Thursday Routine
gaara.
set post rescue gaara arc.
written in someone else's pov. you'll know eventually.
On thursdays, Kazekage Gaara likes to take his usual walk around Sunagakure.
-
On thursdays, Kazekage-sama likes to take his usual walk around Sunagakure. Often, there is arguments among the Council about who should look after him and watch over his safety as he does so, ever since the last accident regarding Atatsuki. It's not like Kazekage-sama prefers it this way, anyway, and despite his quiet but polite refusals (usually with a shake of the head) about anyone offering their accompaniment to him on his walks, none will ever feel safe enough to have our Godaime Kazekage walk around the village without any bodyguards. It simply is not done.
This explains why I am here, three steps behind Gaara-sama, (I only dare speak his name in my mind and not out loud. It's not like he will mind, I doubt it. In fact, I think Gaara-sama does not like the honorific suffix that goes with his entitlement all the time, but he has no choice), and shuffling my feet along the grounds as I keep my eyes on his back like a hawk.
It's a nice day. There are clouds all over the sky, but what's lacking is simply the chirpings of birds high up above. They don't thrive in the climate like our village, but still, it is a good day defined in Sunagakure terms. Sliding my hands in my pockets, my eyes are fixated on Kazekage-sama's attire. His robes are long and heavy - a little too long for his physique, since after all, one usually forgets so often that he is just a 13-year-old boy, and is already entrusted with the brunt of protecting an entire village with a large enough population.
So I find the hems of his robes sweeping against the grounds intriguing. It's like a gentle reminder, subtle hint as it is, that this Godaime Kazekage is still a child after all, and has yet to fully mature physically to fit into these robes. It's also been five minutes since I've been watching Gaara-sama, and I muse over the little detail that he keeps adjusting the elaborate headgear sitting on the crown of his head. It must be a little too big for him as well, and too heavy for him to grow fully accustomed to, since he seldom dons his Kazekage attire unless it is a Thursday, like this.
He moves quietly, and I've heard from my other fellow jounins who have taken on my role of bodyguard before, that Gaara-sama seldom converses with those under his command. In fact, it's not a hard detail to miss that this Godaime Kazekage of ours is a very quiet boy with little words and actions.
But I thought it is really amazing in a way how this same Kazekage has given up his life to protect this village, his village, our village. The last time he had fought against the Akatsuki member, you should have seen the gathering of villages below. I think he's aware of it, but he has never mentioned it a second time now. Back then, all of us had been together watching him with unbelievable gasps.
And then, I recall, the most unexpected thing that has happened. Cheers have erupted, and cries of "GAMBATTE, KAZEKAGE-SAMA!" "DON'T GIVE UP HOPE, KAZEKAGE-SAMA!" "WE'RE HERE FOR YOU, KAZEKAGE-SAMA!" have sounded across the village in unison.
Even previous Kazekages who had fought for our village like this, had never, never given up his life for us. Except this one, and Gaara-sama is only 13-year-old. It's sometimes hard to think of him as still a child, but he still is.
Now, I look up, and peer with interest at the scene that unfolds before me. Several kids have approached Gaara-sama. Some have asked how was his day, and have ranted on excitedly about how their dreams were to be like Gaara-sama, being Kazekage. It's not hard to notice the rare, yet distinguishable smile that has found its way to Gaara-sama's lips, as he kneels a little so that their heights are more equal.
Then, characteristically just like the Kazekage-sama the village knows and loves as the boy of few words, he simply speaks a word. "Gambatte."
And stands up, and resumes on his Thursday routine around the village once again. The kids behind him chase after, waving, raving wildly about how Kazekage-sama was awesome and simply "SUGOI!!" and "KAKKOII!!!" I watch Gaara-sama simply slant his head a little to throw a small smile behind his shoulders, nodding his head lightly in acknowledgement at their child-like words of innocence.
Three steps behind, I watch Gaara-sama again.
This time, he stops by a stall that sells oranges, and on a whim, he picks three out of the fifty that is displayed in the crates. He pays the old uncle, who has grin his toothy grin, and tell Kazekage-sama to "have a good day". Gaara-sama then refuses the money change, tells him to keep it in his usual little-words-little-actions manner, and simply holds up the oranges in his hands, once again speaking that single word, "Gambatte."
He moves on.
It is the same scene that unfolds one by one. Another time, he drops by at a ramen bar where business is very poor, and it isn't the best place that sells delicious noodles. This is the only time when he turns around to hand me the packeted ramen he has ordered. With surprised eyes, my ears do not miss out the words he tell the ramen old lady.
"Your ramen noodles are delicious."
He exits the ramen bar, unknownst to the fact that he has made the old lady's day. Again, he has refused to accept the change of coins, and is now proceeding towards a corner where a playground for children is at. Several shinobis are throwing kunai around as part of their self-proclaimed training regime, and one kunai accidentally lands before Gaara-sama's feet.
He bents down, picks it up, and returns it to the child who has come running for it.
