Chapter Text
“So, as you guys know, we have our first C–rank mission coming up,” Obito said to his students. The three of them were sitting on the ground in front of him, finally all together at training ground seven. The sun had risen and it was still early, not yet as hot as was going to get on that June day. Obito had high hopes that this training session would be a success. “And for any C–rank, you need to have better control of your chakra than what you have, since I know the curriculum at the Academy for chakra control is shi– garbage. It’s garbage.” He said, catching himself right on time to not curse in front of his three impressionable students. From the looks on their faces, he wasn’t sure he had been as slick as he’d thought.
“Who cares about chakra control?” Naruto said, laying flat on his back like a starfish. “When are you going to teach us some cool jutsu? I don’t want to learn something stupid like chakra control.”
Obito sighed. “If you have better chakra control, you’ll have better control of your jutsu. This is the fast track to cool jutsu, I promise.”
Naruto groaned loudly, really cementing in Obito’s mind that he was surrounded by children, not shinobi. These three had a long way to go.
“Stop complaining, Naruto,” Sakura said, flicking Naruto’s shoulder. “We’re genin now. When are you going to grow up?”
“She’s right, idiot. So get up.” Sasuke said from Naruto’s other side. Obito watched Sasuke’s eyes linger on him, and even though Naruto couldn’t see it, it was plain as day to anyone else that Sasuke had feelings for him. With how often Naruto talked about the other boy, he didn’t doubt that he felt the same.
Obito heard quiet, almost imperceptible footsteps behind him. He turned around with a smile, seeing the slightly tanned face of Kakashi looking back at him, dressed in his jounin uniform. “Right on time.” Obito said warmly. He turned back to his students. “This is Kakashi. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”
“The Copy Ninja!” Sakura said brightly. She looked at Kakashi, eyes wide. “You know you’re famous, right?”
Kakashi laughed quietly, then slipped his hands into his pockets, slouching like he always did. “I’m aware, Sakura–chan. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Big deal.” Said Naruto, ever the little brat. He sat up. “You guys are both over at my house, like, all the time. You’re not so special.”
Sasuke whacked Naruto in the thigh. Naruto glared at him, and Sasuke glared back. Neither of them said anything, but everyone could feel the growing tension between them.
“… Anyway,” Obito said after a while, “Kakashi’s here to help teach you about chakra control. He’s a natural, so he knows what he’s talking about.”
Naruto sighed. “Do I have to call him sensei?”
Obito looked at Kakashi, wanting him to make the decision. Kakashi looked back, then shrugged. Obito sighed, looking back down at Naruto. “No, you don’t. But that doesn’t mean you can be disrespectful.”
Naruto pouted. “Okay.”
Obito fought the urge to roll his eyes. He looked back at Kakashi, wanting him to take the lead for this training session. Kakashi looked back uncertainly, steeled his nerves, then turned to his students, his eye curving up in a smile.
“How would you guys like to learn to climb a tree with no hands?” Kakashi asked, and all three of them cocked their heads to the side all at once. It was adorable. Moments like this were what gave Obito the motivation to keep training these little shits.
Eventually, the kids got to their feet and raced over to the treeline where the training would begin. Sasuke and Naruto were neck–and–neck with Sakura trailing behind, though not by far. Obito and Kakashi followed them, walking at a leisurely pace.
“I don’t know how good I’ll be at this,” Kakashi confessed. Obito knew that he didn’t like admitting to his weaknesses, and this was no different. “There’s a reason I didn’t become a jounin–sensei, you know.”
“Because you joined the ANBU instead?” Obito asked lightly, a grin on his face. “Either way, you’ll do great. You taught me to do this, so it shouldn’t be hard to do it again. You’re a great teacher, Kakashi.”
Kakashi pulled his mask up a little farther on his face. “Thanks.”
They reached the treeline where Sasuke and Naruto were panting heavily, each with a hand on a thick tree. They were arguing about who had reached their destination first, because the only thing stronger than their feelings for each other was their rivalry. It reminded him of his and Kakashi’s relationship growing up, only Kakashi didn’t feel the same way. He still didn’t, and Obito had been pushing down that depressing thought since he was fifteen years old. Thirteen years later at the ripe age of twenty–eight and still hopelessly in love, he didn’t see a way out and doubted he ever would.
