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“I’m feeling better, we can go home…”
Having known him for so long, Sakumo should have realised it was a lost cause. His son was wearing his most stubborn expression, the one that made him wonder whether he’d inherited it from his late mother or his stepfather. Both were real stubborn ones, especially when they were offended or knew they were in the right.
And it just so happened, unfortunately, that Sakumo had managed to combine the two in this regrettable situation.
So he wasn’t particularly surprised to receive nothing but a murderous glare in response, whilst Kakashi crossed his arms, squirming in his uncomfortable chair.
Realising he wouldn’t be able to convince him, he gave up, turning his attention to the floor, sheepishly.
That his son was giving him the cold shoulder was, if anything, a stroke of luck. His husband would have been more… insidious in his reproaches.
“Mr Hatake?”
Father and son looked up at the call, standing to join the man in the white coat.
“I’m Dr Uchiha. Follow me.”
They followed him into an empty room where a single stern glance was enough to make Sakumo comply and sit on the examination bed rather than one of the chairs.
“I suppose you’re my patient? What’s happened?”
“I’m perfectly fine!” he hastened to correct. “My son’s just worrying too much.”
Behind the doctor’s back, he could see the son in question rolling his eyes dramatically.
“That idiot spent the whole day gardening in the blazing sun and forgot to drink enough water. I found him passed out on the engawa and brought him back here.”
“Don’t call your father an idiot!” he rebuked him immediately.
“Only an idiot wouldn’t protect himself and would forget to stay hydrated,” he retorted. “Just you wait I tell Dad; he’ll certainly find better words to describe you.”
Sakumo had no trouble imagining the icy glare his husband would give him, as well as the haughty expression he’d wear when their son would tell him in minute detail how he’d ended up in this state. A shiver ran through him.
No doubt used to the antics of patients, the doctor made no comment, continuing to examine him and ask questions.
“Dehydration, sunburn and heat exhaustion,” he concluded. “Fortunately, it’s not too serious in your case; it seems you got back in time.”
“I told you we were wasting their time,” muttered Sakumo.
“To ‘tell me’ anything, you’d have had to be conscious,” replied his son. “And then I’d have had to be careful about what you might say, without assuming it was due to heatstroke. Not a chance, then.”
Amused by the younger man’s prickly behaviour and the dynamic of their relationship, the doctor made no effort to hide his smile as he began to repeat the same list he’d been going over since the start of the summer: the guidelines to follow and observe to stay healthy despite the high temperatures. To make a good impression, he handed them a printed copy of the list, along with the prescription for treating the burns.
The season had only just begun, but he had the impression that the A&E department was full of this sort of patient.
At least these ones were kind and polite.
“And drink plenty of water!” he reminded them as they left.
He didn’t have time to watch them leave the building, as he was already busy with the next case.
As an A&E doctor, Obito had quickly learnt to let go of surnames. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to remember them; it was that he couldn’t.
Of course, some names stuck with him more than others, either because they were so out of the ordinary or because the patients came in so often, but the majority were nothing more than an ink blot that was immediately wiped away.
So he didn’t react when he learnt he was taking on another Hatake, merely skimming the key details as he went to fetch him.
When he called out to him, however, he thought he recognised a vaguely familiar face.
It must have been the mask. Having spent so much time around people wearing them, it was almost like a family resemblance. A vast tribe of half-faces.
“I’m Dr Uchiha. Follow me.”
Once they were alone, he invited the patient – a certain Orochimaru – to sit on the examination couch whilst he sanitised his hands and put gloves on.
“So you’ve been stung by a wasp, from what I’m reading?”
In cases like this, he’d seen all sorts of reactions from families. But a snigger was right at the bottom of his list.
“This could be very serious,” he admonished the person accompanying his patient.
“Never mind,” sighed the man. “My situation is… utterly ridiculous.”
“It happens to everyone. Experts have, in fact, noted a surge in wasp numbers this year, despite our brave bees. We see stings every day; you’re neither the first nor the last of the day.”
The companion managed to stifle his laughter, but his mask wasn’t enough to hide the broad smile beneath it.
“Dad’s a herpetologist,” he sniffed. “I’m not making fun of his situation, just of fate.”
The dramatic sigh from the man in question only made his amusement worse.
“They’re…”
“I study every snake that exists or has ever existed,” he sighed again. “I extract venom, I carry out tests, I handle them all the time! At home, I have several rare species. Kakashi grew up surrounded by these wonders.”
“And he got stung by a wasp.”
The snigger resumed, but it was hard to hold it against him, given these new facts.
