#obitomo

[writer-and-artist27]

[Image Description: A split-screen colored pencil drawing, featuring one Uchiha and a civilian pianist going from left to right respectively. The Uchiha is dressed in a navy blue hoodie and a white-blue-collared shirt in the likeness of one Shirou Emiya, the only differences being the burn scarring on his right cheek and medical eyepatch over his left eye. The civilian pianist, on the other hand, is wearing a white-collared dress with a black ribbon belt in the likeness of Sakura Matou, smiling at the viewer. Both figures are accompanied by a small green leaf and a small star, orange for the boy and purple for the girl. The drawing’s creation date, “1/12/2021,″ sits in the top left corner. End Description.]

Inspired by @lovingempress, or, Kimi-chan’s recent drawing of Tomo (and my Fate muse having finally started including more of Team Minato-brand protectiveness in Healing Over Time writing thus far.) This drawing actually serves as a kind of personal milestone, as with this January - it’s been 9 years since I started art, 6 years since I started going out with Leo, and 25 years since my parents married. So yeah. There’s been a lot going on in my life, my writing may have slowed down, but at least my art cooperated with my energy levels.

I had to heavily take from references (linked to support the original artists, of course) to make this work, even tracing a bit during the sketch phase, but @langwrites saw this through to the near end and I’m glad she did. She’s still the one I credit alongside Os in bringing the ObiTomo ship to my attention, and considering I’m still working on Kannabi’s end, I’m hoping we’ll all see them together as a couple soon in S&S canon proper.

For now, I have to say Obito makes a pretty good Shirou Emiya. Well, at least Oath Under Snow Shirou, anyways. And Tomo can do a good Heaven’s Feel Presage Flower Sakura. That’s my bit. @withanina would know what I’m talking about. ;p 

And, Kimi-chan? This drawing is all thanks to you cheering me on. Thank you for all the positive energy you’ve been giving me. I’d argue this is one of the best drawings I’ve done yet. :) 

[mirukuaridraws]

A little draw of Kakashi, Obito and Rin in a day off with Tomoko Hoshino by writer and artist 27 and Keisuke Gekko by Lang Noi.

[narutomemes]

Hi I have an abundance of saved urls that I don’t use and probably never will (mostly naruto themed) so uh I’m gonna put them under the cut and if anyone wants one just message me and I’ll release it to the wild

gaarasbuttcrack

rockleepeepee

tsunades-senjuice

bitemesasuke

nbdanzo

transdanzo

danzowo

obitoads

simpitachi

sasukesimps

sasukeuchihha

obitomoe

suiigetsuu

jjuugo

haakuu

tsunaade

jiraiiya

kishimotomoto

konnoha

akatsukkii

sharringan

itachi-uchihaha

narutouwuzumaki

kabutokun

kimimimaru

konohamaruwu

enbyleorio

orochh

[writer-and-artist27]

Healing Over Time Ch 7 Preview

It feels like it’s been ages I wrote anything Tomoko-related, and let it be said trying to find Naruto-related inspiration for Obito’s bits without drudging in bad parts of Kishimoto’s old story felt like wading through an entire ocean of hardened jello. More so when tired.

Well, @withanina, @lovingempress, I couldn’t help but think of you two when posting this. Hope you’ll enjoy the final product when I have the energy enough to finish it after work.

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The entire time I went about setting up my futon for bed, Obito’s watchful gaze consistently went back and forth between me and the doorway. The door was closed, privacy seals already stuck on, but I didn’t have the heart to tell Obito that he was being too paranoid. After all, he already had a giant scare once when we were teenagers, and the time I woke up in the hospital after that solidified the experience as “something to never let happen again” in both civilian and ninja terms. He had every right to be cautious about unwanted visitors.

Even so, Saber had cut our mental connection earlier in the Training Grounds. The privacy seals weren’t even needed with that in mind. Aside from the usual churning of my chakra that showed how she was still running on it, I couldn’t really tell what Saber was doing at the moment. Nor could I reach out to her with my thoughts. 

It didn’t make Obito’s gaze any less piercing. Or concerning.

“I could stay with you,” Obito said after a moment, one of his slipper-covered feet absently tapping the floor tile. “So you don’t have to be alone tonight.”

“It’s not really about that, Obi,” left me in a weak whisper. The futon pillow looked nice and fluffed-up-enough for sleep, but… “It’s—”  Thinking of Saber made the backs of my eyes start to itch from the emotion. No tears, no tears, no tears… “That’s not what I’m worried about.”

She didn’t even come out to have dinner. The concept alone was all the more depressing when remembering how much Art-san loved to eat with us for dinner.

Obito proceeded to let out a sigh that sounded like he was carrying the world on his shoulders, and I didn’t turn around once he walked over to me. Strong arms immediately wrapped around my waist, pulling me back to him in a tight and snuggly hug. The gesture immediately clued me in to how I had failed in convincing him with my previous response because having to sit in his lap while in mid-hug felt a bit like being in the corner of shame or something. Well, if not for him being a dork and my heart beating really hard thanks to the entire thing, though. “You’ve been handling this for a while, huh?” he breathed into my ear. 

I tried not to shiver, pressing one of my hands against the arms holding me to him. “S-Since you’ve been gone with Kakashi on that mission to Ame, really.”

Obito sighed again, his nose pressing against the top of my hair. “What is it with you and getting easily attached to people, Tomo?” 

“H-Hey, I got attached to you and you didn’t complain,” I protested weakly with a turn of my head. 

In spite of my point, Obito still let out a huff of a laugh against my back as he tightened the hug. “That’s different,” he mused, the words ticklish against the back of my neck. “I crashed into you and owned up to it. And I confessed first.” The soft smek sound against the top of my head certainly seemed to be his way of making his point clear. It was enough to make heat climb up my neck, at least. “I don’t know what Saber has in her defense.”

Okay. Sure, that memory of the “Crash into Hello” first meeting I had with the boy that would become my special other was a nice one, but really? Did Saber deserve that much shade? “You haven’t met her yet and you’re still throwing barbs, Obi?”

“Kei’s a bad influence,” Obito said in lieu of an explanation, huffing through his nose. 

I opened my mouth just as the thought occurred to me, and then closed it. He won that point there. Kei could be a bit quick on the uptake when her loved ones were involved in anything close to resembling trouble. That’s just how she was. And when looking back at my and Saber’s first meeting, well. She did have every right to brandish the business end of a katana that first day. “…The situation did seem pretty suspicious, huh?”

I could already feel Obito rolling his eyes before he even spoke up. “Believe me, Tomo-chan, Kakashi getting adopted by dogs is a lot more believable than you summoning a human being out of nowhere. It’s just not done.” His fingers trailed down my waist, and it almost took me a moment too late to realize what he was attempting to do. 

“No tickles,” I said immediately.

Almost as soon as I said that, Obito’s wandering hands froze, breaking the ice as a shaky laugh echoed in the air. “That obvious?”

“Obi, I know I cried quite a bit on you earlier, but I’m not emotionally comatose,” I pointed out to him with a face, already preparing my “pinching” hands in case he was still feeling wiggly. “Plus I don’t wait at the gates every day like how I used to.”

