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Naruto: The End Of Solitude	By : Tiger5913 Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 988 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Part Two: Silent Agony

�� Even after
being the Kazekage of the Sand Village for over two years, the devoted young
man still had not gotten used to receiving so much positive attention and
blatant admiration from the majority of his people.
�� For far too
many years, Gaara had been shunned by everyone that he knew, including members
of his own family, and his only friend, his one true confident, his maternal
uncle Yashamaru, had betrayed him after spewing countless lies.� The demon container was just a child at the
time, but that did not stop his father from wanting him dead, despite the fact
that it was his idea to place the malevolent sand spirit into his
innocent newborn son and sacrifice his wife in the process.� Regardless, Gaara worked hard to reach the position
of leadership, and since the very first day, he silently vowed to protect Suna
and its inhabitants with every last ounce of his strength, even if it meant
giving up his life for their sake.�
Indeed, he had been killed a year ago when Akatsuki, a powerful group of
S-class ninjas, arranged for his kidnapping and immobilized him in their
collective power while they extracted Shukaku from his body over a slow,
agonizing period of time.�
�� Though not
frequently, Gaara contemplated how he had felt during the last moments of his
life, knowing full well that he was going to die, and he wondered if he ever
made an impact on someone else, if his existence had any meaning.� He felt genuine regret for the numerous
lives he had slain and brutally taken away when he was isolated in the hateful,
searing private hell within his own mind, his body tingling with self-loathing
as he was cursed by merely being alive.�
After meeting a certain blond ninja from the Leaf Village, Gaara
realized that he was not alone in his pain, and he could change himself to
attain a better life, one with true value and virtuous significance to validate
his reason for existing.� The sins of
his father did not have to heavily weigh down upon his shoulders, and if the
young sand wielder could show a new, different side of himself to all his
neighbors and fellow comrades, then surely, they would eventually stop hating
and fearing him.
�� Indeed, at
long last, his greatest dream had been realized, Gaara mused with a diminutive
sigh as he tranquilly walked down along the main street of the village and
continuously saw people waving and bowing to him in respect.� He knew that they genuinely accepted him,
and at present, admired the very power that was once feared by many, which the
sand wielder felt pleased to keep, especially since he would no longer have to
fear Shukaku�s influence bearing upon his mind.� With a faint, humble smile on his face, Gaara placidly nodded his
acknowledgement at the villagers that greeted him, but he did not stop or even
slow his pace to make any conversation, as he wanted to return to Matsuri very
soon.� She was a thoroughly unique girl,
his student, the only one that he had ever taken in and trained by his own
hand, since the other young aspiring Genin feared him during the beginning,
when Suna�s ninja academy first started.
�� It was a
while before some of her classmates grew brave enough to ask him to be their
teacher as well, but by that time, Gaara had become the Kazekage, and with his
new responsibilities, he could not have any additional students.
�� Over the
last couple of years, the lean redhead had allowed himself to slowly begin
feeling emotions again, to forge friendships with a few people, and he got
closer to his brother and sister as well, but one relationship continued to
puzzle him: Matsuri.� She was his
student and a close friend, but she meant more to him than countless others, as
he felt soothed with her mere presence, and was admittedly entranced by the
special smile that she reserved for only his eyes when they were alone.� While Gaara entrusted his older siblings
with nearly everything, and sincerely valued the strong bond of family between
them, he seemed to feel something deeply for Matsuri that confused him in a foreign,
unfamiliar nature the more he thought about it.� He was vaguely aware of the following girls that professed to
cherish and love him on practically a daily basis, but the red-haired young man
had somehow sensed that their infatuation was superficial, and as such, he
hardly paid them any attention.
�� Matsuri,
however, she was different; she befriended him when everyone else was stricken
with fear or felt disgusted in his presence, and even after the time she had
gotten kidnapped on his account, she still insisted on being his student.� Outside of that formality, she consistently
accompanied him to the few social events that arose over the last couple of
years � in spite of the teasing that they both had to occasionally endure from
Kankuro, his impish older brother.�
Whenever that happened, however, Gaara would firmly insist that
their relationship was purely platonic, although he had noticed once or twice
that the bole-haired girl looked away as he relayed their status in a
definitive tone, leaving no room for argument.�
Due to his lack of experience on the subject, he was genuinely unaware
of the possibility that his feelings for her could run deeper than mere
friendship, until after a visit he made to the neighboring village of Konoha,
where he had met and spoke with a good friend of his.
