The footsteps you took subconsciously got slower once the ice cream shop was in your line of sight. Apprehension set in. Your breathing sped up. Your heartbeat quickened. Your body caught up with your mind and became keenly aware of what you were about to do.
As you continued to get closer, you tried to observe the people inside through the shop's window from a distance, wondering if Obito managed to beat you here, even though you knew Hell would freeze over before he would be anywhere before you. You were so preoccupied with the people inside of the shop that you failed to notice the person standing upright outside the shop's doors, with their back facing you.
You first noticed the clothes that were adorning them – a purple, long sleeve gown, spanning to their shins where a pair of black pants covered their legs. A simple belt partnered with a traditional white obi acted as a sash around their waist. There was a small, uneven bulge in their waist, as if they had something stuffed within the inside of their cloak, secured in place by their sash from the inside.
Directing your attention around their head, you noticed the gown was high collared, an extremely common style of the Uchiha Clan. It only took a fraction of a second for the white and red fan emblem between their shoulder blades to confirm your suspicions – this individual was an Uchiha. Your heart skipped a beat as your mind raced with a million thoughts all within a single moment.
An Uchiha? Is this one friendly? The last time I encountered an adult Uchiha, they kidnapped and almost murdered me – until Obito showed up just in time.
You gasped at the sudden remembrance of your best friend, simultaneously noticing the short, spiky hair covering the back of the Uchiha's head.
No way. Is that...?
Your sharp intake of breath seized the Uchiha's attention, their towering form tensing up at your feminine sound, their back still facing you.
"...Obito...?"
Upon your inquiry, the tall figure turned to face you. The surroundings around you slowed to a halt as your focus rested entirely on the Uchiha's face – your best friend's face.
"Hey," Obito tried muttering casually, but the shakiness in his voice alerted you of his true sentiments.
You couldn't believe it. Obito managed to get here before you, and he looked so... different. He'd left his goggles and headband behind. The purple cloak he was wearing looked identical to the one he wore as an adult in the original show, but that was so long ago. You were shocked to see him wearing it now. It made him appear older. Mature. Like an Uchiha.
Obito watched your eyes as they trailed along his attire, prompting a blush to blossom on his cheeks. "If you're wondering about the clothes, Minato-sensei said I should look presentable for this."
Look presentable to get ice cream?
No. You knew what he meant.
"Obito... you look..."
"I know, it's a really old style from my clan," Obito remarked with uneasiness. He regretted dressing differently to meet with you. Perhaps traditional was a tad much.
"Yeah... it looks great on you!"
Obito perked up at your words. "Huh?"
"You didn't say that you were hiding this from me! Are you going to wear it more often?"
Obito watched you with a mix of surprise and intrigue before his eyes eased into a heartfelt content.
"You know what? I think I will."
~~~
The two of you traveled around the village, ice cream in hand – using the treat in front of you as a distraction to avoid bringing up the topic that you knew was heavy on both of your minds. Obito had gotten the special new flavor he'd been itching to try, but all his mind focused on was the tension between the two of you. If he were asked, he wouldn't be able to recall the taste of it that night.
A twinge on your cheek distracted you further and you lifted your hand to relieve the urge by scratching at the mark – only for you to hiss in pain, irritating the cut on your cheekbone, the one you received from Obito's harsh punch to your face during your eye-opening fight with him.
Watching the whole thing, Obito's entire posture dropped, guilt harrowing his features as he turned his down casted head to the ground in front of him.
"...I didn't want to do it." His low, meager voice caught your attention.
"What do you –"
Obito snapped his head in your direction in silence before you could finish, his sulky eyes blatantly regarding the wound he inflicted on you.
"Oh... that," was all you could come up with under his scrutiny.
Obito was referring to more than just the cut on your cheekbone. The sheer torture that afflicted him during that fight with you was unbearably overwhelming for him, but he did it for you. You became stronger because of it. You knew this.
"Don't worry about it. Please."
Obito's sorrowful expression remained unchanged.