“And I’m proud of you for that last part since it means you’re not lonely and shivering in the cold,” Obito interjected, his nose gently brushing some of my hair back to rest against my shoulder, “but that doesn’t stop me from worrying, Tomo-chan. That doesn’t stop everyone else from worrying.”

…Maybe I should’ve taken the tickles. It would’ve been a lot better than hearing something like that from him. “I’m trying,” I admitted quietly, reaching over to grab one of his hands to squeeze. “I really am.”

Obito exhaled a long deep breath before he ducked his head and bumped the back of my shoulder blades with his hair. “I know,” he said in a matching quiet voice, “Just don’t push yourself, Tomo.”

I couldn’t help but sigh myself. “Aye,” was all I could say to that. 

It was really hard to go to sleep afterwards, even when Obito was fully willing to be a good cuddly teddy bear of a boyfriend. All I could see in the back of my mind’s eye was blonde hair and the gleam of a Noble Phantasm.

[writer-and-artist27]

[Image Description: A drawing of what seems to be a photo found on a white surface. The photo depicts an Uchiha carrying his pianist girlfriend in a hug, grinning all the while. The pianist girl smiles back at him with a blush on her face, her sunhat with purple ribbon thankfully staying on her head as he carries her against a white-blue background. Sitting around the photo are a white lily flower with two green leaves, a pink seashell necklace with blue pearls accompanying it, and an orange-blue Konoha Wayfinder. A yellow star sits on the leftmost edge of the white in the photo, with the drawing’s date of “9/26/2020″ sitting below the photo line. End Description.]

Drawn for self care and S&S inspiration, here’s a thing I’d like to think would take place during a S&S beach episode. Maybe. And the first time I’ve drawn Obito post-S&S-Kannabi! So light spoilers? Maybe. The facial burn, I took refs to Zuko, considering what happened in the already released S&S 27. 

(ｏ＿　＿)ｏMy right hand is sore.

On a lighter note, I actually wanted to draw this because the original art reference I took from featured a couple that the canon of that story revealed were half-siblings, so let it be said the incest Squicked me out and I wanted to “fix” that feeling. So, Obito and Tomoko, because this is the first drawing I’ve done since my very quiet birthday on the 24th and they’re cute. Not to mention I’ve been playing FGO and the Second Ascension outfit of the Caster version of Marie Antoinette had me going, “this is cute,” so I wanted to see if Tomoko could pull it off. Hair effects come from the female version of Hakuno Kishinami from Fate/Extra and how irl, whenever I go swimming, the ends of my hair can get curly. 

Lang and Os seemed to like this when I was slowly working on it yesterday and today, so I hope you all like it too. I’m thinking @nekosoralove, @lovingempress, and @kuc1ng-uzumaki will enjoy this the most. 

Now if only my current scanner didn’t cut off parts of the Mermaid Melody pearl compact and wash out the orange of Obito’s Wayfinder, I’d be a bit happier with it. Oh well.

[writer-and-artist27]

[Image Description: A digital commission of an Uchiha nin seeing his civilian crush goodbye at the Konoha gates and flowing leaves before an important mission. He’s smiling in contrast to the girl’s worried frown, gripping her shoulders through her dress as she hangs onto his sleeves. Both are wearing star charms that are glinting in the sunlight, as they serve as a physical representations of the friendship thus far. End Description.]

A commission I asked of @l1p3k4 a few weeks ago, they recently delivered this to my email and gave me permission to post this. Thank you, Lipeka, by the way. :)

I’m very happy to let others see this, both because it commemorates one of my favorite scenes to write in The Sea and Stars overall, being Tomoko’s send-off to Obito and the others in Team Minato; and for it showing these two goofballs’ Wayfinder stars. I haven’t been able to draw the stars as much myself because of anatomy being hard to work around, but with this, you can at least see how two of the main five kids go about wearing theirs. :)

The ObiTomo pairing is still growing on me when it comes to writing, but if the WIP Kannabi is any indication, Obito has good reason to smile. I want to deliver these kids a happy ending, and I damn well am going to do my best to write it ASAP.

[writer-and-artist27]

Because I can’t seem to focus on things and this came up in my head when I’m not in the mood to sleep. I think watching Resident Evil 2 and 3 Remake review videos on YouTube have put me in a weird mood. But here we go. 

Anyone’s who reading this can just take it as, “When Vy starts going into Zombie-related media again when she clearly doesn’t like it, probably watch out.” Or something along those lines. S&S modern AU thing with texts and phones, woo.

Roughly inspired by a convo I had with Leo once upon a time. Think it was when he was screaming at dead folk while playing RE2 Remake while having me stay on the phone just to keep his sanity via the “beautiful voice” or something...

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LittleKey: ... GreenThumb: Tomo-chan?  GreenThumb: everything ok??? LittleKey: Oops. LittleKey: I didn’t mean to type that. LittleKey: Hi Obi GreenThumb: Hi Tomo! but hey GreenThumb: ಠ_\ \ hi’s doesnt answer the question GreenThumb: u PAUSED Tomo GreenThumb: no one else types out the “dot dot dot”

LittleKey: ... LittleKey: muu GreenThumb: Hit me with it. LittleKey: ...... LittleKey: muuuuuuuu GreenThumb: promise i wont laugh LittleKey: ...fine LittleKey: Been reading a zombie book. GreenThumb: (゜ロ\ \) GreenThumb: BUT I THOUGHT U HATED THOSE LittleKey: I DO LittleKey: gore and not-death and fatal bites SUCKS GreenThumb: Σ(T□\ \) SO WHYYY LittleKey: I dunno GreenThumb: ಠ_\ \ GreenThumb: Tomo LittleKey: (ｏ＿　＿)ｏ GreenThumb: Do u need me to come over?? LittleKey: ...

GreenThumb: Tomo GreenThumb: Just be honest LittleKey: ...Anxiety’s a jerk GreenThumb: Kei said thats how it always is GreenThumb: need quick hugs? LittleKey: ...please LittleKey: main character nearly died way too many times in the story and he reminds me of u GreenThumb: ╭( ･ㅂ\ \)و got it - on my way LittleKey: Don’t use up too much chakra  GreenThumb: too late LittleKey: (゜ロ゜)

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LittleKey: ...Hey Obi? GreenThumb: yeah? LittleKey: if a zombie apocalypse ever happened- GreenThumb: dont finish that LittleKey: Σ(゜゜) GreenThumb: even if hell freezes over GreenThumb: ill be there for you Tomo GreenThumb: promise of a lifetime LittleKey: eh- GreenThumb: (￣⊿ \ \) besides GreenThumb: Team Minato’s too awesome to die to zombies!!! GreenThumb: kei rin kakashi and I GreenThumb: and your dad and Sakumo-jichan and keis parents!! GreenThumb: zombies would DIE to us!! GreenThumb: dont worry about it!! LittleKey: ... GreenThumb: anxiety still kick in? LittleKey: yeah LittleKey: so let me say thankie for stopping by for the hugs instead GreenThumb: ♡＾▽ \ \♡ GreenThumb: love u Tomo-chan LittleKey: a-aye LittleKey: ⊂(・﹏・⊂)  LittleKey: love u too

[writer-and-artist27]

[Image Description: A colored drawing depicting a civilian girl worryingly staring up at her Uchiha friend, resting a hand against his unscratched cheek as he wryly smiles at her. As she frets over him, the shinobi fondly returns her gaze, enjoying the attention while not paying mind to the minute cracks in his goggles and the small bit of blood on his left cheek. The civilian doesn’t notice the affection in his stare as they stand in front of a white and yellow bubbles background. The drawing is dated with the creation date of “5/7/2020.” End Description]

It’s been a full month since I drew something. And since S&S has been at a writing standstill from my trying to finish my undergrad degree (in a very stressful environment from the pandemic, by the way, according to everyone around me), I’ve been wanting to draw these two dorks for a while. The bubble background feels very much like bargain-bin-shoujo background, but taking from Cardcaptor Sakura manga where most of everything is black and white means I tried. I did.

