Wow, it's been a long time since I've published a story on this site... I don't know where I got the inspiration for this story and the motivation to actually stick through it to the end. But, I hope you all enjoy it!
Summary: Watanabe Natsumi is the Kazekage's Assistant. But, she has a deep dark secret in that little black notebook she carries with her. One day, her secret will come out. How will she handle it?
Main Pairing: Gaara x OC
Minor/Implied Pairings: Shikamaru x Temari, Naruto x Hinata, Lee x Tenten, Ino x Sai, Sasuke x Sakura
This story follows the anime series of Naruto Shippuden, after the Fourth Shinobi War and pre-Boruto series.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, or any of its characters nor storylines.
Claimer: I own Watanabe Natsumi and any other characters not depicted in anime series.
The Little Black Notebook
GaaraxOC
Chapter One
The One with the Little Black Notebook
He crashed his lips upon hers, moving against her lips in an animalistic fervor. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he effectively secured her against him with no intentions of allowing her to escape. He slipped his tongue past her gasping lips, and her tongue lost in the battle against his. She moaned at his dominance, relishing in the sinful pleasure of his hands touching her skin. His hands roamed over the curvatures of her back, her waist, her hips before settling over her rear. She gasped in surprise at the gentle squeeze he gave upon her buttocks.
In one swift movement, he lifted her onto his desk, completely disregarding the papers that were scattered across the surface.
Her hands tangled in his messy red locks, enjoying the soft silky hair upon her fingertips. His tongue continued to assault her mouth, and she was only mildly aware of his hands making its way to the back of her top. It only took him seconds to find the tie of her mid-thigh length battle dress and pull on it. The dress became loose at the shoulders, and with gentle hands, he slid the dress off her shoulders, his touches burning hot against her skin.
She finally pulled back to take a breath from their liplock, her cheeks flushed with a faint red.
Her chocolate brown eyes locked with teal eyes, which mirrored her own lust and fervor.
Her dress hung dangerously low at the peak of her chest, only being held up by the torso mesh-guard she wore, threatening to fall off at any second. Teal eyes glanced down to the hanging article, and the fire within her burned below.
"Gaara –"
The sound of the door opening into the Kazekage's office caused the sun-kissed blonde kunoichi to instantly shut her notebook and turn her attention toward the entrance of the office.
Upon recognition of who it was, she stood up at once to bow. "Good morning, Kazekage-sama."
Gaara glanced to the woman, nodding at her in return, and headed for his desk. "Natsumi-san, early again?"
Natsumi shrugged, offering him a smile, "Is it really a surprise? You know I like to arrive early to start on my assistant duties." She briefly glanced to the notebook that she had thrown abruptly on the couch when she had stood up to greet him, hoping Gaara wouldn't notice it. Her eyes spotted the furoshiki-wrapped bento box also sitting next to it.
Gaara was already studying the piles of paperwork on his desk when he replied back, "After five years as my assistant, I am aware that you are usually here before I arrive." He threw a brief look in her direction as he added, "After five years of being my assistant, you should know that I have asked you to simply refer to me by name, on many occasions. You are two years older than me, after all."
Her smile transitioned to a teasing grin. "Ah, but you are my superior, Kazekage-sama. I don't think it would be appropriate for me to be so informal with you." Gaara returned her grin with his own exasperated smile before he sat down in his office chair. Natsumi knew that this conversation had indeed occurred several times over the past few years of her working under him, but she never had changed her habits over the years. Habits die hard, she supposed. She moved to the door of his office. "I'll get you some hot tea."
He said nothing in reply as he moved a hand toward one pile of the paperwork.
She returned several moments later with a cup of hot tea balanced on a dish, and she gently placed it on the Kazekage's desk.
Gaara looked up from the paper he had been reading and glanced at the spoon and honey that accompanied his tea. She knew that he always liked to put a small amount of honey in his tea. And she always thought it was cute that he had such a sweet tooth at times. "Thank you, Natsumi-san."
