The space inside your home remained dark and vacant, undisturbed by even the most basic of human contact. The only source of light emerged when you swung your door open to allow the luminescence of the moon produce a vague outline on your furniture as you tiredly navigated to your room. You and your team had just returned to the Hidden Leaf Village after a lengthy escort mission to a neighboring land. It wasn't particularly hard, but you didn't get back to the village until way after midnight. After peeling off your gear and getting changed, the sight of your bed almost made you cry as you plopped down onto its soft surface and buried your head ardently into the pillow.
Finally...
A dreamy sigh passed through you as your body melted into the plush surface, happily surrendering yourself to the sweet embrace of sleep...
*knock knock knock knock*
Your tired eyes snapped open at the sudden noise coming from your door.
"This better be worth it," you stated with not even a hint of amusement in your voice. Judging from the frequency and force of the knocks, it sounded urgent.
Opening your door revealed your best friend as he gleamed down at you with such an exhilarated expression. He didn't even try to hold back his wide, toothy smile as he greeted you with enthusiasm.
"(y/n)! (y/n), you have to come with me! You need to see this!" Obito said above a whisper. He hardly tried to keep his voice low since it was so late - the excitement in his tone overshadowed any shred of concern he would ever have of that.
"Obito," you began as you lazily rubbed your eye. "You know I'm always down to hang out with you, but at four in the morning?"
Your question failed in retracting Obito's grin as he reached for your hand to pull you outside with him, unable to wait any longer.
"Wha-? H-hey, Obito!" you huffed and resisted his grip by pulling back into your doorway. "I'm in my PJ's, I can't go anywhere in these!"
It wasn't that you couldn't leave your house in your pajamas; you'd done it before, but the nightwear you decided to put on that night was a tad revealing. You had on a tank top with the words, 'I'd rather be sleeping,' with matching short-shorts that had sleeping clouds strewn across them. You were clearly outgrowing them as part of your navel was exposed to the chilly night air, but you couldn't bring yourself to throw it out as it was your backup for when you didn't feel like washing your clothes. You were beginning to regret not doing it earlier, as Obito's excited demeanor had finally convinced you to leave with him right then and there.
~~~
Obito eagerly led you to the middle of the sparring field at the training grounds, finally letting go of your hand as he started his usual warm-up stretches.
"Uh, Obito, if you wanted to spar, you could've at least let me grab my weapons... or wait until even birds were awake," you stated in a tone that was half irritated and half playful.
Obito shook his head roughly between exercises, the smile never leaving his face. "Not this time, (y/n)! I can't wait to see the look on your face after I show you what I got!"
When the two of you would have sleepovers, it wasn't uncommon that you would pull all-nighters. There were also some nights where you two would train together way past 3am, but Obito never made a special trip to your house to wake you up to go somewhere this late before. Not to mention, you hadn't seen him this darn excited in a long time. What he had to show you must really be good.
"So I've been showing up here every night to work on a new jutsu, and I think I finally got it down!" he exclaimed in his usual loud tone, the volume of his voice no longer a concern.
"Seriously, you better be able to shoot liquid gold out of your mouth to justify getting me out of bed," you joked as Obito pretended to be unamused.
"I'll do you one better, (y/n)! Check this out!"
A light pink flush dusted your cheeks as Obito got within inches of you, clasping the bare skin of your arms and eagerly positioned you at a certain spot on the field before letting go to walk a few feet away, his back facing you. You watched as Obito lifted both arms to form hand signs before you heard the signature sound of his Sharingan activating as he inhaled deeply.
The air was still for only a moment before a blinding orange light pierced through the darkness of the night. You initially thought that Obito was just showing off a bigger version of his Fireball Technique, but that was when you realized that these flames were different. You watched as the fire coiled into a tight spiral as it left Obito's mouth, the vortex expanding the farther it traveled away from him. Even the flame he used seemed different; it was stronger, more precise, and deadly. It was stunning. If anyone were to be caught in this whirlwind of flames, there would be no escape; it would be over for them. The atmosphere around the two of you became an alluring, radiant orange as his potent flames blended so naturally with the night.
