[Closed] The other shoe. Drop the stupid shoe.

[thebestuchiha]

Where: Konoha training field.
When: BGS 16, August 17th
Notes: Obito, shortly after getting Gai as a friend, decided to see just how sincere he was. He didn't know how to believe it.

Obito was beyond fed up. In fact, he had long since hit the point where fed up crossed into uneasy, then uneasy slid firmly over into anxious and generally frazzled. At first, it had been sort of nice, if weird, and then it had gotten unnerving. After that it had slid clean over into waiting for Gai to show his hand in some way. Sure he'd changed Kakashi, but that didn't mean that he'd instantly make a best friend out of the other teenager's self-proclaimed rival.

But nothing happened. Weeks, then months, passed without a single negative thing happening. Sure, raised voices still happened, but Gai was loud. It's what he was. This was different. Unusual. And honestly, it ended up making him need to do something about it, which was why he finally shoved the other teen off to a training field where he was pretty sure they'd be left alone and just stared at him at first.

Then Gai had to go and look like he was about to launch into... something. Probably something inspirational, and he cut him off before he could even get going. "You didn't used to care so much. Why do you care now?"

The reaction was a bit startled, but Gai didn't hesitate. "I am not sure! Maybe it is just that I like you now! Before, I did not know you! You do not care that much about people you do not know."

Obito flailed a bit, obviously frazzled by the reply. "Yeah? What do you even know about me? A few superficial details after you took pity on the oh so unfortunate Uchiha?"

"I know you are full of some rather ridiculous excuses... Perhaps the details so far are superficial, but it is because the Uchiha in question is rather complex...and I am not exactly the quickest study of people! But I am proud that I uncovered those details! And that I was allowed to! And I will continue to acquire more, if this rather extraordinary Uchiha continues to permit me!"

He scowled and gave him a lopsided glare, then turned so his side was to him instead of his face, hands flexing. "Yeah? Why?"

Gai blinked, confused, smile fading a little. "Why what?"

"Why do you want that?"

"To know more about you? ...Because we are friends!"

"But why? What does being my friend even get you?" He still wasn't looking at him, staring fixedly somewhere to the trees well to Gai's right. "I haven't figured it out."

"What should it get me? I do not understand why I should be getting anything aside from your friendship." Gai turned his head to look at the trees Obito seemed fixated on. He turned back. "Even then, I am offering mine and if you do not want to reciprocate... That is fine! It is not something you have to 'figure out,' Obito. It is not a puzzle."

His fingers curled into fists and he turned his head to look at him, lips pressed together for a moment. "Of course it is. Nobody does anything for a reason like that. I wish it was true people do but they don't. They just. Don't."

Gai shook his head. "What do you want me to say? What ulterior motive are you assigning me?" He was more than a little offended. "Fine! If I must have a secret agenda, maybe I was a little jealous. I wanted to see what Kakashi was fussing about. I see now. And I am going to fuss about you too."

"You could have just asked. Kakashi's easy. He feels guilty. There. Done." The words were said much more lowly than everything else he'd said, ad he looked away again, bringing a hand up to press against his eye. "No big mystery."

"I do not care about why Kakashi was so worried over you anymore. That is done. I have vowed to look after you, if you will let me. Not because I pity you, but because. I want to." He shook his head. "I do not know why, really. I do not think we always understand why we like being around a person."

He gave a rough little laugh and pressed harder on his eye, drawing in a quavering breath. "Why are you so- so stupidly nice?"

"NICE IS NOT STUPID!" Gai insisted with a loud "HMPH!" and his arms crossed over his chest.

"YES IT IS!" He looked over at him as he shouted, breath quicker and all teared up. "IT'S STUPID AND IT HURTS AND PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. SO YEAH IT IS!"

"NICE IS NOT STUPID. CRUELTY IS. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOMEONE IS CRUEL AND STUPID." Tears welled up in Gai's eyes. "Has no one ever just...cared for you, Obito? Just because? ...Have they always wanted something?" He moved to pull Obito into a hug.

He was totally rigid in the hold, but he didn't fight it either, stumbling a little with the tug and he gave a faint, pained laugh, kind of rough. "Do little kids count?"

Gai held him tighter and almost cried on him. "Oh, Obito. You are an exceptional Uchiha, perhaps the best one. I wish others showed you more often the same kind of kindness you possess."

"It's better these days I guess." It was mumbled against his shoulder, dipping his head to rest his forehead against him. "I guess I don't seem as useless to some."

Gai rubbed his back. "They are fools. You were never useless. They just did not yet understand your abilities. They wanted you to fit into their idea of useful. You should never have to 'fit in.' They should make room."

"You're too nice. I keep waiting for you to do something and you keep not doing anything." He shook his head. "Even Kakashi in full tilt guilt doesn't act as nice as you. When's it going to drop Gai?"

"I am not doing nothing!" he fussed, partially missing the point. "Kakashi is just not as expressive as me! That is the problem here! You cannot compare Kakashi and myself in that area, because there we are not equals!"

He lifted his head, drawing a deep breath before looking him in the eye. "When is the persistent kindness going to falter?"

"Never!" Gai grinned. "That is a promise!"

"That's not something even you can promise." He shook his head, then shifted to start untangling from the hug.

Gai released him, though reluctantly. "I can try. I can try to make it a promise. I will certainly do my best to give you the kindness you deserve!"

"Well, don't." He stilled, staring at the ground for a moment. "Okay? If you can't keep it I just... I can't handle things like that so well okay?"

Gai nodded solemnly, but added, "I want to keep it, though. Maybe you will learn to handle it better. And come to expect it from others, not just me."

He lifted his gaze back to him, taking a shaky breath. "Fine. Just. Fine. Not like I have any choice about it anyway."

"You always have a choice! ...But I am persistent!" He clapped Obito on the shoulder and gave a thumbs up.

He gave him a lopsided smile for that, then sighed as it dropped back away. "You're kind of a jerk."

"Hey! I am not!"

"Yeah, you are. But it's okay."

"How is it ok?!"

"Because you're only kind of a jerk. Most people are just jerks."

"I ...guess." He pouted.

"You should be glad."

"I do not want to be even part-jerk!"

"Everyone is at least part jerk."

"...I do not think my dad was."

"...Not to anyone?"

"...not that I can think of? Even the guys who picked on us."

"Then... I'm sorry I never met him."

"I am sorry too. He would have liked you. A lot."

He blinked at that, startled. "What? Why?"

Gai just shook his head, smiling. "He just would have liked you. Do not worry about why."

He looked disconcerted for a moment, then gave a sharp shake of his head. "If you say so."

"I do! Do not doubt me!"

He peered at him for a moment, then spun on his heel to start away, feeling lighter. "If you say so!"

"GAH! YOU ARE DOUBTING ME AGAIN!" he called after Obito.

He felt a smile come to his lips and hitched his shoulder in a shrug, quickly starting away. "If you say so~!"

Gai flailed, making a few garbled, strangled noises. "YOU ARE DOING THAT ON PURPOSE!"

He waved over his shoulder and bolted, laughing. "If you saaaaaaay so!"

"DARN YOU, UCHIHA OBITO!"