1: I'm terribly sorry about the late update!
2: This chapter is long, important and will tell you nothing about what Itachi did over Christmas.
3: It's all Obito's POV. And before you get all 'Dafuq I don't want to read about Obito and Kakashi I want to know what's up with Itachi!', let me tell you this: Just read it. You'll see why.
4: There are a lot of things I should maybe say about this chapter, but the important thing is probably that this story is still about Naruto and Sasuke, so I didn't include a lemon, and also everything about Kakashi and Obito are not explained in this. It's just a lot more interesting way to provide background information.
5: Brace yourselves, kid/teenage Sasuke is coming!
Enjoy!
Chapter 26: A different love story
'
Cuddling after sex was definitely one of Obito's favorite pastimes. Sure, doing it at the office or some other place was nice too, but there is something special about lying in bed with the person you love, your body humming in the memories of pleasure and your skin sticking together when the sweat starts to dry.
He especially loved it when Kakashi spooned him, call him girly but there was just something about having those arms around him protectively that still, even at this age, made him feel all tingly inside.
It wasn't always like this though. Oh no, it was the classic story of rivals becoming best friends becoming lovers. The things they'd been through together might not have been extraordinary in a worldly perspective, but he liked to think of them as fairly dramatic. To his younger self, it surely was.
With a little more perspective now he had to admit that it was a shame they hadn't gotten off to a better start, but sometimes it's the bad times that bring people together, not the good ones.
Like Rin, for example, the girl he'd been crushing on for approximately eight or so years. He had no idea what she was doing right now, even though she'd been so important at one point. Instead, he was happily cuddling with the man of her dreams, and he had to admit he was still a little smug about that.
He guessed it was one of those traits he'd been unfortunate to inherit from his family.
He also liked to think that he'd changed since back then, even if Kakashi insisted he was just as cute as always. At least Kakashi had changed, thank god…
~10-11 years old~
His oldest memories of Kakashi were pretty hazy, but the emotion 'hate' kind of springs to mind. Lazing around with some friends at the school grounds, he'd almost always catch a glimpse of that arrogant prick. Playing soccer like a pro, telling girls he wanted to be left alone, whatever he did he would always somehow get into Obito's line of vision, and it bothered him to no end.
Sometimes it would get to the point where shouting and arguments ensued, and it usually ended up with Obito being somehow humiliated. Like that time he challenged Kakashi to a race and fell and hurt his knee badly, or the time Kakashi tripped him so he fell face-first into mud in front of Rin, or generally just all the times he fell down or hurt himself.
It was all just petty fights, and he always lost. Lesser things would make a guy feel down. The stupid part was that, even if he insisted to anyone who would listen that Kakashi was targeting him, it was he himself that got him into trouble 99% of the time and ended up getting the top spot on Kakashi's list of people that were annoying.
It was a pretty long list. He'd seen it.
Anyway, Kakashi was a lone wolf and Obito enjoyed (sometimes involuntarily) attention. So as they grew older, Obito would make fun of Kakashi for being a prick and not having friends, and Kakashi would make fun of Obito for being stupid, clumsy, bad at sports, childish, attention-seeking, always late and lazy…
You get the point.
And while trying to cope with his strange rivalry to Kakashi, there was the issue of love. He could still remember staring at Rin in class, obviously not paying attention, innocent daydreams of the two of them walking hand in hand and maybe even hugging filling his mind. And Rin, well she was doing the same but watching Kakashi instead. She wasn't the only one.
Every Valentine's Day, while they were still at that age when it was possible to start dating by giving someone a card, Kakashi would get heaps of them. Or at least twenty, which was crazy much. And Obito?
Well, it was embarrassing to admit, but he didn't even dare to give Rin a card, and he definitely never got any. And somehow, every Valentine's ended with Kakashi throwing his cards away breaking the girls' hearts, and Obito getting angry at his stuck-up attitude and then getting beaten up again.
And his mother would scold him.
And Kakashi would call him an idiot.
And his teachers would be mad.
And the girls would also call him an idiot.
And his friends would say he was stupid.
It just aggravated him more. That Kakashi would be defended by all of Obito's friends even though he didn't give a crap about them, it just pissed him off so much.
To Obito, friends were something he wanted, something he cherished, and even though he didn't have a best friend he was very happy for the ones he had.
Thinking back on it, he might have gotten more into trouble because of said friends than he would have on his own, but still, friends first.
And Rin, he'd do anything for her.
~12 years old~
"RIN! RIIIINNN!"
"There's no point, just wait for the firefighters!"
"Kakashi, what are you doing here! Let me go!"
"So you can do what? Run into the fire? Don't be an idiot!"
"You think I'm an idiot anyway! Just let me go!"
He was struggling against Kakashi's grip, for a twelve-year-old he was certainly strong. He could hear the fire crackling as it spread through the house, a window breaking with a loud crash, the acrid smell of it invading his nostrils.
"She's still in there! I have to save her!"
"There's nothing you can do!"
"Stop saying that you stupid prick! Just because everyone else is a coward doesn't mean I can't do anything! I'm not useless! She loves you and you don't care at all!"
"There's no point in more people dying."
