I chuckled, sitting beside her on the grass. "Let's just say I'm good at spotting kunoichi in hiding." I let a silence settle, observing her profile in the moonlight. She was beautiful, even without makeup, without the dress. "You've been avoiding me?"
She blushed, turning her gaze back to the lake. "It's not... that." Her voice was low, almost a whisper. "Last night, it was... a mistake. I'd had too much to drink, I let things go too far. You're young, Sasuke, and I... I'm supposed to be responsible."
I rested my chin in my hand, looking casual. "A mistake, huh? You kiss pretty well for a mistake."
She glared at me, but her lips twitched, as if holding back a smile. "You're impossible." She stood up, pretending to leave. "I should go back."
"Wait," I said, standing too. "Walk with me. Just a little." I gestured to the path along the lake, lined with reeds and extinguished lanterns. "No funny business, I promise. Just a talk."
She hesitated, her fingers tightening on the twig until it snapped. Then, she sighed. "Okay. But not for long."
We walked side by side, the silence between us broken only by the sound of our footsteps on the gravel. The moon lit her face, making her eyes shine. She was tense, but I could tell she wanted to talk, needed to get things off her chest.
"Shizune," I began, my voice calm, "last night, you said you were afraid of making a mistake. But what's the worst that could happen? You let go, you live a moment for yourself. Is it really that serious?"
She stopped, staring at the water. "It's not that simple, Sasuke. My whole life, I've followed rules. I've been the model kunoichi, the perfect assistant. If I start to... to do what I want, I'm afraid of losing control. Of betraying Tsunade-sama, or even myself. I can't leave her alone, without me she'd... She's given me everything I am now... So I have to watch over her in return.
That was the reality she faced, if she wasn't there to watch over Tsunade, she could have serious debt problems or even die of drunkenness.
I moved closer, just enough for her to feel my presence. "You didn't betray anything last night. You were just yourself, for once. And you liked it, didn't you?"
She turned her head, her eyes meeting mine. "That's what scares me," she murmured. "I liked it. And you're... you're so young. I knew you when you were a kid, Sasuke. It feels weird."
I chuckled softly, sitting on a rock near the lake. "I'm not a kid, Shizune. And you're not just Tsunade's assistant. You're a woman who deserves to feel alive." I paused, letting her absorb my words. "When you kissed me last night, you didn't seem to be thinking about age."
She sat beside me, her shoulder brushing mine. "Free," she repeated, as if the word was foreign. "I don't know, Sasuke. I've spent so much time putting my desires aside. And now, with you... I don't know what I feel."
I turned my head, our faces close. "Then stop thinking. Just feel, that's all." My voice was low, almost a whisper. I could see her eyes waver, her breath quicken. She was on edge, torn between her desire and her guilt. Taming level: 70%.
She closed her eyes, as if trying to regain control. "You're too good at this," she said, a shy smile on her lips. "You're making me doubt everything I thought I knew."
"That's the point," I replied, a smirk on my lips. "Come on, tell me. What's really holding you back?"
She took a deep breath, her fingers playing with the hem of her tunic. "I'm afraid of changing. Of becoming someone I don't recognize. I've always been responsible Shizune, the one who follows orders, who keeps everything under control. If I let go with you... I don't know where it'll lead me."
I placed my hand near hers, without touching, leaving the space for her to decide. "Maybe it'll lead you to yourself. The real Shizune, not the one who lives for others."
She stared at me, her eyes shining in the moonlight. For a moment, I thought she'd kiss me, but she merely moved closer, her shoulder against mine. "You've always been a troublemaker, Sasuke," she murmured, a smile in her voice. "But now, you're... different."
"Different's not bad, right?" I said, my voice soft.
We sat there in silence, watching the lake shimmer. She was close, close enough for me to feel the warmth of her body, but I didn't move. Not tonight. She needed time, and I was willing to wait.
When we returned to the inn, she stopped in front of her door.
"..." She said nothing, looking at me awkwardly.
"You're welcome," I replied, my gaze locked on hers. "See you tomorrow?"
She nodded, a fragile smile on her lips. "See you tomorrow."