Chapter 1
Obi—No. Tobi was supposed to be dead
He didn’t deserve the name Obito anymore, he knew. He had jumped in front of the kid. Naruto. His soulless heart ached at his image. The memory of who he used to be flickered in his mind.
He shook his head, his hands trembling in front of him. They had calluses from training but—They were too soft— there were no scars from fighting, they were too small to hold his heavy heart.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
His heart thumped. This home was too small. Too much. Too clean. Too messy. This home wasn’t his. It was Obito’s—! He was Obito. He was Tobi.
He didn’t know who he was anymore. All he can see is the blood on his hands. He used to think that he no longer cared. That he was broken. That he could make the perfect world. But he was wrong. So wrong.
He was a traitor. He didn’t deserve this second life.
He looks into the mirror and sees a stranger. A ghost. A small innocent child wearing goggles over his headband. Goggles that should have been long gone. The lead symbol should have been crossed out.
He sobbed.
He muffled his screams, shattering the goggles onto the floor, he didn’t deserve this body.
He wasn’t supposed to be here. He fell to the floor, knees scratching the wood, the stinging pain was almost numb compared to the burning fire in his chest.
—
“All I can give you is death.”
—
Kakashi.
Tobi suddenly laughed, madness haunting his voice, Kakashi could end his pain. He promised, didn't he? This is the only way he could atone!
He scrambles to the door, not bothering to clean up his broken goggles or the furniture he had thrashed around in a panic. He didn’t rub away his tears. He laughs.
A cry baby ninja who breaks the rules. More reason for Kakashi to kill him right!?
He runs and he runs, earning odd looks from passersby. His vision suddenly clears, the chakra pathways becoming more clear to him.
His Sharingan. Huh. Early.
No problem. He could find Kakashi much easier this way. The wave of adrenaline and panic almost wavers, but he fights on, running and running, his chakra distressing the ninjas behind him, but they could sense no danger so they scoffed.
The cry baby ninja at it again. Panicking and being useless. Showing all this emotion.
How did he even survive killing hundreds of people?
He murdered innocent people.
He starts to run faster.
He finds himself in the Hatake compound. A more sane part of him notes that this is a place that ‘kid Kakashi would never ever visit.’
But there he is. Kakashi—!
His broken voice calls out.
The boy turns with wide eyes. Two black eyes. His skin wasn’t scarred. Tobi dropped to his knees.
“You promised, Bakakashi!” He yelled, the other child jolted at the emotion, the despair. Everything about him was wrong.
Kakashi tried to think, frowning deeply.
“You—You told me you’d kill me, so come on! Just— get on with it! I’m a murderer without remorse! I killed sensei, Kushina—nee— I started the entire fourth shinobi war—!”
Tobi expected crazy looks. He expected retorts and insults.
Tobi did not expect… a broken, shocked look. One of understanding. One of tragedy. The look of someone who had lived through this life before.
The boy stepped forward. “Obito—“
Tobi screamed, not caring who’s hearing his voice, “THAT’S NOT MY NAME—YOU KNOW THAT’S NOT ME ANYMORE—OBITO IS INNOCENT, I—I AM TOBI—!” Suddenly, he jumped into action, knocking kid Kakashi down to the floor, Tobi’s shaking hands locking Kakashi’s shoulders into place. Tobi towered over him.
“Obito is Tobi.” Kakashi’s soft voice penetrated the warring thoughts in his head.
Tobi’s resolved weakened slightly. “Tobi—Tobi isn’t Obito.”
Instead of murderous lighting emitting from Kakashi’s hands, or killing intent from his chakra, the boy lifted his equally shaking hands and tugged Obito down. He froze.
Eventually , both boys were on the floor. Kakashi’s smaller arms wrapped around Obito’s shoulders as they both expelled tears.
“I—I don’t deserve this, I—“ He sobbed, the manic finally peeling itself away, leaving a heavy weight of exhaustion on both of their shoulders. Luckily, neither Obito nor Kakashi wanted to move from this warm embrace on the floor.
Kakashi would soon rather die than to be separated from his friend.
“I’m sorry.” Kakashi muttered, he doesn’t truly know what he’s apologising for.
“I’m sorry!” Tobi knows exactly what he’s done, “I don’t— I don’t deserve to continue this life, his dreams—I can’t become the Hokage—I can’t become Obito—!”
“Sensei already achieved that for us, didn’t he?”
