Author's Note: Hello to readers from, depending on your point of view, the mastermind behind this ingenious fanfiction, or the amateur behind this ridiculous clutter of nonsense. Feel honored that I value your opinion, so feel free to let me know whether I am the former or latter in the reviews section!
If you have any questions regarding this story, do not hesitate to ask and I will gladly answer.
Prologue: I Will Always Protect You
If doors had feelings, this one surely would have died from all the attention it was receiving.
There was nothing really special about it. It was simply a normal hospital door marked with Room #422. Nevertheless, there was quiet the impressive audience gathered outside it. Most notably, the Hokage adviser, Nara Clan Head Shikamaru Nara, was having a staring contest with the door. For once, he gaze was settled upon something other than clouds, and his normally sharp mind was torn between running away or ripping the door open.
He was flanked by the head of the Akimichi Clan, Chouji Akimichi, on his right, and none other than the Hokage himself on his left. Due to the sanitary conditions required in the hospital, food was not allowed, and Chouji had no choice but to settle for patting his best friend reassuringly on the back while whining to himself about his poor stomach. Naruto Uzumaki's incessant and overly enthusiastic chatter filled the otherwise fretful silence and was easily ignored by those present.
On the row of chairs behind them sat Chouji's wife Karui, Naruto's wife Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame. Akamaru was not present for the same reason Choji's food was banned, much to Kiba's chagrin. He and Karui were engaged in a friendly conversation, while Hinata commented once in a while in her soft, gentle manner. Shino was, unsurprisingly, silent.
Kurenai Yuhi and past Hokages Tsunade and Kakashi Hatake stood in a cluster by the wall, reflecting on old times and the new generation. Kurenai's daughter Mirai Sarutobi sat on the floor near them, playing with dolls.
No one really wanted to know what Might Guy and Rock Lee were doing, but out of curiosity's sake, they were...racing each other around the hospital. Not to be outdone by his sensei, Lee had somehow managed to acquire a wheelchair and the two were currently breaking the record for fastest wheelchair. Or, more accurately, fastest anything-that-moves-on-wheels. Tenten stood watching her husband and his sensei, and would have sighed every time they turned the corner if it were not for the fact that they did so about every ten seconds.
Sai was watching the strained yet equally endearing scene before him, immortalizing it into his sketchpad.
And in a final corner stood the Sand brothers Kankuro and Sabaku no Gaara, who was none other than the Kazekage himself, whose silent presence was ironically easy to forget and impossible to ignore at the same time. Kankuro, who currently lacked his trademark cat-eared hood and face paint, shifted on his feet every few minutes, eyes darting nervously between his brother, brother-in-law, and the door. Gaara, on the other hand, could easily have been mistaken for a statue, his arms crossed in their signature manner and his ringed eyes unblinking at the door. The young man did have a talent for making people fidget without moving at all.
The door sure was lucky it had no feelings.
Notably absent were Ino Yamanaka, Sakura Haruno, and of course, the third Sand Sibling and also Shikamaru Nara's number one troublesome woman, Temari. They were behind the door.
At the very moment, Ino and Sakura were in the process of delivering Shikamaru and Temari's son. Of all the Konoha 12, Shikamaru's offspring was the last one to be born, and although his future comrades were within a year or two of his age, his birth still bore the brunt of everyone's anticipation. Shikamaru's thoughts shifted to the rather embarrassing conversation he'd had with his teammate Ino and her husband Sai when they'd found out Temari was pregnant.
"Finally, Temari? Took you guys long enough!" said Ino.
"We all expected it to be quicker, since Temari seems to be the type to be very demanding regarding consummation," said Sai. Ino guffawed.
"Oh no, here we go..." thought Shikamaru.
"You ass! I'm not some slut, you know. Besides, it's all Shikamaru's fault. Apparently his sperm were too lazy to fertilize me," Temari smirked.
Shikamaru's ears turned red. "W-wha—H-How is it my fault?"
"That, or little Shika's a stubborn one, like me!" she patted her stomach and flashed a proud and scary smile, which promptly made Shikamaru feel very bad for "little Shika".
Shikamaru shook his head of those thoughts and tightened his already-clenched fists. At that momen, Naruto's chattering suddenly stopped mid-sentence, as if a pause button had been pressed. Shikamaru, Naruto, and Choji all turned around at the same time as the rest of the room silenced itself to observe the scene. Even Lee and Gai decided to put a break to their race.
