It’s a thoughtless question that slips out from his lips, bored as he is. He’s twiddling his thumbs, waiting for Kakashi to get ready to do silly kid things Obito wishes he was still alive to do, privately. He’s sure Kakashi catches his looks of longing anyway (they’re more in sync than not these days, reading looks and subtle gestures as easily as counting the seconds, since Obito can no longer really breathe), but Obito can’t regret his actions.
He can’t regret lingering afterward, either, because now he can watch over his team and save them from making stupid mistakes, protect them in the ways he was never able when he lived.
The question isn’t spurred by anything in particular, just a stray thought that’d been bothering Obito for a while. After all, if he can linger here, who’s to say there aren’t more spirits around? It’s only thanks to he and Kakashi’s unique situation that Kakashi can even see him.
Kakashi offers him a slight tilt of his head, acknowledgment and confusion wrapped into one, but before Obito can clarify, Rin speaks. Not unusual, of course, she comments on Kakashi’s little oddities every so often, but this time, it’s not that she speaks of. Instead, she voices his name.
Kakashi meets his eyes with the same shock reflected in them, though his hope buds more slowly than Obito’s, which blooms immediately in his chest like a flower in spring. He hops off his perch to stand in front of her, anxiously reaching out before he can think better of it. Of course, his hand slips through her shoulder, and he flinches back, excitement only slightly dampened.
If she hadn’t heard, hadn’t had some inkling of his presence, she wouldn’t have said his name like that out of the blue. Obito’s noticed his name is somewhat of a new taboo among their team, the sound of it like prodding at an old wound. He can’t blame them, but he misses the sound of it, sometimes. Kakashi tries to help, repeating his name at night and to the stone, pretending to talk to nothing when Obito is there beside him. But hearing it from Rin’s lips is rare, and always makes his heart flutter with old feelings best left forgotten.
“I’m here, Rin. Can you hear me?” His voice has a desperate lilt to it he can’t bring himself to care about, praying he isn’t getting his hopes up for nothing. He’s not sure he’d be able to just brush it off and continue enjoying the celebrations with Kakashi, would more likely skulk off to cry and Kakashi would have to hunt him down instead of having fun.
Kakashi approaches from his side, more suspicious for his sake, carefully doesn’t look at Obito’s not-quite-there form. He doesn’t say anything, either, waiting in the pause to see Rin’s reaction. In the time since Obito’s death, no one has ever shown any reaction to his words. Obito’s been able to influence the living world, slowly but surely, but never has his voice leaked through.
Obito’s never been especially superstitious, but he is a ghost, which is pretty unbelievable. He wonders if it has something to do with the date, or if his connection to this world is merely getting strong enough that even people without their shared Sharingan are starting to perceive him.