In spite of himself, Obito smiled contritely before attending to the treatment.
“A nurse will come to take a blood sample, then you can go home. Try to avoid wearing perfume or colourful clothes outdoors, or going near flowerbeds, if you can – it increases the risk of getting stung.”
“Or eating melon all on your own, you selfish blighter,” his son teased.
“It’s impossible to share any with you lot – you’re all such greedy gluttons!” he retorted.
“But at least we aren’t sending you to A&E.”
Obito managed to wave them off, between protests, making them pause long enough to reply. When he closed the door behind him, he could still hear them, even though neither of them was raising their voice.
At least they were entertaining!
“You’ve got to be joking…”
Kakashi stared at the ceiling of A&E, struggling to keep his eyes open.
The chairs still hadn’t become any more comfortable since his last visit…
Beside him, Rin said nothing, doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach. She would tense up every now and then but hadn’t made a sound since they’d arrived.
Every now and then, he would make her straighten up and have a drink, which she’d accept only to curl up again straight away. If the seats allowed it, she’d prefer to curl up into a ball, but she had to make do with this position for the time being.
“I’m…”
“Dr Uchiha, I know. Still not for me – repeated, painful contractions; she’s afraid of giving birth. Let’s go,” Kakashi interrupted her.
Jumping to his feet, he bent down to grab Rin, lifting her in one swift movement, and pushed past the doctor, who stood frozen in surprise.
“Do we know each other?”
He caught up with them, leading the way.
“This is the third time I’ve accompanied someone here. I reckon I’ll end up with my own designated chair.”
He laid her down on the medical examination bed, eliciting a groan of pain, distorted by her clenched jaws. There were a few hazy seconds during which Rin and he tried to find a comfortable position, eventually ending up with him sitting behind her, supporting her.
“I can see you’re pregnant. How far along are you?”
“Too early, it’s too early,” was all she could manage to grit out.
“Twenty-seventh week,” replied Kakashi.
He began to massage her back, which didn’t seem to help her much, but didn’t make things any worse either.
“Are you the father?”
“No, they used a donor. But I’m her best friend, which is why she dragged me out of bed instead of her fiancée.”
Then again, knowing Anko, she wouldn’t have been much help in this situation. So he understood Rin’s decision, though, selfishly, he would have preferred to get some more sleep.
After all, nature wouldn’t wait…
“Indeed, it’s too early,” agreed the doctor.
Kakashi provided most of the answers, as the young woman was unable to speak due to the pain coursing through her body. The examination wasn’t easy either, with her curled up as she was, but it was carried out.
“It could be due to severe dehydration, but I’d rather not take any risks,” said the doctor. “You’ll stay under observation for the rest of the night and tomorrow, and we’ll put you on a drip to rehydrate you. Any questions?”
“Can I stay with her?”
But the A&E doctor shook his head, looking sorry.
“No, but you can come and visit her tomorrow, and perhaps take her home if her condition allows it.”
A nurse was already setting up the drip bag whilst they filled in the forms and discussed the details.
Kakashi barely had time to squeeze Rin’s hand before she was wheeled off to her room for the night, promising to return during visiting hours.
She gave him a faint smile in response.
“I’ll walk you out,” the doctor offered.
“No need, I know the way. See you next time,” he said sarcastically.
As he left the building, he noticed the sun was already rising, stifling a curse behind his mask when he checked the time.
He’d barely have time to have a shower before rushing off to work.
And he still had to let Anko know…
What a night…
Any ambulance coming in was always a mixture of anxiety and adrenaline.
Two children were brought in on stretchers, accompanied by a young adult whom Obito was beginning to recognise.
They had their regulars, of course, but not at this rate, and certainly not as mere companions! Still, judging by the thermal blanket wrapped around him, he mustn’t just be there to help out this time.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he approached him, signalling that he’d take care of him, and guided him towards one of the nearby chairs.
Up close, it was easier to see the shivers running through him, as well as the water still clinging to his skin and in his hair. His mask, on the other hand, was dry.
“Hey, sir, can you hear me?”
“No need to shout in my ear, I’m perfectly fine,” he grumbled, pushing him away.
Accustomed to this, he made no comment, letting him sink back into his anxious silence.
“Will you tell me what happened?”
“There’s not much to say. Minato, Naruto’s father, asked me to take them to the swimming pool. I looked away for, what, ten seconds?”
He leaned forward, rubbing his temples with the corners of the silver blanket.
