Redemption

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to their legal owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Background: Elain Potter is reborn as Tsubasa Haruka, to a civilian Inuzuka mother and ninja father. She remembers her old life after a training accident when she was three years old. Because she is quite talented in ninjutsu and bright, certain bandaged mummies want to enter her into the academy at age four. Instead her father insists on her entering only after reaching seven, sensing a war is coming...

Hi! I hope you guys have a great Friday! This has been sitting on my computer for a while now. I wasn't sure about posting it, but EmptySurface convinced me to give it a go. Originally, this was supposed to be a full story, but it got turned into a One Shot.
Hugs, W

Names:

Haruka (Fem!Harry)

source: behindthename . com

From Japanese 遥 (haruka) meaning "distant, remote". It can also come from 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Additionally, other kanji combinations can form this name.

Tsubasa: wing

Parents: Ayumi (Lily?) and Daichi (great, beloved?)

-prologue:-

Kakashi abruptly halted in his steps as she whirled around furiously, her long, garnet hair whipping against his body. The impact felt like countless burning bee stings all over his exposed skin. Those unique eyes of hers, always glowing with her otherwise suppressed emotions, now resembled two searing-hot pits of green fire, fueled by her vast rage.

He didn't even think about defending himself, or evading, as she reached out and slapped him, too caught up in his shock following in the wake of the immediate rejection.

"How can you say that? How can you stand here and talk about pack and family and trust?" Haruka snarled furiously in his face, too angry to mince her words. "You betrayed your pack once - already! Left them behind, abandoned them! Your father sacrificed his honor for an ungrateful pack, but he did it regardless. You should have been proud of his actions, even if those actions had supposedly sparked a war! Instead, you decided to become a lone wolf, distancing yourself from your only chance at a new pack, your team! Perhaps even a better one than your father's!"

Her eyes were burning with feelings, rage, deep-seated sadness and slight disgust. It cut Kakashi deeply to see those particular emotions directed at him, especially from her.

"Why should I accept you as my alpha if you can't even try to get along with your only semblance of friends? You wouldn't let me in, supposed perfect match or not! You don't trust anyone, neither your sensei nor team! Not even me! Just leave me the hell alone!"

Something within him shriveled up and died, like a plant exposed to not enough sunlight and too much dehydration for a lengthy span of time, dipping him head-first into ice-cold water. Or so he felt.

Haruka hurriedly whirled around again, angrily marching off into the darkness of the night.

The worst part though, to Kakashi at least, was being able to smell the salty tang of her tears even over the torrent of rain pouring down on them. He hung his head, suddenly feeling as if all his strength had been drained out of him by this one encounter, and wondered where the hell it had all gone wrong.

-1-

Uchiha Obito was not the most talented or stealthy ninja. Unlike several notable relatives of varying genetically predisposed closeness, he was not a genius or a prodigy. However, Obito had other good qualities, such as kindness and selflessness.

So when he, during their usual team sparring sessions, won against Bakashi for the first time since the founding of their Team Seven, Obito knew something was up.

Angry, because the arrogant bastard hadn't even tried this time, he shouted at the silver-haired boy: "Eh, Bakashi! What the hell? Why didya let me win!"

Instead of the usual short, cold retorts, Kakashi shrugged, uncaring. Although the Uchiha appreciated the lax, rather smooth gesture to a certain degree – it indicated someone had finally pulled that kunai out of his rival/teammate's ass – he worried. This was definitely not normal behavior for the usually so cold, distant prodigy.

"Does it matter?" Kakashi asked flatly, instead of hurling one of his go-to insults back at the Uchiha.

To Obito it mattered quite a bit. His 'Lifesaver'-senses were blaring loudly. "Yes!"

His teammate didn't even attempt to leave his unceremoniously sprawling position on the ground, blankly staring up at the sky overhead.

Those empty eyes reminded Obito strongly of his aunt, before she got killed on the mission that had ultimately cost him his last close family-member. He knew she had given up on life after his uncle's death, so to see the exact same expression on his rival's face worried him immensely.

They might not get along well most of the time, but they were teammates. And whatever or whoever had caused the silver-haired teen to finally crack seemed important, at least in solving this riddle and perhaps coming up with a solution for Bakashi's listlessness.

"Who cares? I thought you'd want to win. Isn't that some kind of goal of yours or whatever?" Kakashi shot back tiredly, voice still an emotionless monotone.

"Yeah, on my own terms! What crawled up your ass and died?" The Uchiha asked bluntly, and perhaps rather tactlessly.

"I'm worthless. You shouldn't waste your time on me," the one guy who always seemed like an aloof, smartass bastard mumbled tiredly in response.

Right then, Obito was well and truly shocked. Kakashi was depressed, deeply so. How had he changed so much in two days? Or had the Uchiha just never noticed before?

Using a quick Kai to dispel any possible Genjutsu (the Uchiha wouldn't put it passed several unnamed people to try and exact their revenge on Bakashi that way), Obito checked again.

Kakashi hadn't even so much as twitched.

"Did someone put you in for surprise T&I-training or what?"

His teammate obviously considered if he should actually reply to his "asinine" questions, but then shrugged listlessly – again. Apparently, Bakashi decided it didn't matter anymore.

Sensing a rather long story, Obito seated himself on the grass next to his silver-haired rival.

"You're not the only one from a clan with a bloodline," Kakashi began slowly, his voice still retaining the same emotionless, flat note, "Obito. Mine is very minor though; they were all killed during the First and Second War. The only member who managed to survive was my father, Hatake Sakumo."

Somehow that name distantly rang a bell somewhere in his mind, but for once Obito kept quiet and let Bakashi continue his story. This was important to his – acquaintance? Friend? Teammate.

"You probably know him better as the White Fang," Kakashi added lifelessly.

Obito's eyes widened in shock. He had not expected stiff, rule-obsessed Bakashi to be the son of his hero! Their general disposition in regard to missions and work were seemingly like day and night, complete opposites of each other. How did that happen?

"Our clan is known for two things: our special chakra and our summons. We've always been able to summon canines. My father had a pack of wolves while I am contracted to dogs. Over time, those close relationships with our summons gave us enhanced senses, to a degree, as well as a certain mentality."

At this, Obito frowned thoughtfully. He had not expected the acknowledged prodigy of their generation to also carry some sort of a Kekkei Genkai. Not to mention his awesome father!

"Hatake usually view their Genin teams and other long-standing squads as part of their pack," Kakashi monotonously explained further.

Obito's uncharacteristically thoughtful frown grew more pronounced. Their silver-haired teammate had tried nearly everything possible within regulations to keep his distance from both Rin and the Uchiha, even their sensei at times! It didn't make sense!

"To us, pack means everything. The village as a whole is a large pack, but the smaller, individual ones keep us sane and alive. Pack is so precious, we train endlessly, kill, and die to protect it. Hatake would do everything to keep their Pack safe," the silver-haired boy lying next to Obito continued quietly. "That's why my father decided to abandon an important mission for the sake of his teammate. His Pack-mate had had a pregnant wife back in the village, you know? However, instead of sending them out on the same mission with better information, the village condemned Father for his decision to save a Pack-mate. Father was blamed for the start of the Third War; people practically branded him a traitor whenever he stepped off our compound."

Obito had not known this tidbit about his favorite shinobi of all times. Maybe he should have paid a little more attention in history class?

"Father could not leave the house without being insulted; every step of his was followed by trash or rotten food. Additionally, he was suspended from active duty for an undetermined amount of time; a punishment which naturally only served to turn everyone even more firmly against him because they assumed the increasingly more and more outrageous rumors to be correct. When even his teammates turned their backs to Father, just following behind the rest of the village's example, Otō-sama began to believe he actually did betray the Pack with his good intentions... And so did I," Kakashi admitted, surprisingly.

For the first time, Obito could hear the sheer bitterness and loneliness in his chosen rival's voice. Had he really been that sloppy to miss Bakashi's true mental state? Or had Bakashi been just that good at hiding it from discovery before?

"That is the worst possible offense a Hatake can be accused of. The very notion of betraying the Pack is like suggesting to stab one's own heart, just because you can. It also didn't help that Father couldn't protect me from their vicious words - or physical altercations," the broken silver-haired boy lying next to him on the grass muttered.

In response, Obito's eyes widened again. How the hell had he missed this? Of course someone would take exception to a prodigy half their age! Kakashi had probably been bullied just as much – if not more so – than him, the supposed Dead Last! "You were attacked too?"

How old had his friend been then? How had no one done anything about it? Like therapy or something?