At that moment, you couldn't help but admire the signature crest of Obito's clan that was etched into the back of his clothing. The Uchiha really are a formidable clan. You felt so incredibly lucky to have one as your best friend. You couldn't imagine having one as an enemy, but then you remembered that the literal leader of the Uchiha clan was out to personally kill you only a few months before. You quickly pushed those thoughts to the side once the ravishing flames of Obito's new jutsu began to die down.
When the raging inferno finally subsided, Obito swiftly turned 90 degrees with his side facing you as he reached to lift up his goggles with one hand, with the other landing on his hips. Obito's posture was straight, and his face was full of confidence and pride as he opened one eye to look at you, his satisfied grin never leaving his face.
You stared at him in awe as the remnants of his attack left numerous patches of fire scattered across the training field, the glowing flames in the otherwise dark area illuminating and highlighting Obito's features. That was when you really took in just how handsome Obito had become. You always considered him to be an objectively attractive person in terms of traits – as many Uchiha were, but Obito had matured dramatically. His adult physique and facial features reflected his physical and mental growth; every part of him emitted power and was rich with masculinity. Your cheeks flushed profusely until Obito walked closer to you and grasped at your arms in excitement.
"So, whatcha think? It was worth coming out here, wasn't it?" he said in a knowing and cocky but endearingly prideful tone.
"That was..."
He gleefully stared at you in anticipation for your answer
"It was..."
Amazing? Powerful? Skillful? Obito excitedly thought to himself as he hastily tried to guess what your next words were going to be to him.
"It was beautiful, Obito!"
Obito's expression fell slightly at your description of his new Jutsu. Beautiful? My attack is anything but girly! he initially mused. Though the more he thought about it, the more he started to see what you meant as he turned to watch the remaining flames crackle on the training grounds. Fire is inherently breathtaking. The way he changed his chakra form to increase the concentration and intensity of the flames really was a spectacular sight.
"...Yeah," Obito murmured as he turned back to look at you.
"It really is beautiful." He voiced softly while looking directly at you with a gentle expression as if he were speaking about more than just his flames.
The two of you exchanged warm looks for a moment as the low flames continued to smolder. Bits of glowing ash descended delicately in the air, giving the atmosphere a sensual glow around you two.
"Have you... thought about any names?"
Obito suddenly got flustered and began blushing heavily, but he wasn't exactly sure why.
"N-names? Names for what, exactly?"
"For your new jutsu! What are you going to call it?" you asked, grinning innocently.
"Oh, right! You know what, I haven't given any thought about that," he muttered somewhat sheepishly. "But now that I think about it, I want to name it something cool, something that will strike fear in shinobi across all nations just from hearing its name! Sort of like how you named your new jutsu... what was it? 'Elemental Peacekeeper?' I want something like that!"
You chuckled at Obito's excitement over the unique opportunity to label an entirely unheard of jutsu. Not every ninja had that privilege. You then pondered for a moment.
I've seen Obito use this in the show before, but not until he was well into adulthood. I never realized just how powerful it was until I got to see it up close, either. What a frightening jutsu! What did Obito call it in the show? Ugh, it's been so long...
You then thought about the jutsu itself and what made it stand out from other fire techniques.
Wait, I know!
"...What about... Bomb... Blast... Dance...?"
Obito blinked at you in silence for a moment. "Bomb Blast Dance? What's so special about that?"
"Well, uh... just think about how it looks! The flames are concentrated like a bomb, it covers a wide area like a blast... and it's so mesmerizing... like a dance," you trailed off with a particular softness in your voice.
At first, Obito was skeptical about labeling his proclaimed terrifying jutsu with a name that had the word, 'dance' in it, but then he thought about it and how the name matched the characteristics of his jutsu remarkably well. Satisfied with your answer, Obito looked back to you with a charming smile.
"Bomb Blast Dance... you know what? I like it! Good one, (y/n)!" he praised and planted his hand on your shoulder. You didn't have the heart to tell him that it was technically a name that he came up with in the original show, but you blushed at his adoring recognition anyway.
