Post-timeskip.


It was midnight on the evening of her ANBU inauguration, and she was crying.

She, along with most of her peers, had just been made a part of the elite ANBU, and given a rather classy reception, as a sort of good-luck! It was a rather festive evening at the Hokage's building, and most everyone had taken the opportunity to dress up a bit. There were refreshments and people to talk to, and everyone was having a good time.

Except her, crying.

She stands alone on the balcony that hugs the side of the building, and stays silent as the small tears make their ways down her cheeks. She fiddles with the rust on the metal banister in front of her, and a breeze picks up, waving the fabric of her dress about, and she does not attempt to hold it down.

She wears a dark dress, a beautiful one- one that hangs delicately from her slender shoulders like silk curtains, but still manages to fall on her hips. The simplicity of the translucent fabric was perhaps what made it so alluring- it wasn't thin enough to see through, but still light enough to flutter in the persistent breezes that called the balcony their home. The moonlight that filters through the tree canopy makes the lines of her figure visible through her dress, and makes her tears shine with brilliance as they fall from her face. She watches the sky from behind her bangs, and she is for the moment just a pretty girl looking at stars – she wasn't a shinobi right now; shinobi didn't cry.

She is aware of his approach even before he steps onto the balcony, and aware of who it is even before he speaks. He says her name and by reflex she turns to smile at him – though her expression is dimmed by the sadness in her eyes. A quiet sadness, and a look that seemed to apologize.

He looks classy in his loose white shirt, classy and handsome, but it is nothing she hasn't seen before. She has long since come to terms with the fact that he is desirable.

He steps up to her side by the railing without a word, giving her a glance that says only that he was there. He doesn't ask about her tears, simply glancing back to her every now and then, checking on her, waiting.

Waiting for her to want to talk.

Eventually, she pushes one side of her bangs out of the way, looking up to him as the cool breezes cut through her dress. He meets her gaze, and she smiles again, slowly wiping her tears.

Her voice is small and quiet when she speaks. "It's really done, then. Team Gai..."

"We'll still do some missions together."

He says evenly, searching her with that damned gaze of his, the one she couldn't help but meet. She watches as the moon casts a shine on his pupils, watches as his irises glow, faintly luminescent in the dark.

"I never thought I'd be so sad to be entering ANBU…" she says with a quiet chuckle, her gaze falling.

"…We may all end up in the same unit," He offers. He allows his eyebrows to fall from his usual uncaring expression. He allows himself to return her look of regret.

"Hah, yea…" She sighs, forcing herself to smile. "Unless they want you to end up dead, they'd better keep me around you." She draws her arms across her midsection, trying to summon a taunting expression.

"Pardon me?" His eyebrows rise again. "You don't honestly think that I rely on you."

He smirks, and she smirks, and she looks back up to him. It was his way of saying thatyes, he relied on her in battle.

"Yes. You wouldn't last a minute without me." She teases, the sadness leaving her voice.

He shrugs in reply, stepping forward with his smug look intact. He slips his arms around her waist, gently holding her to him. She rests her head on his shoulder, unable to stop herself from closing her eyes. It had been a while since he had last held her like this, free of distractions and their gossiping peers.

He hears her sighs slightly as he tightens his hold on her, pulling her closer in a delicate hug. The night around them begins to chirp quietly with crickets, the cool breezes ineffective against the shield of his arms.

"I suppose there's some truth to that." He says finally, and he pulls his head back, watching her crack open an eye. She smiles slightly as he angles her chin upward, his lips meeting hers in a short, chaste kiss."By the way, I think you're pretty."

"Shaddap." She replies with a chuckle, as she slinks her hand up to his neck.