Natsumi bowed her head in return. "Do you need me for anything else before I head over to my own desk?"
The Kazekage's Assistant usually stationed herself at a desk right outside of the door to the Kazekage's office. This allowed her to screen visitors and be ready to tend to whatever the Kazekage needed. They had initially proposed for her to have her own office since her duties included a variety of tasks (i.e. receiving and sending out messages, reviewing shinobi reports, reviewing and updating shinobi research, etc) that may require a private room. But, she had declined, stating that the current layout suited her better.
"Not at this time. I'll call for you if I need anything," Gaara says, briefly meeting her eyes.
His stare fleetingly reminded her of what she had been writing in her personal notebook. She moved to the couch to retrieve her said notebook and bento before leaving the office and closing the door behind her. Once the door was closed, she glimpsed at the black notebook she was clutching to her chest.
She always kept her little black notebook close to her. The notebook contained excerpts and short stories of Natsumi's perverse mind, and each starred herself and her young Kazekage performing not-for-the-office activities. She kept herself professional at all times off the pages with the Kazekage, but her thoughts were secretly expressed on paper, away from prying eyes. She never realized that she would develop such a sinful view of her boss when she first came to the position, but she couldn't help herself over the last few years. The young Kazekage had become such an attractive specimen over the years, and she couldn't deny that he had grown into a fine young man since he first attained the position. The little notebook was her clandestine outlet, something she never kept out of her sight. She would never admit aloud of her perverted desires of her Kazekage, nor would she ever dare to cross those boundaries. He was so focused on his work and dedicated to his passion for keeping his village safe, she doubted that he'd ever be able to see beyond the innocent natures of love and lust.
Working in the office, alongside the Kazekage, to ensure the safety and prosperity of her village was all she needed. She was perfectly content with keeping her thoughts to herself, and she enjoyed the current relationship she had with her Kazekage. And as she moved to her desk mere steps away from the door, she concluded that she never thought she would need anything else.
It was many hours later before the sun descended below the horizon of the dessert, and the last knock of the day came upon the Kazekage's office door.
"Come in," Gaara announced, placing the paper he had been looking over onto another pile. He turned his attention to the door to find his assistant walking in, holding a furoshiki-wrapped bento in her hand. "Natsumi-san, you haven't gone home yet."
Natsumi shook her head. "You know me – I always leave when you leave." She glanced over to the stacks of paperwork – he had been going through them most of the day, and the stacks had reduced significantly in size.
The redhead Kazekage nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Have you already sent the letter to Konoha?"
"The letter stating that you would be attending the Five Kage Summit? Yes, of course," Natsumi said, closing the door behind her. "I thought you'd like a little pick-me-up before you went home."
He stared at her as she moved to his desk, placing the wrapped up bento upon his uncluttered desk. She unwrapped the furoshiki and opened the bento to reveal a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
A ghost of a smile graced Gaara's lips as his eyes spotted the sweet biscuits, and Natsumi couldn't help but smile in triumph at his expression. "I tried out a new recipe this time, adding in vanilla and a mixture of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate chips. I hope you'll like them. Feel free to take them home and share with Temari and Kankuro."
She made to close the bento, but Gaara had reached out and taken a cookie between his fingers. If she hadn't spent five years working as his assistant, she would have thought he was purposely enticing her with the way he slowly raised the confectionary to his lips, taking a small bite from it, and chewing slowly – all the while maintaining eye contact with Natsumi. She tried to fight a small blush forming on her cheeks as certain perverted excerpts from her little notebook came to her mind. It didn't help that he had sensually licked his lips after the bite.
Gaara nodded in praise, finishing the cookie within two bites. "Delicious, as always, Natsumi-san. I think these are my favorite so far."
Shoving the perverse thoughts away from her mind, Natsumi grinned at the compliment. "I'm glad. I thought you'd enjoy these after a mundane day of paperwork."
"Did I hear something about cookies?"