Overall? It took @lovingempress, @withanina, @nekosoralove, and @kuc1ng-uzumaki‘s visits to my Tumblr notifications; the aftermath of two midterms giving me free time; and two references (one of which being a commission I asked for from Lipeka-san a while back) to get this. I took... two days? I think.

Lang, Os, Josh, and Leo all tell me I need to take more time to relax for myself, so I’m trying to now. I think it’s working. 

For everyone tagged? Here are the contenders for S&S’s biggest ship that I’ve seen in a while. I gotta write more, but I hope these sweethearts tide you over while waiting for the next update. Because believe me, this is the most detailed Tomo and Obito I’ve drawn imo, and it’s been a month to where I’ve been out of practice. I think relaxing worked in the detail department.

[writer-and-artist27]

Do you regret meeting me?

Written when thinking back on a lot of my relationships in these past few years. It’s been a rough few months, but at least people are there to get me out of it. I couldn’t help but think of Leo, Josh, Lang, and Os when writing this. Takes place in the S&S verse, when everyone’s 18-19, I’d think.

The song I used when writing comes from Fire Emblem Three Houses, being Somewhere to Belong. Feel free to listen and enjoy. :)

-----------------------------------------

“Neh, Obi?”

Obito chewed on his dango, taking in the taste for a second before turning his head. Tomo-chan had a conflicted look on her face once he was facing her, her eyebrows furrowed as soon as she ducked her head to break off her staring from earlier. “Hm?” he said around his mouthful, making sure to keep his lips sealed so that no food fragments would be flying before he swallowed. 

Tomo-chan fidgeted, biting her lip. Her hands lay palm side down on her white dress, knuckles lax in spite of her tense shoulders. A little “Uuu,” noise followed as she slowly raised one hand to play with the orange hair ribbon on her braid, nervousness clear in her actions even without Obito’s Sharingan observing. In spite of her fidgeting, though, her mouth stayed stubbornly closed.

Obito swallowed what was left of his dango before putting the stick down. “You have something on your mind, Tomo-chan.” It felt natural to reach over and drape an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders, hugging her to his side. “What’s up?”

“The sky,” Tomo-chan said after a moment, her eyes still pointed at her lap.

If it was anyone else, say Kakashi, Obito would’ve rioted at the pun. Instead, he allowed himself a single exasperated huff before letting his arm trail downwards to his girlfriend’s waist, below the pink ribbon belt of her dress, knowing just where to squeeze as a little punishment.

A single wiggle of his fingers was enough to get her attention. “KYA!” Tomo-chan squealed, and with that cute noise out of the way, it was enough to get her to look up at him in protest, pout on her face. “Hey,” she said threateningly. It would’ve been a threat if not for the fact that her face was flushed that adorable pink and her voice had gone up two levels in pitch to make her squeak out the words. “Obi. We talked about this.” 

Obito grinned and pressed a kiss to Tomo-chan’s forehead, earning yet another adorable squeak. “Couldn’t help it. I wouldn’t have been able to get you to look at me otherwise, Tomo-chan! Your sounds are just so cute!” 

“Muuuu, enough of that!” Tomo-chan raised her head to immediately plop it against the shoulder of his flak jacket, putting in enough force to constitute a chiding bonk. She winced from the pain, but still went on with, “It was a silly question in my head and I wasn’t sure if I could ask. You didn’t have to tickle me to get me to talk.” 

“I don’t regret it,” Obito chirped with a smile before letting it drop. “Still. What’s up?”

Tomo-chan weakly shrugged her shoulders, her long black hair draping her neck and her exposed forearms as she considered. “It is a silly question, Obi.”

“We’re both dorks, Tomo-chan,” Obito pointed out, resting his chin on top of her head. “Silliness is just a part of both of us. Say it.”

All that he got as a response was another smaller, “Uuu.” 

“Tomo-chan,” Obito said softly. “If you don’t want to say it, we can stay like this.”

She merely rested her forehead into the crook of his neck, past his flak jacket while accepting the affection in silence. 

A moment passed, Obito leaned into her, and the whisper would’ve floated by them both if not for how unsteady it was. 

“Do you…” Tomo-chan gulped, never once raising her head to meet his eyes. “Do you regret meeting me?” 

Obito inhaled sharply, squeezing his girlfriend closer towards him while shaking his head. He wiggled his fingers a little again, earning yet another surprised squeak, but Tomo-chan’s blue eyes were finally in view past her bangs and he smiled down at her. 

“I never could. Never have, never will.” 

Tomo-chan’s smile was both bright and hesitant. Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded, lowering her gaze as she murmured, “I-I knew you would say that. It…it was a silly question.” A pause. The small peck pressed to his pulse nearly made Obito jump if not for knowing who it was that did it. “Thankie.”

Obito snorted and put his other hand under Tomo-chan’s chin, raising it so they could make eye contact. “Dork,” he muttered, a smile on his face. “There’s nothing to thank me for. That’s what love does.” 

Before Tomo-chan could reply, he swooped in to press his lips to hers. The resulting kiss tasted sweet. Just as things were supposed to be.

[writer-and-artist27]

Chapter 19 Missing Scene

Note: Inspired by two specific chapters in a Fire Emblem: Three Houses fanfic I’ve been reading, titled Godspeed, and taking place between S&S 19 and 20. The ending specifically leads into the main conflict of S&S 20, now that I think on it. I took from this chapter of CYB too when writing. 

Let it be said I regret not writing the scene of Tomo gifting Obito cupcakes. So, I’m fixing it. 

Oh? You’re wondering where this came from? Dunno. Let it be said I have no clue where all this fluff comes from, especially with how the world is dealing with collective trauma. But this oneshot/interlude thingie is loosely based on an actual conversation I had with Josh and Leo when I was in high school, so there are emotions at least.

The theme song I recommend for this thingie is Qonell’s piano and vocal rendition of Credens Justitiam from Madoka. It’s the only thing I found that fit.

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Staaaaaare. 

I fidgeted.

Staaaaaaaaaare. 

Is he going to let you in or not? Hisako said hotly.

Obito didn’t move when I gently gestured with the plate in my hands for him to take it. He merely kept his gaze fixated on the orange frosting and light white sprinkles covering all of the cupcakes there, his jaw slack enough to hit the floor if it could.

“Obi?” I tried gently.

Obito startled in place at his apartment doorstep, glancing to both sides as if to gauge if someone was watching before grabbing my hand. I did my best to retain my balance and hold onto the cupcakes as he pulled me into his home, eyes frantic as he used his other hand to lock the door behind us. “T-Tomo-chan,” he said slowly once he established we were alone, “this isn’t what I think it is, i-is it?”

