This is for Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf. I really tried to make it a fluff Rin/Obito one-shot, but the plot bunnies kinda had other plans. I hope you enjoy!
His mind was in a constant state of emotional turbulence: anger, depression, guilt, but ultimately, a deep-rooted sorrow that hadn't eased since her death
And it was always the worst on the anniversary.
He clutched a bouquet of flowers in his trembling grip as he stood stock still in front of her grave, trying to remember what he had planned to say. Finally, he whispered hoarsely,"It's been five years already," Her face flashed in front of him, beautiful brown hair framed an equally beautiful, blood-splattered face. She was smiling at him, completely oblivious to the hole in her chest, she looked so happy to see him. She looked so real, so completely solid he almost reached out to touch her, but...He knew she wasn't really there. She never was.
He always was nearer to the abyss on this particular date.
He shuddered and forced away the image. Kneeling to lay his gift down, he started his usual one-sided conversation to distract himself from the tempest of similar hallucinations stockpiled in his head, waiting to break through into the real world,"I've been making progress on the project I've been working on, you know, the one I told you about last time."
There was already a bouquet laying there. Kakashi had already been here then. He froze, a spark of anger raced through him. That traitor should know better than to pretend to honor her, the girl he murdered. He grabbed his former teammate's flowers roughly, throwing them to the wind, and replaced them with his own.
Sitting down, he took a deep breath before continuing,"But nothing can really start for a while, so I guess we'll just have to be patient. You always were good at that, me and Ka-I must have driven you crazy at times. Always getting banged up, pulling dumb stunts, asking you to fix me." A rare smiled formed on a tired, worn out face,"and you always did. Even when I didn't want you to..."
A memory flitted unbidden past his well guarded barrier. Rin, dragging him to to the hospital after a training session that had gotten out of hand. He'd struggled against her iron grip, trying to act tough, saying he was fine, even as his cracked rib or two creaked with every gasp , and tears streamed from his eyes. He could never sneak an injury past her. He tried to ignore the third person in that memory. Frustratingly, he stained most of his memories of Rin, polluting them with the dirty, pompous lier he was.
Growling to himself, he stopped that train of though before it could lead him to somewhere he shouldn't go. Today was Rin's day, there was no room for him.
Rin..."I'll get you back, no matter what the cost." And if a small, rebellious part of him swore that he'd also get revenge on the man who'd separated them in the first place, well who would know?
There was once a boy smiled.
For he fancied a special young miss,
What love had the boy for the girl,
Who kindness outshone the stars.
He admired everything about her,
Her interests, hobbies, skills,
laugh, smile, and the shear light,
That was in her heart.
But he was too shy to tell her that,
He loved her through and through.
And one day he lost her,
There was nothing he could do.
Her death utterly consumed him,
It drove him mad, and beyond.
He couldn't live without her by his side,
So he had to get her back.
But was it possible,
To bring someone back from the afterlife?
In his weakened, fragile state,
He was tricked into believing it was.
And so that poor boy who had once,
Smiled so freely,
Was cast into complete darkness,
Simply because he loved and lost.
Many years he spent,
Planning, preparing,
He almost had the goal in his grasp,
Before it all fell apart.
But then, a ray of sun broke through,
Into his dark, decaying world.
It reached out, and took his hand,
To lead him back to the light.
Where his love was waiting for him,
Thank you all for all your suggestions! I've been delighted by all the positive attention this story has gotten so far.