Kakashi shivered from the amount of emotion he’s feeling. Though not as outwardly emotive, he was just as overwhelmed. He clutched onto Obito—His old friend—the true Obito—like a lifeline. He doesn’t know what he’d do if he fails this second chance.
“And…I became the Rokudaime, you know? I never wanted it. It was meant for you.” He paused, his left hand brushing itself through Obito's short spiky hair, though it was softer than it looked. Smooth compared to the tangles of the past—future. The uneven cuts and the scars from his face were gone. “Both our wishes have come true hasn’t it?”
“We’re home.” He whispered for a final time.
Tobi—Obito stayed silent. He laid his forehead onto the wooden floor, burying his face into the crook of Kakashi’s neck. They stayed like this for what seemed like hours
“Naruto didn’t become Hokage?” Obito muttered, far too quiet for this world.
Kakashi smiled under his mask. “He’s still training how to be a leader.
“Hn…”
Kakashi only laughs again, recalling memories of the kid version of Sasuke.
His eyes trail over to the calendar of his house.
“We have training tomorrow.”
“Mm.”
“Kakashi… I’m so tired.”
Kakashi nods. He was tired too. Not because his body was weighed down by physical fatigue, no, his mind was plagued by their trauma. The blood. The realisation that he had been mourning someone who was alive. The realisation that he had failed his family. And… everything.
The world was so cruel. Though he supposed he should thank it for this one act of kindness. Their second chance.
“I’m tired too.”
They both close their eyes, leaving many things unsaid. Their chakra, at first, flowed inconsistently, separated by two, but eventually, the two boys learned how to breathe in sync, the chakra flow moved synchronously, it helped keep their heartbeat from racing.
‘I don’t think I can act in front of Rin.’ A light puff of air escapes him quietly.
‘I don’t think I could act around her either.’
“I’m sorry.” Tobi repeated.
“Obito… you were a kid.” Tobi shook his head. It wasn’t an excuse, it wasn’t right.
That was fine. They could take their time.
They didn’t have to talk about it now.
Eventually , they fall asleep here with their limbs tangled together, with their puffy red eyes and salty tears flowing down their cheeks.
They sleep till the sun hangs over their heads. Noon.
—
Tobi hangs his head low as he stares tiredly at Minato, trying not to see the piercing bleeding hole in his abdomen.
The older blond gave him a worried look. “Neither of you appeared at training. And now you both are sick?”
On the contrary, Kakashi could only see the bright smile of his son. Ha… how ironic. He used to avoid Naruto because of his strong resemblance to his father. Now it just hurts to look at his father too.
Do they ever get a break?
Minato doesn’t mention the dullness, the lack of emotion from their resident sunshine, he’s afraid to. Neither of his boys are acting right.
“Sorry. Sensei.” Tobi muttered, his tone heavy and tinged with guilt. For what? Minato couldn’t guess. He only hoped that this was because of a fever and nothing else.
Kakashi, on Minato’s right, gives him a smile, to Tobi’s slight amusement, makes Minato even more concerned than before.
“Maa, we just got lost on the path of life. We’ll come back to it soon.” His eyes too, showed the weary look of a shinobi who has fought through multiple tragedies but he hides it well. Not enough to fool his psuedo—father, but enough to keep it down in his chest.
Obito lets out a soft pained laugh at the joke and Minato’s stomach churns.
—
These days, both Kakashi and Obito tend to tire more quickly, which worries the rest of the team and Kushina. At first, they were worried that imposters(horrible ones) had replaced them, but no, their chakra signatures were legitimate. Both of them were fairly late—not as late as 3 hours before, but late nonetheless, shocking for Kakashi’s punctual streak.
He stopped ranting about rules, only tugging Obito along with him, like they knew each other more than anyone else. Kakashi kept his training up, but he seemed to stumble more often, reaching out for things, expecting that his limbs were much closer than they were. It was worrying. His stance was more relaxed, less rigid than before, but he felt more experienced too.
Kakashi often laughed more. They didn’t know if it was a good thing or not.
Rather, Obito seemed to laugh less. It was like they had drained each other of their core personalities. Obito stopped coming 3 hours late, though he never seemed to function like he should. He seemed to get worse at fighting too. Failing to dodge attacks, like he was expecting them to pass through him. Minato didn’t dare make the assumption that Obito wanted to be hurt. He pulls the boy closer, softly lecturing him to dodge.
Obito tended to lean against Rin’s shoulder, slumping over to sleep in less than a second, Obito never used to sleep this quick nor this deeply before. She sends a worried look towards Minato and glances over Kakashi for a second too.
