Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Note: Obito dies protecting Naruto during the 4th great ninja war, but he didn't see Rin in heaven (not right away, at least). Instead, he wakes up elsewhere…
Note #2: I don't know how purgatory works, so this is all based on imagination.
Where do you go when your heart is pure but your soul is not? Obito Uchiha had not thought of this question, as he believed that he had lost his heart the moment Kakashi's hand went through Rin's chest. Nor did he care where he went, as long as it was within the realms of the Infinite Tsukuyomi… A place where he could see her beautiful face again. There, he would apologize to her for not being fast enough...for not getting there on time. She would forgive him, as usual. She always forgave him for his mistakes. Then he would tell her about his feelings for her… How he's loved her for years, and she would tell him that she loves him back. That she would be with him forever, and watch him grow as he becomes Hokage and brings true peace to the world.
That was Obito Uchiha's dream, his motivation…
But as his body started to crumble, piece by piece as Naruto tried desperately to save him, his mind wondered… Would he see her on the other side? Would she forgive him for everything he's done? And would she ever love him back?
He gave the blonde teenager a last smile and a few words of encouragement (You better become Hokage!) before his body crumbled entirely, leaving nothing more than a pile of ash…
XxXxX
When he regained some type of awareness, everything was dark. His body felt as light as a feather.
There was a voice near him, female. High pitched. It sounded familiar, very familiar. Eventually he opened his eyes, his vision blurry at first but then clearing after a few seconds.
"I think he's finally waking," said a male voice this time, a voice that he recognized instantly.
"S-Sen...sei?"
He sat up to meet Minato's bright blue eyes, the man looking at him with a smile. Obito blinked confusingly before noticing Kushina standing right next to the fourth Hokage. She had a neutral look on her face, and Obito suddenly began to feel guilty. Flashes of a teenage him breaking in and taking baby Naruto away from them went through his mind, and he shamefully avoided her look.
"You're finally awake, Obito. We were getting worried that Hagoromo's jutsu didn't work,"
Obito's eyebrows raised in confusion before he looked down at his hands and then touched his face. He was in his adult body, wearing the same thing he wore when he died. He got up from the thin mattress and looked at his reflection against a small piece of mirror. His hair was as white as snow, both of his eyes there. His Mangekyo Sharingan was activated for some reason, and he turned them off.
"Where am I?" he finally asked.
Kushina turned to Minato, and her husband answered.
"You're...in purgatory, Obito,"
"Purgatory? But...how?"
"After Kaguya was defeated, Hagoromo had several conversations with Naruto, Kushina, and myself… You played an integral part in ensuring that the Shinobi alliance won, and even risked your life for him," Minato then laughed, "He wouldn't stop talking about how he wished you had been alive, so he could've shown you so many things and you both would have improved the Shinobi system,"
Obito couldn't help but smile. He spent years watching and hunting Naruto down for his tailed beast, yet the boy looked past that and spoke of him...like a friend.
"He asked Hagoromo for one thing," Minato added, "And that was for you to be given a second chance to make things right,"
A second chance?
"Naruto himself was able to request that?"
Minato smiled again, "He started, but a few of us supported,"
His sensei turned his head towards his wife, and the red-haired Kunoichi finally walked towards the Uchiha. Obito remembered how, as a kid, he would look up at her whenever she would scold him. Now, being much taller than her, he looked down at her. He opened his mouth to say something. To ask for forgiveness, to apologize-
SLAP!
Obito's head turned to the side, blinking confusingly at first before realizing that she had slapped him hard across the face. Even though his cheek stung, he didn't say anything. He didn't blame her for that; if anything, he deserved worse. She had just given birth when he decided to try and kill her newborn son and extract the nine-tails from her. The pain he put her through warranted more than just a slap.
His thoughts were interrupted as she suddenly hugged him and began to cry on his bare chest. Obito looked down at her confusingly.
"You idiot!" she cried, "You were like a son to me! Why didn't you come back to us? To me?! I could've helped you! You didn't have to suffer alone! We mourned for you almost every day! Nothing was the same without you!"
Obito's guilt increased, "I-I'm sorry, Kushina… I'm sorry for everything… I'm sorry for what I did to you… I wish I had come back… I wish I had left the cave sooner… But I wasn't sure if… If everything would've been the same…"
She finally looked up at him through wet eyes, her strong thin arms still around him like a mom scolding her child. "Did you think we wouldn't have supported you during your healing? That Rin and I wouldn't have done everything we could to heal you?!"
"Rin…" Obito whispered, remembering how she had helped pull him and Kakashi in front of Sasuke and Naruto during the battlefield.
Kushina took a step back, wiping her tears away. "Nothing was the same without you, Obito. None of us truly moved on. You, a lousy teenager with a big dream, were our sun in a world that can be so cruel. You had a charm that told us that you would've become a great Hokage. As Naruto grew in my belly, I would tell him stories about you...How I wanted him to be just like you… And to dream big just like you!"
The Uchiha smiled. If only he could go back in time and make things right…
"You're a special man, Obito… And that's why you were given this second chance… Because we know you have it within you to make things right," Kushina said, standing next to her husband, "The three of us know…"
A faint light started to emit from underneath their feet.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"To heaven…" Minato replied, "Our work here is done. We wanted to make sure that you were aware of what you need to do,"
He looked at them confusingly, "B-But… I'm not sure what I need...Wait, the three of us? Who's the third?!"
Kushina giggled, "I'm surprised you didn't ask before… You know the third person very well… And if I remember correctly, you are in love with her…"
Obito's eyes widened as his heart skipped several beats. "Rin? Where is she? Is she here? In purgatory?"