�� Six months
ago, Gaara had traveled to the Leaf Village to discuss diplomatic matters of
their alliance with the Lady Hokage, Tsunade, and just as their meeting drew to
an end, a certain hyperactive blond ninja burst into her office.
�� Hey,
Granny Tsunade!� Man, that was an easy
mission!� We�re already back with the
scroll from-hey!� Gaara!� What�re you doing here?�
�� At the
first sound of the familiar voice, the lean redhead had stood up from his seat,
and after the newcomer made his usual loud and flashy entrance, he walked over
to acknowledge his friend�s arrival with a faint smile and a casual
handshake.� �Naruto.� It is good to see you again.� I came to Konoha to work out a trade between
our villages.�
�� True to his
trademark boisterous nature, Naruto Uzumaki flashed a wide grin of hearty
enthusiasm in response as he jovially returned the greeting, �Heh, yeah, it�s
been a while, huh?� Hey, you wanna go
get some ramen after you�re done talking to Granny Tsunade?�
�� Naruto,
how many times have I told you not to call me that?�� The blonde Hokage quipped sternly to the nervy boy, although
there was a sliver of fondness in her voice as she took the retrieved scroll
from his extended hand and declared his mission complete � he and the other
teammates involved were free to enjoy the afternoon.
�� After their
short exchange, Gaara calmly spoke up and accepted the social invitation; the
Ichiraku restaurant was rather well-known for their excellent ramen, and the
guards that came with him to Konoha would certainly enjoy a little extra time
to themselves.
�� Okay!�� Naruto confirmed zealously, and then bidding
a hasty farewell to the powerful kunoichi that served as the Leaf Village�s
esteemed leader, he soon left her office while calling over his shoulder, �You
know where Ichiraku is!� I�ll go there
right now and wait for ya!�
�� The
red-haired Kazekage chuckled lightly before turning his attention back to
Tsunade, who apologized for the interruption with a brief sigh of exasperation,
but he dismissed the matter without any hint of irritation, since their meeting
was just about over anyway.� Ten minutes
later, the sand wielder was calmly walking down one of the bustling, lively
streets of Konoha, still wearing his formal white robes that revealed his
status as he headed toward the ramen restaurant, although he held the hat in
one free hand.� Some of the surrounding
bystanders intentionally slowed their pace to get a good look at their visitor,
and Gaara tried his best to appear neutral and non-threatening, as he was truly
uncertain of the extent of his reputation in villages outside of his own.� Many citizens from all over the different
lands had watched his match against Sasuke Uchiha in the final rounds of the
Chunin exam, but that was several years ago, and only a small amount of people
got to see Shukaku rise to the surface.
�� But those
days were in the past, and in order to heal the wounds from long ago, Gaara had
to put the unpleasant incidents behind him and start anew; due to Naruto�s
help, he was able to see the light, and have a second chance to change his
life.
�� Speaking of
the loud and boastful blond ninja, Gaara arrived at the Ichiraku ramen shop to
see him talking to a girl with dark blue hair and eyes of an unusually white
color� and he faintly recalled having seen her before.� She looks familiar.
�� So we�re
gonna meet here and catch up on things, and then you and me can go out, okay,
Hinata?�� Naruto was saying to her as
the steam from his fresh bowl of ramen steadily rose upward to mingle with the
warm afternoon air.
�� I-I�ll
wait for you at the bookstore, Naruto,� the passive girl called Hinata replied
with a shy little smile, and then her light lavender eyes widened a bit when
she realized the presence of the tall redhead quietly standing nearby.� �O-oh!�
Naruto, your friend is here��
G-good afternoon, Lord Kazekage.�
�� She bowed
her head in a show of respect, making Gaara feel slightly awkward � even though
he understood why she performed the motion, it was sometimes strange to be at
such a different level of rank compared to the majority of everyone else in his
age range.
�� You� don�t
have to do that.�� He insisted quietly,
resisting the urge to flush at the polite, albeit unnecessary gesture; they
were in a casual environment, after all, and he was certainly not the type of
man to flaunt his position for attention, or to gain unfair advantage.
