Rin
"I can't do this. Please, let go of me."
I shake, my strength faltering as I struggle out of Kakashi's once trustworthy arms.
"You are finally giving me what I want, so be a good girl and prove to me that this was not for nothing."
All of this is for nothing?
"Y-you only stayed with me for years because you wanted to sleep with me?"
He scoffs.
"Uh yeah. Once I sleep with you, sweet little Obito will be broken. You see how he is almost as strong as I am? Well, I saw that coming. I cannot have him beating me, so I stole the thing he loves most, and I am not letting it see the sunlight again until it can't walk straight."
My mouth hits the floor, and my brain swims with his rushed revelation.
"Don't give me that look, Rin. I would wait six more years if it meant that Obito would break down. Bastard."
"You don't love me?"
His visible eye widens.
"You're as dumb as your lover. Do I have to spell it out for you? I only agreed to date you because it breaks Obito more and more each day."
Every minute I spent, smiling at his covered face, pouring my love into everything we did for these past six years, was leading up to this? How was I so blind? We confessed our love to each other. He seemed genuinely happy.
Well, he probably was happy, but for the wrong reasons.
My heart shatters.
Kakashi.
He was my life. He was the reason I woke up and went on missions and lived. I was blind to everyone else around me, including friends, because he was everything I needed.
My fists curl.
Wait.
"Kakashi, before I don't have sex with you," his eye blinks quickly in shock, "You said Obito loves me?"
He disregards the first part of my statement and chuckles maniacally.
"Poor, stupid Rin. He has loved you since the first day of the Academy. You know how he tries so hard to beat me? If he did not love you, he would not even bother waking up in the morning. You never saw it because of your fascination with me."
He laughs loudly and creepily. I do not allow myself another second to process the information.
I make my mind up and stand from the bed that he forced me down on, reaching for my purse.
Kakashi's hand is on my wrist in a second, but my strength no longer falters. I look into his determined eyes and fake a sad expression. That causes him to release another sick laugh.
The minute his eye closes in laughter, I yank his shoulder out of the socket and kick him in the breastbone, confident I fractured it on impact. His head hits to footboard of his bed, and he lands on the icy ground, crying out in pain.
"You bitch! Get back-"
I do not even allow him to finish. I am out of his crummy apartment quickly, but not as quickly as I cast him out of my heart.
On my way down the stairs, I realize three things. First, I never loved him. If I did, I would feel lost, not free now that what we had is over. Second, I should go to the Hokage to report Kakashi. One does not deserve to be a Ninja if they are willing to go to such great lengths to destroy a friend. Third, I have to go to Obito now.
Obito
Even at now, at 20, my heart still jumps every time I see our team picture on my bedside table. Not because I find Kakashi or the Hokage attractive. No thank you to both of them.
It is because a sweet girl smiles widely at me through the glass of the frame. No, she is not smiling at me, in fact, she was most definitely smiling because she was finally able to take a picture with Kakashi.
It was all she talked about up until that point. In a way, even though it angered me, I was glad for her excitement, because she confided the emotion in me, and I could watch her smile.
I am such a sissy.
I have become a hell of a ninja, if I do say so myself, despite my weakness for her, and I even rival Kakashi in skill level.
With the addition of his Sharingan that he had implanted after his friend, my cousin, died on a mission with him, I feared he would soar, but were both heartbroken by the loss. Our rivalry was the last thing on our minds. I was actually, in a way, happy for him receiving the Sharingan. I even offered to help him hone the power of it. He rejected me, but I offered nonetheless.
I figured that deep down, he wasnt't the punk he portrayed himself to be.
I was so wrong.
That was six years ago. Six years before he intentionally stole Rin away.
Granted, she probably would never have fallen for this love-struck fool, but it hurts even now to know he is playing her to get to me.
There were so many times I tried to steer her away from him. I warned her, followed her when they went on dates, and when he did not offer to walk her home, I would follow to make sure she was safe.
She always waved off my warnings and told me I was being silly. I never made a big deal of it because whenever she speaks of dear, old Kakashi, her face lights up. The fool I am, I become mesmerized by her beauty and light, and then I forget how to be stern.
Yeah, she is smart, and she will probably find out sooner rather than later, but I want to protect her.
I am a coward. She deserves a guardian angel or a Hokage-level soldier, not someone who pales into the background in comparison.
Still, as I stare at her face in the picture, the corner of my mouth flicks up a fraction into a smile.
Rin.
No matter who or what she chooses, I will always love her, and I do not need her love in return.