"I don't know if I can spar with you now that you have such a powerful jutsu, though! How could I even compete with something like that?" you remarked in a rhetorical manner, the excitement in your voice matching his.
"Hey, don't doubt yourself, (y/n)! Your specialty is protection, remember? There's gotta be some way that you could block and counter me." Obito looked up at the starry sky in thought. "What about those earth hands you summoned to bury Madara's statue? And during our fight with –"
Obito paused abruptly. Thinking back to what happened at the hideout still frightened him, specifically everything that happened with you. He recalled you summoning the elemental hands to protect him from Zetsu, which was ultimately what got you captured. Obito still felt responsible for what happened to you, and it showed in his diminishing expression.
"...How's your shoulder been...?" he asked with guilt heavy in his voice. Your encounter with Madara left your shoulder severely damaged from when you shielded Obito from his attacks. It had been months since that incident, but pain still shot through your arm and back any time you'd move the wrong way.
"It still kills. It could be worse, though. At least my arm didn't fall off, right?" You chuckled lightly; your response only made Obito even more sullen.
You immediately noticed your best friend's change in demeanor.
"Hey, where's that obnoxious enthusiasm my Obito's known for?" you asked playfully and gently bumped his arm with your fist as he looked back down to you. That's when he noticed the scantily clad pajamas you had on; you clearly weren't expecting to be going anywhere that night. His eyes instinctively shifted down to your exposed navel but he immediately glanced to his side in shame of what he had just done as a feverish blush invaded his cheeks.
"I didn't mean to drag you out here on the spot," Obito muttered as he refused to look up at you, the blush never leaving his face.
"Uh, yes you did! I kept trying to tell you to hold up for a second but you insisted we left right there!"
Obito's lids grew heavy, feeling guilty for not being able to control himself in front of you. He was just so proud and excited by his new achievement; his first thought was to show you as soon as possible.
"- but I'm glad we did. That really was amazing, Obito."
Your soft words snapped Obito out of his cumbersome thoughts. "Really?"
You nodded your head eagerly. "Thank you for the incredible sight. It's really brave of you to develop something so different. I appreciate being one of the first to see it."
"(y/n)..." he stated softly, his voice full of appreciation for your support and praise as he looked up to your face again. That was when he also noticed the bags under your eyes from him disrupting your precious sleep.
"I should bring you home." Obito glanced at the words written on your top before a small smile formed on his lips. "After all, you'd rather be sleeping." He then winked playfully as you lifted your hand over your mouth to stifle a hearty laugh.
You love sleep, but you love Obito more.
"I don't know if I can go back to sleep now. Your new technique really 'fired' me up!" You started to laugh even harder at your own pun as Obito happily chuckled with you.
He was so pleased that you shared the same joy about his progress as he did.
Your laughter finally died down as the air became still and silent. You watched your surroundings return to complete darkness as the remnants from Obito's attack finally extinguished.
"It feels a little creepy out here. How about we go for a quick walk?" you offered comfortably in the direction of your friend; his face was unreadable in the dark but that didn't stop you from seeing a firm nod, one that read, 'I'm all for it!'
~~~
Not even a cricket stirred inside the village as lazy footsteps pattered across the ground. The silence between the two of you was familiar and comfortable. As his arms crossed behind his head, Obito gazed up at the stars while walking alongside you.
Unbeknownst to you, his mind still fixated over what happened between you and him at Madara's hideout only a few months ago. The two of you were so preoccupied with getting Rin back to the Leaf that he never got to properly discuss with you about what happened that day. If he were honest, Obito had also been intentionally avoiding bringing it up because he was rather ashamed of what happened.
He didn't know exactly how to bring it up, but now, he had the perfect opportunity to do so.
"Hey. I wanted to talk to you... about what you did for me that day."
Your pace slowed a little as you looked up to your best friend, his arms still crossed behind his head. His lips pursed as he focused on the night sky, as if he were intentionally avoiding your face.
"What do you mean, Obito? What day?"
Obito shut his eyes in discomfort; he was hoping that you wouldn't make him explain what day he was referring to. "I mean the day we found Rin. The day we were up against Madara. He could've really messed me up... if it weren't for... well... I just wanted to..."