�� Hearing
their brief exchange, Naruto immediately turned around and greeted the sand
wielder with a cheeky grin as he exclaimed, �Hey, Gaara!� That was fast!� This is Hinata Hyuga, my girlfriend!� You remember her, right?�
She helped us track down those bastards from the weapons village that
took her your friend a couple of years ago!�
�� Yes, I do
remember.�� Gaara replied after the
incident flickered in his mind, and he gave the timid kunoichi a faint smile,
trying to appear friendly and assure her that they could communicate on an
informal basis, especially since she was so well-acquainted with his
friend.� �Thank you for assisting us on
the mission, Hinata.�
�� O-oh,
you�re welcome�� I was happy I could
help�� she responded modestly in a soft tone, and then she suggested with a
quick glance up at the sky, �I-I should let you boys eat and talk�� I�ll be going to the bookstore.�
�� See you
later, Hinata!�� The energetic ninja
asserted confidently, and he eagerly got up to punctuate their sweet farewell
with a tight hug and a quick kiss on the lips, which made the girl blush a deep
shade of red while her small frame wavered momentarily.
�� Gaara
watched their interaction with avid curiosity, feeling an odd pang of envy and
longing as he silently wondered if he himself could ever have that kind of
relationship� but who would want to give him so much affection and selfless
devotion?� No one, perhaps.
�� Sit down,
Gaara!�� Naruto told the pensive redhead
after Hinata had left, and then he swiftly turned to the shop owner to call out
another order.
�� The sand
wielder nodded in agreement and took a seat next to his friend, briefly taking
a moment to adjust his robes to ensure that the ends would not touch the
ground, all the while inwardly wishing that he had brought along a casual
outfit to change into, even for a short trip.
�� While they
waited for the second order to be made, the boisterous blond let his bowl of
ramen remain untouched and instead initiated in conversation, �You have a
girlfriend yet, Gaara?� Kankuro once
told me there was a whole group of girls that had the hots for ya!�
�� The redhead
calmly shook his head, hiding a faint grimace at the thought of the
aforementioned overzealous girls that constantly vied for his attention.� �No, I don�t.� I am� very busy with my responsibilities as the Kazekage.� Whatever spare time I have, I spend it
training with Matsuri.�
�� Matsuri?� Uh, isn�t she the girl that got kidnapped by
the shinobi from the Takumi Village?�
She�s your friend, right?�
�� Yes.�� He answered in his usual nonchalant tone as
a partial smile quirked at the corner of his lips when he was reminded of the
first friend that he ever made in Suna, the polite and kind-hearted girl whom had
not feared him even though she was afraid of weapons back then.� �She has also been my student for the last
three years.� Her current rank is a
Chunin.� I�m preparing her for the Jonin
level.�
�� Ah, so is
she gonna come here to Konoha and take the Jonin exam?�� Naruto immediately fired in question, his
expression showing a fair amount of interest.�
�It�s in a couple of months!� �I
think!�
�� This year,
no.�� Gaara admonished after a momentary
pause, as he knew the extent of his student�s abilities firsthand, and he
refused to put her through a trying exam where she would be unable to advance
without having a few more vital lessons instilled in her.� �She is not ready yet.� Matsuri needs to go on a few more B-rank
missions first, but she is devoted to being a shinobi, and she works very
hard.� She will become a Jonin soon.�
�� Hey, me
too!�� The blond ninja exclaimed with
enthusiastic optimism at the notion, his clear blue eyes flashing in a familiar
flare of fiery determination.� �I�m
taking the Jonin exam this year, and I know I�m gonna pass!� Believe it!�
�� I�m sure
you will.�� He agreed, smiling faintly
in friendly assurance, and just then, his food arrived on the table, ending
their conversation for the time being as both boys broke their respective pairs
of wooden chopsticks and began to eat.
