[Closed] Look, you were kind of over the top.

[thebestuchiha]

Where: Konoha Training Fields
When: BGS 16, January 23rd
Notes: He didn't know why Gai had been attempting to be 'helpful' the last few months, but he figured he might as well let the guy know he had... noticed.

He still felt clumsy. Painfully clumsy in fact, because honestly, the growth spurt had done more to fuck him up than the actual damage had. He'd been out for a few weeks though, and while he'd gotten used to Kakashi hovering around the edges, to say nothing of how Rin had handled the whole thing...

Gai having decided to throw himself behind it had been weird. They hadn't been friends before, and he honestly hadn't even been sure he liked the guy. But he'd distracted Kakashi when he'd been a bit too unhealthily fixated on making sure he didn't die in his sleep or anything so... there was that.

And when he wasn't being blindingly loud he'd proven to actually have good ideas so...

So here he was, poking around to try to figure out where the guy spent his time when he wasn't hovering around the hospital hassling recovering shinobi half to death. He just hoped the guy didn't immediately ratchet back to over the top because that would... kind of defeat what he was trying to get done here.

Comments

[morningpeacock]

Gai chuckled and blushed, embarrassed by how odd his offer sounded when Obito repeated it back to him like that. He gave an awkward shrug around the hug and loosened it since Obito looked uncomfortable. Maybe he was applying pressure to an injury...Gai would hate to compound anything. "If that it what you would like to call it, sure!"

[thebestuchiha]

He peered at him, looking... a bit confused, wary. "Just like that?"

[morningpeacock]

"Yes!" Gai beamed. Was there a problem with declaring it and making it so? ...Ah, unless perhaps Obito preferred it less casual. "Would you rather some kind of formal ceremony? If so, I am sure we could ask your sensei to perform it!"

[thebestuchiha]

He gave a little shake of his head, his bewilderment growing. "Like... fealty?"

[morningpeacock]

"Fealty?! That is not..." He struggled for the word he did mean so Obito would understand him and stop looking at him like he had grown two heads. Yes, yes, there was loyalty in there, but fealty suggested to Gai some sort of hierarchy. And they were equals! "I mean-- It is more...fraternity!"

[thebestuchiha]

"Fraternity." His tone was flat, but his expression didn't change.

[morningpeacock]

"What?!" Gah! Did he have to look at Gai like that? "Is there something wrong with that word? I think it is accurate! Unless... there is another definition?"

[thebestuchiha]

"Ah... no. Just. I." And then the blush was suddenly back with a vengeance and he rubbed at the back of his head, glancing up and tot he side in fluster. What kind of offer was that?!

[morningpeacock]

"Then...you accept?". Gai was unsure what Obito's expression meant to his offer, but he was hopeful that now it was understood at least. "I promise I will be the best guardian angel for you! The best ever!"

[thebestuchiha]

"Fine. Fine! Okay. Just don't go... being all hovery okay? That would just get weird." Not that this wasn't a weird conversation on many many levels already, but he was drawing a line here.

[morningpeacock]

"I will leave the hovering to Kakashi! Have no fear!" A thumbs-up followed, just in case, just to make sure Obito knew that was a promise.

[thebestuchiha]

"...Rught. Because Kakashi can be such a mother hen." It was almost a deadpan of words as he stared at him.

[morningpeacock]

"Rin, then," Gai said, though he was convinced that Kakashi did a fair bit of hovering, too. "Your teammates can hover, nurse, worry. But I will look out for you! That is a promise!"

[thebestuchiha]

He huffed a breath, then pushed carefully away from the tree. "Okay I get it. Walk me home?"

[morningpeacock]

The request took Gai by surprise. Very few people seemed to enjoy his company enough to invite him on the walk home. But then again Obito was surprising.

"Of course!" Gai stood and held out a hand to Obito to help him walk. Training could begin later, naturally, and there was no need for crutches when one had a guardian angel to help them along!

[thebestuchiha]

He leaned into him, not quite willing to admit that the walk out had completely exhausted him and getting home was going to be near impossible. "So, straight east from here."

[morningpeacock]

Fortunately it was easy to find his bearings in the familiar training field and Gai led Obito carefully along the pathway towards the direction he indicated. He felt rather privileged to be allowed to know where Obito lived. It seemed to Gai the ninja from the larger clans could be rather secretive and secluded.

Obito was leaning rather heavily into him, though Gai had sort of expected it. Still, it nice to be able to help someone who wanted his help or at least accepted it.

"Your clan will not be upset to have a stranger walking you home?"

[thebestuchiha]

"I don't live with the clan. I live by myself." He shook his head, nudging and tugging Gai on the appropriate turns. "I have an apartment."

[morningpeacock]

Gai followed Obito's cues toward the apartment. "You live by yourself?" Even at their age, that wasn't a surprise. Both Gai and Kakashi both lived by themselves already--though not entirely by choice--and Gai knew many of their peers also did. But Obito was an Uchiha. Gai had always thought they were...special, somehow, with their housing all together. Like the Hyuuga. Secretive, secluded. So this was a surprise. "I would have thought your clan would prefer you stay in the compound. Especially in your current condition!"

[thebestuchiha]

"I've lived by myself since just after I started the Academy." He shook his head slightly. He hadn't ever mentioned it, but he knew it was part of why he'd been picked for Minato-sensei's team. It just made sense, if you were picking around an apprentice, to choose those who suited him.

Even if before his injuries he hadn't really gotten that. He'd had a lot of time to just think.

"I didn't really move away until just before I graduated to genin though."

[morningpeacock]

"Why...why not live with your family?" Gai didn't really understand. With that many family members, however extended that family was, however secluded clans might be, why not live on the family compound? "I do not mean to pry, but..." It would be awfully nice to have family to live with. Very nice, Gai thought, to have someone to come home to again, and get a hug from and... It almost made him cry thinking about it. "Do you like living alone?"

[thebestuchiha]

"Ah... not really. Just." He looked forward, continuing to carefully walk so he didn't need to lean on him more than a little. "Until this last mission I was considered something of a failure. Not by everyone, not at all just... by people who made me want to not be there. So I decided not to be."

[morningpeacock]

"Family should never do that! It is bad enough that other people--strangers, fellow ninja, even--do that, but not family!" Gai could barely contain his temper, his eyes on fire with the outrage. He had to remind himself that he was supposed to be helping support Obito while they walked and that mostly kept his anger in line. It kept the wild gestures at bay, at least. "Family should shield you from that sort of torment, not contribute to it!"

He fumed a little more before turning the fire of anger into a more positive outlet.

"Obito, you have never been a failure," Gai said, clasping him on the shoulders and looking him in the eye. "A good man with a good heart, a man like you, is never a failure, no matter what others may call him! I hope that you find a family that understands that--even if they do not share your blood."

[thebestuchiha]

What the- Okay this was abrupt. This was really abrupt. Feeling caught off guard and a little alarmed he opened his mouth, shut it, then waved his arms in a quelling sort of gesture. "It's not a big deal. I'm fine. Really. I'm taken care of and all that."

[morningpeacock]

"Good!" He hoped Team Minato was part of that 'and all that' that looked out for Obito. Everyone needed someone cheering them on from over in their corner.

Gai would have been embarrassed about the outburst if he was not still rather worked up over the issue. Still, he helped Obito along again, resuming their course. "And if they ever start calling you names again, remember: you have a guardian angel now! I will come beat them up for you! No one will harass you while I am on duty!"