Miscommunication

by silverdagger45

In which Rin Nohara is secretly in love with her best friend, Obito Uchiha. - A one-shot where Rin deals with the dilemma of falling in love with Obito, but she does not wish to take a step forward because she does not want to ruin her friendship with him; yet time only worked against her. AU - Canon Divergence. One-shot. ObiRin. Obito x Rin.

Disclaimer: NARUTO (C) Masashi Kishimoto
Pairing: Obito Uchiha x Rin Nohara
Rating: M for steamy contents

Notes: This is an alternate setting in the NARUTO universe - in which Obito does not get crushed by a boulder and has two eyes.

-.x.-

.

Miscommunication

.

-.x.-

It was no longer deniable that Rin Nohara was secretly in love with her best friend, Obito Uchiha.

It wasn't even a normal attraction, where one would just think that their best friend was good-looking and insanely hot.

Falling in love with a best friend is by far the most complex sensations that could ever happen to someone; especially when one would never expect that it could actually – well - happen.

It was a paradoxical cocktail of emotions.

It's a beautiful feeling, yet a very dreadful one.

One would think that after knowing them for so long, especially since childhood, things would always remain platonic and unchanging. The relationship would be a total plateau. Just a wholesome, lovely sibling-like relationship where they would both support each other through thick and thin, take care of each other and help one another grow and achieve their goals, because that's what a true bond and true friendship meant.

Except…

No one really talks about how a relationship like that was also like a seed being planted in the deepest crevices of one's heart, and that time and consistent communication was the water that nourishes those seeds that would slowly but surely grow into what would lead a person desiring more than just friendship – and it was unknown whether the outcome would be in a place of happiness, or a place of heartbreak.

And that was exactly the dilemma that Rin Nohara was currently going through, as a young woman at the age of twenty-two, who is a full-fledged Jonin kunoichi and a well-known, highly skilled medical ninja.

Each time she saw her childhood teammate and best friend, Obito Uchiha, the butterflies would flutter in her tummy, and her heart would skip beats. She could feel the burn of her blush seeping against her cheeks whenever her hazel eyes landed on him.

She couldn't help it.

As time went by, Obito had only drastically improved as a ninja. He was getting stronger, and stronger – his ninjutsu and taijutsu skills were incredibly powerful, and his sharpness and intellect when it came to strategies were exceptional; he always managed to come up with a new combination for him to use with her and Kakashi, and they were always effective. His determination, his ambition to become the Hokage so that he could save the world as a promise to her, his charming personality and motivation to consistently work hard, and his love for his teammates and village made her feel a strange swirl of emotions – emotions she never felt before towards the Uchiha that she had known all her life.

It was as though there was a force that was pulling her to him, and it only made Rin desire to stay close to Obito, to lean onto his brightness and warmth, and watch over him and enhance her support for him – she would give more to him than she ever did before - and this went on for years.

They were always spending time together, and the attraction developed gradually.

It all started when she grew up and realized that she and Kakashi were incompatible, and that she preferred being friends with him. She received a wake-up call after their mission in Kannabi Bridge; and Kakashi's words rung in her mind until this day.

"My priority was the mission. It was Obito who was so adamant about rescuing you, when I would've chosen otherwise."

Rin felt so many things at once when she heard the words of the teammate that she had feelings for. Confusion, shock, and most definitely…disappointment.

"Then…" Her brows furrowed. "Then why? Why did you end up rescuing me with him?"

Kakashi went silent for a moment, staring at Obito, and then replied.

"Because it was the right thing to do."

He slanted his eyes to her, and gave her a pointed, serious look. "You don't know how much he cares about you. He was willing to do anything just to save you. He almost risked his life looking for you. I followed him because I wasn't willing to let him stupidly die at the hands of the enemy."

Kakashi then stood up, and Rin faced his back. He looked at her over her shoulder and said, "The one you should truly be thanking is him, not me."

The silver-haired ninja walked away, moving towards the Uchiha, leaving Rin to stare after him.

After processing the overwhelming emotions that rumbled inside her, and accepting the fact that she was merely in love with the idea of Kakashi, rather than who he really is – Rin got a really good taste of clarity and decided that she would fully shed away her affections for the silver-haired prodigy, because realistically, they were both incompatible and it was all for the best.

She accepted Kakashi just the way he is, and realized that allowing her friendship with Kakashi to grow would be the best for both, her and him. A friendship where they both had each other's backs, a friendship where they both just accepted each other for who they are. Kakashi, albeit not saying anything, definitely knew this as well.

It all made it easier for her to shed away her crush for the silver-haired prodigy and simply focus on developing her abilities to be a reliable medical-ninja, and things have been running smoothly since then.

However, Rin's eyes could never leave the Uchiha who was willing to throw his life away just to save her.

She started to notice things about him that she never really noticed before, or only took it in a friendly, sibling type of way.

Like how Obito was extremely protective of her. When they were alone together on a mission, and his ears would pick up the tiniest sounds, he would stand in front of her with an arm stretched out, while holding up a kunai and using his Sharingan to scan the premises. If it turned out to be a little rabbit in the bush, he would adorably chuckle and shake his head, then look over his shoulder and say, "Better safe than sorry, right?"

Or the way he lightens up whenever she shows up to meet with the team, or just by seeing her in general, Obito would perk up and flash her that wide smile. She even noticed him checking her out a few times, his dark eyes wandering up and down her form, and then a light pink blush would dust over his cheeks, and Rin liked that look on his face – a lot.

It's those little things that triggered a sensation in Rin – it made her heart tingle, and the next thing she knew, she always stayed close to him – if the team had to separate, Rin would vote to go with Obito, and the two of them worked well together. If Obito would land a scratch or get injured in some way, she would always run to him and treat his wounds before anyone else, because she hated to see him hurt in any way.

She loved how caring he was, it made her feel so drawn to the Uchiha that she found herself wanting to be around him more and more.

At one point, Rin thought that this was only an attraction since Obito had the charming qualities that she wanted in a guy and it would go away just like how it did with Kakashi, because he was her best friend and it wasn't worth risking their friendship by taking things a step further.

Yet time worked against her, and instead, it only watered and nourished that little seed that was planted in her heart.

They would eat together, hang out, train, team up in missions, and eventually they ended up casually coming over to each other's house. Things have become far more personal between the two of them, like they had their own little world, and Rin loved every bit of it.

It got to the point where they actually gave each other copies of their house keys. Sometimes, when Obito was out on a solo mission for the day, Rin would casually enter his house and prepare dinner for him, and Obito's face would lighten up at the sight of her standing in his kitchen, stirring a pot or chopping vegetables as the smell of the delicious food wafted in his house.

They would then sit on his floor table, and Rin would watch Obito happily eat the food that she made just for him – although she made it seem as though it was for the two of them to share; and she would smile giddily with a bright blush as she took in his handsome features.

Sometimes they would hang out in restaurants at the 24-Hour District late at night just to kick back after a long day, or even take casual night walks at the park, where the weather was fair and pleasant, with the moon shining beautifully over them, reflecting over a clear pond that had koi fish swimming around.

They would casually hold hands, or she would hold onto his arm as they hung around, and it really bumped up their flirting game, where they would tease each other, playfully nudge and touch each other.

The way he compliments her had her blushing all over, because of how genuine he sounds when he says them. She lost count on how many times she caught herself smiling like a fool whenever she remembers his praises.

Although Rin didn't want to admit this, but they were technically doing things that were…more than what best friends would do… especially between a guy and a girl…

But Rin didn't want to admit it.

Even when her friends suspected that something was going on between her and the Uchiha, she would deny it immediately, and say that they were just very close friends, and that they've known each other since they were kids – so it was normal.

It was all normal.

Yet again, time worked against her – and it was getting harder and harder to remain in denial. Time allowed her to see so many sides of Obito, and that was only fueling her attraction towards him in every way, even physically.

One time, she was heading over to his place in the Uchiha compounds, and Obito happened to have a day off. The moment she entered his house, she caught him shirtless, wearing nothing but black pants and a towel around his neck. Her eyes were locked on his lean body, taking in the firm tones of his muscles, his wide pecs, tight abs, and delightful-looking sturdy biceps.

For the first time, Rin's mind decided to flash her images of her legs wrapped around his waist while ferociously kissing him with her hands were running all over his body.

She didn't realize that she was in a daze until she heard her name, and his voice made her jolt slightly.

"Rin?" Obito asked, raising a brow. "Why are you standing over there? Make yourself comfortable."

How could she make herself comfortable, when he was walking around his house looking like a grade-A hunk? She didn't know how she made it to his couch, but she did. The whole time, she prayed he never caught her staring at him, or taking in all the dips and flexes on his body.

"Your face is red, Rin." Obito asked, frowning. "Are you alright? Are you feeling hot?"

When she felt a hand press at her forehead, she blinked out of her haze several times, focusing back on the Uchiha, whose face was already too close to hers. She gasped and pulled back in shock, stuttering.

