your home."

"Good."

Obito made his way back to his place eyes cast down.

"Now, as for you," Fugaku growled, glaring at the source of his nephew's disobedience. "Get yourself out of here, you have caused enough trouble for one morning. The girl in the kitchen will help patch you up before you serve us again tonight- oh and try not to disappoint me again, or you will find yourself punished most severely."

Kakashi let the blood pool in his hands so it didn't drip onto the no doubt priceless tatami. "Yes, Uchiha-sama."

However as he rose and headed towards Ebisu, another voice interrupted.

"But I'm still thirsty," Itachi said, quietly, but firmly, leaving little doubt as to what he wanted.

"One of the girls can pour," Fugaku snapped.

"I want Hatake to do it."

Where there had been quiet chatter building up once more, the table fell silent again at this. Everyone, including Fugaku, was astonished at the sullen, silent heir's behaviour. Fugaku considered his son's words for a moment. If it had been anyone else, even his younger son Sasuke, he would denied their request and scolded them. But he rarely denied his heir anything. Fugaku was a man who showed little affection for his family as he was naturally quite stern, but he swelled with pride when he looked upon his eldest son. The boy was very studious, strong and talented, a worthy heir. And the fact that he rarely asked for anything made him want to give in and dote on him when he did.

So he waved his hand towards Ebisu. "Pass the brat a cloth and get him to finish what he started."

Obito bristled. Once again it's one rule for Itachi, the precious oh-so-perfect heir, and another for him.

So, with the cloth in his hands turning crimson, Kakashi picked up another jug and poured for Itachi, the last Uchiha he had to serve that morning.

Kakashi wondered why on earth the teenager couldn't just let him go, hadn't he suffered enough today already?

However as he approached Itachi and poured, Shisui leaned away slightly from the pair. Kakashi was trying not to wince from the pain of supporting the jug with his cut hands and leaned forwards. That is when he heard it, Itachi's deep intake of breath followed by… was that a sigh? It was so quiet and subtle, Kakashi doubted anyone else had heard it, in fact even he wondered if he imagined it. It's not like Itachi had made any sort of movement towards him. But then he noticed Obito watching them with concern in his warm eyes. He looked guarded, worried, but he said nothing more that morning, knowing it was pointless to antagonise his uncle any further.

Not long after Kakashi sat just outside the doors of the kitchen, while a young girl washed his hands, before dabbing at them with some sort of home remedy disinfectant she had made; it stung, but from the smell Kakashi guessed it worked. Her name was Sakura like the blossoms and her pink hair, and she was said to be skilled with herbs, medicines and remedies. She mostly helped with cooking and in the gardens growing plants, but she was trusted enough to help as a basic medic before a doctor was called. As the Uchiha rarely paid for their servants to be seen by a professional, she acted as unofficial nurse to the other servants. It was said she had even helped deliver some of Fugaku's illegitimate children. Which was fortunate for her as her sheer usefulness kept Fugaku from seeking her out, as it would have been frustrating for such a resourceful and knowledgeable servant from falling pregnant. Therefore Ebisu tried to keep her out of sight from the other men.

All this was very impressive for a serving girl of only fifteen. Kakashi concluded that she must be a natural with plants and herbs, and biology. He also felt a stab of pity. Despite her skills, as a servant she would never be able to train as a nurse to work with the various male doctor's in their practices. They usually reserved that role for their own daughters, wives and other female relatives. Like Kakashi, Sakura must have no one left to have taken her in. She had been bred into her role as servant from an early age.

As she dipped her cloth back in and repeated her actions on Kakashi's other hand, he couldn't help but hiss.

"Sorry, Hatake-san," she muttered.

"It's OK," he muttered back.

Just then they heard the sudden scurry and light thumps that could only mean the other servants had stopped what they what they were doing to bow to a superior. Kakashi groaned- the only question was who.

But he needn't have worried. It was Obito who stepped out from the kitchen, expression full of concern. Kakashi felt his stomach do a little flip, despite the sting in hands.

"Kakashi," the Uchiha said as moved to sit beside him and took his hands into his own, palms up to look at the damage. Tenderly he stroked with thumb over one of the cuts. He stopped when he remembered that Sakura was still there and dismissed her to the kitchens for a few moments. "I'm sorry. For everything."

"I know. But you can't keep being sorry. None of this is your fault. You're not responsible for what your uncle does."

Obito's eyes darkened as he recalled the jokes made about Kakashi being summoned to his uncle's rooms last night. Those feelings startling bubbling inside him again and before he could ponder what they were, the words burning his tongue tumbled out. "Did my uncle really summon you to his rooms?"

Kakashi looked away, cheeks burning with humiliation and shame. "Yes." It was so quiet Obito barely heard it.