Bakashi just nodded and rolled up his shirt, showing him the faint scars of what seemed to be stabbing wounds. "In order to protect me from his shame, Father committed Seppuku on the night I got promoted to Chūnin. When I came home, I found his body bleeding out in the clan compound."

Well, wasn't that one hell of a congratulatory present, Obito thought sarcastically, slowly beginning to understand exactly why Bakashi was the way he was with Team Seven.

"That night, I thought my father, my Alpha, had abandoned me, his only Pup, on top of his perceived betrayal. To betray the Pack is really bad, but to abandon your pup? That's ten times worse and practically unimaginable to a true Hatake," Kakashi whispered hoarsely. "I thought my complete pack was gone, leaving me behind. It's like discovering you were blinded after an attack, for an Uchiha anyways."

Hearing that made Obito gulp audibly. A blind Uchiha? They would kill themselves before losing their precious eyes! Especially if they had already activated their Sharingan. "You didn't trust us, did you? Because of your father's backstabbing teammates?"

Again, Kakashi shrugged bonelessly.

The raven took it as a wordless confirmation either way. What a truly shitty situation they found themselves in now!

"So why didn't you kill yourself then?" Obito asked tactlessly, feeling morbidly curious.

"There's one factor more important to an Hatake than his or her pack: True Mates. Finding them is very rare, but there's always a chance. We can marry and have pups with other people, but always prefer our True Mate. They are the most compatible match possible for us," came the toneless reply.

However, the Uchiha could read the longing and despair in his friend's eyes, buried deeply beneath the ice and cold demeanor.

"So you're giving up now 'cause you didn't find her?" Obito guessed helplessly, torn between anger and compassion.

Kakashi blinked. Slowly. Very slowly. "No. I found her. She hates me."

"Rejected? You? But nearly every girl our age wants to climb into your bed!" The raven-haired boy protested. Loudly.

A quiet snort drew his attention back to his teammate - again. "Not her. She hates me."

Obito carefully thought all the new information over for a moment. If Kakashi was pursuing his True Mate or whatever, he, Obito, could spend all the more time with Rin. Maybe offer his shoulder and an ear to comfort her for not getting anywhere with her crush? "So you're never going to like some other chick?"

A nearly tangible Rain Cloud of Doom gathered above the silver-haired Jōnin's head. "No."

"Why?"

The rainy cloud changed to dark amusement. "I won't ever feel for Rin like you do. She's more like a sister-in-arms to me than anything else. Besides, I don't poach."

Obito chuckled nervously, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. "How did you know?"

The Hatake tapped his masked nose twice. "Your scent changes whenever you're around her, your heartbeat picks up, and you blush. Need I go on?"

"Smartass," the raven grumbled, embarrassed and slightly annoyed. Although the familiar banter calmed him somewhat. "So why did that girl reject you?"

"In her eyes, I'm a horrible excuse for a human being, much less Alpha-material. She refuses to be with me, because I don't have a Pack to speak of and turned my back on my old one," the other shinobi promptly replied, voice monotone.

Apparently, genius prodigies were really stunted and or incompetent when it came to their own social connections. Additionally, their common sense left them at a hurry as well, Obito noted to himself with slightly misplaced amusement. "Why don't you change that then? If you can prove to her that you can be a good Alpha, she's got to change her mind. Right?"

Kakashi seemed to carefully consider that question for a very long moment. "But for that you'd have to accept me as a brother," he pointed out dryly, voice gaining the hint of an actual inflection. The Hatake still seemed so uncharacteristically vulnerable and lost, as if he couldn't believe that there was even a distant possibility for them to grow closer.

Obito grinned ruefully. "You aren't after Rin, so we're good. Now, how would Team Seven be classed in your weirdo mind?"

At this, Kakashi actually chuckled lowly. In a few years, the fangirls would really go crazy over that voice, the Uchiha (The Clan was practically made up of Experts on All Things Fangirls™ .) suspected with sadistic amusement. And perhaps a tiny shot of pity.

"Well..."

Minato observed his two male students finally starting to bond during their little heart-to-heart from a tree branch, having been exceedingly worried about Kakashi's cold listlessness. Obito seemed to have managed to get through to the stubborn younger boy. It was likely the first time someone managed such a feat since Sakumo-senpai's death.

Knowing Obito brought about this incredible miracle soothed Minato's concerns, glad to finally notice some improvement in their rocky relationship.

Kakashi opening up after all these years had come as a bit of a surprise, but maybe he could eventually begin to heal now? The silver-haired teen's sensei certainly hoped so.

He loved all three of them like he'd love his own kids. Minato really didn't want to bury one of his little minions anytime soon. If possible, he would actually prefer to bounce their grandchildren on his knees.

Then, the Namikaze finally noticed Rin's tears. Sighing resignedly, he teleported the both of them to his modest one-room-apartment.

After fixing the young girl a cup of tea, the blonde-haired Jōnin waited for the inevitable outburst. (Minato had countless hours of practice of comforting Kushina. He'd manage a comparatively harmless teenaged Chūnin girl.)

"What does he mean when Kakashi says True Mates?" Rin asked after a long pause.

Minato sighed and sipped some more tea from his own cup. "Now that he met the girl, every other female fades into the background, in his perception of them as girls at least. He's always going to be hyper-aware of her, no matter what she does in the future. She's his perfect match; not just in regards to chakra compatibility."

Rin blinked at that in confused surprise, hurriedly processing his rather blunt words, no doubt. Then she sighed resignedly. "Well, I kind of thought we'd never get together, because he doesn't like any of his fangirls. But it hurts to be discarded because of some sort of instinct he's inherited from his ancestors."

Minato smiled proudly at his only kunoichi student. "I know. But Kakashi is similarly wired to an Inuzuka. His father only had eyes for his mother and so forth, Rin. If you still want a relationship with him, I suggest you try to be his friend, and only his friend, now that he's opened up a little."

The brunette girl nodded thoughtfully, wiping away her last tears. "Sure, sensei. But what if this girl rejects him again?"

Namikaze Minato frowned thoughtfully, the Very Displeased one that his students had learned to fear. "I'm not sure who it is he's so fixated on. However, Hatake depend on their actual mates as anchors. If they are rejected by said mates, it is said they usually either kill themselves or work too hard (leading to the same result in the end). At the moment, Kakashi is dangerously balancing on a tightrope between sanity and madness. His depression was very much real, despite appearances. Hopefully, he will take Obito-kun's words to heart, change enough to appease his mate and get over it."

Rin nodded her understanding. "Do you think we should help him, Sensei?"

In response, the blonde slowly shook his head. "We can't, except trying to help him move on from the past. Kakashi is much too hardheaded to accept any help from us during the courtship stage. But we can always offer to watch his back," Minato amended slightly with a little, secretive smile.

Rin returned the familiar gesture, already feeling a bit better.

Maybe his teamwork exercises would finally receive the attention and care they deserved? A teacher could certainly hope.

-2-

A mere week after Kakashi's confession out of the blue, Team Seven's prowess had increased quite a bit. They had trained together as much as possible, running through various battle simulations that required them to solely rely on working with each other. It was all panning out very well, in the three younger shinobi's opinion.

Even Jiraiya (who had been reporting to the Hokage in person due to a minor injury) was astonished by their progress.

When Minato-sensei told him that Kakashi had finally begun to treat them as if they were Pack, the white-haired Toad Sage had only shaken his head in fond exasperation.

"I wonder how good he'll be if this is Kakashi still figuring things out in that hard head of his," the Sannin thoughtfully wondered aloud, amazed by the kid's sheer possible potential. "Give it a couple years and he'll be snatched up by ANBU for sure..."

Nevertheless, the team's dynamics smoothed out noticeably. Rin no longer openly fawned over the silver-haired, freshly established Jōnin, Obito calmed down quite a bit, and Kakashi always had their backs from then on.

While Team Seven reached new heights in training, Obito wondered who this thoughtless girl was he would have to both grudgingly thank and would also have liked to smack upside the head for her harsh words.

All those thoughts became temporarily irrelevant when the now much closer quartet was deployed once again. Their latest top-secret mission included sabotage, infiltration and explosives in enemy territory, so all three felt slightly anxious.

Before they left, Kakashi stalked his "chosen one" in order to reassure himself enough of her well-being to leave. (Obito really wanted to know who the lucky lady was to turn Bakashi into a mindless drone, seemingly steered solely by his rampaging hormones.)

Minato-sensei accompanied them for the first stretch of their journey, clearly worried about them. He was supposed to 'strike fear into the enemy's heart' while they destroyed the so-called Kannabi Bridge, an important check-point for the Iwa supply lines.

Before they even got there though, Kakashi the Baka injured himself while trying to protect Rin, using his half-finished Chidori in battle for the first time.