He squeezed his eyes shut again, harder this time, and panicked as he felt his confidence drain from his body while a new, hostile emotion took its place.
"(y/n), you shouldn't use yourself to protect me!" he snapped, his scolding glare landing on your injured shoulder. "You almost died because of me! Just, why would you do it? Why would you sacrifice everything, just for me?" he asked rather accusingly. He had been asking himself these questions for months, and he couldn't take it anymore as it finally boiled up to the surface.
His sudden change in demeanor was a little jarring, and he hadn't meant to come off so strongly, but he was so horrified by remembering the look of sheer agony on your face and being coated in your blood that day, because of him. Obito felt personally responsible for your pain and suffering, and he didn't think he was worth your life. He was almost angry that someone as wonderful as you would throw everything away for a nobody like him. He didn't know what to do with these negative emotions, and he unintentionally displaced them onto you.
Why would I sacrifice everything for him?
The answer to his question... it's actually quite simple.
"Because, you're my everything, Obito..."
You heard the words slip out of your mouth before you could truly process what you had just said. Your hand slapped over your mouth in an instant as you registered the meaning behind those words. Your heartbeat pounded against your chest, absolutely appalled by what you just whispered to Obito as he stopped in his tracks on the small bridge you two were walking over. You stopped walking a few feet after him, completely terrified of turning around to face him, your hand still covering your mouth.
After a few more excruciating seconds, you felt yourself turn to scan his reaction - Obito's stance was tense with his arms stiffening at his sides. Your eyes hesitantly shifted up to his face where you watched as his dumbfounded expression met with yours. The awkward silence that followed was suffocating. You didn't even try to conceal your blush as you tried to ease the thick air around the both of you.
"What I mean by that, is... that... I..." You sighed. You had no excuses. You meant every word that came out of your mouth. Your eyes slowly averted to the water under the bridge you were standing on, the feeling of embarrassment overwhelming your chest.
The stillness in the air persisted as Obito tried to process the meaning behind your words.
I'm... her everything? (y/n) was willing to lose everything for me, and she's completely okay with that? She really values me that much?
The unthinkable notion played in his mind as he, still frozen in place, tried to make sense of the sentiment. He'd always known that he was willing to sacrifice everything for your wellbeing, but he never truly processed that you returned those feelings just as strongly. He had himself convinced that your version of protection didn't extend past defending him attentively with you jutsu, but your actions clearly showed that the feeling of self-sacrifice and protection, no matter the cost, was mutual. You truly would give anything to keep Obito safe.
(y/n) really thinks I'm worth dying for.
Obito couldn't ignore the blooming feeling developing in his chest because of you.
It felt wonderful.
You heard light footsteps approach you before Obito stopped to lean over the railing, watching the calming flow of the water with you as the moon reflected off the gently rippling surface below.
After a few more moments, he began grasping at his sleeve, toying with the material between his fingertips in silence.
"Just promise me that you'll never do anything like that again," he asserted softly.
"I can't," you replied just as softly.
Obito exhaled out his nose in a strangely content defeat.
"I know."
The air grew still again, and after another moment of excruciating silence, Obito finally managed to express what he truly meant to tell you.
"Thank you, (y/n). For everything."
His sudden display of vulnerability caught you off guard. You were certain that he was going to react negatively toward your answer, which is assuming that he didn't run far away from you first. The last time you expressed such intimate feelings to him, Obito asked you for some time to himself. Thinking about having to go through that pain again terrified you, but instead, he was showing you the opposite reaction, one that was just as vulnerable as yours.
Obito was genuinely thanking you. He was thanking you for protecting him that day. He was thanking you for enduring that excruciating mission with him. Obito was thanking you for being his friend, for always being there for him, for lifting him up and giving him the courage he needs, and for never giving up on him.
You silently turned your head to Obito, his gaze still observing the dark pond below. You watched his eyes steadily move toward your direction as if he sensed you watching him before he slowly turned his head to return your gaze.