“The lifeguard arrived after me. Those two idiots wanted to see who could hold their breath the longest…”
The rest was easy to guess, especially with the boys surrounded by most of their team, busy warming them up and bringing them round.
“From what I’ve heard, CPR was carried out properly; it’s mainly their body temperatures that have us worried.”
“Just a moment – it only took them a moment…”
“Hey, sir, sir!”
Clearly in a state of shock, Obito saw the man’s head start to nod.
“Kakashi? Kakashi?!”
Fortunately, it was nothing serious, although an oxygen mask was needed to bring some colour back to his face.
“You gave us quite a fright,” the doctor said, stepping closer.
In response, he merely lifted his eyelids lazily, watching him.
“Naruto and Sasuke are out of danger. Their parents are on their way. Would you like me to call anyone for you?”
Removing the mask, the patient coughed a little before speaking.
“My father… Sakumo.”
“I see he’s listed as an emergency contact; I’ll pass on the message. I’ll also tell him to bring you some dry clothes – even though the temperatures are high, sunburn is never far away!”
A grumble was his reply as the patient pulled the blanket tighter around himself. Circumstances had forced him to swap his soaked swimming trunks for a hospital gown, and he was loath to go out wearing either of them. That probably suited him.
Readjusting the mask on his face, he leaned his head back and seemed to drift off to sleep, whilst Obito left him to attend to other patients.
The A&E department never stopped.
“My life’s a bloody joke. And it’s not even funny.”
His neighbour looked pitiful, but it wasn’t enough to hide the huge blisters on his arms.
Kakashi was slumped in his chair, staring at that bloody ceiling.
Perhaps he should switch hospitals, just for a change of scenery?
He sat up straight as footsteps approached them, springing to his feet and grabbing his friend’s sleeve to force him to follow suit.
“Yes, yes, good evening, Dr Uchiha, lead the way!”
Thrown off balance, Obito stared at him, his mouth half-open on the first syllable he hadn’t had time to utter, as he walked past him, practically dragging his friend along. The latter didn’t dare meet anyone’s gaze along the way to the examination room.
“Two weeks ago, I brought in my father, the herpetologist, who’d been stung by a wasp; today, it’s my best friend, the botanist, who’s had a run-in with some climbing sumac!”
The man in question seemed to shrink where he sat on the medical examination bed.
“I really need to change my circle of friends,” he sighed, rubbing his face.
With a touch of sympathy, the doctor smiled as he watched him, before turning his attention to his patient.
The patient kept his eyes fixed on his feet throughout the examination, but at least he answered the questions clearly and precisely, whilst his companion didn’t seem to be paying any attention, gaze fixed on a book with a flashy cover.
“Right, if I’ve understood your line of work correctly, I suppose I don’t need to spell out the steps you should take next time?”
Looking determined, the patient – Yamato – nodded, whilst the lotion-soaked compresses were applied to the blisters.
“There won’t be a next time,” grumbled Kakashi from behind his book. “Do something stupid like that again and I’ll make you eat them.”
Now worried, the doctor watched the botanist, looking for the slightest sign that he should alert the police.
But there was nothing of the sort, just a small, wry smile.
“Senpai doesn’t like to worry,” he snorted. “It’s his way of hiding his overbearing mother hen side; don’t pay any attention to it.”
“I’m not a mother hen!” protested the man in question. “You’re lucky you can’t drive, otherwise you’d be the one dealing with this!”
Grumbling, he stood up, pretending to bump into Yamato as he walked past him, leaving the consultation room with an ease that betrayed his all-too-frequent visits.
“Make sure you stick to the treatment,” the doctor reminded him, “and come and see me at the slightest sign of doubt, all right?”
“A thousand thanks for your time and your help,” his patient said, taking his leave.
He disappeared down the corridor in due course, hurrying to catch up with his friend.
“Well, well, Mr Hatake, it seems you can’t do without us anymore!”
This time, Obito had spotted him before the usual reversal and couldn’t resist taking the opportunity to tease him. It was all in good fun and, judging by his tired but impassive expression, he didn’t seem offended.
“What can I say, Dr Uchiha, you’re so irresistible, I simply can’t help but give in!”
By the time the man in question had recovered, taken aback by both the retort and the tone used – he’d almost believed it! – his companion had stood up, revealing a child holding a hastily bandaged arm and sniffling loudly.
“But where on earth do you find all these children? Should I call the police?”
The three of them made their way through the corridors, with Obito leading them to his examination room.
At the suggestion, the child began to cry, sniffling even harder, whilst clutching his arm. His companion simply stroked his hair, looking pensive.
