A Different Path (Obito Uchiha x Reader)

Chapter 72 - The Ones We Love

His shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank god..."

But then I looked him dead in the eyes—rage, grief, and betrayal spilling out in one breathless, venom-laced truth.

"But the one you didn't save... was the man I fucking love."

He blinked. Said nothing. Couldn't.

And in that awful silence, I realized something I hadn't wanted to admit—

That even though the war was over...

Even though the baby lived...

Even if Obito woke up...

Nothing would ever be the same between the three of us again.

---

It had been hours since Kakashi left me.

I'd been living in this impossible space between hope and dread, waiting for someone to walk through that door and tell me he was gone. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his blood on the floor. The way his body went limp in my arms. The sound of his heart slowing beneath my palms.

I was barely holding it together.

I had tried to sleep. I had tried to eat. I had tried to pretend like the world hadn't shattered—but nothing worked. There was a hole in my chest that only one man could fill.

Obito.

A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I sat up quickly, heart pounding against my ribs.

The nurse peeked inside, offering a gentle smile. "He's awake."

I didn't even wait for her to finish. I pushed the blanket off me and bolted from the bed, bare feet cold on the tile. My body was still sore. Every muscle protested, and my legs trembled beneath me, but I didn't care.

I needed to see him. Now.

The nurse guided me down the hallway, murmuring something about him being stable, still weak, still healing—but her voice faded into the background. All I could hear was the pounding of my heartbeat. All I could feel was the ache of needing to see his eyes again. To hear his voice. To know that he was really here. Still alive.

The door to his room stood open.

And there he was.

Propped up slightly in the hospital bed, skin pale and lips chapped, his chest rising and falling slowly under a thin white sheet. His eyes were closed. A mess of tubes and monitors surrounded him.

But it was him.

Obito.

My breath caught in my throat. I stepped in slowly, afraid that if I moved too fast, the moment would vanish.

Then—his eyes fluttered open.

He blinked once. Twice.

And the second those dark eyes locked on mine, a sob broke out of me so violently I nearly dropped to my knees.

"Obito..."

His lips curved, just barely. "Hey..."

I rushed to his side, grabbing his hand with both of mine and pressing it to my cheek. His skin was warm. Solid. Real.

"You—you're awake," I choked. "Oh my god, you're awake..."

"I told you," he rasped, voice hoarse but still full of that stubbornness I loved so much. "You're not getting rid of me that easy."

A broken laugh escaped me as I leaned forward, resting my forehead against his. "You idiot... you absolute idiot. You almost died."

His fingers curled weakly around mine. "I know... but we won, didn't we? Tobi... the baby... they're okay?"

I nodded, tears falling again. "They're okay. We're okay. You saved us."

He closed his eyes, and I saw his lashes tremble. "Then it was worth it."

"No," I whispered fiercely. "It wasn't. Not if I lost you. Don't say that. Don't ever say that again."

He was silent for a long moment. Then, in the quiet, his voice broke the stillness again.

"I didn't want it to end like that. I wanted a future with you... not a sacrifice."

I cradled his cheek with my trembling hand, trying so hard not to cry again. "Then stay. Fight for that future, Obito. No more plans to give up your life. Not for anyone. Not even for me. You stay. For me. For Tobi. For the baby."

He nodded slowly, his eyes softening like melted dusk. "I will. I promise."

Then, with a weak but certain smile, he squeezed my fingers.

"Come here," he whispered. "I need you next to me."

My breath caught in my throat. I blinked, trying not to sob again. "Obito..."

He shifted just enough, scooting to the side, wincing with effort but making room. "Please," he said gently. "Get in bed with me."

I didn't hesitate.

I carefully climbed into the hospital bed, curling against his side like I was meant to be there all along. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he turned his face into my hair, breathing me in. One arm—still heavy with weakness—draped over my side and pulled me in like he never wanted to let go.

I let out a long breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding. His heartbeat thudded beneath my ear, slow but steady. Real.

"I missed you," I whispered. "So much it hurt."

"I missed you too," he murmured. "But I knew you'd find your way to me. You always do."

And just like that... for the first time in days... I closed my eyes and felt safe.

Wrapped in the arms of the man I love, with our child safe, and a second life growing inside me.

Everything still hurt.

But for now... we were together.

And that was everything.