Within the Uchiha district, Obito lay on his bed, awake and in thought. He thought about what his own father said during his beatdown today, before Minato killed him. Yes, his father was abusive, but he's still the one who gave birth to him, and Obito doesn't hate him, he just thought he could be better. The emotions triggered his Sharingan, even advanced it into Mangekyou, per Fugaku – the clan leader and his uncle's words. The kid doesn't pay attention to that, it just thought about what his father said while dying, laced with venom :
'You pathetic waste of space… No wonder that brown haired girl didn't love you. Why does she have to? You're nothing to her!… Nothing!'
Despite knowing those are just empty words coming out from a dead man, Obito is still heavily impacted by it. That last sentence triggered his Mangekyou, and everyone saw that deadly pinwheel pattern except himself.
Isamu, who arrived shortly after the event that unfold, also witnessed those eyes, rotating dangerously in their sockets. He hasn't been home for three years, but he's still concerned about his little brother. The one who motivated him to go out there and make this world a better place for everyone, including them.
He informed everyone that tomorrow, they'd take on Kannabi Bridge, which is the main route for resources coming into Iwagakure. Destroy it, and the war might be finished for good. Obito was skeptical about the mission, because he thought himself as not ready, but his brother assured that he'll come along. That night, they had a long chat about topics they have in their mind. Some was happy and kinda teasing - like how Isamu has a crush on a blue haired girl named Akari – yet a few was kinda depressing, and his brother blamed himself for it. It had been a long time since they'd have a chat like this, because Isamu left for a long mission when Obito was six, and came back once 3 years later, just to take on another one. He doesn't blame his brother, he knew Isamu was busy in the war. And it's a miracle that he survived. He'll worry about it later. Right now, Obito's thinking of some other things, or someone…
"Rin…" -He whispers while looking at the porcelain white ceiling, those onyx eyes wander to the distance. Those bright brown eyes, her beautiful smile,…
'Why does she have to? You're nothing to her!'
Obito doesn't deserve any of those.
"He's right… I'm nothing to her… to anyone…" -Obito says for himself, sounding depressed. For years, he was seen like a thorn in people's eyes. He even thought that Rin became his friend out of pity, as every friend he made only tried to use him as a disposable.
"Why am I afraid to lose you…" -He continues while caressing their team's group photo, focusing only on the brunette.
"…when you're not even mine to begin with…?"
Isamu stretches his arms, feeling kinda relaxed. His dream last night was… interesting, per se. At least, he thought it was a dream. Because just now, he woke up with a blueberry scent on his lips. Something's fishy, he knows that, but he'll think about it after waking up Obito. To his surprise, the little guy is already up, clothed and ready for kicking ass today. Usually, he'd have his "brighter than the sun" grin on his face by now, but Isamu only sees… pain and emptiness written all over him.
"Hey Big Brother. We should head to the village gate. Minato-sensei is probably waiting." -Obito said, but his tone seems so distant and cold.
"Yeah, wait a bit. I'll be down later." -He replied, before heading to the bathroom for daily hygiene. Ten minutes later, the Jonin reappeared downstairs with a set of clothes which consists of a black jacket, left open showing his slate grey shirt. Two of those got paired with dark color trousers and standard black ninja sandals.
"Let's go, little guy." -Isamu chuckles while ruffling Obito's hair. And yet again, he doesn't even react in the slightest bit. His onyx eyes shows nothing more than a bottomless void, which is the opposite to what Isamu is used to.
"May I request you something?" -He said, still having that monotonic voice.
"Yeah?" -Isamu confusedly replied.
"Can you hold my goggles for today? I don't want the orange filter ruin my Sharingan vision." -Obito answered while giving the 17 year old Jonin those goggles that he loved so much ever since their grandma bought them for him. It's more of a memory by now.
"Sure, lil' bro. I'll keep them safe." -Isamu gave him a small smile before putting the goggles inside of his rucksack. Arriving at the gates, it's surprising that the Uchiha brothers are early. So, they kept waiting. The older brother just unsealed a small guitar to practice some notes during the time, and young Obito is just closing his eyes, thinking.
"Let's go, brother." -Obito spoke up, each word is colder than winter's ice. Isamu is confused but quickly reseal his guitar before heading out with his younger brother.
"What about Minato-senpai and the rest of your team?" -He questioned, while speeding up to keep in pace with the little guy.