Those words, gritted out through Kakashi's lips and into his ear, he could still remember how much he hated Kakashi in that moment. Something finally snapping inside him, he turned around and managed to hit him somewhere that apparently hurt, because Kakashi swore and let go of him, clasping his stomach in pain.
"I hate you! You don't care about others, even though everyone really likes you! What kind of trash is that, not helping the girl that loves you! I'll save her or die trying!"
They stared at each other for a few seconds in stunned silence, it felt like an eternity as sound and movement slowed down, all the shouting into the dark night suddenly subdued and the fire truck's sirens like a faraway dream. Kakashi shocked, still bent over slightly, trying to comprehend what that idiot just said, and Obito in turn breathing heavily with tears welling up in his eyes and fear clutching at his heart.
Then he turned towards the burning house, and ran.
He wasn't useless dammit! He'd save her, she had to make it! Why did this have to happen?! He'd never forgive himself if all he did was just watch and pray, people don't get out of fires alive because of praying! Sniffling and coughing as a gust of wind blew soot into his mouth, he raised his arms above his head, and suddenly he was inside.
This wasn't how he thought things would go. He could barely see, and the heat was nearly unbearable. It burned in his lungs along with the lack of air, and coughing violently he turned around in panic to find a way to Rin. He knew there was a staircase to the right, but flames were licking the upper part of it. A piece of the roof fell down not far from him, bright sparks erupting as it hit the floor.
This was madness. It was pure idiocy going into the house, Kakashi was right, of course he was right! He was completely useless! Staring at the only way up towards Rin's bedroom, his mind refused to take in what was going to happen to her.
It couldn't happen.
It couldn't!
Suddenly someone grabbed his arm, and through the sooty haze he saw spiky white hair glowing with orange as it reflected the light from the fire.
No way!
No way was Kakashi coming in here to save him! He'd rather die than be humiliated like that!
Kakashi was covering his mouth with his arm, forcefully tugging at Obito's shirt. He shouted something, but he couldn't hear. His heart was beating too loudly, his vision was beginning to fade and he was scared.
He'd never been as scared as that before, and he hadn't been after either.
Seeing Kakashi look up at the roof, everything went slow-motion again as he took in the sight of his dark eyes widening, his jaw tensing as he took off, bringing Obito with him backwards, landing heavily on the floor, his brain not fast enough to register it consciously.
He'd never forget it, the darkness surrounding his vision, the ringing in his ears, how the world stopped turning as he raised himself up a little with his arms, his right shoulder not cooperating, and the blood covering Kakashi's unconscious face.
He couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think, move, anything, as suddenly there were shadows around them, picking him up and carrying him outside, the chilly night air like a wave from heaven as he finally lost consciousness.
Everyone had called him an idiot. He didn't care. The thing he did care about? That obviously Kakashi had been the hero, and now everyone worshipped him even more.
Oh, and Rin was fine. She'd been able to jump down onto the roof of their porch outside the window in her room, climbing down from there and returning back completely unharmed.
He really was an idiot.
But most of all he felt guilty about the fact that Kakashi had gotten hurt because of him. Not that he cared about him or anything, but he didn't like the thought of being responsible for someone ending up in the hospital with an eye that might not get its sight back.
It gnawed at his conscience, but he didn't want to go visit him even if his mom forced him to do it. He just felt so dumb, and besides, Kakashi wouldn't want to see him anyway, would he?
But even so, after a lot of protesting, there he was at the hospital, a bunch of stupid flowers dangling from his unenthusiastic hand. Staring at the signs to find the right way, he nervously bit his lip and rolled back and forth on his heels.
The worst part about this was all the gossip he'd involuntarily gotten to hear about Kakashi. He'd made a point of not finding out stuff about the guy, it's not like he cared about anyone other than Rin anyway. But now, he knew way more than he wanted to, and probably more than Kakashi wanted to as well.
As it turns out, Kakashi was an only child just like Obito, except his dad had died in the army a few years back. Apparently they moved here after his death, a new start or whatever. Something about the way his dad died.
And Kakashi's dream was to follow in his father's footsteps and join the military. Well, that part he did know from before.
You can probably see the problem here. With a blind eye, you might not really be able to join. And certainly not as a pilot, which is what said dead father had been among other things.
And just like that, because of stupidity, Obito had ruined Kakashi's future dreams.
But nobody told him to come after him!
He could have just waited for the smoke-divers like he said they should!
But if he had…
Obito might not still be alive.
And the thought of owing his life to Kakashi was a little too deep to take in for a childish little kid.
He didn't feel so childish anymore though, he felt more like life had slapped him in the face, showing him how death lurks around the corner, that you can't avoid it just because you want to.
No wonder he couldn't sleep at night.
Finally finding the right corridor, sneakily bypassing any nurses and briefly pretending to be a ninja, he happened to overhear something he wasn't supposed to.
"Kakashi, why would you do that?" the sniffling voice of a woman said.
"Mom, you've already asked me a hundred times. Just drop it."
"But you could have died! I can't lose you, I can't. And your eye!"
"It doesn't matter, I'm fine."