�� Silence
fell between them, and for a while, the only sounds made were loud slurping
noises from Naruto�s eager inhalation of the food, while next to him, Gaara ate
slowly and silently contemplated a thought that had arisen his friend�s earlier
words.� From just the brief exchange
between them, he could easily tell that the two Konoha shinobi cared deeply for
each other, and then the way Hinata�s light lavender eyes lit up with such joy
at her boyfriend�s gestures of affection� it was obvious how she felt.� The red-haired young man had to admit that
he was slightly envious of their close bond, even though he could have female
companionship if he wanted it, but because a true, sincere connection was
important to him, he had avoided being pursued and vice versa.� Once in a while, his older brother
complained that he was letting his popularity with the ladies go to waste, and
helpfully suggested that he take up a few offers at the very least, but Gaara
flat-out refused to take advantage of his position, not wanting to string along
a hopeful girl.
�� With a
scoff of clear disbelief, Kankuro had instigated that not all of the avid fans
were so innocent as perceived on sight alone, and yet nevertheless, the noble
redhead retained his decision, keeping the girls at bay by expressing
indifference.
�� Naruto.�� He suddenly spoke up just then in response
to a matter that his mind was actively pondering about, although he felt unsure
of how he could voice the question without making himself look foolish or
terribly pathetic.
�� Yeah?� Oh man, this ramen really hits the spot-!�
�� You� care
for Hinata.�� This was stated
matter-of-factly.
�� Of course
I do!� She�s great!� She�ll be my lady when I become Hokage, and
we�ll both take care of Konoha!� Heh,
just watch and you�ll see; me and Hinata are an unstoppable team together!�
�� Really.�� Gaara contemplated the words for a few
moments, and then he sighed with mild frustration as he managed to work up
enough nerve to ask in a tentative manner, �Do you� love her a different way
than how you feel toward your other friends?�
�� Huh?�� Naruto halted in the middle of a bite at
that question, and he turned to face the sand wielder with a bewildered look,
but then after a minute or so, the meaning seemed to register in his mind as he
remarked, �Uh, yeah, definitely.� I love
Sakura like a sister, and after Sasuke came back, we�re like brothers
again.� I mean, all my friends are
important to me, but Hinata�s special!�
�� A
precious person that you hold closely to your heart?�� He mumbled under his breath without realizing it at first,
distracted by the memory of his maternal uncle�s words rising strongly within
his mind� even now, he was still somewhat affected by the influence that
Yashamaru had on him so long ago.
�� Yeah, she
sure is,� the blond ninja nodded enthusiastically in agreement as a wide grin
spread over his lips, and then after a brief pause, he asked with a tone that
clearly indicated disbelief, �Hey, Gaara, are you sure you don�t have a girlfriend?� �Cause it kinda sounds like you�ve got
someone you care about.�
�� Maybe,
but�� he glanced away, being careful with choosing his next words despite the
fact that he trusted his friend, but he was finally only able to admit, �To be
honest, I�m not sure right now.�
�� You know,
if there�s a girl you like, you should tell her,� Naruto suggested with an
unusually serious edge in his voice, and his cool blue eyes appearing rather
somber and subdued.� �If you don�t say
anything, she�ll never know.� It seems
kinda scary at first, but it�s better to do something than just staying quiet
and being stuck by yourself all the time.�
I�d rather take that chance than be alone, that�s for sure.�
�� Hmm.�� Gaara considered the advice and briefly
closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling evenly as he mentally conjured up the
sweet, smiling face of the girl that he felt the closest to, which happened to
be his student, although he was unable to admit it out loud.� �I don�t think�� That is, I wouldn�t know what to say, Naruto.� Hypothetically speaking.�
�� Eh, heh,
heh�� Yeah, I hear ya.� That�s the hard part,� the boisterous blond
mused thoughtfully, and his thin whiskers began to twitch slightly with the
motion of his changing expression while he simultaneously tapped his chin.
�� Never
mind.�� The sand wielder finally stated
in a carefully controlled tone, not wanting to spend too much time on a subject
that was just confusing him instead of providing clarity, the more he thought
about it; he would have to find an answer on his own, somehow.� �This matter is not a high priority for me.�
�� The rest of
their conversation that afternoon revolved around various other topics of
interest, and then they parted when the meal ended, with Naruto leaving to meet
his girlfriend, and Gaara deciding to head out of Konoha immediately in hopes
of reaching Suna by nightfall.