"H-hot—I—Yes, you're hot—I mean! Yes! It's hot, really hot!" She fumbled, her eyes shutting tight and her hands covering her face. She could feel her heart about to burst out of her ribcage, the drumming sound felt like it was mocking her.

Obito only looked confused, before shrugging and standing up to make his way to the other side of the room. He grabbed the remote to turn on the air conditioner. "Well, why didn't you say anything? It's strange though. The weather has been quite pleasant, lately. Maybe it's going to be really hot in the summer."

Rin was fiddling with her long hair as her eyes darted around. When Obito's back was turned to her, she dared to take another peek, and bit her lip at how broad and muscular his back and shoulders were, before she replied.

"Yeah… Maybe…"

"I'll be right back," He smiled at her as he made his way upstairs to his room. "I'm just going to put on a shirt."

Yes, wait- no- wait, yes—no…

In a few minutes, he came back down wearing his casual, Uchiha high-collared shirt.

"I was working out earlier, and had a shower before you came,"

A shower. A cold shower is what she really needed right now.

She tried her best to listen to what he was telling her.

"I got some treats from some of the old folks I helped out today, and they're really delicious!"

Treat. Delicious. Yes, that's exactly what the Uchiha looked like.

And while she knew that Obito had been helping the elderly all his life since he was a young boy, and that it was the reason he was always notoriously late, for some reason, this fact only made her want to throw herself at him and show him exactly what he was doing to her.

She didn't want to admit it, but Obito was dragging her to a point of no return – not only is her best friend a freaking babe magnet that turned her on without even trying, but he is also a sweet, adorable, gentle soul that had the power to snap a neck in a second, and it only made her want to melt and float at the same time.

There was that one special moment Rin could never forget, and it set everything in stone for her – it was the day that she, Rin Nohara, realized that she was completely in love with Obito Uchiha:

Rin, Obito and Kakashi were hanging out with Gai, Kurenai, Asuma, Anko, Genma, and Raido in Shushu-ya. They were seated in a table by the corner of the restaurant, laughing and talking as they drank sake and shared some delicious yakitori together. They were all winding down after a month of being busy with missions left, right, center, and it had been a while since they all hung out as classmates.

Rin had just gotten out of the restroom and was casually making her way back to the table, when a stranger, who also happened to be a shinobi, blocked her way to hit on her.

She moved to the side, and he still blocked her way. Rin felt awkward and creeped out. She didn't like the way he was looking at her one bit.

Rin was definitely an attractive woman for her age; round chest and fine curves in all the right places, and she had grown her hair down to the middle of her back. Her shinobi outfit style changed a little as well – she wore a black, sleeveless yukata over her shorts, with red stockings and matching long, fingerless gloves over her arms.

She never really noticed anyone looking her way, because her mind was only occupied with the Uchiha. So, someone hitting on her – especially so boldly like this guy – only caught her off guard.

"You know, I couldn't keep my eyes off you the whole time," The shinobi said, smirking as he ran his eyes over her figure.

"Then you better look away before you lose both eyes." A voice spoke in a cold tone, and Rin gasped when she felt an arm wrap over her waist and tug her close.

Her breath caught at her throat, and she looked up to see Obito towering over the shinobi, while she was pressed up against his side. He had an icy, deadly look on his face, and wait—was that… was that his Sharingan?!

His crimson eyes sharply gleamed as he stared down at the shinobi, who was now frightened. Instead of replying to Obito, he simply fumbled and clumsily turned around to hastily get away from the two nins, and disappear from their sight.

Obito then looked down at her warmly with a serious expression on his face, and his brows furrowed slightly in worry.

"Are you alright?"

Rin didn't answer him immediately – instead, she was staring up at the Uchiha, dazed by the way he just protected her.

In that moment, she felt as though a phantom arrow was shot straight towards her thumping heart, and it left her filled with a vortex of emotions storming inside her – admiration, happiness, pleasure, mixed with dread, nervousness and shock – and that was when Rin knew that she could no longer deny it anymore.

She could no longer lie to herself.

She is undoubtedly in love with Uchiha Obito.

After their hangout in Shushu-ya, Obito walked Rin home, and her mind kept replaying the way Obito held her waist and pulled her to his side. She remembered that tingling feeling that spread all over. She remembered the icy, intimidating expression on his face, and how it switched to a warm, worried one when that creep ran off.

She was holding his arm as they walked in a comfortable silence, and as soon as they reached her door, he started to bid her goodbye, but she cut him off.

"Obito, wait." Rin did not let go of his arm – instead, she tugged him down until he bent forward, and she leaned up and held his head between both of her soft hands. She stood on her tiptoes and brushed a lingering kiss on his cheek.

Time slowed for a beat.

When Obito stood back up, his eyes were wide, and his lips were parted in shock as he stared at her.

Rin only looked down at her feet shyly, her hand clutching nervously at her arm.

"Thank you… for today. Thank you for protecting me earlier. It really means a lot." She said softly.

Obito swallowed, a pink blush dusting his cheeks, and he cleared his throat as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Of course, Rin." He said with a gentle tone. "I'll always be there to protect you."

Another phantom arrow struck her heart.

As she glanced up at his handsome face, that was warmly smiling down at her, Rin's treacherous heart squeezed.

She wanted him. She yearned for him. She yearned to cross that one line that would either:

Change their entire friendship into something that might make them both happy if it all worked out.

Or

Risk losing her friendship because these types of relationship do not always work out. Some people were just better off as friends than lovers, and things could just turn completely awkward and painful if anything were to ruin what they had between them.

Unfortunately… Rin knew that Option B was most likely the outcome if she did dare to bravely cross that line…

It was better for them to remain as they were.

Their friendship was already beautiful and intimate, and it allowed them be with one another without any awkwardness or uncertainty.

There was no need to ruin it all because of her heart's desire…

-.x.-

"Hang in there, Obito!"

Obito let out a shuddery breath and winced in pain as Rin pushed her chakra over his torso.

Rin, Kakashi, and Obito were deployed on a mission to intercept a group of missing-nin from Kirigakure after the Hokage, Minato, received intel that they were plotting to raid and pillage Konohagakure.

As soon as they got close to the Land of Water, they were ambushed by those missing-nin, who happened to be irritatingly difficult to fight off. The battle was long, strenuous, and entirely messy – one thing led to another, and the enemy was about to drive a sword through Rin's back, but Obito stood in the way and took the hit instead – where the sword pierced through his abdomen and went through his back, and the enemy was merciless enough to twist the sword and roughly pull it out.

Unfortunately, Obito was too focused on getting Rin out of the way that he couldn't use his Mangekyou Sharingan to become intangible, and so he dropped to his knees, coughing blood and wheezing as he clutched at his wound, gritting his teeth in pain.

Rin instantly weaved hand seals, and expelled a large torrent of water from her mouth towards the opponent that stabbed the Uchiha, and Kakashi immediately took advantage with his Chidori to combine it with Rin's Water Release in order to land a fatal electric shock that scattered over most of their enemies.

Kakashi then told her that he'll take care of the rest of them while she goes on somewhere to heal Obito.

Obito of course, was too stubborn to listen, he started to weave hand seals to expel his Housenka at the enemy, and this only opened up his wounds further. Rin held on to him tightly and with a smoke bomb, she took Obito with her and vanished from the battle, while Kakashi easily kept the enemy occupied since they were now weaker thanks to their combination.

Obito was currently on the ground with his flack jacket torn open and his shirt pulled up, while Rin's hands were glowing bright green as she seeped her chakra over his wounds.

"Rin… Don't panic… It's going to be fine…" Obito rasped out, his eyes half-lidded while smiling at her. "This is nothing-"

"Stop talking!" Rin shouted, gritting her teeth angrily. Obito focused his gaze on her face, and his eyes widened when she saw that her hazel orbs were shining with tears. "I need to stop the bleeding."

"Rin…"

"Gosh! Why do you always…!"

"Rin," Obito looked at her worriedly. "Why are you angry?"

Rin didn't answer him immediately. She remained focused until the bleeding ceased, and until his wounds started to seal up.

"You're always selflessly sacrificing yourself for others…You're always putting your life on the line… Why?" Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she bit back a sob.

"Why do you always do this, Obito?!"

Obito didn't answer her immediately, and instead, he weakly reached out a hand and placed it on top of hers. Rin jolted at the sudden touch, her eyes widening, and she turned to look at the Uchiha, and saw a serious expression on his face.

"I'll always protect my comrades, no matter what."

He then moved to sit up, wincing and groaning at the aches that spread all over his body.

Rin gasped and helped him lean against the tree. "Obito! You shouldn't-!"

Obito then took her hand in his and tightened his grip, and Rin felt those familiar flutters in her tummy. When Obito turned his head to look at her fully, she realized how close their faces were and her heart started racing.

Their gazes locked – and Rin was completely entranced by those dark pools of his obsidian eyes… so intense and warm with emotion…

Her heart was going to burst.

The way he was looking at her… It only made her want to drown in those dazzling eyes…

She could hear how they were both breathing rapidly, but neither of them made a move to pull back, and Obito did not let go of her hand, which he held tightly to his chest.