"You promised me you wouldn't do anything dangerous! At least like this you won't meet the same stupid end your father did."
"It wasn't stupid" Kakashi muttered.
"What?"
"I said it wasn't stupid!"
A few moments of silence, then a chair scraped the floor.
"I need some coffee, and in the meantime young man, you'll think your actions over carefully, okay?"
Heels clicked against the floor and Obito pressed himself against a wall, closing his eyes and hoping she wouldn't see him.
"Oh" the voice said as the clicking stopped. "Are you here to see Kakashi?"
Peeking up at her, he nodded. She smiled back, a little strained maybe, and nodded at him.
"Well, would you please try and talk some sense into him? He's been acting strangely ever since…" she trailed off, her voice getting thicker at the end and she put a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry I'll just…"
Hurriedly walking away, Obito looked at her retreating back. He sincerely doubted she'd have told him to 'talk some sense into Kakashi' if she'd known he was the cause for his accident.
Swallowing and squaring his shoulders, wincing when it put some strain on his stitches, he entered the hospital room.
Kakashi was staring out the window, but turned his head when he heard Obito clumsily bump into a chair on his way over. He had a large white pad over his left eye, otherwise he looked fine.
Expecting some kind of snappy comment he froze, probably clenching the poor flowers to death in his hand and staring at the floor.
"Well?" Kakashi said.
Oh he could hear the raised eyebrow in his voice. He pouted.
"What?"
"Are you going to stand there like an idiot or are you gonna come over here?"
Huffing, Obito shuffled closer, sitting down in the chair that had been pulled up to the bed and stretching the flowers out for Kakashi to take. Surprisingly Kakashi took them from him without a word, and for a few minutes they just sat there in awkward silence.
"So…" Kakashi started, but quickly became quiet when Obito suddenly burst.
"I'm sorry! I was stupid and everyone already told me so you can shut up but I really didn't want you to follow me I mean that was crazy! And I'm sorry about the eye and everyone thinks you're a hero anyway and I'm a loser so you don't have to worry about going back to school! And-"
"Oh shut up."
Kakashi's annoyed voice caught Obito by surprise.
"What?"
Kakashi glared at him, then sighed and got back into his air of indifference-mode.
"You would have just died on your own anyway."
"Agh! Bastard! I was doing awesome in there, you just ruined it!"
Kakashi gave him a look, clearly stating the obvious that he had to save Obito's ass.
Obito sulked, scowling at his 'savior'.
After that pretty much nothing had happened, and with a muttered 'Sorry' he'd left after a few minutes. He didn't know what he'd expected to happen, but for some reason he felt even more guilty after visiting Kakashi. So he decided that he should stop bothering his rival/savior.
That plan didn't work as great as he wanted it to though. Avoiding Kakashi for some crazy reason made him bump into him more often than usual, but since he was almost always surrounded by admirers it wasn't very difficult to sneak away before the silver-haired boy noticed him.
At least he'd thought he didn't notice him.
When weeks had turned into a couple of months something strange happened though. Things had calmed down and even though Kakashi was still popular he wasn't constantly swarmed by their classmates. And Obito noticed that he looked lonely. And that bothered him a lot more than it should.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Obito was pretty lonely himself. All his friends had been so annoying after the fire that he avoided them as well, and for some reason he found himself glancing at Kakashi more often than not.
And a fair amount of those glances had been met by dark eyes glancing back, one of them with a faint red line drawn over it from eyebrow to cheek.
It was Kakashi finally breaking the silence, intercepting Obito in the locker room after gym class that same fall, one rainy afternoon they'd still been forced to have class outside, and of course since Obito always messed up he'd been picked to carry their equipment back to the storage room before he could go change.
This meant no one was there when he arrived. Or well, as he started pulling off his soaked shirt a small cough startled him. Pulling the shirt back down he looked towards the source of the sound, finding Kakashi looking to the side but turned towards him.
"What do you want?" Obito said, trying to sound tough but the effect was ruined by his slightly chattering teeth and miserable appearance.
"I just…" Kakashi trailed off, looking rather awkward. "You've been avoiding me."
"Why do you care?" Obito muttered, wanting to change out of his dripping clothes but not very eager to do so in front of Kakashi.
Suddenly Kakashi stretched his hand out, handing Obito a piece of folded paper. Not really knowing what else to do Obito took it, turning it over in his hand before opening it, smudging it with water from his still wet hands. Inside was a list of names, Obito's at the top followed by Rin and other people from class plus a few teachers and names he didn't recognize.
"What's this?" he asked, watching Kakashi with suspicion.
"It's… umm it's my list of the most annoying people I know."
"What!? And why the hell is Rin number two?" Obito shook the paper, shouting at Kakashi who looked annoyed.
"Who cares about Rin, here!" Kakashi grumbled, shoving a small piece of paper in Obito's face and crossing his arms with a defiant look.
Oh stupid Kakashi always looking so cool even when he did uncool stuff!
Picking up the piece of paper that had dropped to the floor Obito glared at Kakashi before looking at it.
One side was blank, but on the other it said 'Obito' in Kakashi's neat handwriting. Raising his eyebrows he was surprised to find his rival with an embarrassed look on his face.
