xii.
chapter twelve - in my heart there's a hole
In a couple of months, the joint-training program was due to end. I was surprised it wasn't being cut short due to everything going on outside the villages, but I wasn't going to complain. More time in Konoha, meant more free time for me to focus on honing my skills.
Today was my day off from the Academy, which I spent training my tree-walking until I physically wasn't able to anymore. My legs and arms were sore from dangling off the tree for a period of time; hopefully they would feel a bit better after a short nap, and then I'd start training my water-walking some more.
As it was, I was content to doze on the branch I was dangling off of, one of my legs was left hanging— swaying back and forth as I rested.
Just as I was about to drift away, I felt an incoming chakra signature heading determinedly towards me. Cracking an eye open, I could see Obito's form racing my way.
"Kyo! There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you!" Was what the Uchiha decided to greet me with.
"Have you?" I asked drolly, unmoving from my relaxed position.
"Yes!" Obito squawked back up at me.
"What's up?"
Obito stared at me for a few more seconds, waiting to see if I would remove myself from my branch or not. When I didn't he sighed dramatically before joining me in the tree. Plopping down beside me, I allowed him to collapse against my smaller frame, making me grunt at the impact.
"So fat…"
"Hey!" Obito immediately whined. "This is all muscle, I'll have you know."
"Sure." I rolled my eyes with a smirk. I laid there helplessly as Obito showed no signs of moving, rather content with using me as a makeshift pillow. "What did you want me for?"
"Oh, yeah!" The Uchiha shot up, a grin on his face. "Well, you see—"
"Just ask me."
"Okay, okay. So, Rin-chan agreed to train with me one-on-one but—"
"But?"
"But she already agreed to babysit her neighbor's kid. So, I was thinking…"
"Ew, fuck no."
"Kyo, please!"
"No, kids are annoying and gross."
"You're a kid!"
"I'm not a civilian."
"Kyo, come on. You know how hard it is for me to convince Rin-chan to train with me! Let alone it just being the two of us..."
"Maybe that's a sign in itself."
Obito shut his mouth, looking decidingly hurt at my comment. He sat up, turning away from me so that he could stare silently at the ground. I pulled myself up as well, a frown on my face. I didn't really want to apologize for saying the truth, but... that didn't necessarily mean I had wanted to intentionally make him feel bad, either.
"Fine, I'll help out," I relented, sliding myself over to sit directly beside him. Obito perked up at my words, but still seemed a little unsure of himself. Sighing, I playfully push against his shoulder. "I know how much you like Nohara, but I know you're not blind to the way she treats you, sometimes."
A frown returned to Obito's face. "You may not like her, but that doesn't mean—"
"My feelings towards her won't affect my judgement, don't worry," I deadpanned. "I'm just telling you like I see it; and that's exactly how I see it. Nohara can be nice, but when it comes to Kakashi it's clear where her bias lies."
Once again Obito was struck silent for a moment, and for a second I felt bad. It was something that had to be said, though, and I was honestly getting pretty annoyed with the pedestal Obito put Rin on. It was too high up for her, she was more than undeserving. It was wasted on her.
"Obito—"
"I know," the Uchiha stopped me, his voice soft and quiet. "I know, but I keep thinking it'll change if I get better; if I get stronger than stupid Bakashi."
I wanted to ask if that's why he struggled to get along with Kakashi, but I knew the answer was a hard no. Kakashi was just a massive prick; they'd get along just fine if he didn't snub Obito so much.
"And how's that going for you?"
"Well," Obito smiled sheepishly, and I was relieved to see a somewhat happy expression on his face again. "Nowhere..."
I hummed, swinging my legs back and forth. "Think about it." Then with a sigh, I rolled my neck and stood up on the branch before brushing off my shorts. Holding out a hand for Obito, I asked, "So, what brat am I watching?"
Obito grinned, eagerly taking my hand and letting me pull him up. "Just follow me! We might wanna hurry though, I'm kinda late…"
"Wow."
xxx
The toddler placed under my care was thankfully not too much trouble. She was an independent tot, and liked to sleep when she wasn't smashing her toys together. Rin wasn't all too pleased at Obito's late arrival, but honestly I was surprised no one had gotten used to it yet.
It had been four hours since the two genin left, and the sun was now down; the evening ready to set in. Rin's neighbors were just now getting back, as well. They were confused at first that Rin wasn't the one greeting them, but they relaxed a little after remembering she had said she'd have to leave prematurely and that a friend would be taking over for her.
I relaxed, too, happy I didn't have to deal with the potential mess that Rin could've just made. Imagine coming home to find a stranger inside instead of the babysitter, who never mentioned needing to leave early…
'Thank god Rin is responsible, at least.'
I refused the payment they tried to give me, and left with an exhausted sag in my shoulders. I barely had to interact with the kid, but I still found myself drained from the few times I did have to talk to her.
I was not even a few steps away from the house when Obito rounded the corner, his walk just as tired looking as my own.
"Kyo! I'm glad I could catch you—" he greeted me happily, despite how worn out he looked. "Want some ramen? My treat."