For a second there, just for a second, both of their eyes flicked down to each other's lips, then back up.

"I'll never let anything happen to you," Obito whispered in a low tone. "I'll always be there to protect you, Rin."

Maybe it was the heat of the moment, or because she was just lost in the haze of their proximity and the only thing that she could process is the closeness of Obito's face, but the moment she heard those words come out of his mouth, Rin did something that she never thought she would do at a time where Obito was weak and injured, and in the middle of a mission…

She leaned in and pressed her lips against his.

It was light. Feathery. Just a gentle touch of her soft lips that brushed over and faintly captured his.

Obito's eyes widened in complete shock – he was lost in a total daze, wondering if he was simply hallucinating, or if this was really happening. He was completely frozen – unmoving – and his mind short-circuited. He could feel his heart drumming against his ribcage, begging to burst out.

It was only when Rin pulled away, looking just as shocked as he was, with a bright blush streaking across her nose and cheeks, and her hand pressed up against her mouth as though she was asking herself what she'd done, that Obito realized that it was definitely, undoubtedly real.

Rin Nohara, the woman he's been in love with all his life, actually kissed him.

However, he'd be lying if he said that this was what he always dreamed of – mainly because of that look on her face; she looked so shocked and horrified that it was so unsettling.

Before he could open his mouth to say anything, another voice interrupted them, and it made them jolt like two cats that were splashed by cold water.

"Rin! Obito! Are you both alright?"

"Ah—P-Pakkun!" Rin called out to the pug, who came out of nowhere. "I—uh, Yes! Obito is just injured, and needed some time to heal,"

"Okay, good." The ninken said. "Kakashi managed to defeat the enemies, however he will need some assistance from Obito." He looked over at the Uchiha. "How are you feeling? Can you stand?"

Rin looked at the Uchiha worriedly, and wanted to tell him not to push himself, but she was simply ignored, and Obito pushed himself off the ground and stood up.

"I'm fine," Obito said, huffing out a breath. "You can lead me to Kakashi."

"Obito…" Rin called out softly, standing next to him and placing her hand on his arm. "You shouldn't—"

Obito simply shook her head and glanced at her, his Sharingan gleaming. "Rin, I'm fine." He said, with the corner of his lips lifted. "You already healed me and took care of my wounds, and I can't thank you enough." He then looked forward, and squared himself.

"I can't let Bakakashi take all the spotlight, so let's go and wrap this mission up!"

When they returned to their silver-haired teammate, Obito fought back-to-back with Kakashi, and used his Mangekyou Sharingan to trap some of the enemies who were still standing in his Time-Space dimension so that they could be interrogated once they return to Konoha.

The team eventually neutralized the threat, and returned to Konoha to report to the Hokage and the Interrogation Force.

The mission was successful, and the Fourth Hokage was praised for training such an outstanding team who happened to be his best and exceptionally reliable subordinates for saving Konoha from such a disturbing matter.

However…

While things were only looking brighter for the team, that also meant that some changes were about to happen…

All because of that one kiss.

-.x.-

Obito couldn't stop thinking about that kiss ever since then, and it kept replaying in his mind over, and over, and over. He felt so many conflicting emotions bubble up inside him, and it made his chest squeeze.

A normal reaction was him being all happy that the girl he loved had actually kissed him, but when he recalled the way Rin looked at him – like it was some sort of mistake – he couldn't help but feel completely confused.

If it was a mistake, then why did she kiss him in the first place?

If it wasn't a mistake then what did it mean?

What did it all mean?

He fought with himself for days, laying on his bed and recovering from his wounds while thinking about that mission.

It even plagued his dreams, for crying out loud! His mind tormented him with images of Rin kissing him, and he would kiss her back and they would end up getting all hot and steamy in the middle of the woods, where they tore each other's clothes off and she would climb on top of him and just—

Obito smacked a palm to his face and hissed out a curse.

"Fuck…!" He ran a hand over his hair and tugged it slightly, exhaling a heavy sigh.

This was getting out of hand.

He needed to talk to her about this, or else he would get stuck in this loop of overanalyzing the whole situation over and over, and digging out assumptions out of nowhere.

And that was exactly what he did after he fully recovered.

When Obito met Rin again, they acted normal and casual with each other, just as they always did. They had dinner at Ichiraku Ramen, and afterwards they took a casual stroll around the village, chitchatting here and there and sharing some funny jokes.

The whole time, Obito was intently reading Rin's body language and analyzing the words she was saying – and he noted that she never mentioned anything about that kiss throughout the whole time they've been talking, that she was just being her usual self around him.

For the first time ever… it made Obito feel incredibly disturbed.

How could she act as though nothing happened? And how was he forcing himself to play it normal, when clearly, it was all he wanted to talk about?

Obito held on.

He didn't want to ruin the day by blurting out what had been pricking at his mind the whole time. He had to wait for the right opportunity to address the matter, because this wasn't something that could be ignored.

So, after having what seemed to be a good time with Rin, he walked her off home. It was rather pleasant, and he took in the warmth of her hand gently holding on his arm. By the time they reached her door, Rin turned around to face him.

"Well, I guess this is goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow, Obito." She said, smiling up at the Uchiha, before turning to walk to her door.

A hand on her wrist stopped her, and Rin froze.

"Rin, wait. There's something I need to talk to you about."

Rin slowly turned around, and looked up at the Uchiha nervously, and Obito kept his dark eyes locked on hers. He also looked nervous; his muscles were tense, and his heart was pounding.

He then took in a deep breath to steel himself, and finally spoke up.

"About that time… During our last mission…"

Rin knew where this was going.

Dread clawed at her guts.

Rin knew that there was going to be a time where the whole situation was going to be addressed, and she tried to think of ways to talk to Obito about it, but she wasn't ready at all.

Or, more accurately, she didn't know what to tell him.

She absolutely hated the thought of things turning weird between them, and hence, she did her very best to act normal just as they always been, without any awkwardness or tension. But of course… it would catch up to her eventually… and it just happened that Obito was the one to bring it up.

"When you know… you…" He cleared his throat and rubbed his neck, glancing off to the side in embarrassment. "When you kissed me… Did it… mean anything?"

Rin didn't answer him immediately. Her eyes where shamefully looking at anything but him.

Why did she kiss Obito?

Because she couldn't help herself but kiss him in that moment.

She couldn't help but want to feel his lips against hers because of the way he looked at her in that moment.

She couldn't help but fall for him each time she saw the way his words were just as solid as his promises.

But she will be damned if she would let her heart's desire ruin what was going on so well between them.

Rin had seen the way long-term friendships ended when it turns into something more. Two people who have known each other for a long time fall in love… and then it doesn't end up working out…

She would rather not face a failed relationship than lose her best friend.

And she most certainly wouldn't want to lose her best friend because of that one kiss.

Rin bit her lip, and her hand tightly clutched at her arm. Gosh… this was so difficult!

Rin let out a shuddery breath, and spoke up softly.

"Listen, Obito…" Rin started. "I… I'm really sorry about that kiss. It was all just in the heat of the moment and I wasn't thinking straight…"

Obito's heart sunk, and his throat felt heavy. He looked down and smiled emptily, dejected and feeling like an idiot for actually hoping.

"Oh."

Rin swallowed, and finally looked up at him. Her hazel orbs shone with guilt and regret, and it only shot another punch in Obito's guts.

"I'm really sorry, Obito! I really didn't mean to do that… I-I just…" she stuttered nervously. Her throat felt really heavy, and her heart was already loud in her ears.

"It was a mistake…I'm so sorry, Obito…"

A deafening silence.

Rin hated every second that passed, and what didn't help was Obito's unreadable expression. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, no matter how much she observed his features intently, hoping to at least get a clue of what was going on in his head after her words.

After a minute – which felt like an hour in that moment, Obito spoke.

"So, it was all just in the heat of the moment." He said calmly.

Rin nodded shamefully, biting her lips.

'Heat of the moment' is correct. "Yes."

"And… since you said it's a mistake, it didn't really mean anything."

That, however, is incorrect.

Rin hesitated, the voices in her head were fighting with each other – one side begged her to tell him the truth and take it all back, while the other side told her to stay quiet or else things will only get ruined from there.

She chose to listen to the other side, because there was an imminent awkwardness that was currently building between them, and Rin wasn't having any of it.

It's alright, though.

She lied to herself before, she could do it again – if it meant saving her friendship with the man she was secretly in love with.

"I…I'm sorry…" she apologized once more, looking down. "Please forgive me, Obito… I really didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable or to put you in such a situation…"

A beat passed.

And then Obito patted her shoulder, which made Rin jolt and look at him in surprise.

He was smiling, but his eyes were rather calm and placid. Empty.

"It's alright, Rin. I get it." No, he didn't get it. "I guess these things just happen, especially when we let our emotions cloud of judgement."

He then shoved both hands in his pocket and heaved out what seemed to be a 'relieved' sigh.

"Phew! At least we got that out of the way, right?"

