Admit the truth, you're aroused

You continue staring her in the eyes. It's obvious that she was expecting you to either recoil in horror or offer some hollow, heroic platitude. She wasn't expecting the raw honesty of a man looking at a woman.

"The truth?" you ask, your voice dropping an octave, steadying despite the adrenaline. "The truth is, Kurenai-sensei, you’re so beautiful that I’m stuck. Part of me wants to tell you to stop, to tell you that you’re worth more than this bitterness and that you shouldn't talk about yourself that way. I really want to say that I know how the loneliness sucks, and for you to do your best."

You take a half-step closer, bridging the gap until you can feel the faint warmth radiating from her.

"But then there’s the other part of me," you admit, your eyes tracing the line of her jaw before meeting her gaze again. "The part that’s looking at you right now and wondering why I’d ever say no to an offer like that. I don't know whether to offer to help you, , or just be the man who accepts what you're offering."

Kurenai raised her eyebrows in surprise as your response catches her off guard.

A slow, genuine breath escapes her lungs, her shoulders losing that rigid, defensive set. For the first time since you arrived at the gravesite, she had a different air to her. She looks at you, really looking at the height you’ve gained and the breadth of your shoulders, and a faint, almost cat-like smile touches her lips.

"Well," she breathes, the sharp edge of her sarcasm replaced by a low, purring tone. "That’s a much more dangerous answer than I expected, Naruto. The 'Number One Suprising Ninja' monicker isn't just for a show."

She reaches out, her fingers grazing the fabric of your sleeve, her touch light but lingering. Your honesty seems to have soothed the sting of her own words; she looks appeased, almost validated, by the fact that she can still command that kind of reaction from someone like you.

"Well, what if the two of us just go somewhere quiet tonight and have some fun? No titles, no past. Just you and me."