"We very well may have," he conceded with a small nod, smile fading at the thought of that failed mission. "It was my honor that I was invited with them to lend my assistance, though in the past I had offered them nothing but harsh words and pain."

He only inclined his head at her admission of jealousy; it hurt, but he understood. If anyone had the right to envy his position, it was her, even if... once they returned home, she was the one who had a future.

Instead, at the sound of her choking back a sob, he opened his eyes and reached forward, lightly touching his fingers to her shoulder as a small kind of comfort, the kind he'd gotten better at offering since his relationship with his own Naruto. "It will hurt," he confirmed, seeing no reason to give her any kind of false hope or lies. "But you will emerge the stronger for it, Hinata-sama. I have faith that you will make the right decision."