Mountain of Change

Haruno Sakura was quite aware that most people thought that she was still young and naïve about the ways of the world, even as a shinobi at the ripe age of 21. She also knew that in some ways they were correct. For one, as stated before, she was still a virgin. But she also knew that in most ways they were wrong. For instance, she could kill a man in twenty different ways with a pinky or even…a tooth pick. Fortunately for Genma she had never tried her hand in that particular forte. For another, being a virgin by no means meant that she had never known the trails of love.

If anything, she was a hardened veteran in that facet. She had spent half her life devoted to that aspect with a boy who hadn't shown the least bit of reciprocation…until it was much too late. The returned words of love and adoration she had longed for had come as his lasts breaths had left his body.

Haruno Sakura knew just how cruel life and love could be in that moment. Just as she was learning that harsh lesson all over again now, sitting on the lap of a man that obviously regretted what he had done.

But Sakura had learned something in that tragic moment all those years ago. She had come away with the knowledge that it was better to have loved and lost, then to have never loved at all. Cliché as it may sound it was true, for it was love, hers and Naruto's that had ultimately saved Uchiha Sasuke in the end, maybe not his body, but it had saved his soul.

So, from past experience Sakura, just like all those years before, wasn't about to let the man she felt a strong connection to go without at least saying her piece. So in her mind, Hatake Kakashi, the 'ninja', should have seen this coming, even if Hatake Kakashi, the 'man' wasn't so ingenious.

Fighting to keep her own emotions under control –trying not to cry-, hands limply at her sides, throat clogged, she managed to rasp out two shaky words. "Please…stop."

Hands still gripping feminine hips, the mop of silver pulled back and regarded the woman sitting rigidly on its lap. Kakashi had heard her words, but failed to understand them. Questioning gaze in his dark eye he called out to the girl in a half whisper. "Sakura?"

Feeling brave enough to say the words, but not brave enough to look him in the eye, emerald eyes immediately slid to the side. Regardless of the dip in her courage, she shakily continued, "I-I know what you're thinking… and please...don't think that way."

Pink brows furrowed and her gaze lifted to the sky to keep the tears from falling. Feeling sure in the assumption that if she removed herself from her current position, the man under her would flee, she forced herself to use some of the knowledge that she had garnered from the past. It was made clear to her through past experience that one should never leave things unsaid. No matter how hard it was to actually get it out.

Swallowing past the lump, looking unfocused over to the left –missing the fact that Kakashi's gaze was over to her right and not actually on her, she forced herself to continue. "You're thinking that you should never have asked me to come up here with you in the first place… and that it was a mistake to… kiss me. And because of it you hate your self. And right now you want nothing more than to put as much space between us as possible." Sakura forced her eyes to slide to the man in front of her, trying to sound collected, asking. "…Am I right?"

Kakashi remained silent, looking to the side. Kakashi knew he was a bastard, but still he wasn't bastard enough to actually voice his confirmation. He could tell by the quiver in her voice that just knowing that he wanted to disappear was hurting her enough already. Why add fuel to the fire so to speak.

Sakura tried to push past her hurt and slight bitterness, putting her hands lightly onto Kakashi's vest covered shoulders. She tried not to flinch when he involuntarily pulled away slightly. Legs primed to become vice-like incase the cornered man tried to push her off, Sakura pressed on saying the hardest part of the conversation for her.

Trying to keep the quiver from her voice she began. "Just so you know I-" A bit of earnest leaked in here. "-wanted to come with you. I… didn't leave the bar to go home." Lip trembling now -Kakashi's own features a myriad of emotions- she timidly revealed more. "I wanted to find you." A feminine voice cracked. "…To be with you." A lone hot traitorous tear now slipped from her lash after blinking. She whispered more. "I wanted to come here. ….I even wanted you to….kiss me."

Kakashi dropped his head to her chest again and scowled. He was angry at himself, and for lots of things in that moment. But mostly, right now, for creating that tremor in her voice and producing that tear sliding down her cheek. He felt damned if he did and damned if he didn't. If he hadn't stopped, even if she hadn't, he wouldn't have been able to live with himself afterwards. He'd have to live with the fact that they'd done something together that should have been beautiful to her. But it wouldn't have been. And he couldn't offer her anything in return. Love was not part of his vocabulary.

