Land of Giants {Obito x Reader x Various} Naruto AU

17. M.I.A

Eleven years ago. Obito was finally about to confess his feelings for Rin – to Rin. They had just graduated high school and he was determined to tell her how he felt before he went off to college. Their colleges were only an hour drive away from one another, a relationship wouldn't have been hard to work out. For the past several months they had been glued at the hip while Kakashi was busy filling out military paperwork. Kakashi, unlike Rin and Obito, had chosen to go into the military before he went to school.

Obito went to the marketplace. He'd planned on getting her favorite snacks, some flowers, and tickets to a movie they had both been dying to see.

"Is today the day?"

"Yes. Finally."

"Alright. Well... do you think she..."

"Pink or orange?" Obito asked, interrupting Kakashi holding up two rose bouquets while he held the phone between his shoulder and ear.

"Orange, I guess. Obito, do you really thin–"

"She loves these pretzels."

Kakashi sighed, Obito wasn't hearing him, "Good luck man, really."

"Thanks!"

Kakashi hung up. He had been trying for months now to talk Obito out of this plan. No luck. He refused to listen. Kakashi wasn't into Rin, by any means. They had been friends for way too long and he wouldn't let anything jeopardize that. But he also knew how Rin had felt towards him. It was clear in the way she stared at him and laughed loudly whenever he had said something mildly funny. He hated that Obito didn't see it. Wouldn't see it.

~~~

She had asked him to come over a few days ago and the day had finally come. Obito took the flowers and gifts with him to Rin's house. When he pulled up to her house he saw others arriving. It looked like a party. No problem, he would leave the gifts in the car and talk to her after.

He headed inside to see Rin greeting everyone who had just arrived. She looked beautiful. A summer dress floated just at her mid-thigh. Her lips were perfectly glossy. When she saw Obito, she waved him over, pulling him into a room.

"Obito! I'm so happy you're here! I have to show you something."

As she pulled him along, she bounced, causing her short dress to sway. Maybe he should tell her now? She seemed so happy to see him, right?

When she shut the door, he faced her, "Rin, I have –"

"This is for Kakashi! Do you think he'll like it?"

She held up a box filled with Kakashi's favorite snacks, a personalized Swiss army knife, and a frame of her and him. A small folded note was centered with a little heart drawn on it.

Obito looked at the note and to Rin. Her eyes were wide and waiting for his answer.

He loved this girl. He had loved this girl the moment he had met her back in kindergarten. And now he knew, she didn't love him back. Not in the way he wanted her to.

"Uh, yeah, yeah Rin. He will... Kakashi is going to love this."

"I wrote him a letter. The first one of many!"

"Ah, can I read it?"

"No!" she pulled the gift basket away as her cheeks flushed bright red, "Anyways, let's get back to the party. He should be coming any minute."

Rin bounced out of the room leaving Obito alone. He looked to the letter, tempted to read it. He reached out for the paper and started to unfold the note.

Kakashi,

I've been meaning to tell you this for quite some time. You see, Obito and I have been spending a lot of time together and I can't help but feel something is missing. It's you. Before you leave for boot camp, I just wanted to tell you how much I love you.

Obito quickly folded the note back up. He felt his heart sink. His feet were heavy and his head became dizzy. He put the note back in the basket, not caring to make it look untouched. He left the room to see Kakashi had arrived. Classmates crowded all around him. Rin stood by his side. Her eyes beaming up at him.

Kakashi had never been one for parties, he looked up to his best friend, his eyes pleading for an escape from the crowd around him. Obito tried to muster a smile. He truly wanted to be there to celebrate Kakashi.

Rin waved him over but Obito shook his head, he held is stomach signifying that he wasn't feeling well. She waved him off, turning her attention back to Kakashi.

~~~

The following night, Obito got a call from Rin. The number that would usually make his heart flutter was now causing a series of diarrhea cramps.

He answered the phone to hear sniffles.

"Rin? Are you okay?"

"It's Kakashi."

Obito jumped up, "What happened? Where are you guys?"

"He... I told him I loved him and he..." Rin began to cry hard into the phone.

Obito's fingers were turning white, he was gripping the phone so hard. This hurt, "I'm sorry Rin."

She kept crying. Obito's words were falling flat. He looked to the trash can where the flowers and snacks were thrown, "I'm coming over."

He hung up the phone and made his way to Rin's house.

Obito didn't try to make any moves. He didn't try to confess his feelings to her. He simply gave her the flowers and snacks. He turned on a movie and let her cry into his chest. He couldn't stop thinking the entire time about how he wasn't enough. He was here for her and it wouldn't ever be what she wanted.

~~~

After their first year at college, the draft had been announced. Madara Uchiha, Police Chief of Konoha ensured that his force, his family, would remain untouched by the war. Only Shisui and Itachi disobeyed their uncle's wishes. Even then, they went into the Intelligence Corp, Madara had pulled strings to ensure they wouldn't see combat.

Obito and Rin sent letters back and forth for five years. And in those five years, Rin admitted to him that she was wrong about Kakashi and perhaps if she hadn't been so blind, maybe her and Obito could have turned into something more. She would like to try and date him when she returned.

Five years into the war, Rin's entire platoon had been wiped out in a brutal bombing on the border of Kiri. Her parents refused to accept she was dead and requested she be classified as M.I.A.

When her letters stopped coming and when news of her death came, Obito Uchiha had tried to kill himself on multiple occasions. He was involved in countless car crashes and fights. A drunken crash into a tree is what scarred his face. Madara, annoyed that Obito wasn't returning his calls burst into Obito's apartment to find him passed out on his kitchen floor with a needle stuck in his arm.

He had spent a few months in rehab before Madara made the decision he was better and could resume work. Work. Gym. Work. Gym. When he wasn't doing these two things, he was usually asleep at his desk. This had gone on for about two years. Madara's grip loosened. Obito's infiltration into Konoha's underground was more than successful. He was never supposed to become Tobi, but it all worked in favor for Madara.

The war ended and his assignment to Y/N began.

Don't forget to vote and comment!