"Obito…" Rin stepped closer to him and looked at him pleadingly. "I don't want this to change anything between us…"

"What?" Obito raised a brow, then chuckled and shook his head. "No! I'm sure it won't. Like you said, it was in the heat of the moment and it didn't mean anything." He then shrugged. "So, nothing should change between us if that's the case."

Rin blinked a few times. Wait, what?

Her brows furrowed. "Obito, are you sure?"

Obito nodded his head, his smile widening. "Positive. So don't worry, alright?"

For some reason, Rin only felt relieved, yet bothered at the same time.

Relieved that things were going to be normal.

Bothered because… Obito was being far too casual and calm about something like this. It was weird… it shouldn't be, but it was.

Because deep down, that kiss did mean something to her. It did come from a place in her heart. However, the way Obito was fully accepting her lie made her think that he didn't feel anything…

Sure, he was talking to her about it, because he must have felt completely awkward and strange that she would kiss him out of nowhere, and he deserved answers. She was the one that instigated the move, after all.

She hated the way her heart felt heavy. She hated how it was hard to swallow. She hated how she just wanted to cry, and she knew she wouldn't stop herself the moment Obito leaves.

Still, though. Things were already said and done. Rin decided to lie to him, and the only thing she could do was deal with the outcome.

"Okay," Rin whispered, her eyes not leaving his. "I..I really had fun today, and I hope you did too."

Obito huffed out a slight chuckle. "Yeah, I did as well. I always have fun when you're around. We'll do it again, okay?"

Rin managed to quirk a wide smile, and her eyes formed crescents. "Yeah! For sure!"

Obito then took a step back. "I'll let you go then? So, you can get some rest?"

"Y-yeah. I'll see you tomorrow, Obito!"

Obito simply nodded his head and raised a hand to wave, then turned around to walk away. "See you tomorrow. Good night, Rin."

"Good night..." she whispered softly, her eyes locked on his retreating figure until he turned the corner and disappeared from her view.

They were usually very touchy. They would usually keep holding hands, and only let go when she starts walking towards her door.

This time, Obito kept his hands in his pockets, and Rin kept her hands on her sides.

In that moment, Rin immediately threw her door open, and slammed it, then leaned her back against it, and pressed a palm against her chest while taking deep breaths to calm herself.

Meanwhile, as soon as Obito walked far enough from her house, his eyes activated, and his Sharingan spun into his Mangekyou. He then absorbed himself into his Time-Space dimension, and decided to let out his frustrations the heavy load that he had been repressing in his heart.

After wreaking a havoc upon the walls and surfaces of the dimension, which would simply rebuild itself no matter how many times he destroyed them, he sat on the ground with his hand pressed against his face, and his fingers clutching onto his hair.

He gritted his teeth and tense figure trembled.

He was an idiot.

He was such a fucking idiot.

What the hell was he thinking, having his hopes up like that?

Rin only saw him as a friend… They were only best friends… Of course, the whole thing was in the heat of the moment. They were in the middle of a mission, and she probably wasn't thinking straight because of how nervous and panicked she was when she was treating his wounds.

Why the hell did he have to imagine that things would turn out differently from there?

Obito then remembered the shocked look on her face.

As though she had done something wrong.

As though…. As though he wasn't the person that she wanted to kiss…

"It was a mistake…I'm so sorry, Obito…"

His heart clenched painfully.

Could it be… that she was hoping it was Kakashi instead of him…?

It wasn't impossible…maybe that's why she was horrified. Her first kiss happened to be him instead of his silver-haired teammate. Of course, she would be horrified. Of course, she would still have feelings for him, and naturally Rin wouldn't want to tell him that so she could spare his feelings.

He felt another wave of anger burst through him, and he slammed his bleeding fist on the ground.

Gosh, this fucking sucks.

"Damn it…" He hissed out.

And of course, he lied to her.

He told her he understood.

He made it look like he was okay.

No, he wasn't fucking okay – but just like how she hated the thought of things changing between them, he felt the same way too.

The last thing Obito wanted was for any sort of tension or awkwardness between him and Rin.

They talked about it, and it's done. They both agreed on something, and they should go on from there.

Obito got his answer… and there was no use dwelling on it. He should just live on like he always did.

-.x.-

Rin tried to forget about that incident ever since she and Obito had spoken about it – but her mind was a treacherous fiend that mocked her with the images of that kiss each night before she went to sleep. Throughout the day, she would distract herself by working shifts at the Konoha Hospital, lending her aid at the ER and running around dealing with trauma patients. The adrenaline helped her remain distracted, but even when she returned to her house completely exhausted and worn out, it didn't stop her mind from thinking about their kiss and their conversation.

Sleeping was torture.

It was always – always a dream about that kiss that turned into something more, and she would always wake up all hot and bothered, breathing heavily with a burning blush across her face.

She'd sometimes dream about them getting all steamy during the mission – where Obito would return her kiss, and tangle his hand in her hair, and she would then climb on top of him and they would end up removing their layers of clothes and settle herself in his lower region, while his kisses would move lower, and lower…

Or sometimes, he'd pin her against a tree – where they'd kiss passionately, and she'd end up wrapping her legs around her waist, and move her hips against his while he teases her neck with his tongue as he moves in and out of her, and she'd release a loud moan…

It was always something so erotic that made her thighs tighten, and Rin would curse out because she was now sexually frustrated and she couldn't even let herself do something about her feelings for her best friend.

Each time she saw him, she'd only imagine the dreams she had, and she would end up blushing and looking away awkwardly, and of course, Obito would be oblivious about her behavior.

Each time he touched her hand, or was leaning close to her, Rin had to stop herself from tugging him down and giving in to her desires.

Gosh… being around him simply had two forces pulling at her from both sides – one that made her want to run away, and the other that made her want to spend more time with him.

Of course, because she has deep feelings for the Uchiha, she would opt for the second option; she hated the thought of not spending time with him, so she stole every chance and moment she could get.

If they were with their friends, and then they had to leave, Rin would count on their long walks just to stay with him some more. When they were training, Rin would make them homemade bento, and she would hear his praises which made her heart soar. She loved watching him enjoy her food.

She often wondered if she was somewhat a masochist – where she enjoys the pleasures of being with someone she loved, yet also would rather suffer the pain of being so close yet so far with them.

Many times, the words 'I love you' wanted to fly out of her mouth, and many times, she had to catch herself from saying them.

Her heart was yearning – it was like a balloon that kept expanding and expanding with desire and longing, and it was only a matter of time before it bursts.

-.x.-

They were at the bar with their friends once more, celebrating the success of yet another difficult mission where they all came out alive and back in one piece. It might sound weird, but it was moments like these that a shinobi deserved to celebrate. Team Minato received positive feedback for their hard work of taking down suspicious activities that occurred by the border of the Land of Fire, and the villagers praised them for being the Hokage's best students that always made their village feel protected.

So, here they were, toasting their cups of sake and downing their shot.

"Woo! Coming together to celebrate successes is one of my favorite moments!" Gai beamed, grinning widely at his friends.

"I'll say," Kurenai smiled. "You guys are a really good team,"

"Thank you!" Rin giggled, her eyes forming crescents. "As long as we all work together, then we are bound to succeed, right?"

Asuma poured another round of sake on everyone's cup, smirking with his cigarette between his lips. "I definitely agree."

"I'll drink to that!" Gai said, holding up his little cup.

"Cheers!" they all chanted, and clinked their cups together as they took another shot.

"Waiter! Another plateful of yakitori, please!" Gai called out, raising his hand.

"Coming right up!"

The waiter came in with another plateful of freshly sizzled yakitori and placed it on the team's table.

"Oi, Kakashi! Eat some with me," Gai said, gesturing at the plate.

"Oh, thanks. I'll have one." Kakashi said, taking a skewer from Gai's plate.

"Alright, that's enough alcohol for me. I don't want to get drunk." Rin said, shaking her head.

"Is there anything else you want to drink?" Obito asked, smiling at her amusedly.

Rin looked up in thought, then sighed and smiled back at the Uchiha. "I think I'll just have some water for now."

"Aw, no fun." Kurenai pouted as she took a bite from her skewer.

"I don't plan on being a heavy drinker." Rin shrugged. "Even though I drink on occasions, I refuse to get drunk and deal with a bad hangover the next day. If there is one thing that I don't have tolerance for, it's that!"

Obito chuckled, patting her shoulder, and placed his cup down. "I'll get you some water, then."

"Ah-! Obito, it's okay! We can just call the waiter!"

Obito shook his head and stood up. "It's fine, I'll get it for you."

Rin blushed and looked down shyly, and muttered her thanks. Obito gently squeezed her shoulder, then moved and walked towards the bar. Rin stared at the Uchiha with a giddy smile on her face.

Kurenai quirked a brow at her friend, smirking. "Are you sure nothing is going on between you two?"

Rin flinched, and looked at Kurenai nervously. "What? No! Why?"

"Because you have that goofy smile on your face." Kurenai pointed out.

Rin's eyes then flicked towards each of her friends, and they were all looking at her in amusement.

