Chapter 1
Obito ambled along behind Rin with his hands in his pockets, irritably kicking a small stone ahead of him. Rin glanced back at him over her shoulder. "Don't drag your feet!" she called out to him in a gentle but firm voice.
"Yeah, yeah," muttered Obito irritably, rolling his eyes. Reluctantly, he pulled his hands out of his pockets and quickened his pace to catch up with Rin. "I really don't understand why we're bothering to look for that idiot. After all, nobody ever asks about me," complained the dark-haired boy, his face contorted in discontent.
Rin smiled at him. "You're constantly late, that's nothing new," she said, then turned her gaze forward again. "But for Kakashi, it's unusual. He never arrives late." She paused briefly, and Obito noticed with a twinge of jealousy that her cheeks were slightly flushed as she added softly, "I'm just worried."
Obito rolled his eyes again but made an effort to conceal his feelings. He took a deep breath and pushed his jealousy aside for Rin's sake. "You don't need to worry," he began reassuringly. "He probably just lost track of time and is off training somewhere alone. He's probably fine."
Rin nodded, but the concern was evident on her face. "Hopefully," she murmured, picking up her pace. Obito couldn't deny that it irked him that she was so concerned about their younger teammate. But for her sake, he had agreed to look for him. He would have much rather waited at the training ground until Minato arrived. He would have loved to see Kakashi get in trouble.
Obito lazily crossed his arms behind his head. "Why didn't we just wait for Minato-sensei to come? Then he could have taken care of him," he said, a hint of defiance in his voice.
"Didn't you listen yesterday?" Rin asked, glancing at Obito. He couldn't hide the slight blush on his face; he really hadn't listened. Shrugging, he just replied with an innocent grin. Rin sighed and continued patiently, "Minato-sensei has a meeting with the Hokage this morning, so he'll be coming later."
"Oh, I see, so he won't even know Kakashi is late today. That's pretty unfair," Obito remarked. It annoyed him that Kakashi happened to be late today, and Minato wouldn't even notice to confront him about it.
"Don't be like that. Sensei wouldn't say anything, just like with you," she explained, gesturing towards the next turn. "Now don't dawdle!" she urged.
Obito huffed and picked up his pace even more. He realized that he was doing all of this for Rin. She would surely be grateful to him.
They quickly reached Kakashi's house. Obito noted that it looked quite deserted, and there was silence on the property. No sign that their teammate was training or even at home. Rin climbed the steps to the front door and knocked, while Obito waited at the bottom of the stairs. After some time passed with no response, "He doesn't seem to be home. Maybe he's at the training ground after all," Obito suggested.
Rin looked down at Obito, her eyes reflecting concern. "Then he would have come across us," she said softly, her voice full of concern.
"Maybe he just took a different route," Obito tried to reassure her.
Rin turned her gaze back to the door and studied it for a moment. With a curious glint, she reached for the door handle and held it for a moment. Obito watched Rin intently. He was sure the door was locked. Slowly, annoyance welled up in him as he thought about having walked all the way to Kakashi's house. Kakashi was probably at the training ground now, simply forgetting the time while training.
As Rin pushed down the door handle, the door surprisingly gave way and swung slowly open. A puzzled expression crossed Rin's face, followed by a hint of fascination. "The door is unlocked," she exclaimed in surprise.
Obito furrowed his brow as he watched Rin slowly open the door. "That's strange," he muttered, a tinge of concern rising within him. "Maybe Kakashi didn't lock it properly." But Obito felt the worry slowly building inside him, even as he fought against it. It was obvious that it wasn't Kakashi's style to leave the door unlocked when leaving the house.
Rin pushed the door further open, and a cautious look into the house. Obito hurried up the stairs and joined Rin, his eyes also scanning the house. Everything looked neat and clean, but there were no signs that anyone was home. Just as Obito was about to step into the house, he was stopped by Rin, who placed a hand on his shoulder.
Obito turned to Rin, who looked at him uncertainly. "We can't just barge into his house, that's not right," she said, with a hint of concern in her voice.
For a moment, Obito looked at Rin before his gaze returned to the house. "You wanted to check on him, so we have to go in," he explained, not mentioning that he was just curious. Until now, he had never entered Kakashi's house, only seen it from the outside. He was interested in how his teammate lived, but Rin didn't need to know that.
Rin didn't release Obito's shoulder as she called out into the house, "Kakashi!? Are you there? It's us, Obito and Rin. We're coming in now!" She announced it and nodded to Obito.
Slowly, Rin's hand released his shoulder, and they continued into the house. In the entrance area, they took off their sandals and placed them neatly to the side to not clutter the way. With quiet steps, they continued on their way and entered the hallway. Obito led the way, followed closely by Rin, who stayed close behind him. Obito's eyes wandered around curiously, fascinated by the order and cleanliness of the house. He knew that Kakashi lived alone, so he had to keep everything so neat. It suited Kakashi's nature; he was a perfectionist.
