Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
A Kunoichi's Burden
He had always been the one she went to. Not their other teammate, not Sensei. The trust between them was implicit, and complete. So when she asked him to meet her at the park before her next mission, he was there early, waiting.
She approached slowly, her skirt swishing softly around her ankles, content to watch the sunlight glancing off his hair, to let his slight smile warm her heart. Then she sat next to him on the bench, and he opened his eyes and tipped his head towards her. "You're wearing makeup," he said in surprise.
"I won't be back for a week or so," she told him abruptly.
He nodded. "Okay."
Something else was on her mind, but she didn't speak. He waited patiently. When she did speak, she stared straight ahead. The words were quiet, but her voice was flat. "Hey. Do you love me?" She didn't mean it in a romantic sense, but they both understood.
"Of course," he said, and reached out to touch her hand. He didn't say, what's wrong?
She still didn't look at him. "Forever? No matter...no matter what?"
"Yes." He said. "Forever and no matter what."
She kissed his cheek carefully. "Thank you."
She stood, and walked away, towards the main gate of the village.
He watched her go, admiring the shiny fabric of her skirt, the way her blouse accented her figure. She was beautiful.
Then, the logical conclusion followed. He almost followed her, almost shouted to her to come back.
But he didn't. Because he couldn't. None of them could.