Obito almost abandoned all sense of danger and would have gaped idiotically at his chosen rival's sudden increase in skill, proving how much of a better ninja he really was in comparison to his teammates.

But they had to keep their head clear and in the game, so the unusual Uchiha kept his thoughts to himself.

Then, the enemy-nin grabbed Rin.

Kakashi's masked expression would have honestly frightened Obito into peeing his pants, should he ever find himself on the business side of it. At the moment though, the Uchiha himself was enraged and directing all of his own fury at the Iwa-shinobi that had abducted their missing teammate. (Ignoring the slight burning in his eyes while doing so.)

Both boys decided unanimously to go after their missing medic before even thinking about destroying the damn bridge.

Naturally they managed to run into even more trouble on their way back.

They rescued Rin via disrupting the Genjutsu which held her prisoner. She seemed quite shaken by whatever the technique had forced her to see or relive, but luckily Rin composed herself quickly.

Later, they could all lick their individual wounds.

Hopefully.

The whole rescue had felt too easy, somehow, so of course all three of them remained quite tense and alert.

This course of action paid off when the team was suddenly attacked by a high-ranking Iwa-nin.

A Jōnin who specialized in Earth-natured jutsu.

Before any of them knew it, rocks were raining down on their team, burying them beneath tons of hard, heavy stone.

The Uchiha couldn't move, feeling as if one half of his body was on fire. White hot pain coursed through his veins, stealing his breath. Tears – of shock or perhaps pain – pooled behind his burning eyes while his heart beat erratically in his chest.

He prayed to all the Kami and Amaterasu for the safety of his team, his self-made family. They had only just formed a strong bond, connected on a level beyond petty squabbles and Obito wouldn't, couldn't bear to lose them.

Rin seemed fine, aside from a few minor scratches. Apparently, their silver-haired team-leader had selflessly shielded her body for the most part from the unexpected downpour.

Both could only stare at his half-crushed form for a second or two before springing into action.

That's also when Kakashi snapped.

Not quite, but enough to frighten Obito until the end of his days of what a truly enraged Hatake could do to his or her enemy. The wild, primal look in his friend's eyes screamed DANGER! to the injured raven, betraying the hidden predator beneath the surface.

It cast another light on the information the new Jōnin had entrusted to the Uchiha that day in the clearing, especially in regards to the pack mentality he had mentioned.

(Maybe Obito should have focused more on the fight going on around his unmoving form, but he really couldn't help it if his thoughts shied away from the slaughter. He would bet a substantial amount of money that the Hatake line carried some sort of berserker blood, the way Kakashi tore into his opponent.)

White chakra cackled to life, vibrating under his friend's skin so brightly it nearly blinded Obito.

Only belatedly, did he realize that Kakashi had drawn the tantō the other boy always carried reverently around with himself, everywhere, although the raven had never seen him actually use it.

Then, the sword lit up as well, cackling menacingly in the sudden quiet of the cave.

What's-his-name cursed under his breath, promising someone to cut off a vital part of his anatomy for sending him off on a mission against the "Baby Fang" who was very clearly very protective of his teammates.

Obito kind of doubted he'd get the chance, to be honest. Kakashi sure didn't look in any possible shape or form amused.

Everything sort of blurred from then on, proving how very outclassed Rin and Obito still were, compared to Kakashi who had more than earned his rank. (Despite what many of his comrades might say.)

Jiraiya-sama's prediction held a lot more water, now that they could actually picture what the old perv had meant.

All it had taken were some angry words from a girl who didn't kiss prodigy-ass and a selfish question from an Uchiha, of all people, to set Kakashi straight.

In the blink of an eye, or so it seemed to Obito, the Jōnin from Iwa had been beheaded skillfully. Kakashi, blood-splattered, but still glowing with a considerable amount of white chakra, had won.

Not a moment later, Kakashi growled commandingly at Rin to stand back, already charging up a familiar ball of Lightning-natured chakra in his hand, focused on the boulder on top of Obito.

It scared the raven a little, to realize how much Kakashi had changed in a single week, distantly wondering what they'd do now if he hadn't.

What they would have been forced to do.

Suddenly, the immense pressure was lifted off of his body and Rin rushed to their side, focusing on Obito's injuries first. (It didn't make him feel a bit giddy inside. No, it didn't!)

When he could finally move again, gritting his teeth, but enough to know he wouldn't bleed out right away, the Uchiha turned his gaze to his savior. Only to gasp involuntarily at the sight Kakashi made.

Blood dyed Kakashi's clothes a darker shade than usual, splattered over his whole torso. His customary mask was torn in various places, practically drowning in the silver-haired Jōnin's own blood. There was a gaping hole where a second onyx eye used to be a few minutes ago.

Rin hurriedly bandaged the injury, not even trying to peak under the mask. This time.

Kakashi whined lowly, like a puppy which had gotten his tail accidentally stepped on by someone.

Obito surmised distantly that his friend was still in his more feral mindset.

After a quick discussion, Rin was tasked with carefully carrying Obito's body while Kakashi ran interference between any other enemies they would probably be unlucky enough to encounter, with the way their luck was going.

The other boy blurred slightly due to his incredible, heightened speed, as he distributed and charged the explosive with his chakra, before he gave them the go-ahead to leave.

As soon as they were far enough away, yet still in range for Kakashi, the silver-haired male's chakra spiked – only once and only a little bit.

A second later, a loud boom erupted from behind the bedraggled team.

Kakashi summoned two of his ninken with his remaining chakra, one to scout ahead, the other to notify Minato-sensei about their mission's success.

Then, they ran as fast as they could.

Three days after their disastrous encounter, Team Kakashi reached Konoha. All three of them were completely exhausted, critically low on chakra, and sluggishly bleeding from several wounds.

But they were alive.

(Alive and not dead, to their collective surprise, relief - and exhausted happiness.)

It was much more than any of them had expected.

Rin collapsed as soon as they crossed through the gates, taking Obito down with herself. He was conscious just long enough to hear Kakashi use the correct codes and tell whomever was supposed to guard the entrance that they all needed a medic. Quickly.

-3-

When Obito woke again, for a noticeable length of time, he noticed that someone arranged for all three members of Team Seven to be put in the same room. Rin smiled at the Uchiha, obviously relieved to see him conscious. Kakashi, on the other hand, was curled up in a ball like a particularly adorable puppy, white bandages hiding even more of his face than usual.

Obito felt a twinge of guilt about his friend's irreversible injury. To an Uchiha, the loss of an eye was just cause for committing honorable suicide.

But then his assessing gaze roamed further up and down the other boy's body, examining him for any other outward wounds. Suddenly, Kakashi seemed so small, so vulnerable, and young, instead of the berserk monster of a Jōnin he had proven he had the potential to be during their last mission.

Would ANBU still want him, damaged like that?

Well, I always wanted a little brother, Obito grinned crookedly, finally allowing himself to relax in relief.

Rin grinned at him over the top of a medical scroll, a knowing glint in her eyes. "He's kind of like an adorable puppy like this, isn't he?" She asked mischievously.

None of her former fangirlish admiration was hidden in those words. Instead she said it like an older sister might talk about her younger brother. Teasingly, playfully.

In response, Obito smirked mischievously, feeling so very, very grateful for this second chance. (Not just for later blackmail purposes.)

"We've been here for a week. Kakashi only woke up once, when they tried to discharge me," Rin reported helpfully.

"Didn't go over well?" The raven guessed wryly.

It was an incredibly amusing scenario to him. Who knew arrogant, coldhearted, bastardly Bakashi had it in him to mother hen?

The Uchiha dearly hoped none of the truly bloodthirsty missing-nin or any of the other villages would ever try to assassinate the Hatake's mate, or any possible future children they had, if this was what happened when Kakashi turned protective. Somehow, Obito imagined that his friend would be even worse in case someone did actually get stupid enough to harm his mate or pups.

Although he would pay to see Minato-sensei's face when Kakashi announced his impending fatherhood...

Maybe he had been given a few too many doses of the good pain meds, the raven thought with horrified amusement.

Judging by Rin's delightful giggles Obito had said at least a part of that out loud. "I'll bring some strawberries and Dango," she promised playfully.

Kakashi snorted dryly, apparently having woken up somewhere in-between their amused musings, but as far as they could tell he was smiling at them. "I'd pay good money to see his face when Kushina-hime tells him she's pregnant," the silver-haired Hatake offered quietly, a little uncertainly.

Obito laughed uproariously at the images those words created in his head, while Rin giggled behind her hand. Kakashi joined in a heartbeat later.