"You know, Obito... I didn't get the chance to thank you for accepting my challenge earlier. I love that you respect my skills enough to go all out on me. I know that it wasn't an easy thing to do, seeing how I couldn't find it in me to go through what you did. I may have the upper hand in protection, but on all other levels, you beat me with your phenomenal willpower. I hope that you grew from our fight, too."
Obito's entire body lit up in realization. He went against what his brain told him during that fight and went with his heart instead. All he wanted was for you to recognize your skills and grow into a better shinobi from it. It was right then that Obito realized you shared his goal, but you concentrated on his development while he focused on yours. Both of you became stronger people from that fight. He mentally kicked himself for not seeing your intentions for him earlier. From the bottom of his heart, Obito truly couldn't ask for a more thoughtful and kindhearted partner.
"...And I'm glad you were able to fight back, even just a little bit," he voiced softly, peering at the vermillion sky. "The fact that you were able to do that so bravely is proof of just how strong you really are, (y/n)."
Obito's walking pattern synchronized with yours as he followed you down a path not traveled through often. You thought that it was unusual, but something inside of you insisted that this was the right path to go down.
~~~
~~~
The path led you to a familiar opening; the evening sun's gentle and placid luminescence allowed you to recognize it clearly. You and Obito strolled stiffly, cramped with anticipation, through the area where you first learned about his feelings for you. It was then you understood why this place felt so familiar. It was the same spot where Obito stumbled upon you as children over a decade ago. The pond that transported you to this world was in clear view a short distance away.
You directed your line of sight from that pond over to a nearby bench surrounded by cherry blossom trees – their branches lacking the ravishing pink petals as they had already blossomed and faded away with the change in season. You cautiously sat down, waiting for your best friend to join you – only for him to idle in place with reluctance radiating off his body.
You presented Obito with a puzzled look as one of his arms reached behind and fidgeted against his back. He intentionally avoided your gaze, his mouth hidden under the elevated collar of his Uchiha cloak. Clearly, he wanted to do something.
You brushed the spot next to you to remove the wilted petals off the wooden seat, the noise finally attracting Obito's sullen attention back to you. Your hand then stopped and rested against the spot it was just clearing, and with your eyes shifting to Obito, they silently pleaded with him to soothe your loneliness by accompanying the space beside you.
He examined your expression carefully, and with a subtle, defeated sigh, he removed the hand from behind his back and joined you. As Obito sat, his body went rigid, his eyes saturated with regret as if he were internally reprimanding himself over something.
The atmosphere was pleasantly warm. The incandescent glow of the sun gradually faded, evidence of it only indicated through the pink hue of the clouds that its pacifying rays traced over between transitioning from evening to night. Distinct sounds of crickets chirping and frogs croaking derived from the nearby pond; its resonance saved you from what would otherwise be suffocating, overpowering silence. In the back of his mind, Obito was relieved that the park was vacant, despite the torturous solitude being a byproduct of the fact. He wanted to talk with you, personally.
You and Obito held yourselves restlessly; a noticeable gap between your bodies prevented either of you from voicing first. The comforting buffer for the anticipated discussion in the form of ice cream was no longer an option, either. Your empty hand gripped at the other anxiously, your fingers stroking the back of your other hand in a futile attempt to calm your nerves. Closing your eyes and with your mouth in a straight line, you initiated the talk.
"...I know why you did it."
Obito remained quiet. His deep, onyx eyes shifted downward as he pondered your words.
"...You pushed me to my limit in that fight... because you wanted me to be stronger, but..."
Your fingers ran up and down your forearm, apprehensive to finish your thought.
"You did it for another reason... right?"
You didn't want to say it. The heat of the moment took over in that fight. You heard Obito loud and clear when he screamed out how he truly felt about you, but you wanted to hear it again. You wanted to be certain that your love-struck mind didn't just perceive his words into what you've wanted to hear for as long as you could remember.
"You already know," is all Obito could muster the courage to say; neither one of you could look in each other's direction.