Despite the anxiety starting to flood my veins, I still raised my delivery of a cupcake plate towards him. “I felt bad about you having to yell at me and Kei-chan yesterday, so I woke up early to make cupcakes to compensate for the trouble? And as a small apology?”

“I-It’s no trouble!” Obito yelped, his hand immediately letting go of mine to wave around in the air like a limp rag toy. “Sure, it sucked hearing you two talking yourselves down, but being there is what friends do!” His voice pitched upwards like he was in disbelief I was even here offering him something. And his cheeks were flushing red too. What was going on? “You didn’t have to do this, Tomo-chan!”

Oh. 

I sense insecurity here, Hisako added helpfully.

Aye. Outwardly, I smiled wryly and still offered the cupcake plate to him. “But I wanted to, Obi.”

Obito opened his mouth as if about to say something before stopping. Quite comically too. In any other place, it could’ve looked like he had turned to stone. And in any other situation, I would’ve laughed it off and called it a day, but this was still Obito. Obito was still a boy who, in another universe, was so touch-starved and lonely that it took one man manipulating everything for him to turn out evil. And I didn’t want that. I never did. 

“…Why, Tomo-chan?” Obito said finally, his eyebrows furrowed across his forehead. It was as if his mind had finally started turning enough gears to address me as the awkward elephant in the room. “You’re not getting anything out of this.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked honestly back, feeling confused. 

Obito throws his hands behind his head and turns away, gazing elsewhere in his apartment. It’s only then that I notice how musty the place smells. Dusty. Barely lived-in. Almost empty. It takes a bit of my self-control to not glance past his shoulder to survey the place. “You have a lot on your hands already, Tomo-chan,” he elaborated, his hands tightening their grip on each other behind his hair as he doesn’t meet my eyes. “Taking care of the café with Judai-jichan and Hikari-bachan, training with Kei and Hayate, working with Rin-chan in your off-time, and then handling… handling…” Obito attempts to hold back a sigh but fails anyway, exhaling loudly through his nose as he breathes out, “Bakashi,” and I try not to wince at the bad nickname. Grudges were still present, apparently. “So why come here? Why make cupcakes for me?”

Hisako blinks behind her gray glasses as whatever witty retort she had on her tongue is lost in the shared surprise. He thinks you should be spending your time elsewhere. Her voice came out incredulous in our shared mindscape. He thinks he… Oh, Obito. 

I shook my head. “I wanted to, Obi,” I began, my voice quieter in an attempt to be gentle. I had no clue if it was working, but it was enough to make Obito turn to meet my eyes. “You helped me out, so I wanted to do something in exchange. That’s all.”

Obito still frowned. “Friendship isn’t just give and take, Tomo-chan,” he said in the same quiet voice, making him sound all the more serious, but one of his arms still twitched, his gaze flickering between my face and the cupcakes still in my hand. “Friendship is just us enjoying our time together, helping out when we can. You don’t have to keep giving us things just for us to come after you.”

My heart beat at that and I smiled. “That doesn’t stop me from giving you these cupcakes, Obi.”

“You’re not listening!” I jump once Obito rounds on me with a scowl, his voice loud with protest. “You’re always giving things, Tomo-chan! Even when you’re hurting and struggling! You don’t have to do that! We all care for you too! Just…” he simmers down as if he lost steam at the last part, lowering his gaze to the carpet of his apartment. “Why? Why put in all the effort?”

Why try…? Hisako filled in, her tone screaming understanding and sadness all at once. 

I already knew by Obito’s outburst that it was a delicate moment. I was walking on eggshells and anything else could ruin things. 

Like it did with Ty. 

So, without anything to back me up, I said in the same small voice, apropos of nothing, “Because you all deserve nice things and I love you?”

Obito stilled at that. He raised his head to look at me, for real this time, his black eyes wide enough to expose my reflection in the irises.

My tiny nervous reflection.

I tried not to think of a certain other black-haired boy who I loved once, blocking out his voice in my head to open my mouth. “…There’s been times where I look at everyone’s backs and find them looking lonely,” I admitted, shaking my head. “And considering how I’m a civilian and everyone else is shinobi, I just…wanted to give something back, is all.” It still felt like an excuse in the back of my mind, but at the same time, I knew I meant every single word. “There’s so much you all will go through in life away from Konoha, away from the café, Obi. So, if I could do something to help make everyone feel a bit better, a bit happier in spite of the war,” I put on a small smile while offering the cupcakes to him, “that’s enough of a reason, isn’t it?”

Obito blinked at me.

Feeling anxious, I found my thoughts coming out in rambles. “I-I mean, you and Kei and everyone else do a lot! I appreciate you still being here with me in spite of my weirdness, being my friend and caring, so um.” I ducked my head and thrust my hands forward, hoping the cupcakes got somewhere. Seriously, what was wrong with me? “Just take these. Please?”

A pregnant and awkward pause followed my outburst. My heart was pounding enough for the palms of my hands to get sweaty, and once it became obvious Obito wasn’t saying anything, I peeked up from between my bangs to try reading his expression. 

What’s going on? Hisako said for me.

“Obi?” I tried again, gulping. “I-If you don’t like vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting, I could try to do something—”

Words failed me once Obito took hold of one of my hands again. He proceeded to lead me into his apartment kitchen and without glancing up to meet my gaze, opened the fridge to gently take the cupcake plate off my other hand. He then placed it inside, probably on one of the shelves, before closing the fridge door and turning back to face me. 

Out of anything he could’ve done, I did not expect him to rush and tackle me into a tight hug. It took all I had to not squeak, inhaling as much air as I could to compensate for the year or two that was knocked out of me in the initial encounter while placing a hand on his back. My feet weren’t on the ground anymore, my calves feeling the cold air coming in from the open window. Sure, I could extend my toes to touch the floor, but… “Obi?”

There was a soft sniffle against the top of my hair. “Tomo-chan,” Obito said finally, my nickname coming out almost like a prayer of sorts as he squeezed me tighter, “Tomo-chan.” This time he gasped for air and I did my best to ignore the feeling of something wet starting to soak the shoulder of my blouse. “Tomo-chan.”

I think you shocked him, Hisako offered, a wry smile on her face. Has anyone said the things you have to him before, dear?

I thought back to Obito’s birthday and felt the realization hit me like cold water. No, I admitted to her, I don’t think anyone has. Except Kei and Hayate and Miyako-bachan and everyone else. 

Who weren’t here in the original Canon, dear, she reminded me almost immediately. Her voice is softer, comforting even. You’re doing good. You’re helping a friend out, so don’t stay here all stiff. 

I wound my arms around Obito’s waist back, hugging him. “Aye aye,” I say softly, resting my nose into the crook between his shoulder and neck. “I’m here, Obi.”

Obito snorts, and this time a hand is on the back of my head, tightening the hug and giving the clear signal that he didn’t want me to let go. “Tomo-chan,” he repeats, a sound caught between a gurgle and a happy sob of sorts following the call of my nickname, “y-you really are—”

“I try, Obi,” I settle for instead, patting his back. “I try. It’s okay.”

I didn’t think I had the courage to let go either. 

Obito didn’t seem to want to point out the little wet droplets covering the shoulder of his jacket once I snuggled him, but at that point, I’m glad he didn’t. 