“Naruto is my godfather’s son; Sasuke is his best friend. As for Kiba, he’s a cousin on my mother’s side. I’m often on babysitting duty during the holidays.”
Kiba didn’t seem willing to say a word, despite all his techniques – and yet Obito had loved his placement in paediatrics, which had made him hesitate before opting for A&E – forcing him to rely solely on his cousin.
“It’s a dog bite,” observed the doctor, finishing the bandage.
“Oh really? I could have sworn it was from a tanuki!”
No matter how wide his eyes got, Obito merely stared back at him with a blank expression.
“You might be right; I seem to recall it was a rabbit. A big one,” Kakashi added affectedly, rubbing his chin.
“You do realise I’m obligated to file a report, don’t you?”
They stood facing each other, scrutinising one another.
“Akamaru’s a good dog!” Kiba suddenly exclaimed.
The fact that he’d finally spoken surprised him more than what he’d just said.
“Kiba,” sighed his cousin.
Rubbing his head this time, he looked up at Obito from below, uncertain.
“You must be familiar with the Inuzuka clan?”
“By name,” replied the doctor, his eyes narrowing as he tried to work out where Kakashi was going with this.
“Their main focus is on dogs; that’s common knowledge. When each member is born, they’re assigned a puppy; they grow up together and learn to live side by side. That’s the tradition.”
Even though Obito didn’t necessarily remember every time they’d met – especially as his file only contained the one occasion when he’d come accompanied by the two children who’d nearly drowned, given that he usually just tagged along with the others – he had the impression that this was the first time he’d seen him so nervous.
“I understand it’s necessary, but Akamaru doesn’t deserve to be put down. He’s a good dog; he bit Kiba by mistake. Besides, the lad would be scarred for life.”
Indeed, now that he’d reminded him of all that, he recalled the rumours circulating about that clan. His own clan tended to look down on them for their “savage” ways and considered them barely more civilised than their pack.
A single glance at the injured kid was enough to see just how true Kakashi’s words were. Neither of them was protecting the animal for the wrong reasons; the child was attached to it, and at his age, such a sudden separation – and under these circumstances – would be devastating.
Sighing loudly, Obito buried his face in his hands, trying to make a snap decision.
“I can’t not do this,” he finally declared. “It’s already on record in the files you came to consult about a dog bite.”
Straightening up, he faced two pairs of tearful eyes, one clearly distraught, the other bitter.
“However, I can ‘lose’ the report. But! There’ll be a record of it in the file,” he warned them in his most menacing voice. “If it ever happens again, there’ll be nothing anyone can do.”
Kiba had already stopped listening to him, having leapt off the examination table to skip about, his injury already forgotten.
But it was the other adult who had captured his full attention, as the emotion in his grey eyes gradually shifted from relief to hope.
“Thank you,” he finally said. “You’ve no idea what you’ve just done.”
“Yes, I do. I’ve just signed my own dismissal,” he snapped back, though not with as much vigour as he’d intended.
Just for good measure – and to stop himself thinking about it too much – he slammed the prescription and the standard precautions into his arms and shooed them out, grumbling.
He still hadn’t calmed down by the time he returned to the waiting room for the next patient.
Now that he thought about it, he also seemed to recall that there were other clans in Konoha associated with certain animals… There were the Aburame, of course, but there was another one… It was on the tip of his tongue…
Ah, how annoying it was to know an answer that eluded you…
As Kakashi walked through the A&E doors, he greeted some of the staff by their first names or surnames, making him realise just how familiar the department had become to him in the space of just a few visits.
“So, who are you here with this time?” asked Kohari at reception.
“No idea!”
Leaning out of her line of sight, he stood up again, holding a little girl with pink hair who was crying silently.
“I found her just outside, her knees covered in blood. I think she fell off her bike, but she won’t answer any questions. She was wearing her helmet.”
“Oh, poor little thing.”
Despite the little thing’s silence, she made no attempt to struggle or cry out, remaining quietly in the arms of this stranger, sniffling from time to time as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Although she didn’t answer any questions, nobody held it against her, and she was even given a glass of water and some tissues as they settled into the waiting room.
There weren’t many people there, and she was seated in her own chair as she sipped her water, her eyes darting from one detail to another, curious.
“My favourite non-patient!” exclaimed another adult suddenly as he reached their side.
If she hadn’t spotted him a little earlier, she would certainly have jumped. Instead, she lowered her glass and looked up at him anxiously, examining him in turn.
