Disclaimer: I own none of the original characters.
Situations will be unique and not follow the anime or manga unless necessary.
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This is almost just a filler chapter. Hope you enjoy!
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Before heading back to Konoha, Minato-Sensei traveled to the nearest small village with Obito's body. In times where war is sweeping through the nations, it isn't unusual for shinobi to seek help from civilians for medical purposes, or even for helping them care for their passed-on comrades.
I was left alone with Rin while he was away. We had moved from where we had been, heading in the direction that Minato-Sensei had took off in. We found a small pond in a clearing and cleaned the blood from our skin.
I wanted to strip my entire outfit and burn it. I wasn't going to be able to get his blood out of my clothes and I had to wear it all the way home. It made me sick to my stomach.
Rin was sitting on the edge of the pond staring into the water. I wanted to say something, comfort her, or do something…anything but sit in this silence. I couldn't bring myself to do any of the things that I wanted. She was in pain, that was clear, we all were. But I was the one who caused the pain…I killed my best friend, our teammate, and the boy she loved.
…
We sat there for what seemed like the entire day before Minato-Sensei returned. He had a large wrapped bag on his back, he was going to carry Obito home, but we needed to do it properly.
"They cleaned him up nicely, we should get going so we can make it home as soon as possible, his family needs to be notified." Rin and I stood up and walked toward him getting ready to fall in formation.
It was incomplete without Obito. That thought stung the corners of my eyes, I was trying not to cry anymore, shinobi weren't supposed to cry. Sensei turned to us before we took off to leave.
"I know that this trip is going to be rough on the both of you." He was focusing on us both at the same time. "We need to be on our guard in case…that person…comes back to cause more trouble." He had no idea who that man was either. That somehow comforted me a bit.
We hadn't talked about the attacker and I hadn't mentioned that he was after me exclusively to either Sensei or Rin, although Rin probably overheard our conversation during the battle…I couldn't ask her. It wasn't the right time to bring it up.
"Sensei…What will we say about…the mission?" I was tripping over my words. What I really wanted to say was 'What are we going to tell everyone happened to Obito.' I was already accepting the punishment for killing a comrade…whatever that would be. To be honest I wasn't sure what would be waiting from me back at Konoha.
Exile? Shunned? Executed?
The last seemed a bit harsh, but I…murdered someone…
That thought hurt a little more than I was expecting. I knew what I did, but I wasn't ready to think about it in that way.
…
We had been keeping a steady and fast pace, trying to stay focused on our surroundings. We were not in any shape to take on any enemies, but if we were ambushed, we would have no choice. Getting Obito home was the new mission, that thought is the only thing keeping me running. He died a hero in our eyes, if it wasn't for him jumping in to save me, I'm sure I would have been the one to die.
Damnit why did he have to interfere. This should have been me being carried home.
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We arrived home after only a few short rests, we again made the dangerous decision of not stopping overnight. This was more important thought, and if we stayed in one place too long, we could have been targeted.
It was late when the front guards let us through the gate. They bowed their heads silently after seeing what Minato-Sensei had on his back. It was common to see shinobi carrying their comrades' home in this fashion.
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Minato-Sensei stopped inside of the gates and turned to face us. The village was dark and streets empty, the quiet surrounding us was eerie, I was rarely outside during this time of night, but the situation we were in made it worse.
"We will go to the Hokage's office first and take direction from him." He started in a serious tone, not something that I had heard in the past few days. "You will be silent until dismissed."
"Yes Sensei." We both whispered in unison. I was trying to prepare for the worst possible scenario in my head. I knew that not completing the mission was unacceptable, but we also had a fallen comrade and the one who killed him. This was going to be difficult to stand by and listen to.
I had been so deep inside my own thoughts; I hadn't even noticed when we arrived at the Hokage's office. I stopped at the bottom of the steps as my team continued ahead. "Kakashi…" Rin had turned to me after noticing that I wasn't behind her anymore. I was looking at my feet, fists clenched. I wasn't ready to face this, any of it…
I suddenly felt the warmth of a hand on my fist, unbaling my fist and lacing fingers between mine. "Come on Kakashi. I've got you." Rin said with a half-smile as she pulled me up the first step.
