UHG: Hey everybody, just a small oneshot because I felt like it, and because I think that both these characters shouldn't have died right off. I hope you all like it.

Disclaimer: I don't Naruto, or anything related to it.

Pairing: KimimaroKin

Spoiler: Small spoiler for towards the end of the Sasuke Retrieval Ark

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Kin couldn't quite believe how horrible Kimimaro's past had been. She couldn't get past the fact that the one to save him had been Orochimaru, she really couldn't stand him. It almost made her sick that the Kaguya was willing to give his life for the snake sanin, he cared for him that much.

Kimimaro had never spared her more than a passing glance, maybe even less than that, but for some reason, she still cared deeply for him. Kin had mixed emotions when she had found out about him being sick, no less with something that even Kabuto couldn't heal. She was extremely happy, on account that Orochimaru wouldn't use him for a vessel now, yet she was heart broken, because his dreams were crushed as he was confined to the rest of his short life expectancy in bed.

The sound kunoichi wished that she could help Kimimaro, wanted to do something useful so bad that it hurt. But why, she asked herself, he scarcely knew who she was. Kin never found the answer to it.

At times she would sneak into the medical chamber in which he was being kept, and just watch him sleep. She did this so often that it became a regular habit.

Then one time, when everybody except for the guards should have been asleep, Kin snuck across the hideout to see him. Her timing was true, nobody noticed her, and there was not a soul except Kimimaro in the medical wing. Then she ducked into the anteroom that was Kimimaro's, carefully closing the door behind her. She turned and smiled at the man lying on the bed; it both calmed and saddened her to see him.

She took a seat in the stone chair that was affixed to the floor next to the bed. It calmed the girl to see the steady rise and fall of the Kaguya's chest. And for the hundredth time, she wished that his face wasn't covered from his nose up. Kin nearly jumped out of her skin when he spoke to her.

"You are here quite often." His voice was quiet, and perceptive, yet emotionless at the same time, it was clear, despite the small tubes attached for medical purposes, and had a quiet rasp to it. For a moment Kin was dumbstruck, her heart's racing trying to return to normal after her shock. "Y-Yes," she whispered in reply.

He continued after her confirmation of his words, "I've pondered for quite some time who you are, it's clear, even to my covered eyes that you are not supposed to enter here, what are your purposes?" The kunoichi was caught off guard by his inquisitions, what should she tell him? The truth was that even she wasn't completely sure if she could explain. "You hesitate," he stated, "What reason do you have to hide yourself from me?"

Kin immediately felt a pang of guilt rack through her body, so she attempted to answer his questions. "I- my name is Tsuchi Kin, fellow Sound ninja. As for my reasons for coming here, it- it's a bit complicated….." she trailed off, losing confidence in herself.

"I enjoy having things to think about," Kimimaro said, "It's something to do on some rainy day." Kin giggled in spite of herself, a sense of humor, something she didn't think he would have, he seemed to serious for things like that.

"I guess," Kin took a deep breath, both to bide time to gather up the words, and to gather he confidence together, "I'm always here because I think that you deserve someone to care about you."

"Orochimaru-sama cares about me already, even though I don't deserve it," Kimimaro's voice sounded resolute, as if he was trying to convince himself. Kin frowned, time for a new answer.

"Then maybe I think you also deserve someone to chase your pain away." She blurted out suddenly, her voice raised a bit. At this, Kimimaro's head twitched to the side a bit, as if he was confused. Kin blushed as she added in a whisper, "And I'd like to be that person."

After that, she visited him almost every night. Kimimaro found that he came to crave her presence near him, and he slowly began to realize that he loved her.

On one particular night, she was sitting in the stone chair, same as always. They were talking, Kin noticed that they never ran out of things to talk about, and Kimimaro said something most surprising.

"Kin, do you realize that I've never seen your face?" he asked. The kunoichi's eyes widened as she realized that what he said was true. It was peculiar though, because they knew each other so well.

Kin grinned and innocently asked, "Would it hurt to lift your face cover for just a quick peek?" He smiled and shook his head, signaling for her to go ahead. She stood and took a step towards him. Kin leaned over Kimimaro, reaching towards his face. As her fingers brushed the stiff cloth covering the top half of his face, her heart started racing. Slowly and carefully, as if it might hurt him if she went too fast, the girl peeled the mask back, finally pulling it all the way off.

Smiling, she brushed her fingertips over the lids of his closed eyes, but found herself blushing and quickly pulled her hand away. She watched as Kimimaro's eyes fluttered open, watched as a smile graced his lips.

Realizing that she was still standing over him, Kin started to pull back, but found strong arms pulling her back, Kimimaro wrapped her in a warm embrace. His chin rested on the top of the sound girl's head, and her cheek rested on the Kaguya's chest. She could hear his heart beat, feel his chest move as he breathed. And Kin knew that she didn't ever want to be anywhere else, but right here. She returned the embrace as best she could, due to their awkward position.

The kunoichi heard Kimimaro sigh happily, and he whispered, "So this is the girl I'm in love with." Her heart swelled with happiness as she heard his feelings, she smiled and said, "I love you Kimimaro." And she felt him sigh again.

Kin's heart filled with resolve, she would be the one who cared about him, she would hold him close. She would embrace him, fill him with joy and make all the pain and suffering in his past go away, be forgotten. She would be the one to chase his pain away.

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Well, please review so I can know if you liked it. And before you flame the pairing, they are both from the same village, so it is possible for to them to have met. Plus there's not enough fics for these characters, plus crack rules!