"No need to worry, we won't tell him anything." Asuma teased, blowing his smoke out the window.

"There is nothing to tell! Come on, you guys, how many times do you have to bring this up?" Rin groaned, smacking a palm at her face.

"Sadly, they're going to keep bringing it up until you admit otherwise," Kakashi said, spreading his palms.

"Love sure is a complicated thing," Gai said thoughtfully.

"Argh! Stop it, you guys. Really. I don't need to repeat myself every time we hang out." Rin said, irritation laced in her tone, even though her embarrassment was giving her away.

"Alright, whatever you say." Kurenai shrugged. "We're sorry. We won't bring it up anymore."

"Thank you." She sighed.

Soft laughter tuned in their ears, and the group turned their heads towards the direction of the sound.

What they saw most definitely had their eyes popping, and their eyebrows raised. Their mouths were parted in confusion and astonishment at the sight.

A woman was standing by Obito's side, holding onto his arm, but the Uchiha's back was turned to them – they were unable to see the expression on their face.

As Rin watched them, she felt that extremely unpleasant, and alarming feeling bubble up inside her, and her breath caught in her throat.

There was that awful pang in her chest when she watched the way that woman lean close to Obito, and run her hand up and down his arm. She was flirting with him… she was flirting with her Obito! The nerve of her! Rin's fists balled up tightly, and she could feel that awful, grudging sensation rush inside her.

The moment that woman leaned up and tugged Obito down to whisper in his ear, was the moment Rin abruptly stood up from her seat, ignoring the surprised look from her friends as she made her towards the bar.

As soon as she strode over to the Uchiha, she instantly got his attention by boldly grabbing his hand, shocking him and the girl that was flirting with him.

"Rin…?" Obito's brows furrowed when he saw the way she was glaring at him.

Rin ignored him and the girl who was giving her a dirty look, and roughly tugged his hand and pulled him along with her. The water he was going to get for her was entirely forgotten.

"Rin-! What are you—?!"

Her friends watched her drag him out of the bar, and they all looked at each other in complete shock and disbelief.

Kurenai then spoke up first. "Well, I don't think she really needs to admit anything at this point."

The group nodded their heads, humming their agreement.

Rin pulled Obito out of the bar and dragged him into the alleyway.

"Rin-! Wait a minute! What's wrong?! Why are you so angry?!" Obito asked loudly.

Rin's back was still facing him, and she didn't let go of his hand.

A few hesitant beats passed.

And then suddenly, the kunoichi turned around, glaring up at the Uchiha, with a bright blush spread across her cheeks.

Obito jolted and looked at her confusingly, his dark eyes studying her expression.

She looked so damn cute – but still, the way she was staring at him was unsettling. He didn't understand what he did wrong that made her so upset.

Before Obito could think, Rin took one stride, and wrapped her arms around his neck, then stood on her tiptoes, tugged him down, and firmly pressed her lips against his.

Obito froze – his mind went blank; and his eyes were as wide as saucers when he felt those soft pink lips that he consistently dreamed of.

It took him a few seconds to register what the hell was happening right now, but then his mind, that had just short-circuited for a few beats, registered that Rin – the woman he was completely in love with - was kissing him – again.

And the Uchiha couldn't help but melt into her.

His arms coiled around her waist and held her tightly against his body, and he tilted his head to deepen the kiss.

Rin tangled her hand in his black hair, and a soft sigh of satisfaction escaped her throat when she felt the Uchiha kiss her back.

Obito was drowning – drowning in bliss, and he couldn't stop himself from passionately moving his lips against her soft ones; taking the time to absorb her sweet taste. He then shifted to lift her up, and Rin wasted no time hooking her legs around his waist.

Obito then – not so gently – pinned her against the wall, eliciting a soft gasp and a pleasured shiver from Rin, and Obito took advantage of her parted lips by brushing his tongue along hers.

Rin moaned against his mouth, her hands clutching onto his high-collared shirt, and it encouraged Obito to run his hands over the soft skin of her milky thighs, and they inched upwards until they hid underneath the hem of her sleeveless yukata – the one he always dreamed of ripping off of her beautiful body - and grabbed onto the globe of her ass.

Rin whimpered at the sensation of his warm hands, and she felt a spark tingle in between her legs. Obito let out a delighted groan and rocked his hips against hers when she bit his bottom lip, then gently sucked on it, and since he was lost in the haze of pleasure, Obito slowly broke the kiss, then bent his head to latch onto her neck. Rin shivered when his warm breath brushed up against her skin, and she leaned her head back to give the Uchiha more access, and a moan escaped her throat when he teased her neck with his tongue after he gave her a gentle suck.

The grip on his hair tightened, and her eyelids flickered – it felt so good that she didn't want him to stop; she moved her hips against him and hummed out a soft sigh when she felt his hardness brush against her core. A rush of excitement coursed through her when Obito's fingers teased at the opening of her yukata, slightly tugging it aside so that he could brush kisses over her collarbone.

When she moaned out his name, however, Obito's eyes snapped open and he froze.

He slowly pulled back to look at her, breathing rapidly.

He looked troubled – conflicted; he swallowed thickly before speaking up.

"Rin…What are we doing…?" He asked hoarsely.

Rin, whose eyes slowly fluttered opened as she snapped out of the cloud of their intimacy when she felt him pause his ministrations and his warmth fading from her, looked at him in confusion.

"What…?" She breathed out, her heart pacing rapidly.

Obito exhaled a shuddery breath, and looked to the side in shame. "I… I'm sorry."

Rin's eyes widened when his arms loosened, and her legs faltered back to the ground. He took a step back, pulling away from her to leave some space between them, and Rin leaned against the wall while Obito ran his hand over his hair in frustration.

He felt so guilty for allowing his desires to consume him – it felt so good…but it didn't feel right.

"I… I can't do this…" Obito said quietly.

Rin's breath hitched in her throat at his words, and she looked at him worriedly, leaning off the wall and taking a step towards him.

"W-what? What do you mean, Obito?"

"We… We shouldn't be doing this… It's just…I…" He licked his lips, trying to think of the right words while he clenched and unclenched his fists nervously.

"Obito," Rin called out softly. "It's okay… I want this – and so do you,"

Obito shut his eyes and shook his head. "Not like this, Rin. Not like this."

"What…?" Her throat tightened, and her heart squeezed at his words.

"This isn't right. This is all out of nowhere, and it's only going to complicate things."

"Obito," Rin was starting to grow frustrated, and her voice trembled as she tried to hold herself together. "If this is about what I said last time, then I—"

"It's not just about that," Obito cut her off, his tone tight. Her previous words echoed in his mind, and it made him grit his teeth, and shift his glare to the ground.

Rin couldn't hold back her irritation any longer, and raised her tone. "What is it, then?! Tell me, Obito! I can't understand you if you don't tell me—"

"I'm not some rebound, Rin! I refuse to be a second option for a guy, especially for the likes of Kakashi!" Obito shouted bitterly, piercing her gaze with his obsidian one.

Rin froze when she saw the way his eyes shone with frustration and resentment.

Her heart felt like it was about to stop. She wanted to say so many things – but she couldn't seem to find her voice. She was too shocked because this was the first time that Obito has ever raised his voice like that; this was the first time Obito she'd seen him angry with her.

So, that's what it was all about…

Obito realized what he just did, then groaned and let out a frustrated sound, pressing his palm to his face – he needed to get out of here.

He needed space.

This was all getting out of hand.

He looked back at her once more with a pained look – and this time, his Sharingan activated, the crimson red color of his eyes gleaming in the darkness of the alley.

Rin jumped in surprise at the sight of his Bloodline Limit, and she knew what was coming the moment she saw the tomoe spin into a unique, pinwheel pattern.

"I'm sorry, Rin…"

Rin gasped and immediately reached out a hand, "Obito-! Obito, wait!"

"I have to go," he said, and Obito immediately absorbed himself – vanishing from his spot, and leaving the kunoichi to grab at nothing but thin air.

-.x.-

The next day, Rin woke up with dark circles under her eyes, and she made her way to Konoha Hospital with a dark cloud hovering over her – uncaring of who saw her empty expression.

After her shift, she took a long walk at the park, and her hazel eyes – which were once bright and are now dull – were locked on the ground, watching the way her feet took slow steps over the tiles.

"You look like you haven't slept in a while." A voice called out to her, and Rin paused, blinking a few times before looking up to see who it was.

"Kurenai…"

Kurenai's red lips were lifted in a knowing smile, and she casually stood there with her arms crossed.

Shaking her head and letting out a long-suffering sigh, the black-haired kunoichi walked up to her friend and placed her arm over her shoulder.

"Come on," she chided, slightly nudging her so they could walk. "We both know you need to let it out."

Rin wanted to protest – but she couldn't; she didn't even have that type of energy, and the weight on her chest was too much for her to bear, and she most definitely wanted nothing more but to let it out.

So, they eventually sat on a bench, and Kurenai walked over and handed Rin a can of iced coffee, then sat next to her.