�� Lord
Kazekage?� Your order is ready.�
�� The pensive
redhead snapped to attention at the sound of the shopkeeper�s voice speaking to
him in the present, and with a hasty nod of acknowledgement, he reached into
his pocket while inquiring, �How much is the bill?�
�� Oh,
please, don�t worry about it,� the woman replied, a kind smile forming over her
face as she declared, �We�re honored that you enjoy our food here, Lord
Kazekage.�
�� I have
money.�� Gaara informed her quietly and
presented several notes of currency, a slight frown of bewilderment marring his
expression as he shifted uneasily at the sudden notion of receiving special
treatment � again � merely due to his position of leadership.
�� But we
insist!� Really, it�s on the house,� she
dismissed the matter with a casual wave of her hand, and then encouraged
generously, �Please, enjoy your meal, and be sure to come back soon!�
�� All
right�� he finally relented after she adamantly refused to take his money, and
he was dimly aware of the light flush of embarrassment creeping up his cheeks
as he told her, �Thank you.�
�� It�s our
pleasure, Lord Kazekage.� Have a good
night!�
�� Still
feeling rather awkward from the incident, the sand wielder mildly bid her
farewell, and then he quickly headed toward the house that he shared with his
older brother to pick up an additional outfit of clothing to change into for
later.� Kankuro was apparently not at
home by the silence and stillness of the small setting, and Temari had moved
out to her own little apartment just a couple of months ago, after claiming
that she needed womanly privacy from her two younger male siblings.� Without wasting any time pondering about his
brother�s absence, Gaara swiftly went into his bedroom and retrieved casual
attire, securely tucking the folded bundle under his arm as he stepped back
outside and closed the front door behind him.�
He returned to Matsuri�s house with the intention of staying over for
the night to help her while she recovered, as he did not want the girl to
strain herself when she had a sprained ankle, no matter how minor the injury
seemed.
�� The
red-haired young man entered her home quietly, just in case she was peacefully
resting, and sure enough, he found Matsuri serenely dozing on the couch, right
in the same spot where he had left her earlier.� Good.� She didn�t try
to walk.
�� After
gently setting down his gourd, he crossed the living room, strolling over into
her kitchen, and just as he placed the bag of their food on the dining table,
he heard his student murmuring in a soft, sleepy tone, �Gaara-sensei?� Did you just come back�?�
�� Yes.�� He answered evenly, and then silently
wondered if he had awakened her by making too much noise; he set down his extra
outfit upon a chair and walked back to the couch, standing behind it while he
idly gazed upon the slender brunette.�
�How is your leg?� Does it still
hurt?�
�� She shook
her head.� �Nope, I�m okay.� So� can I get up now?�
�� Not
yet.� Be patient, Matsuri.�� Gaara instructed the girl, inserting as much
firm authority into his voice as he could manage and still sound neutral.� �Don�t overexert yourself.� I�m here to help you.�
�� But I
didn�t break any bones�� she began to protest, her dark ebony eyes gleaming
from a sliver of stubbornness that he was all too-familiar with, but his hard
resolve eased a bit when she admitted candidly, �I mean, I don�t want to be a
bother to you, Gaara-sensei��
�� It�s not a
bother at all.�� He assured her in a
calm tone, and then he briefly stepped away to get their meals, bringing them
over to the small table in front of the couch, since he did not want his
student to get up and leave her current relaxed position.
�� Um,
thanks�� Matsuri murmured softly when he handed her one of the warm boxes and a
pair of wooden chopsticks, to which he responded with a slight nod in response.
�� As his gaze
briefly flickered over the girl to make sure she was comfortable, the
red-haired young man headed for the chair positioned just a couple of feet
adjacent to her spot, and sat down upon the comfortable cushion with his own
meal and eating utensils in hand.