For the first time since meeting him, the other members of Team Seven heard a genuine, deep laugh from Kakashi.

Then they just laughed harder, reveling in the overwhelmingly wonderful realization that they were all alive and as healthy as possible. To still have the respective other two by their side, after everything they'd been through during their latest mission.

That's the scene Minato-sensei arrived to, around fifteen minutes later. Even the blonde man cracked a relieved smile, impossibly grateful for their lucky survival.

The following morning, Obito, Kakashi and Rin woke to find a small fruit basket sitting in a previously unoccupied spot next to the silver-haired teen's bed.

The Hatake sniffed the air cautiously, clearly curious who had managed to sneak into their room in the dead of the night. As the scent hit his nose, he began to grin a little (a lot) stupidly. Obito and Rin exchanged a questioning glance, never having seen that particular expression on Kakashi's face. (Even if they couldn't see it through the mask, the outlines were still there, clear as day.)

The one-eyed boy pulled his mask down enough to uncover his nose, just to take in the scent a bit better. He carefully touched the basket with a bandaged hand, head cocked to the side like a curious puppy. They contained all of his favorite fruits, much to his surprise.

Kakashi undid the silky fabric artfully knotted around the woven wicker basket. After another deep sniff, the Hatake carefully pocketed the navy blue cloth, grinning happily to himself.

Obito watched the whole process, desperately biting on his bottom lip to keep from freely laughing out loud at the other boy's amusing antics.

"Apple?" Kakashi offered, apparently feeling uncharacteristically generous, to his two teammates.

Rin grinned teasingly. "You have it bad, don't you?"

To their surprise, their usually unflappable team leader blushed faintly beneath his mask. He even awkwardly rubbed his neck, fingers twitching agitatedly.

"Oh, look a giant orange butterfly kidnapping a kid!" The Jōnin exclaimed, pointing to something random in the far-off distance.

Of course the other two fell for the silly misdirection. When they turned back around, Kakashi was in the process of throwing away his finished apple.

"How do you do that?" Rin asked disbelievingly. "And why do we still fall for it?"

In response, the silver-haired dog simply summoner shrugged nonchalantly. "Practice."

Obito laughed at the ridiculous expression on Rin's face. Crush or not, this was still freaking hilarious. "So your mate showed up sometime last night?" The Uchiha guessed cautiously.

The Hatake nodded, an air of unfamiliar, strange giddiness surrounding him. "I think she was worried. Sure smells a little anxious," he muttered more to himself than his friends.

Obito was relieved the unnamed mystery girl cared for his rival just as much as he already seemed to care for her. "So... Who is she?"

Kakashi shrugged again, somehow having devoured another handful of grapes. "I won't tell you her name until she either formally rejects me or we establish the mating bond. But she has relatively close blood-ties to the Inuzuka," he revealed calmly, visible eye arching into an upside-down u. "So don't worry too much, Idiot."

Obito couldn't even take offense at the insult because of the warm undertone his friend had used. Then, he pouted. "Are you sure she knows the full repercussions of rejecting you though?"

Kakashi shrugged blithely. "I'm not allowed to divulge that information if she wasn't informed by her guardians. Neither are you, for that matter. A mating bond only takes if it's consensual on both ends, neither party was pressured, or blackmailed the other into agreeing, and we completed a courtship of an undetermined span of time. My grandfather courted my grandmother for exactly one month before they mated, but my parents took well over a year to settle down."

Rin carefully thought this over. She was very obviously fascinated by the concept, but not quite sold on it. Much to Obito's relief.

"So what does a typical courtship entail?" She asked curiously.

Kakashi leaned back against the pillows. "Well, for one, the male has to prove himself worthy of his mate. That he can provide for her, protect her, and any pups they may have. Often, this includes a fight for dominance between the two unmated parties, especially if both are trained shinobi," he listed off almost absentmindedly, all the while frowning thoughtfully. "Secondly, they should get to know each other fairly well, to check if the personalities match. There is a bunch of rules and regulations I have to abide by, but those are the two main points."

Obito nodded thoughtfully. "So, your clan isn't into arranged marriages?"

Kakashi snorted helpfully. "Well, they did happen. But most of the time, they were arranged for True Mates, so the whole process was deemed redundant."

Rin snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why, are the Uchiha that strict?"

Obito simply shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, the Elders prefer it if the bloodline stays as pure as possible," here he rolled his eyes, "but that would not be practical, so only those they think are important or skilled enough to further strengthen and develop the Sharingan get settled with an arranged marriage. Anyone else can pretty much choose freely, or as freely as their close family allow at least."

"Suddenly, I'm feeling kind of glad I'm not from a clan," Rin confessed drily, snorting rather unladylike.

Kakashi and Obito both chuckled at her words.

"So, if you have to prove you can provide for her, what about a home?" The Uchiha wondered, after a lengthy pause.

His silver-haired friend sighed a little. "I still own the Hatake clan compound," he admitted quietly, eye unseeing. "It's been abandoned for a couple years now though..."

"So why don't you renovate now, before it's ruined?" Rin questioned curiously, not having known of any of the memories Kakashi probably still associated with the compound.

Obito winced slightly, suspecting that it really was his father's death which prevented Kakashi from returning to the place.

"No time. We're constantly deployed, for months on end, so it wouldn't matter," the silver-haired boy replied rather curtly.

Sensing she had overstepped some sort of invisible line with Kakashi, the team's medic sent him an apologetic look. The other boy just eye-smiled reassuringly at her, silently accepting the unspoken offer of comfort and apology.

Obito beamed at both of them, incredibly grateful to have an actual team now.

They were – all three of them – released a few days later, completely healed, outwardly speaking.

Obito still had to adhere to a rather strict physical therapy regime, to keep his formerly crushed side from stiffening up too much and becoming useless. Mainly thanks to Rin's quick, efficient treatment in the field, he wouldn't have to quit being a shinobi of the Leaf. The raven would always have his quite distinctive scars, but those could easily be covered in the field with the help of a simple Henge. Maybe he should invest in a mask just like Kakashi's?

At the mere thought, Obito had to snort. If they could talk Rin into joining them wearing those, they'd have some sort of team insignia. Team Minato of the Masks.

Apropos, Rin had suffered the least injuries of all three of them. Aside from a few minor, superficial scars, their disastrous mission had left her superficially untouched.

Mentally was another matter though. Obito had heard her having nightmares during the nights they had spent together in hospital, most likely from the Genjutsu that had been used on her during her very short captivity.

Additionally, Kakashi had lost his left eye, permanently. He would have to teach himself to fight without the added perception, as well as a new blind spot, and buy something to hide the gaping hole which had remained behind in lieu of the second charcoal-gray eye.

Although the Jōnin didn't seem to mind the new scars overly much. Kakashi was just happy that they were all alive and relatively well, or so it seemed to Obito at least. Other than that, the silver-haired shinobi had sustained only superficial injuries, most of which wouldn't even scar.

That just showed how unbelievably lucky they had gotten.

Having been buried under a few tons of rock tended to shove one's own mortality smack-dap, straight to the forefront of one's mind. Obito could remember the feeling, crystal-clear, and forever would be able to, thanks to his newly discovered (and finally activated), mature Sharingan.

The raven promised himself to train more, to learn more jutsu, so he would never ever have to feel the same helplessness again. Instead, he would protect his teammates the next time they were deployed and inevitably got tangled up in some fight for their life.

Obito resolved to pay back Kakashi for his sacrifice, somehow. After all, they officially were pack-brothers now.

When the raven arrived at his tiny flat in the Uchiha compound, a missive awaited him, sitting on the table. The clan head wished to speak to him, apparently. As soon as he was able. (Which translated into 'right now'.)

Obito changed out of his spare mission clothes into the more traditional clan garb, knowing he was expected to wear that for the meeting.

After taking his medicine, the young teen locked his flat again. Obito moved at a rather slow pace, due to his injuries, mainly, in the direction of the main house.

On his way there, he saw his second aunt with Shisui, so the teen waved at them as he usually did. Neither recognized him at first glance, but then beamed at Obito. Shisui even carefully embraced his favorite babysitter.

"Ne, Obito-nii, are you okay?" The little boy asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'll be back to normal in no time. Don't you worry!" The teen replied cheerfully, ruffling his little cousin's hair affectionately.

His aunt smiled at them, relaxing her tense shoulders a bit at the Chūnin's reassuring words. "Is everyone alright?" She inquired politely.

Obito sighed tiredly. "All three of us came back alive," he evaded quickly. "Although one of my teammates lost an eye just to bring me home!"

