Chapter 2
"Come on, Kakashi! Rin said you need to eat something!" Obito tugged at Kakashi, trying to get him to turn over. But the younger boy remained stubbornly on his side, facing away from Obito. Occasionally, Kakashi would cough or sniffle softly, but otherwise, he lay still.
Obito snorted in annoyance and let go of Kakashi. "Fine, starve then! I knew I was wasting my time here." He slumped into the chair at the desk, thinking again about what Rin had told him.
After a moment, he snapped his fingers and jumped up from the chair. Remembering he needed to change the cloth on Kakashi's forehead regularly, Obito went back to the bed and leaned over Kakashi to grab the cloth. Confused, he furrowed his brow – the cloth was missing. He hastily scanned the bed and eventually spotted what he was looking for.
The cloth must have fallen when Kakashi turned over. With a satisfied smile, Obito reached for it, but as soon as he had the cloth in his hand, Kakashi snapped at it with his teeth. "Get away from my bed!" he croaked, coughing violently.
With an angry glare, Obito withdrew his hand along with the cloth. "I'm just trying to help you, so stop being so difficult. You weren't this unfriendly with Rin," the Uchiha remarked as he moistened the cloth again.
Kakashi's cough gradually subsided, and he turned back onto his back. Carefully, Obito placed the cloth on Kakashi's forehead, this time without protest. Apparently, Kakashi had realized that arguing with Obito was too exhausting – much to Obito's satisfaction.
Next, Obito pulled back the blanket at Kakashi's legs and felt his feet. Rin had told him to make sure they didn't get cold. "What are you doing? I'm cold," grumbled Kakashi.
Obito pulled the blanket back over Kakashi's legs and looked at him. "Your feet mustn't get cold, otherwise, I'll have to remove the calf wraps," he explained, sinking back into the chair. After a moment of silence, Obito asked, "Are you thirsty?"
Tired eyes glanced at him, and to Obito's surprise, Kakashi weakly nodded. For a moment, Obito looked at him, perplexed, but then he quickly stood up and approached Kakashi's side. "I'll help you sit up," he said gently.
With cautious movements, Obito slid his arms under Kakashi's shoulders and helped him sit up. Kakashi leaned heavily on him, his breathing shallow and exhausted.
Once Kakashi was sitting upright, Obito reached for the glass of water on the nightstand with his free hand. Carefully, Obito held the glass to Kakashi's lips and assisted him in drinking. After Kakashi signaled that he had had enough, Obito set the glass aside and helped Kakashi lie back down.
Then, he readjusted the cloth on Kakashi's forehead and sat back in the chair. Silence fell in the room, only interrupted by Kakashi's heavy breathing. Obito wasn't sure what to say or do. They didn't necessarily get along, but he still worried about the younger boy.
After a moment, Obito decided to replace the silence with some pleasant conversation. "This is a nice house, do you take care of it all by yourself?"
Kakashi opened his eyes and looked at Obito for a moment before closing them again and nodding in response. Obito leaned back in his chair. "I see," he murmured, wondering what else he could say.
"Why is that one door locked, anyway?" he asked curiously, adding teasingly, "Do you have secrets or something?"
Kakashi briefly grimaced. "That's none of your business," he muttered, turning his head away to avoid eye contact.
Annoyed, Obito threw his head back and sighed deeply. He gave up on trying to talk to Kakashi further. Instead, he sank into the silence, closing his eyes to find a moment of peace.
It didn't take long for a familiar voice to interrupt his thoughts. "Obito? Kakashi?" called Kushina gently.
Obito straightened up and looked at the door. Then he quietly got up and glanced at Kakashi, who was peacefully sleeping in his bed. Carefully, Obito crept out into the hallway, where Kushina was already approaching. "There you are. Is Kakashi in his room?" she asked worriedly.
Obito quickly placed a finger to his lips. "Shh, he's asleep," he whispered, explaining.
Kushina's expression softened. "I see, but I still want to check on him," she said softly and walked past Obito. He followed her, watching as she knelt down beside the bed. Gently, she placed a hand on Kakashi's cheek and furrowed her brow in concern.
Obito cautiously approached the bed and whispered, "Rin said I should check his calf wraps regularly. Everything was fine earlier."
Kushina nodded in agreement and rose to her feet. She approached the foot of the bed and pulled back the covers to feel Kakashi's feet. "We should remove the calf wraps," she stated decisively. Then, she turned to Obito with a warm smile. "Would you help me with that?" Obito nodded immediately and stepped closer, ready to assist her.
With skilled hands, Kushina unwrapped the calf wraps and handed them to Obito, who curiously watched over her shoulder. "Where's Rin, by the way?" he asked as he took the wraps.
"She's still out getting medicine and some groceries so I can make soup. Minato will be here soon too," she explained calmly, finishing her work and pulling the covers back over Kakashi. Then, she turned her gaze to Kakashi, who was still sleeping. "We should let him rest and allow him to sleep. It will help him."