But even now after things had come to a halt, he still felt like shit…and he had hurt her. Kakashi didn't want to hurt Sakura. He never wanted to hurt her, but it had to be done, for both their sakes.

Thinking back to the kiss, before things went south, she admitted slightly pink biting her lip, "It was nice by the way." Even in her hurting she was able to form a smile on bringing up the memory. However small it was, it still a smile. "… really nice." Then the smile fell, seriousness firming her voice. "But I won't lie. I'm glad things stopped when they did." The hands at her hips tightened, like the hand around her heart. She knew what he was thinking. But he was wrong. Sure in her words she answered, "Not because I'm not ready." Kakashi's grip slackened slightly. "But because-" The quiver was back in full force and this time there was no stopping it. "-because if you're regretting what happened already…" She paused trying to reel herself in, but ultimately failing. Trying to keep her chest from heaving, the tears flowing, and being overcome with hurt and raw emotion, Sakura choked out a painfully forced laugh, "God forbid how you'd feel if things went any further right?"

And then she lost it.

The flood gates open, Sakura quickly scrambled backward and off the man she knew to hate conversation and loath, even more so, such open emotion. In her own shame, she quickly snatched her vest and began to hurriedly head for the stairs. She had done all she could. Even if she wanted to, she wasn't able to say any more.

Like in a round of shougi, her turn had passed.

Kakashi sat, brows knitted, jaw clenched, shoulders slumped, watching the kunoichi, who had just shown him another reason as to why she was no longer that little girl but a mature young woman, just…walk away.

In his mind there were so many reasons why he should just let her go.

It was widely thought by many that the famous Copy-nin was a heartless, emotionless bastard…and truthfully sitting, listening to her breakdown on his lap he felt they weren't too far off the mark. But in that particular moment alone on the bench, something snapped in side him. Hatake Kakashi slipped from being that elite Konoha shinobi to that of….a mere man.

He was a man that couldn't let the distraught woman disappear without at least saying or doing…something to comfort her. Standing from his position, his hands began to move.

Sakura throwing on her vest hurriedly took the stairs almost two at a time, a feat made much easier in the descent. After finally managing to get her shaky hands to maneuver the pesky piece of metal, she zippered the flaps closed and went back to desperately trying to dry her eyes.

Halfway to the bottom she ran into a wall.

At least it felt like a wall. Then again, walls didn't have strong arms that wrapped around you or a soft constitution to press your forehead to….

Wanting to say 'I'm sorry' but knowing it wouldn't go over too well, Kakashi calmly said, to the weeping woman he held in his arms, "I can't promise you that I won't regret what just happened, but I can say that I will… try not to."

Sakura threw her own arms around him and cried hard into his chest, managing to get out between sobs, "Good…because…if ….I don't….you….shouldn't….either."

A Few Minutes Later…

Sakura, slightly puffy eyed, stood outside her apartment door, the light of the street lamps a little ways away being the only source of light. The bulb above her door had obviously burned out again. Sakura stood with the door to her back, arms crossed, and a forced slight smile on her shadowed face. They hadn't spoken to each other since Kakashi's consoling words on the stairs.

Kakashi had walked her home, something the aloof man had never done before. He had kept a relatively safe distance from her, hands in his pockets and silent as always. But he had walked her home, which counted for something in her book.

But still there was so much left unsaid.

She wasn't about to go inside without at least some kind of talk between them. He had to say something to her. He owed her that much, she was certain. She felt so confused. One minute they were sharing in a nice conversation, the next he was playing in her hair and after that… Well, it certainly wasn't talk that was for sure. He had instigated the whole thing! Ok, she had joined in, but she wasn't the one holding any regrets.

If she had any it was that –even though it had scared her at first- things hadn't progressed further. It was becoming more and more apparent to her with the stretching silence that their little escapade over looking the village was going to be the only close contact she would ever share with him. And after realizing that maybe experiencing more with Kakashi was something she might like to do… Well, knowing that she would never be able to do so now was…disheartening to say the least.

After finally realizing the full extent of her feelings, what with the things they had just done, she felt as if she wanted to be with Kakashi in every way possible. But even being certain in that fact, she knew it would never work, not just from his shame filled words from before. She had spent years with the man. In that time she had figured out certain things about him. During the tension filled silence she had enough time to think things through. She knew Kakashi wasn't one to have anything other than just casual sex with a woman…every blue moon. And she had only garnered that much information after being teamed with the loose lipped and overly perverted Genma. She knew his life was his duty…but she was steadily feeling that she wanted to be part of it.