I cocked my head to the side curiously. "Sure… Where's Rin? Is she coming, too?"
Obito shook his head. "I didn't ask. She looked pretty tired after we finished training."
I raised a brow. 'That's pretty considerate coming from a blockhead like him. Usually, he'd have asked anyway just on the off chance she said yes.' Maybe my words had really gotten to him after all.
"Huh, okay."
Obito helpfully lead me out of the neighborhood and toward the ramen stand he frequented. I was grateful, because I would have attempted to go the opposite way.
Sitting down, the owner greeted us with a warm smile. Used to our routine, he waited for Obito to order for both of us before setting to work. His wife wasn't here to help out tonight, so he apologized for the wait. We told him we didn't mind, and talked to occupy ourselves.
When our ramen was finally served, I decided to go ahead and ask the question that had been deteriorating my mind.
"How did your training go?"
Obito only paused for a second before continuing to scarf down his ramen.
"Me, and Rin-chan…" he began after he swallowed, rubbing at the broth on his mouth with his sleeve, "—I think we'll be good friends."
"Friends, hm?"
Obito sighed. "Yeah." With a sad smile he added, "I know she'll be a good one."
'The first heartbreak is always the hardest.' I tried to give him a comforting smile, leaning over to bump my shoulder with his affectionately. "Friends are a good thing to have."
"Hah," Obito snorted and leaned into my shoulder. With a cheeky look, he said, "You don't have to tell me that."
"A reminder never killed anyone." I grinned back.
Time seemed to blend together, and my trip to Konoha felt endless. I was used to living with a repetitive routine. Train, go to the Academy, spend time with Shizune and Co. or Team Seven… then, there was the highlight of my week: receiving my letters from Suna.
Only, my letters were becoming fewer and fewer. Murai still wrote to me, and occasionally Chiyo when she was able. Sasori and Komushi, however, had left me with radio silence. It was starting to bug me, and with the war escalating, it made me worried. So, I wrote to Chiyo in the hopes she was aware of whatever the fuck was going on… It took a week for the letters to go back and forth, so seven days went by before I heard back from her.
I sat alone beneath a tree in one of the various grounds as I opened the letter to read it's contents.
My dearest Kyojin, this is your Obaa-sama writing to you.
I'm happy to hear your training is going well, and that you've adapted to the climate over there. The distance between you and us still worries me, especially since you are surrounded by the Konoha dogs. They may be our allies, now, but I will never forgive them or that damned White Fang.
On to other things, I have some news for you. This isn't something I wanted to tell you in a letter, but I think it would've been worse for you to return home and see what was missing.
My heart stopped in my chest. 'What was missing? What does that mean?' Clenching my jaw, I began to read on.
This happened weeks ago, and I thought Sasori would be the one to tell you. However, it looks to me as if he's decided to throw himself into the ongoing war. He's made a name for himself you know? They call him Sasori of the Red Sand. Sounds stupid to me, but to each their own.
I'm going off topic again.
Before Sasori was sent out, Komushi-kun was attacked during a border patrol mission and lost his arm. He managed to survive, and Sasori even created a prosthetic limb for him; a marvelous feat that I'm certainly proud of! Everything was well, until Sasori was sent away to fight. Komushi-kun accidentally consumed one of the poisons Sasori had in his room, and later died from it a week after receiving his arm.
Your brother didn't find out until several weeks ago, and hasn't been home since. When he is back in the village, he refuses to enter his room and has practically moved into yours. I don't know what to do; he won't talk to me. I hope he doesn't blame himself for Komushi's death, it was accidental. I did everything I could to save him, but nothing could be done without an antidote.
I don't want this to affect your training, and it's not safe for you to return right now. Focus on finishing out the training program, and we can figure out where to go next once you return home. Continue to write to Sasori, because I know he reads your letters— even if he doesn't reply to you.
Stay strong, my grandson. Until we meet again.
Chiyo
I sat unmoving in the shade of the tree, a crumpled piece of paper in my hand.
xxx
I was unsure how long I sat there, but Jin was the one that found me, snapping her fingers in front of my face to bring me back to attention. Though annoying, it worked just as well.
"There you are," she said simply, as if I hadn't been missing for the entire day. "Where have you been?"
"Nowhere," I quietly mumbled. Staring at the letter in my hands, I finally decided to fold it and return it to my pocket. The envelope it came in was nowhere to be seen, probably blown away by the wind during my daze. Jin watched silently as I stood up and began to walk back to the village.
Her piercing eyes stayed glued to the pocket I put my letter in, but I pretended not to notice.
We walked back towards the hotel in silence, and I could tell Jin wanted to ask me questions. I wasn't in the state of mind to give answers, though. I was still trying to process— my thoughts racing over one another and eventually turning into a jumbled mess I couldn't even comprehend.
'It's just another death. Another loss. You're used to this, it just hasn't happened in awhile in this life. Think of dad, think of mom, think of Max. Dead.'
"Hey," Jin was snapping her fingers in my face again. "We're here."