They frowned. "She is… But I'm sorry, Obito… She refused...to come…" Minato replied.
His heart sank. Rin refused to come? She didn't want to see him? But why would she? He was a criminal, afterall. He had taken away so many lives for a selfish dream.
"But don't give up!" Kushina said loudly as she and Minato began to disappear, "You're here for a second chance! In order to leave purgatory, both souls must be healed!"
And with that, they disappeared. He was then alone in the room, his mind wondering about what Kushina had just said. Both souls must be healed in order to leave purgatory? Did that mean that Rin's soul was in some type of despair? And had it been like that for so many years? The idea bothered him. To him, Rin was perfect. She should be in heaven, resting. Not stuck in purgatory. But if she truly was here, then he needed to see her. He needed to apologize-
But she had refused to come see him… And that made Obito worry about even approaching her.
There was a slight knock on the door. "Hello? Mr. Obito Uchiha? Is it OK if I come in?"
Surprised at the fact that there were more souls here (and surprised that someone else had called him Obito, considering he went by Tobi and Madara for so long), he eventually cleared his throat and replied.
"Yes… You can come in."
The door slid, revealing a short old woman. She had to be no more than five feet tall, her long gray hair tied in a neat bun. She wore a dress that reached her ankles.
"Hi, my name is Tameka,"
Obito gave her a slight nod. He wasn't used to greeting anyone.
"Are you hungry?"
He raised an eyebrow at that, and she laughed. "Sorry, old habit. You remind me so much of my nephew. Except for the white hair, of course… Here in purgatory, a soul doesn't need to eat,"
"I see," he said lowly.
"But that doesn't stop some of us from trying!" she said with a giggle, "But it's finally nice to meet you, Obito. Minato left me in charge of making sure that you're well acclimated. I brought you some extra pairs of clothes…. Unless you prefer to walk around shirtless with those muscles hanging out! Lots of fine young ladies around here waiting for their loved ones to enter purgatory… but few have found romance in newer souls before,"
Obito smiled at the woman's comments. "I'll take the clothes,"
XxXxX
He changed into the clothes provided, a white t-shirt with dark blue slacks, and then exited the room. The area resembled a hospital. But there were no instruments. Instead, there were various closed doors.
"What is this place?"
Tameko smiled at the question, "It's where souls come when first entering purgatory,"
He was amazed by that. Upon exiting the building, he analyzed the surrounding area. There were many trees everywhere with smaller houses in between. In a way, it resembled an underdeveloped Konoha. There were people, or souls, slowly walking around. An older man knelt in the middle, praying loudly for the reunion of his family.
Obito followed Tameka to her small home, some of the souls watching him.
"It's the bastard that started the war…"
"He should be rotting in hell…."
Obito looked down as he followed Tameka. He couldn't agree more.
XxXxX
Her house was small with just two bedrooms, a kitchen with a dining table and couch, and an attached bathroom.
"Welcome home!" she said, opening the door as wide as possible.
Obito lowered his head a bit to avoid bumping his forehead with the doorframe while entering. Despite it being small, the house felt homey. It reminded him of his grandmother's house. He had barely thought about the woman after Rin's death. And considering how he and Itachi had slaughtered their clan, it was most likely that she was dead. He could only hope that she reached heaven.
"Here's your room," Tameka said, opening one of the doors, "it belonged to a young gentleman who was in search of his wife. The two were finally reunited not too long ago,"
"Where are they now?"
"Heaven, of course,"
"Do all souls go to heaven from here?"
"No… Some get devoured by soul eaters,"
"Soul eaters?"
Tameka's face turned serious, "Faceless monsters that lurk at night. They hunt those whose souls are troubled the most,"
"Where do they come from?"
"Follow me," she said, and he did.
She led him to the back of the house, opening a back door and pointing to a dark area many miles away. Obito took notice of the gray sky over the mysterious area.
"No soul has ever come back to tell us what's over there. We all stay away… But one thing's for sure, they come from there. And when they snatch a soul, they drag it back there..."
XxXxX
Purgatory felt different than life. Souls walked aimlessly, watching and waiting. Obito couldn't imagine spending years in this place, doing nothing. There was no academy, no training, no restaurant, no...nothing. He thought about Rin, and the fact that she was here, somewhere. He was glad that no soul eater had gotten to her, which meant her soul wasn't the most troubled. But why is she still here? Kushina and Minato-sensei made it seem as if it had to do with him, but he could be just assuming things.
Groaning, Obito sat up. He needed to find her, at least see her if she refused to talk to him. But he didn't know where to start.
He exited the room and looked for Tameka, finding her immediately outside. She was tending to some flowers.
"Ready to find her?"
"How'd you know?"
She turned around to give him a smile, "She's been here for so many years… Considering I was told that she didn't want to see you during your arrival, I'd say that you two have a broken connection. And that must be fixed if both of you want to go to heaven,"
"Do you know where she is?"
The old woman pointed towards the house next door, "Not too far, actually. But just be prepared… I don't think she's the same young girl you remember,"
Obito didn't really know what to expect. All he knew was that he just needed to see her.
XxXxX
According to Tameka, Rin had been living alone for the last five years. When she had arrived in purgatory, she had been living with an old man and his young daughter. They had died during the second ninja war, and had been waiting for the man's wife to join them. She eventually did, and the three of them ascended to heaven.
In the meantime, Rin stayed alone and took care of the house.
