Inevitable

A quick little one-shot here, written as a response to a challenge at a fanfiction site I'm a member of. It was requested... Well, never mind. KakaKure, PG-13.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters, I just write about them.

Kurenai tugged her hat further down over frozen ears and attempted to tame her black hair a little bit. Unsuccessful, she turned to look down at the frozen water below her. The low bridge had a few spots of open water still, cold and black. Above her, the clouds opened, releasing small snow flakes, prompting her to tuck her hands in her pockets.

He was late again. That was the one thing that always annoyed her about him, although she knew where he was. She respected his dedication to his friends deeply, but she still sighed, looking up at the darkening sky.

They'd met a while ago, as jounin-teachers. He was a few years older than her, but had taken the new jounin under his wing. In the end, they'd become friends, among other things. She smiled. He'd probably taught her more than he ever intended to.

The two usually met privately now, although their liaisons could easily be disguised as tutoring or a business meeting. They were shinobi; there was no one better at keeping secrets.

Friends with benefits, she'd heard it called, benefits being a code name for sex. People's need for modesty sometimes baffled her, but she supposed a relationship such as theirs couldn't really be termed such anyways, and was better as a secret.

It made more sense to simply be friends anyway, she thought. In a world where death struck randomly at any time, it could only end in sadness where love was involved. Even if 'friends' was just a different word for it, it gave them a way to keep their distance. Why bother setting yourself up for the inevitable? But then again… Her thoughts were interrupted when Kakashi laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late," he mumbled sheepishly through his mask.

"It's okay. I'm used to it," Kurenai replied as she turned to face him, retreating to her thoughts again. He looked guilty for a moment, shuffling his feet. "Come on," she encouraged him brightly. "I could use another massage. My muscles get all stiff in this cold weather." She turned and began to walk, heading towards their usual hotel. Kakashi didn't follow.

He watched her with a critical eye, noting the stiffness of her movement and the rigidity of her speech. Peeking at him out of the corner of her eye, Kurenai saw his shoulders rise and fall in a sigh, and his breath blew out in a cloud.

"You're not acting like yourself," he finally stated. "What's wrong?"

One of her old teacher's favorite sayings came quickly to her mind – Thinking is what gets you killed. Why had she ever even bothered to think about this in the first place? She knew that they were just together for the sex. He understood that just as well. Why had she ever attached emotions to it? Her teacher would have blamed it on her being female. Maybe he'd been right, but sometimes her heart and her mind just refused to work together.

"Look at me," he commanded, voice hard and sharp. Almost instantly, she did, meeting his eyes. The command was irresistible. She could see herself reflected in his eyes, his hitai-ate pushed up to reveal his Sharingan. Suddenly, she felt guilty, and looked down at the snowy ground. She didn't often see both of his eyes; it was a bit disconcerting.

"You're thinking about us." He placed a bit of emphasis on the last work, conscious or not. "You're wondering if I feel the same way you do," he finished softly.

She nodded, looking up at him again. His eyes were calm though, and she relaxed a bit. Her stomach still turned viciously. Why bother thinking? "I am," she answered. "I think I – "

"Love you," they finished together.

She grinned, uncertain whether she should be or not.

It didn't make sense to tempt fate, but it made even less sense to delay the inevitable. She though of all the times they'd met, whether just for sex or for other business.

To her, the sex was just a footnote in the pages of her memory.

Shinobi seemed destined to live alone, but she just didn't want to. Like everything though, destiny could be changed. The Hyuugas had taught her that. She'd always thought Kakashi would feel the same. Now she'd forced his hand.

As she watched, he smiled beneath his mask. "I knew it would come to this," he began, and Kurenai's heart dropped into her stomach. He continued quietly, "Maybe it's time to be more than friends?"

Her heart started beating again, and she smiled broadly. "We don't need to hide out in a hotel anymore?" she asked devilishly.

"It's time for something different. How about dinner?"

"Sure. Although I really don't mind the sex."

"I can't complain."

Tensions forgotten, the pair headed toward the center of the village, both of them grinning like idiots.

Fate is always changing, but love is inevitable.