I could push out bad thoughts and Ty a bit longer with moments like this. 

---------------------------

By the time I woke up the next morning to start work, no one in the house but me seemed surprised to hear knocking at the kitchen window. 

“Go get him, sweetie...” Mama muttered from hers and Papa’s shared room once the knocking went past a minute.

Shaking sleep dust out of the corners of my eyes, I drew my short hair into a messy ponytail to run out to the source, nearly balking once a familiar pair of orange goggles caught my eye.

Blue jacket tipped with orange hems and hitai-ite, check. 

“Hi, Tomo-chan!” Obito chirped through the glass, knocking on it again. “Can you let me in?”

I didn’t have the heart to refuse him. “Good morning to you too, Obi,” I said in fond exasperation, shaking my head. “Use the door next time if you want to join us for breakfast.”

Obito just beamed at me. 

[mirukuaridraws]

Sorry but @writer-and-artist27 draw inspired me and is orange because the ribbon in that draw is orange and orange has a soft spot in my heart.

This time I used some references but not completely and that resulted in some anatomical mistakes but I liked how came anyway.

[writer-and-artist27]

[Image Description: A colored drawing of a civilian girl embracing her ninja friend mid-dance to a background of yellow lights, clutching the back of his suit jacket as he looks on with a fond look in his eye. A quote at the bottom of the drawing is in the civilian’s voice as she says, “I missed you too, Obi.” End Description.]

The fully-colored (finally) version of this old thing from a month ago, I originally drew this (with a bunch of different references, by the way) to honor one scene from SST 25, specifically the dance that I loved writing the most in the chapter. It helped with destressing at the time, and now that I’m in Spring Break, I can proudly display this as a finished piece rather than a lineart.

I dunno how much art I’ll be able to hash out with this pandemic going on, more so with all the WIP docs I have in my computer, but I’m gonna do my best to create more. I hope you all can still be patient.

For now, I gotta sleep.

[writer-and-artist27]

A Girl and A No-Face

Note: A drabble idea I got while on the treadmill and was actively encouraged by @langwrites. Start of what may as well be the S&S Spirited Away AU, here! Referencing these drawings Lang did a few years back.

Dedicated to @nekosoralove and @chiefladylightyay, since you two were in my mind when I first got the idea. This is very much unedited.

--------------------------------------------

“Honeyyyyy! Don’t go too far when getting that laundry! It’s raining cats and dogs out there!” 

“I know, Hisako!” Mother me more, why don’t you. 

“No need to yell back at me, just do it!”

I tried not to groan, grabbing the nearest empty basket to skedaddle. “I’ll be back soon!”

“Love you too!”

Days in the bathhouse seemed to pass a lot easier with banter like this. Being the only human in the place definitely made the job harder than it would’ve been, more so with the boss being… well, the boss, but Hisako being there helped. I don’t know what I did to attract her attention, more so because Hisako was another spirit like everyone else in the area, but by the time she woke me up early one morning to do my hair, I couldn’t complain.

Trying to get by in a new place was bearable with a friend. At least, that’s what it felt like. I was content with Hisako’s company for now, but that’s a story for another day.

I had laundry to pick up.

As expected, the panes of the shoji sliding doors leading to the yards outside the bathhouse were soaked with rain. The little pitter patter, pitter patter noises of raindrops hitting them was hard to ignore, but thankfully, the laundry lines outside were barely soaked in comparison thanks to the makeshift tent we pitched up earlier. 

I slid the doors open, did my best to ignore the rain starting to come in and pelt my face, and ran. The soles of my feet hurt just so slightly at feeling the jagged grass, but it wasn’t much when it was a quick run to the laundry still hanging under said makeshift tent. The first sheet was easy to nearly rip off the hangar, but by the time it landed in my arms, I blinked.

The new bush of black hair stood out from the shrubs past the tent, and the white mask covering half of the face— 

Guest, rang in my head first, so I bowed in the figure’s direction. They didn’t bow back, their single black eye simply following me as I slowly righted my posture, moving the sheet into the basket I was carrying.

“Um, hello there?” I tried gently.

The figure blinked slowly, arms not even exposed from the black kimono they were wearing as rain pelted their hair and the uncovered side of their face. When looking closer, the uncovered side had lines of sorts crossing their cheek, as if something had squished/compressed the skin there. The black eye didn’t look away from me, merely softening for a single moment in some kind of consideration. “Hey,” was the eventual answer, and judging by the tone, was this figure a man? Or were they non-binary? Maybe genderless? 

I put on a small smile in the hopes of breaking whatever silence fell upon us, absently taking the next sheet out of the clips keeping it above the ground. “What are you doing here, out in the rain?”

“Watching,” they replied, shifting back and forth. The lack of any noise simply proved he was a spirit too. “You’re the first one to talk to me out of everyone else in this mess of a bathhouse.” Their eye focused in on me again before widening. “You’re not a spirit.”

A sheepish giggle left my lips as I took the hem of my work uniform to curtsey. “Tomo, she/hers, a single human. It’s nice to meet you.”

The spirit blinked at me again before smiling too. “Obito,” they allowed, inclining their head. “He/his, No-Face spirit.” He paused, considering and then adding, “What are you doing here?”

I gestured to my basket. “Laundry pick-up.”

“Grueling work for a human,” Obito mused. “I didn’t think Yubaba took in humans.”

“I… was the exception? I think!”

Obito stared at me in disbelief. 

I shrugged and took the next sheet off the rack. “It’s a long story. But what about you? What are you doing here?”

“Again, watching,” Obito shrugged too, and if not for the mask covering his face, the gesture seemed to make him feel all the more human. “This place is interesting. A couple friends have actually taken a bath here, and I wanted to scope this place out before going in myself.”

I stared at him through a sheet before considering my own answer. “Friends?”

“You might have met them.” This time, Obito laughed. “We’re a weird bunch. Lightning spirit, river spirit, turtle spirit, No-Face. It works.”

They sounded like the kind of spirits Hisako would take care of as customers, but… “Obito, if you want, whenever you come in as a customer, I could try to take care of you.”

At the offer, Obito looked at me again, his eye wide. “You could get in trouble. I’m not the spirit this kind of business takes in.”

“Maybe if you’re in a group with your friends?” I offered, smiling at him. One more sheet of laundry… “And besides, it’s the least I can do for someone who’s sitting out here in the rain talking with me!”

Obito stared again. “You are far too kind for a human.”

I smiled wider. “I get that a lot!”

“That... wasn’t a compliment.”

“Honeyyyyyyy! Where are you!”

Whoops. I turned my head back, yelled, “I’m coming, Hisako!” and gathered my things. Obito did not move as I ran back through the rain with my load in tow back to the shoji doors, but once I turned around to look at him, his expression had turned soft. “I’ll leave the door open for you to explore if you want, Obito.”

The last thing I saw before running back inside was Obito’s black eye sparkling with something.

[writer-and-artist27]

Never For Granted

Written when I was feeling both tired and lonely. Studying gets like that. Even in a crowd of people in a library. 

Song here. It’s originally from No Game No Life: Zero, called “What You Want To Do.” An alternative is here too. Fate/Zero’s second ending, being Soreha Takaku, Kaze no Uta. 

Somewhat unedited and read only by a college classmate/lab partner in my Biotech class at the moment.

Another prequel to Callout, anyone? 