Slowly blinking, I looked around to see the door to our hotel room.
"Right," I said, unlocking the door and stepping inside. Jin once again just stared at me.
I brushed past her and headed to my packed bags, gathering some items so I could take a shower. I shoved my pocketed letter into a random spot before leaving for the bathroom, avoiding Jin's curious gaze the entire time.
xxx
Once again time evaded me. It felt like I stood in the shower for days, but when I returned back to the room Jin was exactly where I left her: sitting on the end of her bed and staring right at me.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
I shrugged, drying my hair with the towel draped around my shoulders. Silently, I sat down beside my orange-haired friend, and all at once it felt like my throat was constricting. "I—" the words got caught in my throat, "I don't even know. There's just…" I bent over, holding the towel against my head. Water dripped off of my hair and onto my knees. I did all I could to control myself, staring intently at the damp circlets the water had made on my sweatpants. "...So much. There's so much."
Taking a deep breath, I sat back up and faced Jin. She appeared unphased, but I knew better by the pout of her lip. She was concerned, but unfamiliar with how to handle it.
I smiled tightly. "It's okay, I just…" I trailed off, feeling a wave of pain again. Shaking my head I got up to retrieve the letter from my bag. "Let me just show you."
xxx
A couple days later, I tried my best to focus on what was going on around me. I felt numb to Komushi's death, but the consequences of it left me anxious.
'Sasori could defect. He could defect and there's nothing I can do about it from here.'
There was nothing I could do about Komushi; my past life taught me not to dwell too long on those you lost along the way— or you'd soon be next, caught up in your grief. So, what ailed me wasn't his unfortunate loss. It was Sasori; and trying to prevent his death while being stuck and powerless.
I followed my usual routine, unaware of what was happening around me. I interacted with others when I needed to, but it didn't feel like I was in control. It felt like I had left my body, and it was acting on autopilot.
During our classes, I could feel Shizune watching me with concern; and though I wasn't as close to the rest of her circle, I was sure they were also staring at me. Nothing was said, however, and I was thankful for it. Shizune may have opened up to me about her worries and wishes, but I wasn't ready to do the same with someone I had just met— no matter how kind and sweet and she had been.
I was content to just continue the rest of my trip through a daze, but it seemed those around me weren't as willing to let that happen.
When I was at the Academy, Shizune stayed by my side, talking quietly beside me and telling me about her day. Sometimes the others joined us, though they were a bit more awkward when trying to handle… a seemingly comatose person. They did their best, however, but weren't as consistent as Shizune.
Outside of the Academy, Jin was usually with me— constantly snapping her damn fingers in my face, forcing me back to reality.
And when Jin wasn't there, Team Seven was. Their appearances were always coincidental it seemed like; they arrived to train on the training grounds I was using, or I came across them while they were working on a D-Rank.
Sometimes I'd get wrapped up into their training (Minato really was too kind to include me on his student's whims), and other times I'd be invited to meet with them afterwards. Obito was the one giving the invitation more often than not, but no one complained about my presence so I assumed it was okay… Not that I really cared if I was wanted or not; I had other things to concern myself with.
On one such day that Jin wasn't available to hang around me, I found myself on a random training field. I stayed there the entire day, training my taijutsu and punching the wooden dummies until my hands began to bleed.
I finished my training with one final chakra-infused blow, screaming my frustrations into the now darkened sky as I broke the wooden dummy to pieces. Panting, I slumped to the ground, paying my wounded knuckles no mind. I didn't care; I didn't feel anything.
I focused on my breathing; in and out, in and out.
Suddenly the forest around me became vast and haunting. There was an eerie feeling that it brought; a feeling that I knew all too well. Living life in constant terror; never feeling safe. At least until you accidentally slipped up and got too comfortable… Then, you died.
My back straightened, my shoulders tensed, and my eyes widened— on high alert.
'Any moment now. Any moment now those monsters will come stumbling through and they'll— They'll—'
"Kyo? Is that you? WHAAH—?!" Obito screamed, barely dodging a rock I flung at his head. "K-Kyo, what the heck!?"
'It's just Obito. Obito Uchiha. My friend. I'm not there anymore; those monsters don't exist here.'
"Damn it…" I groaned, hiding my face in my hands.
Obito made a noise of confusion, shuffling on his feet awkwardly. "Kyo, are you okay?" He asked as he approached me. "What are you doing out here?"
I took a deep breath, and continued to keep my face hidden; still trying to gain control after the momentary lapse I had just experienced. "I should be asking you that."
The Uchiha huffed, rolling his eyes and sat himself down next to me. "Your little friend asked me to help find you. We're not fancy sensors like you and can't act as a radar for other people, you know; we actually have to look."
"Jin?" I asked, completely ignoring Obito's snark, much to his disappointment.
"Is that her name? I forgot. Anyways, what's up?" He paused, mouth suddenly falling open like a fish. "Kyo! What happened to your hands?!" Obito's hands hovered over my own, wanting to grab them, but also not wanting to hurt me as he frantically fussed over the smeared blood all over my knuckles.