Shisui and Makato-obasan stared at the thirteen-year-old with clearly visible disbelief. They both knew that Obito had had problems with at least one of his teammates in the past, so this came as a great surprise to them.

Besides, lately the clan had begun to feel increasingly resented by the other shinobi of the village. The majority of the Uchiha worked in the Military Police Force, after all. Therefore, they had not been deployed as often as the rest of the Ninja Corps. To hear that one of those same shinobi had sacrificed something the Uchiha deemed absolutely vital for one of their own, shocked them (and the eavesdropping clansmen around the small group) very much.

Shisui and Makato-oba accompanied Obito to the main house, but the stone had already been set to roll down the metaphorical hill.

As the trio walked together, the housewives in hearing range began to whisper.

A few hours after the short chat between the two cousins, the majority of the clan had heard the news already. And everyone began to question what they would have done if the situation had been reversed.

Unknowingly, Obito's loud mouth started a campaign in the active Uchiha shinobi ranks to interact more with their own teammates, just in case. This in turn would lead to various friendships throughout the village, improving the overall image of the red-eyed clan.

Consequently, clansmen were invited to important events more often, especially after the relationship to the other major Konoha clans increased considerably in warmth.

Obito carefully knelt in front of his uncle (twice removed), Uchiha Fugaku. He was the current clan head, as well as the Chief of the Military Police.

"Obito, sit," the gruff man ordered, uncharacteristically friendly, the orphan.

So, the younger raven sat in a formal seiza-position, directly opposite from his uncle. Only a traditional low table separated them.

"Report. What happened on your last mission under Jōnin Hatake?" Fugaku-sama demanded sternly, eyes drilling into the poor Chūnin in front of him.

Obito swallowed painfully as flashes of stone, Rin's screams and Kakashi's blood flickered through his mind before he could prevent it.

"We were deployed on a strategically important A-rank," the younger male began slowly, trying to order his thoughts. "Minato-sensei accompanied us for the first leg of the journey, but then commando was given over to Hatake Kakashi. We were attacked for the first time shortly before Minato-sensei left, but Kakashi tested his new technique on the enemy. We reached our objective the next day, but were ambushed by the enemy, again."

Obito swallowed heavily, trying to suppress the overwhelming memories of the event.

"Kakashi and I decided to rescue our teammate first. Rin was being tortured for information, so it was a good decision," the Chūnin stated rather defensively.

Fugaku-sama didn't comment, patiently waiting for the rest.

"After we dispatched the enemy torturing Rin, we encountered a third opponent who also turned out to be a high-ranked Jōnin. He ambushed us with a Doton-technique which buried me under a ton of rocks. Then, Kakashi molded a blinding amount of white chakra and quickly beheaded our attacker."

Obito's mouth felt unusually dry. For once words failed him. Also notable was his uncharacteristically still posture. Additionally, although he implied the activation of his Sharingan, he wasn't bragging about it to all and sundry.

"Then he charged up the same technique he used the day before, which Minato-sensei had prohibited him from using again because it damaged his arm before. With one shot Kakashi destroyed the rocks on top of me, sacrificing his left eye for my rescue," the Chūnin reported, a fresh wave of guilt churning deep in his stomach.

Fugaku-sama straightened up minutely, the only sign betraying his immense surprise.

"Without both of my teammates, I would still be buried under those rocks, probably dead. They carried me back to Konoha, despite the danger this meant for themselves. Kakashi proved that he genuinely earned the promotion, far outclassing both Rin and I. He protected us, at risk to his own person, and nearly killed himself to get us all back home – while still completing the mission. If I was asked to work under his command again, I would without hesitation," the young raven concluded somewhat more steadily.

Fugaku-sama nodded once, thoughtfully staring at his nephew. "The clan will have to show our appreciation for his honorable sacrifice," the clan head finally declared, although rather grumpily. "I shall personally suggest to place your comrade on the list for eye transplants."

Obito almost gave in the very tempting urge to gape stupidly at his uncle. Had the stone-cold man just proven he did in fact possess a heart? "Thank you, Fugaku-sama."

The clan head returned the deep bow, albeit much less subserviently. "You're welcome, nephew. Was there anything else?"

"Yes, sir. One of the enemy-nin called Kakashi 'Baby Fang' and cursed us for having substantial bonds," Obito said quietly, unable to resist a little fishing for information.

To his surprise, his uncle's lips approached what normal people called a nearly unnoticeable smile. It was the Uchiha-equivalent to satisfied beaming.

"The Hatake clan is notorious for their - protective mindset. Hatake-san's father abandoned a mission in order to save the life of a comrade, sacrificing his honor in doing so. Hatake Sakumo had acquired a reputation comparable to that of the three Sannin, nicknamed as the White Fang of Konoha. He was especially feared throughout Iwa and Kumo," Fugaku-sama told his attentive nephew.

Obito furrowed his brow questioningly, wondering why those two countries specifically feared a single Konoha Jōnin.

Correctly interpreting the confused, curious expression on the Chūnin's face, the Uchiha clan head took a sip from his tea. "Your teammate Kakashi, does he ever mention his mother?"

After a moment of thinking about the unexpected, unusual inquiry, Obito shook his head. "No, sir."

Fugaku-sama nodded, as if he had expected such an answer. "Hatake Naomi was my Genin-teammate. She specialized in Kenjutsu and elemental chakra manipulation. Her control could have rivaled that of Tsunade of the Sannin, even at a young age. A little over a year after the birth of Kakashi-san, Iwa attempted to assassinate the White Fang's family. Their village had declared him an S-rank threat, to be killed on sight when Hatake-dono turned eighteen," his uncle explained patiently. "Naomi-san defended her son against three assassins before the ANBU arrived. She was critically injured during the fight, which later claimed her life."

"Where was Hatake-dono while his family was attacked?" Obito blurted out, shocked by what he had heard. Apparently, Kakashi could never catch a break.

Fugaku-sama studied his nephew carefully. "He was on a mission to Kumo."

Recalling Kakashi's sudden increase in violent behavior as soon as they had been injured, Obito shuddered at the image of an older, more experienced Hatake losing his mate while in the midst of battle.

It was not a pretty picture that his mind painted.

"Holy shit," the teen heartily cursed under his breath. Yeah, he really never ever wanted to find out what would happen to Kakashi if he lost his mate due to some assassin.

Fugaku-sama smirked slightly. "Hn," grunted the older man, seemingly agreeing. "What are you planning to do next, Obito?"

The younger Uchiha slumped a little in his usual cushion. Then, he straightened up, resolutely meeting his uncle's eyes. "I want to train harder to never have to pose as a liability to my team again. They saved me from certain death," the determined Chūnin declared steadfastly, "and Uchiha always pay their debts."

Fugaku-sama nodded, easily accepting his unusual request. "You will join Itachi and I in our training sessions. The clan will not be shamed by your ridiculous shenanigans," he intoned flatly.

But to Obito this was quite the dream come true. His uncle finally acknowledged him, the so-called Bane of the Uchiha! And would train him!

None of these thoughts played over Obito's face though. For once, the young teen kept his outward appearance in check.

Otherwise his uncle might recede his offer to train him.

-4-

About a year later the Third Great Shinobi War had ended, the Sandaime had stepped down in order to spend his well-earned retirement with his family, and Team Seven had truly bonded as Pack.

Nowadays, it was the norm for all three of them to eat together whenever they could, sleep in the same room – or generally appear to be joined at the hip.

A direct consequence of this change in how they spent their spare time turned out to be their ability to communicate with barely a glance. Their teamwork in battle rivaled that of the Ino-Shika-Chō-trio, although their respective team's specialties differed vastly.

It was entertaining to annoy outsiders with their silent mannerisms though, especially after that one time Rin and Obito borrowed one of Kakashi's masks each for their own Jōnin-exams.

Kushina had laughed herself silly at Minato-sensei's incredulous (hilarious) expression before he joined in. Kakashi had twitched a little, but kept mostly quiet.

For his fourteenth birthday, Obito had given the silver-haired teen one of Jiraiya-sama's orange porn books as a gag gift, hoping to evoke another rare blush from his long-time friend/rival. In the beginning, Kakashi didn't know what it was and began to read it in a public park, only to be scolded and insulted by various women in the close vicinity.

To Obito's surprise, Kakashi began to take the little orange book everywhere, even the shinobi bars. After a while, others either dismissed him as 'eccentric' (read: insane due to too much mental strain) and thus harmless or called the silver-haired male a shameless pervert. Then, they dismissed him as well.

The Uchiha began to laugh himself silly after realizing Kakashi's bastard-side hadn't been extinguished completely and inspired him to mess with people's minds without ever having to open his mouth.

