The Cave

  Minato stepped inside the cell, reassuring the ANBU members that he would say something if anything at all went wrong, for the 15th time. He actually wasn’t supposed to be in there, and he was sure they didn’t completely believe him when he said he had gotten permission from the Third to enter, but they had opened the door for him anyway, shutting it behind him as he slowly made his way to Obito.

  The boy was curled up as he sat on the floor, arms on his knees and forehead resting on his forearms. He was breathing heavily, but not in a way that indicated he was asleep, but more like he was trying to not throw up. The tray of food not too far from him told him that’s probably exactly what it was.

  Gently, Minato placed a bowl in front of Obito, backing away a bit, and crouching down. After a moment, Obito lifts his head just enough to glare at him, but there wasn’t enough energy in the gaze. Minato hoped if he looked as non threatening as possible, it would be more possible for him to trust him.

  Like a wild animal.

  Eventually, his gaze falls to the bowl, staring at it— studying it. It was a plain broth; at least something he could hopefully stomach. He seems to have deemed it safe enough to reach out and grab it—— or maybe he’s just stopped caring. He doesn’t uncurl his legs, grabbing the broth and placing it on his knees. He makes a face at it— at the smell— before he starts softly blowing it to cool it down a bit. Minato had taken care to put it in something to help it keep its heat.

  Obito deserved a warm meal, at least.

  He takes a sip after he deems it cooled enough, and he has to fight to keep it down. It stays though, and he continues with his small sips. Minato feels relief at the sight, unable to help a small sigh from slipping out. He eats as much as he can before placing the soup to the side, and returning to the position he had been on before. There’s silence for several moments, before Obito finally speaks up.

  “You should hate me.” He says. Why don’t you? He wants to ask.

  “I should, I suppose.” Minato’s voice is calm, and it makes Obito angry. “And yet—-“ The more Minato visited, the more he was sure Obito wasn’t the one he should be angry at. The more he was sure there was someone else. Lurking around the corner. Pulling the strings. Like puppets in their little play. Obito just happened to be a major piece of the puzzle.

  But he was still just a pawn.

  Minato missed Kushina, very much so. And maybe some part of him was angry with Obito, especially in the beginning. He was wracked with grief, and though he still lived each day, it hurt. He felt wrung out, like a wet towel. Squeezed and and on the verge of ripping apart, threads coming loose. It felt like it would never end. Like there was a chasm inside of him, wide and yawning and threatening to swallow him whole. He had trouble getting out of bed some mornings. Going through his day with a hole in his heart. He had to, though. For nothing else, then for Naruto. To be there for him. To raise him.

  And some part of him wanted something– anything– to point his anger and pain to. To have something physical to blame and make feel even just a bit of the same pain he felt. But when he saw Obito, he just saw a child. And perhaps he was being naive. Perhaps he was being too optimistic. Perhaps he was trying too hard to hold on to someone who was already gone. But looking at Obito, he felt in his heart that he was not truly the one to blame. That there had to be someone else.

  But perhaps he was being naive.

  Obito was starting to drift off a bit, though he was fighting against it. He was really tired. Exhausted. He can’t remember the last time he slept really, and it draped over him like a blanket, warm and heavy, weighing him down and trying to drag him under. He lifts his head to rub at his eye, and Minato can’t help but smile softly, if not a little sadly.

  “Obito, let me help you.”

  There’s silence. Obito stares at Minato. There’s a mixture of emotions inside of him, and it’s hard to pin any of them down. Anger and frustration and pain and—- guilt, maybe. Something he quickly tries to push away, but it ebbs at him, chewing away at his insides. He supposes that’s how he feels. Chewed up. Spat back out. Like he’s been thrown around. Dragged through dirt that he can taste in his mouth– feel under his nails.

  He’s so tired, but he can’t let himself doze off now. Not with what’s rolling around inside of him, budding and building and threatening to burst out—- to rip him to shreds. He can’t control it. He normally can at least keep it at bay, make its outbursts more manageable, but not with his chakra suppressed.

  He can’t stay awake, though. And once he falls asleep, it’ll no doubt take the chance to be released.

  Which will only tire him out more. Draining his chakra, suffocating him, tangling him in its vines and roots and branches as it unfurls.

  “Don’t come visit tomorrow.”

  “Wh— what—-?” Minato can’t help but be confused, worried as well, feeling it roll around inside him.

  “You said you wanted to help right? Don’t come visit tomorrow.”

  “Obito….” His voice is quiet, soft, and he falls silent for a moment. “Don’t do anything rash—-”

  “I’m not doing anything.” His gaze hardens, and Minato can see something else buried somewhere within his eye. “Don’t.”

  Minato doesn’t say anything. His hands flex by his side, and thoughts tumble around in his mind. He had a feeling Obito wasn’t going to still be here come a couple of days from now. But he couldn’t just let him get away again. Let him slip through his fingers, without at least trying something. He had failed him once already. He hadn’t been there in time, hadn’t tried looking for him. He had to help him. In some way, hopefully. And maybe– just maybe— that Obito that he knew was still there, buried somewhere inside him, would come back.

  Or maybe he was just being naive.

  He quickly makes sure no one else is paying attention, before quietly pulling out a three pronged kunai, the handle thick and marked with his Hiraishin seal. He places it by Obito, using the movement to grab the leftover soup Obito left to hide the placing of the blade. His voice is quiet as he raises.

  “Please, Obito. Don’t be afraid to use it. If you ever need me.”

  Obito doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t acknowledge its existence. Minato watches Obito for a moment, before he quietly leaves.