…I need to sleep. My fifth anniversary with my boyfriend needs to be handled this weekend.

------------------------------------

Obito didn’t know when he started seeing Tomo-chan in his dreams more than Rin. Maybe it was how she never truly threatened him when he messed up. Or how she always seemed to be there at the café whenever he felt particularly lonely in his apartment. Or it was how loudly she cheered at the Chunin Exams, screaming his name even when her face was red and her throat was hoarse. 

But she was warm, soft, kind, and sweet. 

When looking back, Obito thinks it started with the first time she visited his apartment. 

It was a particularly tough mission, with all the charges he had to set up with Kei near the front. War was never particularly pretty, but that didn’t make him feel any less ill once he had to clean up the bodies. The expressions of shock left buried in the rocks were ones that he would probably remember for as long as he lived.

That is, until he came home.

He was carrying his house keys, ready to come back into an empty apartment when he smelled it first. It was the same sweetness from the café and his jaw was nearly towards the floor before he picked himself up.

“Can’t be…” 

Obito still put a hand on the doorknob and blinked. It was unlocked. 

Suspicious, he opened it anyways, and right there, in that one room apartment, he could make out a glimpse of a yellow apron.

Obito pried his goggles away from his eyes to have them rest against his hitai-ite, blinking. It couldn’t be. He rubbed at his eyes with his sleeve. 

No way.

“Muu?” 

With that cute noise, Tomo-chan was suddenly there, in his apartment, coming out of his kitchen with a soup ladle in hand while blinking. Then she smiled. Her usual kind and welcoming smile, as if she was back home in the café, ushering him in. “Obi! Welcome home!” 

How. Hell. When. “T-T-TOMO-CHAN?!” 

The girl flinched at the volume before blinking at him owlishly, clearly confused in the single moment it took for Obito to nearly trip over his own sandals when coming in through the door. He didn’t hesitate to kick his own door closed so that no one could look in, and by the time he did, Tomo-chan was inclining her head to try peering at his face, that pink blush of hers on her cheeks. “Um, Obi?”

“T-Tomo-chan, how—” he pointed a shaky finger at her and the spatula, feeling his face heat. “How— when did you—”

Tomo-chan blinked again before she made a small noise of realization. Something like an “Ah!” as she tugged at the hem of her apron with her free hand. “Um, I asked for Miyako-bachan’s help. To get here, I mean.”

“Eh?”

Tomo-chan blushed, the pink this time conveying clear embarrassment as she averted her gaze. She reached up with her free hand to brush back — to brush back the braid Obito recommended she wear, still adorned with that orange hair ribbon from her twelfth birthday. “You mentioned how you were living alone, right? So, um, I just thought that while you were out with the team, I’d come by and help clean your apartment. M-Miyako-bachan said you would be back in about two weeks, so,” Tomo-chan shifted back and forth on her slippers. “I asked if she could help me and she suddenly gave me a key?” 

Obito felt sweat drip down his neck as soon as Tomo-chan reached into her apron pocket to pull out that key as proof. It was a spare key that the landlady had given him in case of emergencies, and since getting to know Kei and her family, he had given it to Miyako-san after a bit of careful nagging. To think that it was here… 

Tomo-chan giggled nervously in that “I don’t know what to do” way of hers before shrugging and concluding with, “So that’s how I’m here!”

“Tomo-chan…” She was still being her. Kind, sweet, cute—

WHAT.

Tomo-chan simply smiled again, her big blue eyes soft in Obito’s direction as she gestured with her ladle towards the kitchen. She had no clue what was going on in Obito’s head, but she was on a roll and at this point, Obito didn’t mind because this sudden allergy was weird. 

“I have curry waiting if you’re hungry, Obi! It’s chicken with carrots and potatoes. Though, oh,” her eyebrows quirked upwards as she inclined her head again towards him, “do you want to take a bath first? I cleaned the tub already! All you need is the hot wa—” 

Obito didn’t realize the dust was coming into his eyes before Tomo-chan was coming close, her smile dropping for sheer panic. “O-Obi?! Oh dear, oh dear, I-I didn’t mean to—”

Screw it. He tugged her in by the ladle-hand for a hug. Revenge was in order and carry-hugs were amazing for that. “T-Tomo-chan, you dork!” he cried, but he was laughing and she felt light in his arms. Just right. “You didn’t have to do this!”

“W-Waaaaah!” she squealed in his ear, her fingers barely finding leverage in his jacket as he swung her around. “I-I wanted toooooooooo! Obitooooooooo! Please—” there was a giggle, “please put me down! Obi!”  

Obito couldn’t help but laugh anyways, squeezing her to him while swinging. This girl. She didn’t have to, but she still came by to try making his apartment feel something and for once, he couldn’t hide his tears as dust in his eyes. 

He was crying, but it felt good this time. 

“O-Obi!” There was a hiccup and just like that, reality was back. “Um, heyyyyyy…”

Whoops. Motion sickness. Right.

Obito immediately put her down, but he found himself unable to let go of the hug. Hell, there was a part of him that was suddenly screaming, “Don’t let her go!” 

What was this?

Tomo-chan hiccupped near his ear again, confused as she caught her breath from all the carry-swinging. Her fingers then clenched his jacket sleeves, shaking a little. “O-Obi?” she repeated, quieter.

“Tomo-chan.” Even her nickname felt like a stone in his throat as he tried to say the words. Thank you. That was all he had to say. But the allergy was coming up again, making his heart pound and his entire being feel hot because she was nestled in his arms. She was too close. Tomo-chan was too close. “I-I love you.”

Obito had no clue why he said those words, but Tomo-chan was relaxing, steadily returning the hug and he could feel her smile against his neck. She was reciprocating. “I love you too, Obi,” she whispered, resting her nose against his shoulder as she tightened the hug. “Welcome home.” 

His heart skipped a beat and Obito tried to perish the sudden thought of how it wasn’t enough. 

It was still Tomo-chan loving him as any friend of his would. Why was a part of him not satisfied with that?

What was going on with him?

------------------------------------

Once baths were taken, the curry pot cleaned, and dishes put away, Obito glanced around in his fridge for tea. 

“O-Obi,” Tomo-chan was definitely raising her hand in the air from under the kotatsu, sheepish and cute, “you don’t have to get me anything—”

“You made me dinner and cleaned my apartment, Tomo-chan! I have to give something back!” Obito said hotly, rummaging through all the containers before finally finding a can. Yes. It could work, even if it was iced. And there were two! Woo! “At least take this!”

“Muuu… Okay…!” Tomo-chan sighed, peering at him through her bangs just as he closed the fridge. Those blue irises were bright, reflecting his image back at him as she stared. “What did you have in mind?”

“Tea!”

Tomo-chan blinked. “Tea?”

Obito raised his findings of the iced tea cans in the air, grinning. “Tea!”

“Ohhhh,” Tomo-chan said slowly, a small smile dawning on her face. “Miyako-bachan left those for us, actually. So that’ll work.”

“A reminder to thank Miyako-san too then,” Obito mused, quickly striding over to join Tomo-chan under the kotatsu while depositing their drinks onto the table. Taking a seat next to her didn’t take too long, but then she had to lean her head against his shoulder and it took all of his willpower to not freeze. “T-Tomo-chan?!”

