Today was the day. The day he left, the day this village fell to tatters, the day everything changed. The day Sasuke left us all. Sniffling and wiping at her eyes with the end of her sleeve, _ leaned against the outside of the village wall, looking out into the unclaimed territory beyond the Leaf.
"Stupid Sasuke…" she mutters, kicking a pebble. "Why'd you have to leave?"
"Everyone leaves someday, _. It's how they leave that makes the difference." With trembling lips and hot cheeks she mumbles in reply,
"Yeah well, if that's the case, Sasuke's changed my life for the worst." A firm but gentle arm falls around her shoulders as the familiar body pulls her into him.
"No he hasn't, _. I promise. You know, you're always talking about changing. But if you ask me, you're fine the way you are. The way you've always been. The way I hope you always will be."
Turning her head to burry her face into the nook of his armpit the small girl begins to cry. "You and me, Naruto. You and me forever, I promise. No more changing…" Resting his chin on the top of her head he mutters back,
"No more changing…"
Word Count: 203