Obito knocked on the door gently several times, but there was no answer. Sighing, he eventually gave up (for now) and turned around to leave. But as he did, his dark eyes widened upon seeing the girl of his dreams standing right in front of him. And what amazed him the most was that she was older…
Her hair was a bit longer, towards her shoulders now. She was taller as well, the top of her head easily reaching the tip of his shoulder. She looked just how she would've as an adult, had she never died. Had their lives not been tampered with by war or Madara. He could feel that feeling sweeping through his body; that feeling that he first felt when he realized that he was in love with her. In a way, he felt as if he was falling in love with her again.
"Rin," Obito said, his mind trying to determine what to tell her.
Her expression looked uncertain, almost afraid. She looked down before eventually walking past him and towards the house.
"I'm sorry, I have to go,"
"Rin, wait-"
She closed the door immediately, and he placed his hand on it as his heart beat nervously. Despite how she currently felt about him, he made himself a promise to keep trying. Her soul was stuck here, most likely, because of him. She didn't deserve to be here. She deserved to be in the next life, enjoying herself and being free.
"Rin… I… want to talk to you,"
He heard her sigh, and continued. "Rin, I'm sorry… Not only did I not keep my promise to you… But… I…"
'I became a criminal..'
"Obito," she said from the other side, "I...can't do this right now. I need more time… I thought… I'm sorry, but I need some time,"
"Then I'll wait," he said, nearly desperate to see her one more time, "I'll wait for you. And I'll be nearby for whenever you need me,"
She said nothing to that, both of them leaning on either side of the door…
XxXxX
Time felt different in purgatory. One minute the sky was bright and blue. Next, it was dark. Several souls went inside their small homes, a few of them still out just in case their loved ones arrived.
After leaving Rin's place, he walked around the area. There wasn't much - no water, no animal life. Just souls, trees, and grass. From every direction he went, he was able to see the dark area that Tameka warned him about. The place where the soul eaters would drag troubled souls. He thought about Rin's soul, and how it was probably more troubled now because of him. He made sure to keep an eye out on her home for any creature getting close.
"There you are,"
Obito looked down from the roof to find Tameka poking her head out a window. "I was worried about where you had gone after talking to that girl,"
The Uchiha jumped down from the roof and walked inside, almost forgetting about the low entrance and nearly bumping his head.
"How did things go between the two of you?" Tameka asked.
Obito sighed, "She doesn't want to speak to me… She needs more time… That's what she told me,"
"I figured," Tameka said with a sad smile, "She's still in shock about everything that happened in the real world,"
"You know about that?"
Tameka nodded, "Of course. Rin was in purgatory before I arrived. As more souls came here throughout the year and the word Akatsuki became known, it was a matter of time before she knew who was leading them. And Kushina and Minato told her the rest, of course,"
That guilt started to rise up in his chest again, "I...I wish I could tell her why I did those things-"
"She knows that too," Tameka said with a smile, "Obito, you need to remember one thing though. You weren't supposed to come here. Some teenager managed to convince Hagoromo to step in before your soul went to a completely different place. Hagoromo also spoke with Rin, since she has been here in purgatory for more than ten years waiting for you. Rin knows everything, it's just too much for her to process at the moment. I'm sure she's got questions for you,"
"Then I don't really know what to do to get her to forgive me. I've killed many people, and manipulated people to kill even more… I don't know what I can do to earn her forgiveness,"
"Talking to her is step one," Tameka advised, "She's been here waiting for you for so long… Despite your crimes, I know she'll come around and be with you… You just need to give her some time,"
Obito agreed with that, despite wanting her now. First, he wanted to truly apologize to her. His reasoning for doing everything he did was selfish, something she wouldn't have wanted.
"I will try again tomorrow," he said. He would try every single day until she opened that door for him, and he could apologize to her properly-
A loud scream rocked through the area, causing both of them to exit the house and watch as some of the souls ran away as faceless tall creatures began to terrorize the area. One of the creatures grabbed a woman's head with its claws and quickly dragged her away, the speed shocking Obito. He was about to step out but Tameka's hand on his arm stopped him.
"Be very care. Your soul is also very troubled, and those things will attack you too! They will sense your pain and attack you,"
"What about the people getting attacked? They need help,"
She looked away slowly, "Some of us have gotten killed trying to protect others. You just got here and need to make amends with Rin,"
The mention of Rin had him stopping. In a way, Tameka was right. One thing he noticed after several hours was his lack of chakra. As a matter of fact, no one here had chakra. So if he were to fight, it would be hand to hand. He wouldn't be able to use any jutsu to help him, therefore he needed to be very careful.
Some of the creatures passed by them, ignoring them completely, as they chased desperate souls who mourned deeply for their loved ones. Obito hated himself for not being able to do something. In the real world, he had been strong; but used that strength to hurt others. Now that was the perfect time to save those who are here because of his actions. But without being able to use any chakra and turn on his Sharingan, he was hopeless.
Something suddenly happened. A deep terrifying feeling in his chest, his hand quickly going over it. He nearly felt breathless, his dark eyes widened. Why did he feel so afraid? As if his life was in danger?
A slight turn of his head suddenly had him realizing why he was feeling that way. The door to Rin's home was broken, one creature slowly walking in while another creature banged on the roof.
"Rin!"
Obito ran as fast as possible, feeling determined in getting there on time. He remembered how he didn't make it on time years ago, arriving too late. But he wouldn't be late again. Not today, not ever.