The expression on his face was soft. Gentle. His eyelids slightly lowered as he studied your face. No smile adorned his lips but the vulnerable look on his face told you that his heart was full of cherishment for you.
It looked... loving.
You scanned his serious but affectionate gaze before your eyes traveled to the goggles resting on his forehead. These ones were new. The bright orange goggles Obito was known for around the village got left behind in Madara's cave in your haste to bring Rin home. When he finally realized they were lost, he sulked for days. You absolutely hated seeing him this way, so you decided to make a trip to a specialty shop that sells top-notch goggles and bought a brand new pair for Obito's 18th birthday. Needless to say, he was over the moon for your gift.
His old goggles were sturdy, but he had worn them for most of his life. They were tarnished from use and were hard to see through from the numerous scratch marks riddled all over them. It was about time for an upgrade. Obito caught your gaze on his goggles as he lifted his hand to grab ahold of them in acknowledgement before a smile formed on his lips.
"They look pretty great, don't they?"
A playful smile surfaced on your face at Obito's question. "Yeah they do. Someone really cool must've gotten those for you."
Obito chuckled as he fiddled with his new goggles, until the band suddenly slipped off his head and began falling to the water below. You acted quickly and caught the goggles by their strap with your foot before they could hit the water as you gripped the railing tightly to balance yourself.
Thank goodness for these ninja skills!
While fetching the goggles from your foot to your hands, Obito rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Guess I'm not used to them just yet. Fastening the strap's kinda different with these ones."
Your slightly smug smile returned shortly after. "They aren't too complicated for you, are they, Obito?"
"What? No way! There isn't a single pair that I couldn't pull off!" Obito announced as his thumb pointed to his chest confidently.
"I can see that! I just watched how you 'pulled off' these ones without even trying!"
"H-huh? Hey, that's not...!" Obito paused for a second before growling and feigning irritation. "Get over here, (y/n)! I'm gonna make you regret those words!" he shouted teasingly as one hand tried to grab onto you while the other reached for his goggles in your hand.
"Nu uh, no way, you lost your goggle-wearing privileges, mister!" you joked as you evaded his grasp and started running off the bridge to the clearing a short distance away, with Obito giving chase.
"Get back here or I'll show you no mercy!"
"Oh no! Whatcha gonna do, Bomb Blast Dance me to death?"
The two of you laughed as he continued to chase you, a light blush dusting both you and Obito's cheeks. You ran until you started approaching a pond – one that felt strangely familiar.
Is that...?
Your thoughts distracted you enough for Obito to catch up with you and he playfully tackled you onto the dampened ground just by the water's edge.
"Gotcha! Now admit your defeat and hand them over!" Obito teased smugly as he held himself over you with both of his legs pressing into your outer thighs, pinning you to the ground with no escape. He made a point to lift his hands to his chest, his fingers forming the first part of his fire-style jutsu as a playful way to threaten you into giving up.
You stared up at Obito with a genial but competitive look in your eye as the moist ground underneath you began to soak into your nightwear. Unfortunately, the sudden uncomfortable wetness on your back was enough for you to concede reluctantly to his demands.
"Okay, alright, fine – you win this round, you big dork," you teased as you directed your hand to Obito's, inviting him to seize his goggles and claim victory.
Obito closed his eyes and smiled in smug satisfaction of his win as he reached for his prize. "I was expecting more of a fight from you (y/n), but when you're up against the future Hokage, that's –"
The next few moments were a whirlwind of motion as you suddenly lifted yourself up and shifted your weight onto Obito before he could finish his taunt. The next thing he knew, you had Obito pinned to the ground as you straddled his waist with your weight resting on his abdomen; your good arm held yourself up as you firmly planted your hand on the ground next to his head. Obito opened his eyes in shock, trying to process what in the world just happened to him as you dangled the goggles above his face.
"Well? Aren't you gonna take back your goggles, 'Lord Hokage?'" You taunted back, unable to suppress your wide, smug smile as you peered down at the stunned Uchiha.
Obito hadn't even realized it, but getting ambushed caused his shinobi reflexes to kick in and triggered his body to respond by activating his Sharingan.