Both Gaara and Natsumi had turned to find Temari and Kankuro entering the room. Natsumi quickly took note of Temari's disgruntled expression on her features as she walked in after her younger brother.
Turning to Kankuro, who had made the comment about cookies, Natsumi gestured to the bento in front of Gaara. "You heard right, Kankuro. Not exactly a fresh batch since I made them this morning but still delicious, according to Kazekage-sama."
Kankuro headed to the desk to reach for a cookie, biting into it happily. "Natsumi's cookies are the best!" He finished the cookie within seconds, beginning to reach for another one.
Gaara turned to his older sister. "Temari, you just arrived from Konoha?"
The older blonde-headed fan user nodded her head, sighing under her breath. "I left Konoha earlier than I intended."
Natsumi was currently preventing Kankuro from grabbing his third cookie in a row by closing the bento box when she said, "Hm? We weren't expecting you until tomorrow morning. What made you come back so early? You usually enjoy your time visiting Konoha." She was able to successfully close the bento box, much to Kankuro's displeasure, and re-wrap the furoshiki around it. Natsumi turned to Temari with a playful grin. "I was actually eager to hear any stories about that shadow boy you're always talking about –"
"Shut up!" Temari cried out vexingly, pink splashing her cheeks, but her eyes narrowed angrily at the other blonde in the room. "I don't want to hear anything about that stupid idiot!"
Kankuro arched an eyebrow at his sister. "Are you talking about Shikamaru? What did he do to make you so angry –"
"I said shut up!" His sister shouted at him, now bearing her gritted teeth at her younger brother. "I swear, if you mention his name again, I will knock your teeth out."
"Geez," Kankuro said in defeat, raising his hands in surrender. A bead of sweatdrop formed at the side of his head. "What's gotten you so riled up?" He quickly looked for a change of topic and turned to the other blonde standing next to him. "So, Natsumi, is my little brother making you stay late again?"
Natsumi shook her head, grinning at the puppeteer. "As his assistant, I would feel weird leaving early when Kazekage-sama is still working hard in the office. My time is his time." She points to another stack of paperwork behind Gaara that she had placed there earlier. "Also, with you all leaving for Konoha soon for the Kage Summit, I have to ensure his duties are taken care of while he's away."
Gaara looked toward his assistant thoughtfully. "Will you not be joining us on the journey to Konoha?"
Surprised at this question, Natsumi turned to her boss with an arched eyebrow. "I was not aware you intended for me to join you to Konoha. I assumed it would make sense to ensure your duties were taken care of while you were away. Also, with Kankuro and Temari accompanying you, it doesn't seem necessary for me to come."
"I think it would be beneficial for my assistant to be with me at the meeting," Gaara declared, standing up to maintain eye level with her. "Baki will be in charge during our trip to Konoha."
Natsumi blinked at him, still surprised by his declaration, before responding, "Yes, Kazekage-sama. I would be honored to accompany you and your siblings to Konoha."
Gaara gave a firm nod of approval before turning to his siblings, both of whom were looking at their brother and their brother's assistant with inconspicuous expressions.
Gaara returned their expressions questioningly. "What?"
Kankuro shook his head, a grin forming on his lips. "Nothing, little brother." He patted Gaara's shoulder casually, gesturing to the exit. "Let's get some dinner, now that Temari is back."
Gaara nodded in agreement, gathering his belongings and Kazekage hat.
Temari turned to the other blonde kunoichi in the room. "Why don't you join us, Natsumi?"
The brown-eyed girl shook her head with an apologetic smile. "Thank you, Temari. But, I'm sure Kazekage-sama would like a break from my constant presence for today. I wouldn't want to be imposing either on a family outing."
Temari and Kankuro have invited Natsumi on numerous occasions to go on outings with them and their younger brother. If Natsumi had to name her relationship with the Sand Siblings, she could safely say they were friends. They enjoyed each other's presence, conversed outside the office, fought and trained together occasionally, and respected each other's abilities. But, when it came to events such as these, Natsumi always felt as if she'd be breaking the wall of professionalism if she went on such a casual outing that involved her boss. She had also explained this with the older siblings, but they still attempt to persuade her, simply wanting to appreciate the time and efforts she's put in as the Kazekage's Assistant. Gaara had never said anything about it before, accepting her decisions.
But today, he would surprise her.
"I enjoy your company, Natsumi-san," Gaara spoke up, redirecting her attention to him. He had placed his hat upon his head, knowing he had to wear his Kazekage attire when walking leisurely around the village nowadays. "I've come to highly respect you over the years, and although you are my assistant, I do see you as a dear friend." Natsumi's cheeks tainted a pink color at the steady gaze Gaara held with her. She had never heard him say these things to her. "Your presence would be welcomed at dinner," he further stated, and she couldn't help the smile forming on her lips. "However, it is your decision whether or not you'd like to accompany us."
Natsumi glanced to the furoshiki-wrapped bento in his hands, feeling a warmth spark in her chest. Ignoring the teasing grins of Temari and Kankuro, Natsumi revealed a toothy grin. "Well, when Kazekage-sama says it like that, how can I say no?"
The group decided to eat at an All-You-Can-Eat BBQ restaurant not far from the Kazekage Residence.
When the owner noticed the Kazekage walking in through the front doors, he ordered his staff to redirect the group toward one of their bigger tables in the back, away from most of the customers in the restaurant, to give the group some privacy. Gaara had tried to tell him it wasn't necessary, but the owner insisted. Natsumi knew that Gaara was well-respected now by the village, but that didn't mean he liked the special treatment. So, she followed the Sand Siblings toward the back of the restaurant, in a much quieter area; Temari and Kankuro sat next to each other on one side of the table, leaving Natsumi to sit next to Gaara on the other side.
Despite Natsumi being an invited guest, she had given herself the role of ordering for their table and being the cook, not that the Sand Siblings minded. By the time the server came to get their order, Natsumi was ready.
She ordered numerous meats of chicken, beef and pork, in addition to some side dishes. "Please bring us some tea and sake. If you have honey, could you bring that as well? Kazekage-sama likes a little honey in his tea."
The server nodded graciously and took the menu from Natsumi's hands, moving away to retrieve their drinks. The server returned within minutes with their drinks order and the side dishes. Natsumi quickly made work of rearranging the side dishes across the table so it was within everyone's reach, handing Gaara his honey for his tea, and serving all of them a round of sake. She knew Gaara didn't really have the palate for alcohol, but it didn't mean he wouldn't deny one round to share with his siblings.
When she finally looked up at everyone, all three siblings were staring at her with a mixture of awe and raillery. "What?" She asked them, confused.
Temari flashed her a smile. "You've never gone out to eat with us before, but you somehow knew all our favorite items."
Natsumi blushed in embarrassment, still moving dishes around. "Well, I do pay attention whenever you all tell me where you eat at and what you like to eat…"
"It's like you're our mom, making sure to get what we like and serving us," Kankuro teased, sipping at his tea.
"Ha ha," Natsumi retorted sarcastically in good humor – a little miffed that she had just been called their mom – and she raised her cup of sake in the air. "I aim to please; let's leave it at that."
"Kanpai!" Temari agreed, raising her own cup of sake in the air.
Kankuro and Gaara followed suit. They all drank it in one swig with Gaara grimacing at the aftertaste once he was finished.
The first round of meats came, and Natsumi began cooking.
The group talked about various things, from Temari's visit in Konoha to Kankuro's latest tinkering of puppets. It was a good night, making Natsumi glad that she had agreed to coming in the first place. It was rare for her to see the Kazekage so relaxed and doing activities beyond Kazekage duties. She would pour him more tea every now and then, enjoying the fact that they were sitting closer than she ever had as his assistant; of course, she was seated at a respectable distance from her Kazekage.
"Hey, Natsumi," Temari called.