"Just training," I sighed, putting my hands out of his sight.
Obito frowned, his eyebrows drawing together as he looked me up and down. I sat silently, trying not to give him even an inch of my attention; I just wanted him to go away. I wanted to be alone.
"Okay, then," muttered Obito. He made himself comfortable beside me. "Well, let's take a break together." The boy sighed dramatically, placing his hands behind his head as he turned his gaze to the sky.
Slightly curious, I also looked up.
'Whoa.'
"Heh," Obito snorted, eyeing me for a second before looking back up. "Pretty, right? I don't know about anywhere else, but I'm positive the stars look the best here in Konoha. The sky just never seems empty."
Taking a shaky breath, I slowly unraveled myself so I could lay down on the ground and just stare. The night sky really did look full; not a blank space in sight.
"Oh, oh!" Obito jolted, sitting back up and excitedly pointing at a random spot in the sky, "Look! Did you see that?! There was a shooting star!"
"Really?" I squinted in the general vicinity of where he was pointing, as if the shooting star would make another appearance. When nothing happened, I gave Obito an unimpressed look. "Hm…"
"I swear it was just there!" He fussed. "It was too fast; how didn't you see it?!"
I shrugged. "Wasn't looking for one, I guess."
"Well, I saw it, so that means I get a wish!"
"Let's hear it."
"You can't tell someone your wish or it won't come true. Don't you know anything? You really are a kid."
I gave him a look that said 'really right now' before rolling my eyes.
"Fine."
Obito grinned. "You'll see soon enough, anyway. I'm positive it'll come true soon."
We then sat in silence, just looking up at the night sky. It was the most relaxed I'd felt in the last couple of days, but a part of me wouldn't let me let my guard down completely. Even as I tried to close my eyes and meditate, thoughts invaded my mind.
'You never left. When you wake up, you'll be back in that place. The monsters will find you. You can't escape it.'
"You know, I didn't think I'd ever get to do something like this."
Obito's voice startled me. If he noticed my flinch, he didn't say anything, merely looking over and smiling at me.
"I used to think things like this only happened in stories," he continued before looking back up at the sky. The smile seemed stuck to his face. "Watching the stars together with a friend, I mean. It used to always just be me… I used to imagine Rin being here, too, but after what you said… I realized that we've known each other for years but have never hung out together outside of training or classes. Friends don't normally interact like that, right? It's more like…" he frowned a little, "It's more like you're just friendly acquaintances at that point."
I stayed quiet, letting the boy speak. I was unsure what I was supposed to be feeling, but my throat felt as if it was closing in on me again.
"I'm glad we're friends, Kyo. I'm glad you're here in Konoha, and I got to meet you. I don't know what my life would've been like if I hadn't ran into you that day…" he chuckled to himself, "Probably a little lonely, right?"
My eyes stung, so I squeezed them shut.
"Why are you saying all this?"
Obito hummed, "I dunno. Just felt like it, I guess."
It was quiet for a few more beats, so I rolled over onto my side to face Obito. He was already looking at me when I opened my eyes. We just stared at each other for a few moments, and then he was grinning a stupid grin that was contagious. When my lips began to twitch, Obito started laughing and soon I was joining in. My face felt wet, but I was laughing— caught up in this dumb Uchiha's happiness.
"You're an idiot," I said once we had calmed down, a small smile lingering on my lips.
"Maybe," Obito grinned, casually wiping at the wet streaks on my face. "But my wish came true, so I can't be that much of an idiot."
I snorted, "Or you're just lucky. What was your wish?"
"For you to smile, of course!"
I deadpanned, "You can't be serious."
Immediately Obito got defensive. "I am! Why? What's wrong with that?!"
'So cheesy.' I shook my head, laying back down on my back. I sent a small smile up at the sky, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
That night, I found it easier to fall asleep than usual. My training had played a part in tiring me out, but Obito did just as much by keeping me company.
However, just because I was easily lulled to sleep, didn't mean it lasted for very long. I managed to wake up part way through the night; nightmares plaguing me, or I guess you could call them memories. Memories of my past life, and memories of what the future used to look like for Sasori. Hopefully those events wouldn't repeat themselves; seeing my brother's body as a wooden doll made me want to puke.
I sat up in my bed, taking deep breaths as I tried to calm myself down. My heart was beating rapidly, and I felt almost soaked with sweat. Glancing at the other beds in the room, I was relieved to see Jin and Taikan hadn't woken up from my sudden spasming. Or, if they had been, they decided not to speak on it and minded their own business.
Taking another calming breath, I eased out of my bed and silently headed to the bathroom to cool off. When I returned, a familiar figure was perched on the balcony connected to our room. I'd be surprised, but I felt too drained to react to Kakashi's blank face nonchalantly staring at me.
"Can I help you?" I asked as I slipped outside. The cool air hit me, making me shiver a little. I should've grabbed a blanket off of my bed before seeing what this silver-haired brat was up to.
"Couldn't sleep," Kakashi answered as if it was obvious.