“Fweeee…”

He wasn’t expecting to hear her yawn. Then again, could that noise be called a yawn? Her eyes were drooping closed, barely staying open to expose those blue irises of hers. Her jaw was slack, her mouth closed as she breathed through her nose. 

Oh.

How long had Tomo-chan been working around his apartment? Cooking, cleaning, everything? 

Obito blushed at the close contact, but waited.

As expected, a few seconds later, Tomo-chan’s eyes fluttered open in a semblance of wakefulness, and she rubbed at the corner of one of them with her hand. “Muuu, ‘m sorry,” she mumbled slowly, raising her head to sit upright again. “Tired.”

“It’s okay, but Tomo-chan, how long have you been here?” Obito immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders to bring her back, because her sudden swaying wasn’t giving him the best feelings. And besides, he could be a good pillow. Maybe. “Don’t tell me…you were here all day?”

Tomo-chan slowly met his gaze from her perch back on his shoulder and nodded sleepily. A small “Mm,” in the back of her throat confirmed it. 

“Tomo-chan…” Obito took a breath before reaching over with his other arm to give a complete hug, shaking his head. Now he could see why Kei called Tomo-chan “goofball” — she definitely overdid it. This was the first time Obito had ever seen her exhausted to the point of barely talking. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I had tooooo,” she insisted in that same voice, her eyebrows furrowed against her head. “Heck, I wanted to, Obi…” The words came out slurred and barely audible if not for the closeness and Tomo-chan shook her head enough to make her hair tickle Obito’s cheek. “I didn’t want you to feel lonely when you came home…”

Obito froze.

“It’s not good to feel like you’re by yourself. Like everyone abandoned you.” Tomo-chan slowly exhaled, her sleepy voice coming out both indignant and solemn. “Ty made me know what that was like. I didn’t want you to feel like that, ever.” This time, her words were interrupted by a sigh. “As much as I hate bringing back his memory to make my point.” 

That name alone threw a rock into Obito’s stomach and he took a breath himself to calm the rage starting to bubble up in his veins. “…He hurt you a lot, huh?” 

Tomo-chan nodded, leaning into the hug more as her eyes slowly closed. “I hate it because I still think about him. About what I did wrong. A-And I know!” She raised a hand to hastily hug Obito back, and this time, Obito knew she was waking up and now clearly torn about whatever was eating at her. “I know he hurt me! I know… I know I was doomed the moment he started yelling at me. The moment he started hurting me and seeing me as some kind of moldable clay. But that doesn’t… that doesn’t…” she gulped in air, shaking her head. “That doesn’t change all the positive memories I had with him and how I loved him.” 

Tomo-chan shivered and Obito waited, as painful as it was to listen to that last part. 

“And now,” Tomo-chan gulped, “I’m scared that I’m not doing enough for everyone else instead. That I’m… I’m—” 

Useless, was left in the air to linger. 

“I don’t want to take you for granted, Obi,” was the sudden quiet confession into his jacket. “You and everyone else are really important to me and I don’t want to mess up.”

Oh.

There was silence and then Tomo-chan buried her face into the crook of his neck, her shoulders shaking. Obito tried not to stiffen. “I-I’m sorry, Obi, I didn’t mean to make the conversation go all...” she raised a hand to flail around in a helpless gesture, “all dark. I just wanted to help you.” 

Oh.

“I-It’s okay, Tomo-chan,” Obito squeezed her tighter in the hug. Miyako-san did this whenever he or Kei or Hayate were upset. This should work. And besides. All the times he spent in this apartment alone, from the loneliness to the pain to the emptiness — it was all something Tomo-chan probably was familiar with too. Before Kei came into their lives. Before Kei was even there. “You didn’t know,” he said softly. “He was an ass and you did all you could.”

“B-But—”

“Hey.” Obito gently patted her back. “You made me really happy today, Tomo-chan. You did more than enough in my eyes.”

Tomo-chan shivered again, not looking up. “…You’re a dork, Obi,” she muttered, snuggling him in spite of the dry reply. There was no mistaking that little crack in her voice as she continued, though. “I don’t know what to do when you say that.”

Obito scoffed in response, loosening the hug to let her rub at her eyes. He pretended to not see the tears in the hopes of letting her relax. “Just accept it?”

Tomo-chan gave him a funny look. 

Obito grinned. “It’s the truth, Tomo-chan!” The idea came to him as fast as he said it, and he found himself adding, “Why not talk to me more about this?”

“Eh?” Tomo-chan was baffled now, resembling Kakashi for a second with her wide eyes before she shook her head, blinking. “Repeat that?”

“Think about it, Tomo-chan.” Obito pulled her in by the shoulders again, starting another hug. “If Tai’s going to keep haunting you—”

“Um, Obi, it’s ‘Ty’—”

“Tai, Ty, whatever!” Obito threw a hand in the air, trying not to pout once Tomo-chan’s attention was on him again. “If he’s gonna keep sticking around, then I’ll force him out!”

Tomo-chan blinked. “Huh?”

“Every time you think about him, just come over here!” Obito put on his best grin, gently bumping her head with his while doing so. “I can try to talk him out of your head! He complains, I’ll compliment! If it works, it works!” It was a very weird circle, but it was a circle and it could do something. 

Tomo-chan was staring at him for about a minute before she ducked her head and covered her mouth with her hand. She was giggling. “O-Obi,” she smiled through her fingers, “that’ll be a lot of work. You’d be spoiling me.”

“Spoil?” Obito leaned back, pretending to be offended. “Naaaaaah, that’s definitely impossible.”

“I dunno,” Tomo-chan mused, removing her hand to give him a soft smile. “I can forget things easily, Obi. Kinda comes with the mindset of never taking anything for granted. And I’m not the greatest person in the world. You’ll have a lot to say if you want to get it through my head.”

The cheerful atmosphere was gone in that instant as something snapped.

Obito couldn’t help but grab her cheeks in both of his hands and pull her in.

SMACK. 

“O-Ow!” 

Obito winced too, because headbutts were painful like that, but he had a point to make. “Tomo-chan! Quit that!”

“Wh-What?!” she squeaked. “Quit what!?”

“Badmouthing yourself!” Obito felt every single fiber of his being start to heat up with the kotatsu, but at this point, he couldn’t stop. Not when Tomo-chan just wasn’t believing. “You’re OKAY, Tomo-chan. You’re amazing. You’ve helped me with my apartment, you make sure Rin’s not lonely at the hospital, you keep Kei from being grumpy—”

Tomo-chan’s jaw dropped. “H-Hey—”

“And Kakashi barely scowls when you’re there!” Obito bonked her head again with his, gentler this time while fixing his gaze on her and her alone. “You’re our friend! We care about you! So stop hurting yourself when it hurts us too! Hell, just let us take care of you for once!”

Finally, finally something registered in those big blue eyes. Tomo-chan stared at him again, for a few seconds more before she closed her eyes and lowered her head. “…Oh,” she said quietly, wonder in her voice. “Am I that bad?”

“Yes,” Obito agreed vehemently, tempted to sigh. “I’m the one living alone and even I can see you’re horrible at self-care, Tomo-chan.”

To no one’s surprise, Tomo-chan started to blush. With a small “Uuuuuu” sound, she covered her pink cheeks with her hands, glancing away shyly. “I can’t win, can I?”