"And what's this?" Obito asked slowly, almost afraid to find out but also strangely eager.
"It's…" Kakashi mumbled, pausing to take a deep breath and then hurriedly adding, almost stumbling over the words, "It's my list of friends."
Obito would have liked to say that he'd reacted by getting happy and then they'd skipped happily arm in arm to their next class, but no he hadn't. It took quite a few more days of convincing from Kakashi's side that they could really be friends and Kakashi wasn't pulling a prank on him.
But from the moment Obito said 'Fine' they were inseparable.
~14 years old~
"Obito."
"Yes?"
"Those two are really annoying me."
Obito glanced at his two obscurely related relatives playing on the floor in his living room. A two-year-old Sasuke was building a castle of colored blocks with great concentration, and Itachi was watching over him like a good older brother.
He was sure that Itachi could have looked after Sasuke on his own, there really was no point in bothering him was there?
"Obito" Kakashi said again, jamming his finger into Obito's cheek.
"Well what am I supposed to do? You're not the only one annoyed you know."
"Could you be quiet please? We're trying to do something productive here, compared to your slouching."
Both Obito and Kakashi glared at the snotty nine-year-old acting like he was older than them. But Itachi's haughty look was ruined when Sasuke apparently got tired of his castle and decided to spread all the blocks noisily around with flailing arms.
Smirking at the annoyed look on Itachi's face they both turned back to the TV instead. Obito's mother had grounded him an entire week since he failed his last math exam, but since Kakashi was allowed to come over to 'help him study' he wasn't that upset about it.
He just didn't see the point of the two brats. His mother had pretty much shoved them at him with no explanation, forbidding him to leave the house for the remainder of the day. Pouting he switched channels again. They'd been zapping back and forth the past two hours, and almost nothing was worth looking at. But suddenly Kakashi ripped the remote out of his hand and switched back one channel.
"What?" Obito asked, frowning when he realized that Kakashi was glued to the news of all things.
"Shush!"
Obito focused on the screen, a female news anchor saying something with a serious face.
"…and it has been confirmed that the people inside the car were Namikaze Minato and his wife Kushina, along with their recently born son. Both Mr. and Mrs. Namikaze died upon impact but miraculously the child has been confirmed to have no serious injuries. The police have yet to release any information as to what caused the car to run over the side fence and crash down the hill earlier today. It has been confirmed however that they were on their way to an important meeting with members of the Uchiha Corporation among others still unknown. The sudden death of the popular Secretary of State has come as a shock to the nation and…"
Kakashi turned the TV off, startling both Obito and Itachi.
"He was a friend of my dad's" Kakashi mumbled.
"Do you want a hug?"
"Don't be stupid."
"I'll hug you anyway" Obito decided and put his arms around his best friend of two years.
"So that's why mother was so upset" Itachi mumbled.
Neither Kakashi nor Obito paid him any attention though, they were too occupied having a small fight over whether or not hugging was a good idea.
~15 years old~
At this point in their lives people had finally accepted the odd couple as inseparable best friends, and Obito was more often than not found in the company of his once self-proclaimed rival. They studied together (the only reason Obito didn't fail everything), they played sports together (Obito cheered Kakashi on as he scored goals or points or whatever), but most of all they were single together.
Because 15-year-old Kakashi was not only popular with the girls at their school, but also with girls wherever he showed his face. Like walking down the street for example. If there was a girl within a ten meter radius she would 9 times out of 10 check Kakashi out or even approach him, and Obito was sadly convinced that the 1 out of 10 girls were all lesbians.
Kakashi showed no interest in them though. He was perfectly happy spending his days making fun of Obito or helping Obito or stealing Obito's games or whatever as long as it was with Obito. And Obito was very thankful for that. He didn't like the thought of Kakashi spending time with a girl instead, not when he finally had the best friend he'd always wanted.
There was still one day that pushed Obito's patience to the limit though, the day just four days after his birthday, namely Valentine's Day. Sure, at fifteen they weren't doing the card thing as seriously, but on this fifteenth Valentine's Day in Obito's life he was proud to say he got his first one. He still had it stashed somewhere.
He'd been sulking most of the day since his mother hadn't believed him faking a cold that morning, and since Kakashi and he were followed by what felt like hordes of giggling and blushing teenage girls.
When the school day was finally over and they were hiding out in a bathroom until most girls would give up and go home without Kakashi, Obito slouched against the wall with a dull headache.
He was fine with not being popular, really he was. And he wasn't the most good-looking guy so it wasn't weird everyone preferred Kakashi over him, and besides it had always been like that. He'd never heard Kakashi complain about it before though.
"There is something seriously wrong with girls" the silver-haired already fairly tall boy said, splashing water on his face and grimacing into the mirror.
"They're teenage girls, what else would you expect?"
Kakashi gave him a look.
"I don't see why you're so upset about it, it's not like they're bothering you or anything."
Obito gaped in shock.
"What!? They don't bother me? Maybe they don't bother me as in screaming for a date but they sure as hell scream at me to get the fuck out of their way."
Kakashi frowned, then his as of recent more mischievous side broke through in a small grin.