"So you decided to come sit on the balcony to my hotel room? How'd you even know this one was mine?"
Kakashi tapped his nose. "The nose always knows."
I stared. "I can't believe you of all people just said that."
Kakashi turned away and scratched at his head, his face reddening. I decided to take pity on the socially awkward boy, and sat down next to him. We both sat in silence for a moment, just staring out at the Konoha landscape.
Finally, I said in a quiet voice, "Who told you?"
Kakashi glanced at me, before shrugging and looking away. "Obito can't shut up when he's worried about somebody."
"Hah," I snorted. "I'm glad you've gotten close enough to notice that about him."
Kakashi rolled his eyes, avoiding my gaze. "Whatever, it's just obvious."
"So," I looked at him expectantly, "Why are you here bothering me? Bakashi-san."
The silver-haired boy was quick to snap his head toward me and glare. Clicking his tongue, he huffed. "I just—" he paused, as if trying to find the right words. Eventually, he shook his head. "Do you want to train with me?"
"Train?" I asked, to which he nodded. "With you?" He nodded again, brows furrowing. "Now?"
"Ugh, yes. That's what I said. Well? Do you? If not then I'm leaving—" When he stood up, I quickly reached out to him and grasped his sleeve.
"Wait, wait, wait, I was just messin' with you! Yeah." Kakashi eyed my hand, and I gently released him. He hesitated before bringing his arm back to his side. "I'll train with you. It's not like I'll be going back to sleep anytime soon."
"Okay," Kakashi said simply. "Let's go."
xxx
For the rest of the night, Kakashi and I sparred together. Though I regretted staying up so late by the time the sun rose, I still felt relieved that I was able to occupy my thoughts with other things, rather than stew in pessimistic ones.
Slowly, I began to move on and get back into my usual routine. I continued to write letters to Sasori, never expecting to hear back from him; but hoping nevertheless. I even wrote a letter to his sensei, but had yet to receive a reply. At least Murai was consistent with his letters, and Chiyo as well, but not nearly as much as Murai.
The final exams were near, and the joint-training program would finally be coming to an end in only a few weeks. I was definitely confident that I'd be passing, despite my many hold-ups. Jin shared my same thoughts, especially since she had attended the Academy much more diligently than I had…
To celebrate our pretty much guaranteed graduation, Taikan took Jin and I out to eat at Yakiniku Q. It was an almost awkward affair, since Taikan didn't seem to really know much about Jin and I despite having roomed with us for a little over three months. We were always off at the Academy or training, and he was always… doing whatever.
Still, it was nice of him to treat us like this in a gesture of congratulations, even if we barely interacted with him enough for it to actually matter to him. I almost wanted to entertain the thought that maybe he'd been keeping tabs on us, but I felt as if I would've been able to sense him… Unless..
"Hey, Taikan."
"Hm?" The chūnin looked up from his plate of food.
"What's your last name?"
Taikan glanced over at Jin for a moment, but the orange-haired girl simply ignored him. He met my eyes again, as if the exchange hadn't taken place. "Niijima." He returned to his food.
"Oh," I simply said.
'That explains a lot," I thought to myself, idly poking at the meat left on my plate. Jin and Taikan continued to consume their meals, as if this had been common knowledge. Maybe to them, but definitely not for me. 'He doesn't look like he is a part of the Niijima clan; his features aren't nearly as bright and vibrant.' I tried not to dwell too much; for all I knew he was adopted into the clan... but, no, that wouldn't explain his kekkei genkai; which he obviously had good control of if he could extinguish his chakra presence at will.
"Hmm…." I mumbled to myself, resting my head in my hand.
Jin looked up at me, swallowing a bite of her food. She tilted her head slightly. "Ah, do not concern yourself too much, Kyo-ouji. Taikan-san is here on behalf of my father, since Murai-kun wasn't able to also attend the training program."
I flinched at the old nickname, frowning, but nevertheless nodded my head in understanding. "I figured, I just didn't realize… Yeah."
Jin smiled. "You can't always know everything, Kyo-kun."
I snorted. "Now that is a truth that I'm afraid of." And we left it at that.
I did it.
At the age of nine, I was officially a genin of Sunagakure. Due to the training program, I wouldn't be assigned to a three-person team right away, and would have to wait until we returned home in a week. If I was even that lucky.
For all I knew, I'd be immediately given a headband and then thrust outside to the frontlines.
Several other Suna kids graduated, but it looked like I was the only early graduate. Not even Jin had passed the final exams, which was shocking to me. Jin, however, hadn't seemed too surprised at the results. She was clearly still disappointed, however.
"I was hoping to graduate with you, Kyo-kun. So we could be on a team together…" Jin had pouted.
"There is a war taking place," Taikan had stated bluntly, unphased at Jin's depressed state. "Niijima-sama will not allow you to graduate at this time. My apologies, Jin-hime. I hope this program has been a learning experience for you, even if the outcome wasn't to your liking."
It was the most I had ever heard the man speak.
