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He knows how stupid it is.
The moment he had found them at the scene where he almost died it was like he couldn't just...leave them there. He remembers looking at them and feeling a sense of deep nostalgia, tracing over the broken orange glass where the bould had crushed his entire right side.
It wouldn't do to keep them. Not with what his mission entailed. He knows he has to give up his entire identity to play the role given to him, it would never do to keep something from the life he used to lead...yet he still couldn't bring himself to let them go. He knows he should have left them there to rot and not pick them up but...he remembers she liked them..remembers how she poked them and giggled...
Since that day he always kept them hidden; somewhere that was out of sight as he started to set everything into motion. Sometimes he was able to make himself forget they existed as he dives deep into the role of being Madara. Madara didn't wear goggles, let alone broken ones of someone who has been dead for over a decade now.
Well..supposed to be dead.
If there's one thing he has learned about his companion Tobi it was that when he separated from Obito he tended to like exploring wherever their latest space was to sleep. Never for more then three months, they are always moving their location as they had to be wary of who they were manipulating and keeping under their thumb. A place where the mask comes off and he can lie back and rest.
At least that was the original purpose. He was used to Tobi's curiosity by now as he lies down quietly, letting him get familiar with the new space at the apartment they rented for their temporary time. He can hear him rustling around, wondering if his companion was listening for his fellow zetsu for information-anything would do for him in all honesty to make their mission easier-
"Oohooo? What's this?'
Obito snaps his eyes open when he hears the familair shaking of a box, "..Tobi put it down."
"Aaaw..."
"Stop going through my things, why do you insist on doing that?" Obito pinches the bridge of his nose, turning his head towards Tobi, "We have moved so many times and you still insist."
"Because you always hide things, Obibi!"
His right eye twitched as he tries to call on the patience that he always had for the elderly, putting his hands together, "I have personal items that are important to me and I don't want others seeing them."
"But-"
"Tobi, put the box down-"
"-i want to know you better, we're partners!"
Obito can feel his patience waning, taking a slow deep breath. He needs Tobi it's true but hearing that...didn't he know him well enough from their time in the cave? Where he helped him rehabilitate? He swallows a bit as he slowly pushes back his hair trying to keep his temper in check. He looks at Tobi with eyes narrowed as his knuckles turn white.
"...Tobi you literally helped me walk and use this arm again...you literally merged yourself to my body like a living suit to kill all those Kiri-nin...what more do you need to know about me?" He turns to look at him...and feels his entire body freeze when he sees that his zetsu companion has done what he had asked him not to do...!
Tobi slowly pulls out the old broken goggles, humming quietly as he light plays with them, eyes widening as he tilts his head, "Why are you keeping broken goggles? Are they some kind of disguise? Or does it seal away something? Interesting disguise for it-ACK!" he jumps when Obito snatched the broken goggles from his zetsu partners hands. Held on tight to it, gently stroking over the broken glass and turning his back to him.
The room has fallen silent as Obito keeps his back to the other, swallowing thickly as he tries to keep himself composed. Tobi wouldn't get it... he wouldn't get the way he felt about them, the memories attached to them that he loses himself too when no one can see him, how he wants to have something from happier times before he has to give himself up completely to the change in this world.
"...Obi-"
"I don't like when you go through my things dammit.." His voice cracks as another few pieces of glass seem to fall away as he holds on to it, "This is just...something personal...to me..." He gets answered with silence as he holds it closer. It was so many things...a gift...nostalgia...personal...the last thing that barely survived the boulder like he did...it was broken yet he couldn't throw it away. It was broken...broken just like he was-
He grunts when he suddenly feels arms around him and the familiar swirled mask like face that acted as his own mask as it buries into his shoulder. He takes a slow breath, shaking quietly at the sudden hold of him. It's...different from how Tobi is normally wrapped around him. It feels almost human as he slowly rests a hand on one of the hands staring own.
"..I'm sorry Obibi...I won't go through that box again I promise...please don't be sad..." He nuzzles against his shoulder.
It reminds him of her again. How she would hug him and nuzzle his shoulder to comfort him...he sniffs quietly as he looks down at the broken goggles and then turns slowly a bit to lean back unconsciously against Tobi.
"...I'm here Obibi..I'll always be here..." he closes his eyes at Tobi's words, "I promise."
...If only I could believe that.