He was tall, with black hair like Sasuke’s but cut short like Naruto’s. Half his face was covered in old scars, but he looked kind as he gave her a broad smile.
In spite of herself, she found herself smiling back at him, as her tears stopped and a strange warmth filled her chest. It reminded her a little of when her father used to hold her close.
“Well, it looks like we’ve got ourselves a princess this time! Shall we go and have a look at you, if you don’t mind?”
She nodded and hopped down from her chair before the other adult stood up in turn and shuffled along behind them, as she was led into a separate room that reminded her of the one where the doctor used to examine her when she was ill.
“So, what happened?”
Shyly, she immediately lowered her head, looking up from beneath her lashes at the man who’d brought her here. He sighed when their eyes met, rubbing the back of his head.
“I found her outside, next to her bike, crying and with grazed knees. She didn’t answer my questions, but she doesn’t seem to have any hearing problems. I suggested she get checked over at the hospital, as she wouldn’t tell me how to contact her parents. There you go – that’s all I know.”
The doctor – he’d said his name was Dr Uchiha, just like Sasuke! – hummed a tune before turning to her, smiling just as broadly as before.
“I see you’re wearing a helmet. That’s very good; it’s very important to wear one when you’re cycling, but it’s no use to you right now. Would you mind lending it to me? I’ll give it back straight away.”
Nodding again, she quickly took it off and handed it to him, blushing slightly as their fingers brushed against each other.
He thanked her and looked inside it, making her blush even more. She’d been sweating a bit earlier; it was embarrassing that he was examining it so closely!
“So your name’s Sakura, then? It’s a lovely name; it suits you well!” he complimented her.
That’s what everyone always told her, but this time it really made her happy, so she mumbled a thank-you as she pressed her hands to her cheeks, staring at her knees.
“Do you know her?”
The sigh he let out made her sit up, curious, just in time to see him shove her helmet into the silver-haired man’s stomach, causing him to double over slightly.
“Her details are stored in the helmet. Take them to Kohari so she can fill in the report and notify her parents before they call the police.”
“But…”
He’d already snatched the helmet and was skirting round the doctor, heading for the door, still protesting, which was met with a paperweight whacking him straight on the head urging him to clear off, leaving the door ajar.
“Finally rid of him,” he sighed theatrically. “Right, Sakura, I need to know where it hurts, all right? Will you tell me?”
When her parents came to collect her, they found her surrounded by nurses, a lollipop in her mouth and pretty flower-patterned plasters on her knees.
“Look, Mummy, the nice lady plaited my hair!” she exclaimed, pointing to her hairstyle.
She didn’t quite understand why, instead, her mother took her in her arms and wept, holding her too tightly. She looked up at her father, who was trying to smile at her but could only grimace.
“We were so scared when the hospital rang us,” her mother stammered, holding her close.
“But I’m perfectly fine! Look!”
She showed off her plasters, wriggling to break free from her mother’s embrace. She was about to say something else when she spotted, a little further away, the doctor who’d treated her, accompanied by the one who’d brought her here.
Immediately, she waved her arm in their direction, nearly dropping her lollipop in the process.
“Doctor, doctor!” she called out.
The doctor looked up, surprised, then broke into a broad smile when he realised who was calling, and came over.
“I see you’ve found your parents, Sakura?”
“Yes!”
She quickly introduced them and then popped the sweet back into her mouth, whilst the adults greeted one another, exchanging names as they did so.
“Apart from her grazed knees, she’s doing very well. A bit shaken by her fall, of course, but no fractures or more serious injuries. It’s a good thing she was wearing her helmet – not only to protect her, but also so we could access her medical records and contact you. You did the right thing.”
Everyone was chatting calmly, but Sakura had already stopped paying attention to them, her gaze fixed on the other man who hadn’t come over. When he realised this, he raised his hand to wave to her, before turning around and leaving the hospital without speaking to anyone else.
It’s a shame; she would have liked to introduce him to her parents, too…
The constant stream of ambulances…
On the first day, you find yourself hoping you’ll get used to it.
Then, once you’re officially an A&E doctor, you hope it’ll never happen.
“What’s the situation?”
“Two bodybuilders who’ve fainted right in the city centre. Sunstroke, exhaustion, dehydration – the whole lot!”
Obito knew it was unprofessional and unkind, but he couldn’t help letting out a sigh at the paramedic’s announcement. With any luck, he’d be lost in the midst of all the inevitable commotion that comes with this sort of arrival.
He went over to one of the two bodybuilders and was surprised to recognise him.
“Right, we’re familiar with this one,” he announced. “Hatake Kakashi – we’re going to need his file.”