One of the creatures suddenly appeared in front of him, and Obito realized that it must've sensed his fear of losing Rin again. The creature swung its long arm towards him, and Obito dodged the attack. With no weapon, no jutsu, the Uchiha used his own physical strength to take the creature down. Growling, he tackled the thing towards the ground before punching it hard. The creature, despite being nearly seven feet tall, was thin. It barely had any body mass, which made it easier for Obito to break several bones. He twisted one of the creature's arms in the opposite direction, breaking it immediately. The creature screamed, kicking the male off it. Obito hit the ground hard, but quickly got up as the creature ran towards him. Obito ran towards it and with every strength in his body, plunged the creature's own limb into its head. The creature stopped in its tracks, and Obito moved away as its body collapsed to the ground.
Obito wasted no time staring at the creature's body as he resumed getting to Rin. Even though he wasn't afraid of the creature, he still felt that fear. But it wasn't like it was his own feeling of fear, and once he got into the house he suddenly realized that he had been feeling Rin's fear of the creature.
She was trapped in a corner with a table separating her and two creatures. She had a deep cut on her cheek, but ignored it while holding the table upright against the creatures.
Obito looked around quickly for a weapon, grabbing a large rock and throwing it at one of the creatures. It hit the creature on the head, and it turned around, showing its sharp teeth to the male. Obito walked towards it, and the creature ran towards him. Just like he did with the previous creature, Obito tackled the thing to the floor and punched it hard. But the second creature suddenly kicked him hard, and Obito hit the wall.
"Obito!" Rin screamed, running to him.
But one of the creatures grabbed her by the top of the head, and she screamed as it hurled her back. Obito got up immediately, despite the pain he felt. His eyes suddenly noticed the table's legs, and an idea quickly formed. Taking a deep breath, he tackled one of the creatures back until its body was pierced with the table's leg.
He then broke the second leg of the table and chased after the second creature as it ran with Rin in its grasp. The creature was fast, but Obito knew where it was going. Therefore, he decided to take a short cut. He ran uphill, looking down as the creature slowed down when Rin managed to kick it hard. Taking his chance, Obito jumped down and landed right next to it. He swung the broken table leg towards the creature's head, managing to get its attention. The creature dropped Rin to the ground and ran towards him, and Obito dodged before hitting it again. The creature must've known what he was trying to do, as it dodged every time he tried to stab it. Obito cursed, the creature moving too fast.
"Hey!" Rin screamed, which got both of their attention.
The creature snarled at her, stopping in its tracks and readying to charge at her. And in that brief moment, Obito stabbed the creature through the head. The creature's body swayed left and right before eventually collapsing on the ground.
Feeling exhausted, Obito sat on the ground with one knee bent and his left arm resting on it. He stared at the creature's dead body, wondering how these things even came to be.
Rin walked towards him, sitting in front of him. Obito's eyes met hers, and the two remained silent for a while. He could no longer feel her fear, which was good.
"Thank you," she said softly, looking away.
In a daring move, he leaned forward and touched the bruise on her cheek. She hissed in pain, but turned to face him as his hand cupped her cheek without touching the wound.
"I will always protect you, Rin,"
She gave him a soft smile, one he hasn't seen in years. How beautiful she smiled…
"I know…"
He grabbed her hand and stood up, helping her stand as well. She seemed to remember their earlier conversation, and looked away.
"We don't have to talk about it now," he quickly said, "But let me take you back… I want to make sure you're safe,"
She nodded, enjoying the warmth of his hand as he led them back to the small village. They said nothing as they walked.
But despite the silence, Rin couldn't stop thinking about everything. She had heard from Minato-sensei about Obito's strength. Not just with mastering different types of jutsus, but also with physical strength. She had received several glimpses of the real world, and everything he did. And she couldn't help but compare the goofy-acting kid with this man. This man who committed so much murder and other crimes, yet still helped the Allied Shinobi win against the war he himself started.
...And it was all because he wanted a world of peace, where he could spend time with her…
It made her think of her own actions, and she felt bad making such a hasty decision of sacrificing herself for the sake of the leaf village.
XxXxX
"Stay with us," Tameka told her, and Obito tried his best not to nod rapidly at that.
Rin sighed and looked at the state of the house she stayed in. Not only was the door broken, but so was the roof and windows. The inside was a mess, and Rin felt too tired to even clean up. She didn't even know where to get some parts. This wasn't Konoha, where they sold furniture or had easy tools to make them.
"I don't know…" she replied, "I've been there for so many years and I promised to watch over it…"
"It's not safe to be there with the house in that condition," Tameka said, and Obito nodded in agreement.
Rin stared at both of them before giving up, "Alright, I'll stay,"
Obito tried his best not to smile like an idiot.
XxXxX
He gave her his room, reassuring her that it was OK. Tameka helped clean her wound before Rin laid down on Obito's bed. Obito, in the meantime, laid on the small kitchen sofa. It was uncomfortable, but he didn't care. As long as Rin was safe and near him.
Souls rarely slept in purgatory, but Obito didn't find that strange. While posing as Madara and Tobi, he barely slept himself. The zetsu-cells would keep him awake and nourished the majority of the time. But whenever he did sleep, his dreams would be about Rin. And it would make him more desperate with completing the plan.
Another feeling swept through him, and he quickly knew that it wasn't his. It was Rin's. She was feeling something. Not fear, like before. But loneliness and...wanting. She wanted something.
Testing a sudden theory, he got up from the couch and walked over to the door. Her feeling of loneliness decreased, but the wanting feeling grew. Obito wasn't sure what to do but close his eyes and think about his own feelings. Could she feel his feelings the way he felt hers? He would test it out.
He thought about her; first thought about their lives as kids. How she would scold him for getting himself hurt. But after some scolding, she would bandage him up. She would grab his hand and drag him nearly everywhere. He thought about the times he failed to tell her how he felt about her. How he wanted to be her boyfriend, and have her watch him as he grew stronger and became Hogake. And once they were adults, he would ask her to marry him and they would have as many children as she wanted.
