Chapter 40
Kakashi smiled thinly. The elite guards were scrambling about, possibly trying to find him, but so far unable to. He was hiding up in the rafters in the shadows, and yes, it would seem that Mr. Kidnapper wasn't lying. The guards knew he was nearby, so the bracelet sealing his chakra did have a tracker in it. But it didn't seem to give the guards an exact location.
Thank the Sage for that. It might just give Kakashi enough time to find an escape route out of here, well, as long as Mr. Kidnapper didn't return too soon. That guy was just a pain to escape from, especially while eighteen weeks pregnant. Especially with his aching, swollen feet. They were the biggest pain. He had been forced into large slippers.
It took a while for Kakashi to find a decent route that lead away from Mr. Kidnapper's wing of the castle. It took down down a couple of floors of the castle, right into a guard's break room.
"-I still can't believe they haven't chosen a new Hokage yet."
"Is there anyone good enough to replace the old one?"
Kakashi paused. He glanced down from the rafters, peering into the room to eye the group of men having lunch. What were they talking about? Mr. Kidnapper said that Lord Third had defeated Orochimaru. That Orochimaru had been forced to retreat-
No. He hadn't confirmed that Lord Third had survived the encounter, only that he had defeated Orochimaru. Kakashi gritted his teeth. Mr. Kidnapper was a sly bastard. Lord Third was dead and they had no Hokage to replace him. No one strong enough. Shikaku would be a great advisor, but he wasn't the type of man who would settle into the Hokage's seat, or at least not comfortably.
He needed to get back home and help. In whatever way possible.
It took almost half an hour to find an exit safe enough for him to slip out of. He had been forced all the way down to the ground floor of the castle and out a secret back door leading outside. Kakashi had almost fell through the door when he pressed himself up against a wall behind a statue to hide from some guards. The inner romantic in him wondered if it was for a secret lover to use and almost purred. Almost, because a pinch on his wrist distracted him. He flinched, and cursed when he looked at his bracelet.
That sly bastard.
Kakashi slumped against the side door and tugged at the bracelet, but sadly he had no way of removing it. Not with the growing drowsiness hitting him like a wrecking ball. He heard footsteps rushing his way and glowered as a pair of guards raced in his direction. They grabbed him, pinned his arms behind his back as the whole world swayed. He didn't like the fogginess clouding his head, and groaned, but the guards ignored him.
So close. He had taken one step outside.
Then everything went dark.
.::.
Obito frowned. All three of the Sanin were about to meet up in Tanzakugai town, and probably cause some chaos. It would be interesting to watch, but he had a runaway Kakashi to deal with. Okay, yes, he did know Kakashi would be bound to case some trouble at some point, but he had been hopeful that the pregnancy and the nice accommodations would keep him somewhat quiet. But no. Of course not. Now he was in jail.
He used Kamui to teleport inside, and rolled his eyes when Kakashi glowered blearily at him. He'd be fine. The sedatives would wear off quickly enough.
"I see you've run into a bit of trouble." Obito smirked as Kakashi huffed and leaned against the pillows. "So, have we learned a lesson about running away?" he asked, conversationally.
"Do it better?" Kakashi said dryly.
"Don't do it at all." Obito ruffled Kakashi's hair.
"You're a sly bastard, did you know that?"
"I've been told," Obito said. "What did I do this time?"
"You made sure I didn't think Lord Third was dead so I wouldn't panic over Konoha as much. And you didn't tell me that the bracelet would drug me if I got too far away from your wing of the castle," Kakashi listed.
Obito sighed. "So you heard about the Hokage then?"
"Yes. And you're still going to keep me away from Konoha despite that?" Kakashi bristled.
"Of course. Although I'm debating if I keep you in this cell, or return you to my side of the castle." Obito wasn't going to leave his pregnant mate in a cell, of course not, but maybe he could let Kakashi simmer in here for a little while. "So, going to behave? Or do I leave you in the nice prison cell with your pillows and blanket?"
Yes, Kakashi was still given a pillow and blanket. Apparently the guards still had a soft spot for a pregnant Omega then.
"It's not so nice that I'm chained too." Kakashi raised his wrists, the chains dangling from the shackles.
"I think that might actually be fair." Obito tilted his head. "Well?"
"I promise not to runaway anymore," Kakashi sighed. "Now please get me out of these?"
"Good boy." Obito mockingly petted his head. He did grab Kakashi though and phase him through the shackles, unbinding him.
"That's a handy trick," Kakashi admired.
He pulled them both out of the cell and nodded to the guards as he passed. However, as soon as they were out the prison block Kakashi began marching away. Honestly, what a pest.
"I thought you said you wouldn't runaway anymore," Obito huffed.
Kakashi was marching away at quite the fast pace.
"I'm not. I'm walking."
Obito snorted. Trust Kakashi to use loopholes as an excuse. He easily caught up to Kakashi and grabbed his waist, pulling him up close to his chest. Obito enjoyed holding his mate and their baby against him for a moment, before using Kamui once more. He brought them both back to his wing of the castle, right to the main door where four guards now stood.
"Make sure he doesn't escape this time," Obito ordered, pushing Kakashi inside.
"That's cheating," he complained.
"I should lock you up in a room," Obito sighed. "But no, I let you roam an entire wing, then you runaway and my men have to capture you, I then save you and you act like a cheeky brat."
