"Why?"

"He said he loved me too much to kill me."

"Yours didn't?"

"I had a sister, she would never have - "

Very hug.

"Well, mine did. He'd never even really hurt me before, beyond a couple broken bones - nothing that couldn't be quickly fixed - so I - didn't expect - "

"He wanted me to protect the Hidden Leaf Village. Not even to not kill, just - to kill on their pleasure. He wanted me to survive. He didn't want me telling anyone the truth. Not so many orders, but they were - big."

"I - subconsciously figured out it'd force me to eat and drink but only delayed, and I could skip enough meals I'd weaken over time and eventually be unable to follow the survival orders, as long as I didn't think about actually dying."

She is, in fact, very, very thin, especially next to Hisame, skin pulled tight over her bones.

The Keres would like to bring this man back so she can kill him again, only more painfully.

Hisame extra hugs her girlfriend.

And then, to her younger self: "Do you mind coming here? You look like you could use a hug."

She approaches, but pauses just short of them, looking questioningly at the Keres.

She extricates an arm and grabs the other Hisame, pulling her close.

She lets herself be pulled into the cuddle pile.

She can be very hugged too.

She's a bit tense at first, then gradually relaxes into the hug.

Good. Hisame should not be sad. Or at least not alone when sad.

Older Hisame pulls her younger alt into a less emotionally fraught conversation comparing world differences - it sounds like not many, though the younger Hisame has a more dramatically tense relationship with Naruto, their best friend, apparently. (Older Hisame's of the opinion that's a good relationship to repair; younger Hisame makes a face at that.)

They have lots of resources to help younger Hisame find a better life. Whether she wants to go back to her world or not.

"We'll want to avert that world's destruction, either way."

"I don't want to go back. You can have it, since you apparently like anyone there."

The Keres pets younger Hisame's hair.

"You don't have to. You can stay with me or find somewhere else or- anything you want."

"You like her? Even with - everything she is - "

"She is a strong, brave, smart, gorgeous, talented woman who does whatever she wants to. And so are you."

Younger Hisame doesn't seem to quite know what to do with that.

Older Hisame gives her girlfriend a quick kiss.

"She's quite on board with all the chaos, and delightfully inventive."

Snuggle, and an assessing look at the Keres.

"...I think doing everything I'm not supposed to for a while would - help. Maybe."

"I don't think I'm going to decide I endorsedly want to be dead since there's no one waiting for me anyways, so I think having - connections - is alright, too."

Pet pet.

"I want you to be happy, too."

She smiles, slightly.

"I think I can be, sooner or later."