When he told Rin about his observation, she began to laugh too (although a moment of being torn between amusement and feminine outrage passed beforehand).

In the meantime, Minato-sensei was proclaimed as the new Hokage, happily married his Red Hot-Blooded Habanero in secret and was well on his way to becoming a father himself.

Rin had squealed like a stepped-on squirrel on crack when they were told the news. Whereas both her male teammates had glanced from their blonde sensei to his redheaded wife and groaned in synch, a hundred bad ginger jokes simultaneously flitting through their mind.

(Of course Kushina-san had taken exception to their reaction, chasing the two boys around the village for the better part of an hour. Until they explained their reasoning. Then, she had laughed so hard, tears spilled down her cheeks.)

On another note, Kushina had discovered that Kakashi had a serious crush on a girl which led to endless teasing sessions and matchmaking attempts by her and Mikoto-sama.

(Who, it turned out, had often been on the same Chūnin teams as Kushina-san, although the two women hadn't really grown close until they were separated again. Because Obito usually brought Kakashi and Rin along if he had to babysit his tiny cousin Itachi, Mikoto-sama had become reacquainted with her old teammate. Especially after finding out about her pregnancy for which the also expecting Uchiha was sworn to secrecy.)

Obito treasured each and every horrified expression the Devil Twins (Kakashi's words) managed to extract from his genius of a pack-brother every time they tried to set him up with some girl in order to find out if she was the one the Hatake actually liked.

Rin had taken to carrying around a small camera, just in case the two women ambushed the younger boy again.

In other news, Kakashi and Obito had both been recruited into ANBU as a team, despite their young age. They were a formidable duo, with his Sharingan and Kakashi's brain.

(Yet they still hadn't discovered the identity of the Hatake's mate.)

When Kushina's due date neared, ANBU and Minato-sensei grew steadily nervous. Obito and Kakashi were dispatched to guard the village in their absence, but they both knew their old Jōnin-sensei enough to suspect an attack from coming.

Mikoto-sama wished her friend good luck before Kushina and her medic left the confines of Konoha. (Later, they found out that said medic-nin was the Sandaime's own wife, Sarutobi Biwako.)

Several ANBU guards had been stationed in a secret location for the redhead's protection; Kakashi had heard them receive their orders with his enhanced senses. Sometimes, it clearly paid off to have a canine pack-brother.

When they were relieved from their patrol duty, Minato-sensei smiled tiredly at his two male students. "Come," he ordered, motioning for them to follow behind himself.

Cautiously, Obito and Kakashi did indeed flank their frankly exhausted leader.

The blonde man led them to a secure room reserved for emergencies and the Hokage's family.

Inside, a deathly pale Kushina was laid on a hospital bed, holding a tiny orange bundle in her slightly shaking arms. Biwako-sama finished jotting something down on a clipboard, turning expectantly to the three males. Rin stood awkwardly to her left side, reading through the notes with barely-concealed interest.

"I want you to meet our son," Minato-sensei explained quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping infant.

Kakashi stiffened, uncertain how to go about this, while Obito nodded, unsure if they were supposed to de-mask.

"You may take off your masks," the blonde Hokage added a beat of silence later, probably just remembering in the last moment what the two teens had been doing before.

Obito breathed a sigh of relief, hooking the porcelain to his belt and cautiously stepped closer to the bed.

Kakashi stayed where he was, eyes flitting between everyone present.

Minato-sensei smiled at the silver-haired ANBU-agent, poking his side to demonstrate it was really okay for them to approach. (Apparently another aspect of the Hatake genes...)

Obito surveyed the newborn baby held in Kushina's hands. He was blond, sucking his thumb, and graced with three, distinctive whisker-like marks on each tiny, red cheek.

"Why do you smell like fear?" Kakashi asked bluntly, barely suppressing a low grumble from evolving into an actual growl.

Minato-sensei frowned, not at them but someone else. Someone they couldn't see. "We were attacked just after Naruto was born," he explained, anger flashing through his sky-blue eyes. "I killed him before he could cut Biwako-sama's throat. So far, first tests show he holds the same DNA as a rather infamous Uchiha nuke-nin," the Yondaime added carefully.

Obito and Kakashi glanced between themselves before refocusing on their old sensei.

"Who," they demanded simultaneously.

"Uchiha Madara," the blonde replied quietly.

Both boys couldn't believe that ridiculous revelation. It was so far-fetched, yet not. If anyone could survive decades as a nuke-nin, it would be that particular one.

"But he's dead! His name is stricken from all our records, even the ancestry registry!" Obito exclaimed quietly. "No true Uchiha ever speaks his name since he left the village. Kagami-sama cured all the other idiots from their stupidity real quick whenever they spoke about something even remotely related to that man."

Everyone – even the baby – stared incredulously at the young Uchiha.

Then, Kushina chuckled quietly. "See, no reason to suspect treason," she pointed out quickly, stroking her son's fluffy hair.

And that was that.

Except for a select few, no one even so much as suspected the Uchiha clan of anything after the thwarted attempt on Kushina's life. Mainly, because the attack had not been publicized – or actually succeeded.

Of course, there were some strange rumors floating around town about the raven-haired clansmen, but since the general populace never heard about the assassination attempt, those vicious tales didn't hold any water with them.

However, the rumors proved that there was someone in their midst with a too-loose tongue and a lot of pent-up aggression towards the Uchiha clan.

Unfortunately, they could not smoke that someone out without serious repercussions. Minato-sensei spoke to the Elders and Fugaku-sama, managing to clear up the tension between clan and village before it got out of hand.

One day, about four years after Naruto's birthday, during their allotted training time for the new rookie, Obito and Kakashi were surprised to find someone else already in 'their' training field. (An ANBU one, hidden from curious eyes.)

It was a team of three, Monkey, Donkey and Cheetah. Two males, a few years older than them at least, judging by their height and bearing. One of the males, Monkey, was the Captain of this cell. Cheetah was younger than her cell-mates, keeping everything hidden - even her hair - except for a pair of ominously glowing green eyes. The color of which Obito had never seen or heard about before.

The two cells stopped all movement immediately after cataloging everything they could about the respective other.

Kakashi stepped forward, silvery hair poking out sideways as it usually did these days, while Cheetah slipped out from behind her two large, burly teammates.

Obito had an epiphany about her identity as soon as the two began to cross swords at a frightening pace, completely ignoring the others' loud protests. (Exchanging low insults.)

He had finally properly learned to read body language – at first of civilians, then gradually studied increasingly higher-ranked Leaf-nin – and those two were like a matched pair of magnets.

Obito could almost cut the sexual tension between them with a kunai, so he shortly grabbed his other ANBU-teammates by the collar and jumped away before either of them got accidentally injured in the crossfire.

Then, the Uchiha remembered Kakashi's words from an eternity ago, recalling how he had to prove his worth as a mate, then an Alpha, before he would ever get to touch his "chosen one" in any manner – platonic or otherwise.

"What the hell is going on?" Monkey growled out, severely pissed off.

Obito couldn't quite manage to suppress the amusement he felt in regards to the situation. "Just watch and observe the mating habits of felines and canines."

He heard spluttering from all around himself before Cat slapped his head playfully. "Seriously?! You've spent too much time around taicho..."

"What can I say? They've been chasing each other for years now. Got along about as well as cats and dogs when we were younger too," Obito chuckled mirthfully, smirking involuntarily at the wordplay. He was sure his best friend heard every word with those freaking doggy senses of his.

Monkey, Donkey, Cat and the new guy all had something to say on the matter at hand, but the raven ignored them with skilled ease.

Then, the Uchiha activated his Sharingan, predicting the next few moves (he recognized the kata Kakashi was flawlessly executing from one of their sparring sessions) and knew they should make themselves scarce soon. He would rather not get emasculated by his new taicho anytime in the near future. Thank you very much.

"Come on. You seriously don't want to stick around here when they finish. Taicho will hurt you," the Uchiha warned his comrades solemnly.

Obito felt a little giddy. How he could tease Rin-chan with the newly-acquired knowledge about Kakashi's mate!

"You really don't want to piss him off. The last time someone did... Well, he is buried in pieces somewhere in Kusa."

Everyone gulped, recalling the rumors about the absolutely brutal take-down one newly promoted Jōnin Hatake had performed around the end of the Third War. Obito nearly lost control of his snickers when he saw them twitching.

A second later, everyone shunshined away.

Just in time to hear a tell-tale clanking of swords originating from the sparring couple. Followed by an ominous ripping sound.

~ Interlude Haruka ~

Green eyes met onyx through the slits in their white clay masks. A snarling Dog and vicious Cheetah.