"So all this time... and it was me," you voiced in a daunted whisper, still full of disbelief, and finally acknowledging the conversation that transpired that fateful morning at the pond currently occupying your field of vision.
"Obito."
A moment of silence surrounded the two of you, giving you a chance to turn your head his way, without directly looking at him.
"You already know how I feel, too. Don't you?"
Obito forced his quaking head toward your direction, peering down at you for the first time since he sat down with you. He took notice of the painful blush permeating your features, and your eyebrows that told of your battle to express your deeply rooted thoughts and feelings to him. It was the same debilitating internal struggle he was going through too, Obito realized. A blossom of comfort veiled over him for the first time that evening over knowing that you were sharing the fear with him - he wasn't alone. He never felt alone with you.
This is her, Obito thought to himself. You're the same person he'd known for a majority of his life. The one who always had his back, the girl who wanted to become a better ninja – a better person – for him. You, who had been nothing but loyal, harboring unwavering faith in his dream, willing to push him when things got challenging, and felt nothing but pure, genuine, adoration for her best friend. Obito had no reason to be so distraught about what was to come. He knew you would never abandon him, and he returned that sentiment for you just as powerfully.
With that recognition, Obito reached into his purple cloak with growing confidence and loosened the tie holding in place the object that had been protruding from his waist. His hand retreated from his gown, fetching with him a small bouquet of your favorite flowers before gingerly offering them to you.
The sudden sweet gesture caught you completely off guard. Observing the rather squished pedals, you noticed that they must have crushed together from meshing against his back all evening. It was like Obito for his romantic intentions to come off as incredibly dorky, but he was clearly trying so hard for you. The flowers looked fresh as if they were specifically hand-cut and wrapped mere hours before.
Obito studied your amazement at his gift before closing his eyes and lightly chuckling out of nervousness, "It's not a big deal... I just saw them and remembered how they're your favorite," he partially told the truth. Obito went out of his way to find these flowers for you.
"Should I consider this as your present to me for becoming a Jonin?" you joked, seeking to lessen the thick tension around you two.
At that, Obito blinked at you in silence, unsure on how to respond. His forehead wrinkled and twisted upwards in anxious confusion while a drop of sweat rolled down his cheek. Was this not what he was supposed to do?
Seeing how your jesting utterly flopped, you switched tactics and decided to lean into the tension head-on instead.
"Obito, I... have a gift for you, too. It's something I've wanted to give you... for so... so long..." you murmured, barely in an audible whisper, "but... I couldn't."
Your face was full of conflict, and you shook your head wistfully. "To tell you the truth... I tried so hard to protect my heart from my growing feelings for you, Obito. I was so scared of letting myself fall for you any further."
At that, Obito's worrisome expression alleviated to a softhearted one; he peered down at you with his dark, impassioned eyes... and listened intently.
"Obito... I never thought I had a chance with you. You're so kindhearted and passionate for the people around you – you are everything I've always wanted to be, but I always felt like I didn't deserve you. I wasn't worth your loyalty, your friendship - your love. It took me until now to finally accept that I was wrong. You helped me gain the confidence to finally see that I have nothing to fear from this. I know that you will always cherish me... always cherish us."
Slowly and cautiously, your body eased closer to him, his eyes never leaving you. Trepidation flooded his entire body, but Obito silently admired you for opening yourself up to him so intimately.
So vulnerable.
Overcome with his own blooming feelings for you, his body and mind flourished to such a unique intensity as he watched you begin to close the narrowing gap between the two of you.
"I'm blessed to have ever met you, Obito. That's why I want these feelings to grow. I want them to grow with you. I'm ready to let our bond grow even stronger. I know this is the right thing to do... because..."
Your grip on the bouquet tensed involuntarily. Time ceased to flow for the both of you.
"I'm in love with you, Obito."
Your voice shook, and for a moment, you felt as if you were sharing the same heartbeat as him.
"For as long as I've known you..."