In the back of his mind, Naruto wondered why he could yell at the top of his lungs and have everyone ignore him, while Gaara could make his presence acknowledged just by standing there doing nothing.
The cool, sea-foam green of Gaara's pupiless eyes burned with intensity as they regarded Shikamaru, who, to his credit, did not flinch, even if Gaara was his youngest brother-in-law.
"Elder brother—" only Gaara's monotone could hold so much emotion—"ironic, isn't it. We met and spoke for the first time in this hospital. You were there as well, Naruto. To think that we are again joined after so many years in this same building, but under such different circumstances."
Shikamaru thought back to the Gaara he had met during the fateful Chunin Exams so long ago.
"You speak of love? Don't measure me by your standards!"
"Love...family...the only emotional ties I have to my family are the ones I like to wrap around their necks, they're only ties of hate!"
"Back then, you most likely considered me a monster and hoped to never associate with or see me again..."
"...that Sand Village guy...I don't even like being in the same room with him..."
"That freak! He's out of his mind!"
"Tell me, elder brother...with your keen, sharp analytical mind and uncanny ability to predict the course of future events...were you able to foretell that day that you would in the future marry my sister?"
Naruto laughed—not his loud, obnoxious laugh, but a sound that was music to the ears and evoked pure happiness. The sound of Gaara's—no, his brother's—calm voice melted the nervousness in Shikamaru's heart, despite the predicament happening beyond the Door. His shoulders relaxed and his fists unclenched, and he felt a tugging at the corners of lips.
Shikamaru wasn't the only one affected; the others in the room all had peaceful smiles on their faces (except for Lee and Gai, who had rivers of tears streaming from their eyes and were whispering, "What a touching display of YOUTH!"). Kankuro, who was standing behind Gaara, was looking at Shikamaru with a glint in his eyes.
Gaara brought his hand up to Shikamaru's shoulder. In the back of his mind, Shikamaru realized that Gaara actually had to reach up to do so; was he that much taller than the Kazekage?
"It may be Fate's doing that here, in this place...we are now together rejoicing the birth of a child. Shikamaru...I promise...your son—"
To an inexperienced ear, it would seem that Gaara had suddenly cut off his sentence without reason, but Shikamaru could tell that Gaara was actually too choked up on his emotions to continue. However, the tightened grip on his shoulder and the look in Gaara's eyes told him everything.
Gaara had always been one who let his actions do the talking.
And Kankuro—the ever-proud, confident puppet master—looked on the verge of tears.
Shikamaru wondered whatever had he done not only to have the most beautiful and perfect woman as his wife, but to also have brother-in-laws with hearts of gold. He was often told that he was lucky to be married to the sister of the Kazekage. But he knew better.
He was lucky to be married to the sister of one of the most pure-hearted souls he had ever come across.
The sentimental moment was perfectly ruined by none other than Lee. "I am sorry for interrupting this youthful conversation Gaara, but allow me to ask you what you were doing in the hospital with Shikamaru and Naruto when you first met?"
Gaara's eyes became emotionless once more, and Shikamaru wondered not for the first time if they were made of glass.
Gaara's head slowly turned and his gaze locked upon Lee's. "I was here trying to murder you, Lee," Gaara said in what could be considered a conversational tone.
Another one of Gaara's talents was making everything and anything sound like an announcement of the weather. Awkward silence ensued.
Before Lee could reply, the moment was perfectly ruined again, and this time, everyone was relieved. The door slammed open to reveal a disheveled Sakura and Ino, who both looked exhausted and elated at the same time.
Then everybody heard it: the loud crying of a baby, and to Shikamaru and Gaara it was the most beautiful sound they had ever heard.
"Just family members can come in for now," Sakura said, looking knowingly at Shikamaru and the Sand brothers.
Shikamaru legs suddenly felt like jello. He looked at Kankuro and Gaara, whom he had expected would be all too eager for the opportunity to see his nephew—or as eager as the stoic Gaara could get, at least—but the redhead simply shook his head and said, "you should spend a private moment with your wife and son. Alert me when you are ready for our presence."
Of course, Shikamaru had no idea that Gaara had been using his Sand Eye to observe the entire birthing process, so assumed he was being extremely generous.
So, with newfound strength, Shikamaru turned and marched into the room with his two most precious people inside.
