It must have been the longest night of your life. Your squad was to pack everything and return home that following morning, and Obito still hadn't woken up. You were scared that attempting to bring him home would rupture his opening and cause him to never wake up again. In your hands, you tightly clutched the stuffed animal he'd given you for your birthday; its worn fur stained red from the fresh blood that escaped through your wound and soaked into its fiber.
It's funny, you thought.
I don't know if this is from my blood, or yours, Obito.
The crushing guilt over your best friend's sacrifice ate away at you as your knuckles delicately caressed his paled expressionless face. You grasped that this must have been what Obito felt when he thought he lost you to Madara, and you fathomed that the feeling truly was hell.
For what had to have been the hundredth time, you pulled out the picture you kept in your pocket, one that also gave you strength during missions like these. The picture itself was beginning to fade and its ragged edges gave away its age, but it never ceased with soothing your mind and bringing a smile to your face.
Onit was you and Obito, happy and free. One arm was wrapped around his shoulder asyour faces pressed together in a playful and endearing manner. He had managedto sneak in bunny ears on you, which may explain the larger than usual smile hesported that day. That was definitely the highlight of your picture. His smile. Obito always had the most uplifting winning smile. The way he would close his eyes in delight from seeing you always filled your heart with such joy. You were so terrified of never seeing that smile ever again. You stared at that picture for hours.
Your concentration eventually began to degrade, with your attention shifting to your surroundings. You were disturbed by the lack of medical supplies in the base – or any supplies for that matter. Distraught also gripped you from the inexcusable shortage of medical ninja on such a potentially perilous mission.
Rin came by to check on Obito occasionally and even addressed your wound, but she would reluctantly leave shortly after to mind more mortally wounded ninja. It must be so incredibly difficult to be the only one trained to treat so many injured shinobi, especially since Rin was still recovering from being taken hostage by Zetsu. You promised her that you would watch over Obito for the both of you.
This wasn't supposed to happen. I'm sorry, Obito... I'm so sorry... Why am I so... damn... weak...? I don't know how to take care of myself. I don't know what to do. What would I do if you...? No. I won't give up on you. I need to have faith in you, like you did with me.
While deep in thought, you felt a twitch on the hand that was holding Obito's and you snapped your head in his direction in shock. You watched his eyebrows quiver and furrow before his lids rose in what felt like slow motion. His dark eyes immediately landed on you and he fixated them there for what felt like forever.
Neither one of you spoke. The conflicting sensations of guilt and anger, euphoria and relief overwhelmed your senses, wracking your body to an indescribable degree of emotion. You felt your mouth open on its own and immediately tasted salty drops, only then realizing you had begun to cry from seeing his eyes again. Obito tried uttering your name, but only gargled noises managed to pass through his dried lips. You instantly reached for a wooden canteen and held Obito's head up as he drank; all the while, you were still in sheer astonishment that he managed to pull through.
You wanted to hug him. You wanted to squeeze Obito and never let him go ever again, but you couldn't. Both of you were far too fragile to disrupt the minimal amount of blood shared between the two of you. Still, you held on to his limp arm with a grip that told him of all of the pent-up emotions you had harbored for the past two days.
"(y/n)," he finally spoke. His eyes were baggy and half lidded, and was rather pale, but he was still the most stunning man you had ever seen. Especially since you had the comfort of knowing that he was still with you, and that his sworn protector wasn't the cause of his death in the form of some cruel, twisted irony.
Morning came quickly now that Obito was awake. You helped him eat and clean up, and before you knew it, it was time to head home - but there was one more thing you had to do first. Since Rin had been so preoccupied, she had no time to provide Obito with fresh bandages. You were by no means a medical expert, but you did know basic patching techniques. You were hesitant in changing Obito's gauze yourself in fear of opening Rin's incision, so you held off on it. Since he was awake, you felt much more comfortable with switching them out under his watch.
"Tell me if I hurt you, okay Obito?" you pleaded and began unwrapping the stained bandages from his chest with a particular tenderness in your touch. You had to be extremely careful with your movements, it was difficult enough to move your arms but the lack of a healthy amount of blood put you at risk of passing out from even the slightest physical activity.
