under the same sun
[equals]
summary: They were equals now. He stood beside her instead of behind. He sat next to her instead of across. He spoke to her instead of around her. Little things that she probably didn't even notice but made him swell with pride.
characters: Obito, Rin
honorable mentions: Kakashi, Minato, slight Kushina
rating: K
note1: thank you everyone who reviewed and added this to their favorites!
note2: this was supposed to be out sooner, but – damn you, procrastination!
/
.
.
.
.
.
/
He could refer to her by name now, instead of so ambiguously like he had in his head.
Rin.
Rin.
Rin. Rin. Rin
Rin. Rin. Rin. Rin. RinRinRinRinRinRin.
His heart still felt like it had imploded inside his chest each time he thought of it, and his palms were so slick with sweat that he had to wipe them across his pant leg several times to be rid of the wetness, and his stomach still erupted in a nervous ache, but it was progress. Before, whenever he thought of her name, his face would burn fiercely and his knees would quake violently, threatening to give out under the crushing weight that simple, three lettered name, gave.
Nothing changed outwardly; he was still the same person as he'd always been, but for some reason she was different. Instead of being an idolized object of his inner desire, she was simply Rin: beautiful, amazing, compassionate Rin. They were equals now. He stood beside her instead of behind. He sat next to her instead of across. He spoke to her instead of around her.
Little changes, that's all they were. She probably didn't even notice them, but they made him swell with pride.
Was it him who made them equal? Did he somehow manage to push Kakashi out of her view and insert himself stubbornly in place, refusing to budge no matter how hard she pushed against him? Or was it her, who suddenly decided that there was more to life than the silver haired boy who held her heart in his hands, only to shove it aside like a piece of crumbled paper that he had no use for?
She didn't like him.
Rin did not have a crush on Obito.
Period.
For some reason, that didn't matter to him anymore.
He still liked her (practically lived for her); that didn't change. But he managed to somehow acquire her friendship through the past month, although the how aspect of it all was still lost on him. Obito wasn't going to mess any chance up that he might have with Rin; even if that meant watching her make eyes at Kakashi the entire time they were all together.
Sometimes, when Minato-sensei was busy with his own devices (namely Kushina), and Kakashi was off (Obito liked to think he was skulking around his apartment, seething with jealously over how advanced Obito had become in training – he was almost at par to the rest of them and gloated about it constantly, incase any of them forgot – but in reality, he was just training alone, like he preferred), leaving Rin and himself alone.
In those (many) instances, they would watch a movie or get something to eat together.
Obito tried to pretend that it was a date a couple times, but the subject of Kakashi would stub out those feelings instantly. Rin was always the one to bring him up, making little conversational comments on a new trick he mastered, or how he was going to excel in the upcoming Chunin exams. They used to make him sulk stubbornly, pouting the entire time until Rin caught on to his mood and dropped the topic.
Now, he could add to the conversation, throwing in his own opinion.
He was also glad to hear that each of her comments on Kakashi was always mission-related, sounding like a proud teammate instead of a lover. She still had a crush on him, though; Obito could see it clearly just as he had before. That didn't change. But the subtleness of her affections, muted and not as obvious as it was before, gave him hope that maybe – just maybe – she was getting over Kakashi.
An unrequited childish crush was bound to burn out over time.
He could let it run its course. Let Rin see for herself that she didn't love Kakashi.
Or he could stand there, unassuming, in the background with a pitcher of water in his hand, sprinkling it over the flame.
(He, quite obviously, chose the latter.)
\
.
.
.
.
.
/
note2: next update will be on Wednesday. maybe Tuesday.
note3: reviews are my drug. be a good dealer would you?