Disclaimers: Naruto is not mine, sadly. This is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, sexual assault, torture, sexual content (yaoi), & angst.

It's All In Your Head

Chapter 66: Wait

--

Obito suddenly appeared before them, his blood-red eye filled with rage. He couldn't believe that the Nine Tails had broken free of his control. It shouldn't have been possible, and yet..

It's because I was distracted by Kakashi, he thought to himself. I can't let him pull me away from my real purpose. He can't just-

"Obito!"

The masked man turned to glare at his ex, his sharingan spinning. "Stop getting in my way" he growled. "I told you- I am not the same person I was before. The village will fall!"

The jonin slowly approached him, worried that if he pushed too hard too fast that he would slip right through his fingers. "You don't have to do this, Tobi" he said softly, holding his hand up to show he wasn't a threat. "I know you harbor hate for the village- I understand. You don't have to return, but you don't have to let the Akatsuki control you either."

Obito barked a humorless laugh. "Control me? You are mistaken, Kakashi. I am the one who controls them."

"Can you honestly say this isn't about anyone else? That you are really doing this for yourself?"

The Uchiha took a step back, keeping distance between them. "I don't have to justify myself to you" he said darkly. "You are nothing to me."

Pain flashed in those mismatched eyes, so similar to Obito's own pair, but he pretended not to see it. He couldn't let him affect him, not anymore. He had a goal, and he was determined to achieve it.

No matter the cost.

"I don't believe you" Kakashi said. "I can see the hesitation, Tobi. I know you don't want to do this. I know you feel like you have to." He looked up and met his one exposed eye. "Let me help you."

Kakashi moved towards him once more and the Uchiha shifted out of view, refusing to give in. He reappeared before the Nine Tails and locked his sinister gaze on the beast. "You're not free yet" he snarled.

Naruto flipped him off as the fox glared down, his hate for the Uchiha palpable. "Do not underestimate me, human."

Tobi prepared to seize control of the Nine Tails, to take back what Naruto had taken from him, when Kakashi dropped down directly in front of him- pulling his attention away once more.

"Don't waste your time" Obito gratted out, his voice sharp behind the mask. "I won't go back to who I was. I.. won't go back to you." He met the jonin's heavy gaze, forcing his own to stay cold. "You need to let go, 'Kashi."

The silver-haired jonin decided not to heed his advice and instead do the exact opposite. He reached out and grabbed his arm, forcing him to stay- knowing that if he really wanted to leave, if he really hated being near him, he could simply phase out of his grasp and out of his life. But he didn't, which gave him hope. "What is the point of fighting me on this when I know you want me here."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Yes. I do. I know what I want, Tobi."

"You're making a mistake.." he said weakly.

"Being with you is not a mistake!" Kakashi yanked the stubborn brunette close. When he went to push back at his chest, he grabbed his forearm and held it in place.

He looked past his Uchiha and caught the curious eye of another from the other side of the clearing. "Sasuke" he called over, "send word to Tsunade- she will need to reseal the Nine Tails in Naruto. Start heading back but don't get too close- if they see Kyuubi they might assume it's an ambush."

The Uchiha nodded and leapt up to join Naruto on his demon, ready to get him away from Obito. He knew that Kakashi shared a past with him, and the two clearly had some unresolved feelings, but that didn't mean he had to trust him. He filled Naruto in on the plan and Kyuubi started moving forward. He was surprised that the masked man was letting them leave, but he supposed that they had Kakashi to thank for that. He wasn't completely convinced that it would last, that he wouldn't change his mind and come after them again, but for now his blonde was safe. That's all that really mattered.

Obito looked over his shoulder, watching his quarry move further away from him, and he felt torn. Pulled between his desire for revenge and the ache deep in his chest- a sudden desperate need to be with the person he had once lost, the person he had fully intended on staying away from. He stared after the Nine Tails until the jonin grew impatient for his attention. He grabbed the back of his head and turned him back, forcing their gaze to meet once more.

"Kashi-"

"If you really wanted to push me away you could have" he said firmly. "Let them go, Tobi. Just.. just be with me. I can see that you feel the same way, there's no point in hiding it."

The Uchiha turned away. "Just wait a second-"

"I'm done waiting."

Without warning, Kakashi tore Obito's mask away and chucked it across the clearing. The brunette tried to hide his face, but Kakashi wouldn't let him. He pulled his hand down and yanked down his own mask. Obito looked up with wide fearful eyes, afraid of seeing the hate and revulsion he had come to expect. But he didn't see any of that when he looked at him. Those mismatched eyes held nothing but love and adoration.

Kakashi looked at him just as he did when they were twenty years old.

