Chapter Text
Obito watches as Kakashi’s wound bleeds, his Sharingan activated and capturing every moment. He could see the gash in microscopic detail, Kakashi's sacrifice crystallized in his memory.
Unbidden, his eyes water. Kakashi had given up his eye for him, which meant more to Obito, an Uchiha, than Kakashi could ever know.
And then they’re rescuing Rin, and everything is going to plan, except Obito can’t shake the sick sense of déjà vu that has been creeping up on him ever since his Sharingan activated. He should be happy, but instead he feels like throwing up, like something terrible is going to happen.
And it does. The rocks fall, and he knows Kakashi can’t avoid them due to his injury, the injury he got from protecting his teammate. Obito thinks, at that moment, that Kakashi really is a hero, just like his father.
Obito thinks, at that moment, that it's his turn to be one too.
Though maybe he isn’t thinking much at all, because he throws Kakashi out of the way before he realizes it’s too late.
The rocks fall.
Silence.
“Are you okay, Rin? Kakashi?” he croaks out, the feeling of déjà vu stronger than ever. So strong, that he doesn’t even feel the pain.
In oh-so perfect clarity, Obito sees the horror on Kakashi and Rin’s faces.
He thinks that it won’t be the last time he’s looked at like this. How he knows this, with such certainty, he doesn’t know.
But he’s starting to get the idea.
It’s as if he’s reading off a script he’s practiced so many times before. The self-loathing in Kakashi’s voice as he blames himself, the way Obito placates him in that dull voice, completely out of it.
Obito knows, though, that despite the sense that he’s experienced this before, he wouldn’t change a thing about what happens next.
So he gifts his eye to Kakashi, feeling like it’s the second time he’s done it, and he knows he would do it a million times more.
And as his consciousness slips away, the déjà vu only growing, he knows he has no regrets for what he’s done. Maybe only for what he’s about to do– the first time around, at least.
–
He dreams. He dreams of a cave, an old man and some odd plants and a warning (nothing is as it seems).
He dreams of Kakashi, his hand speared through Rin’s chest as a thousand birds chirp in the wind. He dreams of rage, swallowing him and his enemies up alike (nothing will ever be okay again).
He dreams of a plan, doomed to fail, the road to hell paved with good intentions and corpses of the ones he used to know (nothing can fix this).
He dreams of redemption, brief but all-encompassing, finding his way back onto the path he strayed off so long ago (nothing has ever convinced him more).
He dreams of dying, of sacrificing himself for his teammates just as his teammates had once done for him. He dreams of a bottomless well of wishes and regrets (nothing could let him do more).
And then he wakes up (something could let him do more).
—
Before he even opens his eyes, his body reacts to the familiar chakra signature reaching for his heart.
In one moment, Madara’s arms are cuffed by his chakra-draining Mokuton. In the next, Obito thrusts the wood clean through his chest.
Obito opens his eyes as Madara topples over. Catches the shocked expression on his haunting face before it goes slack, limp body hitting the floor with a thud.
He pours his chakra (when did his reserves quadruple?) into his heart, flushing out the barely-started seal. His mind is running a million miles a minute, rushing with possibilities and the feverish determination to fix this.
Zetsu crops out, hissing in fury and lunging towards him. His eye (when did he get the Mangekyo? The Rinnegan?) flashes, activating the soul path and absorbing the creature's chakra. Each of Zetsu’s halves falls to the ground, joining Madara on the cold cave floor.
Obito exhales raggedly. Slowly, he inches towards Madara before extracting his eyes and sending them to Kamui. Whirling to his dimension, he places them on a far ledge for safekeeping.
He swirls back into the cave to get Zetsu’s body, then he teleports to the Gedo Statue. Finally, he merges the chakra beings back into the statue before also sending it to Kamui, where no one can use it again.
The adrenaline rush slowly wears off, and Obito is half-panicked and half-giddy; in disbelief at the situation, at what he’s done, and the possibility of what’s to come.
A soft, slow smile spreads on his face. He thinks of Kakashi, of Rin, of Sensei and Kushina and the clan and the village and–
Maybe, just maybe, he can actually do this.
–
His body doesn’t exactly feel like his own anymore. Besides the Hashirama-Zetsu flesh, his twelve-year-old body seems to have merged with his thirty-one-year-old one. He has exponentially larger chakra reserves, muscle memory from wars that haven’t happened yet, a Mangekyo, and a Rinnegan. That, and nineteen years of memories from a life he hopes he’ll never live.
A couple hours of training later, and he’s pretty sure he could take down any Kage. Newfound strength aside, Obito has no idea what day it is. On that note, he teleports to the nearest Shinobi output in Kusa and asks for the date.
It’s one month before Rin kills herself on Kakashi’s hand.
Relief floods through Obito– he has time.
Obito starts doing what he does best: plotting.
–
Obito is crumbling to ash.
He wishes he had more time, here next to Kakashi.
He wishes Rin would wait for him a little longer.
He wishes he hadn’t strayed so far from his path.
He wishes he could do more to fix things.
He wishes he had one more chance.
Once, he wished of being Hokage. Once, he wished to change the world. Once, he wished to make things right.
Obito dies as he had lived– wishing.
Obito wakes up with more than just a wish– Obito wakes up with a chance.
He’ll grab it with everything he can.
–
As Obito trains to get used to his body and plots his return, he is fuelled by the notion of reuniting with his loved ones once more.
He thinks of Rin and her unending kindness. Rin was the first person, other than his grandma, to treat him with such compassion. Obito guesses that’s why he fell in love with her.
He thinks of Kakashi and his unyielding loyalty. Kakashi was the first person he knew he needed to beat, he needed to win over, he needed to understand. Obito guesses that’s why he fell harder.
