The Uchiha Corp (Modern Naruto: Various x Reader)

Alice

February 10th. A week since Y/n had her run-in with the Senju brothers. A week to plot and plan with Madara what to do. A week to over analyze, overthink, over question and let her emotions get the best of her. By the time the 10th rolled around, she was a wreck, on the inside. On the outside, she was the perfect woman, and that's all anyone saw... except one man.

A knock at her main door startled her, Madara was busy today, being a meeting day at the office, so she hasn't expected anyone to visit her. Dressed in leggings and an off the shoulder sweater, she headed for the door. When she opened the door she kept the mask on, but again, on the inside, she was falling apart. She had suspected he would be with his fiancé, not in the mansion, and defined not knocking on her door.

"Happy birthday, Obito," Y/n gave him a bright smile but he saw through it in an instant.

Obito glanced over her shoulder, "Let's go for a walk." There wasn't room for debate in his tone.

Y/n straightened and whistled loudly, "Rogue and Zero are due for a walk." The dogs came charging for her and then darted out the door, making Obito move away quickly.

Obito shook his head and turned to follow them to the closest door to the small fenced yard Madara had made for Y/n. She slipped on her shoes and jogged to catch up with him. The trek was silent, Obito just wanting to be close to her today, and Y/n not knowing what to say. Once outside the mid-winter weather made her shiver and she clutched the sleeves of her sweater tightly. He cut his eyes to her and shoved his hands in his pocket in order to keep from touching her.

The bench that was offset from the path allowed them to see the back door, making sure no one kept them off guard. Y/n lead Obito to the bench and sat down, folding in as much as she could to keep her warm. The five-month-old puppy chased the older male and barked as he did, making Y/n smile softly. Obito couldn't help but smile at her, but he quickly averted his gaze when he saw the sadness in her eyes.

Getting straight to the point, she sighed and asked, "Why are you here?" Many ways to answer that question, but he knew why he was here.

It was his turn to sigh, "I wanted to see you," they both looked at one another, a brief lapse in their judgment, "though it kills me to see you this way."

She looked back to the dogs, "What way?"

Obito snorted and huddled in closer to himself, "Lost," he said quietly, "and alone. If he knew how to read you, he'd easily see you're unhappy."

"He sees what he wants to," she didn't hold back her answer, but she avoided his analysis of her mood.

Obito thought about her answer for a moment as Rogue pinned Zero to the ground. Y/n called Rogue off the puppy and he sat at command while the puppy nipped at him again. Just like the pup was ready to fight again, even after being tackled to the ground and his neck held in a larger predator's mouth.

"What do you see?" He asked, his voice getting even quieter.

It was her turn to think for a moment, "Two people fighting against one another, pretending to care what the outcome might be, but really they only care about themselves. They pretend to be selfless, when in fact they're the most selfish people in the world. They don't care what, or who lies in the way of their goal. Destruction is what's left in their wake. But, a world without war wouldn't be a world I want to live in. A world without sacrifice is a world without reward. A world without hate is a world without love."

Her words struck something within Obito, "That's pretty deep," he tried to make light of it, but it didn't take any of the burdens off either of their shoulders. "You're the most selfless person I know." He finally added.

Y/n scoffed and looked at him like he was insane, "I think maybe you need to re-evaluate your opinion of me."

He sat straighter and focused on her, "You're going to tell me that you're doing this for yourself?" His tone was harsh and she flinched, "That there's no one else you're making these sacrifices for? I don't know why, and I may never know why, but I know there's a reason for you suffering like this. You can't tell me that you love him and that you're okay with the things he's done to you. You can't tell me that you'll happily marry him and bear him children one day. You can't tell me-"

"I can't tell you anything," she cut him off, "because no matter what I say, it won't matter. No matter what I do, it won't matter. There's no happy ending here, Obito, for either one of us. You want me to tell you that there's an end at all? Even with Rin not in the picture, there's no end to this. Even if she vanishes into thin air, your uncles still stand between the end you so desperately cling to. Whatever fantasy you've dreamt up, you might as well keep dreaming. While you're off in la-la land, cupcakes, and rainbows surrounding you, I'm in a living nightmare, chains and whips tying me down. Your illusion and mine are two very different things."

This isn't what he wanted. He wanted to ask her if she was okay. He wanted to steal a touch, a hug, or even sneak a kiss somehow. He wanted to embrace her for even a second, to inhale her scent. He wanted to whisper the words that he held in his heart, not stir whatever darkness this was within her. He wanted to spend his birthday with the woman he loved, instead, he spent it with her, but he watched her fall further and further into this black abyss that he couldn't pull her from.

"I'm sorry-" fucking shitty ass try at an apology, or only made her more upset.

"Sorry?!" She screamed, "You can take your fucking sorry and shove it up your ass! You and your family have done nothing but fuck me! Literally and figuratively. I wish you never would've kissed me that day. I wish you'd never followed me into that pantry. I wish you'd never tried to weasel your way into the heart I put a cage around. You think Madara is the one that's broken me? You think he's the reason I'm lost and alone? No, Obito Uchiha, you're the reason."

She stood up and began to walk away but deep down, she knew he wouldn't let her get away with it. He would either make her try and see his side of things, make her see that cupcakes and rainbows were possible, or, he'd hurt her just as much as she hurt him. No matter which approach he took, it would start the spiral of dissent into a darkness she's never known before.

"I'm getting married in eight days," that was a lower blow than she expected. "In eight days I'll be tied to a woman that I wouldn't piss on even if she was on fire. Eight days and I'll forever be-"

"What does that have to do with me?" She wouldn't let him do this. Her back was still to him but she was only a few feet away. His feet hit the ground and the light snow that still dusted the grass. He stopped behind and she fought to not reach for her once again.

"Eight days- I feel like my life is ending then," she heard the turmoil, the heartbreak and the plea for her to do something, anything to help him feel alive again. To help him live again.

The pit opened at her feet, "Am I suppose to save you?" A foot at the ledge, just a simple push or a gust of wind, and she'd gone tumbling down.

Obito stepped even closer, she could feel the heat from his body, his hot breath on her frigid shoulder. He lifted a hand and his thumb warmed her flesh as held her shoulder now. What was he doing? Neither one of them knew, and neither one of them could prepare for the ramifications it would have on them both.

"How can you save me, when you can't even save yourself?" A small push, her other foot in hiding closer to the edge.

She smirked, "I don't need saving, Obito," she turned her head and he could see the deranged look in her eyes, "there's no helping me. At the end of all this, no matter the outcome, someone should just put me out of my misery."

His eyes widened at her words but she still held his stare, "You really think it's too late?" His eyes grew dull at the thought.

She let her eyes drop for a moment, "It was too late the second Madara heard my name leave Naruto's mouth. The moment he thought he could win my heart, my fate was sealed. I'll do whatever I have to, as long as Kikyo is safe." As long as you're safe.

His grip tightened on her shoulder, "Like mother, like daughter."

There it was. The push. The gust of wind. The shove. The fall.

Alice has fallen down the rabbit hole.