"When you both left the bar last night, we all thought that things were going well between you two. But seeing you like this…"

Rin's head was lowered, and she sadly looked down.

Kurenai leaned in; her brows furrowed when she saw the misery written all over the medic-nin's face. "What happened, Rin?"

Rin remained silent for a few moments, before letting out a quiet sigh.

"You were right, Kurenai." She said emptily, keeping her gaze at her feet. "I do have feelings for him."

She then bit her lip, and her hands fisted at her lap. "I am in love with him. I'm in love with Uchiha Obito, and it hurts." Her voice trembled.

"Rin…" Kurenai whispered softly.

Rin sniffled, and let out a shuddery breath as she tried to gather herself, and then, like a stream of water flowing out of a hole, she proceeded to explain to her everything to her friend, pouring her heart out as she talked about the first moment that she started to feel things towards the Uchiha, then to first time she kissed him on the lips and when the two of them talked about it afterwards, and down to when they fully kissed again last night.

She told her that Obito thought she had feelings for Kakashi and was using him as a rebound, and that she was too shocked to deny his words. When she told her friend about how it was the first time that Obito let out his anger towards her, her tears started to flow down her cheeks once more and she quietly sobbed.

"Well, it's a known fact that men can be absolute morons," Kurenai huffed out, leaning back against the bench and crossing her arms. "But I do get where he's coming from."

Rin sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I just wish I hadn't lied to him. I wish I never told him that it was a mistake. Argh!" She covered her face with her hands. "I'm such an idiot…!"

Kurenai slanted her crimson eyes at her friend, and gave her a skeptical look. "Do you also wish you never kissed him?"

Rin flinched at the question, then lowered her hand and blinked at her friend.

Well, if she were honest – at one point, she did wish that, but now… she wasn't sure…

She was certain that their friendship would've been running the way it was before the whole incident – but would things still be different?

Would she still reach that breaking point because her heart couldn't handle the thought of Obito being with someone else other than her?

Rin sighed, looking uncertain. "I… I don't know… It was all in the heat of the moment, Kurenai."

"Sometimes things happen in the heat of the moment, but that doesn't mean we should regret it." Kurenai shrugged, then sighed.

"On the bright side, Obito did leave a little bit of closure from last night."

Rin looked at her friend confusedly. "Huh? What do you mean? What closure?"

"He didn't reject you – in fact, it's more than obvious that he is still in love with you. Even after all these years, he still thinks you have feelings for Kakashi, and he only pushed you away last night because he thought Kakashi rejected you and you were only going after him as a second option." Her friend explained, and watched the way Rin took a few moments to process her words.

"You mean…he has feelings for me…He still has feelings for me…" Rin said, sounding somewhat hopeful.

Kurenai nodded. "Yes. He kissed you back, Rin. I'm pretty sure he would've told you or done otherwise if he didn't have feelings for you."

Rin then turned in her seat, and faced her friend with a pleading look. "Then—Then what should I do? How should I face him?"

Kurenai gave her friend a pointed look. "I'm going to be honest, Rin, I don't think you two are going to remain 'best friends' at this point."

Rin's mouth parted at her words, and a worried look took over her features. "W-what…?!"

Kurenai sighed in exasperation. "It's obvious that you two feel the same way towards one another. There's no point in trying to hold things back. And I definitely think you should just talk to him, Rin. You should clarify things for him, and give him the closure he needs. And given how…well…steamy things were, yesterday," Rin's cheeks glowed at the words, and Kurenai smirked. "I'm pretty sure things would only get better from there."

Rin bit her lip, and glanced off to the side shyly. "Y-you think so?"

Kurenai nodded, and patted her shoulder. "Just talk to him – communication really does go a long way. Let me know what happens afterwards, yeah? And don't worry, this whole thing stays between us. But when you two get together, don't play dumb with us and act all secretive about it, got it?"

Rin let out a sound of amusement. "You sound so sure that we will end up together."

Kurenai let out a soft chuckle and said, "Let's just say that I always trust my intuition."

Rin laughed at her friend and nodded her head. "Noted,"

-.x.-

Hot sparks flew as two kunais clanged against each other. Obito gritted his teeth sharply while he pushed against Kakashi's kunai, their eyes narrowed, and then the two of them immediately jumped backwards. Obito wasted no time throwing his kunai at Kakashi before his teammate could balance himself as he stood, and Kakashi parried the weapon away – only to see Obito dashing towards him and throwing a punch.

Kakashi swerved to the side, then crossed his arms before him to block an incoming kick.

He then blocked a barrage of punches from the Uchiha, and managed to land a punch at his face, and then he decided to duck down so that he could swing his leg to throw Obito off his balance – but Obito was faster, and he snapped a kick at Kakashi's face – and the silver-haired ninja flew backwards, tumbling on the earth as he let out a loud grunt.

Before he could get up, he felt a shadow over him, and he immediately rolled to the side just as Obito slammed his feet onto the ground, crushing the earth underneath him, and as Kakashi bounced back up Obito moved away and watched as Kakashi landed on the other side, then jumped up and twisted so he could throw multiple kicks towards his teammate, who shielded his face with his arms, and reached into his weapon holster to take out another kunai when he saw Kakashi pull one out and started to slash it towards him.

'He's fast…' Kakashi observed as he kept his eyes trained on the Uchiha. 'Unusually fast; if I don't keep up he might just—'

They parried each other's knives and hot sparks flew once again, and the two of them managed to disarm each other at the same time.

Both of their kunais flew in the air, and just as they hit the ground, one knife pinned the other through its loop – and the two ninjas were gripping at each other's fists and pushing against one another with equal force.

As their gazes locked, Kakashi narrowed his eyes questionably at the Uchiha, who was glaring back at him with those menacing, crimson orbs. Kakashi made note not to look directly at his teammate's Sharingan, but he could still see the emotions written all over.

Anger, bitterness, resentment.

Obito was definitely not himself.

"You're quite aggressive today, Obito." Kakashi, pointed out as he pushed against the Uchiha's hands. "Did something happen?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," He sneered, shoving more force and causing his friend's feet to skid backwards.

Kakashi's eyes widened briefly when he was pushed back, and then retaliated with the same force, his brows lowering in irritation.

"Don't play dumb with me." Kakashi bit out. "There's something wrong."

"There's no need to be talkative, Kakashi." Obito growled, and then smirked deviously. "I'm borrowing this,"

Kakashi tensed up, and slanted his eyes over to see that Obito was using his hand to weave hand seals. Next thing he knew, the Uchiha snapped a double kick to his chin – Kakashi groaned loudly at the shot of intense pain and felt his vision go blank for a few moments. The only thing he could register in his mind was how much that kick fucking hurts, and he held his head as the dizziness and headache started to seep in.

"Katon! Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

Kakashi's eyes snapped open to see a massive fireball speeding his way, and he immediately weaved seals and slammed his palms onto the ground.

"Doton! Doryuuheki!"

A massive, protective wall was summoned from the earth, and just as it emerged upwards, it took the powerful blast of Obito's Giant Fireball, crumbling as the fire devoured through, and Kakashi winced at the intense heat as the aggressive flames gusted around him.

Once the fire died out, Kakashi's ears tuned to the sound of rapid footsteps rushing towards him, and then he felt a rather brutal kick blow at his neck, and his body slammed against his mud wall.

And just as Obito was about to pierce a kunai at his teammate, his hand only punched through a log of wood – shocking the Uchiha, who gasped as he felt a familiar sharpness poke at his throat.

"Enough, Obito. Training's over."

A beat passed by, and Kakashi put his kunai back into his holster. Obito growled angrily, and then stood up and whirled around, and grabbed Kakashi by the collar of his flak jacket.

"I'm not finished with you! Fight me, Kakashi!"

Kakashi roughly shoved the Uchiha off of him and glared sharply.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Were you really training, or were you trying to kill me?!"

"Does it fucking matter?! Just shut up and fight!"

"You lost. There is no fight." Kakashi said coldly.

Obito then chuckled sarcastically, and it disturbed Kakashi. "Ah, of course! Of course, I lost! And you must be feeling so damn proud of yourself!"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, quirking a brow. "What?"

"You get everything that you want without even trying, and you act all superior about it! But don't you dare think that this is how it ends, Hatake Kakashi!" The Uchiha went on. "I'd rather die than become a second option to you!"

Kakashi was lost. Absolutely lost.

The Uchiha wasn't making any sense – second option? What does that mean? Weren't they passed that childish rivalry phase already?

Wait – no, he said second option, not second best. There was a difference.

The clockworks in Kakashi's mind began to spin, and he took a minute to put it all together:

-They were at the bar last night, and things were pleasant and lively.

-Rin immediately dragged Obito out when she saw a woman flirt with him.

-Kakashi and the group thought things were going well, until today rolled by and Obito asked Kakashi to spar with him.

-Obito was not himself throughout their 'sparring session', if he could even call it that – and he sensed a lot of anger and aggression leaking out of the Uchiha.

Ting.

Kakashi's brows raised when he realized what this was all about.

"Did something happen between you and Rin?"