"They'll catch up. Minato-sensei is faster than us. The sooner that bridge's gone, the quicker we can return to the village." -Obito replied, while solely focused on the path ahead.
"Well then…" -Isamu quickly grabbed onto his brother before activating his Mangekyou Sharingan, which reassembles three straight bars extending from his enlarged black pupil. Two seconds later, a humanoid armor with wings covered the both of them, quickly ascending to the sky with high velocity.
"Susano'o..?" -Obito quietly asked, still amazed that his big brother can summon the Uchiha's greatest weapon, even a Perfect Susano'o. Only those that have Eternal Mangekyous can make it materialize, yet here he is, flying within the big turquoise warrior.
"Hmm. Now, let's destroy that bridge, shall we?"
"Jeez… the Uchiha siblings are taking forever…" -Minato complained while looking at his watch. Kakashi got a mission with another Uchiha, so it's just them, himself and Rin today. Speaking of her…
"I'm sure that they won't overslept this one, Sensei!" 'Obito had been late but never this late…' -The mentioned girl tried to reassure her blonde haired mentor, but she herself was wondering why the little ball of sunshine in her life isn't here yet. After hearing what his dad wheezed out yesterday, she recognized that Obito loved her. And she wants to repay the long years of unrequited love he had kept away. She wants to smother him with so much affection, he'd faint in her arms. Because he deserves that after years of torture. Also, it's partly her own desire.
"Hmm… I left a Hiraishin mark in Isamu's rucksack years ago, so I guess we can use that to track their location." -Minato suggested, and Rin didn't wait a second to consider before agreeing. Holding onto her Sensei's arms, she closed her eyes before they both disappeared in a Yellow Flash. Opening those brown pupils again, what is in display to them are hundreds of dead Iwa shinobi bodies, and the Uchiha siblings, covered in blood. The scene made Rin gasp for air suddenly.
"Hey, don't worry, junior… I'll be alright…" -Isamu's raspy voice got into their ears.
"HOW WOULD YOU BE ALRIGHT? I CAN BARELY SEE THE COLOR OF YOUR EYES!" -Obito yelled, sounding even more disordered than yesterday.
"If it means that you're safe… I'll gladly accept being blind…"-He calmly answered, his once bright onyx eyes are losing its sight. Dripping below them are two small streams of blood, results of overusing the Uchiha's advanced dojutsu.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT MY SAFETY! I WORRY ABOUT YOU, THE ONLY FAMILY MEMBER THAT I HAVE LEFT!" -Obito cried while holding his big brother tight. Isamu was shocked. All this time, his little brother had nobody. Fugaku's family, he can understand. Their uncle was too busy as clan leader, and Mikoto is occupied with baby Itachi. But he never thought his absence can do this to him.
"Obito… how long has father abused you…?" -He suddenly asked.
"Six years… ever since I joined the Academy, and you gone…" -Obito replied. And within the span of a second, Isamu regret it all. Regret the choice of being Chunin, regret taking that mission, everything until now. He should have stayed, he should have done something, he should have stopped this…
"I'm sorry, little guy… I could've actually become your brother, protecting you… but I didn't… I FUCKING FAILED!" -Isamu burst into tears, hot yet salty drops mixed with the torrent of blood before. By the time he looks forward, his near-blinded eyes saw two figures. One who is yellow and tall, the other one is dark and smaller, about his brother's age. Because of the deteriorating eyesight, he can't identify if they're friendly or hostile shinobis. So he followed his instinct.
"Obito. We got company." -He speaks up again, his deep and dry vocal made him sound exhausting. Within a blink, Obito took out a kunai and rush towards Rin, not knowing that it's his childhood crush he's attacking. Grabbing her throat, he shoved the brunette onto the tree stump, kunai in her neck. Rin is blushing insanely despite the situation. Without his goggles in this madden stage, he looks…
'Hot… How did I ignore my feelings until now..?' -She thought while a trickle of blood ran down her nose.
"Rin..?" -Obito, who had just woke up to the fact that the 'company' his brother said is just his team. He instantly released her while checking for any other visible injuries that he could've caused, yet all he finds is that drop of blood from before.
"Are you alright? I'm sorry that I hurt you." -He tried to slip into that distant cover, with the monotone and cold voice. But it didn't help much, because the redden effect on Rin's face only got worse.