Well, time to continue my life as a bachelor. I have a hot date with a bowl of ramen to celebrate Rin's birthday without her.
Rin
Obito.
How could I not see it? The way his face turns into a tomato when I patch up his wounds, or how he never fails to give me crumpled cards for holidays-
Cards!
I dig into my purse for it.
While walking to Kakashi's apartment earlier today to start my birthday celebration, Obito slammed into me as I turned a corner.
Always jumpy.
After stuttering on about how I deserve to have a great day today, and then correcting himself nervously saying I should have a great day everyday, He shoved a piece of paper into my hand. I turned and watched him leave with his hand rubbing the back of his head. He was mumbling something harsh to himself also. I shrugged, too excited about the day Kakashi had planned for me.
I did not even thank him.
Damn Kakashi! He took my attraction to him and turned it into a weapon.
I pull the paper from my purse, smooth the crinkles out of it, and read.
Dearest Rin,
20 years old! Time really flies.
I remember the first time I saw you.
It was the first day of the academy. You sat in front of me, wearing a fluffy yellow dress that your mom forced you to wear.
On that day, I realized how smart and caring you are. The beauty of your soul was palpable and overwhelming.
When we were made into a team with Kakashi and the Hokage, I do not think I had ever felt so much joy.
I was not the strongest ninja, but being in a group with you meant that I could watch over you and that there was a possibility I could be a reason for your safety, your smile, or attention.
Yes, I know I sound a little sentimental, and I am going to make it worse by saying I am tearing up while writing this, but you know me.
Rin, you not only became my closest friend, but you became my reason for training, for waking up, for activating my Sharingan, and for, well, just living.
You can laugh at me later, but I really mean all of this,
I am always here, whenever you need me. I swear, even if you need me at three in the morning, just knock on my front door and I will help you. I promise that.
Well, have a nice time with Kakashi!
He does not deserve you, but neither does anyone else.
Sincerely, Obito.
The edges of the overhang I stand beneath begin to drip with rain as the skies open up.
"O-Obito," I sigh as my tears become as steady as the rain around me.
I slide down the brick wall behind me, roughly landing on the ground, holding the letter in my hands.
I prop my knees up, and burry my face in my arms, crying painfully. The lump in my throat threatens to detonate and destroy me, and my vision is nonexistent.
I gasp for air, silently begging for relief.
What did his other letters even say? I never paid much attention to them because I could not see anything but Kakashi.
Wait.
My head snaps up, and my tears cease.
The box in my closet.
Any letter I receive, I throw into a box that sits on my closet floor. I may have kept some of them.
Pumped up with newfound determination, I gently fold Obito's letter in my hand, place it in my purse, and run through the rain in the direction of my apartment.
How could I be so dismissive of Obito? How could I not thank him, or notice he is everything I need?
"Obito, I do not deserve you as a friend, or anything else, but please let your cards be in that box!" I shout into the darkness, momentarily illuminated by the line of street lamps.
My apartment in view, I run towards the steps that taunt me in the close distance. I fly to my door, damn propriety, and leave my shoes on, liquefying my clean-kept floor.
Please!
I slam the closet door against the wall, get on my hands and knees, and rip the box out. The launched lid does not even hit the floor before I rustle through the contents in the dark.
I touch a crumpled, thick paper. It must be his. I throw it aside, and search for more like it.
After my blind searching, I find three more, and throw the box aside. I light the candle on my beside table and yank the papers into my lap.
Rin,
Happy 13th birthday! You are finally a teenager like Kakashi and I! Last year, I gave you a joke in your card, but it was so lame I bet you blocked it from your memory.
"No, Obito. Yes, it probably was lame, but it was blocked from my memory because I was so stupid not to notice you." I speak aloud, and then continue.
This year, I am going to give you a poem.
Roses are red; violets are blue (I thought violet was purple, but play along!)
You are so sweet, and you know it's true!
That was lame too, but look who it is coming from!
Sincerely, Obito
I laugh and cry simultaneously, thinking of what his face may have looked like while he wrote that.
Dear Rin,
Happy 16th birthday!
I tried to give you a letter yesterday, a day before your birthday, but you and Kakashi were out. I hope he is treating you well. I seem to express myself better in writing, so I want to give you a warning as your gift this year: I am pretty sure Kakashi is only dating you for cruel reasons. I do not think he actually cares for you, and sees you for who you really are. You are such an amazing person, and I know you have been with him for a while now, but I just wanted to let you know this. Sorry my message was so depressing. That is why I wanted to give you the warning yesterday so I would not put a damper on your birthday.
Yours, Obito
My heart beats wildly.