The bandages peeled off with an audible noise, the deeper wrapping sticking to his wound like a second skin. Obito winced at the sensation, but refused to admit that it hurt. He didn't need to tell you anything, at this point in your life you could read Obito like a book. Still, your expression fell from thinking of your negligence toward him.
"I'm so sorry, Obito. I should have changed your bandages sooner. You just looked so fragile, I was so afraid of touching you –"
"H-hey..." Obito interjected, breathing heavily. "Who... are you calling... fragile?" He looked at you with irritation before a tired, playful smile broke out on his face.
You returned his gaze, brows raised in surprise before chuckling in adoration for your best friend's strong resiliency, returning his gleam with your own softer one.
With a tug, the soiled bandages separated from his skin, and you discarded them with one hand while picking up a rag and rubbing alcohol with the other. You quietly dabbed the liquid into the cloth and offered Obito a sympathetic look, one that told him, 'this is going to hurt,' before setting it on his exposed skin. Obito winced, his eyebrows furrowing in immense pain; your facial expression subconsciously mimicked his as you lifted your other hand to his chin and directed his attention to your face.
"Just try to look at me... if that helps you, okay?" you cooed softly and rubbed the dried blood off his chest in gentle circles.
Looking at your face helped Obito more than you could ever imagine. As he gazed up at you, his dark, onyx eyes seemed to cloud over, and his breathing became less labored.
Soon the pain from the alcohol subsided and you instructed Obito to lift his arms so you could apply fresh new gauze to his chest.
The two of you sat in a strange silence. He could tell that something was on your mind just by looking at you. Your attention shifted from his chest up to his eyes for an instant before it returned to your work.
"You know what I'm wanting to say, don't you?"
"I have... a few ideas..." he muttered sheepishly.
You finally exhaled a breath you didn't realize you were holding in. "I can't believe you would go this far for me. To tell you the truth, it's almost infuriating that you would sacrifice this much. I came this close to losing you. You almost died, because of me." Your grip on the wrappings got tighter as you continued to sheathe Obito's cut delicately.
"I never felt... so scared, Obito."
Obito let out a light chuckle. "I know the feeling..."
You let a small grin escape your lips, yet no words passed through them. You permitted another hushed moment, welcoming it this time, before breaking it again.
"Just promise me that you'll never do anything like that again."
"I can't."
You paused your wrapping for a moment and allowed your focus to return to Obito's face, your stern look instantly melting away from the warmth radiating off his soft expression. That powerful feeling of self-sacrifice, no matter the cost, truly was mutual. You let your tiny smirk morph into a contented smile.
"I know."
With a firm tug, you secured his bandages and let Obito finally stretch out his muscles. Watching him unwind prompted you to start subconsciously stretching your muscles too, when you let out a pained hiss from the sudden stinging in your torso. You were so preoccupied with Obito that you neglected the discomfort in your own chest.
Obito watched your pained face with concern before his eyes descended to your torso. Your bandages were even grimier than his was; now there was a patch where the dark color looked fresher than the rest.
"(y/n)," he expressed with light agitation in his voice. "If you've been tending to me this whole time, then who's been tending to you?"
You paused in thought. "K-Kakashi's checked up on me here and there..."
"And he didn't think to help you change your bandages?"
A small blush formed on your cheeks. "W-well... he was probably scared to... since, you know," you trailed off as you modestly gestured around your feminine chest.
Now it was Obito's turn to shoot you a stern look. "That shouldn't matter at a time like this! You can't leave dirty bandages on like that. Turn around, I'll switch them out."
Before you could protest, his hands pressed on your arms and guided you to turn around with your back facing him. The thin and ragged gauze began unraveling by Obito's discretion, and soon the chilly morning air grazed your exposed upper body. Your light blush morphed into a stinging feverish one, and you grew anxious about someone choosing to walk in at this very moment. This was an entirely different experience for you, and it was new for Obito as well. He had patched you up in the past, but never with an injury as serious as this one, and not in such a personal place, either.
Obito paused; his hesitance only fueled your rising uneasiness.