He seemed to be picking up a book and flipping through the pages, though he waves when he sees her stare.
Amongst all this, the one thing they all missed was their banter. Both boys seemed to just stay quiet, simply conversing with stares and nods and shakes.
What happened to them…?
—
“We have to try.” Kakashi said firmly to the small boy curled up on the floor. “If we continue like this… Sensei’s going to sic the T&I on us.. if we continue like this…”
“I know.” Tobi frowned.
“I know.” He flipped over, gazing at his plain ceiling. “They’ll die if we keep being weak.”
“That’s true, but that’s not what I meant.”
“Kakashi… it’s hard.” His voice was tinged with desperation.
“It’s going to be different. Well save them. I’ll save you.”
Obito sniffled.
“See? The Obito in you is coming back.”
Tobi only scowls, not a single hint of malice in sight. Just a fond look appearing on his face as he rolls his eyes.
“Ne, Kakashi.”
“Mm?”
“You’ve always been you, no matter how much you took my advice, you’ve always hated hospitals, hated loud places, strong scents, but you’ve always stayed strong. Stayed loyal to Konoha. Our home.”
“It was hard.” Kakashi reminded him as he laid beside the boy, the warmth between them grounding him from his memories.
“Yeah. But… it’s been so long. I don’t know how to be Obito. The black sheep of the Uchiha Clan. The kid who… hated killing more than anything. The kid who wanted to protect everyone. I’m just Tobi. The guy who hunted for Jinchuuriki and tailed beasts.”
“Well. You’re not hunting anymore, right?” He earns a head shake.
“Then that’s a start to becoming Obito.”
—
“I’m Obito.” Tobi declared to the field in front of him. He didn’t feel confident. No. He still felt like an imposter.
Rin stood behind him, tilting her head. Concerned, yet a seed of hope suddenly wriggled in her chest. This was the most hopeful he’s ever been these past few weeks.
He’s not Tobi of the Akatsuki, he’s not Madara Uchiha.
He’s … Just Obito.
“And my dream…” he turned around, bringing out his brightest, most genuine smile in front of his Sensei and Rin. This one felt true. This dream… he didn’t have to fake.
“…is to protect the people I care about,” he sends a look to Kakashi, whom gives him an encouraging nod, “and become somebody everyone would be proud of!”
He emits the dream of being Hokage. He doesn’t dare even utter the word, for now, it feels too terrifying to think about. To lead a village he once destroyed for his selfish desires. Maybe one day, he and Kakashi would walk hand in hand with the hat, teasing each other for the amount of work there was.
Maybe one day, he’d take Rin’s hand in his, slipping on a ring to her finger, and feeling calm and safe in her embrace. Maybe one day, he’d live long enough to see Naruto become the man he used to be, still filled with kindness, still filled with hope. Maybe one day, Naruto would be proud of Obito for managing to reach this far.
And maybe one day, he’d live to see the next generation, the children of the Uchiha Clan running freely without care, Sasuke with his daughter filled with bright grins and a loving gaze. His brother, living past due date, survived the sickness plaguing his body. Sakura living without the fear of being left behind, growing to be the strong, fearless medic of the future.
—
“Kakashi—nii! You’re our Jounin Sensei!?” Naruto grins excitedly.
“Mhm. And Obito and Rin too. They’ve come to aid me in teaching you gremlins.”
“No way!” Sakura gasps, “You’re that insanely powerful medic nin!”
Obito pouts. “Am I just invisible to you guys?”
Sasuke snorts fondly at his older cousin. “More like a weirdo.”
—
“Taichou!” Tenzo scowls in embarrassment, trying to dodge the onslaught of exploding paint seals coming his way.
Kakashi only gives him a thumbs up while Kushina grins, “It’s a good way to train your dodging skills, dattebane!”
Naruto shivers from beside his mother. “The paint is so hard to get off, dattebayo…”
“No flying, Sai—kun!” The boy who was ready to slide his paint brush across the paper jolts in fear, “B—But Kushina—san…”
”Kushina—nee,” Obito corrects him, snorting, “She’s not going to give up on this.”
Tenzo glares at all of them, yet still manages to dodge—skills of being 8’ Anbu after all, still… the training is certainly effective.
He sighs and affirms the small child, “It is good training.”
—
Kakashi promises to be a better friend, a better teammate, a better Sensei, if they let him.
He promises that his students will get to live the life they never got to live.