"...I have always loved you."
Silence. The only distinguishable sense came from the intrusive pounding emanating from both your chests, the intense, blooming heat overriding any other perception.
"So my gift to you..."
A tender palm slid over to the hand tensing against his thigh, devotedly connecting your fingers with his.
"I want to finally surrender... and entrust you with my heart. It's fragile, but I know you'll take care of it. I only ask in return that you share yours with me. I promise that I'll nurture it, just like how you've nurtured me... all this time."
Obito sensed the passion and sincerity in your words through the heartened squeeze delivered by the hand gripping his.
"I meant every word I said that night. You truly are everything to me, Obito. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life."
Obito observed your genuine features, his eyes fastened with exalted awe. The illuminating pink sky helped to conceal the matching rosy flush on his cheeks from the heartfelt declaration pouring directly from your soul.
Finally, his expression eased. It was his turn to respond. Obito's eyes left yours in favor of your joined hands on his lap as he reflected on everything that had happened in his life – from childhood to now.
"When I was a kid... I always thought I had everything figured out. I made it my dream to surpass the Uchiha Clan... to strengthen the bonds in our village... to finally become Hokage... but... if we're being honest with each other..."
Silently, his gaze dropped, his expression shifting in discomfort.
"The truth is, I was always so scared, (y/n). Afraid that I could never be the best, or even be a decent ninja. Even though I never stopped trying, I felt like no one truly believed in me. It was all so clear to me then."
Obito's eyes softened, his gentle smile framed the radiant glow on his face.
"Then you came into my life. You make me feel like I can do anything, (y/n)."
Your head tilted slightly in adoration as you watched the one you love reciprocate your feelings with mutual trust and vulnerability.
"It's funny... I even tried to stop myself from... falling for you, too. I'll be honest. I was terrified of failing as a ninja, but, I admit that... my biggest fear, (y/n)..."
"...is losing you."
Obito's entire face dwindled; his frown and forlorn eyes openly displayed the shattering of his heart from reflecting on such an inconceivable notion.
"I don't know what I'd do without you. I always thought, what if I gave in and finally told you? What if I messed up, and I never saw you again? I tried, but I couldn't do it, (y/n). Then, I almost did lose you... on our first real mission together. After that, I couldn't deny that feeling... that warmth you brought to my heart. It just took me a little longer to admit what it truly was... and then, I finally accepted it. I finally realized... that..."
He broke his gaze from your joined hands to reconnect with your blurred eyes, with tears evident in his own.
"You're my everything, too."
Your eyes widened as a powerful rush of indescribable joy rippled through your body, with your thumping heart absorbing the most of its pleasing waves.
"I want you to be by my side when I become Hokage. I... I want you there with me... as my partner."
Obito's eyebrows scrunched and he faintly shook his head in dissatisfaction for a swift moment.
"No, it's more than that. I need you in my life, (y/n). I know you are now, but I mean... even more than just a partner. I want you in my life... not just as my sparring partner, or teammate, or even as my best friend."
Obito subconsciously stroked his thumb across the back of your hand, considering his next words deeply.
"I want you to be my life partner. Deep down, I've always known... that you're the other half of me. I love you, (y/n)."
You had no words to reply. After pouring his heart out to you, Obito's intense gaze descended to your slightly parted lips. In his eyes, a deep longing scorched within them, urging him, begging him to act. He began to lean with caution before pausing - watching your body language intently, waiting for a telltale signal imploring him to draw himself closer.
You responded by slowly leaning toward Obito, meeting him halfway and ultimately sealing the slim gap separating your bodies. The two silhouettes on the ground delicately merged into one as you formally secured what you two could only describe as an eternally beautiful relationship with whom you once called your best friend, the one you feel tranquil in allowing access to your heart, the one you'd happily give your life to protect.