"I-"

But the jonin wasn't interested in hearing his worries, his doubts, his insecurities. The love of his life was in his arms again after all this time, and he was going to take full advantage of it.

After all, how many times does one get a second chance?

He buried his hand in shaggy chestnut hair and pulled him close as he leaned in. Obito murmured his name and Kakashi pressed the last of his breathy plea between them. He tilted his head to the side as he kissed him, moving against his mouth with the fervor of fifteen long years. He knew it was sudden and reckless to do this- Obito was Akatsuki. He came here to kidnap Naruto and weaponize the Nine Tails. He wanted to destroy the Leaf, and likely had destroyed so many other things on his path for revenge.

And yet.. Kakashi couldn't help himself.

He might be seen as a traitor for this, might be despised by his peers and distrusted by those closest to him, but it still wasn't enough to deter him. This was his chance to turn back the clock, to have another try- to get it right. He had to take it.

Obito..

I won't let you go.

Not this time.

--

"I don't feel good about leaving Kakashi like that" Naruto muttered, glancing over at his boyfriend. He had been quiet for the journey back so far and it was beginning to seriously irk him. He hated when he went all contemplative and moody- it was one of many times he wished that their minds were still connected. He would've liked to be part of the thoughts that darkened his expression, that made his jaw and his fists tighten like that. Ever since they broke the jutsu he felt so much more.. disconnected from him. Which made sense, but it felt a lot worse than he expected.

I wish he would just fucking talk to me, he thought. I just wish I knew what was in your stupid head.

"Kakashi wanted us to leave" Sasuke finally replied.

Naruto looked up, surprised to hear him break the silence. "But what if he gets hurt? He's alone out there."

Sasuke eyed the blonde, noting his concern. He really doesn't see it.. "Obito won't hurt him."

Naruto looked like he was going to argue, so he added, "I saw the way they were looking at each other." He gave his blonde a small smile. "It's the same way I look at you."

"Wait- they.. you think they were.. together?"

"I know they were."

Naruto gave him a puzzled look, so he quickly gave him the condensed version of what Kakashi had told him.

"So he's the one who calls him Tobi.." Naruto thought aloud, processing what the raven told him. "His important person.." He chewed on his bottom lip, considering the two of them. "Wish he was less of an asshole so I could feel better about all of this."

Sasuke ruffled his blonde mass of hair. "I was an asshole without you too, you know. Love.. changes you."

Naruto shoved his hand away and gave him a crooked smile. "Well, aren't you the romantic one."

"That should be obvious by now."

Naruto laughed and reached out to hold his boyfriend's hand, intertwining their fingers together as he used the other to keep a tight grip on the Nine Tails.

"Are you two done? I don't want you mating on my back."

Naruto jumped and his face immediately turned sharingan red. "Jesus Christ, Kurama! What the hell?!"

"My back. My rules."

"You have a messed up mind, you know that!"

"It is easy to guess what Uchiha is thinking, even if we aren't connected."

Naruto jerked his head to the side to stare at the raven. His eyes were gleaming with mischief and he realized that the fox might not be completely wrong.

"The two of you are stressing me out."

Sasuke pulled their clasped hands towards him and gently kissed the top of his blonde's hand. "I'll wait until we're home" he murmured against it, "but not a second longer."

--

Kakashi sensed chakra drawing close, and knew he had to act fast. Must be back-up, he thought. Tsunade knew that him and Sasuke had left right away to find Naruto, that they weren't willing to wait to form a team or get Anbu involved. So, it made sense that she would dispatch a squad to track them down and offer their support. It made sense, but he wasn't happy about it.

Obito was dressed in Akatsuki attire, and Tsunade was already aware that he had taken Naruto. They would likely find the Kyuubi as well, and would easily be able to put together what he had planned. There was no way Kakashi would be able to talk his way out of this. They would deem Obito a threat and dispose of him.

He couldn't allow that.

He pulled back and grabbed the brunette, forcing their eyes to meet. "I want you to run. I'll find you, I promise you. But you have to get out of here before Anbu show up."

"You think me so weak?" he snapped.

Kakashi shook his head. "I know you're not weak, Obito. That doesn't mean I want to see you attacking Anbu. The Leaf will come after you if you take out their own. I'd rather you stay under their radar."

The Uchiha studied him, trying to read his face. "You'll be seen as a traitor if you help me" he said quietly.

"I don't care."

Obito couldn't stop the sudden rush of guilt that flooded his mind and filled his chest. He wasn't a good person- he wasn't sure he ever had been. When he was with Kakashi he could fool himself into believing he was, but it was a lie. He had betrayed people when he was just a kid, and he clearly hadn't outgrown it. He hurt many, and there were times when he even enjoyed it. Madara had helped him discover this side of himself, but he had a feeling it had always been there. Kakashi wasn't like that. He was a highly skilled shinobi, which sometimes made him seem cold, but he truly was a good person through and through. He cared deeply for people, gave until he had nothing left to give, and kept his pain to himself because he didn't want anyone to suffer with him.