My graduation wasn't celebrated as much as my pre-graduation had been, seeing as most of my classmates were off celebrating with their families and friends. Shizune had invited me to celebrate with her ragtag group, but I politely refused upon remembering how exhausting a specific green-clad member was. Shizune seemed to pick up on that and instantly understood, but I promised to hang out with them one more time before I was due to leave.
Team Seven was nowhere to be found, as they had been taking more missions that required them to leave the village lately. I only hoped I'd get to see them one last time before we were set to be escorted back to Suna. Another part of me feared one particular mission would take place soon, so whenever Obito mentioned they'd be leaving, I'd feel sick to my stomach.
Through the grapevine (Gai) I discovered that Kakashi was field-promoted to jōnin a couple of days ago, and the team was due to return soon. I was anxious to see them, and also because I knew what Kakashi's promotion signified. That mission was getting closer to taking place, and, by the looks of it, I wouldn't be around to see it. Not that I could prevent it, anyway, but sitting idly by never sat well with me. Attempting to do something was better than nothing at all.
The day Team Seven returned, I was ready and nearby to greet them. Ever since learning about Kakashi's promotion, I hadn't been able to focus properly on my training due to my anxiety. So, I had been on high alert each day— reaching out periodically with my chakra senses to see if the loud signatures (specifically Minato and Kakashi) of Team Seven were nearby… Until finally they were.
"Kyo?" Obito asked, looking excited but surprised to see me as soon as they passed the village gates. "What's going on?" Suddenly he was frowning. "Don't tell me you're leaving already? I thought you had a couple more days!"
I grinned. "I do, I just wanted to see you guys."
Obito's face was the sun when this big stupid smile appeared on his face at my words. He laughed, unconsciously toying with the goggles on his head. "Hah? Don't tell me you missed us— Did you miss us, Kyo? You're so adorable!"
My face heated up and I groaned, much to the amusement of Minato and Rin. Kakashi also seemed to enjoy my embarrassment, but didn't express it as openly.
"Obito, please shut up…"
"What?" Obito grinned all the more, jumping forward excitedly to ruffle my hair. I tried to dodge him, but he just followed me around until I let him have his way. "Are you embarrassed? Heh, why is your face so red?! So cute!"
"Agh! Cut— It— Out!" I finally wrestled Obito away from me, jumping a few feet away to give us some distance. My hair was thoroughly ruined, no longer gently laying on my head. It looked more akin to a rat's nest at this point. Frowning (definitely not pouting), I looked to the rest of Team Seven. "Control him!"
Kakashi snorted, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms. "You can't control an idiot; You can only herd them in the right direction."
Obito sniffed. "What am I? A sheep?"
"I was going to say a dog, but I know they'd take offense to that."
"Shut up, Bakashi!"
"Why don't you make me, genin?"
Looking between the two, I glanced at Minato and sighed. "I see their bond has only strengthened these last couple of weeks."
"You could definitely say that," the blond man said with a small knowing smile. What exactly he knew however, was beyond me.
Sighing, I decided to finish this fight(?) before it started. "Are we going to go celebrate my graduation now, or what?"
"Kyo, you graduated!? I knew you could do it!" Obito immediately ceased his bickering with Kakashi to launch himself at me again instead. He easily picked me up and twirled me around. I squeaked at the sudden action, flailing in his arms until he put me back down with ease (he had definitely gotten stronger while working those C-Ranks). "I knew you could do it!"
"Congratulations, Kyojin," Rin said politely, giving me a small smile. I nodded my head in reply, not really wanting to play along with her pleasantries. I would have been content with ignoring her completely if she hadn't bothered to say anything. The brunette probably only spoke up because she felt the need to.
"I'm not surprised," Kakashi said simply, not looking impressed in the least, but somehow still happy with his response… As if it was the best thing he had ever said. Obito and I shared a deadpan expression as we stared at the masked kid.
'He's the reason bullies exist.'
"I'm not either," Minato easily joined in with a warm smile on his face. "I was one of the first to speak on your behalf, Kyojin-kun. You definitely have potential, and there are some things that the Academy just can't teach you. I know you've outgrown your time there."
"Thanks, Namikaze-san… and Kakashi, too, I guess."
"Hey, what about me!?" Obito huffed.
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, how could I forget about you, Obito. Thanks to you, too—" I paused, debating on if I should voice my next words or not. "—I'm really going to miss you guys."
There was complete silence. I could feel my ears burning.
Slowly, I glanced up to see all of Team Seven looking at me with wide eyes. Even Rin had a shocked look on her face, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"I— I—" I quickly scrambled, trying to say something else to get their attention off of me, or, at least something to make their stares less intense.
"Kyo!" Obito yelled, latching onto me tightly. His arms wrapped around my smaller body, and he squeezed. I grunted uncomfortably, but the Uchiha made no move to release me. "I'm going to miss you, too! I can't believe I won't have you around to train with anymore. I won't be able to witness how cute you are either…" he trailed off, looking into the distance dramatically.
"Ugh," I groaned.