"I should tell them I'm gay and love cross-dressing, maybe then they'd stop."
Obito rolled his eyes. He honestly doubted even that would work. Then his eyes landed on something pink in Kakashi's pocket.
"Hey, what's that?" he asked, snapping the paper from the pocket.
Of course it was an envelope, most likely with a Valentine's card inside.
"Oh that, I got it for you" Kakashi replied, looking completely innocent which of course made Obito suspect he was lying.
But playing along he opened it, an even brighter pink with red hearts all over meeting him inside. Turning it over he scanned the poem written on it, fast at first and then slowing down, an incredulous look forming on his face.
"Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm the most awesome but you're number two?" he read out loud, looking up at Kakashi who shrugged at him.
"I thought it fit pretty well."
Obito shook his head slowly and punched Kakashi's arm playfully.
"So you admit you're number two?" he said with a grin.
"Che, don't be more stupid than you already are" Kakashi said with a smirk, frowning when Obito hugged him on impulse.
But for once Kakashi hugged back, and although Obito didn't think any more of it than a simple hug between friends, the tinge of pink on Kakashi's cheeks told a different story indeed.
~16 years old~
"I'm so sick of my family! Can't I just come live with you?"
Kakashi sighed, raising his book to look down at the depressed head on his lap. Obito was pouting up at him with his arms crossed, clearly waiting for a 'Yes of course'.
"Just ignore them" was the answer he got instead.
"Easy for you to say! You don't have to go to family dinners and babysit Sasuke the asshole kid!"
"Obito."
"Yes?"
"I'm reading."
"So? Just stop reading."
"But I don't feel like it."
"I liked you more when… no wait I never liked you."
Kakashi rolled his eyes at Obito's attempt to rile him up, which made Obito hit him.
"But Kakashi~" he whined, tugging at his shirt. "I really don't want to go tonight. Everyone hates me anyway, they'd just be happy if I wasn't there. I mean, come on! Itachi is like a tiny brat and even he scoffs at me!"
"Bring a school book and pretend to study."
"Whaaaat! No way I'm reading a boring text book!"
"I said pretend stupid. The cover of your physics book has pretty much fallen off anyway, just put it around another book."
Obito threw himself over Kakashi, hugging him and ignoring the protesting noises Kakashi made.
"You're a genius! I love you!" he shouted, grinning widely and then running off home to put the plan to work.
Kakashi had told him afterwards, that that suddenly shouted 'I love you' had pretty much been his breaking point when it came to denying his feelings for his clumsy best friend. If Obito had been paying attention he might have noticed the subtle changes in Kakashi's behavior after that day, but Obito was as oblivious as ever. He didn't notice the casual touching, the lingering looks, the obvious indifference towards the female population, the general lack of protest when Obito got a little enthusiastic and touchy-feely.
He had to admit that he himself got less interested in girls as well as the years passed, but that was more due to the fact that they all seemed to think he was a dorky idiot for occupying the space next to Kakashi. The idea that he and Kakashi were on the way to becoming more than friends didn't even occur to him, well, not until that incident.
~18 years old~
It started around Kakashi's eighteenth birthday in September. Many girls had given up on Kakashi and many new had crushed on him, until they too had given up.
Rin hadn't though.
And she still wanted to make him hers, one way or the other.
The 'other' way being via Obito.
"Obito, would you like to go on a date with me?"
Obito looked at Rin in shock, he didn't think he'd live to see the day Rin actually asked him on a date!
"Umm, uh, well, wait you mean now?"
Rin nodded, and then grabbed his arm and started pulling him along, heading for their high school's main entrance.
"There's a really nice café just a few blocks away, let's go there!"
Not really knowing what was going on, Obito followed, wondering how mad Kakashi was going to be when he didn't show up to walk home together.
Sitting at a small table and sipping on his drink with Rin in front of him felt extremely weird. Not because she was a girl, he'd actually been on a few dates before. He'd started working out about a year ago, and that plus a fair height boost had made him go from average and stupid little kid to average and pretty decent guy. He was nowhere near Kakashi's level, but then again he never would be so what was the point in feeling bothered by it?
But if someone like Rin asked him on a date, maybe he'd gotten more good-looking than he originally thought?
"So, you and Kakashi have been friends for a really long time now, haven't you?" Rin asked, snapping him back to reality.
"I guess…"
"Are you guys together?"
"Toge- what do you mean?"
"I mean are you a couple or not?"
Rin looked serious, but Obito couldn't help laughing.
"What, seriously? You think we're gay?"
"I don't know" she shrugged. "You seem pretty close though, so I just wanted to check."
Oh. So that's what the 'date' was all about?
"You know, gay or not I don't think you have a chance with Kakashi."
"Why, did he tell you anything?"
"We don't really talk about girls… But no I'm pretty sure he's not interested."
"You're only saying that because you think it'll give you a chance with me!"
Obito looked at her. The pretty reddish-brown hair, her large now upset eyes, the perfectly balanced make-up and (not that he was an expert but you can't help picking things up right?) clothes in the latest fashion. Not to mention those very hard to miss boobs.
All in all she was the dream girl, and smart too.
