Obito had always loved Rin.

From the moment he first saw her at the academy, he knew his fate was sealed. He always loved the young, curious brunette with the sweet and friendly attitude. He loved her laugh and her smile, her thirst for knowledge and her strong will. He loved her devotion and the yearning to help in whatever way she could. They grew so close so quickly, maybe it was because they were put on the same squad, but Obito wanted to see it as more than just chance...It was destiny.

There was no one else that Obito would ever come to love, at least, not in the way he loved his teammate. Not in that blinding, passionate, would gladly wake up day after day next to the same person, to love and protect and cherish and undoubtedly die for type of love that is usually reserved for overdramatic romantic movies and fairytales...Most definitely not for those in the real world.

But, Obito suspected that's what happened when you find your soul mate, but perhaps he had gone wrong somewhere along the line when he grew up believing that soul mates were meant for each other. He had thought that soul mates always ended up with one another in the end.

"Rin..." He whispered, the name falling into the embrace of the cold, starless night. Almost instantly, his mind flooded with a million thoughts and his heart began to drown in a sea of emotions he didn't know he was even capable of feeling. It was all just too much to handle. Obito can't help but wonder if one could die of a broken heart. If not, he'd surely be the first victim.

There would never be another being that would walk the face of this earth that would embed themselves so firmly, so perfectly, into his body and soul. There would never be another that would leave him breathless, that would corrupt his thoughts and drive his actions. There would never be another that would inspire him, that would compel him to reach tremendous highs, and alternatively, to pathetic lows.

There would never be another that would open and torture his heart the way Rin did.

Whenever Rin arrives onto the training field, sporting that sweet smile as she always did and waving to her male teammates or sometimes, when Obito hurts himself and Rin heals him up, the Uchiha can feel himself change. He can feel his heart race and his veins catch fire and his head begin to spin. It was undeniable love...

But he was sad too.

Rin loves him, of course she does. But she doesn't love him the same way he loves her.

Rin loves Obito the same way she loved Guy, Asuma and Kurenai- As a friend...Nothing more than a teammate.

But Obito doesn't admit to the pain and suffering, he just plays it off with a smile. He continues to watch after his best friend, continues to make sure that nothing happens to her. What else could he do at this point?

"What's the matter, Obito? You look upset. Did Minato sensei get on your case again?" Obito is forced to lie through his teeth to keep Rin from worrying too much.

"Nah, there's just...A lot on my mind." The fake smiles and the lies come easier these days, but Rin still observes him cautiously for a few more moments, before shrugging and returning to Kakashi's side where he and Minato sensei are discussing the events of their latest mission. Kakashi thanks her for healing up one of his injuries and that smile Obito tries so hard to pull from Rin effortlessly graces her beautiful face. Obito could practically feel his heart shattering.

Why was it so easy for that silver haired idiot to make her smile like that?

Rin turns to him again, waving him over. "C'mon Obito! Minato sensei's paying for Ramen tonight!"

"Oh, um, alright." He shuffles over and Rin rests a hand on his shoulder, tilting her head in question.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" He nods in response and Rin's hand on his shoulder lingers a bit longer than usual, a bit tighter than normal. Obito can't help but let his hopes up, even though he has come to know the inevitable outcome. "Okay."

Obito can feel his chest ache, tired of the repeated abuse this girl had caused his heart for the past few years. He knows his body wants to break down, his emotions forcing him to let go, to cry and scream and break whatever he could get his hands on. But...Obito had run out of tears months ago. His screams would find no ears to hear them. He had bloodied his fists too many times. When he takes a deep breath and clears his mind of one painful memory, another fills its place just as quick and swift. Obito just clenches his fists.

"What a stupid jerk, I can't believe the nerve of him! Ugh! Obito, I just...He had the nerve to call me annoying. And, judging by his tone, he wasn't joking. I even healed one of his cuts for him!" Rin was stuffing medical things into her pouch beside Obito on the bench, overlooking the setting sun.

"Do you need any help with that? You've spent the last few minutes trying to beat the poor thing into submission." Rin raises an eyebrow and giggles, but waves him off. "Anyway, I don't understand why you let him talk to you like that, why you let him treat you like a subject instead of a teammate, Rin. You deserve someone so much better, someone that would treat you with love and respect."

"Someone like you, Obito?" She quips, zipping up her medicine pouch. Obito remains silent because he understands that Rin didn't see him that way, that Rin would never love him the way she loved Kakashi. That same ardent, heart driven love that Obito felt for the brunette.

The Uchiha, despite not being Rin's first choice, or any choice for that matter, wishes nothing but the best for his best friend and drops the subject with a half hearted 'yeah' and a long sigh.

"Get a hold of yourself, Obito. The only somebody you'll be to her is nobody."