Obito carefully scanned every room. First, the living room—no signs that anyone was there. There was also no trace of Kakashi in the kitchen. Next was a closed door. Obito reached for the door handle, but it didn't budge. He turned to Rin. "The door is locked," he stated, frowning.
Rin nodded in agreement. "Then we should keep going for now. There must be a reason why it's locked. We should ignore it for now," she suggested and continued on their way.
Obito cast one last glance at the door, his curiosity piqued, but he was sensible enough to know that Rin was right. Even though he would have liked to know what was behind the door. Finally, he let go of the door handle and followed Rin further down the hallway.
The next two rooms, a bedroom and a bathroom, were also empty. The silence of the house felt almost suffocating as they walked through the empty rooms.
Finally, they reached the last door, which was slightly ajar. Obito gave Rin a determined look, and she nodded encouragingly at him. Resolutely, Obito turned back to the door and pushed it open gently. The door swung open silently, and the two entered the room.
It was another bedroom. To the left of the door was a desk with a chair, and a rug lay on the floor. Opposite the door was a window, its curtains drawn, allowing only a faint light into the room.
On the right wall stood a wardrobe, while on the opposite side of the room, a single bed was placed. As Obito's gaze fell on the bed, he noticed that someone was curled up under the blanket. He glanced at Rin, and she seemed to have noticed it too. Skillfully, she maneuvered past Obito and approached the bed.
Immediately, Obito also moved and followed Rin further into the room. As Rin reached the bed, she gently pulled the blanket aside, revealing Kakashi. Obito couldn't deny that he looked terrible. Kakashi was shaking violently, beads of sweat dotted his forehead, his cheeks were flushed, and his breathing was shallow. Concerned, Rin briefly turned to Obito before returning her attention to Kakashi.
Gently, Rin reached out and placed her hand on Kakashi's forehead. A pale hand emerged from under the blanket, weakly attempting to push Rin's hand away. Kakashi slowly opened his eyes, and a weary gaze met Rin's. Obito glanced curiously over her shoulder at Kakashi. "What's wrong with Bakashi?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
Kakashi's gaze shifted to Obito, trying to glare at him, but not really succeeding. Rin looked at Obito and added, "He seems to have a pretty high fever." Her voice remained calm as she directed her gaze back to Kakashi.
His gaze was grumpy as he looked at his teammate. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, and immediately, a cough racked his body. "Leave!" he wheezed, pulling the blanket back over his head. The instruction sounded weak but determined as Kakashi struggled to maintain composure.
"Hey! You can't just kick us out like that!" Obito protested indignantly.
"It's my house!" he heard Kakashi's muffled, weak voice from under the blanket.
Obito straightened up a bit, ready to say something when Rin let out a sigh and gently intervened. "Kakashi, you're sick. You need help," she explained calmly and pulled the blanket down gently to expose Kakashi's face.
Kakashi turned away, visibly affected. "I'm fine, I can manage," he protested, but another fit of coughing interrupted his words. His pride was palpable, but the reality of his illness could no longer be ignored.
Rin sighed softly and turned to Obito as he crossed his arms and looked at Kakashi. "If he doesn't want our help, let him fend for himself," he stated firmly. The frustration was evident in his voice. Obito didn't feel like arguing with Kakashi.
"We can't just leave him lying here alone," Rin retorted, her voice tinged with concern as she looked back at Kakashi. "Have you had anything to drink or eat? That's important for getting better." Her words were not just a suggestion but an urgent plea, hoping to reason with Kakashi.
Kakashi didn't react, just grumbled softly to himself. Obito shrugged and turned away. Of course, he was also somewhat worried, but if Kakashi didn't want the help. "As you wish, Bakashi. Then manage on your own, I'm not interested," he announced irritably. His words sounded harsh, but beneath the surface lay a trace of concern and incomprehension.
"Please stay, Obito!" Rin pleaded earnestly, her eyes full of entreaty. Obito turned to her, a hesitant expression in his eyes. "I could use your help," she added softly, her voice a gentle plea for support.
Obito raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You really want to help him? He told us to leave. He's not even grateful." His words were tinged with bewilderment and disappointment.
"Please! For me," Rin begged Obito.
Obito's shoulders sagged as he took Rin's plea to heart. "Okay," he finally agreed, unable to deny Rin anything. "What can I do?"
A worried smile played on Rin's lips as she felt Obito's willingness. "You could bring me a bowl of cold water and a cloth to put on his forehead, and an extra blanket first," Rin began to explain. Her words were calm but with a hint of urgency as she instructed Obito on how he could help Kakashi.
Obito nodded determinedly and set off. First, he went to the living room and searched for a blanket. He quickly found one neatly folded behind the couch. With brisk steps, he then went to the kitchen, rummaged through a kitchen cabinet, and filled a bowl with water. His last stop led him to the bathroom, where he found a cloth after a brief search and tossed it into the bowl.
With his hands full, Obito returned to the bedroom where Rin had laid Kakashi on his back. His eyes were tightly shut as Rin brushed wet strands of hair from his sweaty forehead. Obito approached the bed. "Here!" he said, holding everything out to her.
