It was never easy for him to lie to her.
He hated lying in general. He felt deceitful, like he was stabbing someone in the back, whether it be a white lie to his mother or a bigger lie to keep Ino out of his hair.
He just couldn't do it. He would rather get in trouble, face the consequences, and have his honesty slate clean.
Missions were different however. Lying was the name of the game when it came to espionage. He was revolted however at how well he did it. His face never wavered, a small smirk, smile, or stone cold face stayed the same no matter what words came out of his mouth.
She knew this. She knew he was a master at deceit and how much he hated it. She had seen it many times first hand.
Which is why he hated the lie he was telling her now.
He hated telling her that he couldn't come to Suna because he had too much work. He hated telling her that he couldn't meet her for lunch when she was in town. He hated telling her through Ino that he was on a mission.
He hated it because she knew he was lying. And she never said a word.
She never inquired.
But still asked for him.
He wondered how many times he had crushed her heart, how many times he had caused her to cry in the confines in her room.
That was the one lie that she spoke and it never got past him.
She was a master at lying, it something she had been doing since her childhood innocence was taken and ripped slowly to shreds when her mother died. She lied to herself first. Then she lied to her brother. And then the lies kept getting spread so thick that she became swirled in a hateful world of deceit and death.
Which is why she tried her best not to lie to him.
She loved the little innocence he had left. The one thing that was kept pure in his soul heartened her.
And now it was gone.
The Nara clan is a nasty clan. The higher one goes in the hierarchy, the more lies and scandal are uncovered.
His parents were able to shelter that from him. They were far from them, for his sake, but still close to their sacred burial grounds where their clan was originated.
They thought he was safe from their ugly ways.
No one can escape their maker or destroyer. No one can get away.
Which is why he had to lie to her.
No matter how much it pained him to see her crestfallen face, no matter how badly he suppressed the urge to bring his lips to hers, he lied.
The Aged One was not one to be trifled with. No one disagrees with him, only agrees. To disagree is to go to certain death. As an important noble, he couldn't allow them to get to her. Even if he lived through punishment, she would not.
The Nara clan are masters at assassination.
He had learned this the hard way, the despicable ways of the Nara clan. The Aged One had made his verdict. He didn't argue with the Aged One. Yet.
Because there will be a day when the Aged One will fall. He will be outsmarted at his own game.
Then, and only then, he can make up for the tears she cried and the heart she felt he cast aside.
Then, and only then, can they be together forever.
The Aged One was still alive and it would take all of his strength to defeat him.
Somehow, he sensed that she felt his pain. That his pain was greater than hers but that one day, it would be gone and the sun will shine again and she would understand what had happened.
It was never easy for him to lie to her.
And one day, he wouldn't have to.