Note: Originally written after listening to a specific soundtrack from Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel Part 2, Lost Butterfly — the song being called in a gentle world. It's almost coincidental this idea came after I had a talk with Lang on not having much motivation in writing things. And how it was raining outside my window.

Sparkle 47: Silence

Obito can't recall the exact date of when he first saw her doing her rain-sitting habit. But it was still her, sitting at a table under the awning of Nagareboshi Cafe to watch the rain fall with a blank look in her eyes.

It was like she wasn't even there.

Obito opened his mouth as soon as he approached the building, umbrella in hand. "Tomo-chan?"

"…Muu?" With that little sound made, the light slowly came back to Tomo-chan's blue eyes, exposing surprise as her first emotion on this gloomy day. "Obi." A smile dawned on her lips. "Hi."

Obito wanted to grin, to return the greeting, but his gut was screaming that something was wrong. "What are you doing, Tomo-chan?"

Tomo-chan paused, blinking before some of that same light faded from her eyes. The words came out of her mouth soft and barely coherent to anyone but him thanks to the rain and the distance. "…Just thinking. Again."

About what? Is it him— Obito held back the urge to scowl, instead finding the worried expression of a friend glued to his face. "…Tomo-chan."

"You don't have to stand there." Tomo-chan smiled again, but the gesture clearly looked forced in the yellow lighting of her home. "I'll be okay. Eventually…" She trailed off, considering before adding a smaller, "I just need to think. Like this."

All alone? Obito took a few steps forward so he could stand under the awning too, closing his umbrella. The feeling of helplessness did not feel good in his stomach, so he tried the only suggestion in his head. "Should I call Kei?"

His heart sank as soon as Tomo-chan shook her head. "…Not this time. I don't think she'd know what I'm thinking, actually, this time." Her smile seemed sadder somehow as her fingers clenched into fists atop her lap.

Obito could do nothing but probe like the fool he was currently feeling like. "What do you mean, Tomo-chan?"

"It's something I haven't even told her." Wait, really? Not even Kei knows? "Something I haven't been able to tell anyone."

Obito inhaled as much oxygen as he could to not sound desperate. "What about telling me? Maybe I could take some of the weight off you." Maybe I could do something—

Again, Tomo-chan shook her head. "I wish I could."

"Why not?" Obito's heart was pounding, and this time, it was not warm and not good. "It's not Tai, right?"

"It's something way before him." This time, there was an audible crack in Tomo-chan's voice and all protests died on Obito's lips. Tomo-chan ducked her head enough to let her bangs shadow her eyes, but the cover's not enough to hide the glint of what seems to be the start of tears. "I-I'm sorry, I just… I can't. I just can't. Not right now." Her voice screamed fear and pain. "I-I trust you, Obi, I do, but, but…" she exhaled shakily. "You might see me as a bad person after I say all that's on my mind."

"I-I dunno, you're no way a jerk like Bakashi." Still, Obito was feeling the dust in his eyes too. So, all he did was sit down in the nearest chair and scoot over to reach her. "…Can I stay with you then, Tomo-chan?"

There was a sniffle as one of Tomo-chan's hands reached up to cover one of her shadowed eyes. "…Please do."

Finally. "We can get dango once it clears up." It'd be a good distraction. Maybe then things could go back to normal.

Another shake of the head. "I can make it, Obi. It's fine."

"You don't have to, Tomo-chan."

Tomo-chan's voice quickly turned to a hard inflection, indicating stubbornness and anger of some kind. "It's better than wallowing forever, Obi, really."

No more was said after that.

Sitting there, under the awning to watch the rain, Obito debated about becoming Hokage for the first time in his life. What was better? Being a leader to everyone? Or trying to be a hero for one girl?

For once, he didn't know.

Another Note: If you're wondering what Tomo's thinking about, three words. Vy's original trauma. Not death. But what is outlined in S&S 13's nightmare sequence. Tis all.