scared of the stars

chapter 2 - Obito

Does Obito regret sacrificing himself?

No.

Did he want to do more with his life?

Sure.

He had had one goal for half of his life, and now that was gone. His dream was destroyed in front of his eyes, and by none other than he himself. He had to admit it was pathetic. To think one would waste so much time on something that wouldn't be accomplished. Well, it did get accomplished, though not in the way he had so dearly hoped.

If someone had asked which moment he had fucked up, he would answer truthfully.

He had forgotten. His list of fuckups had gotten so long that half of his life was one big blur.

He was one big fuckup. That was Obito Uchiha.

What a legacy he left behind. Destruction and fear. People had died because of him, and he had been so far behind that damn mask that he hadn't even cared. Hadn't mourned.

At least he managed to have a proper conversation with Kakashi before he left for good. He was happy Kakashi hadn't come with him to the afterlife, it wasn't his time yet. He had a lot to do. Especially now in the aftermath of the cold war.

Wow Obito. You sure are amazing...

There was one thing he knew for certain, and that was that he would do it again. In a heartbeat.

Not the whole raging on the world and starting a war part, that bit he would gladly discard. It was the last few hours of his life. He would help Naruto and his friend again. He would have given Kakashi his eyes again.

Maybe he'd do something more. Maybe he would have left a more positive mark of himself in the world.

Kakashi had forgiven him, even wanted him to continue living. That was enough for him.

Rin looked at him, a suspicious look in her eyes. She was leaning backwards, her arms keeping her upright on the green grass. The sky was bright blue, as it always was here. The faint hue of a cloud would pass by every now and then. Birds were chirping, singing their songs. Did they know they were dead? That their singing and calling for a female bird would be in vain.

Obito furrowed his brows and ignored the silent question hovering in the air. He didn't have an answer, neither did he truly want to give one.

He adjusted his goggles, having forgotten the feeling of its shape engraved into his skin by the tightness. Sometimes, you don't miss something until you remember it.

«Stop it,» Rin said and clutched the fabric of his sleeve. Worry etched her brow.

Obito glanced at her, but looked away immediately. He hated seeing her sad, he hated that he was the reason she felt like this.

«Stop what?» He asked and adjusted the way he sat, subconsciously moving further away.

«Stop reminiscing on what could have been.» She replied, making him freeze. Was that what he was doing?

He bit his lower lip and finally looked her in the eyes. She hadn't changed one bit from how she looked when she was alive. Her eyes were still filled with affection. Her cheeks were painted purple like when she was alive, but now they were permanently pigmented on her skin. Her hair hadn't grown longer either, having maintained the shape that framed her face perfectly.

Obito was happy she had watched over him all these years. He was happy that when he thought he was all alone, there was still someone by his side. In a way, Rin had been his guardian angel.

He wasn't in love with her anymore like when he was a kid, but he appreciated her and their connection was deeper than what had been. It wasn't romantic or sexual, but that didn't mean there was nothing there at all. Rin was his hero.

Though he would have lied if he said he was completely happy with how it was.

«I'm not. Everything is okay.» He murmured and looked away.

«You don't have to lie to me. I know you, Obito. I know you better than you know yourself.» She said and playfully poked his shoulder, trying to get a smile out of him.

It worked, though it was far from genuine.

Obito had been dead for two weeks, and with each day that went by, he felt more and more miserable. Rin had said he would get over the initial shock of it all, but Obito wasn't sure they had the same experiences toward this. Sure, they had both been killed, but they weren't the same people. They approached life differently and were both in different stages of their lived when they died. One would have thought Rin would be the sad one of the two since she had died young.

She had died without any regrets. She had died while walking the path that was right for her.

Obito had died after making mistakes after another. His path was shaky and unstable.

He had a thousand regrets, and they lingered on his mind like an invisible curse mark.

For the first time these two weeks, he let a tear fall.

A blinding light enveloped them, silencing every noise and canceling all senses. Rin shielded her eyes, trying to look between her fingers, though failing. Obito was completely stunned, staring at the shape of a man standing in front of them. The light didn't have the same effect on him as everyone else. The man approached him, though he wasn't walking, but levitating. He was sitting in the air as if it was the most normal thing ever. A pair of horns protruded from his forehead, several circle shaped markings were drawn on his collarbone and around his neck. He wore a long robe and a staff in one of his hands.

«I Am Hagoromo Otsutsuki, or The Sage of Six Paths as you like to refer to me.» He spoke, voice deep and calm. Obito started shaking, nerves catching up to him together with the confusion. Was he finally getting the punishment he deserved? Would he be dragged to another world, one filled with darkness and people whose hearts were filled with their own hatred rather than love?

«I am here to take you back to the world of the living.» Hagoromo said.

What?