It was just that, she was no longer his dream girl.
"No, I don't want to date you. I mean, I know when to give up before it gets embarrassing."
She stared at him for a few seconds, and then her eyes suddenly filled with tears.
"So you really don't think he and I can…"
He shook his head and made an apologetic grimace.
"Oh. I'm sorry I never considered you Obito, I mean you've got nothing against Kakashi but you're a really nice guy. Thanks for telling me."
Surprised by the sudden back-handed compliment he stared after her as she left, hurriedly walking out of the café. Really, what the hell had all that been about?
"Did you honestly just turn down the one girl you've been obsessed with since we were kids?"
Kakashi claimed Rin's empty seat, leaning back and looking as carefree and cool as ever, but Obito caught the annoyance in his eyes.
"Why, you think I shouldn't have?"
Kakashi gave him a sharp look.
"I was just surprised."
"Well I don't like her anymore, big deal."
They sat quietly for a while, Obito sipping on his drink lost in thought.
"How did you find me anyway?" he asked eventually.
"Some guys saw you get dragged this way by her, so I just looked through the windows 'til I saw you."
"You know what the craziest thing is? She said she was sorry for not considering me before. Like, I would have been a good alternative?"
Kakashi met his eyes with more obvious annoyance.
"Anyone not having you as their first choice is not worth your time."
Obito snorted.
"Yeah…"
Why was he suddenly wondering who Kakashi's first choice was?
~19 years old~
After that not-quite-date with Rin he'd started thinking things over a little more thoroughly. He went on another date or two, but Kakashi obviously didn't like it when he did, and he didn't really mind not going. Being with Kakashi was a lot more comfortable and fun anyway, especially since he was making progress in his quest to make his best friend less pedantic and more laid-back in areas apart from the way he treated other people.
And thinking more closely about the 'physical' side of their friendship, even he himself started suspecting them of being gay for each other. They didn't have any problems with body contact; often touching somehow, be it a hug, a head in a lap or just a finger brushing back a few strands of hair, all of it felt great but were maybe not within the boundaries of more 'normal' best friends.
Well except for girls, but they were both guys. Or men, as he'd preferred to think, they were eighteen going on nineteen after all.
He didn't have any desire to take any next steps though, he was fine the way things were. Well, until that summer after graduating high school that they'd spent working as life guards at a beach close to his summer house.
Maybe he was starting to realize he was bi, or maybe long exposure to Kakashi's half-naked toned sun-tanned body just did that to you, but he was starting to have some serious ideas about how they could spend their nights together instead of sleeping.
He didn't dare to act on it though. He had no idea what Kakashi felt! And anyway he wasn't really in Kakashi's league even if he was gay, regardless of the fact that they'd been best friends for so long.
He just couldn't help feeling inferior to all the other good-looking people gathered at the beach and trying to get Kakashi's attention.
Although, he'd been told later that apparently quite a few guys had had their eyes on him and quickly been taken cared of by a jealous Kakashi.
It was a pretty tense summer.
But summer turned into early fall, and suddenly he was leaving for military service and Kakashi was staying at home to start studying law. He'd complained for hours, out of all boring things Kakashi just had to pick the most boring thing of them all! And he should know since his dad was a lawyer. And his dad was also the most boring person in the whole world.
No amount of pouting or convincing was enough to change Kakashi's mind though, and the silver-haired man won every argument simply by playing the guilt card that he couldn't go to the military like he wanted to.
He had a secret feeling Kakashi didn't really want to go anymore though. That didn't make the prospect of saying good-bye and only seeing each other for one week during the next ten months or so any easier though. He could have gone home more often, but his parents thought that he needed the time away to get some sense 'beaten' into him. Such nice parents.
"Don't look so mopey Kakashi, I'll be back before you know it!"
That Kakashi didn't answer in any of his usual ways made Obito feel nervous for some reason. They were standing on the train platform; it would leave pretty soon but at least he already had his luggage secured at his seat.
He wasn't the only one taking that train to join the military, there were several other guys with families and girlfriends and also a few girls. He was pretty sure even the girls would be better than him.
What he hadn't told Kakashi though, was that he'd really put in a great effort to get accepted. He knew Kakashi couldn't go, so for some reason he wanted to go in his stead even though he was sure he'd hate it.
That and his parents pretty much forced him to go.
"I'll miss you" Kakashi suddenly mumbled.
Smiling at his best friend Obito hugged him close, wishing he could bring him with him. He'd definitely be lonely too.
Loosening his grip a little he leaned back to meet Kakashi's worried eyes.
"Sheesh don't look so worried, I'm going to be fine! It's not like I'm going to war or something."
Kakashi didn't answer, instead he glanced at the other people who were starting to board the train, they had only five minutes left after all.
When Kakashi looked back at him, Obito barely had time to see the determined look on his face before he was kissed, Kakashi's lips touching his lightly at first, but gaining courage when Obito didn't push him away.
They really should have kissed earlier.
Tightening his hold on Kakashi's back he opened his mouth to allow his friend to deepen the kiss, the feeling of his tongue caressing his own incredible.