�� Oh, I
should make some tea,� the bole-haired Chunin suddenly remarked just as she had
lifted the top of the box; she set it aside and began to raise herself up off
the seat, but stopped when Gaara fixed her with a stern, almost reprimanding
look.� ��What?� Don�t you want something to drink, Gaara-sensei?�
�� I�ll take
care of it.�� He declared definitively
as he stood and proceeded back to the kitchen area while mentally trying to
recall which cabinets held her supply of teabags and teapot, and after a brief
search, he had water steadily heating on the stove.� As he prepared the tea in silence, the sand wielder sensed,
rather than saw, that his student was watching him the whole time � she
apparently had not started eating without him, since there were no sounds
indicating so, and tranquility reigned over the room.� That knowledge made Gaara feel somewhat slightly uneasy, as if he
was being closely scrutinized, but his expression remained calm and composed
even when he returned to the table near the couch, carrying two steaming cups
in both hands.� Discreetly glancing her
way, he noticed that Matsuri had a small smile on her face as she uttered her
thanks and accepted the tea, and then she waited for him to take his seat
before she picked up her food and began to eat; after her initiation, he did
the same.
�� So, um,
the meeting that suddenly came up today,� the slender brunette piped up while pausing
in-between bites, �What was it about?� I
mean, if you can tell me.�
�� The young
Kazekage closed his eyes for a moment, briskly recalling the details that had
been discussed earlier in the afternoon, and his pale turquoise irises were
cool and firm with calm, assertive strength as he revealed, �We have reason to
believe that a conflict might rise between Suna and the Village Hidden in the
Sound.�
�� Oh?�� She appeared surprised at the information,
and continued with, �Why is that, Gaara-sensei?� I thought I remembered��
Wait, didn�t they want to sign a treaty with our village last month?�
�� They sent
a representative to meet with the council and myself about two weeks ago.� We held a special session immediately, and
we were in the middle of discussing an agreement during most of the time.�� He affirmed with a twinge of cool irritation
underlying his deep voice as he remembered the endless debating that had taken
place immediately after the meeting between the various council members to air
out numerous suspicions.� A few others
had expressed great interest allying with their enigmatic neighboring village,
while Gaara had listened to each one of them present their respective argument
and maintained neutrality as best he could, despite some attempts to draw him
in.� �But even after the meeting had
ended, the treaty was not finalized.� In
fact, we just received a revised proposal a few days ago.� There is a new stipulation added to it that
requires Suna to sever our alliance with Konoha before the Sound Village will
cooperate.�
�� Matsuri
made a face that blatantly expressed her disapproval of the notion, which had
been the same reaction as the redhead when he initially read the changed
sections of the treaty draft, although he, of course, was obligated to keep his
disdain hidden.� �What?� We wouldn�t do that, right?� I mean, we have a great relationship and a
strong alliance with the Lady Hokage and the Hidden Leaf Village.�
�� I
agree.�� He nodded slightly in emphasis
of his assent before continuing further, �The majority of the council feels the
same way.� However, there are a
few members pushing for the proposal to be approved.� They seem strongly in favor of being allies with the Sound
Village rather than the Leaf Village.�
�� But that
doesn�t make sense,� his outspoken student persisted zealously, and a brief
glance in her direction gave him an indication of her present state of
annoyance, �I know the Sand and Sound used to be allies before, but I don�t
think we can trust them after they betrayed our village by assassinating the
Fourth-�
�� She
suddenly cut off the sentence, but Gaara knew full well what she had meant to
say, and he closed his eyes for a few moments, inwardly trying to calm his
troubled nerves at the unexpected mention of the previous Kazekage, his own
father.
�� I-I�m
sorry, Gaara-sensei�� he heard Matsuri apologizing just then in a quiet,
uncharacteristically meek tone of voice; he was unsure of exactly how much of
his dark, bleak days had been divulged to her over the years, but like most of
the other villagers, she knew enough.
�� The
red-haired young man slowly shook his head and struggled to maintain his
composure with his mental willpower, responding coolly, �No, it�s fine.� You don�t need to apologize, Matsuri.�
�� His pale
turquoise eyes glanced her way to see the girl nod, but she remained silent
throughout the remainder of the meal, and by that aspect alone, he could tell
that she felt guilty for bringing up one of his most unpleasant memories,
albeit unintentionally.� Although the
two had been friends for several years, Gaara never discussed the intricate
details of his painful past with her, not a single allusion of the tumultuous
relationship between him and his parents, or what happened to his maternal
uncle.� But regardless of his lack of input,
he was quite certain that Matsuri had heard at least one or two of the many
stories about his family from some of the elderly Suna citizens, whom had no
inhibitions about spreading tales of illustrious interest.� It was to be expected, however, for he was
the Kazekage of the village, a figure of great importance that the public held
in high regard with friends and foes alike, and as such, he had to dutifully
ignore the negative gossip that circulated amongst the opposition.