"Y-yeah! I'm fine! U-uh… let's just rest a bit, shall we? Your brother seems a bit out of shape…" 'Kyaa! That tone! So attractive!' -Rin tried to keep herself together on the outside, yet she's a mess in her mind. Obito finds the stuttering a bit suspicious, but he'll let it slide for now.
"You have to tell her." – Isamu told his brother, who is just reading a scroll labeled 'Katon : Ryuuka no Jutsu' – quite standard for Chuunins like Obito. The younger Uchiha knew what his older sibling is talking about, and gave nothing but a cold look.
"There is nothing left to be said. She loves someone else, who is better than what I can be multiple times." -Obito replied, despite the glare that Isamu obviously have issues observing, he can still hear the pain in every word he said.
"Come on, lil' bro. I've seen you training before. You have potential, but nobody was willing to teach anything to you. And that responsibility, was mine to take." -He solemnly said, his tired voice sounding sad yet again.
"I don't blame you, Big Brother. You have duties as a high level shinobi. But, what is between me and Rin isn't your decision." -Obito turned away from his sibling so he can't see the tears threatening to spill. He loved that girl so much, but as they say : "If you love something, you have to let them go".
"Besides… why am I even afraid to lose her, when she was never mine to begin with…?" -The dam broke right after that. Obito let it fall into pieces. He don't care about that stream of salty water running down his cheeks. He tried to ignore. And he failed. Isamu just do what he has to. Give his only sibling some comfort. While everything takes place, Rin had just returned from the river. The young brunette stood there, watching as her love broke into millions of tiny bits, unable to do anything. She wanted to run over, give him the tightest hug she can muster then smother him with so many kisses, while constantly saying that she wanted to be his. His girl only, no one else's. Not Kakashi or any random boy within Konoha. Just the bright, cheery and optimistic Uchiha Obito. But she can't. Because during his breakdown, someone drugged her from behind, and everything drowned into the endless abyss.
Obito sensed Rin's chakra signature right after when he's done crying. It was strong before, but now she's fading onto the distance. He knew what he have to do. Save her, despite whatever emotions running through his mind. Grabbing Isamu's spare blade, the raven haired Chuunin stood up, a determined look shone on his Sharingan eyes.
"Sensei. Take care of my brother for me." -Were few last words he said before following his teammate's chakra track.
It led him to a cave, with five or six Iwa nins. All of them are just chatting about how they'll win the war, or just calling Konoha straight up weak. But there is one thing that triggered Obito. Inside the space, two guys were talking that they'd 'take advantage' of Rin – HIS Rin after extracting info out of her. That sentence alone made him drown in rage. Gripping the sword's handle tightly, he rush in and stab the whole blade on a guy's back, piercing his heart. The guy's partner just pulled out a kunai, yet he wasn't fast enough, and ended having his head detached. The young Uchiha would throw up at what just happened, but he's in too much anger to pay attention. Sensing movement behind his back, he turned around and thrust into a camouflaged Iwa nin, which killed him instantly. Traversing deeper into the small cavern, Obito found the remaining nins, along with Rin, who is unconscious. He subconsciously activate his Mangekyou, and its currently unknown ability took out the two nin's head with a black spiral.
Feeling a warm sensation running down his cheek, Obito touched it with his left hand, and felt a sticky, scarlet substance. Blood. He'll mind that later. Now, the important thing to do is…
"Release!" -He said while using his Sharingan to dispute the Genjutsu, then quickly scoop Rin into his arms. Thinking that the coast is clear, Obito didn't notice an Iwa nin still alive.
"If I'm going down, then you're coming with me!" -The guy shouted, before going through hand seals rapidly.
"DOTON : IWAYADO KUZUSHI!"
At that moment, the cavern started to collapse. And Obito did what is only available to him right now. Run. Quickly ending that Iwa shinobi's life with a kunai throw, he ran to the only source of light, Rin in his arms. While the young Uchiha is fast, he's already drained. So, with all of his remaining strength, Obito toss the girl in his arms to safety, hoping that she'll survive. And luckily, his brother on the other side caught her, who is just barely able to see. Apparently, Isamu still has enough strength to muster a Susano'o Ribcage, which cover both of them from the shockwave.
"Are you two alright..? Rin.., Big Brother..?" -Obito's voice rang in their ears, but it sounds so… dead. Looking at the origin, what they saw brought them to their knees. There lay Obito, right side crushed under a rock, leaving his left side and whole face intact.