Seeing the way Obito bristled at the question, only meant that Kakashi hit the mark.

And the Uchiha's silence gave him away.

Obito was incredibly tense, and he was clenching his fists.

Kakashi then let out a sigh and shook his head, then walked towards the Uchiha and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Out with it."

"I don't want to talk about it." The Uchiha bit out, turning his head away.

Kakashi is a good friend. He is a good listener. He is very understanding, and he is also a good supporter. He always spoke his mind and offered his honest thoughts and opinions, and did his best to be there for his friends when he could, and sometimes he would even tolerate the things that would normally annoy him.

But the one thing Kakashi had no tolerance for, however, was Obito's bullshit.

"Oh, but you will." Kakashi's eyes turned into smiling crescents, but it completely contradicted the dark aura that emitted from him as he roughly squeezed the Uchiha's shoulder. "Because I'm willing to take that as an apology for your attempt to kill me. So, you have no choice but to tell me what the hell is going on, or I'm going to beat it out of you."

Obito flinched at the pain on his shoulder thanks to Kakashi's bear-trap grip, but still, he succumbed to his friend, and smacked his hand off his shoulder as he breathed out a tired, dejected sigh.

"Fine… Let's talk about this over some drinks, because I definitely need one."

"Sure."

They stopped by a small pub and sat by the bar, and Obito told him everything that happened.

"I just don't know what to do, Kakashi." Obito said with a frustrated tone, his hand clutching at his hair. "What does it all mean? Could it mean what I think it means, or am I just a rebound?"

"Well, the fact that you ran away before she could even explain anything only complicated things for you. Why didn't you talk about it in that moment?" Kakashi asked.

Obito shook his head, then lazily picked up his glass, the ice clinking as he swirled it. "What's the point?"

"What's the point?" Kakashi blanched, raising a confused brow. "What are you trying to avoid?"

Obito stared at his half-empty glass, then quietly replied. "There's no point in addressing something like this when I know that she has her eyes on you."

Kakashi clicked his tongue and let out a long-suffering sigh, and shot an irritable look at the Uchiha. He was really done with this one-sided love-triangle that Obito kept holding onto. It was pissing off, because Kakashi never saw Rin that way, and he was not the type of asshole that would 'steal the girl' from someone else, especially his friend. It's called a Bro Code for a reason, damn it!

"You know, if I wanted to, I could've definitely asked her out at any time and made it all work out." Kakashi said sharply. He knew that was a low blow, given the way the Uchiha tensed up and slowly turned his head to glare at him.

"Fuck you." Obito hissed, sneering at his silver-haired friend. "Well, what are you waiting for, huh? Go on! Ask her out! At least that would give me the clarity I need!"

"You are so annoying!" Kakashi shot back. "When are you ever going to get it through your thick head that it's never going to happen? When will you ever try to see that she was long over that little schoolgirl crush she had on me?"

"It's really not that easy to believe, if you ask me." Obito muttered, glancing away skeptically and taking a sip of his glass.

"Well, that's too bad for you. You're so good at using your Sharingan to read through your enemies, but it's pretty useless when it comes to stuff like this."

Obito gaped at that particular jab. "Hey!"

Kakashi ignored him and huffed. "Anyways, back to the subject. There isn't much that you can do about this, Obito. The only solution you have is this,"

Obito perked up, looking at Kakashi and listening intently.

"Go talk to her about it."

Obito slammed his glass down, the liquid splattering, and he looked like he was ready to attack the silver-haired prodigy once more and punch him to the next country.

"I didn't open up to you just so you could give me some shitty advice like that, Kakashi. What do you mean, 'Go talk to her about it,'?! Are you kidding me?! You think it's easy to just step up like that?!"

Kakashi predicted this reaction, and rolled his eyes.

"You have two choices here. Either you talk to her about it and get the clarity you need, or you could go on and wallow in your self-pity and bang your head against the wall until you get brain damage from trying to figure this whole thing out." He then shot a glare at the Uchiha, and pointed his index finger as he spoke with an irritated tone. "One thing's for sure though is that I'm not going to be involved with this, and I'm most definitely not going to allow you to take this shit out on me. Got it?"

Obito slumped in his seat, heaving out another sigh as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Damn it all…" He whispered. "It's hard to believe, Kakashi."

"What is?" Kakashi asked, listening intently.

"It's hard to believe that she might actually have feelings for me. I don't want to get my hopes up for nothing."

"I don't think you're getting your hopes up for nothing, Obito. That's why you need to talk to her, and hear her out. You'd be surprised."

"I guess so," Obito then quirked a dark brow at his friend. "How do you know so much about this stuff, anyway?"

Kakashi cleared his throat and picked up his glass. "Oh, you know. Reading."

"Right. Reading." Obito looked at him skeptically.

"Never mind that." His friend nudged his shoulder. "Go home and get some rest, and you can talk to her about it tomorrow."

Obito nodded his head, then took out his wallet to pay the bartender. Kakashi protested, but Obito raised up a hand and shook his head. "It's on me, Kakashi. Consider all this my apology for…earlier today."

Kakashi huffed out a chuckle and relaxed. "Fine. Let me know what happens, alright?"

Obito smiled at his friend, and slid off his stool. "Will do." He then raised a hand to wave at his friend, and shifted to walk away.

-.x.-

As Obito wandered through the glowing streets, he contemplated whether he should wait for the next day to see Rin, or if he should see her right now and sort it all out.

But then he wondered if she even wanted to see him after he left her in the alleyway without giving her a chance to say anything – and the thought of her being upset or not wanting to talk to him crept up in his mind.

Dread clawed at his guts – and his footsteps slowed.

What if that was the case?

What if she hated him now because he pushed her away? What if… What if she decided to never want to see him again, and their long-time friendship went down the drain because he acted emotionally?

Obito shut his eyes and shook the thoughts out of his head.

Kakashi was right.

Either he talks to her about it, or he could just stay stuck in this loop where he would just berate himself over and over without any results.

If… If Rin did have feelings for him – genuine feelings, then why wait? Why would he wait for tomorrow just to get a confirmation?

What's the point when he already thought this through with the help of his friend?

There was no need to wait any longer.

He wanted to see her now.

Turning his feet, Obito leaped off the ground and bounced from building to building, and made his way to her house.

-.x.-

Knock, knock, knock.

Rin, who was looking over a medical textbook while sitting on her couch, perked up in surprise at the sound of her door. She snapped her book shut, and placed it on her coffee table, then stood up and walked over to her door.

"Who is it?" She called out as she reached out to the handle of her sliding door.

"Rin, it's me."

Rin's eyes widened, and her heart skipped when she heard that voice.

She wasn't used to him knocking at her door; usually, they would both freely enter each other's apartment, when they knew that they were going to be at home. But that doesn't seem to be happening right now.

Rin felt her stomach flip, and she let out a soft breath, steeling herself before sliding her door open.

"O-Obito…" The moment her eyes landed on the Uchiha, the memories of last night flashed vividly in her mind, and she tried her best to not look away from him.

"May I come in?" Obito asked, his tone a little nervous despite how calm he looked. The sight of her had his heart pacing – because she looked so damn beautiful in her attire, he couldn't help but allow his obsidian eyes to take her in; roaming his eyes over her curves – she was stunning; and he too, started to recall what happened between him last night.

Still, though, he had to hold it together.

"O-of course," Rin moved aside for him to walk in.

Obito felt somewhat relieved because he proved his mind wrong about her not wanting to see him.

Rin slid the door shut, and followed Obito to the living room. They just stood there, looking at the ground with a conflicted expression.

There was an awkward silence between them – and it was suffocating.

She clutched at her arm nervously as she bit her lip, wondering what to say.

But then Obito spoke up first, and she slightly jolted at his voice, then looked up at him.

"Rin," he started, looking at her apologetically. "I'm sorry for leaving without giving you a chance to explain…I just…" He then looked to the side, clenching and unclenching his fists. "I couldn't stop thinking about last night, and I kept wondering what it all meant – but honestly, knowing how you felt about Kakashi, everything just seemed like it was too good to be true."

Rin sighed, and sadly looked away. "It's okay, Obito… it's actually my fault that you felt this way…" she said softly.

Obito perked up at this, and Rin went on. "I…I've been battling with myself for the longest time… Fighting against my feelings because I didn't want anything to change between us…but then…" Her grip tightened on her arm, and she lost the words that she wanted to say.

Obito swallowed, and he felt a shred of hope bubble in him once more.

Just a shred.

He told himself to not get too ahead – not just yet.

"Tell me something, Rin," he said, his dark eyes intently scanning her face. "When you first kissed me… Was that really a mistake?"

Rin let out a harsh breath. "That was—that was definitely in the heat of the moment, Obito…"

Obito then looked down dejectedly, and smiled emptily. "Ah. Right. Of course." He swallowed thickly. "And I assume last night was in the heat of the moment too—"

"No." Rin cut him off, her voice meek. "No, it wasn't."

Obito blinked a few times, surprised. "W-what? Then—Then why did you drag me out of the bar like that?"