He knew?
I will the memories to appear. He must have told me, but it must not have been a direct warning. He did not want to reveal his feelings to me. I open the last letter, feeling more guilt by the second. I do not remember any of these.
My dearest Rin,
Happy 19th birthday! I hope Kakashi is treating you well. I know I told you a couple of times before, but just watch out. I still have a bad feeling about him. The way I feel about you, well, I just want you to be as safe as possible. You are so beautiful. Actually, thinking about you made me lose my train of thought. Well, have a lovely day. You deserve it. Congratulations on becoming a Jōnin like Kakashi and I, also. You are the best medical-nin I know.
Yours, Obito.
I am shaking, breaking at the seams. My brain never realized what my heart knew and prepared for since the day I met Obito: We were designed to be together. Whether or not he still feels the same way about me, or believes my feelings for him or not, one way or another, the universe pulls us closer and closer to one another each day.
Our souls are intertwined.
I ignored my heart every day I spent pining after Kakashi. Every letter I received from Obito was blocked from my memory while he remained in the sidelines, watching me go along with my life without him.
I do not deserve someone like that.
But he deserves to make the choice.
I need to let him know all of this. I have to tell him that I-
"Oh, I love you, Obito. Please forgive me."
I am always here, whenever you need me. I swear, even if you need me at three in the morning, just knock on my front door and I will help you.
Obito
I wonder what Kakashi and Rin did for her birthday.
Probably something she does not actually enjoy.
Oh, I could ring Kakashi's neck and show him what a Sharingan really does!
Whatever.
I lay in bed, hand behind my head, thinking about Rin. I have a habit of imagining scenarios in my head because they help me sleep. Last night, I imagined I beat Kakashi in an arm wrestling match, and Rin was watching the entire thing. Tonight, I imagine Rin running through the rain, even with the risks, to me, taking me up on my offer of always being there for her. She would have just kicked the crap out of Kakashi, and realized the meaning behind my actions and words. She would finally see we were meant to be together, and that she loved me. She would knock on my window, and I would hop out of bed and let her in. I would lose my ability to think or speak as she tells me all of this, and then I would unconditionally take her into my arms.
I sigh.
Love? If only. You have your scenarios, and Kakashi has your life.
I sit up in bed and look at the clock.
Three in the morning.
A harsh knock sweeps me onto the floor with a loud thud.
Rin
I have not stopped shaking, and it is even worse now because I am famished, crying, wet, cold, nervous from sneaking into the Uchiha Village, and knocking on Obito's window.
Please answer.
Why did it have to be so cold tonight?
I balance precariously on Obito's windowsill, desperately searching the glass for his face.
I close my eyes, uttering a soft plea, and an abrupt movement catches me off guard, and my chakra gives out in my feet, tossing me backwards. I yelp, but Obito's arm encircles my waist, hoisting me back up.
"Obito," I exclaim the same time he says, "Rin." He pulls me into the room, and places me onto my wobbly feet.
"Whoa, Rin, It is freezing, and you are soaking! Come here." He pushes me gently onto his bed, but I stand again.
"I-I don't want to get your blankets wet. I will stand." He smirks in the dim light.
"Hmm. Great idea! My blankets are worth so much more than you." He winks and pushes me back down. I smile in an instant.
Smile? After today? I love him so much. Only he could elicit a smile from me in this situation.
He lights a couple of candles, and sorts through a drawer. I notice him- really notice him- for the first time. Where Kakashi is tall and lean, Obito is shorter, but more muscular. His hair, messy from sleep, elicits a fluttering feeling in my stomach. I want to run my fingers through the dark tresses.
He turns, and in the light, I see the expression I always see on his face, but never noticed before: fear mixed with love. I gasp almost unperceptively.
How could I not see that in his face?
He meets my eyes, and offers a nervous smile.
Oh, Obito.
"I have a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt from before my last growth spurt, so they should fit you close enough." He hands them to me, and our hands brush, sending a jolt through my body. Expressive as ever, I know he feels the same thing. I think he is actually sweating.
"I-I will leave the room to give you some space to change."
I laugh, nervous.
"I am fine if you stay in the room. After tonight, I really do not want to be alone."
His eyes darken, pupils widening.
"What did he do?" My heart speeds up at his reaction.
"I will tell you everything when my teeth aren't chattering."
His eyes return to normal, and he moves to the opposite side of the bed, and sits on it, facing away from me.
"I trust you, Obito. You don't have to earn that from me." I turn to look at the back of his head, and it turns down, facing his lap.
Silence ensues, and then I hear sniffling.