The child looks up with shining eyes. "Domo arigatou, Kazekage-sama."
More children, upon noticing their Kazekage-sama's arrival, has formed a circle around Gaara-sama.
As always, in that little-words-and-actions manner, Gaara-sama pats several young shinobis on the shoulder and head, and says the same thing again. "Gambatte."
I find it ironic how, with just the use of one singular verb, he is able to make the day of any Sunagakure villagers. I guess this is what Kazekages are capable of - no, wait, perhaps, only for just this one. Godaime Kazekage. None other previous Kazekages have taken up the habit of this Thursdays'-normal-walk-around-village thing before. Gaara-sama is probably the first.
A little boy speaks up, and asks if their Kazekage-sama would do them the honor of teaching them how to throw a kunai properly. Gaara-sama doesn't refuse, instead, again with that mysterious small smile on his face, he fingers the kunai in between his fingers, position it properly, and tells them to "watch carefully". Two words, but the children are already hooked onto them like bees to honey.
The kunai wedges itself right in the middle of a gap between two rocks upon the wall.
Children gasps, applauds, and then cheers. "Sugoi!!! Kazekage-sama!!"
Gaara-sama kneels down so that his height equals to that of another little boy. Then, carefully, as if afraid at first of the initiation of physical contact, then becoming surer and certain of his actions, he takes the kunai and places it in the boy's hands, and shows with the help of his fingers, where best to position the little boys' fingers. Instantly, when the boy has gotten a hang of it, he squeals, and throws himself at Gaara-sama's taller frame.
I cannot help but raise an eyebrow. Gaara-sama, unused to physical contact, should feel very uncomfortable at this. Perhaps his first instinct is to recoil on impulse, but he has not done so. Instead, though at first he has stood rigid at his spot, he slowly stretches out a hand to place it on the boy's head.
Gaara-sama has already become a favorite among these little young shinobis.
Three steps behind, I am the hawk once again, eyes never leaving Gaara-sama's back. Abruptly, though in one swift movement, he has bent down, his robes fully touching the ground, to pick up an apple that has rolled to his side. He then stands up to return it to an old lady who thanks him with a sunny smile.
"Have a nice day, Kazekage-sama."
Quiet, soft. Two words. Little-words-little actions. But all the same, it is Gaara-sama still.
"You, too, Baa-san."
He continues on his Thursday walk. The wind is now blowing harder, billowing about his robes falling behind his back. His scarf is long enough to brush against my jaw sometimes. He has touched a hand to his headgear so it does not get blown away.
The moment I take my eyes off Gaara-sama to look up at the sky, checking the weather. He has taken a few strides to his left to help an old man up from the ground who has taken a fall. Quietly, I watch. Another Thursday-walk scene unfolds.
"Arigatou, Kazekage-sama. Ah...Ittai." The old man rubs his bottom.
Gaara-sama still has his fingers carefully latched around the old man's wrists. "Daijoubu?" In his usual manner. Not boisterious, not loud. Not much emotions conveyed in it. But just enough. Just Gaara-sama.
"Ah." The old man nods, and flashes a thumbs-up.
And Gaara-sama has already slid his hand into his robes, pull out a plaster, to hand it to the old man. "Here, Jii-san." He directs a gaze to the old man's slightly bruised cheek. "You've hurt yourself."
"Ah...arigatou, Kazekage-sama, but it's really only a small wound--"
Gaara-sama has already placed the plaster in the old man's hands.
He moves on, on his Thursday walk.
Next that I know of, Gaara-sama has stopped by to help unlatch a wounded small puppy from the wires. He eases the puppy from the electrified strings, requests for my help to extricate the fur from it. Then he slowly puts the puppy on the ground, gather Chakra in his right hand, to heal the wounded leg of the puppy.
The puppy barks happily, and trails off.
When Gaara-sama stands up, he does not have to turn to notice my surprise. He explains in his quiet manner, "I've picked up a bit of medical jutsus."
He walks ahead of me. His scarf tickles my nose. I try not to sneeze. It is impolite.
His words registers onto my brain, and then I catch up onto him, leaving a distance between us.
"May I ask why, Kazekage-sama?"
I thought he will never answer, until in his little-words-little-actions manner again, he tells me simply:
"So I can better protect my villagers if they ever need help."
I am left three steps behind Godaime Kazekage.
My eyes inspect his small frame.
Gaara-sama, used to be known as Sabaku no Gaara, except now that he has no gourd on the back.
Except now that he is dressed in these robes.
And these robes are long. They brush against the floor. The headgear is heavy. He adjusts it often.
It is then I am reminded again, that this Kazekage is still a child, albeit a very quiet one at that. Just like any other typical Kages, he would do his best to protect his village and its people in it. Just like any other typical Kages, he would ensure that its people are comfortable and safe.
He's Gaara-sama. Thatlittle-words-little-actions sand nin, not just like any other typical Kages.
...But I'm glad he's our Kazekage.
owari