The door suddenly opened, alarming him for a second before looking down at her wide teary eyes. She had been sobbing, and Obito knew that it was finally time they spoke.
XxXxX
They sat on the roof of the house, looking up at the starless skies.
"I watched you die," Obito started out, not facing her yet, "I was told that you and Kakashi were in danger, and I left right away. I ran as fast as I could, but by the time I got there… All I saw was Kakashi's arm through your chest… From there, I lost control and...became someone else…"
"You were there…" Rin said softly, and she felt worse about her decision all of those years ago. Had she waited another minute, Obito could've saved them and they could've been together…
"I killed the shinobis who were surrounding you," he admitted, "And I held you… At first I refused to accept that you were truly dead...but then I remembered what someone had told me… a plan… where humankind would know peace and where...I would see you again…"
Coming from him, Rin couldn't help but understand his actions. The Shinobi life was, and probably still is, a cruel life. Children are taught how to kill and then dragged to war. In a way, it was a business that mostly benefited those sitting as council members.
"So I did everything I could to make that plan happen, without realizing that I was nothing but a puppet all along,"
"Huh?" Rin asked confusingly, and Obito elaborated.
"Madara used me the same way he used you… He used both of us by making you a Jinchuriki and having me witness your death… but he was also a puppet to someone else's plan…"
"Who?"
"I called him Black Zetsu. His ultimate goal was to revive his mother using Madara's plan…"
Rin shook her head, "So at the end of the day, we were all used. Thousands of lives taken away because of one person wanting his mother back…."
Obito nodded, "Yes… and I feel ashamed being the one causing those deaths… "
"You're now different than the man Minato-sensei told me about," Rin said, "Sensei told me that the masked man was cruel, and heartless. That he showed no mercy by nearly killing his newborn son and then kidnapping his wife, who had just given birth to the boy and had yet to recover from that,"
Obito said nothing, staring at the ground below as Rin continued. Hearing these details from her almost broke his heart into pieces.
"He extracted the tailed beast out from her, inflicting more pain… and then had the beast attack the village I sacrificed myself for…" Rin then turned her head towards him, eyebrows furrowed. "Why, Obito? You loved Sensei...Kushina adored you,"
He turned his head to her, ready to give some weak response, but stopped as tears rolled down her face. "When you died, Kushina and I visited your grave every single day. We would cry and pray that maybe we were all placed in some terrible Genjutsu...and that you were actually alive somewhere. That one day you would be showing up by our gates with that smile of yours, and you and I would have…"
Rin stopped as her sobs increased, and Obito felt his own eyes become teary. How could he justify the actions of the masked man, if he could barely remember what he was feeling as that figure? It was as if that figure was a different entity controlling him.
"Kushina wouldn't stop talking about you at the academy, telling children to dream big like her favorite pupil Obito Uchiha…."
"I...was lost without you…" he managed to say, "Something in me changed when I saw you collapse and die… I turned into a monster and could barely remember being able to control my own actions… All I had wanted was to see you again-"
"I died to see you!" Rin said suddenly, surprising him. "We were surrounded, and I took my chances. I had wanted to see you again, Obito, so I jumped in front of Kakashi and had him kill me so I could not only protect our village but so I could also join you! Because I too changed when you were no longer there!"
He thought about her words without saying anything else, the two of them welcoming the silence as neither were sure what to say. They were two broken souls stuck in purgatory trying to forgive and move on...
XxXxX
The attacks by the soul-eating creatures lessened by the next seventy-two hours. Obito slowly helped Rin fix the house she had been staying in. Without any tools, gathering supplies had been a challenge. But Obito didn't mind, as it meant that he would be spending more time with her.
Ever since their conversation on the rooftop, they barely addressed that topic again. They barely spoke, yet there was no anger between the two of them. Instead, they felt lost. As if unsure of what to do next.
Obito knew that they could move on once she was ready. But right now, she wasn't. While taking breaks, she would ask him random questions. One question surprised him a lot.
"Did you meet someone else?" she had asked randomly.
"What?"
"Did you fall in love with someone else, as the masked man?" she clarified.
Obito thought about it for a moment before replying, "I...thought about it… But never acted on it… Because if I had, I would have been betraying my feelings for you,"
Rin had said nothing after that.
XxXxX
At night, when the creatures were mostly active, they stayed together in the same room. Her head was on his shoulder, both of them sitting on the floor against the wall. They could hear the awful screeching noise of the creatures.
"If I had all of my chakra, I could save them all," Obito said.
"I know," Rin replied, wrapping her arm around his, "But I don't want you getting hurt playing the hero… I lost you once when you tried that before,"
He smiled, remembering that teenage Rin who would scold him for getting the smallest of bruises. He removed his arm from her gentle grasp and wrapped it around her body. She snuggled against his chest, and he hugged her tightly. They stayed in that position the entire night, blocking the noise of the soul-eaters snatching troubled souls.
XxXxX
Every day was nearly the same routine, as well as night time. Rin had started to smile more around him, which made him happier.
"You fell in love with the right girl," Tameka had once told him, "I can already imagine the adorable children you two would've made,"
Obito could only blush at that.
XxXxX
On the sixth night, he kissed her. Not on the lips, like he always imagined. But on her forehead.
