AN: This is my first fanfic and I worked on it through the night because the idea was plaguing me and I am leaving for California today. I wouldn't be able to finish it and I wasn't able to sleep during the night any way. With a plane to catch and having gotten no sleep how will I survive the day :P. Like, review, fave, enjoy!
A Decision
"Do you see, Kazekage-sama? If we cut our support to the villages here, here, and here," the councilman accented his words with jabs at the map spread across the table before the fifth Kazekage and the Sunagakure Council, "then we can use those resources to better support the city." The elder man spoke to Gaara in a barely disguised, patronizing tone of voice, only adding to the rage that had been boiling inside the red-head since the start of the meeting. However, with the mention of cutting all support to the small villages at the edge of the country's border, he let the anger seep out. It swept across the room in a wave as the young Kazekage stood up, hands placed firmly against the solid wood of the table, but rather than saying anything Gaara turned and swiftly left the chamber, letting the door swing heavily shut behind him. He could hear the resigned sigh that escaped his brother's lips and noticed with slight satisfaction the shocked silence that had fallen over the council just before the sound proofed door shut fully. Not caring whether he was to be berated for his actions later or not, Gaara left the round office building all together and stepped out into the nearly empty street.
The desert sun was shining brightly, a blazing orb that hung suspended in the sweltering heat. Although the sun would in fact be setting soon the Kazekage knew that most villagers would not be out until it had dipped below the horizon line. The red-head began to pace, trying to release the pent-up tension he felt. This was an important decision to make so soon after he had taken the position of Kazekage and although he understood the logic behind wanting to cut support to the villages on the outskirts of the country Gaara could not shake the thought that it went against all he had strived so hard to become. His job was to protect the people, as Kazekage he could not throw away the lives he was meant to protect. It was no secret that Suna was not doing well, but would taking the resources from those smaller villages really help to improve the conditions? He didn't know what to do, damn it! A sharp gasp made the young Kazekage freeze. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he had not remained alert to anyone one that could cause him potential harm. The sand that had been whipping around him began to settle with a hissing sound and Gaara turned his gaze upon the pillar from which he had heard the gasp. Had he scared someone? The Kazekage felt a sharp desperation clutch at his damaged heart. They mustn't fear me, they can't! Memories of how he had been treated from when he hosted the one-tailed demon Shukaku crashed through his mind, a swift, unstoppable flood of painful thoughts. Subconsciously he grasped at his thick, red locks with one hand and at the fabric over where his heart would be with the other. He squeezed his icy eyes shut, trying to block the onslaught of memories.
The sand began swirling around him again, fast enough to make a low wailing sand. As the desperation continued to grow a few grains of the wild sand flicked across his skin, one flitting across the back of his hand drew blood. Not since before Shukaku was extracted had Gaara faced such anguish. The nightmares that had been plaguing him the past week were taking a severe toll on the redhead, with the lack of sleep his mental state had become less stable. The blood oozing out of the scratch and onto his forehead startled him. Recognizing that he had to calm down the Kazekage released the grip on his robes. Gaara then began to take deep breaths, slowing his heart rate and easing the fingers out of his tangled hair. He straightened and gazed out across the desolate street, his back to the pillar. He was waiting, waiting and listen for the person behind the pillar to do something, anything to ease the desperation that was nearly choking him.
With his heightened shinobi hearing Gaara picked up a light thud and then an "Umph." form what sounded like a child from behind the pillar.
"Shh, shh, oh you klutz, at least he hasn't seen us yet, the sand moving like that must have been from whatever he was thinking so intensely of." A matter-of-fact voice whispered to the companion beside it, "…or maybe he's in pain." Although Gaara couldn't see the children he now knew that at least one of them was a girl of academy student age, he could tell just from her voice.
"W-well, I don't know…" a second female voice, the one who had seemed to fall, responded to the first, "what if he turns around and catches us before Hideki is done?"
The last sentence caused the raising of a non-existent eyebrow, Done with what? The Kazekage was not understanding the children's conversation but the desperation, the harsh panic, left him. It relieved Gaara to know they did not harbor any ill feelings toward him but his feeling of contentment and relief was put to a swift and merciless halt when a bucket of water, dumped from the overhang above him, thoroughly drenched the shinobi. Gales of laughter erupted from behind the pillar and from above him as the tension was released amongst the children from a prank successfully completed. The group emerged from their hiding spots and Gaara noticed with surprise, causing his eyes to become a fraction wider, that one girl bore a resemblance to his sister. The girl's hair was a chestnut brown and she was a little chubby but she also had her hair pulled back into four, spiky pony-tails and her eyes were a deep green, though they were no where near the emerald of Temari's. The boy, Hideki Gaara assumed, had shaggy blonde hair, brown eyes, and was short compared to the girls, but then again he was only eight and didn't girls initially develop faster? Temari had told him something like that once. The third child was standing slightly behind Hideki and Gaara watched as a look of recognition passed over her face and she quickly silenced her companions' laughter with an elbow to the ribs.