"H-hey, that – that's not fair! You cheated!" He darted his crimson eyes all around him, struggling to come up with excuses. "I – I had my eyes closed! I would've seen that coming a mile away if I had my goggles!" he stuttered as he defended himself, desperately trying to save the pride that was lost from being blindsided by his best friend.
You huffed out through your nose in amusement from seeing Obito so flustered from your surprise attack. He watched a humorous smirk form on your face and he couldn't help but return your feelings with his own quiet grin.
After a moment of silence, one of you finally let a snicker slip from your upturned lips, leading to you and Obito erupting into a wholehearted and uncontrollable laughter over the entire exchange. Once your laughter finally died down, you peered down at Obito, your body still atop his.
"I'll settle for a tie, then," you voiced more seriously as you moved the goggles from Obito's face down to his hand. As you passed down his goggles, his hand brushed against yours and stroked your palm before he instinctively curved his fingers around your pinky and ring finger in an accidental slow caress. You and Obito tensed up from the contact as you both finally registered the situation you two were in.
Even though Obito awakened his Mangekyou Sharingan months ago, he was still not accustomed to the new abilities he gained from it. It wasn't until you were on top of him did he realize that not only can he sense your chakra, he can also now sense finer details like your heartbeat. He inadvertently studied your heartrate as it sped up dramatically from his touch.
Your eyes shifted their focus from your joined hands up to his chest; Obito simultaneously followed your gaze as they slowly traveled from his chest back up to meet his crimson eyes.
Obito's breath hitched at the sight of your eyes. They looked so striking under the moonlight. He felt his own heartrate quicken from the reminder of just how stunning you were.
The two of you froze there, absolutely petrified and unable to determine what to do next. You watched Obito as excess amounts of sweat started rolling off his temples; the blush invading his face was so red and prominent that you could easily see it in the fading moonlight. That was when you became entirely aware of the unbearable burning in your own face as you abruptly stood up and lifted one of your hands to hide your face in embarrassment.
You didn't know what to say. What could you say after an exchange like that?
Obito's body shifted to a reclining position with his legs bending at the knees, the blush never leaving his face.
The image of him sitting by this pond felt oddly nostalgic.
After some contemplation, you decided to walk quietly over to Obito and took a seat next to him with your arms wrapping around both legs, your chin resting on your knees.
"I hope that I... didn't hurt you, Obito."
Obito shook his head roughly, being unable to speak or meet your gaze.
Unsettled by his uncharacteristic silence, you tried to think of something – anything that could put his mind at ease and forget about what just happened as you combed the moist ground with your fingers in deep thought.
"Well, I'm glad that the ground's so soft, I would've gone back to the hospital with some serious lashes from falling if it were any harder...!"
Not even a peep from him.
You're making it more awkward, (y/n)!
Wait, I can still save this! What if I said...
"But maybe if I did, I could've shared a room with Rin...! Then we could have been, like, roommates...?"
Rin? Yes. Remind him of his crush at a time like this. Really, (y/n)?
At that, Obito finally peeked in your direction with a perplexed look on his face.
"You know, (y/n)..."
You panicked at Obito's reluctance.
That was a stupid idea!
"...you really are weird," he declared, staring at you with a snarky expression before a refreshing smile formed on his lips.
You inwardly sighed in relief seeing that Obito could stand looking at you again.
"Besides, I don't think Rin's room can hold two people, not since they moved her to that rehabilitation place."
"Oh, that's right! I totally forgot Rin's at the next stage of her healing. How's her rehabilitation going?"
"I gotta say, rehab's no joke. It takes a really strong person to be able to get through something like that, but I know Rin's got what it takes."
You studied Obito's face intently for any signs of blushing as he talked about Rin, only to find none.
"Have you been visiting her often?"
Obito grinned proudly. "Of course I have! Any chance I get and I'm there! She needs someone to help her get through the day."
You unfittingly chuckled in an attempt to drown out the ache quickly forming in your heart. "Well, isn't that a surprise."
"Don't turn into Kakashi on me, (y/n)!" he jested, raising his brow at you. "He said that exact thing to you on our last mission together, remember?"
