Jiraiya woke to the subtle smell of oatmeal and the not-so-subtle smell of the bottom of the pot burning.
"Oh fuck, fuck, fuck."
The pot was clinked around, water splashed, and a string of curse words came next. Jiraiya hopped up and stumbled to the kitchen to see Y/N had already taken care of whatever was burning. She held the pan up to inspect the bottom.
"I forgot you only use one pan. This one still had the sticker on it."
Jiraiya let out a sigh and began taking bowls down for the oatmeal. He was still shirtless and she was still clueless as to how she ended up shirtless in his bed. She found herself staring at his chest again as he portioned out the oatmeal into the bowls.
"You've got a staring problem; you know that?"
"Sorry."
"Don't be. I know I'm fucking ripped for my age," he laughed.
"How did you end up on the couch?"
They took their seats in the living room where they had their tea the night before.
"You don't remember?"
"Do you think I'd ask if I did?"
"Well... you and I..."
Y/N's face got hot. Oh god. What did we do?
"Kidding."
"Then what happened? Tell me!"
"The war happened! You didn't listen to me and you went out there and got fucked up."
He regretted it the moment before the words escaped his mouth. She set her spoon down and pushed the oatmeal aside. This is why she didn't come back to him immediately after the war. The trip she had with Sai was clearly strong enough to make her forget that. She stood up and started to gather her things. The night before returned in flashes. She took her shirt off and Jiraiya saw the scars. She pushed the rest of the memories from her thoughts.
"Y/N, please sit down. Please don't go."
"So you can berate me? As if I didn't spend the last ten years being dehumanized and degraded? I know I fucked up. And for what? Everyone in power is more corrupt than ever!"
"Y/N, please. I'm... I have nothing to say. It was uncalled for. What do you mean by more corrupt than ever?"
"God, I don't even know what to say to you right now," she turned to make her way to the door.
Jiraiya caught her arm and pulled her back, "I thought you were dead. I hated you for that. Then seeing you come back, like a ghost, Y/N? I'm angry. Not with you. With what's been done. My war was supposed to be the last. But, something made you come here. Something told you to come see me. Do you need help? Please, let me help you."
Y/N stared at him. She was suddenly aware of why she avoided him in the year she had been back in Konoha. He loved her. The way he gripped her arm and begged her not to go. Not only now but, back then as well. He loved her in a way she couldn't return. To her, they were purely... platonic.
"Jiraiya."
"Y/N. What did you get yourself into? Let me help you."
"I don't think you can."
"Tell. Me."
"The Uchiha and the Akatsuki. No matter which way I run, they have shit on me. I... can't get out now until my current contract is up."
"Stay here with me."
It wasn't an option. As badly as she wanted out, it wouldn't be this way. Not with him.
Y/N shook her head and pulled her arm away, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I came here in the first place."
"Just stay alive Y/N," He didn't force her to stay. Instead, he watched her walk away from him once more.
She was getting tired of hearing that. She was starting to prefer Madara's conversations. At least he expected her to die.
~~~
As she rounded the corner to get to her apartment she saw a tall, dark haired figured leaned against her door. He wore all black, his shirt wrinkled and unkempt. He had bags under his eyes.
The past week that she had ignored his calls, he assumed the worst. Well, the worst if you were Obito Uchiha. He had been picturing this woman he claimed as his own tangled in sheets with Kakashi. He had been picturing her body moving rhythmically against the silver haired man. Her body moving the way it did when she was with him. Those intrusive thoughts kept him up every night this week and a spiked coffee in his hand. And now, when she made her way around the hallway, alone, his heart wasn't sure how to react. He pressed his head into his forearm that was pressed against her door before pushing away and standing up straight to his full height. His broad shoulders casting a shadow in front and behind him in the hallway where he stood between two light fixtures.
He couldn't tell what she was thinking. Y/N didn't look happy to see him. Quite frankly, he wasn't sure what he was planning to do once he got here anyways. He couldn't be more relived to see she was alone and not behind that door tangled in her sheets with Kakashi. Then again, she could have just come from Kakashi's place.
As she got closer, she saw how exhausted he truly was. The way his tired eye on the scarred side of his face made him look a little younger and a little less dangerous caused her heart to tighten just a bit. She started scanning the hallway. Madara had made things explicitly clear about seeing Obito and she fully expected a camera to be watching her door.
Obito watched as her eyes darted around frantically. She was looking to avoid him... No, she was...
They met each other's eyes, standing about ten feet away from each other. She had spotted the red blinking light in the light fixture between them. She was positive she wasn't in the camera's view. But, who knew how many cameras had watched her come into the building and up the stairs?
Obito looked up to the light fixture and saw what she had spotted. He turned around to find a few boxes outside of another resident's door. He turned quickly and pushed the boxes over. Glasses clattered inside as he stacked them. He stood up and unscrewed the light cover and pulled out the tiny camera. He held it up to his face and flipped it off, knowing whoever his uncle hired to watch its feedback would already have alerted the police chief. He threw the camera down and got off the boxes. He pressed the heel of his boot into the camera, smashing its little parts.
"What did he say to you to make you avoid me?"
Her eyebrows furrowed and he shoulders sagged, "I just wanna finish this year and get away from here."
"Fuck!" Obito kicked the box, breaking some of its contents. He grabbed her hand and led her outside. Paranoia now mixed in with his exhaustion. While he didn't give a shit about his uncle reprimanding him, he knew the consequences would fall onto Y/N.
He grabbed her hand, led her downstairs and hurried her into his car, a black BMW M4 with a red interior. There was no license plate on it. It was completely untraceable.
~~~
Obito and Y/N arrived at a dimly lit motel. The 'vacancy' sign flickered on and off. He ran inside to the front office while she waited in the car. He jogged out of the office about two and a half minutes later and opened her door, pulling her quickly to her feet. He led her up the stairs of the two story motel, its faded blue paint chipping off the rails. The floor was stained with various liquids. The white stucco walls had more of a yellow tinge.
"Wow. Real classy Obito."
"You know it's the safest place for us right now. Tell me what he told you."
Y/N let out a sigh, patience growing thin. They got inside the room which smelled of cigarettes and must. The bed cover looked like it was from the 1970's. Y/N wasn't typically prissy; but, she was careful of what she touched here.
Obito sat on the bed and let out a frustrated sigh. He patted the spot next to him on the bed.
"I'm not sitting on that."
"Y/N."
"No."
"Fine then. Talk, Y/N."
"Madara seems convinced I'm going to get killed. Leaving you heartbroken. He's asked that I break things off between us."
"Are you then?"
"Am I what?"
"Seriously?" Obito's exhaustion was turning into a patience worn thin.
"You know the answer Obito. Please don't make me say it."
His jaw clenched and he gripped the edge of the bed. He was oblivious to her aura. She had spent the last week in a state of confusion and reliving trauma, exhaustion didn't cover how she felt. She wanted to escape the skin she was in.
She was reminded of Madara's words; I do not need my nephew to suffer from another heartbreak. He almost didn't survive the last one. Obito avoided her gaze. The way the lines on his face cupped the bag under his right eye caused her stomach to twist. She wanted to take his pain. No matter how much she was feeling, she couldn't bear to see him carry any burden.
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