First, Rin took the bowl from him and placed it on the nightstand next to Kakashi's bed. Then, she took the blanket and wrapped it around Kakashi with Obito's help. With gentle hands, she took the cloth, wrung it out, and placed it on Kakashi's forehead. A low grumble came from him, followed by a feeble attempt to open his eyes. Trying to protest, only a cough came from his lips.
Rin soothingly ran her fingers through Kakashi's hair. "Shhh, easy, Kakashi," she gently reassured him, her voice like a soft whisper in the room's silence. Obito's jealousy surged again, and suddenly he wished he were lying there in bed. But he quickly shook off that thought.
"What else can I do?" Obito offered, his desire to help actively evident. He didn't want to just stand idly by and watch Rin take care of Kakashi.
Rin turned to Obito, sharing her thoughts with him. "He needs water or tea, preferably both. Then he should eat something light, preferably soup," she said, her voice calm and composed. She was aware of what Kakashi needed to recover. Then she looked back at Kakashi. "Maybe we should apply cold calf wraps to his calves. In any case, he needs medicine to lower his fever," she added, her concern for Kakashi palpable.
"Calf wraps? What's that?" Obito asked, confused but also curious.
"Wet cloths wrapped around the calves to help lower the fever," Rin explained calmly and patiently.
Obito nodded in understanding as he felt Rin's concern. That only heightened his own worries. "Is he really bad?" he asked cautiously. His gaze shifted between Rin and Kakashi, hoping for a reassuring answer.
Rin looked up at Obito and nodded weakly. "I think so. He's pretty sick," she replied softly.
"Ohh, do you think we should get help? Maybe I should hurry to Sensei or Kushina. Or does he need a doctor?" Obito replied, his voice filled with quick concern. His gaze darted between Rin and Kakashi as he considered the best course of action to help their teammate.
"It could be better," she confirmed. "I could quickly apply the calf compresses, and you get him something to drink, maybe you can find soup in the kitchen. Then I'll go and seek help and get medicine," Rin suggested.
Obito flinched. "I should stay here?" he asked, surprised. "Maybe I should go and get help." His voice was marked by uncertainty and restlessness. He didn't want to stay alone with Kakashi, as he had no idea what to do.
Rin laughed softly and shook her head. "It's better if I do it. You'll just get distracted and come back late," she explained, slightly amused.
Obito snorted. "I would go straight there without detours," he assured her firmly.
"Get to work first!" Rin gently suggested and pushed Obito out of the room. Reluctantly, he set off and went to the kitchen.
There, he fetched a pitcher, filled it with water, and placed a glass next to it. Then he rummaged through the kitchen cabinets and found a can of soup. He quickly began to warm it up in a pot. When the soup was warm enough, he transferred it to a bowl. Along with the pitcher and glass, he placed everything on a tray and carried it carefully into Kakashi's room.
Obito placed the tray on Kakashi's desk and looked at Rin, who had just attached the calf wraps and was now covering the shivering body with blankets again. Quickly, Obito filled the glass with water and hurried to the bed. He handed the glass to Rin, and she accepted it gratefully. "Thanks, Obito! Can you help me sit him up so he can drink?" she asked.
With a nod, Obito immediately set to work and sat down next to Kakashi. He put an arm around his shoulder and slowly helped him sit up. Soft protests came from the younger boy, and there were feeble attempts to push Obito away, but Kakashi was simply too sick to resist. A look of compassion crossed Obito's face as he realized how bad Kakashi must be feeling.
Rin brought the glass to Kakashi's lips and tilted it gently. Kakashi took a few sips before indicating gently that it was enough. With a nod, Rin signaled to Obito that he could lay Kakashi back down. Immediately, Obito helped Kakashi lie back in his pillows and then stepped back.
Gently, Rin placed the glass on the nightstand and looked at Obito. "I'm going now. It won't take long, I'll hurry. Please stay with him and try to offer him something to eat," she explained, moving towards the door. However, before she disappeared, she turned to Obito again. "Keep an eye on the calf wraps. If his feet get cold, you need to remove them. And remember to change the cloth on his forehead occasionally."
Obito sighed slightly annoyed. "Why do I have to do this? Can't I go get help?"
Rin shook her head decisively. "You can handle it," she encouraged him.
"You can leave too, I don't need your help, Obito," Kakashi wheezed between breaths, without opening his eyes. His words sounded weak but still determined as he tried to maintain his independence.
"Don't talk nonsense!" Rin gently scolded. "We're a team, we take care of each other. See you soon!" With these words, she turned around and left Obito alone.
Obito watched her for a moment before his gaze landed on Kakashi. He opened his eyes narrowly, once again attempting to glare at him. Annoyed, Obito grimaced, hoping Rin would hurry. "Alright, Bakashi. First, you should eat something," Obito decided and went to the desk.
"Go away!" Kakashi hissed, turning around to show his back again. Obito ran his hand through his face, this wouldn't be easy.