"Yeah, right before that Akito guy caught and came this close to destroying us!" You then laughed nervously. You weren't certain if by 'destroy,' you meant kill or if you were referring to how he almost destroyed your bond with Obito. "That was probably the wildest mission I've ever been on, aside from Madara, of course."
Obito nodded firmly in agreement.
"But I did learn a lot about Kakashi that day..." you murmured, remembering the personal talk with him a short time ago.
"I... learned a lot about you, too..." Obito whispered before he could stop himself.
Your eyelids lowered solemnly as you turned your attention to the reflection of the sunrise appearing on the pond. "Rin forgave me for how I treated her. You don't have to worry about me ignoring her anymore."
Obito smiled at that. "That's not the only thing I learned about you that day," he added as he joined your admiration of the scene emerging over the water.
You broke your gaze off the sunrise as you directed your attention back to Obito in confusion.
What else did Akito tell him?
You would never forget the day Akito revealed your secrets, but he didn't spill all of them. Some of your secrets you actually spilled yourself.
Is he... talking about...?
You stared at him slightly wide-eyed; Obito took your silence as a request to continue voicing his thoughts.
"What I mean by that... is, while we're talking about Rin,"
Your shoulders faintly slouched in disappointment.
"I learned that day that you thought that I... loved her."
What Obito said perked you back up.
What does he mean 'thought'? I know for a fact that he does...?
"I was wondering how you knew about that, what made you think that about me and Rin." Obito said as a statement more than a question.
Scenes from the show and everything Obito went through for Rin quickly flashed through your mind. "Just a woman's intuition, I guess," you uttered despondently and switched your posture to mimic Obito's reclining position with your good arm holding you up at your side, watching the sun finally peek over the trees.
Obito's eyelids lowered in deep thought, as if he were contemplating saying more.
A couple more moments passed as a modest breeze swept through the area around you.
"It could be... that you were right," Obito began; his words drew your attention from the horizon back to him as he continued to look out in the distance.
"I did love Rin."
You nodded in silence, eyes downcasted.
"Or... at least I thought I did..."
Wh...what?
"Back then I was so sure, but..."
"But...? You guys didn't get into a fight, did you?"
Obito faintly shook his head.
"Is it that she... doesn't feel the same way?"
Another headshake from Obito that was just as solemn as the last.
He felt apprehensive about what he wanted to say, but something inside Obito was influencing his body without him even realizing it. His left hand subconsciously fidgeted and started inching away from him.
"Obito... what happened?"
As you looked at Obito intently waiting for an explanation, you watched a deep redness surface on his face, his eyes still looking out at the view; but he seemed to be looking straight through it.
"...but then..."
Obito's voice was low, subdued.
"I found..."
"...the light of my life..."
The world seemed to pass by in slow motion as you tried to comprehend the meaning behind his words. You and Obito were lost, each deep in your own thoughts over his extremely sensitive revelation.
After all this time and Obito... doesn't love Rin? There's someone else? I don't understand. Obito loved Rin to death. How could anyone possibly replace her? Not to mention, who? Who could Obito love more than -
You were pulled out of your thoughts when the chill from the wet grass on your fingers became overshadowed by something warm.
Something calloused, but gentle.
Tense, yet protective.
Fumbling, but certain.
It took you a few moments to register that your best friend had delicately enveloped his hand over yours, his fingertips cautiously stroking the back of your fingers as if he were silently seeking your approval. As if on instinct, your hand flipped over to intertwine with his, your fingers linked and fit together like a lock and key.
The two of you sat there in absolute silence for the longest time, your hands never separating.
Utter disbelief gripped your entire being as your heart thumped wildly against your chest; you couldn't grasp what was happening between you and Obito at that very moment.
The two of you have held hands in the past as a means of reassurance and support; it was an implicit way to declare that you have each other's back, but this embrace was different. It was tender. It was silently telling you something. Somethingyou had been wishing for, ever since you came to terms with the feelings youhad for your best friend.
