Title: “Too Late for Us”

They were inseparable once—Obito and her. Childhood friends, teammates under Minato, two halves of one heart. Missions bled into secret kisses beneath trees, laughter shared between battles. Even Kakashi, ever distant, softened around them. They were supposed to be forever.

Until the fight.

No one remembers what started it. Words too sharp, pride too high. Neither of them bent. Neither of them came back.

Eight years slipped by like smoke.

Now Obito stood at the edge of the crowd, half-hidden, heart screaming. He’d returned to Konoha thinking maybe—just maybe—time hadn’t buried everything. But then he saw them.

Her hand in Kakashi’s.

At the altar.

His old friend, his teammate. The man who once watched them love.

Kakashi didn’t look at him, but Obito saw it in the flicker of guilt behind his mask. He knew. He had always known.

Obito wasn’t sure what hurt more—that she had let go, or that Kakashi had picked up the pieces.

The vows began. Her voice, steady and warm, trembled on words Obito once imagined hearing from her.

He should’ve said something years ago. He should’ve come back. Apologized. Fought for her.

Now he just stood there.

A guest at a wedding that used to be his dream.

As Kakashi kissed her hand and the crowd applauded, Obito looked down at his own—empty, shaking, and cold.

He had protected a comrade’s wife for eight years.

And hadn’t realized it was his own heart he’d buried.