It was a nauseatingly long silence.
Two pairs of eyes stared at each other across the bare room.
How did it come to this in the first place?
--
"Kazekage sama!"
Subaku no Gaara raised his head from his paper work to appraise the trembling young shinobi. It wasn't the scent of fear that pervaded that young mans scent it was nervousness. One day he will get used to that change but right now it still put him on edge.
"Yes?"
"Kazekage sama Subaku no Temari is here to see you!"
Did they think that because he had lost his life once, it meant he automatically lost his hearing too?
"I know. Let her in."
Although Temari didn't wear perfume (shinobi didn't as a rule, it gave away one's position on stealth missions) she still had a very unique smell that heralded her arrival every time she came within a 30 meter radius around him. Gaara looked into her scowling face as she strode into the room looking travel weary.
"Gaara."
"Yes?"
"I heard from your personal guards that you haven't been sleeping for a week."
Gaara didn't blink but he did notice the constant presence outside the window, discreetly make itself scarce. It was probably Omega 3 and Alpha 12.
"I am an insomniac Temari."
"Only while Shukaku resided in you! Seriously this is bad for you! Go to bed immediatly!"
The shift in silence was palpable. You just didn't tell a cold blooded murderer to go to bed in a tone like that.
"I apologize Kazekage. But please think of your health."
" Do not worry Temari. I know my body's limits and you can rest assured I can last longer than you without sleep."
A strange light flickered in her eyes and she sighed dramatically. "Sorry Kazekage, but you probably can't. You are after all still human."
His eyes narrowed and he slowly put down his brush. "I do not need to provide you with proof. But if I have to remind you, I have already gone a week without sleep."
"So have I. I just came back from a mission remember? But I know you probably won't last another night. Unlike me."
Gaara stood up and carefully made his way around the table never once taking his eyes away from hers.
"Do you wish to test this out?"
She smirked, "Ready when you are... Kazekage."
She paused just long enough to make his title sound insulting. His expression didn't change but the ominous chakra seeping from him indicated his mood. Without a word he swept out of the room with Temari following.
Omega 3 slipped into the room and frowned. "Alpha 12, you're the one who got her killed. I have nothing to do with this."
Alpha 12 laughed and picked up the wet brush Gaara was using, "You're new and from the older generation, our Kazekage isn't a monster anymore."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Omega 3, didn't you see how Temari challenged our Kazekage?"
"Yes I saw how she had a death wish."
Alpha 12 picked up the scroll and studied the perfect circles Gaara had doodled over the parchment. "No. You saw how she cared for her brother and the strongest man and woman in the village can still act childishly with each other. They are more human than some of us."
Omega 3 pulled the parchment out of Alpha 12's hands and rolled it up neatly, "I don't know. He's different from what I expected him to be."
Alpha 12 grinned at him, " You'll see as you continue your job. Remember he is the man that gave his life to save us."
Omega 3 put his foot on the sill and surveyed the office, "I really hope you are right young 'un. I really do."
Then it was silent in the room again.
--
Two pairs of eyes glared at each other from across the Kazekage's bedroom.
"Give up. You are exhausted and need the rest."
"So do you, Gaara."
Another lengthy silence settled between them. Temari propped up on the double bed and Gaara sitting lotus style on the plain table.
"Neh Gaara?"
He looked up at her.
"Why haven't you been sleeping?"
"I don't sleep."
"Don't mess with me, dammit! Your guards had informed me your sleeping routine was near normalized! Why the lapse!" Her outburst made the vast room ring. Her eyes flashed vengeance if he didn't answer.
Gaara looked at her silently for a full minute before answering, " I couldn't sleep."
"Why?"
Temari scrutinized her younger brothers emotionless face as he contemplated this single worded question. The blonde, unwilling to succumb to her infamous short temper, waited for him to break the silence that had settled over the siblings again.
"I couldn't sleep while you were in danger."
Temari let out a deep breath. "I thought it was something like that. Look it's already near morning, get over here."
He regarded her for a minute.
"Oh hurry the hell up, Gaara. You know as well as I do, without Shukaku this is your limit. As well as mine."
Gaara thought this over and then quietly unfolded his legs and slipped across to the waiting brunette. He climbed up the bed in a surprisingly childlike way. Finally next to his sister he rested his head on her lap.
"Good night Gaara."
"... Good night."
--
"Don't say it."
"Aww c'mon, I've been wanting to say it all morning."
"...fine."
"I told you so! Ahahaha!"
Omega 3 scowled as he dished out the cash for the next round of drinks. "Alpha 12 that was just evil of you."
"What was?"
"The part where you said oh so innocently, 'If our Kazekage is asleep in Temari's lap you treat our quad to drinks.' when we went to check up on them in the morning.
"Well? Do you believe us now when we say our Kazekage of Suna is kawaii when he sleeps?"
Omega 3 growled, "Yes. Now can I go and get good and drunk for being led about by a baby?"
"Oh please! Go ahead!" Alpha 12 laughed with the rest of the quad who protect the Kazekage of Suna as poor Omega 3 downed a glass.