"Kazekage-sama," she began, nervously shifting the weight on her feet and playing with the end of her plum brown braid. "I- We're very sorry to have-" Gaara cut her off with a wave of his hand,
"It's alright, the heat was getting to be unbearable, anyways," he stated gently, a slight, smile tugging at his lips. Hideki stifled a chortle and gave the Kazekage a wide, cheeky smile as he stuck out a little hand. The red-headed shinobi took it and shook hands with the much smaller child who then announced himself.
"I'm Hideki and this is my bestest friend, Ume," Hideki tugged on the girl's braid and she irritably slapped his hand away but her eyes held a twinkle and the boy did not seem phased in the slightest, as he tugged at the braid again.
At this point Gaara had crouched so when the other little girl stepped forward with an eye roll at her companions he was near level with her.
"I'm Kiwako!" She introduced herself, pointing with a thumb at her chest and smiling so widely that you could only see a liver of her eyes. "I live in Chisana Tsubu," it's near the border," Shit thought the Kazekage as she continued, "and-"
"and I'm totally obsessed with your sister!" Hideki interjected with a mocking tone.
"Shut up!" Kiwako screeched and quickly silenced the boys laughter with a hit to the back of the head that would leave quite a bruise.
"But it's true! Ever since Temari-san came through the village with a team of shinobi to gather information on a dangerous rouge you've been obsessed!" The boy had obviously not learned his lesson even though he was rubbing the spot where Oh did you see her hair?' It looked so cool, and she has such a sense of power! Ooh, I wish I could be like her!" A striking red blush, deep enough to match Gaara's hair, had bloomed on Kiwako's face and she tackled her tormentor to the ground while Ume sidestepped the tangle of flailing limbs.
"They're cousins," she stated simply, as if that could explain everything. "But I'm sure sometimes Kiwako wishes they weren't related at all." Ume giggled and the Kazekage smirked slightly, which she took as a cue to continue, "Kiwako really looks up to Temari-san, so much that she convinced her parents to let her move in with Hideki and his family so that she can enroll in the academy and become a ninja like your sister!"
Gaara had allowed the children to ramble on for a while now and when he looked towards the Kazekage building he could see his brother leaning against the wall, watching him. Placing his hands on his knees the shinobi stood up slowly.
"I have…unfinished business to attend to." He rasped but made no move to leave just yet.
"Wait, you're going?" said Hideki breathlessly, a triumphant Kiwako sitting on his back. She released an irritated sigh as she spoke to him.
"Of course he is, idiot! Kazekage-sama has better things to do then hang around with a bunch of kids who dumped water on him!"
"Oh, well… I don't know, I just thought maybe he would stay a little longer." The boy seemed a little sad now and looked up at Gaara, his eyes hopeful.
"I'm sorry, I must go. Kankuro and a room full of councilmen are waiting for me." The redhead stepped closer to Hideki, who had pushed Kiwako off of his scrawny frame. A little unsure of himself, Gaara tentatively reached out and ruffled the sandy blonde hair. Letting another cheeky smile play across his lips the much shorter boy looked up at the Kazekage again.
"I'm sorry that I dumped water on you but I'm also glad 'cause I got to meet you in person." he stuck out his hand for a final handshake and the Kazekage complied shaking the blonde's hand. It brought back happier memories, of a different blonde and a first handshake that brightened Gaara's eyes and caused the harsh memories from before to fade.
"I…I am glad to have met you as well," Gaara replied in his gravelly tone, lifting his hand in a sort of goodbye wave to the other children but as he turned to leave he felt a tug on his robes.
"Wait!" Kimako was looking up at him with the same hopeful eyes that Hideki had looked at him with before. "Please tell Temari-san that she is an amazing kunoichi and that she has at least one kid who aspires to be like her." Then she did something that made the normally stoic kage's eyes go wide and mouth drop open. She hugged him. Stretched and wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. Ume and Hideki joined in quickly as well and Gaara was left speechless as they raced away the setting sun illuminating their forms.
"Goodbye, Kazekage-sama!" Ume had stopped to wave back at him until Hideki pulled her braid. Chasing after the boy she didn't see how Gaara had waved in return a genuine smile displayed on his face. As he turned to a broadly-smiling Kankuro. The young Kazekage walked side by side with his brother towards the looming office building., a warm feeling enveloping his heart. Gaara had reached a decision, he had reached it the moment Kiwako told him her home town.