Chapter 8: Take Off Your Clothes
“Take off your clothes,” Rin said while leaving Obito staring slack-jawed at her.

When he digested her words into his short-circuiting brain, he immediately reddened and gesticulated with his hands, waving them frantically in front of his body as he tried to think of an excuse not to.

True, he often thought of…that, with Rin, though wasn’t this too soon?

“Take off your shirt,” Rin said. “I need to check something.”

Oh. So it wasn’t an invitation for that, then?

It wasn’t like Rin to give a blunt command like that, though Obito found he rather liked this side of Rin. Normally the girl would demurely suggest or gently plead to someone to do a favor for her rather than outright command them, though this assertiveness in Rin was something she was practicing.

Obito melted when Rin’s gentle hands laid on his chest. She leaned her head against his chest to check his heartbeat, before checking his muscles with a professional and detached discernment of one who took their Medic duties seriously.

“I was checking for something,” Rin said before she smiled at Obito and helped him put his shirt back on. “You’re pretty healthy, so there’s nothing to worry about. I was worried from your last check-up that you’re overworking yourself and strained your heart and causing heart arrhythmia. I was checking for that potential medical condition because you’re prone to working very hard in your training, but make sure not to overtrain and overwork your heart!”

Obito blushed and grinned. Rin was concerned about him! Though, he figured there were other reasons why his heartbeat patterns must’ve seemed unusual to Rin. Still, the sentiment was thoughtful, and he wanted to put Rin at ease.

“If you tell me to rest, then I will rest,” Obito said, before grinning. “After all, a good rest is like training too, right?”

Rin smiled, and Obito melted at the sight of such a precious smile. This cinnamon roll. “Exactly! I know that you love to work hard and train, though showing some restraint from doing something that you want to do more than anything can help build character! A Hokage in the making knows when to train and when to rest, after all.”

“Right!” Obito said. “I’m going to become Hokage one day! Just watch me, Rin! I’m gonna become the best Hokage ever, and when I do, I’m going to decree that Ninja everywhere make ‘Guts and determination’ part of their motto when it comes to training! Work hard and play hard! Rest up and train the mind as well as the body!”

Rin smiled.

“You’ve been studying very hard, Obito. I’m proud of you. There is more to learn and many things to explore in this world, and I want to…explore all the world and everything in it with you, Obito.”

Obito’s heart thumped faster, and he felt his mouth begin to dry while his jaw slackened in admiration and adoration towards Rin. Ah, she always had a way of leaving him tongue-tied.

“Um, Rin, if you want,” Obito said shyly. “You can touch my arms and feel my muscles.”

Rin giggled before she poked Obito on the forehead. “You’re very silly, Obito. Sometimes I wonder what’s going on in your brain, but if I were to handle your brain, you would die, and I don’t want that.”

“Well, okay,” Obito said, still blushing. “Do you want to guess what’s on my mind?”

Rin pretended to consider, before saying, “You’re thinking of a way to one-up Kakashi, aren’t you?”

“W-Well! Kind of close, but there’s…someone else I’m thinking of.”

Rin clasped his hands within his own, and Obito blushed. His heart started to hammer in his chest, though a warm feeling of love and light seemed to overflow him when Rin touched his hands like that. He wanted this feeling to last forever, and he wanted her at that moment, to just be together with her and live life with her and grow old together and eventually go to the afterlife together if there was one.

“I’m always thinking of you,” Obito murmured, while Rin smiled happily at his sentiment.

“I have someone I can return to,” Rin said softly as she began tracing outlines on the palms of his hands. “I love you, Obito. I wish for your happiness, and I will work hard to protect you. You’ve always been thinking of me…protecting me…and I appreciate that. So I’m invested in making you completely happy. We will have fun every day and I will cook for you and I will help you with your studying and training. You won’t regret it. I promise.”

Obito leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. She melted into the kiss and returned it with much fervor as he wrapped his arms around her, vowing to never let her go.