Kakashi was always devoted. Devoted to the rules, to an infuriating degree. But then he figured out why– Kakashi was scared of ending up like his father, his loyalty to those he loved thrown in his face.
Kakashi was always devoted. He sacrificed himself for Obito, and Obito sacrificed himself to Kakashi in turn. At that moment, he understood Kakashi.
Kakashi was always devoted. He idolized Obito and followed his nindo. Visited his grave every day, without fail, prayed to his memory in something close to worship.
His love for Kakashi was suppressed, twisted by a seal on his heart and poison in his mind. He longed for Rin’s kindness and innocence, a perfect world by her side. Obito plotted towards the Infinite Tsukoyomi, where they would be reunited once more. He quashed down any anger at her he felt for using Kakashi to kill herself.
He longed for Kakashi’s rawness, his everything. He stalked Kakashi, blamed him for breaking his promise. It was easier than acknowledging his obsession with the Hatake. Easier than dealing with the overwhelming grief and want.
Obito thinks about his love for both of them, and he hopes.
–
One month later, the Kiri-nin are headed towards where Kakashi and Rin are stationed for their mission. Obito guesses that they are still under the impression Rin has been sealed.
He watches in Kamui as the enemy nin chase the pair of Konohans, who are confused by their interest and overwhelmed by their numbers.
Obito steps out into the clearing just as they begin to close in. The Kiri-nin whirl around, defensive.
It’s too late. He slaughters them all effortlessly, blood staining the ground and everything around it.
His breath catches in his throat the moment he turns around and makes eye contact with Kakashi and Rin. His Sharingan catches the exact moment recognition sparks on their faces and their eyes widen, bodies freezing up.
Kakashi’s hand on his tanto goes limp, the blade falling to the ground.
“O- Obito?” He rasps out, voice choked and eyes watering.
Rin is beside Kakashi, hyperventilating and shaking, forming hand signals and whispering “Kai” in rapid succession.
“Hey guys, sorry I was late,” Obito breathes out, a smile forming on his face.
All at once, Kakashi and Rin rush towards him. He’s tackled to the ground as the pair hugs him fiercely, like they need to know he’s real. Like he’ll disappear if they let go.
They stutter out fragments of sentences, a rush of it’s really you and I missed you so much and what happened?
He’s startled out of their frantic clutching and hugging by Kakashi yanking his mask down and staring at Obito with tear-tracked cheeks.
As he looks at Kakashi’s bare, devastatingly beautiful face and Rin’s infinitely warm expression, relief floods through him. No matter what happens, everything will be okay.
–
They’re running back to Konoha at breakneck speeds, hands entwined with each other. Ever since reuniting, they haven’t let go.
Kakashi and Rin manage to ask what happened, but Obito said it would be better to only explain once, back at the village. The pair acquiesce easily, and Obito thinks, with fondness, that they would probably agree to anything he said right now.
Kakashi’s pupils are blown wide, and despite the dense forest they’re traversing, his eyes haven’t left Obito once. It’s as if he’s having a religious experience, one that the silver-haired man wishes would never end.
Rin looks over the moon, relieved beyond belief and smiling so wide it looks like it hurts.
And Obito? He feels warm, warmer than he’s ever been before. Elated to be back with his teammates, and excited to go back to those he loves, no matter how complicated his feelings towards the village are.
Yeah, Obito thinks, feeling Kakashi’s hand squeeze even tighter, the flush on the tips of his ears growing, I wouldn’t trade this for anything.
–
The three of them are stationed in the reception of the Hokage’s office, frantic movement and shouting surrounding them.
Pale faces and wide eyes followed Obito from the gate (where the stationed guards tried to dispel a Genjutsu thrice) all the way through the trek to the Hokage tower. Whispers trailed behind them, murmuring about his scars and the Rinnegan and his clearly not-dead appearance.
Finally, they’re let into the Hokage’s office, the ANBU Commander Nara Shikaku following behind them with an assessing gaze, and T&I Head Inoichi Yamanaka not too far behind, pale features seeming starker than usual.
The instant the door opens, Minato-sensei’s overjoyed and disbelieving face greets Obito. The blond rushes over and sweeps Obito into an almost too-tight hug, shouting with delight. Obito lets the tears fall again, his leaky eyes overflowing nonstop since reuniting with his teammates.
“It’s really you,” Minato murmurs wonderingly into Obito’s hair.
“Hi, Sensei,” Obito replies, slightly sheepish.
The Hokage coughs, interrupting the moment. The old man’s face looks equally wary and fond, and Obito has many conflicting feelings about it as they make eye contact. He feels a little guilty for what he’s about to do, but not that much.
“Kakashi, report,” Hiruzen orders.
The Hatake squeezes his hand from beside him, finally breaking eye contact with Obito to look at the Hokage, to his obvious reluctance. His eyes keep darting over to Obito while he recites the mission, how it was a success until the Kiri-nin ambushed them, how Obito arrived and saved them.
Hiruzen looks over at Obito, “Please corroborate your side of the story.”
So Obito does, starting at his arrival at the clearing all the way until arriving at the office. When he describes killing the Kiri-nin, Shikaku’s eyes widen, clearly surprised.
“I see,” the Hokage starts, taking a long drag of his pipe, “now, Obito, would you explain what’s happened since you’ve been presumed dead?”
The Sarutobi’s face is warm, but his smile is tense, and his eyes are narrowed a bit too much.
Obito knows he only has one shot at this, one chance to make this right. He thanks kami that sensei, the ANBU commander, and the T&I head are here to hear this. If it was just the Hokage, it wouldn’t work.
He takes a deep breath and starts talking.