But not just some casual fling.

She was pretty damn sure now that if things had escalated on that wooden bench that she would have been tossed aside like all the other females he had obviously spent the night with before. Sakura didn't want to just be some casual fling to him. She wanted to be something special to him like he was steadily becoming to her.

But Sakura had become a realist from her line of work….and past experience. Sasuke was a boy who had aspirations of killing his brother to cloud his true feelings. But Kakashi was a grown man that was set in his ways. His judgment wasn't clouded at all, if anything his solitary lifestyle was something deeply ingrained. It wasn't something that one experience on a mountaintop with a pretty young girl could change. No matter how much she wished it did. Kakashi wasn't like her and she knew that.

They continued to silently stare at each other with more than just the foot of space between them.

Kakashi's dark eye roamed over her red puffy eyes, her kiss bruised lips, and even the dark bruising his own lips had left on her neck that quite possibly trailed down underneath the material of her shirt and vest to her shoulders. He had felt nothing but lust toward her up there on that mountaintop, but as he held her on those stairs…he had felt something entirely foreign. It was the same feeling that was gripping his heart now as he quietly stood there in the shadows of her doorstep, silently looking into her melancholy eyes.

He could read that look all too well. She knew. Sakura knew what he was going to say. And he could tell from the furrow of her brows that she was desperately trying to understand it. Kakashi was always one of procrastination, but never with things that were truly important. And he considered this to be a top priority. So, taking the few necessary steps between them to bring himself just within arms reach, he proceeded forward.

Feeling that they were past such trivial things such as worry over close contact at least in that particular moment, he brought his gloved hand up and twirled a few strands of hair between his fingers. In a deep calm voice he began to say the words he knew she was already waiting to hear.

Eye on the hand in her hair he began, "Things have obviously changed between us." His eye moved to her two in a deep stare, punctuating his words. "We can never go back to the way things were." The hand moved up through her hair to cup her cheek lightly. "But I'm afraid that things can never go further than-" Silver brows furrowed. "-what has already happened." A tear slid down her cheek and his thumb brushed it away. Kakashi's insides churned in his stomach, his chest tightening with the pain he was creating behind those emerald eyes.

Feeling the need to be honest, to try to explain in some way to make her understand, he continued, "I never intended things to happen the way they did." His silver head bowed, his voice turning gruff with the anger he held for himself. "I lost control." Sakura watched silently, more tears cascading down her cheek as he looked back upon her. She watched him lift his head, her heart breaking as she watched his gaze turn to something almost…tender. It broke even more as she heard and felt it in her heart the genuine feeling behind his next softly spoken words. "Know that I never meant to hurt you Sakura." His other hand came up and he used both thumbs to brush away the slowly growing river of tears flowing from her saddened eyes.

Finally, his closing words fell between them hitting home like a kunai through the heart to her. It was true she expected them, but it did nothing to dull the pain. "There can never be anything between us." A sob escaped past her lips, forcing the human side of him to pull her to him. Kakashi held her to his chest, just as he had done on those steps. But instead of words of consoling, he told her the truth. She deserved to know. It was the least he could do.

Holding her in his arms, his chin resting on the top of her rosette colored hair, he explained, "Not because you were my student. Not because of the age gap between us. Not even because of the fact that I am still your leader, but because… I am a ninja." Taking her by the shoulders and gently pulling her back to look her in the eye, he said beseechingly, "It's who I am and all that I know." Even with the mask back on she could tell from the look in his dark eye that what he said was genuine. He had concluded with an earnest, "Please, understand this."

Needless to say, Sakura did understand.

But that didn't necessarily mean she liked it. As she stood there, she hated the fact that they were shinobi. She hated everything that had to do with the shinobi way. She wanted to rip off her damn headband and say screw honor! To hell with duty! What was the point in risking her life mission after mission? What good was money or honor when she could never be truly happy? What was the point when it all just seemed to fuck up every man that she had ever wanted?

But what could she do? In all actuality it was who she was as well. She was a kunoichi. And when she had put on that cloth and metal head piece with the leaf symbol etched into its surface, she was well aware that she would be forced to make certain sacrifices in her life. But she wished like hell that Kakashi didn't have to be one of them.