"Rin, you do not know what all this means to me. I feel like I am dreaming. I feel like Kakashi is using some genjutsu to hurt me." My eyes begin to water. I quickly strip off my jacket, shoes, pants, shirt, and underwear as quickly as possible, then put the pants and shirt on. They are both baggy, but he has always been larger than me. I crawl to him over the bed and place my head between his shoulder blades.
I felt his sharp intake of breath, and my tears flowed faster.
How long has he been waiting for me?
"If this is genjutsu, then I will personally go to Kakashi and kick his ass, but that would make it twice in one night, and that is so not me." He lifted his head, and turned, gripping my shoulders.
"What did you say?"
I smile. "I. Kicked. His. Ass." He smiles back.
"Why?" He grabs my hand, holding it hard. I launch into the story.
"Then, he said he believes you are in love with me, and that he does not want to lose to you in any aspect of life, so he used my attraction to him as a weapon. He pulled us away from each other, playing me the entire time. I know you warned me about it a few times, and I should have listened to you," or at least remembered the warnings, "but I am glad it turned out this way." His face had been immobile the entire story, but now it softens into a sweet smile.
"Why is that?"
I look away, suddenly shy.
"Because I would have never realized what a giving, caring and loving person you were. I would not have missed you and your light so much." His deep, dark eyes soften in realization, and his smile disappears.
"So you are saying-"
"I do not want to live another day that I do not tell you thank you for what you have done for me. I never want another minute to pass where I do not have the option to touch you and give you the care and adoration you deserve. I cannot bear a life that does not include you in it, and I know I do not deserve you or your love, and I do not expect it. You should be with someone who has always appreciated you, and-"
"Shh, Rin, sweetheart." He placed his finger on my lips to silence me, and easily lifts me onto his waiting lap. He cradles me like an infant, softly and peacefully humming. After a moment, he dips his head to nuzzle my neck, continuing his humming. His love pulses around us, mixing with mine. The air is thick with unsaid words. I have never felt so safe, wanted, or needed before. My tears fall again, and his hand moves to my face to wipe at them.
"Don't even bother. They aren't going to stop." I sniffle my warning. He chuckles, and pulls back to look into my lighter eyes.
"You will never know what you mean to me, but I will spend every day telling you what I should have told you from the day we met. Your beauty lights up any space, and anyone who does not see that is blind. The care you give your patients is so wonderful." He moves his lips to my cheek for a soft kiss.
"Please, Rin, I want to make you a few promises that I will never break. First, if Kakashi ever threaten you again, I will be the one to kick his ass, unless you really want to do the honors," he winks, and continues.
"Next, as long as you exist, you will never be alone. Even if one of us is physically gone from this world, I will always think of you and be there for you. You will never wonder if you are beautiful, because I promise you will get tired of me saying it. I have a lot of time to make up for." We laugh, and my tears stop, but my vulnerable heart flutters at otherworldly speeds as he speaks to me.
I am the one who is dreaming.
"Last, you will never, ever question whether or not you are loved. I have loved you since the first day you walked into class, and I will love you until I cease to exist. If you become lost, I will find you. If you cry, I will catch every tear that falls. If you're hurt, I will be the one who insists on clumsily healing your wounds, taking instruction from you, hanging onto every word."
I launch myself at him, throwing my arms around his neck for the first time.
"Obito, oh goodness."
He lays me down on his pillow and situates himself above me, supporting his weight on his elbows. His left hand repeatedly brushes my hair, soothingly.
"I love you so much Obito. Your letters, your soul, it just means so much to me. I will cherish you everyday. I will never take you for granted. How could I? You look at me with the most loving expression, and I feel so safe and warm. I will do everything in my power to see you happy all the days of my life, and beyond that."
He sucks in a large breath, and his lips descend upon mine. He is soft at first, but then he becomes more daring.
To the rhythm of the steady rain outside, we discover each other, touching, tasting, and loving. We lose ourselves in each other, desperately conveying messages with our bodies. As I lay next to Obito, my head resting on his chest, legs intertwined, and his arm draped around me, stroking, we both exhale sharply at the same time, causing mutual laughter. I snort like a pig, and he grabs me tighter, laughing so hard, I feel his muscles ripple with the action.
How did I become so lucky?
Obito
I refuse to close my eyes once she falls asleep. At six in the morning the sun still hides below the horizon. Rin giggles in her sleep and snuggles closer to me. I smile and kiss her forehead.
No way in hell I am falling asleep. I am not missing any of this.
He has always been hers, but now she is his.
How did I become so lucky?