The screams from the terrifying creatures were louder that night, for some reason. As always, she would be snuggled against his body as he hugged her tightly. But instead of sitting next to him on the floor, she sat between his legs. The position was more intimate, his arms wrapped around her body as she laid her head on his chest. One of the creatures had screamed a bit too close near the window, causing her to flinch. And to soothe her, he hugged tighter and kissed her forehead. She said or did nothing after that, which he didn't mind. Having Rin in his arms meant that they were heading in the right direction. Too bad he missed the blush on her face.
XxXxX
On the seventh night, it was her cheek he kissed. And when he did, a giggle had escaped her lips.
"I love you, Rin…" Obito told her.
She didn't say anything, choosing to grab his hand and close her eyes as the night went along.
XxXxX
Obito had gotten used to helping some of the souls with chopping some trees down in order to fix any houses needed for repair. It wasn't a surprise for him to meet some who died during the Fourth Shinobi war, something he had selfishly started. But to his surprise, no one said anything. At first, a few of them were hesitant to get near him. But after realizing that he was a lost soul just like them, they put it all aside.
Obito had also helped them build weapons using the wood in order to defeat the creatures. So every day, he would build spears to put around the village for protection. He would also teach them how to best use them.
XxXxX
It was towards the evening, as he was nearly done making the last spear for the day, that a terrifying feeling hit his chest. It had been sudden, nearly causing him to stumble. But he knew well that it wasn't him feeling that fear… it was Rin. Something was wrong, and she was afraid.
Grabbing the spear he just made, he ran back to the house while wondering what it could've been. It was too early for the creatures to be around. They usually appeared once the sun was truly set…
The door to the house was wide open, and Obito ran inside. The first thing he noticed was Tameka lying on the floor. She was trying to get up, and he quickly picked the older woman up and took her to her room.
"Y-You're home…" she said as he laid her down on her bed.
"What happened? Where's Rin?"
"It took her… It came out of nowhere, through the walls, and took her! It was black with small yellow eyes."
The description seemed familiar, but it wasn't until Tameka referred to it by its name that Obito suddenly realized who he was about to deal with.
"It called himself...Black Zetsu,"
XxXxX
The air around her was smoky, something Rin noticed upon regaining consciousness. It was very hot around her, and she lifted her head and looked around. The area was darker, and she turned around to find a large crater several steps behind her. The glow of boiling fire was the only thing that shone some light around the area.
"W-Where…"
"You're finally awake,"
Rin looked up to find a black humanoid figure appeared, its yellow eyes looking down at her. She crawled back a bit, watching with wide eyes as it smiled down at her.
"I can see why Obito was so desperate to complete the Eye of the Moon Plan," Black Zetsu then laughed, "You really are a beautiful girl… Too bad that fool failed,"
"What do you want?" she asked.
"To destroy that bastard," it replied angrily, "to watch him crumble to pieces again when I kill you,"
"Why?!" Rin asked, "Madara manipulated him! Obito was innocent in all of this! You and Madara created this mess!"
It laughed. "Obito? Innocent? Oh you foolish girl...you truly have no idea about the amount of people he killed. Did you know he was also responsible for his clan's downfall?"
Rin's eyes widened, and Black Zetsu laughed. "You stupid girl! Obito helped Itachi Uchiha massacre their own clan!"
She looked away. She knew of Obito's crimes, especially the murders he committed. And for the last couple of days, she had been slowly forgiving him. But hearing this made her feel sick. His own clansmen?
"And he didn't stop from there," Black Zetsu said in a teasing tone, "He manipulated those wanting peace… Caused villages to go to war with each other…"
"Stop it!"
"Can you imagine the number of misplaced children because of those wars? Children who'll never see their parents again… Children who paid the price of a desperate man trying to complete a stupid plan just to see the love of his life again!"
"I said stop it!"
"Why? Feeling guilt for loving a man who caused the death of so many innocent people?"
"He helped win the war!" she yelled, and Black Zetsu laughed.
"You mean the war he started!? There wouldn't have been a war to begin with had he not started it!"
"You manipulated him," Rin said angrily, "Everything that happened to us was part of your plan. So everything's your fault-"
"Nothing you say will change the fact that your soulmate was responsible for the deaths of so many people-"
"That's enough,"
They looked up to find Obito standing nearby, his arm with a bloody gash. He had a wooden spear in his hand, which also had blood. Rin figured that he most likely killed some creature.
"Took you long enough," Black Zetsu teased, "Even with your Kamui you were still slow,"
Obito didn't let the insult get to him, his eyes on Rin. He felt relieved to see her alive.
"Let her go, she has nothing to do with any of this,"
"I don't think so. Her death is the reason why you chose the path of darkness, Obito. It's why you're both stuck in purgatory!"
"What do you want then?" Obito asked. He needed to get Rin out of there.
"To watch you crumble apart once again when I kill her,"
Obito moved towards them as Zetsu picked Rin up by her neck. The brunette hit Zetsu's arm while trying to get off its grip, but if anything it increased its hold on her.
Just as Obito got closer to them, Zetsu smirked before throwing Rin over the crater and into the fiery pit. It then merged to the ground and laughed, watching as the desperate Uchiha jumped as well.
Rin began to cough as the ashes and smoke filled the back of her throat, her eyes watering. She could feel it getting hotter and hotter the closer she got to the boiling lava underneath. A hand grabbed her arm before pulling her closer, and she immediately felt herself being pressed against Obito's body. She held onto him while thinking about how their souls would perish soon in the pit of fire. This was the area where soul eaters dragged their victims.
"I'm not going to let you die again," Obito growled, and Rin looked up through the smoke.
His eyes were no longer dark, but a fiery red as blood began to roll down his face.
"Kamui!"
Everything else became a mix of gray and black before eventually their bodies hit soft grass. They both coughed and took deep breaths of air, feeling relieved at the fresh air around them.
