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There was something unsettling about a particular spot in the forests.
Shinobi, civilians, and travelers alike who pass that area to head towards or away from the village of Konoha spoke of it. Of how the forest becomes quiet when they walk past that specific area. Others describe a drop in the temperature even on the most humid and hot days of summer time. Those who travelled at night could hear rocks falling yet none had moved, or they heard weeping and whimpers of a child in distress yet never found anyone there.
The most chilling story though in all this was when they would describe seeing red eyes watching them from the darkness sometimes; as if something or someone was standing there but when light was shined on it there was nothing there.
Only one person made a visit to that spot; away from the fancy grave marker they put up for the one who died there as he walked quietly through the dark woods. Calmly he carried a pack of dango and incense as he approached the ravine that had long been filled up by rocks.
He was a young shinobi–a jonin who was a certified genius from the age of five, now sixteen. The white spiky hair was more unkept tonight as he had his mask off for once while looking down at the place where he lost one of his closest friends.
Despite the warnings from older shinobi, his comrades in the Anbu offering to come along and the ghost stories the young aspiring students at the academy told he made it a point to visit this place when night fell.
Of everyone in the village he knew what was happening here and he would do anything just to see his friend was okay.
When he felt the familiar chill he didn’t even flinch as he stepped on to the largest of the rocks; putting down his offerings quietly and pulling out the photo he carried with him; it was one of the few that he was given by the kind elderly woman who raised his friend. He was smiling in the photograph, carefree and bright…it made something in his chest hurt knowing he failed him.
“.... Hi Obito…” he said once he had set up a bit, “I’m back again. I know it’s been a few nights of nothing but…I was on a really tough mission. You would have hated it…we ended up trudging through swamp lands and one of my kouhai got leeches on his leg…you would have freaked out so bad…”
A gentle wind blew through his hair a moment as he slowly cracked his knuckles. “.... It’s been too quiet lately…” he didn’t even flinch when the dango seemed to move on its own into the air and began to disappear, “...I mean sure…Gai can be a bit loud and lively but it’s not the same…it’s not like how you were. You were never afraid to speak your mind…you always treated me like I was anyone else…”
The stick is empty now, dropped to the ground before he felt something like ice resting on his head.
He looked up slowly. Most would recoil at the sight before them; of a young boy with half his body mutilated; the arm gone, the leg mangled beyond repair, eye socket empty where it was removed and disheveled in the clothes he had on when he died. Even the goggles were cracked with the glass half gone.
Instead, Kakashi smiled back as his vision blurred, “You look happy tonight.”
The apparition smiled at him before sitting down slowly across from him; his good hand gently ruffling the wild silver hair. The cold from his touch continued to spread down Kakashi's back yet he didn’t care; he was too happy to see his dear friend right now. What’s a little cold compared to these precious moments together?
“I’m glad…people have been talking a lot about what happens over here…are you safe at least? Are the offerings enough? Has…has anyone tried to make you leave?”
Obito tilted his head as he looked at Kakashi before shaking it a bit. His remaining eye looked at him happily while the empty socket just had a glowing red dot where an eye should be. He didn’t usually talk….that was fine with him. Obito didn’t have to do anything he did not want to.
Kakashi sniffed a little bit, “Good… that’s good…I…I don’t know what I would do if you were taken away…you’re not a bad ghost…” He shakes his head, “You aren’t….you aren’t…you wouldn’t hurt anyone right? No one has gotten hurt because of you…you’re a good ghost…a good ghost…”
Obito’s hand moved now and began rubbing circles on Kakashi’s back, trying to soothe him the best way he could. When the ghost leaned on him, the cold continued to spread. Kakashi could feel his teeth chattering, yet he couldn't bring himself to pull away. This was the only time he got to see him…the only time he had to try and honor him and make it up to him for failing him so terribly. He sniffled softly and tried to wipe the tears from his eyes.
He had no right to cry when Obito has been the one to suffer like this. Unable to move on to the pure lands for some reason, yet Kakashi selfishly was glad he didn’t.
The cold embrace was becoming more comforting with each visit as Kakashi had grown used to it.
“...Please don’t leave me…”
Obito’s smile dropped into a sad look as he continued to rub his back.
“...I…I don’t want to lose anyone else important…so please…don’t leave me…you are important to me and I can’t…I don’t want to imagine a life you’re not in…” he sniffled and hiccupped as he bowed his head.
Obito hugged him fully now, as best as he could with one arm. But he manages as he hummed softly to the other.
Even if he’s stuck in a place between life and death…he at least isn’t alone with Kakashi by his side.