It was always strange to come across someone you knew in the midst of all this commotion, unconscious and pale despite the obvious sunburn mottling his fair skin, whilst you were removing the clothes that were getting in the way of the procedures.
Once he had the file in his hands, he skimmed through it, passing on the necessary information.
It was strange, too; Kakashi hadn’t struck him as the reckless type, let alone the “bodybuilder” sort. Not that he wasn’t muscular – in fact, he was in a prime position to confirm otherwise – but not in the way one would expect from someone who practised bodybuilding…
Since his presence wasn’t essential, he went to visit the room next door, where the person who’d been brought in with him was being treated. And there, yes, “bodybuilder” seemed a bit more fitting. He was surely the reason for the label.
“How’s yours doing?” he asked Taji.
“As expected. Severe dehydration, sunburn all over his body – though only first-degree – and exhaustion. He looks like he’s pushed himself too hard, generally speaking. I hate that sort of bloke; they clog up A&E with their own stupidity.”
She snorted with disdain.
“And yours?”
“Same, but less severe. He seems to have protected himself better from the sun.”
“Hallelujah,” she sneered.
“… When does your shift end?”
“Two hours ago.”
Deciding not to meet her gaze, Obito pretended to read one of the information posters on the wall, putting on an innocent air.
“Why don’t you go and get a coffee? Just to… take a breather, you know?”
Fortunately, she didn’t argue and disappeared into the staff room, just before one of the interns caught up with him to tell him that Kakashi had woken up.
“Great, I’ve got loads of questions to ask him,” he muttered in turn.
Starting with the identity of his friend…
“So, you and Gai…”
“My eternal rival and I were in the middle of a challenge!” the other patient interrupted.
Having been moved to a more comfortable room whilst they waited for their vital signs to stabilise, the two friends answered Dr Uchiha’s questions.
Or rather, Gai was doing all the talking, cutting the doctor off whenever he could, whilst Kakashi remained silent.
“A… challenge?”
“Yes! To see who could do the most squats in the blazing sun! Kakashi won fair and square!”
He continued with a passionate speech that Obito wisely chose to let play out in the background, turning instead towards the other occupant of the room and giving him a sceptical look.
“He fainted before I did,” he replied. “But I thought I’d coped better; I didn’t think I’d end up joining him in hospital.”
He had his arms crossed over his chest and his head bowed. The doctor eventually realised he was sulking.
“And… does that happen to you often?”
“Fainting in the blazing sun? I usually avoid it,” he sneered darkly.
“No, the challenges…”
Once again, he was cut off by Gai’s stentorian voice, which then explained their entire competitive history to him – how it all unfolded, the results, and so on.
Obito was blown away, though he wasn’t quite sure by what. The astonishing memory required to recall all those minute details? The volume that never dropped? The nature of said challenges?
“And… you’re still alive. No deformities, no medical issues or other complications…”
Gai launched into a speech extolling the virtues of sport and a healthy diet; Kakashi merely shrugged.
“Dad used to say it was down to Mum protecting me from wherever she is. Around the time I hit my teens, he started saying I was giving her overtime, and began including more thanks in the middle of his prayers.”
He shrugged again.
Having had his medical records in his hands, Obito understood the prayer. And yet, Gai’s was even more extensive! But it made you wonder how they’d managed to reach adulthood in that state.
“Oro likes to say that I’m a mystery to science,” he finally brushed off, leaning back against his pillow. “That’s fine by me too.”
Realising he wouldn’t get anything more out of him – apart from tinnitus – the A&E doctor said goodbye and took his leave.
Obito felt unwell.
He was used to it: he’d been feeling unwell for years, for decades. He’d been feeling unwell ever since he’d woken up to find his reflection forever changed.
Dizzy, he let himself sink to the floor, sitting down blindly, whilst forcing his breathing to remain steady.
He hated the heat.
Well, no. People hated the heat.
He, on the other hand, loathed it.
It wasn’t even that he was so hot he had to change his clothes several times a day, or that he felt suffocated behind surgical masks. No. It was everything that came with it.
It was the loss of appetite and the sleepless nights. It was the “social withdrawal” where he pushed everyone away even though he needed help so badly. It was those moments of doubt that paralysed him, no matter the situation.
His therapist said it was seasonal affective disorder. That, every summer, he sank lower than at any other time of the year.
A diagnosis was a good thing, of course, to be a little less taken aback when he found himself suddenly struck down without warning, but it wasn’t always enough during the darkest moments to whisper it to himself, hoping it would be enough to keep at bay all that gloom that seemed to take malicious pleasure in drowning him in it.