Obito grinned and slowly reached over to her waist. “Noooope!” 

All it took was a simple wiggle of his fingers.

“WAAAAAH!” Tomo-chan immediately jumped, trying to scramble away, but Obito persisted in the tickling, and just as Kei had shown via example years ago, it was enough to solicit laughter. Warm, surprised, happy laughter. “O-Obi—! Hee hee hee — hey!” 

For once, the warmth in his heart screaming for something more was quiet as Tomo-chan finally scooted away from the tickling, red coloring her cheeks. 

Cute. 

Obito teasingly wiggled his fingers in her direction again, and Tomo-chan pouted. “No,” she insisted, shaking her head. “Don’t you dare.”

Obito grinned and lowered his hands to rock back and forth on his legs. “Did you get it this time?”

Tomo-chan’s pout dropped for a more thoughtful expression, her mouth thinning into a line as she tilted her head. She then closed her eyes, crossing her arms over her blouse to consider. 

“Tomo-chan?” 

She opened her eyes to give him a fond look. “With you here, I highly doubt I’d ever forget,” she quipped. Then Tomo-chan smiled again. “Thankie, Obi.”

It was like an arrow to the heart. 

Obito blinked, rubbed his eyes, and then nodded. Okay. The sparkles were gone.

“So, uh, Obi?” Tomo-chan raised a hand while slowly crawling back to hide her legs under the kotatsu. “You do have a futon, right?”

“Why?”

“I… kinda convinced Mama and Papa we were having a sleepover?”

Obito gaped at her and Tomo-chan fidgeted. “I-I brought my toothbrush if you’re worried about that? And sanitary stuff! I can take the living room!” 

Oh lord. 

Yep. Yep. Obito definitely had to schedule a time to run over to Kei. Because either Tomo-chan’s innocence or this freakin’ allergy would kill him. 

------------------------------------

A week passed and Obito found himself pounding on the Gekkō household door. This allergy was horrible and he just wanted an answer from someone other than Rin. “Kei, come on! I know you’re not busy!” 

The grumpy face of his teammate was comforting enough. Maybe.

Obito couldn’t help but feel like he was doomed.

[writer-and-artist27]

Silence

I should be working on something else, but to be honest, after listening to a specific soundtrack from Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel Part 2, Lost Butterfly — the song being called in a gentle world, I wrote this. It’s almost coincidental this idea comes after I had a talk with Lang ( @langwrites​ ) on not having much motivation in writing things. And how it’s raining outside my window.

-------------------------------

Obito can’t recall the exact date of when he first saw her doing her rain-sitting habit. But it was still her, sitting at a table under the awning of Nagareboshi Cafe to watch the rain fall with a blank look in her eyes. 

It was like she wasn’t even there.

Obito opened his mouth as soon as he approached the building, umbrella in hand. “Tomo-chan?”

“…Muu?” With that little sound made, the light slowly came back to Tomo-chan’s blue eyes, exposing surprise as her first emotion on this gloomy day. “Obi.” A smile dawned on her lips. “Hi.” 

Obito wanted to grin, to return the greeting, but his gut was screaming that something was wrong. “What are you doing, Tomo-chan?”

Tomo-chan paused, blinking before some of that same light faded from her eyes. The words came out of her mouth soft and barely coherent to anyone but him thanks to the rain and the distance. “…Just thinking. Again.”

About what? Is it him— Obito held back the urge to scowl, instead finding the worried expression of a friend glued to his face. “…Tomo-chan.”

“You don’t have to stand there.” Tomo-chan smiled again, but the gesture clearly looked forced in the yellow lighting of her home. “I’ll be okay. Eventually…” She trailed off, considering before adding a smaller, “I just need to think. Like this.”

All alone? Obito took a few steps forward so he could stand under the awning too, closing his umbrella. The feeling of helplessness did not feel good in his stomach, so he tried the only suggestion in his head. “Should I call Kei?”

His heart sank as soon as Tomo-chan shook her head. “…Not this time. I don’t think she’d know what I’m thinking, actually, this time.” Her smile seemed sadder somehow as her fingers clenched into fists atop her lap. 

Obito could do nothing but probe like the fool he was currently feeling like. “What do you mean, Tomo-chan?”

“It’s something I haven’t even told her.” Wait, really? Not even Kei knows? “Something I haven’t been able to tell anyone.”

Obito inhaled as much oxygen as he could to not sound desperate. “What about telling me? Maybe I could take some of the weight off you.” Maybe I could do something— 

Again, Tomo-chan shook her head. “I wish I could.”

“Why not?” Obito’s heart was pounding, and this time, it was not warm and not good. “It’s not Tai, right?”

“It’s something way before him.” This time, there was an audible crack in Tomo-chan’s voice and all protests died on Obito’s lips. Tomo-chan ducked her head enough to let her bangs shadow her eyes, but the cover’s not enough to hide the glint of what seems to be the start of tears. “I-I’m sorry, I just… I can’t. I just can’t. Not right now.” Her voice screamed fear and pain. “I-I trust you, Obi, I do, but, but…” she exhaled shakily. “You might see me as a bad person after I say all that’s on my mind.”  

“I-I dunno, you’re no way a jerk like Bakashi.” Still, Obito was feeling the dust in his eyes too. So, all he did was sit down in the nearest chair and scoot over to reach her. “…Can I stay with you then, Tomo-chan?”

There was a sniffle as one of Tomo-chan’s hands reached up to cover one of her shadowed eyes. “…Please do.”

Finally. “We can get dango once it clears up.” It’d be a good distraction. Maybe then things could go back to normal. 

Another shake of the head. “I can make it, Obi. It’s fine.” 

“You don’t have to, Tomo-chan.”

Tomo-chan’s voice quickly turned to a hard inflection, indicating stubbornness and anger of some kind. “It’s better than wallowing forever, Obi, really.”

No more was said after that.

Sitting there, under the awning to watch the rain, Obito debated about becoming Hokage for the first time in his life. What was better? Being a leader to everyone? Or trying to be a hero for one girl?

For once, he didn’t know.

-------------------------------

Note: If you’re wondering what Tomo’s thinking about, three words. Vy’s original trauma. Not death. But what is outlined in S&S 13’s nightmare sequence. Tis all. 

[writer-and-artist27]

[Image Description: A drawing of a ninja holding up his chosen lady in a princess carry, smiling at her as she gapes in embarrassed surprise. Accompanying them is a swirling pink ribbon and what is implied to be white lily petals, finished with an outline of yellow highlighting their figures. End Description.]

｜*￣∇￣｜ Oops, my hands slipped~! @nekosoralove, @withanina, @kuc1ng-uzumaki, catch this!

Hehehe. o(^▽^)o 

Finally claiming my style as drawing from shippy art is the new thing for 2020. Being a better rendition of this piece from earlier this month and taking reference from this Fate/series fanart via freehanding (I just don’t ship Mordred and Artoria PERIOD because that’s incest by the way, so ref was also to reclaim the cute for something better), I’m pretty proud of this. 

Originally inspired by this song from the Heaven’s Feel movies. And of course, for anyone wondering. The blue of Tomo’s hair ribbons is an obvious reference to the original owner of her outfit. (^_−)☆

Now to write Kannabi and more Healing Over Time stuff... how to work with Zelretch...