"Hm?" The sun-kissed blonde hummed out, flipping over some beef on the grill.
"Isn't today the day you started as Gaara's assistant five years ago?"
Natsumi looked up thoughtfully, remembering the comment that Gaara had made earlier in the day about it being five years as his assistant. "Yes, I suppose it is. Wow, has it really been five years to this day?"
Kankuro leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest in contemplation. "Wow, five years as Gaara's assistant? Never thought you'd last so long, Natsumi."
Natsumi looked up at him with her jaw dropped. "What is that suppose to mean? Did you think I would quit because of the nasty rumors around Gaara-sama before?" She pointed her tongs threateningly at the puppeteer, "Because Gaara-sama has been nothing but the kindest person I've ever met! I'm not so shallow as to leave just because of his past or what other people think of him."
Unbeknownst to her, the redheaded Kazekage had looked in surprise to his assistant, having heard for the first time those words come out of her mouth. A new sense of respect overcame him for the blonde-headed girl.
"You called me by my name," Gaara pointed out, a note of appreciation appearing in his irises.
A tinge of red appeared on Natsumi's cheeks as she lowered the tongs back to the grill. "I-I guess I did…"
Gaara turned away with a hint of a smirk, drinking his tea nonchalantly. "I expect you to keep doing so from this moment forth."
"Yes, sir," she droned playfully, feeling slightly embarrassed at the turn of events.
Kankuro turned back to Natsumi, a grin on his lips at what had just occurred, and he waved his hands dismissively. "That's not what I meant, Natsumi. I meant as a former ANBU member, I would think the job as the Kazekage's assistant would be a bit mundane for you."
"Well," Natsumi began, returning to tending to the meat on the grill, "I would take mundane over the ANBU life anytime."
Five years ago…
"Watanabe Natsumi."
"Yes," the blonde-haired kunoichi affirmed, standing at attention in front of the newly appointed Kazekage, Temari, Kankuro, and a few council members.
She was in the Council Room, currently being interviewed for the Kazekage Assistant position.
"You were a former ANBU member, were you not?"
"Yes."
"How old were you when you were recruited in the ANBU forces?"
"I was twelve. The Yondaime Kazekage was impressed with my wind abilities."
One of the council glanced to her face sheet in front of them. "So, you were there for four years, huh… Why did you decide to retire?"
Natsumi was prepared for this question, her gaze hardening. "I was given an order that I did not agree was for the good of our village."
"What order was that?" Baki questioned.
She did not glance in the Kazekage's direction as she stated, "The ANBU were ordered to eliminate Gaara-sama, prior to the consideration of him becoming the next Kazekage." The Sand Siblings and a few of the councilmen looked at her in slight surprise. "I had been the only one to refuse to carry out this order. After that, I decided to leave ANBU."
One of the councilmen leaned back in his chair in thought. "ANBU are specifically recruited for their individual capabilities and special skills. The purpose of ANBU is to protect the village from exceptional threats, conduct high-risk missions, and deal with extremely strong ninja." He looked at Natsumi with a calculating expression. "To go against a direct ANBU order can be alike to disobeying a direct order from the Kazekage."
Natsumi stood her ground, her hardened gaze trained on the councilman. "First and foremost, I am a Suna shinobi. My purpose as a Suna shinobi is to serve and protect this village, my home, my family. I made the choice to not kill a member of my family. To this day, I still do not regret it."
A wave of silence filled the Council Room.
Gaara gazed at the girl standing in front of him. The strength, the confidence, and determination practically shined through her steady gaze with the councilman.
"Watanabe-san," he called, gaining her attention.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama," she turned to him, straightening her posture slightly at being addressed directly by her potential boss.
"As you know, because of my age, there is a presumption that I do not possess the equivalent experience and wisdom of past Kazekages before me. Thus, this search for an assistant to support and ensure the fulfillment of Kazekage duties." Natsumi nodded at Gaara in understanding, awaiting his question. "You are also in a similar position; your age might suggest that you have not gained the appropriate amount of capability or proficiency to understand what the village's best interests are. Do you agree?"