Rin looked up at him and smiled, her hand touching his face. "Th-That was your…?"
"Sharingan," he said, his eyes back to their normal black color.
"Wow," she said in amazement, before leaning forward and kissing his lips.
He froze for the first couple of seconds, but then kissed her back. Just as expected, her lips were smooth and soft. He could feel something in his soul awakening, a surge of happiness pulsing through.
But their moment didn't last long. Obito noticed something from his peripheral and immediately pushed her aside before a black hand extended and stabbed him through his chest.
"Nooo!" Rin screamed, watching as blood trickled down Obito's mouth while Zetsu pulled his hand out of his chest with a cynical laugh. Rin held onto Obito as he coughed out more blood.
"Obito, please don't," she cried, and he looked at her weakly.
"I-I'm...s-sorry for everything, Rin… I love you,"
"I love you too!" she said frantically, her tears falling on his face, "I've always had and I'm sorry for never telling you sooner!"
"How pathetic," Zetsu commented, getting ready to attack a second time. But as he did, a white light caught him and his body began to shrink. "What is this!?"
Hagoromo appeared, floating mid air with his legs crossed. He frowned upon seeing the black entity. "I wondered where you'd went after mother's death,"
"You traitor!" Zetsu screamed, "You betrayed mother! You, her son, betrayed her! You deserve nothing but death!"
Hagoromo opened his hand, revealing a small vase. He said something, almost in a foreign language, and suddenly Zetsu's body was pulled into the vase. Its screams were muffled once he was inside.
"Wh-What happened?" Rin asked, still holding onto a semi-conscious Obito.
"I'm storing him in here for now," the ancient being said, "I will deal with him later. In the meantime, how are his injuries?"
"Not good," she said, looking down at him. Obito's eyes were half-opened. "Can you save him? Please?"
"Because we're in purgatory, unfortunately there is not much I can do to save his soul. However, it seems as if you both are ready to move on onto your next lives,"
"You mean...we'll go to heaven and be…?"
"Reincarnated throughout the circle of life," he explained, "And becoming soulmates forever as your souls have a bonding no one can ever break,"
Rin looked down at Obito, who offered her a weak smile. "I-I'm ready...to l-live every life...with you, Rin,"
She smiled back at him, cradling his body, "So am I," She then looked at Hagoromo.
"We're ready,"
The man nodded, and a white light appeared underneath them.
"I...I love you Rin," Obito said weakly, "I'll see you...in every life we live,"
"Find me," Rin joked before pecking his lips, "And I love you too, Obito,"
The light became brighter, and they held onto each other as the feeling of forgiveness and love took over. And within seconds, they soon ascended to the sky and felt themselves become reborn…
Till death do us part, they say.
I say,
I will love you till this life to the next.
And if the next life won't grace me with you,
I will still love you till the next one,
And the next, and the next,
Till death finally give up on us.
- Cynthia go, Till death give up on us.
XxXxX
XxXxX
Year - 2019 Common Era
The sound of thunder woke him up from his mid-afternoon nap, his eyebrows furrowing at the weird dream he just had. The dream of him and Rin, his childhood friend of nearly fifteen-years, being soulmates…
The TV in his living room was playing, the movie he had previously been watching ended. He didn't mind, as the movie was boring to begin with. The local evening news now played, focusing on the incoming hurricane.
"Hurricane Eli is now a category five hurricane, with winds going over one-hundred and fifty miles per hour! Hurricane Eli has already reached the coast of Konoha Beach, and all of the residents in that area have already evacuated hours ago,"
Obito yawned before walking over to his bathroom, washing his face and brushing his teeth. The lights in his apartment flickered, and he only hoped that the electricity wouldn't go out thanks to the incoming hurricane. The weather outside was already bad - cloudy skies, hard rain, and powerful gusts of wind. He saw how trash cans were being thrown down the street thanks to the wind. One of them hit a parked car.
Exiting the bathroom, he checked his phone. Two new missed messages, one from Shisui and the other from Asuma. Both texts wishing him a happy birthday.
It wasn't common for him to stay home during his birthday, as it would always fall during hurricane season. If anything, it would be celebrated either a week earlier or later. But this year, Obito didn't mind staying home and playing video games just to kill his boredom. He had some leftover food from last night's dinner that Mikoto had hosted, as well as the whiskey that Fugaku had gifted him.
The light flickered again, and he charged his phone immediately just in case the power went out. Sitting on his couch, he watched the news as videos of brave journalists braced the strong gusts of wind. His mind went to the strange dream he had, of Rin being his soulmate. He wasn't sure why he had dreamt of her today, considering the last time he spoke with her was a few days ago. She had been busy studying for an important exam. Nonetheless, it wasn't the first time he dreamt of her, nor second. Ever since the day he met her, back in elementary school, he's always had a crush on her. And now that they were young adults, ready to graduate from college, it was more than just a crush. Kakashi Hatake called it love.
"Not like she's interested in me in that way," Obito told himself, flipping through the channels.
He landed on one channel, where The Dark Knight was playing, and he opted for watching that instead of the news. The hurricane would be over Konoha for at least twenty-four hours before moving on to somewhere else, as usual. And after it moved on, there would be a lot of trash to clean up and repairs to be done due to whichever tree may have fallen.
Obito had been so invested into the movie that he barely heard the soft knock on his front door, which surprised him. Who could be visiting him during this time? The lights flickered a third time, and the knock came again. Stretching his arms upward (and nearly hitting the ceiling fan), he walked over to the front door and opened it, his eyes widening at the sight in front of him. Rin Nohara, the girl he just dreamt of, was standing across from him with two bags in her hand. But that wasn't what caught his attention. Despite the beautiful smile she was giving him, she was soaked from head to toe.