Obito nodded, and they left the bedroom together to go to the kitchen. Kushina looked around for a moment before turning to Obito. "You've made quite a mess here," she remarked with a smile and began tidying up the kitchen. "Did Kakashi eat any of the soup?" she asked as she placed the pot in the sink.
Obito shook his head. "No, he didn't have an appetite," he replied regretfully.
Understandingly, Kushina began sorting through the kitchen cabinets that Obito had disturbed while searching for things. "That's okay, I'll make him a fresh batch of soup," she explained, then turned back to Obito. "Come on, you can help tidy up your mess." Her eyes sparkled playfully.
Obito nodded and sighed softly. He wasn't keen on cleaning up, but he knew it was fair. After all, he had caused the mess in the kitchen.
******
Slowly, Kakashi opened his eyes, his gaze wandering confusedly around the room. It took him a moment to realize what was happening. Piece by piece, the puzzle came together, and he remembered the events. With painstaking movements, he slowly sat up, the cloth that was on his forehead falling into his lap. Kakashi picked it up and gently placed it on the nightstand next to his bed.
Kakashi's eyes fell on the glass of water still on the nightstand. Determinedly, he reached for it and drank it before setting it back down. His forehead furrowed as he heard a muffled voice. Someone was in the house. Was Obito still there? The uncertainty made him listen attentively as he rose slowly.
Carefully, Kakashi's legs slid off the bed, and he slid down slowly. His feet touched the cold floor, but Kakashi ignored the feeling. As he stood on his feet, he felt how weak they were. With slow steps, he made his way towards the door, leaning on the door frame. As he reached the hallway, the voices became clearer. It was Obito, Rin, Kushina, and Minato, chatting animatedly.
As Kakashi continued down the hallway towards the kitchen, the smell of food became stronger. The voices of the others became clearer as he approached the kitchen. When he finally reached the kitchen, he stopped in the doorway.
In the kitchen, Kushina was at the stove stirring a pot, while Minato was getting plates from the cupboard. Obito and Rin were sitting at the kitchen table, engaged in conversation. The aroma of Kushina's cooking filled the room, lending a cozy atmosphere to the surroundings.
Kakashi didn't go unnoticed for long, and Minato's face lit up when he saw him. "Kakashi, good to see you're awake," Minato greeted him warmly, setting the plates on the table before approaching Kakashi. The others also turned to Kakashi and smiled at him.
Minato reached Kakashi and squatted in front of him. He placed a hand on Kakashi's forehead and asked gently, "How are you feeling?" His warm voice and concerned look radiated calm and reassurance.
Kakashi shrugged slightly and replied, "Better than this morning."
"That's good!" Rin's gentle voice chimed in, full of warmth and joy.
Minato smiled contentedly and stood up again, his eyes radiating confidence. "That's good. Come, have a seat at the table. Kushina made soup for us," Minato announced, gently guiding Kakashi to the table.
Kakashi obediently allowed himself to be led to the table and took a seat on a chair. His gaze shifted from Rin, who smiled kindly at him, to Obito, who was frowning at him. Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Obito said, turning his gaze away.
Kakashi looked at Obito for a moment longer until a plate was placed in front of him on the table. His gaze shifted to Minato, who was distributing the plates, and he nodded gratefully as Minato sat down beside him on the chair. "Rin got you some medicine; you should take some," Minato explained.
Kushina came to the table with the pot and set it down before she began serving the food onto the plates. Her warm eyes radiated care as she said, "First, you should eat to get better quickly."
Kakashi obediently nodded and reached for the spoon. But suddenly, Obito jumped up and pointed a finger at Kakashi. "This morning, you snapped at me and refused to eat anything!" Obito exclaimed loudly and energetically, his face contorted in accusation.
Kakashi swallowed his soup, shrugged, and replied calmly, "Your soup just doesn't appeal to me." His response was calm and matter-of-fact, but there was a hint of humor in his eyes as he challenged Obito.
Obito's mouth dropped open in surprise, and he slumped back into his chair with an expression of disbelief. "You didn't even taste it!" the Uchiha protested indignantly.
"I didn't need to. Smelling it was enough," Kakashi explained dryly, a slight smile playing on his lips as he provocatively glanced at Obito.
Rin rolled her eyes with a slight smile and sighed theatrically. "Well, it seems Kakashi is feeling better now that the two of them can argue again," she remarked amusedly. Her words were accompanied by a touch of irony and a warm undertone of affection for her friends.
Minato chuckled softly and nodded in agreement. "You're right," he agreed cheerfully, his gaze fondly sweeping over the group.
"You all took good care of Kakashi," Kushina said with a warm smile that made her eyes sparkle. "That's what I call true teamwork, better than any training." Rin chuckled softly and nodded in agreement.
Obito crossed his arms and huffed theatrically. "Next time, I'll just enjoy the peace and quiet," he announced with a hint of amusement in his voice.
Kakashi took another spoonful of soup and gave Obito an amused look. "We agree on that!" he said with a mischievous smile.
Rin sighed softly and smiled awkwardly. "You guys are going to be the death of me," she declared with a laugh.