"Because..." Rin kept her head low, and her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest because of hard it was pounding. "Because I was… jealous…and it hurt…"

Rin felt like she was on fire. Each rapid breath she took made her feel like she was choking on nails. Her mind was so hazy, and her beating heart was too damn loud in her ears. She was completely overwhelmed, because Obito was currently poking at her heart, which was already leaking with the emotions that were spilling in each moment that passed.

"J-Jealous?" Obito whispered, astonished and confused, then furrowed his brows. "I don't get it, Rin – what reason was there to be jealo—"

Like a dam that broke – Rin snapped.

"Because I'm in love with you, dummy!" she exclaimed, her eyes shutting and her hands tightened into fists at her sides.

Obito froze in shock – his mouth parting open.

There.

She said it.

There was no going back.

She went on, her voice trembling. "I couldn't stand the thought of you being with someone else! I tried so hard to deny it… I tried so hard to bury it all inside my heart because I didn't want to ruin our friendship…" She then gritted her teeth as she recalled how bitter she felt. "When I saw how that woman was all over you… I-I couldn't handle it anymore…"

A beat passed.

Obito was still processing the words she said when she burst.

Was this real?

Did he hear her right?

His heart was pounding – and that shred of hope he felt grew into a mixture of emotions that pulsated through him; relief, happiness, excitement… It was all so overwhelming.

"You're…You're in love with me…" he said with a rasp in his voice.

Rin's breath hitched, and she forced herself to look up at him – only to see him looking back at her in disbelief.

Despite her nervousness, she felt somewhat reassured, and her lips lifted into a small smile.

"Is it really that hard to believe?" Rin said shyly. "That's why I was scared, Obito. I just hated the thought that things wouldn't work ou-!"

Obito took one step forward, cupped her purple-marked cheeks, and closed the gap between them by crashing his lips with hers.

Rin's eyes widened, and she gasped against his mouth, her hands fluttering in the air, before she relaxed and melted into the Uchiha, her hands coming up to clutch onto his flak jacket as she moved her lips against his.

Obito tangled his hand in her hair, and his arm wrapped around her waist and tugged her closer to him, and he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, running his tongue along the seam of her lips.

Rin let out a sound of satisfaction and parted her lips for the Uchiha, and his tongue brushed along hers. Her arms coiled around his neck, and Obito backed her into a wall and Rin sighed into the kiss. They were unable to tear away from each other – they were connected by their mutual, burning desire, and they wanted to make up for all the times they spent yearning for one another.

They poured it all into their kiss – pleasure flowing through their bodies like electricity, and their minds drowned in the haze of bliss.

Obito hummed when Rin raised her leg up to his waist, and he wasted no time grabbing her thighs to hook her legs around him, and he allowed his hands to caress at her soft skin, marveling in how warm she felt.

He wanted to feel more of her – so his hands roamed over her curves, sneaking upwards and allowing his thumb to tease the sides of her breasts.

They then pulled away from the kiss briefly, their warm breaths mingling as they stared into each other's eyes.

"If only you knew how long I've waited for this," Obito said, his voice tight as his lips grazed hers. "You don't understand what I'd give to have you."

He captured her lips once more, losing himself as he tasted her, and Rin whimpered softly as their kiss became more fiery and needy; the sounds she made sent a spark that traveled down Obito's navel, and he rocked his hips, brushing his hardness against her.

He then moved his kisses down her neck, gently sucking at a sensitive spot and teasing it with his tongue, and Rin gasped, feeling that sensual need pool between her legs. Her lashes fluttered as she leaned her head back, and her hand reached up to grip at his hair as a soft moan escaped her throat – it made Obito's hardness throb, and she clutched onto his flak jacket once again, as though she was demanding to get it off.

"Rin," Obito whispered huskily, nipping at her skin. "We don't have to—"

"Please…" She pleaded breathlessly. "Please, Obito…"

Obito paused his kisses, and shifted to lean his forehead against hers, their gazes locking. The haze of lust in her eyes reflected the certainty he was looking for – She wanted him, and he wanted her. There was no point in turning back now – because it all felt so right.

And then Rin did something so bold that completely took him by surprise.

She tore his flak jacket open – pulling it apart, and sliding it down his arms.

"I want you." She whispered against his lips, and Obito didn't need to be told twice. Locking his lips with hers, he immediately took her to the bedroom, and laid her down on her bed.

His fingers loosened her yukata, and spread it apart, allowing his eyes to drink in the sight of her beautiful body, while her hands pulled his shirt off of him, exposing those hardened muscles that she always dreamed of touching.

Obito latched his lips onto her throat once more, nipping and sucking at her skin as he kissed down the length of her neck, moving lower and lower, his hands wandering over each newly exposed skin, and soon enough, the rest of their clothing were scattered on the floor – and they took their time exploring each other; her hands brushing over the ridges of his sturdy muscles, and his hands delightfully meeting the arcs and dips of her beautiful curves – and his tongue relished in the taste of her skin, setting fire with every lick as he drowned in her softness, his arousal increasing with every gasp and moan and that escaped her throat.

They teased each other until they couldn't handle it anymore – and they gave in to their burning needs.

As he moved inside her, Rin wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and Obito buried his head in her neck while he supported himself, breathing heavily and grunting as pleasure surged through him, while Rin loudly moaned out his name as she begged for more, nails digging into his muscular back. Their warm, naked skin pressed up against each other sent a satisfying shiver, and as they were about to climax, they breathlessly locked their lips once more, pouring their fierce passion into their kiss as they were overcome by absolute bliss.

-.x.-

White sheets were wrapped around their bodies, concealing their tangled limbs as Obito hungrily kissed her, gently teasing her lips with soft nips and sucks, then left one lingering kiss before he pulled away to look down at her – a wide, satisfied smile plastered on his lips.

Rin, who was blushing beautifully, reached up and cupped his cheeks, her thumb brushing over his skin as she stared up at him with a warm smile.

"Is this a dream?" He asked hoarsely, staring at her. "Because if it is, then I don't want to wake up."

Rin giggled, and shook her head. "I'm glad it isn't."

His eyes drank her in, and she never failed to take Obito's breath away.

Long hair splayed over her pillows.

Shining, bright hazel eyes.

Glowing skin.

Red blush on her light complexion.

Soft, pink lips that were curved into a bright smile.

"Wow," he breathed out. "You're so beautiful, did you know that?"

Her dark lashes fluttered shyly, and her heart skipped a beat at his words.

"I…I can't believe this is all happening…" she whispered meekly.

Obito reached a hand to move a strand of her hair away, and Rin's breath hitched at the gesture. He was so gentle and tender, and she could feel herself wanting to drown in him once more.

"I think it's about time," he said in a low tone. "No more dancing around."

Rin then bit her lip, and there was a flash of nervousness in her eyes.

"Obito… Is it weird that I'm still somewhat…scared?" she asked, looking away.

"Why are you scared, Rin?" Obito asked calmly, his palm against her cheek, a thumb tracing over the purple mark.

"I…I'm so scared that it won't work out in the end…" she admitted, worry laced in her tone. "I'm scared that this bond we've built since our childhood would only be destroyed by something unforeseen… and we'd lose each other along the way…"

Obito went quiet, listening to her intently. There were unshed tears welling up in her eyes as she spoke.

"There are many stories of two best friends falling in love, only to end up becoming strangers because things didn't work out for them," Her voice then broke. "I don't want that to happen to us, Obito…"

"Sure, there are many stories like that, but that doesn't mean it'll also be ours." Obito said.

Rin frowned, her brows furrowing. "H-How can you be so sure?"

Obito's lips lifted into a wide smirk that had Rin blushing furiously as she gazed up at him in astonishment.

"Because I love you."

Rin gasped at his confession, and butterflies fluttered in her tummy as her heart skipped beats once more.

He then went on. "I never stopped loving you. You're everything I've ever wanted."

"Obito…" Rin's eyes were shining with tears of joy, and a relieved, happy smile grew on her face, her arms stretching over his shoulders and wrapping around his neck. "Obito, I love you, too!"

"Good." The Uchiha then leaned in, his lips brushing over hers.

"Because I'm not letting you go. You're stuck with me forever, Rin Nohara." He purred huskily, and Rin felt another tingle of excitement spark in between her legs, and with that, Rin leaned in and captured his lips in a sweet kiss – and the night was filled with the soft voices of their love once more.

-.x.-

.

The End.

.

-.x.-

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Hey guys! I decided to write up another ObiRin one-shot for you guys to enjoy, and to fill up the ObiRin community. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, my beloved readers! Let me hear your feedbacks!

And also, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PATIENCE! You guys really do keep me going - I'm more than dedicated to keep writing more ObiRin, and I'm definitely going to keep contributing to it!

Also, chapter 19 of Incandescence is still in progress - I know it takes a while to get it updated, but we've reached a very challenging point in the story, and it needs to be carefully constructed. Stay tuned though! Because I'm not backing out on my promise, I will definitely complete that story, no matter what! Go ObiRin!

Love you all! Stay tuned!

-Silver.