It ended too soon, with both of them breathless and light-headed. Before Obito had time to say anything though he was pushed towards his train compartment by a blushing Kakashi, and he had no choice but get on unless he wanted to miss it.
He ran to his seat and opened the window.
"Damn it Kakashi, I'll get you next time! Don't just leave me hanging like this you ass!"
Kakashi looked surprised first, but then he smirked and blew him a kiss. What an asshole.
"Oi! Kakashi! Over here!"
Obito half-ran through the snow on the platform, it had been snowing like crazy these past few days after Christmas. Reaching the silver-haired man who looked like he was already dressing like a lawyer (he looked damn good in his winter trench coat though) he missed the impressed look on Kakashi's face at seeing him in his army clothes.
Instead, he pretty much glomped him, his luggage forgotten on the ground as he grinned and squeezed as much air out of his best friend as he could.
"Air" Kakashi choked out, but then he smiled as well before getting a worried frown between his brows. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes Kakashi I'm fine. I mean, it's been some crazy torture stuff but I'm alive and healthy!"
"I didn't mean military, I meant your family."
"Oh, yeah, that."
Obito sighed and picked up his huge army back-pack, sneaking his arm around Kakashi's and starting to walk.
"Well I'm not the one affected, I'm just completely forgotten about again, so thanks for letting me stay at your place."
"You say that like you'd actually want to stay with your parents."
Obito flashed him a grin.
"True! But seriously, I can't believe aunt Mikoto did that."
"So what exactly did she do? You didn't know when we spoke over the phone."
"Gah Kakashi don't talk like that! Like a boring lawyer! You need to study something else." He sighed, hoisting his back-pack higher on his shoulder. "I just didn't want to tell you then, there were people listening and I promised not to tell anyone. You don't count of course."
"Of course."
Obito gave Kakashi an amused look at the confident answer.
"But yeah, basically she tried to kill Sasuke with sleeping pills. I mean, sure I don't like that snotty little brat but… At least Itachi is good for something, he made him puke it all up."
"Sounds pretty bad."
"No kidding. Anyway my mom has to take care of Mikoto and dad is doing whatever he has to do with uncle Fugaku so…"
"But they're not making you babysit this time"?
"Nope! You know, Itachi might still be a brat but he finished high school same time as us, so I guess they think he can do it. Which is good news for us!"
Kakashi didn't answer, instead he bit the inside of his cheek and looked away. Yes, he was thinking of all the perverted things he wanted to do to Obito since they had a whole week to themselves, since Kakashi's mom was visiting some friends (he still lived at home).
It was Obito making the first move though. Over the months spent in the army he'd been thinking a lot, and come to the conclusion that it was probably better to get the whole 'confession' thing over with as soon as possible. Otherwise Kakashi had a tendency to get too elaborate, and for once in his life Obito wanted to beat Kakashi to something.
Throwing his back-pack into a corner in Kakashi's bedroom he sat down on the bed, patting the space beside him. When Kakashi sat down he grabbed one of his hands, looking him deeply in the eyes.
He'd read that it was a good way to confess.
"I really like you" he mumbled, wanting it to come out with more confidence but ending up like a tomato in the face.
Kakashi's widened eyes were totally worth it though. Ha! He'd totally managed to shock him!
Grinning Obito leaned forward to give Kakashi a chaste kiss on his lips, laughing when Kakashi was speechless.
"This is the point where you kiss me back, stupid" he taunted, snapping Kakashi out of his stupor.
"You're the stupid one" he mumbled, but pushed Obito so he laid on his back on the bed, feet still touching the floor and Kakashi's hands holding both of his above his head. "But I really like you too."
Heart thumping in his chest Obito parted his lips, swallowing nervously when Kakashi came closer, his breath fanning over his face and making his face heat up. Closing his eyes when Kakashi closed his, he held his breath until he felt those soft lips pressed against his own, sighing through his nose and moaning quietly when a tongue poked his lip. Kissing Kakashi felt so good, much better than kissing a girl, and he wondered how he'd been able to survive so long without it.
But then again, you can't really compare kissing your best friend/love of your life with kissing some random girl.
They clumsily moved further onto the bed, bodies aligning and the warm tingling at contact causing eager inexperienced hands to start wandering. He gripped Kakashi's shirt, twisting it in his hands when he felt the hesitant touch of fingers underneath his t-shirt, pulling him closer, their bodies slowly rubbing against each other. He let go of the shirt and instead moved his palms over the muscled back, tracing Kakashi's spine and arching into him when their kiss deepened.
His mind was hazy, his senses of touch, smell and sound felt heightened, and Kakashi was so close, so warm, and so perfect. He wasn't nervous anymore. This was Kakashi, his best friend, the one person he trusted with his life, and no one else could ever make him feel like this.
They didn't go the whole way that first time, but Obito still counted it as the time he lost his virginity. Sex is more than just penetration right? But anyway, he had to go back to the military, and the months there without Kakashi had felt extremely slow. At least they could talk on the phone, otherwise he didn't think he'd have survived. Coming back though…
He'd decided to tell his parents about Kakashi, he didn't want to keep it a secret. He knew they were going to take it badly, which is why he hadn't told Kakashi in advance. He hadn't really thought he'd get thrown out on the street though, that was pretty bad even for his parents. But Kakashi had taken him in without any comments, just hugging him until he'd cried so much he couldn't cry anymore.