The love residing deep within your soul blossomed to life once your yearning lips locked with his. Obito welcomed you and he engaged in your intimate embrace in a matching fervid but careful earnest. Countless nights did his mind wander to the morning where he first learned the taste of you. Oftentimes he would drift to sleep pondering the exhilaration in expressing his love to you without that aching distraction emanating from his chest. He now knew.
That timid anxiety began to evaporate steadily once his senses were again flooded with the familiar comfort of you: Your scent, your skin, your spirit. Every little trace of your heart and soul was gifted to him through the pleasant union of your lips. You offered everything you had to Obito, and he joyously matched your gift by exchanging with you every exquisite feeling he carried for you, as much as a tender, wordless embrace could allow.
In a fervent attempt to somehow draw each other closer, Obito guided the hands interlaced together from his lap to your face and brushed your cheek with his palm in a slow, intentional caress, emulating the way you stroked his the first time your lips bonded. A bold move from the Uchiha, but your hand rested atop his while doing so, supporting and guiding his actions, pressing his hand against your cheek and inspiring him to grow bolder.
With his hand, he told you how long he'd wanted to touch you, to hold you, to embrace you in a way no one else could. With his lips, Obito conveyed that you were his light. His moon. His soulmate. He told you this as your gentle hand slipped past his ear to delicately curve within the dark roots of Obito's hair – a touch that was tenderhearted but laced with passion, and you used that hand to press his head insistently to coax his body closer to yours, to which he timidly but happily complied. Any remainder of cracked barriers and fractured walls came crashing down, indicated through the deepening of the action – two heads twisting, lips brushing, saliva mingling, chakra flaring, hearts bonding. It gave everything away.
Obito loves you, his quivering mouth silently told yours, and your lips responded, declaring you love him right back.
The deep connection between your lips and souls separated momentarily, allowing you and Obito to recover your breath. You took that fleeting moment to observe his eyes, the windows to his soul. His eyes that embodied the proud heritage of the Uchiha. His Sharingan had activated in the heat and torridity of the moment, of love and passion. Those blazing, expressive eyes emitted equal vitality as his touch did. They reflected his prolonged yearning, his romantic satiation, and his unwavering certainty - relishing in its thrilling energy and fulfillment of feeling serenely and irrevocably whole with you.
Deep crimson eyes, red as blood, inspected yours intently. Chakra masked your face, both his and your own. The color of his chakra was a brilliant light blue, comparable to the sky on a cloudless, smoldering hot day, only his chakra burned hotter. The source of its blaring intensity originating from the unparalleled rapture of pure, requited love that had been covertly nurtured and strengthened, yet repressed over time, but divinely unleashed at long last. His chakra shimmered, laced with virility, insurmountable strength, and awakened love in its purest form as it melded in with yours. Your chakra glistened in a deep, modest green, akin to healthy flowers in the spring as they sprout from the earth, ready to blossom with the aid of the heated sun, provided by that light blue sky; putting every ounce of your trust in his supportive but intense nature. Conversely, the blossoming garden and the grounding nature of your soul ensure a sturdy and nurturing balance to his fiery and volatile personality.
Earth and Fire elements, both powerful and unstoppable forces in nature, had triumphantly collided that evening. Two spirits with intense passion for one another rivaled the explosive nature of a raging volcano that erupts in fluttering, unrelenting waves when such two powerful elements finally unite and weave as one. No longer shackled by debilitating aversion to prospected consequences, you and Obito encouraged your deep affections to intertwine and take root joyously after painfully suppressing the urge for so long. The feeling of finally letting go and allowing each other into your hearts... it felt sublime.
Obito felt the presence of your unique chakra signature over his own body where you grasped at him in tight, insurmountable ravishment. This, coupled with the recognition that he'd unintentionally activated his Sharingan, prompted the scorching bloom in his cheeks to deepen and spread further. He made all of these observations within a single moment, before you two embraced again – gentle this time.
Bodies and hearts full of life. Full of love. The thriving, exquisite reunion of your joined lips sincerely declared to each other without question or reservation:
You're the one.
My promise is this.
I will protect your heart.
And I will love you.
Forever.