A Different Path (Obito Uchiha x Reader)

Chapter 72 - The Ones We Love

"There's someone waiting outside... asking to see you."

I knew who it was. Of course I did. And my voice came without hesitation.

"Tell him I don't want visitors. Just... tell me when Obito wakes up."

The doctor nodded and left.

For a moment, the silence returned. But this time it was pierced by rage.

Because I knew he'd come anyway.

And not a minute later, the door opened again.

I didn't even look at him. "I said I didn't want visitors."

"I just want to talk," Kakashi said.

His voice was soft. Too soft. Like he thought kindness would soften the blow of betrayal.

"Get out."

"Please—"

"Get. Out." I stood up too fast, wincing slightly. "You don't get to show your face here like nothing happened. You ran a Chidori through the man I love!"

He stepped closer. I stepped back.

"It wasn't just me—Obito—"

"I don't care if it was his plan!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "You looked me in the eyes and still did it!"

"I was trying to save you," he said quietly. "You. Tobi. The baby. We were running out of time—"

"Don't!" I cried. "Don't you dare make this about protecting me. You always do this—you shut people out, make cold, calculated choices and act like it's mercy!"

"It was mercy," he said, more firmly. "I had to choose between letting him die trying or letting all of us die with him."

"And what about me?!" I yelled, voice raw. "Did you think I'd be okay with that?! That I'd rather live in a world without him?!"

"I didn't think—" he paused, and when he spoke again, his voice cracked. "I didn't think I'd survive losing all of you. I made the call I thought would save the most important people in my life."

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't stop shaking.

"I hate you right now," I whispered. "You broke something in me."

Kakashi flinched like I'd hit him. "Don't say that."

I looked up at him—eyes blazing, throat tight with grief. "I mean it. You took Obito from me. He's the father of my child. He's the one I wake up for. And you—you just handed him over to death like he was nothing."

He was in front of me now. Too close.

I pushed at his chest with both hands, but he didn't move. "Don't touch me. Don't touch me!"

He didn't listen. Instead... he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me.

I froze. Struggled. Beat at his chest with weak fists.

"You don't get to hold me," I sobbed. "You don't get to hold me!"

"I know you hate me," Kakashi murmured, holding me tighter. "But I swear to you—I was trying to protect you. I couldn't lose you. I couldn't lose him again, either, but I... I had to pick the choice that gave us a future."

My tears soaked into his shirt, my fists curling into his vest. I was too tired. Too broken to fight anymore.

"The baby's okay," I whispered bitterly. "So congrats. You did your job."

He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes. "The baby's okay?"

I nodded slowly, my voice dull. "Yeah. The baby you were so desperate to save... is fine."