With his arms crossed and his face buried in them, Obito continued his breathing exercises, holding back the tears of helplessness welling up in his eyes as numbness took hold of his whole body, threatening to knock him to the ground for good.
“Sir? Are you all right? Sir?”
He’d heard the voice. But he felt unable to reply, unable to move. He trusted nothing, no one, and certainly not his own body at that moment.
Out of sheer desperation, he nevertheless managed to let out a sort of whimper, which seemed to suffice.
“Can you look at me?”
No, he couldn’t. His forehead was pressed against his forearms; his head weighed a ton…
But already, hands were on him, manoeuvring him to lift his face, checking his pulse.
“Dr Uchiha?”
The mere fact that he was recognised, that his name was spoken, was enough for him to find the strength to open his eyelids, his gaze falling on Kakashi’s half-face as he watched him with as much concern as could be discerned in his eyes.
“Do you need me to call for help? Anyone in particular?”
His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. His jaws were clenched shut. His eyelids felt as heavy as lead, so he closed them, letting himself slump against the hand supporting his head.
He needed a break. A nap. Anything that would let him drift off into unconsciousness, so he could forget that gaping void that seemed to be sucking him in at all hours of the day and night.
“Obito?” Kakashi cried out.
He was being held once more, and he liked to think that he, too, was in Kakashi’s arms, being carried just as he had carried his pregnant friend an eternity ago.
When Obito opened his eyes again, he was in a cool place, and that news alone was the best thing about his day.
He had no idea where he was, which was more of a problem, but his therapist had told him to take things one step at a time. So, for now, he was going to just enjoy the cool air, before letting his blood pressure rise.
As the dizziness seemed to have subsided, he took the opportunity to sit up, rubbing his forehead curiously.
Where was he?
He didn’t have time to worry (or, at any rate, not too much) before the door opened to reveal Kakashi, but more importantly, a bottle of water covered in condensation, which he handed to him.
“Back with us, Doc? You gave me quite a fright!”
Taking the bottle, he focused first on quenching his thirst before replying, relieved.
“Thanks.”
In reply, his companion lazily shrugged.
“I mainly need to know whether I should take you to A&E or anywhere else,” he said dismissively.
“No. It’s not… necessary. Where are we?”
Of course, he still felt as though the ground was sloping, as if he were on the deck of a ship, but he knew how to ignore it and keep up appearances.
“I need to get home,” he muttered, trying to stand up.
But, to his own surprise – though not Kakashi’s – he had to steady himself, waving his arms to regain his balance and avoid falling backwards.
In the end, the dizziness hadn’t subsided all that much…
Once he’d regained his balance, he looked around the room they were in a little more closely.
It was rather plain and functional. The bed and a coat rack seemed to be the only pieces of furniture. No windows. The walls were panelled in light-coloured wood, which helped to make the place feel less oppressive.
“Where are we?” he repeated.
He hadn’t thought about it until then, but now he realised it seemed like the ideal place to make him disappear without alerting anyone…
“In Konoha Forest Park.”
Okay, he was definitely going to end up on a news programme…
Gripping his bicep with one hand in a gesture of reassurance, Obito attempted a forced smile so as not to alarm him, but judging by the raised eyebrow, he’d failed miserably.
Except that instead of pouncing on him, Kakashi walked through the door in the other direction and gestured for him to follow.
The building was small and bright, its walls almost entirely covered in the same light-coloured wooden panelling.
“Ah, Sleeping Beauty has woken up!”
Startled by this new voice, Obito stepped into a room with large floor-to-ceiling windows, through which he could indeed see the centuries-old trees that were the pride and joy of Konoha.
There were also two other people in the room, each holding the same sort of water bottle as him.
Shyly, he greeted them, still not quite understanding.
He’d had his “meltdown” near the park, true, but he still had no idea where he was.
On the only wall not pierced by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, he recognised a detailed map of the reserve, with pins marking locations, jotted post-it notes, drawings…
There were other pieces of paper pinned up, including search notices with black-and-white photos, which he didn’t look at too closely.
“Welcome to the Park Rangers’ station,” said the man who’d spoken earlier. “I don’t know who you are, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kakashi so worried about anyone – or at all, for that matter.”
“True!” chimed in his neighbour. “I didn’t even know that bloke could be anything other than cold and aloof!”
They both laughed knowingly as Obito turned towards the man in question, who chose not to meet his gaze, clearly embarrassed.