Natsumi remained determined under the Kazekage's analyzing gaze; it was as if he was gauging her reaction. She did not falter under his stare, returning his gaze with her own look of resolve. "When it comes to the life of a shinobi, age does not determine a person's value, worth nor importance. Although we have always valued the wisdom of our shinobi elders," she briefly glanced in Elder Ebizo and Elder Chiyo's direction, "the capabilities of a shinobi are measured by what they've encountered and their ability to overcome hardships. As a former ANBU member, I have witnessed the benefits of village cooperation and faced the consequences of member sabotage. I've worked under the higher ups of this village and kept the village's interests to heart, putting in a tremendous amount of effort to show my worth as a Sunagakure shinobi." She held her head high, jutting her chin out boldly in Gaara's direction. "So, to answer your question, Kazekage-sama – no, I do not agree. You are proof that age does not demonstrate one's worth; it may be significant in certain circumstances, but it is what they have achieved and contributed that truly matters."
Gaara held his gaze with hers, the gears calculating her response. Natsumi stood by her answer, continuing to hold her head up high and not tearing her gaze from him.
Another moment passed by, and Gaara nodded in acknowledgement of her answer before continuing the interview. "One of my main priorities as Kazekage is to ensure that I lead this village in the right direction. What ideas do you have to promote the prosperity and development of Sunagakure?"
Natsumi blinked, fazed for a second. She had not been expecting to be asked for her opinion on such matters. "I propose that the Ninja Academy should be accepting of any student who desires to protect their village, not only those who show ninja prowess." A few whispers began to erupt across the councilmen. "I also believe the civilians need to be more involved in the decision making of village affairs, not strictly limited to the opinions of the shinobi." At this notion, Gaara raised an eyebrow at this in interest. "And lastly, war tactics need to be updated and strengthened, including new defense forces and counter strategies."
Kankuro and Temari glanced to each other, seemingly impressed with her suggestions.
Gaara leaned back in his chair, an unreadable expression on his features. "Thank you, Watanabe-san. The Council will need some time to deliberate. You shall have an answer by the end of the day."
Natsumi nodded, offering the Kazekage a deep bow, before she left the room.
Present
"I got to say, that was the fastest interview we've ever done," Temari commented with a grin, taking another swig of sake.
Kankuro grinned as well, pointing at Natsumi. "Being in the ANBU speaks for itself. And you made a great first impression with those suggestions of yours."
"Definitely the most qualified in our books," Temari agreed.
Natsumi turned to Gaara with a teasing grin. "What about you, Kazekage-sama? Did I prove myself worthy to you that day?"
"Like I said before," he began to say, turning to her with that steady gaze of his, "I've come to highly respect you over the years, and it started from that day." As if to melt her heart, he revealed a very gentle – albeit tiny – smile on his features. He looked so handsome with that smile…
To calm her racing heart at his compliment and at his heart-throb smile, she waved her hand dismissively at him. "Kazekage-sama, I think you've had too much to drink tonight. You think much too highly of me."
"I assure you, Natsumi-san," Gaara interjected, taking his cup of tea in his hand, "I am completely sober." He sipped at his tea leisurely. When he was finished, he looked at Natsumi from the corner of his eye and lightheartedly said, "I believe it is time that you refer to me by my name; we are long past titles. I hope I won't have to ask again."
Natsumi took a sharp intake of breath. It had been five years… There was no harm in dropping the title…
Maybe it was the sake making her think otherwise; maybe it was just because she had already deepened the relationship with her boss beyond the walls of Kazekage and assistant; maybe it was because he had knocked down a wall she had built around herself so well over the years with a simple smile. No matter the reason, she made a decision. Smiling more so to herself, Natsumi turned back to tending the meat on the grill, saying wistfully, "If you insist, Gaara-sama."