"Happy Birthday, Obito!" she said, her body shaking a bit from the cold water. Her hair was so wet that it clung to her head, and her nose was bright red.
"Rin? What are you doing here? There's a hurricane outside!"
"I know, and I was hoping I could beat it before it got worse… But the bakery took too long getting your cake right…"
His cake? "You came here…?"
"Because it's your birthday, silly! And I brought you something,"
He couldn't help but smile, before eventually urging her to enter. She set the bags on his table before looking down.
"Ah, sorry! I'm wetting all your floor,"
"It's OK. I can put your clothes in the dryer and give you a t-shirt..and maybe some sweats,"
"That would be really helpful," she said.
He rushed to his bedroom, telling himself to not overthink this. Just because his crush of who-knows-how-many-years showed up soaking wet with a cake for him didn't mean that she reciprocated his feelings…
"So don't act like some idiot in love," he told himself.
He grabbed a t-shirt and some sweats. The sweats would probably fit her too big, so he also grabbed a clean pair of boxers. He's heard of girls using boxers as shorts.
Obito walked back to his kitchen, not seeing her there.
"I'm in here," she said, poking her head out.
He looked at his bathroom mirror, catching a glimpse of her backside. She was down to some blue bra and black panties.
"Here's a shirt and some sweats… but the sweats may be too big. You can wear one of my boxers,"
"Thanks!"
She grabbed the shirt and boxers, coming out a minute later with her clothes in hand while wearing his. The t-shirt reached the top of her thighs, and Obito smirked at how smaller she looked wearing his clothes.
After putting her clothes in the dryer, they walked back to the kitchen and Rin took out the small white box. A large plastic knife was taped on top of it.
"Alright, close your eyes!"
"OK," he said, closing his eyes while hearing her move some things around.
The thunder outside got louder, the lights in the area blinked once again.
"Ok, you can open them now!"
He opened his eyes and smiled at the small cake in front of him. It was white with blue frosting. The letters Happy Birthday, Obito were neatly written on top. Rin placed two lit candles on it.
"The store didn't have numbers, so I just bought these regular candles. Now make a wish!"
Taking her cellphone out, she began to play the Happy Birthday song and Obito chuckled. Standing in front of the cake, he closed his eyes for a moment before re-opening them and blowing out the two candles. The music finished and Rin gave a small clap.
"Happy Birthday!"
"Thank you, Rin. I still can't believe you came all the way over here for this,"
"Why wouldn't I? You deserve this, even if the weather isn't as nice as we want it to be,"
"Sometimes I feel like the luckiest guy having you in my life," he admitted, and her smile grew as she cut the cake.
She said nothing to that, but he examined her expression. Her smile didn't go away as she turned to him with a piece of cake in her hand.
"Open up,"
He opened his mouth just a bit, and she placed the cake inside. It was vanilla flavored, his favorite.
"My turn," he said, cutting a piece and feeding her as well. His finger touched her bottom lip, causing those butterflies in his stomach to appear again.
"I also got you something," she said, giving him the second bag.
Obito opened the bag and pulled out a lined blue flannel jacket along with an engraved pocket knife. He read the message on the knife.
I'll always be watching you… R.H.
He looked at her, seeing as her eyes sparkled. She still had her beautiful smile on. Her hair looked wavy now that it was partially dried, and he realized that she looked even prettier like that. The fact that she had commuted for over twenty miles, gotten him a cake and gift, while a hurricane hit Konoha showed him how much she cared.
"I hope you like them," she said softly, and he nodded.
"I do, thank you," he placed the gifts on the table and approached her, giving her a hug.
She wrapped her arms around him, her head resting on his chest. He was nearly a foot taller than her.
"I really do feel lucky having you as my friend," he said, resting his chin on her head, "Sometimes it feels...as if..we're bonded…"
His heart pounded rapidly, something she took notice of with her ear against his chest. However, his was not the only one pounding just as fast. Her face became heated as she spoke.
"I...sometimes feel that too… especially after we got to college,"
"You feel it too?"
She lifted her head up, seeing her reflection in his eyes. "Yeah… Like if… no matter where we go or what we do, we're always going to be together,"
The thunder was heard again, this time louder. And seconds later, the power went out. Rin had flinched at the sudden darkness, and Obito tightened his hold on her.
"Sorry, didn't mean to jump like that," Rin said, her face becoming warmer as she felt his breath near her face. The apartment was dark, and she hadn't noticed him leaning closer to her.
"It's OK, you're with me…" he replied, "Thank you for coming over for my birthday. And I'm glad you also feel that way...as if we're going to be together no matter where we go. I think it means something… for us…"
"I think so too," she said, feeling her heart pounding by her throat as his breath now tickled her lips.
He was going to kiss her, that she was certain of. And Rin slowly closed her eyes as his lips pressed against hers. They separated for a moment before kissing again, their lips moving slowly. When they separated again, they leaned their foreheads against each other.
"You know, this is exactly what I wished for," Obito said.
"Looks like the stars were aligned today then," Rin replied, and he kissed her again.
The rest of their stormy evening was filled with more kisses, cake, some tickling, and cuddling. With the power out and nothing else to do, they sat on the couch talking about funny past stories and the future that laid in front of them as a couple.
The End.
Author's Note: Well, what do you guys think? I've had this idea for many months, and about a week ago I started writing it down. Now that it's finished, I wanted to share it with you all. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please leave a review with your thoughts on it!
Until the next story...