"I forgot that I... need to clean it." The bashful tone in his voice was contagious and the two of you sat there in awkward silence trying to determine how to go about this.
"Maybe this isn't such a good idea, you're really hurt, too. You shouldn't have to do this, Obito."
Obito's nerves got the best of him, and he seriously contemplated your opposition, but then he peered down at his own fresh gauze and what you did to help him. A serious look soon replaced his embarrassed one.
"Hand me that rag."
There's no turning back now, I guess.
You passed Obito the cloth you used to wipe his wound, and he folded it to use the portions that remained untouched from dried blood. The two of you had no choice but to use the same rag; the squad truly was unprepared and the scarce medical supplies unpleasantly reflected that.
"Could you... turn around...?"
"I'm working on it." You needed to calm the blistering heat in your cheeks first.
You inhaled deeply through your nose, ignoring the sharp twinge it sent to your injured chest. You then closed your eyes tightly and tried to keep your mouth closed in a straight line as your body finally turned to face your best friend. You kept your eyes squeezed shut, physically and mentally unable to look at him as you felt the cold dampness of the rag on your bare chest followed by an unspeakable sting that overwhelmed your senses.
Obito remained quiet. Whether it was because he was concentrating or trying not to lose his composure, you weren't sure. He brushed the rag daintily over your chest to remove the smeared blood engraved into your skin. Your head cocked to the side when you finally peeked your eyes open to stare at the tent's fabric flapping from the steady wind outside while Obito tended to your wound with meticulous sensitivity resembling how you had treated his.
Eventually, you felt the comfort of material against your chest again and you lifted your arms to allow Obito easier access while adamantly continuing to avoid his direction. With trembling hands, he tethered fresh gauze around you for only a few more moments before the sensation abruptly paused. Your eyebrows knitted in confusion as you finally tilted your head toward Obito to relay your silent puzzlement to why he stopped so soon.
The moment you two made eye contact, Obito's dark eyes averted to the ground in clear discomfort. The fervent blush stained his cheeks long before you decided to look his way.
Bashfulness was so unlike him. You tried hard not to feel guilty about putting him in this situation, but you, of course, failed miserably. You inspected Obito's work and to your surprise found that he'd only had enough bandaging to wrap around your torso four times, just barely enough to cover your chest, let alone sustain a vital injury.
"There isn't any more," Obito murmured as his onyx eyes returned to you, his face communicated to you that he was sorry. He was so, so sorry.
Anxiety gnawed your heart as you thought about traveling home in this condition, but it was certainly safer than leaving with an uncleaned lesion. Who knew what sort of infection you could have contracted, if it weren't for him.
"Obito. Thank you," you regarded with such fondness in your voice that it caught Obito off guard. He was sure that you would be so distressed by being forced to leave like this, but you were always so compassionate toward him and put his needs above your own; he shouldn't be surprised that he was met with gratitude instead of apprehension. Your reaction filled Obito's heart with a warm and pleasant satisfaction.
The air was still while the two of you observed each other quietly. You carefully studied the emotions visible through his onyx eyes. You loved that particular attribute of the Uchiha clan. His unique charcoal eyes, as if they were designed to reflect the fiery, smoldering passion held in Obito's soul. You thought that you could always tell how he was feeling just by looking into those expressive eyes, but you never would have guessed how he truly felt about you. Everything felt so transparent now. Your feelings for him. His feelings for you.
Obito saw it too. Encased in your eyes was a spark that only shined when you looked at him. It took him so long to spot that profound glimmer in your eyes. He wondered if it was the same spark that resided in his soul.
So many times, Obito wished the courage he'd get on the battlefield would present itself and give him the confidence he needed to finally express his deep feelings for you - to finally confess, but he didn't know how. He wanted to tell you. He wanted you to know.
You pulled Obito out of his thoughts when you slowly leaned closer to him. His eyes widened and he instinctively began to lean backward to maintain space between you two, but something inside ordered him to stop.
A unique swelling overtook his heart that replaced the pain in his chest when Obito felt the warmth of your lips connect with his. Obito's breath hitched as he struggled with the conflicting emotions rising inside of him. A hybrid of passion and euphoria wrestled with his fears and anxiety and it clearly showed in his body language. Obito's entire body grew rigid. His lips trembled. You could sense how utterly taken aback Obito was by your bold move. As if on instinct, your hand reached to brush against his cheek and stroked his face in the hopes of calming him, soothing him while guiding the kiss. Your actions were rewarded when his shocked eyes slowly eased, then closed as he began melting into the kiss, and he eagerly returned your intimate feelings through a wordless embrace. Obito's body relaxed more and subconsciously began leaning closer to yours as if seeking further comfort and reassurance from your touch. You were pleased when you felt the tension slowly escape his body, and you were pleasantly surprised that your tender actions and the responses elicited from them were strangely soothing your own body and mind as well. It was a beautiful feeling. Your lips were soothing Obito. Shushing him gently, allowing him, and encouraging him to surrender.
For years, you and Obito concealed your feelings for each other, and all of those pent-up emotions finally unleased as you both outwardly affirmed all the repressed mutual sentimentality that had tensely gripped your hearts for the longest time. The gentle unspoken communication told you two everything. Your missions together, helping to improve each other's skills, eating together, the late night strolls around the village, all those nights spent stargazing. Every moment spent together was worth the sacrifices you two made for each other.
Upon that recognition, your voiceless declaration deepened; the blossoming sensations in both your chests overrode the identical wounds around your hearts.
"Ahem,"
You and Obito snapped your eyes open and gasped in terror as you twisted your body around to face the poor soul who walked in on you two. Kakashi stood by the entrance, his shadow blanketed over your tense forms. He scrutinized your flustered faces, ignoring the sheen of fresh saliva that coated both your chins; when he noticed the indecency that was your poorly bandaged chest. Both of Kakashi's eyebrows raised and his lower eyelids squinted in a mix of surprise and awkwardness, and perhaps even an inkling of mortification as the three of you gaped at each other in the excruciatingly unpleasant silence.
"I just... wanted to come by and tell you it's time to pack up. Glad to see you're okay, Obito. (y/n) was really worried about you." Kakashi purposefully ended the conversation on you to divert the attention off him as he uncomfortably vacated the tent. He had the utmost relief that his teammate woke up in time, but he also underwent severe secondhand embarrassment that permeated the rest of his emotional capacity. He had to get out of there.
Your attention turned back to Obito and you were surprised to see that the color of his eyes was a deep red from unintentionally activating his Sharingan, and you wondered if it was from the heat of passion or from the shock of Kakashi 'catching' you two. It was an identical hue to the flushed color of his entire face – especially around his cheekbones. Obito was breathing heavily, likely dizzy from the sudden acceleration of his heartrate that disrupted his weakened blood flow. You helped Obito into calming down, ignoring the unsteadiness present in your own body; and soon after you and your squad departed for home, with your giddy best friend in tow.
~~~
Questions began invading your thoughts midway through the trip home, and you switched your focus to each one just as often as your teammates took shifts carrying your weakened figure back to the village.
Why did Minato-sensei decide to send me, an Earth Style user, out against the Cloud? The message he sent specifically requested me to go. Why me? I didn't think we would actually face off against them, either. How could I forget that Earth is weak to Lightning, anyway? I've only seen the show countless times, after all!
You sighed at your carelessness.
With that said, I don't recall anything like that battle ever being mentioned in the show. Not even once. So, why? Why did the Cloud attack? And why did the Hokage send me out on the frontlines? He knows my chakra nature. It just doesn't make sense! Minato-sensei would never... would he?
Your eyes narrowed in concentration over these thoughts, but something prompted you to glance over at your best friend who was a short distance away. A comrade was carrying him as well, despite Obito stubbornly refusing the help at first, only to begrudgingly accept once he took two steps out of the tent before falling flat on his face. You smiled adoringly at the color returning to his face as he rested peacefully in your teammate's arms. You then shut your own eyes contently and reveled in the feelings expressed between each other at the pond and in the tent, your smile never leaving you for the rest of the way home.
~~~
A/N: Here is a lovely visual representation of the tent scene, drawn by Miaowmanthos here on Wattpad! ^^