A victorious simper upon Gaara's lips did not go unnoticed by his siblings.
The rest of the night continued with laughter and merriment until their bellies were full of protein and alcohol (tea, in Gaara's case). The brown-eyed blonde kunoichi bid the Sand Siblings farewell before heading off to her apartment.
Her wages as the Kazekage assistant wasn't as much as she earned as ANBU, but she adored her small studio apartment. She was a simple and practical woman, having been living on her own for most of her life. She entered her apartment that was located between the Kazekage Tower and the Kazekage Residence, not far from the restaurant; so, it only took her a matter of minutes to be unlocking her front door.
Closing and locking the door behind her, she leaned against her front door and sighed happily to herself. She would not be able to erase that smile on Gaara's face from her mind for a couple days. It wasn't as if she had never seen him smile before; there were many times when that smile would grace his lips when he was with his siblings, or when he received a letter from a certain comrade from Konoha, or when he was enjoying some of her homemade treats. What made tonight's smile memorable was the intention behind it; the fact that Gaara thought so highly of her and valued their friendship.
When she first attained this position as the Kazekage's assistant, her intention was to serve the Kazekage and be a part of the development and success of the village. She never realized that she would end up loving her job – not only because of the personal rewards that came with it but because of the incredible Kazekage she worked for.
She'd known about Gaara since she was younger, having grown around the villagers when they believed him to be a monster. By the time she was six, Natsumi was already living in the orphanage – her parents had been KIA while on an ANBU mission. She had been there that day when young Gaara had saved the ball for the orphans; she was confused why the other kids were running away from him – she didn't who Gaara was at the time, only heard rumors about a demon child. The day he had accidentally injured the kids with his sand, she had seen the fear, the remorse, and the misery in his eyes before she, too, was taken away to never see him again.
She went to the Ninja Academy at the same time that Gaara, Kankuro and Temari had attended. Again, she noticed that Gaara had purposely excluded himself from social activities, constantly isolating himself. She had never gone up to him or gotten to know him; a part of her still regrets never doing so. Despite the indifference and cruelty he exhibited at times, she always knew that he was still the little boy inside that wanted to be accepted.
In the orphanage, she found herself honing on her own chakra abilities while learning in the academy. The Kazekage had been deeply impressed with her ninja prowess at the graduation test; Natsumi always had an affinity to wind and water ever since she was a toddler, and it was by accident that she had revealed some knowledge in wind and water techniques. The minute she graduated from the Ninja Academy, she had been hoisted away into ANBU training. When she arrived for ANBU training, she had been told she was very perceptive and mature for her age, not to mention a prodigy; although, at first, she seemed to be underestimated, but she had proven herself during the training. She swelled with pride at the compliment and aimed to do well as an ANBU member and protect her village with her life, like her parents had done.
Four years later, she received the order to eliminate the late Kazekage's third youngest son – the vessel of the one-tailed demon, Shukaku. She knew within an instant that she would not be able to carry out the order. If there was one thing she learned in ANBU, she was helping protect each and every member of the village; this one order would go against her entire purpose for joining ANBU. She didn't care that the higher-ups thought he was a threat. She didn't care if there had been about several years of fear for the boy from the villagers. She didn't care if he did have a demon within him. He was a fellow Shinobi and a citizen of Sunagakure, and she refused to eliminate a valuable member of the village.
On that day, she had retired from ANBU.
To this day, she does not regret making that decision.
After five years of being his assistant, of being there during his kidnap and revival, of being there during the Fourth Shinobi War, she never realized that her relationship with Gaara would ever surpass the boundaries of professionalism to that of friendship. She sighed again, hoping that things wouldn't change simply because she would begin addressing him by his name. She was happy with how things were.
So, she placed her little black notebook on her dining table and ventured to her bathroom. As she cleaned herself and got into her night clothes, she settled into her bed located next to the window. The food coma started kicking in, and she allowed thoughts of her attractive Kazekage to lull her to sleep, a smile plastered on her lips.