Chapter 73

Anko breaks away from a muscular hunk, protesting after Kurenai, "Aww come on. Just stay for a little while longer. You're going to have to be around each other eventually."

"Maybe," Kurenai agrees. "But not now."

Approaching between the sexy kunoichi, Genma asserts, "I'll walk you," moving to join Kurenai without her consent.

"I'll be fine," Kurenai conveys simply. "But thank you-"

"I insist," he counters amiably, stepping to the side to invite her to go first.

Aside from his assertiveness, she has no reason to doubt Genma. They've all known each other since they graduated from the Academy. While he's always been a bit aloof about his goals, he's always had her back. Kurenai simply nods, and as they leave the rowdy bar, she can feel 'his' eyes on her back, like a concentrated ray of magnified sunlight. She ignores him as much as the clenching in her chest, not unlike how he disregarded her as Genma escorts her from the bar.

They walk to her home because she can't exactly tell him she's going to a genin's apartment to have copious amounts of sex. It's on the way back, on calmer streets, that he finally says, "he's being an idiot."

Asuma, Genma, Gai, Kakashi, Hayate, Yūgao, Anko and herself are not only peers but also friends which means that just because Asuma isn't there, doesn't mean his agent isn't and the raven-haired beauty truly doesn't want to deal with this right now. 'Genma is supposed to be my friend too,' Kurenai thinks with growing irritation, asking with a little heat, "are you here to speak for him?"

"I won't deny there are a few things he wants you to know," Genma simply states. "And as one of his more sociable friends, I suppose I fill that role."

"I don't..." she starts but only sighs the end of her comment. Rethinking her reactive need to be defensive, she rather says, "It's unnecessary, Genma. You shouldn't have to."

"I want you to know," he returns.

"If it's all the same to you," she says with more heat in her tone. "I'd rather enjoy my night."

"I want you to know because... Because," he huffs a bit of laughter. "I guess I'm selfish in the end." She looks at him confused. He sets his eyes and takes her hand, ending their walk. As delicately as their calloused hands can, he holds her fingers rather than her whole hand before revealing, "he isn't going to marry the princess."

She's shocked, suddenly feeling the cold of the night as goosebumps spread throughout her irresistible body but he continues to say, "he told me himself."

"Genma… I…" 'don't know,' she thinks as her emotions destabilize feeling more than she can process as he continues.

"But I don't think you should be with him," Genma tells her straightforwardly. "I want what's best for you, Kurenai, and though I care for you both, your happiness means more to me. I know him and I can say with confidence, he'll be fine if the two of you aren't an item. That's just the way he is. You are one of a kind, beautiful in every way. I know this is sudden, but you amaze me. We lead dangerous, often short, lives and a future with him may not be worth it. All I ask is you consider the possibility someone else can love and cherish you the way you deserve."

He raises her hands to his warm lips and imparts a deep kiss on the back of each hand. As one of his long-time friends, Kurenai doesn't want to say anything she'd regret later, and so says nothing. As a kunoichi, she doesn't recoil from the non-threatening, flattering gesture but as a woman with an aching heart to protect, she's stunned by his affection. With all her intelligence, Kurenai can honestly say she wasn't expecting a confession from Genma. Even when he raises his warm hand to her cool left cheek. She says and does nothing as he turns and leaves.

Kurenai's sharp mind replays his words as her feet continue walking. Learning about Asuma's non-marriage was shocking enough but in the same minute, Genma pronounces his romantic interest in her. It consumes her mind as she automatically walks home, and is surprised to find Anko leaning against the front door.

Walking up to her friend, she can tell she's inebriated by the blush in her cheeks and her unfocused eyes. "Anko? What are you doing here?"

"I juss wanted to make ssure my best babe was okay," she says with a slur.

Before Kurenai can say more, Hinata-chan walks out with a glass of water and extends it to Anko. Having lied to her own father about training, the indigo-haired kunoichi arrived a day early, much to her welcome surprise. "Sensei, welcome back."

"Thank you Hinata-chan," Kurenai tells her student. "Go get ready for bed. I won't be back till late." With a short bow, Hinata-chan leaves and Kurenai nods to Anko to go.

"Thanks, kid," Anko says and slowly follows Kurenai. "So?" Anko asks as they slowly walk to Anko's apartment.