I walked next to her, holding her hand the entire way up. How could she be so nice to me still? How was she holding herself together enough to help me? How did she not hate me like I expected her to?
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We stood before Lord Hokage; Minato-Sensei was on one knee in front of us, head bowed, with Obito's body laid out before him. His face had been unwrapped and Rin and I were standing with our heads bowed paying our silent respects to our fallen teammate.
"The mission was a failure sir. We were forced to abandon the mission under unexpected circumstances." Minato-Sensei's voice was professional, never faltering.
"I see." The Hokage spoke. He seemed almost sad, but he always had a difficult tone to read. "We will not be needing the intel that you were sent for any longer Minato."
"Sir?" Minato-Sensei had risen his head to look at Lord Hokage.
He cleared his throat before he spoke. Addressing our entire team. "We have taken a hidden rain spy into custody at one of our outposts. He gave us all of the intel that we needed and the ANBU has neutralized the threat."
I almost let out a sigh of relief. Although that didn't excuse the fact that we abandoned our mission, the end result turned out alright.
"We had an ANBU team dispatched to alert you as soon as you reached the nearest checkpoint to the gates so that you may retreat…I had assumed when you arrived that they had found you." He looked down at Obito. "It seems I was wrong."
Minato-Sensei stood up; head bowed to the Hokage. "Thank you, sir, we are all grateful that the mission was successful for them."
The Hokage nodded. "Now…Regarding Obito Uchiha…" He looked down at the body that was laid before him. I almost thought I saw pain on his face when he said his name. "What happened on your mission?"
I felt my heart start to pound in my chest, I felt the color leaving my face. If it wasn't for my mask and headband, I'm sure someone would have noticed how pale I had gotten. This was it, the moment I had to take responsibility for my mistakes.
"We were ambushed in the forest just outside of the village. Obito Uchiha gave his life protecting Kakashi. He died a true hero of Konoha." Minato-Sensei stopped there.
What…?
"I see. I would like to speak to you privately Minato, after you are done filling out your report." Lord Hokage looked to Rin and I. "Thank you for your help with this mission, both of you need to rest, I will have your Sensei collect you tomorrow for the preparations."
Rin nodded and turned to leave. I stood there for a moment, looking back down at Obito one last time.
"Kakashi, you are dismissed." Minato-Sensei said in his serious tone, not even looking in my direction as he did.
I nodded quickly and followed Rin out of the chambers. She took my hand again as we walked outside into the warm night. "I can't go home Kakashi…I'm not ready to be alone." She spoke softly as we reached the bottom of the stairs. "Can I come stay with you…just for tonight…"
"Oh…Of course Rin…but won't your parents be worried?" I was stumbling on my words. Did Rin just ask me if she could spend the night at my house? What world was I suddenly living in…She and I were friends and I would never say no to her, especially at a time like this, but still I couldn't believe she wanted to be around me at all.
She smiled at me. "They won't even know that I'm back until tomorrow anyway. I just think we need each other right now." She was right. I didn't want to be alone either, not with everything that just happened.
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We arrived at the front steps of my apartment only a few minutes later, I had taken a short cut through some alleys between buildings so we would get there without anyone seeing us. I didn't feel like speaking to anyone who would be out this late and being asked questions by the possibly drunk shinobi wandering home from the bars.
I unlocked the door and let Rin inside. This was the first time that I really had anyone other than myself in my house. It wasn't much, small with only a kitchen that doubled as my living area, bedroom and bathroom. We both took off our shoes and I pointed to the bathroom. "If you want to get cleaned up go ahead. I can wait until you're done." I was trying to be a good host.
She smiled. "No you go ahead, I'll be fine until you're done." She looked down at my blood-soaked shirt. I felt the knot in my stomach again. Obviously, I should clean up before her, I had his blood on me still. How stupid could I be even be. "Make yourself at home…" I grabbed my new clothes and went to shower. The heat of the water never felt so amazing, but I wanted to hurry so that Rin didn't feel uncomfortable.
I walked out of the bathroom and into the living area, she was sitting on the old futon looking at my mess of books. Most of them were education based or on how to become a great shinobi.
