[For a beat or two, Sasuke doesn't answer.]

You're protective of her.

[Not that he's surprised at all. If anything it's... a weird sort of nostalgic. Old familiar bonds, even ones that aren't his.]

She's smart. She didn't believe me at first, until I told her a few things I could only know if I'd come back at home. [He won't elaborate on that, not through this stupid book.]