After that they'd moved in together in an apartment of their own, getting used to life as boyfriends instead of best friends, and that summer was easily the happiest that far in Obito's life. And life went on; Kakashi abandoning law after realizing literature (erotic literature) was so much more interesting and pursuing a career within publishing, and Obito working for a year or two before having an epiphany and starting to study media with radio as his major.
Yes, he was currently working as a radio host.
The years went by, settling into a routine of sex, work, sex, sex at work, and having fun. They bought their house, and Obito wasn't even bothered anymore by the fact that his family still hated him. But at the impressive age of 28 he was reminded of them again, with the wedding invitation that Itachi had sent him.
Why Itachi would send it he still had no idea, but maybe some secretary or something made a mistake and forgot he wasn't on the 'people to be invited' list. Why he went was also a mystery, but he did.
~28 years old~
"I can't believe we haven't been thrown out yet."
"Maybe they don't recognize you."
"Or maybe they'd rather die than actually look at me" Obito muttered.
They were in church, sitting in the row furthest at the back, trying to appear inconspicuous. So far no one had taken notice of them, but Obito still felt extremely nervous seeing all his relatives gathered in one place. Luckily there were lots of other people too as well as the bride's family, so maybe Kakashi was right and nobody recognized them.
He craned his neck to try and see the front rows, if he could catch a glimpse of his parents.
"Stop fretting, I thought you didn't want them to see you."
"Well I don't want to see them either."
He pouted when Kakashi gave him a knowing look and squeezed his hand for comfort.
"But the bride's family looks pretty creepy though" he added.
"They're from China" a grumpy voice to the side of him said, and Obito turned in surprise to find a teenage Sasuke sitting on the same bench.
"Sasuke? Wow you actually grew a little taller!"
Sasuke glared at him and crossed his arms, pulling off the sulking teenager-look pretty well.
"But saying they're creepy because they're from China, that's not very nice. And that's not what I meant either" he continued, smirking at the little Uchiha.
Sasuke didn't answer, he just made some non-committal sound and looked the other way.
"Wait, why are you back here anyway? Shouldn't you be the best man or something?"
Sasuke tensed up, glancing back at him and then fixing his gaze at the wood of the back of the bench in front of them.
Oops, sensitive subject it seemed.
"So who's the wife anyway?" Kakashi said, saving Obito.
Sasuke shrugged.
"She's stupid. And her family's stupid too."
Obito and Kakashi looked at each other questioningly, but then Obito rolled his eyes. He didn't have any urges to make conversation with the annoying kid anyway.
That's when the music started, and everyone stood up to turn and look at the couple as they walked up the aisle. Itachi looked surprisingly grown-up, which he should have maybe expected since they were only five years apart, and the girl looked like a typical Asian beauty.
Looks or money then, he concluded. He glanced over at the bride's relatives. When he'd said creepy, he'd meant the seriousness and intimidating aura some of them had, they reminded him of the Uchihas. So yeah maybe the Chinese version of the Uchiha family?
Sitting down again he saw Sasuke glaring daggers after the bride.
"You really don't like her huh?"
"Hn. I'm never getting married. It's a stupid idea."
Obito left him on his own after that, besides they had to be quiet during the ceremony. He caught the sulking teenager staring at him and Kakashi quite a few times though.
Thinking back on it now that he knew Sasuke was gay, maybe he hadn't disliked Obito more than you generally dislike an annoying relative, and instead been a little jealous over the fact that Obito was living happily with his male partner.
Well sometimes even Obito got jealous of himself on behalf of others.
Maybe he should-
"What are you thinking about?"
Kakashi's voice snapped him out if his thoughts and back to reality.
"Hmm, just remembering stuff."
"Well you were way too quiet, I thought maybe you'd forgotten how to talk" Kakashi teased, running a hand affectionately through Obito's hair and raising his body a little to look down at him.
Obito rolled his eyes and smacked Kakashi lightly on his arm. Then he got more serious, giving Kakashi a searching look.
"What?"
"I was just thinking… why aren't we married?"
Kakashi raised his eyebrows at the question.
"Well we could do it if you want to."
Obito turned over to lie on Kakashi's chest instead, snuggling into him and burying his nose in his neck. Kakashi hugged him tight and kissed his hair, making Obito smile.
"You know, I wouldn't mind getting married."
Kakashi snorted.
"But I'm not wearing a dress."
Kakashi chuckled at that, tracing patterns on Obito's back with his fingertips.
"Does that mean I can wear one?"
Smacking Kakashi again Obito sighed contentedly.
"You're too old for that" he mumbled sleepily, yawning and thinking that a nap was also a good idea.
Kakashi kissed his hair again.
"I love you" he mumbled.
"I love you too" Obito answered with a happy smile.
It's a little ironic that I was so excited about writing this chapter and then ended up having so much trouble. Out of 21 pages in Word I wrote 15 last night and today. Thanks for putting up with me!
