Here is my contribution for @obito-week and the prompt identity!
Characters: Obito, Kisame Relationships: A little bit of Kisame/Obito, but it’s mostly platonic No trigger warnings.
“I trust you.”
Kisame looks up from the book he’s been reading to the Uchiha sitting on the sofa chair across the room. A toothy grin pull at his lips.
“I’m glad you do, Madara-sama.”
Maskless and relaxed, Obito’s gaze remains on Kisame’s face. Madara isn’t his name, it’s a façade, an identity used to bring fear in others. A persona to manipulate, such as he’s been taught.
There’s nothing Kisame hates more than lies.
Obito has been pondering about it in silence for a long time, him and Kisame have been working wonderfully together and without the mask, the Uchiha has been building up a certain familiarity with his partner. Which led him to notice a few things.
“You do know… Right?” The Uchiha finally asks after a long silence.
His personas never felt like lies to Obito. Objectively, they are. To him, however, they can’t really be. He’s an empty shell, he’s no one.
Kisame raises a brow, a little confused at the question.
“Know what, Madara-sama?”
“That Madara died long ago…”
The book is lowered as Kisame’s grin slowly fades, replaced by seriousness. Fish-like gaze examine the Uchiha’s features for a moment, not shocked by the revelation.
“I had my suspicions.” Kisame’s brows furrow, “You pretended to be the Mizukage, then you pretended to be an idiot named Tobi. It seems to me that you love to lie to people about who you are.” His tone is accusatory, offended… But not angry.
Obito sighs, his hands feel sweaty in his gloves. He’s nervous.
“I would have thought you’d react differently… Are you not bothered by my lie?”
Kisame grins once again, a strained grin,
“You’ve proven your strength and potential long ago and your loyal dedication on completing the new world you promised me, a world without lies… Tells me that you aren’t just all talk. I’m equally dedicated on bringing about this plan, sir.”
Obito is quite taken aback by this response, it’s obvious that Kisame is annoyed by his lie but it seems that the plan is more important at the moment.
The Uchiha averts his eyes to instead focus on one of the various candles of their hideout.
“Madara is a powerful name. A feared name in all nations.” Obito states as a matter of fact. “And Madara is the man who saved my life… And demanded that I use his name.”
Kisame listens in silence, takes in the new information.
“I’m no one. That… Is my truth.” He has no identity of himself, he’s only here to play a role and save the world from it’s pain and suffering.
“But you are an Uchiha, no?” Kisame frowns, how can someone be no one? This man may be playing pretend every second of his existence, he still must be someone.
Obito nods, “That’s where I was born.”
“What should I call you now, sir Uchiha?”
The question brings anxiety to Obito’s chest. “A-anything you please.”
“That doesn’t satisfy me, I want to know your original name.” Kisame pushes, he can’t go for another fake name, he can’t stand calling this man Madara or Tobi anymore. He needs something true.
Obito blankly stares at him, eyes wide and mouth completely dry. For the first time in years, he’s feeling particularly vulnerable.
“Do you not trust m-”
“I do!” Obito cuts Kisame’s sentence in a panic. He trusts him, has trusted him since day one.
“It’s… Obito…” The name feels strange on his tongue, a name he hasn’t said since Rin’s death. “Uchiha Obito.”
Kisame observes the nervousness in Obito’s features, the way the man seems deeply uncomfortable in divulging this personal information. This is not a lie. In fact, this feels like the truest thing he’s heard coming out of that man’s mouth.
With a smirk, Kisame returns to his book.
“It’s good to finally meet you, Obito-san. The true you.”