�� When the
pair had finished eating, Gaara firmly commanded his student to stay seated
before he took her empty box, and then rose from the chair beside the girl to
carry the disposable trays dump them into the wastebasket in the kitchen.� At her request, he retrieved a packet of
lemon-flavored cookies from one of the many cabinets lining along the walls,
and brought it over to the compliant, patiently waiting brunette, along with
another hot cup of freshly brewed tea.�
The two friends spent the next couple of hours in quiet but engaged
conversation, neither one paying attention to the time, until Matsuri suddenly
yawned out loud and closed her eyes, idly stretching her arms high up above her
head.� At that point, the concerned
redhead momentarily averted his gaze to the clock hanging on a nearby mantel
and noted the lateness of the night; he would have to assist his companion to
her room, while he opted to sleep outside on the couch.
�� Matsuri.�� The young man spoke evenly to get her
attention, and when she turned to look at him, he continued with, �You should
get some rest now.� I will bring you to
your room.� Unless, you need something
else before going to sleep?�
�� Matsuri
shook her head.� �I�m fine, but
thanks.� Um� are you going to wait until
I fall asleep before you leave, Gaara-sensei?�
�� A small
smile played about his lips as he went over to her position and once again,
lifted her securely within his arms, starting to walk toward the rear section
of her house before nonchalantly informing the girl, �I will be staying here
tonight.�
�� The sudden
jolt that surged through her light form almost made him chuckle in amusement;
really, she should have known by now that he could be assertive and forceful
when the situation called for it, especially if he wanted to counter her
fervent stubbornness.� �You� you are?�
�� He simply
nodded in wordless response, and then several minutes later, he entered her
room and carefully set his student down upon the bed, his pale turquoise eyes
keenly watching her form as she settled in and got comfortable for slumber.
�� The light
weakly seeping inside from the hallway was just enough to allow Gaara to catch
a glimpse of the faint pink creeping up over her fair cheeks when the girl
mumbled shyly, �Oh, I� kind of need to change��
�� That candid
remark alone made him feel strangely flustered deep down inside, but he tried
to keep his expression neutral as he swiftly turned around to leave, quietly
bidding Matsuri good-night before he closed the door behind him.� Sleep well, Matsuri.
�� Not yet
feeling tired himself, the tall redhead returned to the living room and brought
the used cups and saucers to the sink, rinsing them and the teapot out, and
then replacing everything back in their original locations.� The empty bag of lemon cookies went straight
into the wastebasket, along with the stray crumbs that he wiped off of the
table using a damp washcloth � after his older sister moved out, he had learned
how to do various domestic chores.�
Kankuro seemed to be oblivious to the dust and mess that periodically
cluttered up their house, but at present, he grudgingly began to help with the
housecleaning after Gaara had threatened to flood his room via huge waves of
sand.� Despite their differences, the
two brothers got along quite well with each other, and they kept in constant touch
with Temari, whom frequently came back to her old home for visits, claiming
that she wanted to make sure they could survive without her being there to
supervise.
�� Gaara knew
that his student had lived on her own ever since her parents were killed, and
although he only recently started to see her house from the inside, he could
tell that she was adjusting well to a life of independent
responsibilities.� Throughout the years
of their friendship, Matsuri would periodically dole out little bits and pieces
of information to him in regards to the time back when her parents were alive,
and her family was still wholly intact.�
On more than one occasion, the young brunette had somberly confessed
that it was rather difficult getting used to being alone, a sentiment that
Gaara himself knew all-too-well, but nevertheless, she found the strength to
persevere.� The redhead was dimly aware
of the friendly and affectionate way that Temari and Kankuro treated Matsuri,
as if she was their little sister, and she certainly seemed happy to receive so
much attention from the trio of close-knit siblings.
�� With that
pleasant thought in mind, Gaara briskly inspected the living room for anything
else that needed straightening up, and after finding everything in order, he
decided it was time to sleep, so he changed into his second outfit and laid
down upon the couch.

To Be
Continued�
- 1
- 2
- 3
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Naruto: The End Of Solitude