"OBITO!" -Isamu yelled in panic, while trying to move the boulder that trapped his little brother.
"Don't… I can't even feel it anymore…" -Obito spoke up, streams of blood began to flow from his mouth.
"DAMNNIT! WHAT KIND OF A JONIN AND BROTHER AM I? I CAN'T EVEN SAVE YOU! IF I WAS JUST FASTER, YOU WOULDN'T BE UNDER THIS ROCK!" -The older sibling cried uncontrollably, while slamming his fist into the hard, cold ground.
"Obito-kun… No… It shouldn't have been like this…" -Rin said while crying herself. The brothers are a bit surprised at her honorific for Obito, but they don't pay any mind to it.
"Oh yeah… I want to ask you for a favor…" -He whispered, the light emitted from those onyx eyes that Rin loved so much is nearly gone.
"ANYTHING!" -Isamu desperately yelled, tears won't stop falling from his eyes.
"Take my Mangekyou… It hurts me to see you blind… Rin, please use your medical ninjutsu to swap our eyes…" -Obito said while trying to make a small smile. Rin doesn't have the physical and emotional strength for this, and Obito noticed that. He puts his hand on hers, like trying to say : "I believe in you.". She blushed a bit before nodding, determined to complete the boy's last wish.
"I'm… about… to die…" -The young Uchiha wheezed out, both brothers have new eyes in their sockets. Isamu and Obito share the same Eternal Mangekyou, which consists three black bars extending from that scythe-like pinwheel pattern. Yet, only one of them will ever get a chance of using it.
"But I will be the light… that illuminates your future…" -He continued, a sad smile on his face. He didn't want to leave his brother behind, but he had no other choice.
"…Rin, I have to tell you something too…"-Obito turned his head towards the brunette, who is solely focused on him now.
"Mhm..?" -She asked, her face displays confusion and pain.
"I know… I don't have the authority to say this… but… I love you, Nohara Rin. You deserve more than this half-man… I just wanted to let you know that…" -He couldn't finish because Rin has already smashed her lips onto his, in order to shut his reasoning.
"Me too… Obito-kun… I love you so much… I've ignored what I felt for too long…" -She replied, new tears started to replace old, dried ones.
"Sorry for making you kiss these bloody lips… it tasted bad, doesn't it?" -Obito tried to chuckle, yet all came out is more of those red fluids.
"RIN! BACKUP IS COMING! WE HAVE TO GO!" -Isamu yelled from the sidelines, watching as thousands of Iwa nins came in.
"Go… I'll always watch over you two…" -Obito said, while beginning to accept his fate. Rin was forced to let go, and Isamu was forced to see his brother's end.
"OBITO!" -They both yelled, pain and sorrow painted on their face.
'I can now die happily… thank you, Big Brother, Rin-chan…'
"NO!" -Isamu awoke gasping for air, his whole body drenched in sweat. He just had the worst dream in his entire life. Obito went to rescue Rin, then got crushed under a boulder. And gave his Mangekyous as a dying wish. Now, the 17 year old Jonin prayed to Kami that the dream wasn't reality. Sitting up properly, he saw Rin and Minato, both had a grim look on their faces. He isn't blind anymore, but he wants to know if it actually happened.
"Minato-senpai..? Where's..?" -Isamu asked, confusion filled his bloody face. The mentioned sensei only gave him a sad smile, while Rin bursted out crying again.
"I'm sorry… for your loss… Isamu…" -Minato quietly said, before the older Uchiha broke down, crying like there's no tomorrow.
'Obito… Rest in peace, lil' bro. I'll take on your legacy.' -Isamu quietly thought while subconsciously activating his now Eternal Mangekyous, shining in the night with all of its glory. Grabbing Obito's goggles from his rucksack, he walked towards the broken hearted girl.
"Hey, you should take this. As a reminder of him." -He kindly said. Rin only gave a nod before holding that piece of orange glass tightly near her heart.
"Thank you…" -She weakly uttered out those words. Isamu says nothing and just hugged the brunette, as a way of consulting her and himself.
From that day, the name Uchiha Isamu became legendary across Five Great Nations, yet Uchiha Obito is nothing more than a ghost. Or so they thought.
This is my first time writing (in English) so there might be some errors.
And, English isn't my main language.
I might keep this as a oneshot, or I'll extend it. Your choice.