I don't deserve him.

I never did…

He wouldn't bring Kakashi down with him.

It seemed like a noble move, but truly it was a selfish one. More than not wanting to ruin his life, he didn't want to see the only person he cares about look at him the way he looks at himself. He didn't want to watch the love in his eyes fade to hate and disgust as he got to know who he really was. He would rather end things now than to watch their relationship slowly deteriorate and know that he was the reason for it. That kind of loss would truly break him.

"I'm not going to run, Kakashi."

"Dammit, Obito! Just listen to me!" He saw the resolve in his face and felt something heavy sink in the pit of his stomach. "Whatever you're planning-"

"I should have just stuck with my revenge" Obito murmured. "It would have been easier that way."

He pulled a kunai free as he shifted out of view. He reappeared behind Kakashi, grabbed a fistful of thick silver hair, and forced the blade against his throat.

Understanding flashed in his eyes. "No- wait!! He's just pretending to-"

A blast of chakra shot out from the woods and slammed into Obito. He could have phased out, could have easily avoided the attack, but he didn't. He waited for it and made sure that it met its mark. He just managing to pull his kunai away from Kakashi before flying back. He dropped to the ground, his body convulsing from the shocks of the electric chakra.

"No!!" Kakashi screamed, his eyes filled with horror. He quickly launched himself at the Anbu, blocking their next attacks, fending them off. "Stand down!" he shouted.

"We have orders."

"And I am your superior" Kakashi snapped.

"These orders come from the Hokage" another added.

Kakashi's sharingan spun dangerously, a threat all on its own. "I won't tell you again."

The masked men exchanged a look, before sheathing their weapons and releasing the chakra in their palms. "You will have to explain this then, Kakashi."

"Fine."

The team looked past him to the man unmoving on the ground and decided that they had all but completed their mission. If Kakashi wanted to have final words with the target, they would give him his last breaths to do so. They reminded the jonin that they would be reporting all of this to Tsunade, which didn't seem to faze him in the slightest, then cleared out.

Kakashi spun around and ran over to Obito's side, dropping to his knees beside him. Blood was spilling heavily from his mouth and a gaping wound in his abdomen. He could see the light in his eyes fading and knew he was almost out of time.

"No" he breathed. He grabbed his hand in a fierce grip, and pressed down hard on the wound, trying to stave off the bleeding. "I won't let you die twice."

"Even if I survive-"

Obito coughed violently. Blood sprayed from his lips and added another layer of crimson on the clouds of his Akatsuki cloak. Kakashi's eyes filled with pain as his person gasped for air, but he forced himself to wait for him to continue.

"-I can't go back.. to the Leaf, 'Kashi. Not after everything I've done.. not after everything they've done.."

"Then we'll find somewhere new we belong. Together."

"You have.. people you care about" he choked, fighting through every word.

"And I have someone I have never stopped loving right here" he argued back.

"But.. Naruto. He.. he seems to be important to you."

"I'm sure I could convince him and Sasuke to tag along" Kakashi said. "He should have left the Leaf a long time ago anyways. Those monsters never deserved him. And Sasuke- well, he never wanted to go back there in the first place."

Obito smiled- a tired, fading smile. "It's.. a nice thought, 'Kashi.. but I don't think.. I'm going to make it.. this time..."

"Yes. You will." Kakashi started to move his hands fast, signs to a jutsu that Obito recognized.

One that had been made forbidden for a reason.

He grabbed his wrist, stilling his hands. "Don't, 'Kashi. Ple- please.. it's not worth it."

Kakashi carefully pulled his hand away and leaned down, his eyes flickering between his love's. "Yes. It is." He kissed his forehead, careful not to jostle his body or aggravate his wounds- ones that he had a limited time to fix.

"It will, nnhhn.. shorten your..life span" Obito choked. "Don't.. don't do this- not.. for me.."

"It's because it's you that I'm doing this."

Kakashi started again, doing the signs he had learned a long time ago- just in case. He didn't think he'd ever have to use this jutsu, but he was glad that he knew it. It was forbidden, a well-kept secret, but Kakashi made it a habit to learn as many of those as he could. The jutsu was a life force transfer, allowing the user to give some of his life to save another. He had learned it too late to save Obito the first time, which had haunted him ever since. But now he could actually put it to good use. Taking some time off his life span was worth adding to Obito's.

He would rather lose a few of his final years than have to face a long life without him. Again.

Obito was wrong.

He was worth it.