He had brilliantly maneuvered her against the stone wall surrounding the training ground. She could feel her heartbeat pick up under his scrutiny, adrenaline pumping through her veins. Haruka's enhanced senses told her that he was just as relieved, aroused, and confused as the redhead (to name but a few of their current emotions) and yet she couldn't tear her gaze away from his single compelling onyx orb.

One of his hands, expertly clutching a kunai, was situated close to her hips, the other holding her own sword to the feisty female's throat. The nerve!

Her betrothed still gave off a dangerous, alluring vibe, despite both of them panting in exertion and sweaty under the hot summer sun.

This was the male she had been running away from for years; whom she had equally feared to grow attracted to and feared to lose. ANBU Dog or Hatake Kakashi.

He had quite visibly grown up. His shoulders had broadened, while his hips seemingly had slimmed. His legs and arms had become powerfully muscled, straining nicely against the fitted uniform whenever he moved. Even his hair had calmed somewhat over the years, sticking up much like a rooster's crown.

However, his scent had not changed beyond intensifying a great deal.

There was no doubt left – not after this powerful, incredible display of skills and feelings.

Kakashi had cared for her since they were both children, albeit in his own way. She knew he did; recognizing his paw-prints all over the little, thoughtful get-well presents, the beautiful, practical birthday gifts, and chasing off whomever bothered her uncomfortably.

Her mate had chosen to mature, to bond with his pack after she shouted at him all those years ago and he had finally reached his full potential as both a shinobi and Alpha.

She knew he had renovated the once-hated clan compound for new inhabitants, had built a comfortable den for them – all without knowing if his mate would actually accept him or not.

He had always watched over her – even when they were both still puppies.

And all at once, Haruka realized that yes, she had fallen for him, despite everything, and yes, she could allow him entry to her guarded, cracked heart.

Finally.

"I accept," she whispered huskily, after successfully managing to catch her breath, "only if you will not force me to stay at home. I'm a kunoichi, not some civilian homemaker."

Onyx met green before they vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Obito leisurely meandered into the Hokage's office, knowing his former sensei would appreciate a piece of normalcy. It took a moment before Minato-sama glanced up from his paperwork (it was the dreaded bane of all Kage).

When the older male did, his brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Where is Kakashi-kun, Obito-kun?"

The raven allowed himself a small smirk. "Busy, I imagine, Hokage-sama."

"Don't call me that," the blonde absentmindedly reprimanded his subordinate before properly processing his student's words. "With what?"

Obito's smirk only grew. "Comparing and experiencing the mating habits of canines and felines, I think," he couldn't help himself, but teasing his slightly annoyed superior always was so much fun.

Minato-sama simply gave him one of those Looks.

Sighing, the Uchiha grinned cheerfully. "Kakashi's found his mate and they battled it out. He's been accepted, I think, judging by the discarded, ripped mask I found after their spar. Also, he put the compound on lock-down. –"

Their poor teacher flushed in embarrassment. "Oh Gods no! No details, please! You are like sons to me – I don't need to hear about any of your private lives!"

Obito grinned unrepentantly, inevitably having picked up a few of Kakashi's ticks. "Well then, be prepared to replace one of your ANBU for her pending maternity leave... I don't think, we'll see much of either of them for a while."

Minato-sensei sighed resignedly, massaging the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Then, he pretended to ignore the Uchiha's words with practiced ease. "Which one?"

Obito smirked, enjoying the fact he knew more about his taicho's taste in women than their father-figure and former team leader. He might have accidentally prolonged the silence for a bit, to strengthen the suspense inwardly killing his Hokage.

"ANBU Cheetah."

Minato-sensei's eyes widened with recognition before he began to laugh hysterically.

-5-

Two weeks later, the Uchiha received a polite invitation to the wedding reception of Hatake Kakashi and Hatake (née Tsubasa) Haruka. He grinned cheerfully, curious about the wife of his taicho, pack-brother and best friend. She had to be something else to keep him wrapped around her little finger for years.

Obito quickly slipped into his fancy Uchiha uniform (reserved for special occasions) and met up with Rin before the event.

She allowed him to lead her to the clan compound, sending him accusing looks every so often. (For not having told her anything about the mysterious woman in their silver-haired otouto's life.)

Naruto nearly bowled them over upon catching sight of the two. He cheerfully shouted out a greeting, wondering why 'Kakashi-nii' was not anywhere near them. Usually, the three were that inseparable.

Obito hauled him up, skillfully settling the excitable ball of sunshine on his shoulders. "It's okay, Naru-chan ("Don't call me that!"), Kakashi is already there. He's the groom."

"Okay... What's a groom?"

Spending the rest of their time by explaining the concept of marriage to a little blonde boy, Obito nearly didn't notice when they arrived at the compound.

It had never been decorated as beautifully as this. Colorful flowers as far as the eye could see. Tables and chairs were arranged on the lawn, for the wedding meal.

Obito nearly went slack-jawed after spotting his taicho standing in the middle of the lawn, dressed in his best kimono. One arm was slung across a stunning beauty's hip, keeping her close and staking his claim all at once.

No Icha Icha book visible anywhere on his person.

Then, the Uchiha surveyed his (technical) sister-in-law. The first thing one noticed was her long, dark-red hair, then those unique eyes. She was quite tan for a redhead and a good head smaller than taicho. She wore a beautiful kimono which hung a little haphazardly on her petite, toned frame, as if she had just thrown it on right before the guests arrived.

This woman was Kakashi's True Mate.

And Obito could finally comprehend why exactly his friend had waited patiently to claim her as his. Why he hadn't truly given up over the years, despite their differences.

Rin-chan gasped under her breath, after first laying eyes on the redhead. She truly was breathtakingly beautiful.

(Both of them were.)

"Obito, Rin, Naru-chan, this is my wife, Hatake Haruka. Haruka, they are my Pack. Only Kushina and Minato-sensei are missing," Kakashi introduced charmingly, never actually looking away from his mate. Which was quite the feat, considering the silver-haired ANBU had only one eye at his disposal.

The redhead bowed deeply to them, albeit in such a way that she didn't accidentally submit to any of them.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person," Rin-chan managed to reply first.

The two females held a completely different conversation with their eyes – about what, Obito would rather not find out – and came to a mutual conclusion. Both smiled at each other before the couple was accosted by a long-suffering Minato-sensei and very excited Kushina-sama.

Rin-chan dragged Obito away from them to take their seats (still keeping an eye out for Naruto), so he was not able to eavesdrop on that fascinating conversation, unfortunately. However, judging by their impressive blush, Kushina had teased the happy newlyweds something awful.

"Looks beautiful, well-mannered, inclined to the same mentality as Kashi-kun, and competent," his own breathtaking girlfriend murmured, ticking the points off on her fingers. Then, Rin-chan smiled at Obito. "He's chosen well, hasn't he?"

The raven nodded thoughtfully. He still remembered that fateful day when they were Chūnin and Jōnin respectively. He could recall, in all its glorious clarity, how depressed and lifeless their adopted little brother had been after her initial rejection. Therefore, he would hold out on his final approval, until he had gotten to know the redhead better. It was just worry about his brother-figure that kept him from fully accepting her into the Pack.

Besides, Obito was still very curious about the woman that could keep his taicho under control.

If he didn't like her, she would be pranked. Badly.

After the typical polite greetings, the reception progressed smoothly. Kakashi had only invited the few comrades they interacted on a regular basis with, those they trusted to keep their traps shut if for no other reason than to avoid their combined wrath.

Haruka-san had contributed by adding her teammates from ANBU and a few surviving relatives from her mother's side. Surprisingly, this included Inuzuka Tsume and her two puppies. Apparently, the late Inuzuka Ayumi, Haruka's mother, had been a civilian, and renowned for her healing talents, within the clan. She had chosen to marry into another clan – because she did not have a furry companion of her own, but still loved animals of all species.

The red hair had been inherited through her father's side, surprisingly. Tsubasa Daichi was a cautious man that entered her in a betrothal contract at age three.

Kakashi squeezed her hand when she blushed – after her amused grandmother explained that even as toddlers, taicho had been trying to protect her. (Imagining a chibi-Kakashi defending his mate against pretend-foes was too funny.)

Obito laughed tears when the spry, old lady cracked out embarrassing baby stories of the two uncomfortable newlyweds. Perhaps in revenge for not inviting her to the wedding ceremony.

Other than Hoshiko-san, Haruka-san did not have any close blood relatives who could have raised her. The Tsubasa clan was on the brink of extinction thanks to the Second Shinobi World War, which had brought down their numbers significantly – except for Hoshiko-san, Daichi-san, and an aunt whom had married into a civilian merchant family.