“Stop talking rubbish, lads, and focus.”
“Just wait till Izumo finds out, mate; he’ll never let you off the hook about this. Never ever.”
Kakashi and the one with a plaster over his nose argued amongst themselves, leaving only the one with a toothpick in his mouth to approach the doctor.
“More seriously, are you all right? The three of us have first-aid training, plus a few bits and pieces we’ve picked up along the way, but we can call an ambulance if we need to – we don’t mind.”
“I’m an A&E doctor,” he stammered. “And I’m fine, thanks. I’m prone to these sorts of episodes, though it’s been a while since one this intense.”
He winced as the tone between the other two grew more heated.
Sliding his hands into his pockets, his interlocutor managed to whistle without losing his toothpick.
“An A&E doctor! Now I understand better why Kakashi spent all his time off there!”
He moved closer before Obito could fully process the remark, leaning in and holding out a hand to lower the volume of his words, whilst making sure the man in question wasn’t eavesdropping:
“You should have seen him when he suddenly appeared, with you in his arms! The last time I saw him so expressive – and even more so, so distressed – must have been when a kid got lost off the marked trails a few winters ago.”
The implication made his heart skip a beat, but he chose not to dwell on it, fearing the consequences of misplaced hope.
“And did you find him? The child?”
“Shikamaru? Yes, he wasn’t answering because that scamp was having the best nap of his life in a cave. Luckily, Kakashi has the best tracking dogs in the country, so we managed to find him before he went into hypothermia, but it was clearly a day none of us wants to relive.”
He shuddered at the memory. They’d been through their fair share of dreadful days with grim news, as evidenced by the (all too) numerous missing persons posters, and some were worse than others.
“Come on, sit down with us; those two should be finished bickering any minute now. A bit of sugar’s recommended after fainting, isn’t it?”
“Er, yes, actually, if you suspect hypoglycaemia.”
Confused, Obito let himself be led to a free chair, observing both the soothing scenery of the protected forest and the heated debate between the two grown men, the subject of which he barely understood.
“Don’t worry about it; Kotetsu and Kakashi speak several languages – they’re in the habit of switching from one to another when they’re at loggerheads. I reckon the aim is to outwit the other, but they’re both far too clever for that.”
On the table, several packets of sweets were piled up, alongside a glass of orange juice.
“That’s kind of you, but I’m feeling better,” he said, trying to refuse.
“Take it, take it! We rarely get visitors round here, so for once it’s not because some idiot dropped a cigarette butt on the ground or because someone got lost – we’re going to roll out the welcome mat!”
And, to round off his statement, he emptied a water container over the other two, stopping their fruitless argument dead in its tracks to turn towards him, sputtering a bit of water, eyes wide and arms spread wide.
“We’ve got visitors, so stop acting like cats in heat and behave yourselves,” the culprit lectured them, in response to their accusing glances.
Grumbling, the two in question took off their soaked T-shirts, shooting him dark glances.
Whilst Kotetsu immediately threw it at his friend, Kakashi paused for a moment, noticing that Obito had suddenly gone very stiff and was slowly blushing, clearly trying not to look at him.
Amused, he slipped a finger under the elastic of his mask – which was damp too; he’d have to replace it – to take it off, making sure to position himself squarely within the doctor’s immediate field of vision, which only made his embarrassment worse, confirming his theory.
“Go and show off somewhere else,” snapped Genma.
“You’ve spilt water on my clothes; I’m not showing off, I’m changing before I get ill!” he retorted.
“I’ve already seen you swimming whilst wearing that bloody mask; don’t take me for a fool.”
He hurried off, dodging the box of tissues his friend tried to throw at him, making sure to brush past Obito as he went, whilst acting as if it had been accidental.
Surely he must have left a change of clothes somewhere, hadn’t he?
Obito smiled as he finished his shift at the hospital.
His boyfriend waved to him as he put away that awful book he insisted on displaying everywhere, especially when it was inappropriate.
“How was your day?” he asked after a kiss.
“It’s been a while since you dragged one of your relatives to A&E; it was pretty quiet.”
Instead of taking offence, Kakashi pinched Obito’s nose in retaliation.
“I didn’t come that often.”
“You’ve got Kohari’s number and you’re swapping recipe ideas,” replied the doctor.
Clearly unable to object without being accused of bad faith, the Ranger opted for a deeper kiss.
“They’re very good recipes, and I don’t recall hearing you complain about them,” he added anyway, just for the sake of it.
This time, Obito gave him a nudge in the ribs as they walked on, arm in arm.