Kakashi shockingly saved me from Obito's clutches, smoothly replacing me with a tree trunk that Konoha seemed to have an abundance of. Obito screamed at the loss, while I could tell Kakashi was definitely smirking beneath his mask. The silver-haired boy turned to me. "It'll be… different not having you here," he admitted, which I think was the closest I could get to him saying he'll miss me.
I accepted the attempt with a small smile. "I bet. Now, who will put you in your place?"
Kakashi's brow furrowed in challenge. "Why is that a problem? Not like anyone was doing that before."
There was a chuckle as Minato interrupted our bantering, taking both Kakashi and I's heads in his hands so he could roughly tousle our hair. "The team will definitely feel your absence, Kyojin. Though, I know we'll see each other again."
"Shall we go out to eat to celebrate? We can also celebrate Kakashi-kun's promotion," Rin said with —once again— a polite smile on her face. She glanced at me only once, her attention clearly only set on one boy in particular.
I paid it no mind, only focusing on Obito's excitement to go and enjoy some free food. Minato led the way to Ramen Ichiraku (the obvious choice), while I was sandwiched between Obito and Kakashi who enjoyed sniping at each other over my head the whole way there.
A day before I was due to leave, I made sure to say goodbye to my Academy classmates. Meeting Shizune and her friends was a good experience, but they didn't grow on me as much as Team Seven did. I'd label them more as acquaintances, if anything. I was still happy to have met them, however.
I didn't get to say goodbye to Team Seven until I was at the village gates with the rest of the Sunagakure children. I wasn't the only one who had goodbyes to exchange it looked like; as many of my peers were surrounded by children and genin of Konoha. If the program was to promote peace and strengthen their alliance, then I would call it a success from my current standpoint. These children would grow up to be ninja one day, and from there it would be our job to keep the peace between the two villages. What better place to start than with friendship?
Definitely a clever idea. Why would you want to betray a village when you have friends and loyal allies within it? I could definitely see where the idea of the program stemmed from.
"Kyojin-kun," Minato announced his arrival, along with Rin and Kakashi's. Obito was nowhere to be seen, and his chakra signature was currently out of my range. Initially I'd be worried, but, knowing him, he was probably wrapped up with something. "I see you're due to leave soon."
"Yes," I nodded, bowing my head respectfully. "Thank you for everything, Namikaze-san. I doubt any of the other instructors would've let me train with their teams. You really helped me improve a lot."
Minato smiled, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "All I did was recognize your potential and give you room to grow. I'm sure anyone else would have done the same."
Rin laughed sheepishly. "Erm, I wouldn't say anyone, Sensei. You're too kind, sometimes."
Kakashi nodded "You're lucky Kyo is a good person."
Rin, Minato, and I all looked at Kakashi in dubious surprise.
Minato's surprised expression shifted to an amused smile. "Well…" Kakashi seemed to realize what just transpired, and immediately looked to have regret saying anything.
"Did you just willingly compliment me?" I bluntly asked, making Kakashi shrink into himself even more.
With a frown, Kakashi said through gritted teeth, "I didn't say anything…"
I grinned. "Just admit you're going to miss me already."
"Who would miss an annoying brat like you?"
"I can name at least one person."
"Idiots don't count."
"And you are…?"
"Okay now," Minato interrupted with an easy-going laugh. "Good luck, Kyojin." Minato turned to me with a bittersweet smile. "Hopefully, we won't see each other again too soon."
My mind turned to the war outside, and the forehead protector waiting for me in Sunagakure. Releasing a breath, I nodded in return. "Yeah… Not too soon."
Rin chirped up, a smile on her face as she bowed her head slightly at me. "It was nice meeting you, Kyojin!"
"You too," I said with a simple tilt of my head. I tried to come off as genuine, but, honestly, my voice probably sounded dead.
With Minato and Rin's farewells out of the way, the attention was once again on Kakashi. The boy stood there with his arms crossed, acting oblivious to the expectant gazes pointed his way.
After a few more seconds, Minato sighed much like an exasperated parent. With a polite smile, he placed a hand on Rin's shoulder and began to guide her away. "If you'll excuse us, Rin and I have a project to work on. Have a safe trip, Kyojin."
Rin frowned in confusion. "What proje—"
Then they were gone; disappearing in a flash.
I blinked at the spot they had once been in, processing the interaction before finally looking back at Kakashi. He had remained unmoved throughout the whole exchange, as if he expected me to say something.
Rolling my eyes, I caved.
"Just gonna stand there, scarecrow?"
"No." Was the quick and clipped answer.
"So, nothing to say to me? At all? Before I leave to my village, where I'll probably be instantly deployed upon receiving my headband? Nothing?"
"You're so dramatic."
"Says the boy with a mask on his face for no apparent reason?"
At that, Kakashi had nothing to say. He just glared. I smiled impishly.
Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He stepped forward, a fist held out as he looked away with a pout. "Don't die before I see you again."