“You can flirt later, you two, it’s time to train.” Obito said, effectively shutting Naruto and Sasuke up. Their faces were red and they wouldn’t meet each other’s eyes, making Obito smile, just a little.
Kakashi cleared his throat, catching his students’ attention. He then explained the theory behind using chakra control to climb a tree in words they could understand, simplifying it for their twelve–year–old minds. He described how to put it into practice and what it felt like. Obito knew that Kakashi was going into more detail than he probably needed to for Naruto’s benefit, since they both knew Naruto learned differently than most other kids.
Kakashi instructed them to pull out a kunai and run toward the tree, race up as far as they could go and mark a point, then try to pass that on their next try. The three of them lined up, a tree in their sights, and did as they were told.
Sakura, predictably, got over a half dozen steps up before she fell back down. Sasuke managed half of that, and Naruto took two steps up before falling flat on his back, the breath knocked out of him.
Obito raced over to him and crouched at his side. Naruto took straining, gasping breaths, tears beading in his wild eyes. Sasuke and Sakura stood behind him, both of them worried, and Kakashi stood further back, eyes wide.
“Breathe, Naruto,” Obito said, pushing down his worry so he could focus. He sat Naruto up and put his back to the tree, only for Naruto to shove him away as he caught his breath.
“I’m fine.” Naruto bit out, pulling his knees up to his chest and burying his face there. He took heavy breaths, and Obito didn’t think that was true, but it didn’t matter what he thought. Naruto was a shinobi now, not someone to be treated like glass, despite how young he was.
Obito rubbed Naruto on the shoulder. “You can start again when you’re ready.”
Naruto nodded, and so Obito stood. He turned to Sasuke and Sakura, nodded to their respective trees, and they went, however reluctantly.
Obito returned to Kakashi’s side. “I didn’t think that would happen.” Kakashi murmured.
Obito watched Sasuke and Sakura begin again, though with much less enthusiasm than before. He looked at Naruto, who, after a moment, stood and discretely wiped his eyes. “I’ll admit, he’s a little slow on the uptake, but once he understands something it’s locked in.”
Kakashi hummed. They stood shoulder to shoulder, almost touching, and Obito had to fight every romantic instinct in him not to reach out and touch. Kakashi’s left hand was in his pocket while his right hung between them, and Obito seriously needed to get a grip because all he could think about was grabbing his hand, and he had to focus on his kids’ training right now. They had a mission coming up and they needed to be prepared, so Obito couldn’t be thinking about his sad and pathetic love life right now.
“Obito–sensei!” Sakura called, and Obito looked up, eyes wide. She was sitting on the highest branch, looking down and waving. “Look how high I got!”
Obito blinked as a grin spread across his face. “Nice work!” He yelled, waving back. He watched as she got off the branch and made her way down, taking slow, practiced steps.
Sasuke, on the other hand, wasn’t doing as well as Sakura was, but was making progress. He’d made marks halfway up the tree, and now sat drinking out of his canteen at the base of the tree. He had his eyes on Naruto, who was taking slow steps up the tree, not at a run like Kakashi had instructed. He was a third of the way up and still going, doing far better than his first attempt.
“He’s doing well.” Obito said, gesturing to Naruto. “Turns out running breakneck at a tree and expecting to get it on his first try wasn’t the way to go.”
“It’s how I learned.” Kakashi said, as if being a prodigy was a common occurrence. Of course Kakashi had gotten it on his first try, he was a natural. He had always been the best of the best, and always would be.
“We can’t all be perfect like you,” Obito joked, nudging him with his shoulder and giving him an easy smile. The backs of their hands brushed together, and Obito panicked, because that was very much something they didn’t do. He took a quick step away, a faint blush rising on his cheeks. “Sorry.”