His face scrunched with the anguish he felt for Kakashi. Unintentionally his hands gripped the younger man's tighter. When Kakashi flinched with the pain, Obito realised what he was doing and let go.

"Sorry," he said again, quickly. "Sorry. I- Kakashi, I-" Obito felt tongue tied, unsure if he should proceed with his next question. "Did he…"

Kakashi's face was burning. "Not in the way that you're thinking… It seems once again I am safe from that fate."

"Ah," Obito said, his mind whirling with more questions even as relief flooded him. However Kakashi's ambiguous answer made him want to learn more. He felt responsible for Kakashi somehow.

"O- Obito-sama, please don't concern yourself with me. I have gotten you into enough trouble with Uchiha-sama already."

"But, Kakashi, I am concerned. I didn't want it to be this way-"

Kakashi's gaze softened. "I know. And I appreciate all you have tried to do for me. But I am beyond saving now, even for another Uchiha."

Obito looked at Kakashi sadly, ashamed that he couldn't save him. "If there is anything you need… I'm not promising anything but… I mean if you can find me alone I can try to help…"

Despite how low he was feeling, Kakashi managed to give Obito a small but genuine smile. "Thank you."

Seeing Kakashi uncovered face smiling just for him turned Obito's cheeks slightly pink. After a few moments, Obito regretfully couldn't think of another reason to stay, so he said his goodbyes to Kakashi and left before Ebisu or Zabuza could find him.

Sakura returned to her task of healing Kakashi's hands after she saw the Lord leave. She watched Kakashi, who seemed a bit dazed (in a good way), suspiciously for a while.

"It must have been important for Uchiha-sama to come to the servant's work space to find you."

"Huh? Oh yeah…"

"Obito's never been the type to seek out a servant for anything, even to help him with a chore. Always rather modest in comparison to the others. Probably because-"

The girl stopped abruptly, realising that she was saying too much. Damn her preference for gossip! She had been warned before by some of the older women to treat carefully or she would get herself in trouble. But gossiping was one of the few pleasures a servant had, and they certainly didn't have anything exciting happening to them, so they often tended to live through the families they served.

Kakashi's interest had been peaked however at her sudden silence. "Because…?"

Sakura watched the silver haired man, contemplating him. She supposed he was one of them now. Oh, what the hell, he would soon see for himself anyway. She glanced around before lowering her voice. "Because Uchiha Fugaku-sama has often tended to treat him as if he were second class Uchiha anyway, even though he took him into his own home as an orphaned child."

"I see." Kakashi said, thinking. "Well I had noticed that he seemed… different from his Uchiha peers even before my arrival here. I used to look down on him… but now…"

"Now?"

"Well, I only admire him."

Sakura smiled. "Yes, he can have that effect on us servants. The other Uchiha mock him and some even despise him for his clumsiness and what they see as a lack of talent. But I think even Uchiha Fugaku-sama knows that he is just a late bloomer and quite headstrong. That is why he trusts Obito-sama with important jobs. That and he knows Obito-sana will always be grateful to him and feel in his debt. But since the incident with Lady Nohara, he has been hurting, and the others range from teasing to contemptuous."

"Ah, the rejected marriage proposal."

"Yep. It hit Obito hard I think. He must have really loved her. Especially considering he is the only-"

Again she stopped, as if frightened she had said too much.

"Please go on, Sakura. Your observations are safe with me."

She took a bit longer to come around this time, which is how Kakashi knew he was learning the greater secrets and gossip. "You were called to Uchiha-sama's rooms yesterday, so you know what he is like? What most men of this world are like in all households who hold power and status?" She left it unsaid that she hoped he hadn't been like that when in a position of privilege, but doubted it.

Kakashi settled for just nodding.

"Well, you should know. Obito-sama has never been one of them. In fact not once can anyone here ever recall his… experimenting shall we see, even when he turned from boy to man. He left all of us alone when his peers did not. They say the moment he set eyes on Nohara Rin he fell in love, and saved himself just for her. But now… now his heart has been broken. Yet he still hasn't looked to us or even a brothel girl to warm his bed. He must truly be suffering."

"Obito…" Kakashi muttered, lost in his thoughts. Kakashi had also never shown an interest in taking pleasure from others born lower than him, but not for the same reasons. He had only been striving to get better, become stronger and make his father proud. Partly because he hated the way people would look at him without his mask, like he was a pretty boy not to be taken seriously. He had been sorely focussed on proving himself as a warrior.

Obito though… his heart is what kept him going. Or had until it had been broken. Whoever this Nohara girl was, Kakashi was surprised she could so coldly turn down someone as passionate and caring as Obito.

Kakashi wished there was something he could do to help, but only time and distance could fix Obito's ailment.