Yes she did understand. She knew the one thing that stood between them wasn't other people's opinions or a want to remain single and free. What stood between them was plain and simple. It was duty that took top priority over everything in Kakashi's life. It was something she had always known, but had never really thought about until now.

With tear streaked cheeks, she gazed back at him. Using everything within her, she mustered up a slight smile and quietly rasped out in almost a whisper two words. Understanding shining in her jaded eyes, she looked upon him and said simply, "I do."

Before he had departed in his usual cloud of smoke Sakura had been given two words. Kakashi had lowered his masked lips to her ear, whispering out a sincere, "Thank you."

Two Days Later…

Life had went on like usual, only seeing Kakashi during sparing practice early in the morning and then having the rest of the day to herself. The first day of practice had been painfully awkward to say the least, but they had managed to get through it. Kakashi had been the usual actor extraordinaire of course, never letting on that anything had happened between them. Even the wide birth he gave her came off as nonchalant.

Sakura had done her part, forcing her eyes to meet with his once or twice, even managing to say a calm 'hello' and 'Goodbye'. She had even wrangled an eye-crease from him, calling him 'Kakashi' once, later subtly suggesting to Naruto that he do the same. At the end of their session, Naruto had been appropriately fooled but it became apparent that Genma hadn't. She had watched him harass their leader as Kakashi sat lounging beneath a tree, out of the corner of her eye as she walked away with Naruto jabbering by her side.

She had failed to notice his dark eye follow her departure behind a certain paperback as a certain senbon user squawked in his ear.

The second sparring practice had gone much the same, the only difference was that instead of his usual lounging afterwards, Kakashi had 'poof''d away. Sakura would bet her favorite teddy bear 'Mr. Yuki' that he had done so to get away from Genma's persistent questioning. The nosey sod had even tried to throw in an inquiry during her spar with him. She had answered with a calm 'nothing' followed by a –not so calm- kick to his side.

Still, even though not but two days ago something monumental had happened to change the way each looked at the other…things weren't that much different. Sakura was surprised that she didn't feel resentment or anger toward Kakashi. Even though he had handled things without his usual grace, Kakashi had been honest with her, something that she hadn't gotten before with Sasuke.

Every time she thought about it, she was surprised that Kakashi had stayed and discussed his side with her at all. She knew he hated such talk. She reasoned this was partly the reason why she didn't feel like scratching his eyes out. It had obviously taken a lot for him to say the things he had, not to mention the fact that he had held her not once…but twice.

Before that night she never would have thought him capable of such acts. But she was steadily learning that her hard nosed leader was more than just the hard ass that bossed them around, who sat under trees reading his dirty little books.

Kakashi was a man with flaws and feelings… just like any other human being.

And that's exactly why; even though she was desperately trying not to…she feared she might be steadily falling in love with him.

2 Weeks Later…

"Something wrong Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, concern lacing his voice as he sat across from her eating his sandwich in the tall grass. Genma had gone off to find suitable bushes to use at his 'disposal' as Kakashi sat under a tree nearby reading his book as usual. They had one more day of travel before they would once again step over that threshold to their beloved village. It had been another simple escort mission, this time to Diamond country.

Sakura came out of her thoughtful daze sitting across from her friend in the tall grass. "Hm? No, nothing really, just thinking."

It wasn't a lie. She was alright and she had been thinking. Ever since the start of the mission, Sakura had been pondering over whether or not she should finally move on from the team. Her thoughts had turned to this subject ever since Naruto had mentioned his interest in joining ANBU. Three days before the mission had started, he began badgering everyone, asking for their opinion on if he was ready or not in their eyes to apply.

Iruka had given him a slight frown but had given his consent, obviously worrying about the young man he considered a son of sorts to no end. Jiraiya had clapped him on the back and nodded his head. Kakashi had given him a single grunt that Naruto had taken as a 'yes' but could loosely be taken as…anything really to anyone else. Genma had given him a, "Yes! Alright! Just shut the hell up already!"

Sakura had been hesitant about her answer, not wanting her best friend to part ways with her just yet. She had merely told him that he should take some time to think it through to make sure that this career change was something he really wanted to do. He had taken her words to heart and hadn't brought up the subject since.

That had been four days ago.