Obito was surprised to discover Kushina-sama actually knew about the clan. "One of my distant relatives married into the Tsubasa Family, I remember."

Hoshiko-san nodded approvingly, smiling warmly at the former Uzumaki. "Yes, my mother. She was one of Mito-sama's closest friends and did not wish to be separated from her. That's why Haru-chan can handle as much chakra as she does. Although by now that Uzumaki blood has been diluted somewhat... We've still got the red hair."

Kushina-sama chuckled, restraining Naruto's exuberant reaction and then the two women exchanged stories of other clansmen they might have known from a long time ago.

Apparently, Haruka-san did not just inherit the rare hair color, chakra capacity – but also the temper that came with it.

That would certainly explain quite a bit, Obito mused silently.

He noticed that the longer they stayed, the more tactile his taicho became. However, Haruka-san blushed in regular intervals whenever Kakashi whispered something in her ear.

Also worth mentioning was the fact that her hands were not positioned visibly above the table.

Tsume-san chuckled each time her niece (once removed) blushed, while the two Inuzuka kids cutely scrunched up their noses in confusion or disgust.

It was a good indicator for the degree of lewdness Kakashi teased his poor wife with.

Two weeks later, life had returned to a semblance of normality. Rin and Obito had placed their bets on when the two newlyweds would announce the pending arrival of their firstborn.

Neither the medic nor the raven opened doors to rooms in the Hatake clan head's home without knocking anymore. Both had been cured of that dangerous notion, after several very humiliating incidents. (Obito still blushed horribly whenever he even contemplated going to the library.)

On other fronts, Fugaku-sama had summoned his nephew once more to his office. Apparently, something important had come up.

To his surprise, Obito already found an unhappy, uncomfortable Shisui-kun and the honorable Elder Kagami-sama seated in his uncle's office.

"Please, sit," Fugaku-sama ordered tiredly. Sasuke-chan must have kept him up all night – again. Poor kid. His father would probably exact revenge later on in some humiliating way.

Nevertheless, Obito obeyed silently.

"As you recall, I offered to place Jōnin Hatake on the list for eye transplants to acknowledge his honorable sacrifice," the clan head started, temporarily focused on his nephew.

Obito had wondered about that. It had been about four, nearly five, years since that dreadful mission. Why Kakashi still didn't have a new eye was astonishing, considering his blood type and the number of shinobi killed during the last war.

Secretly, Obito had begun to wonder if there weren't some special circumstances surrounding that.

And apparently he had been right, judging by the presence of Kagami-sama and Shisui-kun.

"Has your opinion about the worthiness of Jōnin Hatake changed since our last meeting?" Fugaku-sama demanded to know.

Head swirling with the possibilities, the younger raven smiled a little absentmindedly. "No, sir. If anything, Kakashi has proven himself and improved even more over the years. He is a competent team leader. Under his captaincy, our mission success-rate has increased notably, while injuries and casualties of teammates has decreased. Despite his status as a prodigy and genius, he continues to work hard to reach his full potential. Deep down, Kakashi is a modest, humble man whose strong loyalty to the village surprises even me at times."

The three other males nodded to acknowledge they had heard his carefully chosen words, also thanking the other raven for providing his personal opinion.

"What about his wife?" Shisui-kun wondered curiously.

Obito very nearly blushed when his mind conjured up quite a provocative image of the redhead, due to the very recent Library Incident. (Something he still wasn't quite sure how he managed to escape with his life intact and body mostly unscathed.)

Taking a deep breath to center himself once more, the Uchiha smiled slightly. "Admittedly, I was uncertain how to feel about their union as Kakashi's pack-brother. However, over the last weeks, I have come to see her as a generally very caring, kindhearted woman. She's opinionated and has a temper nearly as frightening as Kushina-sama's, but loves Kakashi a great deal. Besides this, Haruka-san is a competent kunoichi who will be able to defend herself and her husband in a political setting just as well as on the battlefield."

Again, his audience nodded thoughtfully. Kagami-sama even seemed to relax a bit, radiating contentment – and smugness?

"I have researched Hatake Haruka and read her files. Hatake-san is especially skilled in Ninjutsu and registered to have an active Summoning Contract. Apparently, her birth clan has always been tied to raptor Summons and she was chosen by the Owl Clan," Fugaku-sama commented neutrally, also contributing some information to the conversation.

Kagami-sama smiled faintly, his unusual eyes crinkling warmly around the edges. "Very well," the Uchiha Elder commented, "then we should interview him in regards to the offer."

"You do realize that your suggestion is very – unusual, Grandfather?" Shisui-kun wanted to know.

Apparently, he had been informed about whatever 'suggestion' Kagami-sama had put forth, in spite of the boy's still young age.

Obito observed everything with keen eyes. He might not be a prodigy or a genius, but his suspicions began to solidify the longer he listened to their argument.

"Obito-kun, please fetch Jōnin Hatake. It's an urgent and very important matter," the clan head ordered nicely - for once. "If she wishes to accompany him, Hatake-san is also welcome to join this meeting as it concerns her husband's health."

With a respectful bow, Obito left to fulfill his uncle's request.

~ Interlude Haruka ~

Kakashi exchanged a quick glance with her before agreeing to accompany Obito-san back to the Uchiha compound. Haruka decided to join them as well, very curious why the current clan head wished to speak to her husband – and to a lesser extent herself.

They left the Hatake property together.

While flying over the rooftops, Haruka silently wondered what had Obito-san as nervous as this. Something momentous must be happening for that man to lose his cheerful disposition within the confines of the village. He usually preferred to play the happy-go-lucky idiot. Curious, she thought.

They reached their destination quickly, thanks to the wonders of roof-hopping. (Something she enjoyed quite a bit.)

Obito-san nervously led them to the main family's house, greeting various oddly respectful Uchiha clansmen on the way there.

Kakashi gently placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her along while Haruka took in the sights. She smiled warmly at a shyly waving girl and even waved back.

(While also ignoring her husband's knowing glance. His fingers had curled around her hips, seemingly absentmindedly stroking her abdomen. She knew he longed for pups. His Alpha-instincts had nearly driven him insane when she ovulated the first time after he claimed her as his mate.)

The Uchiha Matriarch waved them straight through, after exchanging the mandatory polite greetings.

Obito-san opened a sliding door to the Uchiha Patriarch's study. He bowed respectfully – so very differently than his usually informal self – to both older men before seating himself.

Kakashi made sure she was comfortable, as much as possible anyway, and half-concealed behind his large form. This was an unknown situation, so he had decided to secure his mate before observing common courtesy.

"Good day, Hatake-dono. You were invited to discuss a serious matter with us, which may also concern yourself soon," the Uchiha clan head began seriously – and rather bluntly for one of the Noble Clans.

"Good day, Uchiha-dono," Kakashi returned the semi-polite nod of his head, cocking his head questioningly. "What might this matter be?"

Haruka noticed that a preteen boy, about six years or so younger than them, couldn't stop staring at the couple as if he had never quite seen anything like them before. Inwardly she snorted, amused.

Most likely he hadn't.

"My eyes. Or at least one of them," the oldest male in the room stated quietly, drawing everyone's attention to himself.

"Kagami-sama," Obito-san breathed, evidently astonished. Not entirely surprised, but still shocked.

Haruka stilled entirely in her formal seiza-position, mind racing, as she considered what motivated such an offer.

Uchiha never joked about their eyes, in her experience. Their eyes were their most treasured weapon. None of their clansmen had ever given up an eye to an outsider, in the history of the village. Especially not if said eye might actually belong to a shinobi – who had often activated the Sharingan. What were they playing at?

"As you might already know, I worked closely with Senju Tobirama in my youth. Your selfless sacrifice has intrigued me," the Elder continued nonchalantly, looking straight at Kakashi, "and I wish for you to bear one of mine – to see the future with."

Silence reigned absolute in the small(-ish) study.

The green-eyed redhead observed everyone present closely, yet remained quiet. She was still shocked speechless, besides they had only invited her as a listener – this was an offer from the Uchiha Clan Elder to her husband. Haruka didn't exactly get a say in this discussion.

Kakashi composed himself much quicker than his wife could. He was not called a prodigy for nothing, after all. "Why?"

Surprisingly, Kagami-sama just snorted in response. "I am an old man, Hatake-dono. There's not much time left for old fossils like me. But I wish to selfishly keep an eye on my grandson and the future of our village which we've all fought hard to protect. You would not have to enter an alliance with the clan, nor shall you be subjugated to charges of Kekkei Genkai-theft. It's a gift, freely given, from one Leaf-shinobi to another."