I... I can't believe it. Obito... he's talking about... me...? But it's so unlike him to actually make any moves, it's why he chickened out from asking out Rin in the show. Well, he is older now – and maybe letting it slip that he's my everything gave him a firm enough push to do it...? I wonder... if I'm his everything, too...
You were the first one to try to make eye contact as you tilted your head in Obito's direction. He was still looking straight ahead; you couldn't see part of his face, but you saw a lone bead of sweat rolling down his cheek as a vibrant red engulfed his face all the way up to his ears. Poor Obito looked so nervous.
You began stroking the back of his hand with your thumb with a distinct fondness as you felt him jump slightly at your sudden tender touch. As if he understood your wordless concern for him, Obito shifted his attention back to you, though he already was concentrated on you, even if you didn't realize it.
No words were spoken. You attentively examined Obito's face as he looked down at you with such a vulnerable expression, his onyx eyes telling you that he was so afraid of doing something wrong. Your own eyes softened, and you stroked his hand more firmly as a sweet, nervous, reassuring smile made its way to your lips. Your heart began to fill with a pleasant warmth as you watched Obito's face relax and return your gaze with just as much fondness in his eyes as yours had.
The body language you and Obito were silently conveying to each other was potent. There was a strong feeling of intimacy and understanding in the air between the two of you.
This is your chance, (y/n). Do it now -
"O-Obito... I –"
Not a moment later, the radiating warmth of the sun instantly vanished and goosebumps emerged on your exposed skin from the chilly morning air and lack of sunlight. You directed your attention to the source of the blockage and to your surprise found one of your teammates standing upright on a small hill in the foreground.
"Jeez (y/n), there you are! We've been searching everywhere for you, and here you are about to make out with a guy? Didn't think you were that type of girl, to be honest. Ya think you know someone..." your teammate trailed off as you quickly stumbled to your feet.
"Oh shut up, we weren't doing anything, Hideki! Just go away, I saw enough of you on our last mission."
Your teammate only stared at you, his eyebrow raised.
"Wait... don't tell me there's another one already..." you asked begrudgingly as you pinched the bridge of your nose with your thumb and index finger.
"Welp, looks like I got nothin' to say to you, then," Hideki shrugged in a smug way that never failed at getting on your nerves.
Your face locked into a blank stare as you reflected on how you got a grand total of zero hours of sleep last night, but after everything that happened between you and Obito, you would happily neglect sleep all over again.
"Let's go, lovebird – and try not to sleep on the job," Hideki remarked as he eyed your clothes once before he turned and walked away.
You eyed his back in mild annoyance as you shifted your focus back to Obito, his face still red as if he'd just got caught doing something scandalous.
"I have to go... I'm sorry about that, and sorry about him," you voiced sheepishly as you offered your hand and helped Obito to his feet, his trembling hand was sticky and moist from the nervous sweat coating his palm.
The two of you stood there awkwardly, trying to figure out what to do next; the barriers of being best friends was breached and neither one of you knew exactly what to do. You needed time to process everything that happened that night.
"I'll... see you around?" You offered him an anxious grin, and Obito returned with an exaggerated close-eyed smile that looked even more nervous.
"Y-yeah...! I'll see you... tonight, maybe? On my roof?"
You nodded eagerly, this time flashing him a genuine smile. "Don't burn any houses down with your new jutsu while I'm gone - my big doofus."
At that, you finally parted ways with Obito as you ran to catch up with your teammate.
"We need to stop somewhere and get you dressed. You're embarrassing me."
"Gosh, you're so bitter today! You aren't jealous, are you, Hideki?"
"Oh, jealous of what, how short you are?"
The sound of the two of you bickering grew faint while Obito stood by the water's edge as he watched you leave; his eyes focused on your back as he absentmindedly imagined what you would look like with the Uchiha symbol on the back of your clothing. He immediately shook off those thoughts as another fierce blush covered his cheeks from thinking of such a thing.
Obito couldn't help it. He had always been a very future-oriented person; such thoughts were like second nature to him. It seemed like so long ago when Obito finally accepted his feelings for you, but he was certain about it. The two of you had been through hell and back together, and he was pleasantly aware that those deep feelings for you only continued to intensify.