I succeeded. I protected Rin...
Wait... Rin! She's... still trapped in my barrier.
I can't die here...
I need... to release...
Quivering hands struggled to raise to your chest, the dire weight of failure pushing you to form feeble hand signs.
The Jutsu...
You clasped your hands together to complete the final seal, forcing all the breath out of your lungs. Before long the protective barrier around Rin disintegrated, her face was full of gratitude before her sight landed on the overexerted body bleeding profusely among her.
"Rin!" yelled Obito, who was still fending off the enemy, "Heal (y/n)!"
"Right!" Rin affirmed and began releasing a green aura around your abdomen without another word.
"That (y/n) of yours is pathetically weak!" the enemy gloated as he continued to clash with Obito. "I'm doing you all a favor by taking her out of her misery!"
Obito was fuming. Ragemixed with tears in his deeply crimson eyes as he shouted andcharged vehemently at the man. They clashed weapons again, the crooked smile never leaving the enemy's face. That is, until another form appeared unexpectedly behind the man, him realizing too late that he had let his guard down. He unleashed a pained grunt while blood projected out of his mouth upon being impaled, with some of it splattering over Obito's face, but the Uchiha's fervent and protective expression remained unchanged. The figure who attacked from behind turned out to be Kakashi; his face was unreadable behind the confines of his mask.
"That woman is going to get you killed one day," uttered the man as he took his final breath. With his eyes still brimful with passion and the vibrant red from his Sharingan, Obito leered down at the man and solemnly declared -
"I won't let you or anyone else hurt my friends ever again. I swear it."
~~~
Darkness. That familiar darkness. It's that same mysterious, churning darkness you felt all those years ago, the one that transported you to this world.
Am I... leaving this world? I... saved Rin... I prevented Obito from getting crushed. Have I accomplished what I needed to in this world? Am I going to die?
Somber thoughts plagued your mind as your vision swirled in that familiar darkness. Suddenly, a blurred tinge of light emerged from outside your closed eyelids and you began to open them slowly, carefully. With your vision initially clouded and obscured, the first thing you recognized upon your sight returning to focus was him.
"Obito," you muttered and only then became aware of the irony taste and smell of blood around you.
Obito's face was indescribable. It was a mix of relief and joy, frustration and grief while his eyebrows knitted together in agonizing concern. Slowly, your hearing returned to you as well.
"(y/n)..."
Your name sounded heavenly coming from his lips.
"You're gonna be okay. Rin stopped the bleeding. You're gonna be just fine," he chanted while his red eyes scrutinized your weary face, though it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself more than anything else.
"Oh (y/n), we're so glad you're okay!" Rin exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around you in a hug, completely catching you off guard. You never liked Rin - the vibe you always intentionally sent her surely prevented her from liking you too, you figured. But there she was, her form over yours in a gentle embrace.
No wonder Obito has feelings for you, you thought to yourself. It was strange. It almost felt like her saving and praising you made you even more resentful of her.
Why can't I be more like you?
You tried to push those thoughts aside in favor of reuniting with Obito and reveling in the knowledge that you succeeded in saving him from his future despair.
"Thank you for protecting me, (y/n)!" Rin said as she let go of you. "I don't know what I would have done if you didn't spot that camouflaged ninja behind us!"
You don't want to know.
After Rin released you, you felt a firm and reassuring hand on your shoulder from the shaken Uchiha.
"That was great thinking back there, (y/n). I'm really proud of you," he said as his grip on your shoulder tightened. The look in his eyes was genuine yet strained with concern, as if he had something else to say.
"No way, I should be the one praising you, Obito! You even have your Sharingan! Where in the world did you get that?"
Seeing his Sharingan surprised you. You knew that he wouldn't have gotten it until after Rin was kidnapped; an event which you managed to evade. You figured it was pure chance that he activated it while on the same mission.
Obito paused to think about exactly how it happened. His emotions were running extremely high, desperate to defend his dying friend.
"I got it when... well... d-don't worry about it, I can explain later," he said quickly and smiled as a red tinge appeared on his cheeks that almost matched the color of his Sharingan.
"Let's just meet up with Minato-sensei and finish the mission already," Kakashi interrupted dryly.
You inwardly sighed. I guess one setback about me interfering is that Obito never gave Kakashi his 'those who abandon their friends are worse than scum,' speech, but it's a small price to pay. Kakashi may still be strict but he will no longer have the "death" of Obito on his conscience, at least.
~~~
The rest of the mission was certainly a challenge, but you kept Rin, Kakashi and Obito close to you. Minato eventually managed to catch up to the four of you to destroy the Kannabi Bridge, effectively turning the tides of war.
Mission completed.
The journey back home was a rather peaceful one. Every one of you were scratched up and exhausted beyond your limits, but the pride of completing such a difficult mission was evident on your faces. Taking a break from leaping through the trees, the group decided to walk on foot the rest of the way home. The silence was comfortable and was only broken with the occasional wind flowing or birds chirping. You instinctively found yourself looking up to your left next to Obito, your gaze carefully observing the right side of his face devoid of scars.