Kakashi blinked at him. “Don’t be.” He said quietly. Kakashi edged closer to him until their hands were brushing against each other again, both of them looking straight ahead and not at each other. Obito leaned closer to him, pressing more insistently.
His heart was beating fast, faster than it ever had. Obito bit the inside of his cheek, internally said fuck it, and reached his pinky finger out. Kakashi met him and hooked their fingers together, and then they were just standing there, watching Obito’s students try their hand at chakra control.
Obito wasn’t focusing on them. He let out a shaky breath, and he could feel Kakashi’s hesitant gaze on him, and he didn’t know what to do. What did this mean? They’d never held hands before. Sure, there were the occasional casual touches and the one notable time when Kakashi had fallen asleep on his shoulder on the couch, but this was different. This was purposeful.
“You’re panicking.” Kakashi said quietly to him, pulling his gaze away just as Obito looked back.
“Am not.” Obito said, but his voice shook all the same.
“Sure.” Kakashi teased, lifting his head and gazing back at him, a twinkle in his eye. “If you say so.”
—
To Obito’s relief, the end of the day came sooner than he thought it would. He and Kakashi trained the kids for a few more hours, leaving Obito prouder than ever at their progress. After he dismissed them for the day, he and Kakashi went their separate ways. Kakashi apparently had guard duty from the early afternoon until late at night, which Obito had no idea about. The fact that Kakashi had sacrificed his morning just to help Obito and his kids left him feeling warmer than the summer sun.
It was a little after eleven that Obito heard the familiar sound of a key fitting into the lock, meaning Kakashi was back home to their shared apartment. He looked up with a smile as Kakashi stepped in, immediately pulling off his arm guards.
Obito stood up from his place on the couch, already dressed in his pajamas. “Long day?”
Kakashi gave him a small smile, pulled off his gloves, then his mask. After living together for so many years, Kakashi had stopped trying to hide his face in his own home. “You could say that.”
Obito grinned. “You go take a shower, I’ll make you something. Ramen?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Kakashi said gratefully, taking his leave and disappearing down the hallway. Obito watched him go, just happy that he was home.
Obito waited until the shower water started, then got cooking. By the time he was pouring the ramen into a bowl and grabbing a pair of chopsticks, Kakashi was emerging from the bathroom still without his mask and dressed in a large t–shirt and sweatpants, his hair damp and falling in his face.
Obito set the bowl in front of him as Kakashi sat down. “Thank you,” Kakashi said, picking up his chopsticks and digging in. Obito tidied up the kitchen while Kakashi ate, then took the bowl when Kakashi was finished.
“I can wash the dishes,” Kakashi argued when Obito started running water in the sink. “You already cooked for me, you don’t have to clean up for me, too.”
“It’s okay.” Obito said, a smile playing on his lips. “I don’t mind.”
Obito turned back to the sink, dipping the pot into the soapy water. He heard Kakashi stand up, and then suddenly arms were wrapping around his waist and Kakashi’s chin was resting on his shoulder. Obito froze for a moment, then continued scrubbing at the dishes with shaky hands. “You’re touchy today.” He said, struggling to keep his voice even.
“Do you not want me to be?” Kakashi asked, lifting his head.
“No, I do,” Obito said quickly, then realized exactly what he said and fought down a blush. “I mean, you can. If you want.”
“Good.” Kakashi said quietly, resting his chin back onto Obito’s shoulder, content to just hold him. Obito finished washing the dishes, then dried them, but left them on the counter. He’d put them away tomorrow. For now, he rested his hands over Kakashi’s, keeping him there, because he didn’t want him to leave. He wanted Kakashi to hold onto him forever and never let go.
“You tired?” Obito asked after a while.
Kakashi made a noncommittal noise. “A little.” He said, and then quieter, “I don’t want to go to bed yet.”
Obito pulled himself out of Kakashi’s arms and faced him, then pulled him into a hug. Kakashi was slightly taller than him, so he pressed his forehead into Kakashi’s shoulder. “What if I go with you?” Obito whispered, his heart thundering in his chest. He was being more reckless with his heart than ever before, but it was all being accepted, so he wasn’t going to stop. He wasn’t going to give up when things were changing.