Kakashi huffed. "Well, Mr. Kidnapper, maybe if you stopped kidnapping me I'd stop being a 'cheeky brat'."
Obito ignored him. He scooped up his mate instead, bringing him to their bedroom. He went to lower Kakashi down, but Kakashi gasped, flinching. Obito froze, then immediately placed him on the bed and searched Kakashi for any injures. The guards had been ordered not to hurt Kakashi. They weren't meant to hurt him. He was going to tear their heads off-
"What's wrong? Did someone hurt you?" Obito hissed. "Tell me. I'll kill them-"
Kakashi had a look of shock on his face, but Obito startled at the sudden joy his Omega let out. Kakashi's shock slowly turned to awe, and he smiled shakily.
"The baby kicked."
Obito stopped. Kakashi looked anxious, but tentatively happy, and Obito couldn't help but lower his hand close to Kakashi's stomach, then froze. Could he really do this? Could he really accept this beautiful lie in this hell? Kakashi's caught his hand during his hesitance, and pressed Obito's hand to the soft, clothed growth. Their baby was growing fast. Already eighteen, nearly nineteen, weeks along.
And it was killing him.
He couldn't share this properly with Kakashi. Not as his mate. Not as Obito Uchiha. No, he had to stay a stranger, he had to be 'Mr. Kidnapper', because otherwise Kakashi would never stop trying to fight him. He would do everything he could to bring Obito 'home'. To a cursed home filled with nothing but death and lies. But it was so tempting to take off his mask, to be Obito Uchiha, to embrace this simple joy. He could be with Kakashi. The idea that Obito could wake up to Kakashi lying in his arms every morning was so tempting. But no. Obito was going to protect his family. He was going to bring about peace for the entire world. He would make sure of it.
"You might get a better look if you took your mask off," Kakashi said innocently.
Obito snorted.
Of course the little shit would say that. Why wouldn't he? Kakashi was a nightmare, his nightmare, but still. The bloody pest.
"I'll keep it on, thank you very much."
"You never let me see your pretty face."
Obito rolled his eyes. "I've got a lot of scars, Kakashi."
He got them protecting Kakashi. Every time he looked at them reminded him that he had pushed his mate out the way. That he had protected his mate for once in his life. That Kakashi would get to live. So yes, he wasn't exactly handsome, but he had protected Kakashi with everything he had. That was worth the scars.
"That means you have a lot of stories to tell?"
"Or it means I didn't dodge enough."
Kakashi smiled. "That too." But the softness faded, and Kakashi frowned. "What's your plan exactly?"
"What do you mean?" Obito brushed his thumb soothingly across Kakashi's stomach, admiring the growing swell.
"You have to have an endgame. You know you can't keep me locked up here forever. I won't be pregnant forever."
"That's true," Obito admitted. "But you will have a newborn to look after."
Kakashi wouldn't be safe running around with a newborn in unknown territory. Not with his name in so many bingo books. No, he'd be too vulnerable and would only endanger himself and their baby.
"Besides," Obito said, shoving Kakashi back against the pillows to loom over him. "You're losing the ability to access your chakra the further your pregnancy progresses. And once you give birth, you won't be able to access a lick of it for at least a month. I think it is fair to say that I'll be able to keep you here for a long time. So tell me, how do you think you'll get around that, Kakashi?"
"With great difficulty I imagine." Kakashi crossed his arms.
"Great difficulty indeed. You won't get out of here without help, and Konoha won't send anyone out. Not with the Hokage dead, and war looming so very close. It's in too much chaos right now, and that means it is in extreme danger of attack." Obito tilted his head. "You can understand why I don't want you there, yes?"
"And how does your Daimyo feel about having me here and not even once trying to interrogate me for information about Konoha?" Kakashi scowled. "Is he just waiting for the baby to be born first? Then maybe instead of torturing me he can take the pup hostage-"
Obito barely suppressed his rage at the thought. But he knew that logically the Daimyo was under his control, his command, and he would kill everyone in the castle before they harmed Kakashi and their baby.
"Don't concern yourself with that," Obito said, shoving a pillow beneath Kakashi's swollen feet. "You and the baby are safe. In fact, the only danger here is the danger you cause to yourself by trying to escape. So stop being reckless and behave."
"So you want me to just lie here?" Kakashi bristled.
He was being so damn stubborn.
"I want you to stay in my wing of the castle where it's safe and secure, because..." Obito paused. Fuck. He hadn't meant to go so deep into his thoughts and feelings. Right now he was meant to just secure Kakashi back inside his wing of the castle.
"Because?" Kakashi pressed.
"Because you're important to me," Obito said. Not the original words that would have slipped out had he not stopped himself, but caring enough despite that.
Kakashi's hand landed on his neck, where Obito had bitten his scent gland. "The bond-"
Obito rolled his eyes. "Not everything is about our secondary genders, Kakashi. You are important, bond or not."
He stood up, and glanced down at Kakashi. "I have business to attend to. You have been warned, and have tried to escape once. If you try a second time I will take measures to ensure your safety. And I doubt you will enjoy those measures."
"Bite me." Kakashi scowled.
Obito barely stopped a snort. "I already have."
He left to go see how exactly the Sanin were getting on with their reunion, if they had found each other yet. No doubt they would though. Jiraiya didn't want to be the Hokage, so of course he would throw the job at Tsunade. Meanwhile Orochimaru would need her to heal his arms.
Well, whatever happened, it was bound to be of interest for Konoha's future.