Aftermath (Kakashi Hatake)

Part 6: Obito Uchiha

When I was released from the hospital after a week I was sad to find out that Kakashi and Minato-sensei were both busy on missions, Kakashi's in the village instead of out like our sensei's. However, Obito made an appearance to escort me home and keep me company for a few hours like the doctors suggested. "What was it like, Asa-chan?" Obito asked out of the blue as we played a rather intense game of shogi. "What, Obi-kun?" I asked using his nickname. "The war." He answered and I looked up at him to see me staring at my masked face as if waiting for a reaction. "It's ruthless. There's so many bodies. As ninja we are trained to fight to the death and we do exactly that. There is no surrender, only more and more bodies." I said looking down at the board in front of us. "It makes you wonder if peace is real. If it is truly attainable when things like this happen in the world....it makes you wonder if we even deserve it after cutting each other down over it." I confessed and Obito made a noise of agreement. "I wish you would never have to see it." I added and looked up at him with remorse. Obito smiled at me with more sincere emotion than I have ever seen him display. "I'll be okay, you'll see. I'm going to be Hokage one day and I can't do that if I die in this stupid war now can I?" He asked and I smiled as the mood lightened. Trust Obito to make you smile no matter what. 

"If something does happen to me...I don't want you to mourn me." I said a few hours later as we sat on the drinking tea and watching a movie. "Nothing is going to happen to you, Asa-chan." Obito responded immediately but I looked at him to show him I was serious about the subject. "How about this? I am going to mourn you as my friend no matter what, but I promise that I wil not fall into the hole of despair. I will move on with my life and achieve my goals for both of us. The only thing I ask is you promise me the same if it is me who is gone." He said and I smiled a little. "I promise." "Me too." 

Konoha's Blue Bolt became a common name to hear about. My reputation grew as I was sent out more and more, this time to the front lines. Sometimes I was away from home for months at a time. When I was in the village I spent as much time with my team mates as possible. The war was changing us. We were all growing up too fast now. Rin and I became very close after she finally got over her feelings for Kakashi, instead realizing the one she truly wanted to be with is Obito, who unbeknownst to her is head over heels for her as well. The war was changing me specifically though. I was on edge all the time. Soon the nightmares started and I found myself sneaking into Kakashi's bed with him. He never said a word. Soon Team Minato began going out almost as much as I did. Minato-sensei's reputation was even more known than mine. The day I turned twelve Kakashi was sent on his first mission leading his team made up of our other team mates. I was on the front lines myself that day, raiding an enemy encampment on the other side of the country. That was the day we lost Obito. Kakashi took it hard. I took it hard. I felt like I was breaking my promise to Obito but, I couldn't help but cry. I mourned him heavily and so did Kakashi. We mourned together and I found the only form of reprieve in his company. Then we lost Rin. 

"Go as fast as you can, Kakashi is in danger and so is Rin." The Hokage's words echoed in my mind as I raced beyond a speed I had ever moved at before. In that moment, I knew that I became the fastest shinobi alive. I arrived too late. Rin was gone. Kakashi was the only living soul in sight and I watched him sit frozen staring at our lifeless team mate. When I got closer I realized with horror that it was his hand stuck in her lifeless chest. "She ran out in front of me." He whispered emotionlessly and I sighed putting my hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." I whispered and that was all he needed to hear. He surprised me by taking off in the direction of the leaf village before pausing for me to catch up. When I caught up with him, I took him into my arms and we cried. We cried and cried out in the middle of the woods, well into the night. Cursing kami for taking them away for us. We mourned our team mates for the entire night only to rise in the morning and leave it all behind. Telling Minato-sensei was the worst part. He arrived from the front lines shortly after we got home and we ended up telling him before the Hokage did.