…Now she was having a change of heart. Tsunade had approached her after the briefing for this particular mission about an opening at the hospital. It couldn't have come at a better time. Things between her and Kakashi were still slightly strained, but that was to be expected after what had happened. There was no anger on Sakura's part. There was more of a dull ache every time she was around him. Not because she regretted what happened, but because she wanted more. And more was something she knew and understood that he couldn't give her.

That's why for Naruto, Kakashi and herself, she had made her decision.

Truly smiling she looked over to her friend, "You know what Naruto?"

Puzzled by the unusual happy look being given toward himself no less, Naruto inquired hesitantly, "What's…. that Sakura-chan?"

Still smiling she said, unknowingly catching the attention of the man under the tree, "I think you'll make a fine ANBU operative. You should definitely apply." She watched her friend's smile grow wide with a pleased beam and found herself smiling as well. With a reassuring pat on the shoulder she urged Naruto, "Matter of fact, you should put in for the examination as soon as we get back!"

Pleased but puzzled, Naruto asked, "Really? You think I'm ready?"

She gave him a nod. "Yep!" She received another huge grin in return. "And don't worry about me. I've decided to take Tsunade-sama up on her offer to be Shizune-senpai's head assistant in the new experimental medicine department."

Naruto launched himself at Sakura in a bear hug. "That's great Sakura-chan!"

It was great. It was a steady paycheck instead of living mission to mission, the work was interesting and much safer. Naruto wouldn't feel bad about 'leaving her behind'. And it would also give her much needed time away from Kakashi. It was something she knew they both needed, but probably her more than him. She knew it was for the best. So, it was a win, win situation. One that she felt would do them all some good.

She failed to see the silver brow behind the paperback furrow in concern.

That Night…

Sakura groggily woke up from her not so peaceful slumber by a single tap to her shoulder. Genma had taken the first watch with Kakashi going second. Then it was to be Sakura's duty with Naruto being the last. It had always been this way. Once Genma had been added to their team, a democratic meeting of sorts had taken place discussing the order of things. Actually it was more like the two older shinobi laid down the law and her and Naruto were left to take what was given. Sakura had never minded. She had received middle watch. It wasn't so bad to her.

When she finally rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat up, she noticed that Kakashi wasn't lying down by his pack. Normally, by the time she had even begun to rub her eyes his form would always be laying down and gazing up at the sky. It would only take a minute before his one droopy eye would close and light snoring could be heard from his direction. But apparently tonight it seemed he had a bought of insomnia. Or else Sakura figured something was on his mind. He was still sitting by the fire, adding wood to the small blaze poking the embers with a stick when she stood.

Trying to sound casual, making her way over she asked, "Not tired?"

Her only reply was a grunt that she took as a 'no'.

Sakura made her way over to the small fire, sitting a relatively safe distance away from him. (Measuring safe distances, using casual tones, and making only needed eye contact with Kakashi was something she had gotten relatively good at.) Sakura, knowing that conversation wasn't one of the man's favorite things, kept quiet, knees drawn to her chest. She just sat warming her body by the fire staring up into the twinkling lights above, trying to connect the dots to make figures to pass the time. She could tell something was bothering him, but she wasn't about to ask.

Sakura feeling the tension in the air, tried not to tense under it, feeling sure in the fact that he would eventually spit it out.

After another minute of nothing, Kakashi finally broke the silence with the flicker of the firelight in his eye. Always one to get right to the point, Kakashi spoke quietly so as not to wake the others. "I hope that recent events haven't-" He turned to look at her then. "-clouded your judgment."

Sakura forced herself to look from the sky to the man sitting a few spaces away from her. Reassuringly she turned to him and said, "It's not about-" She looked to the fire. "-that." She frowned slightly. "Although, I'd be lying if I said it didn't have a little to do with it." She shook her head. "No, I-I want to join the new department. It's interesting and-" Speaking earnestly she concluded, "I think I could do some real good there."

Kakashi feeling relieved to hear that she hadn't decided solely on the need to distance herself from him gave her his patented happy eye-crease. He was glad to hear that she had decided to take the position. He really was. Time apart from each other was a desperately needed thing in his eyes.

He had felt her stares throughout the entire mission. In truth, he had given her his own when she hadn't been looking. Since that night they shared together on that bench when he had lost control, he felt acutely aware of every little glance, every little accidental brush. They were things and feelings he couldn't attribute to plain lust anymore…and that was definitely something that was dangerous to him. They needed space. He needed space.