"I have a spare set of clothes that you can wear." She jumped slightly; she must not have heard me come in. "Kurenai had left them at the academy one day and I forgot to give them back to her." I said as I went to grab them out of the closet.
I handed her the T-shirt and pants.
"Thanks, Kakashi, this should be fine." Rin said as she walked to the bathroom and slid closed the door.
Ugh…I'm ready to crash. I thought as I threw myself down on the futon, pushing the books to the floor. When Rin was finished, I would grab some blankets and make a bed on the floor for myself so that she could sleep on the futon. I listened to the time ticking from the clock on my wall…I'll just rest my eyes for a minute…
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"Kakashi…" A voice whispered. "Kakashi."
I opened one of my eyes, I must have drifted off to sleep. Rin was standing next to me shaking my arm. "Hey…" She whispered as if being to loud would wake someone. She took my hand and squeezed it. "We need to talk…"
"I need you to promise that you won't let this change you." She said, her voice was full of pain.
"I can't promise something like that…After what I did…How can I ever forgive myself." I had no idea how she could even sit there and look at me. I couldn't even imagine looking in the mirror.
She looked down at the floor, she was sitting on her knees next to the futon where I was laying. "I don't need to forgive you Kakashi…" She was clenching her fists. "I never felt or thought anything badly about you…not even when…" She couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence, but I already knew what she was going to say. I couldn't get the image out of my head, I could still feel the warmth of his blood soaking my hand and arm, I could see his face as he was dying…All I could do was sit there as still as possible.
I had something that I needed to tell her, something that Obito had said to me before Rin came to him. I just didn't know how to do it without hurting her further. I had to though, I promised Obito.
"Rin…" I was holding my breath. I didn't want to do this, but I couldn't avoid it now that we were talking, I had no other opportunity to bring it up and I knew that. "Obito…He made me promise to give you a message right before he…died…" I still didn't think that I was breathing properly.
"W-w-what…?" She stuttered as she looked up at me, small tears were building in her eyes.
I uncovered my left eye, it was still puffy where the vertical gash running from above my eyebrow, down to just above my cheekbone was. I wasn't used to my new eye yet, the depth perception was very off with both eyes open. I closed my right eye so that only my sharingan was visible. I could see her so clearly, every detail of her face, her hair and each individual strand…I already thought she was beautiful but…wow.
"Rin…Obito wanted me to tell you." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I love you Rin". My eye was encased in tears, dripping down my face. He loved her, he loved her so much that it hurt, it was as if I could feel everything that he felt for her. She stood up, tears in her eyes as well. "Obito…" she whispered his name as she fell forward toward me, I caught her arms with my hands. I felt so bad for doing this to her, I felt like I had hurt her with those words. "Rin I…" and that is all that I could get out before I felt her lips against mine through my mask.
She pulled away after a moment, still crying. "I love you too Obito..." she stood up and wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry Kakashi, I didn't mean to..." I stopped her from talking any further. I know why she had to do that; I knew it didn't mean anything toward me. It was her final and maybe first kiss to Obito.
I kept my left eye open and covered the right side with my headband. I took her hand and pulled her down onto the futon with me, scooting my body as far to the side as I could so that she could lay next to me. She laid there with me, face to face and we just stared into each other's eyes for I'm not sure how long, but it felt like most of the night. She was fighting sleep eventually and I could see it.
I smiled at her, which she probably couldn't even tell through my mask. "Go to sleep Rin, I'll be here when you wake up." I saw a smile sneak onto her lips ever so slightly. "Thank you." Is all she said before she passed out. I'm so glad that she felt safe with me, even after what I had done…I was still able to make her feel like that. "I'll always keep you safe." I whispered to her. I knew she was asleep, but I had to do it. I owed it to him to do so.
I closed my eye letting sleep take over. "I love you too, Kakashi." She whispered back to me and burrowed her face into my arm.
At that moment, I felt more at peace than I ever have in my life.
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I know this was more of a filler chapter, but the story couldn't continue without one.
I appreciate everyone who has followed the story so far!
Reviews welcome!