He's here because of you. His face and mind won't become scarred because of what you did.
An overwhelming sensation of pride overtook you as you took the time to let the events over the last few weeks really sink in. You also took this time to note just how much taller Obito was getting compared to you. Distracted by your thoughts and his face, you almost failed to notice the looks and sighs of relief your group let out as they all stared in one direction. Eventually curiosity got the best of you as you joined their gaze, the object of interest being the village just overhead.
I did it, Obito. I saved you.
~~~
"You really shouldn't scare me like that," Obito broke the comfortable silence as the two of you strolled through the village.
Dumbstruck, you abruptly stopped and tried to process what he could mean by that, only for him to pause soon after and continue talking with his back still facing you.
"We almost lost you back there. I'm thankful that you protected Rin from that enemy ninja, but you need to look out for yourself too, you know." Obito shot you a look not unlike a mother scolding her child; an expression that was partly irritated but more concerned than anything else.
"Oh, I... just did what came naturally," you lied. "I made a vow that I will protect you and my group at all costs. That's my ninja way," you explained as a heavy blush made its way to your face.
This is so cheesy but it's the truth.
Obito's eyes softened at your answer, and a faint blush also crept up on his cheeks.
"Y-yeah, well... just take it easy next time, alright? I don't know what I'd do... if I lost you." His light blush morphed into a feverish one as he struggled to express his feelings further.
Taken aback by his vulnerability, you opened your mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by two ANBU members suddenly appearing before you.
"(y/n) (l/n). Your presence is required at the Hokage's office immediately."
~~~
"HE DID WHAT?!" Obito shouted in disbelief, his voice piercing the otherwise peaceful night sky.
He noticed your mood was melancholy the entire day and kept pressing you for answers, but you wanted to wait until the two of you were alone at the comforting spot on his rooftop before you made your confession.
"I disobeyed the direct orders of the Hokage, and starting today I'm no longer a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. He even said I'm getting off easy since I'm not being thrown in the village guardhouse or being executed since I technically went rogue. I guess he does have a point."
Obito blinked, struggling to accept what he was hearing. "But I thought you said he gave you permission?"
"I had to make that up. Otherwise, Minato-sensei would never have let me go. I'm sorry I had to deceive you, Obito. It was painful for me, too."
At first Obito was insulted, but when he really thought about it, you were right. You had to lie to travel with them. If you didn't, then who knew what would have happened to them. To Rin.
But Obito couldn't believe it. Even after all you went through on that mission, how you almost died because you valued your friend's wellbeing above your own. He couldn't accept it. He made it his goal to waltz up to the Hokage's office tomorrow to talk with him personally.
"It's alright, though." Your soft yet monotone voice disrupted Obito from his thoughts. "Everyone made it home safe, including Rin. I don't regret anything." You passed off a light smile, but your eyes gave away that you were only partially telling the truth. In your eyes... were those... tears?
Noting this, Obito's eyes narrowed slightly. "Still, I'm not going to accept this without a fight. I'll make Lord Third change his mind, you'll see."
~~~
"Get out of here you disrespectful brat!" Hiruzen's voice could be heard from outside his office. Just then, the door swung open and Obito went flying into the opposite wall in the hallway.
"Maybe calling him a senile old geezer wasn't the best idea," Obito pondered in a daze while his body remained stuck upside-down.
You then came around the corner and watched Obito drop from the wall onto his back the hallway. You had a feeling that he was going to cause trouble today, so you decided to check up on him – and you had a decent idea of where he would be.
"Hey, Obito! What're you doing here?" you acted surprised then pointed at the remnants in the wall with amusement in your voice. "...And why is your outline etched into the office wall?"
Still laying down, Obito flicked his attention to the wall then to you before shaking his head and jolting up to his feet. "Forget that! I've been busy trying to make Lord Third reconsider his verdict and reinstate you as a ninja!"
"You'd really go through that trouble, for me?"
"Well yeah, of course I would, (y/n)! You're my best friend! Not to mention what you did on that mission makes you a hero. They should be praising you!"
You began blushing hard at Obito's words. A hero? Me? You tried not to admit that everything you did on that mission was for him. Instead, you opted to keep quiet and revel in the fluttering feeling your heart made at Obito's thoughtful words and actions.
"I know!" he said. "Since you're here, let's both try to talk some sense into him!"
"Well, sure, that sounds like a solid plan. We need to brainstorm some points so we can properly swoon this guy. So what points did you come up with when you spoke with him the first time?"
Obito stared at you for a moment with his mouth closed in a straight line before his arm reached to scratch the back of his head.
"Y-yeah, about that. I sort of, just, stormed in to give him a piece of my mind. I didn't really make any fair points."
You laughed. That is so like you, Obito.
"Come on," you grabbed his hand – not his wrist, but actual hand, and gently led him to the Hokage's office, completely missing the blush that had quickly formed on his cheeks from the contact.