Kakashi let out a breath. Obito wasn’t the only one who was nervous, it seemed. “Okay.”
Obito swayed them in place for a while, trying to calm himself down. After a long moment they separated, then met each other’s eyes. Obito smiled softly and Kakashi returned it, and so Obito passed him to get ready for bed.
They brushed their teeth side by side, like they did every night they were both home. They sent each other glances, their eyes meeting for an instant before pulling them away. Obito wanted to believe he knew where this was going, that maybe something would happen between them, but he couldn’t let himself hope yet. He was too scared for that.
Kakashi led him into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. The lamp on the bedside table was on, spreading a warm light spreading across the room. Kakashi climbed into bed, lifting up the covers so Obito could follow.
Obito slipped under the blankets, then reached over and turned off the lamp. Moonlight streamed in through the thin curtains, casting shadows across their faces. Obito laid down and pulled the covers up to his shoulder, then reached and pulled it over Kakashi’s.
There was space between them, far too much for Obito’s liking. He scooted closer, leaving a few inches between them. The backs of their hands were touching, and it only felt natural for Obito to reach for them, to hold both of Kakashi’s hands in his own.
“Don’t be nervous.” Obito whispered, pulling Kakashi’s hands to his chest. Kakashi’s breath was shaky; he tried to hide it but wasn’t doing well.
“I’m not,” Kakashi said softly. Obito met his gaze and realized that Kakashi had almost run out of bravery for tonight.
Obito moved closer, then let go of Kakashi’s hands with one of his own. He wound his arm around Kakashi’s waist, keeping a close eye on him. He didn’t want to go too far and break Kakashi’s trust.
Obito licked his lips, then watched Kakashi telegraph the movement, Sharingan open and active. Kakashi noticed Obito watching, and Obito saw a pink blush creep across his face, distinctive enough to be visible in the moonlight.
“‘Kashi.” Obito said quietly, slowly running his hand up Kakashi’s side. He cupped his hand on Kakashi’s cheek, running his thumb over his cheekbone as he moved even closer. “Tell me if you want me to stop.”
Time stood still while he waited for an answer. He felt Kakashi’s breath on his lips, his hands trembling ever so slightly. Kakashi swallowed. “I don’t want you to.”
Obito’s breath hitched, and he closed the distance between them, softly pressing his lips against his. Kakashi gently kissed back, then pulled his hand out of Obito’s hold to wrap his arm around his waist.
Obito’s hand trembled as he deepened the kiss, running his tongue on the seam between Kakashi’s lips. He opened his mouth and Obito slowly slid his tongue inside, meeting Kakashi’s. It was warm and soft and everything Obito had wanted since he was fifteen years old.
Obito pulled away after a long moment, sucking in a breath. He rested his forehead against Kakashi’s, unable to control how much he was shaking. He was still so nervous, even after kissing him. “Holy shit.” Obito said, pulling Kakashi closer. “I can’t believe I just did that.”
Kakashi had his fist clenched in the fabric of Obito’s t–shirt. “You kissed me.” He said, sounding breathless.
“Was that okay?” Obito asked, meeting Kakashi’s gaze, brows furrowed.
“More than okay.” Kakashi said meaningfully, licking his lips and keeping his eyes on Obito’s.
Obito took in another breath, this time more nervous than he had been before. Because now he had something to say, something he’d wanted to say for a long time. “Listen, this– this isn’t just a kiss to me, okay?” He said, voice shaking and heart pounding. “It’s not just the heat of the moment. I love you, Kakashi, I’m in love with you and I have been for years.”
Kakashi let out a breath like it’d been knocked out of him. He put his hand on Obito’s waist and pulled him impossibly closer, tangling their legs together. “I love you too. So much.” Kakashi breathed, and Obito’s eye widened. “Since before you came back. Before the bridge. I’ve loved you for years, and I’ll never stop.”
They laid there, holding each other, everything finally out in the open. It wasn’t hard for Obito to press their lips together again, able to kiss him like he’d wanted to since he was fifteen.