Besides, he had heard her discuss the details of her new position with Naruto earlier. It sounded like something that was right up her alley. And he couldn't deny that he agreed with the small voice in his head that said it was safer.

Strongly feeling his words to be true that she would become a great asset to Shizune's team, he said, "I know you will."

Sakura, feeling grateful for his faith in her, gave him a truly brilliant smile. She received an eye-crease in return. They continued to smile at one another, neither one willing to break the only light mood between them that they had shared since that night on the mountain.

Their smiles faded somewhat after a few moments, as they continued to gaze at one another. Kakashi knew he should be getting up and heading over to his pack. The intense need to close the gap between them was steadily overwhelming him.

Unaware to Kakashi, Sakura was having the same extreme feeling. Every time she looked at Kakashi nowadays she felt the burning desire to simply be close to him. But as she continued to stare into his dark eye she felt the overwhelming desire to taste his lips again.

Kakashi was fighting that same urge with every fiber of his being across from her. Here they were, alone, something that rarely ever happened, especially with the two of them giving each other as much space as possible. But here they were, sitting by a warm crackling fire together under a blanket of stars with their only two distractions fast asleep and no enemy in sight. Each was thinking, who knows, this could be their last chance to say goodbye since they were obviously going to walk separate paths soon. This could be a closure of sorts. A good-bye that no one would see but each would remember.

Tomorrow when they returned to the village, their lives would change. Neither one would be forced to be in the other's presence. Why not give in to temptation just this once… just for a second…. just to say a much needed goodbye?

So…with those reassuring words in each of their ears, it was as if time had stopped for them. The sounds of the creatures of the night had stilled and the light snoring coming from the others had disappeared. It was just the two of them, sitting together by the crackling fire, shadows dancing across their features.

Neither one was quite sure who had leaned in first but both had ended up traversing the small space between them. Emerald eyes locked on the dark orb silently staring back at her. Leaning in, lips slightly parted Sakura turned her head one way as Kakashi silently turned the other. Slowly, ever so slowly they came together, a dark orb gazing at pink lips and green eyes staring at the space she knew Kakashi's hid behind. Softly they came together in the chastest of kisses. Sakura's lips met mask covered ones in a gentle tender press. There was no hunger, no insatiable desire. When each pulled back there was only emotion gripping their hearts that shown through in their eyes. It was beautiful. Almost as beautiful as Kakashi thought Sakura looked under that firelight. Needless to say, Sakura's breath had been taken away by that one simple kiss.

This wasn't lust. This was something else all together. This was exactly what Kakashi needed to get away from.

In the next moment, Sakura found the spot next to her empty. She blinked and looked over to find Kakashi already bedding down by his preferred sleeping space a few yards from the two snoring lumps of shinobi to his left. Feeling the extreme need to voice what she felt in that moment, she halted his actions by softly almost hesitantly calling out to him. "Kakashi?"

Laying down he looked over to the kunoichi sitting by the fire, trying not to notice how the dance of the flames made her emerald eyes sparkle. "Hm?"

Sakura pressed her lips tightly together and smiled. After getting up the nerve she whispered over the distance so as not to wake the others, "I'll miss-" She paused, her eyes sweeping over her other two teammates and then came to rest on him. "-you guys."

He was well aware that she did mean Naruto and Genma but by her lingering gaze, he knew was she mainly talking about him. Naruto and Sakura had been his teammates for years now. He couldn't deny that he would miss working with his two former students as well. He also couldn't deny that he would miss one more so than the other…but for different reasons. Reasons he was desperately trying not to ponder on. They were things that could seriously disrupt everything he had ever believed in. The very way he lived his life.

So, instead of answering, Kakashi just gave her another silent eye-crease before lying down, closing his eyes and…adamantly trying to fall asleep.

Kakashi inwardly scowled. He was a man set in his ways. Ways that defined exactly who he was and how he lived his life. It was too late in the game to think he could ever change that. Wasn't it?

This thing between them was just a meaningless attraction that would fade with time. Sakura was just another temptation that he had to be strong enough to resist. Wasn't she?

As his dark eye looked over to his pink haired teammate sitting by the fire with her back to him, he found himself asking, 'Then why am I asking questions that no other woman has ever made me ask?'

TBC

Note: I wanted something different…a more human approach. They are shinobi, but shinobi are still people. No matter how detached and emotionless some seem to be. It's like the saying: "If you cut me do I not bleed?"