His words echoed in Hikari's mind, tempting her to believe them. She wanted to. She wanted it with every fiber of her being. She wanted to believe him, to trust him. More than that, she wanted it to be true. She wanted him to stay, to be there, to be with her, to be happy with her. Yet, somewhere in her heart, somewhere inside where his words couldn't reach, she knew that wasn't reality. No matter how desperately she wanted it to be, it simply wasn't. Like everything else in her life, he would soon be gone and all that would remain would be the memories she had, and whatever hope she could manage to cling to that it wasn't forever. That some day she could bring him back, that maybe, just maybe, when it was all over, he would return to her and they could be happy.<br/><br/>For now, she knew that all she could do was try to make him see how much she cared, to make him understand that she wouldn't give up, no matter what. She knew that she would soon have to let him go. No matter what her desires, she knew it was inevitable, and perhaps necessary, for him to leave, to do whatever he needed to do, to find whatever he was looking for. Only then was there any hope for them. If she clung to him, if she tried to make him stay, she'd only end up hurting them both more. Even if, by some miracle, he did stay, she feared that one day he would regret that choice and resent her for her part in it. No. She couldn't risk that. No matter how hard it was, no matter how much it hurt, she had to let him go.<br/><br/>She inhaled sharply when he used his fingers to lift her chin so that she was looking into his eyes, and wiped away the tears that remained with a a surprisingly gentle touch. Her blue eyes, full of conflicted emotions, stared back into his. She wasn't sure what she saw in those eyes. She knew what she thought she saw, but was it real? Was it really okay to find some comfort in that gaze, to believe that what she saw reflected was real and not some facade, or a figment of her imagination?<br/><br/>His next words made her want to cry and scream all at once. Why? Why would he say such things? Why would he say them if he didn't mean them? It was true that, in that moment, he was there and they were together. But would it stay that way? She didn't think so, nor did she have it in her to believe that, or hope for it, not when her instincts told her otherwise. She couldn't get what he had said to Tsunade out of her mind. There was no way he could talk his way out of that one. There was no way that could be mistaken for something else. Still, he wanted her to believe that. Why? Was he afraid that she would tell someone or try to stop him? Did he think this would hurt her less? Was it simply more convenient to lie than to explain the truth?<br/><br/>She didn't know the answers, but she did know one thing. He wasn't going to tell her the truth, no matter what she said or did. Which left her with two options: to believe him, or at least make him believe she did so that whatever time she had left with him could be peaceful, or to fight the futile battle of trying to get him to tell her the truth, regardless of the fact that he would never tell her. What good would it bring her, anyways? She hated lies, that was true, but even so, what comfort would the truth really bring her? For once, she thought, perhaps, that it was better not to fight. Perhaps it was better to give him the peace of knowing that she believed him, that she trusted him, even if it was a lie. Perhaps this burden of truth was one she would have to bear on her own, to ease his burden just a little. Perhaps it was the only way she could help him, the only way she could protect him, to spare him at least a little pain, even if it was at her own expense.<br/><br/>Her eyes widened slightly when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. She could hear his heart beating steadily, and feel his warmth around her. It was far more comforting than it should have been, and she couldn't help but notice how perfectly they fit together. She looked up at him when he pulled back to look down at her, asking what he had to do to prove it to her. That was a question she honestly didn't have an answer to. "I believe you." the lie slipped out so easily, naturally, and convincingly that it surprised her. "Just... promise me that you won't disappear like that again." she stared back at him, her eyes showing nothing but sincerity and a desire to know that he wouldn't leave her.<br/><br/>She felt her heart skip a beat and run away from her when his lips were suddenly a hairsbreadth away from her own. She could feel his breath against her lips for a moment before his lips pressed against her own in a kiss that was both gentle and firm all at once. Her eyes naturally slid shut and, despite how surprised she was, she returned the kiss with equal passion. She didn't really know what to think about the kiss or more specifically, what the kiss meant, but regardless, she wasn't really in a position to think about any of that right now. All she could think about was the way he held her, the feeling of his fingers tracing her spine, and the feel of his lips against hers.<br/><br/>It felt like the kiss lasted forever before he finally pulled away, just enough that he could speak, yet still close enough that she could feel his breath on her lips as he spoke. Those words tore at her heart and, deep inside, she felt like crying. But she didn't, nor did she allow even a hint of this to show on her features. She wanted to believe that, with everything she had. It broke her heart that she didn't, although she wasn't sure if it was because she knew it was a lie or if it was because she was doubting him when she wanted nothing more than to trust him and be there for him. Both, probably. Instead, she simply nodded just a little, before he pulled her even closer to him, so close that she could feel his heartbeat against her chest.<br/><br/>It would be an understatement to say that she was surprised when she heard those three words. Still, despite her surprise, her response came naturally, without hesitation, as if she'd known it all along. "I love you, too." she managed the soft reply before his lips reclaimed hers once more. It was different this time. There was no mistaking that the longing and passion behind the kiss were real. It was the same longing, the same desire with which she kissed him. She wanted him, almost needed him, and that was terrifying. What was worse, was knowing that no matter how much he wanted her, no matter how much she wanted him, he was still going to walk away, and no matter how much it hurt, she would still let him, because it was what was best for him. Still, it didn't matter how much it hurt now, or how much more it would hurt in the future because of this, she couldn't let go. Not yet.<br/><br/>Instead, she slid her arms around his neck, holding herself tightly to him. Right now, nothing else mattered. For once, she didn't care if her actions led to more pain later on. She would hold on to him for as long as she could. She would take whatever little happiness she could find. She would stay by his side until the end. And she would stay here, in his arms, for as long as he allowed it. Because she had finally found something, someone, that she cared for more than her own well-being. Because she was in love with him.