I grinned, meeting his fist with my own. "Only if you don't either."
xxx
After Kakashi left (hands in his pockets, and his steps a little lighter than they had been before), the other Konoha residents began to trickle away as well. It looked like time was getting closer for me to leave… Still no sight of Obito, though I could now sense his chakra in the distance when I searched for it.
"Alright, everyone. Get back to your assigned groups; we'll be leaving soon," one of the chūnin shouted, gathering everyone's attention. Last night we had been briefed on the measures we would be taking due to the ongoing war outside. Instead of leaving as an entire group as we did on the journey here, we decided to split off into several groups so it wouldn't be as chaotic if we happened to actually run into any trouble. The route we were planning to take wasn't anywhere near the fighting, but to be on the safe side they made the decision to take some precautions.
Jin and I, along with Taikan would be leaving with four other students and two other chūnin.
As the groups began to leave in forty minute intervals, I continuously looked around for any sign of Obito. Reaching with my chakra, I could see that he was still in the same area he was in the last time I had checked… I sighed, watching as another group left past the village gates. Next, it would be time for Jin and I's group to go.
Forty minutes… Thirty. Twenty. Ten.
Time to go.
With a frown on my face, I tried not to get too bothered by the fact Obito had missed me. Knowing him, he was probably caught up with something as he usually was, but I had been hoping he wouldn't be too late to see me off. If things went as canon had, then this would be the last time I'd see Obito as himself…
"Kyo." Jin nudged my shoulder when I stayed rooted to my spot. "It's time to leave." Her brows twitched when she saw the look on my face. Her eyes also took a look around the area, but came up with nothing. "You'll be able to write to them. We have to go."
"Yeah," I exhaled; disappointed.
Our group made our way towards the gate, already in formation with the chūnin surrounding us. I took one last look behind me just on the off chance he was there, and—
"Kyo! Wait!"
Sure enough, there he was; the notoriously late Obito Uchiha. Late once again, as he ran like a madman toward the gates. He looked ridiculous… Feathers, what looked like cat hair, and some sort of sticky substance all over his clothes. Not to mention the scratches all over his face and arms. It definitely looked like he went through hell before arriving here.
"Kyo!" The boy panted as he reached me, wiping at his face and getting some cat hair stuck to it. He immediately sneezed. "S-Sorry, I just—"
"That's—" I held up a hand, "Okay. I get it, you don't have to explain." I grinned. "I'm just glad you made it."
Taikan stepped forward. "Please, make this quick. We really must be going."
I huffed, glaring at the man. "Okay, got it."
After the man returned to my group, I looked back to Obito who looked thoroughly guilty for halting our leave. I knew he wanted to apologize, so I just shook my head.
Obito gave a wobbly smile before launching himself at me. His arms wrapped around me tightly in a hug. "I'm gonna miss you, kid! Don't forget to write!"
I was content to just hang like a ragdoll in his grasp, but thinking of the events that could happen after I left… I bit my lip, holding back all the bad thoughts for at least a moment. "I'll miss you, too." I surprised Obito by returning the hug with full force.
The Uchiha squawked at my unexpected strength, instantly releasing me so he could step away. "Have you always been that strong?!"
I smirked. "Who knows?"
Obito laughed, ruffling my hair. "What a brat."
"Oi!" I grabbed him, stopping his movements. He laughed at the attempt, but freezed nonetheless.
We stood there for a moment, just smiling like idiots with his hand in my hair while I held onto his wrist. Slowly, my smile became a little bit smaller— as did Obito's. He retracted his hand and we were left standing in silence.
I cleared my throat past the knot in it. "I'll write."
"Huh?"
"Letters; I'll write to you. So, you better write back, idiot."
"Of course I will!"
"It's a promise, then." I held out my hand. Just like Kakashi had done to me earlier, only this time I stuck my pinky out.
With no hesitation, Obito locked his pinky with my own. "I never break my promises!"
"Good, I'll hold you to it."
With that, I returned to my group. Obito stayed behind, waving at me all the while as we departed. I waved back, only turning around once we finally got past the gates. Obito's chakra stayed constant though, never moving from that spot until we were out of sight.
"I can't wait to get home," Jin said softly from beside me. I jumped a little, having forgotten everyone around me. No one commented, thankfully.
"Yeah," I said back.
Then, I remembered what I'd be going back to, and my stomach dropped. A headband awaits me, and a new team. Murai was there, probably an eager puppy at this point. Maybe Chiyo, Ebizō, and Sasori would be around, too, if they weren't already on the battlefield… And then there was—
My throat tightened.
"Yeah," I numbly repeated. "Home."
Not Komushi.
author's note: sorry for the cheesy cringey fluff i'm physically unable to write anything but that. also not sorry for the Sad Stuff :3c thank you for everyone who was patient and knows my writing schedule is nonexistent by now! i update when i update
also please welcome my new official beta for this story, Hanvaler! my previous beta fortheloveofb did most of the editing, but Hanvaler also helped a little. i thank them both for being patient since we all know how long i take with these things (biggest thanks to fortheloveofb bc you've been here since the start lolol love you forever!)
story rec: "unsolicited providence" by scipunx