When Shikamaru returned to the door, he looked like a different man. In other words, the happiest man alive. Gaara looked at him and suddenly remembered the lust he used to feel for blood. In no way could that compare to the insatiable desire to meet his nephew now, to hold him, to love him—and seeing the content look in his brother-in-law's eyes increased his hunger exponentially.
No words needed to be spoken between them as Shikamaru gave Kankuro and Gaara an inviting gesture to come inside.
Shikamaru returned to his wife's bedside, and the power of the scene before him was too great for even Gaara's strongest sand defense. Sitting upright on the bed was his beloved sister, leaning her head onto Shikamaru's shoulder. A bundle was cradled in her arms, and in them Gaara could see the black-haired child who seemed to greatly resembled his father. Temari's sandy-blonde hair was relieved of its trademark ponytails and was instead cascading gently down her shoulders. Only one word came to mind as Gaara observed the gentleness in Temari's normally steely teal eyes that he'd seen elsewhere before, just not exhibited by his sister.
Karura.
Karura: the woman with the soft, mysterious, but undeniably compassionate smile, whose eyes spoke of love, and whose spirit protectively embraced the children she had never met. Then, Gaara suddenly thought inexplicably of Rasa, his father, who, in contrast, had a harsh demeanor and whose eyes had held a permanent glare. And to think it was all just a facade, Gaara thought as he recounted his encounter with Edo Tensei Rasa, to hide a soul who was too afraid to feel love. Time, death, and realization had sealed away Gaara's feelings of fear and hate for the dead man, and he only wondered how Rasa would feel about the bringing of this child into the world. This boy has both Karura's and Rasa's blood flowing through his veins, Gaara thought.
As if walking on eggshells, Gaara precariously stepped closer to Temari's bed. Both Shikamaru and Temari looked up and smiled at him.
"Gaara," Temari said, "meet your nephew, Shikadai."
Nephew. Gaara's throat constricted. He had previously always considered the child his sister's son, a reason to consider him precious, but at this moment, he realized that Shikadai was also his; his nephew, his beloved nephew.
The Kazekage looked down at the baby, and on a normal day his sister and brother would have snickered at his owlish expression. Shikadai was currently sleeping peacefully in Temari's arms, unaware that his own uncle was scrutinizing him like a museum's most delicate artifact.
"Would you like to hold him? Gaara?" Temari asked.
Feebly, Gaara nodded; Temari held out the child to him, and carefully, carefully, he cradled the bundle into his arms.
He didn't know how long he stood there; it could have been a few minutes, or a few hours, but the only things Gaara was aware of were the life he literally held in his arms, the warmth and soft breathing of the child that was curled against his body, and the beating of his own heart. Love...is what makes me feel alive.
A strange feeling washed over him, and slowly, he lifted his eyes from Shikadai's beautiful, tiny face to look at his sister and brother-in-law.
"Could I have a moment please? In private?"
It was an odd request, considering that Shikadai had just been born, but everyone understood how surreal this situation must have been for Gaara to be with a newborn precious person, especially since the circumstances of his own birth and childhood. Shikamaru gave him an understanding thumbs-up and Temari said, "Of course, Gaara."
Gaara looked at Kankuro, who, despite secretly wanting very badly to hold Shikadai too, but understood the delicacy of Gaara's current emotions, gave him a nod.
In the blink of an eye, uncle and nephew disappeared in a swirl of sand.
With Gaara and Shikadai now gone, Kankuro left Shikamaru and Temari to their privacy (probably to have their first make-out session as parents, which the puppet master had no interest in witnessing) and stepped out of Room #422. He was immediately pounced upon by the Hokage. "WELL? Where's the baby? Uncle Naruto wants to meet him!"
Kankuro gave an annoyed huff and shrugged the Uzumaki off. "Get off of me, you squirt. And I have no idea. He's gone."
"WHAAAAAT?!" everyone in the room screamed at the same time.
"Geez, pipe down, will ya? I mean his Uncle Gaara's run off with him somewhere. Who knows where the hell they are?" His demeanor became more serious as he regarded Naruto. "You alone should know how important this is to Gaara."
For all they knew, Gaara could have teleported Shikadai back to Sunagakure, but he had actually only taken the baby and himself to a vacant hospital room.
Having harbored a broken heart for so many years of his life, Gaara was very familiar with feeling pain in his chesst from a wound to the heart. However, over the years, the wound had closed from the medicine he had received from Naruto, