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The Uchiha were always taught to guard their eyes because of their Kekkei Genkai, but in the quiet of their homes, the elders warned them to protect their hearts. Everyone was aware of the curse that seemed to follow their bloodline, their heart's proclivity for single-minded obsession, and the ensuing insanity that seemed to unfold.
Obito, on the other hand, was raised more by his grandmother than by the clan, and she had always taught him to foremost be kind to himself and others. So, Obito had donned his heart on his sleeve and felt it crack open when Rin entered his life. He had always been certain that he loved Rin; sweet Rin who saw deep into everyone's hearts with her gentle eyes.
Sure, Minato Sensei was also an attentive and kind teacher, and he looked after Obito. Yet, it wasn't the same. Sensei had always held this light in his eyes when he looked at Kakashi, as if he expected greatness from him. He had tried to hide it, but Rin had been the first one to sense it: Sensei was a bit more protective of their team's youngest.
Obito didn't understand why, Kakashi seemed like the last person someone had to protect. Rin thought it might have to do with Sensei's teacher and Kakashi's father being friends.
As long as he had Rin, he was alright with Sensei favouring Kakashi, so Obito didn't pay it too much mind. But then...Rin had to go and fall in love with Kakashi as well...
As a result, all of Obito's problems pointed to one person: Hatake Kakashi.
Obito had always known he shared a fierce rivalry with Kakashi, one-sided it might have felt at times. He recognised his envy, and tried to ignore his respect for him.
Although, what had stung the most was the potential of it all. A potential friend; another lonely orphan like him, but instead he had met a boy who looked at him with judgement. Kakashi had been cold and dignified, and Obito had felt like he always stumbled gracelessly in his presence.
It was only after those series of incident that his childhood habit of following the boy everywhere, and making a ruckus to get those grey eyes on him made sense.
[01]
They had just completed their training. Minato sensei usually left them sweaty, filthy, and bloodied. Rin and Obito had developed a tradition of going for a small lunch afterwards, which filled Obitio's sentimental heart with joy.
Rin kept inviting Kakashi every time, and stupid Kakashi always refused Rin's offer to eat ramen with them. Obito had marched away in outrage after witnessing Rin wilt yet again that day.
He had discovered the young boy not far away, crouched down on a house's roof. Taking advantage of the situation, Obito began shouting before Kakashi could flee again.
"Oi, Kakashi! Why can't you eat with Rin even once?"
Kakashi had turned to face him, with one hand still pulling his mask back up, a small pug sat by his feet. He was too late to wipe away the small crease of joy beneath his eyes.
"What do you want?"
Obito had spluttered, jumped down into the busy street and ran away.
"He looked happy talking to his dogs."
[2]
If the first event was subtle, the second event challenged it by being painfully quiet.
Minato Sensei was making them meditate, something about balancing their chakra and calming the mind.
"Do we really have to do this when Sensei already left?"
Rin had shushed him. Kakashi hadn't even bothered.
Obito had huffed, if Kakashi was doing it then he would do it better. After it felt close to feeling like hours though, the young Uchiha had fidgeted in discomfort.
'What if they had left him alone?' He remembered thinking.
He had sneaked his left eye open, Rin was sitting next to him. He had taken a second to smile giddily at her, before looking at Kakashi.
Obito had paused.
Then stared in surprise at the peaceful slope of his eyebrows, the strand of grey hair defying the hairstyle and resting over Kakashi's face. Kakashi's face was peaceful in a way he usually never saw.
As if sensing the stare, Kakashi's eyebrow had slanted downwards, and Obito had hastily closed his eyes.
In the safety of his mind, Obito had admitted to himself that Kakashi's micro-expressions were interesting to observe.
[3]
By the third incident Obito was mortified, but had a clear recognition that he had a small crush.
On Kakashi, of all people.
And he had been sure that Kakashi was catching on, if the way he glanced at Obito in confusion whenever Obito stared too long was any hint.
Kakashi had agreed to eat lunch with them on that day (to the shock of Rin and Obito). He did not say anything, but he had glanced at Obito twice, eyebrows furrowed as if staring hard enough would tell him what Obito was thinking.
Knowing Kakashi it could be possible, Obito had shivered.
Rin was telling him about Kushina-san, apparently, their Sensei had burnt her dress in a cooking accident. Obito had focused hard on the story to avoid glancing at Kakashi.
"Rival! How refreshing it is to see you here among dear ones celebrating the feeling of youthhood under the hot sun!"
"Gai," came a monotonous voice.
Just the fact that Kakashi had answered him had made Obito and Rin look at each other in surprise.
Gai had proceeded to talk to Kakashi about challenges and the youthful glow of life, and all things Gai. Kakashi did not interrupt and had seemed to ignore him, but Obito saw the slight wrinkle on his mask because of his lip tugging up for a second.
He had turned to look at Rin with bewilderment that Kakashi was even entertaining Gai's presence, much less being amused, but Rin did not seem to have caught the smile. Obito had wondered why she had missed this despite being a ninja and realized he probably caught it because he was watching already.
Watching his mouth, his mind had provided, and Obito's face had flushed pink.
Stupid Bakakashi and his stupid lips, Obito had thought to himself. He probably had buck teeth or something.
[4]
The fourth incident was probably the one that made Obito's actions obvious to Kakashi.
They were sparring with Minato Sensei, trying to draw first blood. The task was as hopeless as Obito had thought it at the start, but if he wanted to become Hokage he must defeat his teacher!
Rin had been using Mystical Palm Technique to heal Obito's arm, both of them hidden among the bushes with their chakra mostly concealed.
It was only a grunt of surprise from Minato Sensei that made them lookup. It seemed that Kakashi had finally struck, and Obito and Rin watched in awe as Kakashi seemed to teleport with the speed he dodged Sensei's attacks.
"Let's go, we can finally draw first blood while Kakashi distracts Sensei."
Rin had nodded her assent, and they had both shifted in the direction of Sensei's sides. Sensei had avoided the Kunai aimed at him by Kakashi, and Obito had taken the moment to sprung in an attack. He had seen Rin reach Sensei at the same time, but before he could strike, Minato Sensei had jumped up to the tree branch.
"Dammit, he escaped," Obito had grumbled.
A glint of silver and Minato Sensei had snapped his head to the right as a kunai came rushing at his face, Obito had watched with an open mouth as Sensei kicked the Kunai back in the trees.
They all heard a curse from Kakashi, before Sensei spoke, "Alright, your time is over, no one managed to draw first blood. Gather down."
They had all formed a line, and Sensei had smiled at him, "You all did very well. Rin, your speed has improved a lot. Keep it up, but put some work on muffling your chakra when you're healing." Rin nodded, cheeks pink from exertion, but a proud smile on her face. "Obito, I was especially happy with the fireball jutsu you managed to sneak in, but remember you had to draw blood, not set your teacher on fire."
Rin laughed, as Obito rubbed his head sheepishly.
Sensei turned to Kakashi before his face dropped into a frown, "Kakashi? Are you hurt?"
Both teammates had looked at the Hatake, he had huffed before looking up. The kunai that Sensei kicked back had cut his cheek.
Sensei had worried over Kakashi in the back, and Rin had offered to heal the cut. Obito had panicked for a quick second before he shut up his heart, this was Kakashi, he had dealt with worse. Unfortunately, it was then that he saw the slit in the mask run down Kakashi's chin, the skin was pale and flawless.
'Alright Uchiha, look away before he finds you ogling his face, look away right now, look- oh there he is, hello Kakashi, I am just about to look away, I was not staring at you at all.'
Kakashi's gaze was too strong, and Obito had started blabbering to Sensei to check his burn too, to avoid it.
[5]
The final incident is his most memorable because it was after this that his damn Uchiha heart established that he had fixated on Hatake Kakashi and was not going to change his mind any time sooner.
Obito had found Kakashi in front of the memorial stone that day, he remembered his feet carrying him to stand next to him.
Remembered how Kakashi had stiffened and moved to leave, remembers his own words to stop the boy, "You don't have to reject us, Rin and Sensei and I don't agree with the villagers or the Shinobi. We won't leave."
Kakashi had lashed out, not verbally, but by fighting him. Obito didn't blame him, they hardly knew each other well enough for Kakashi to accept his words easily, but he had to say them. Obito and Kakashi had fought for a long time before Kakashi had stopped, his eyes sad and sweat soaking his mask.
Obito remembers raising his arms in peace, not wanting to fight, but willing to continue all day if Kakashi felt better from it. If this was all he could offer the Hatake for comfort, he was no Rin or Sensei afterall.
He had verbalized it and Kakashi had stared at him, almost lost.
Obito hated that look even more than when Kakashi had called him a coward, he hated how Kakashi's grey eyes were old, like a man who had suffered far too much. But Kakashi was just a child, and this was not fair. He would change it when he became Hokage, with Kakashi at his side. It was a sudden decision but it had been made, Kakashi had to be at his side.
Kakashi had then dared questioned what Obito gained from this. "Oi! Don't be so stupid. You're supposed to be a genius, can't you figure out we care for you?" He had shouted at that moment, it was tactless, but Obito had never claimed he knew how to comfort this particular prickly boy.
Kakashi had finally smiled then, a fond, tired huff leaving his mouth. Obito's eyes had automatically flickered down to his lips, the shape now more obvious due to the damp mask.
When he had looked up quickly, Kakashi was watching him carefully.
Obito had reddened and glared fiercely, but Kakashi had simply stepped forward, hesitating, before pulling his mask down to his neck.
It had felt like being hit by a chidori in the chest. Obito was suddenly thanking the Gods, because if this is how he looked, then Kakashi was doing Obito a mercy everyday.
His mouth was probably open, his eyes darted up and down; trying to take in everything from a beauty mole he didn't expect to Kakashi's thin lips. Obito's attention snagged on how his canines were prominent like fangs when Kakashi finally spoke.
"It was getting tiring to be stared at everyday. Curiosity satisfied now?"
Obito had been embarrassed, but not really, because at least his than subtle actions had let him see Kakashi's face. It was pretty enough to trigger a headache.
"Obito...? Did you-?" Kakashi sounded incredulous, but Obito didn't understand why.
Ah, his head was killing him...why was Kakashi staring at his-
Oh.
Red wheels spun in his awakened sharigan, round and round, laser focused on the silver haired boy in front of him. He...had gotten his sharingan...?
"Did that seriously trigger your dōjutsu?"
Obito had cleared his throat, blinking it off as he averted his eyes, "What? No, I was just really surprised. You always wear your mask, I reckon it had taken a lot of trust on your part. It wasn't your face that triggered it. Stupid."
Inside, Obito had been panicking. 'How would he explain this to Sensei and his clan? He saw a pretty boy's face as a gesture of trust, and it triggered his sharingan? They would never let him live it down. Wait, would Sensei realise it was Kakashi..? Holy shit, would Rin put two and two together?'
While he had been panicking, Kakashi had pulled his mask up to his nose. Obito had tried to stutter through another explanation, while Kakashi had stared at him blankly, before shaking his head with a fond sigh.
"If you tell anyone what I look like, I'd have to kill you, Obito." Kakashi had said, face hidden again, eyes a little curved in mischief.
He had left Obito standing alone, cheeks red and sharingan spinning, and the Uchiha had known the curse had gotten to him too.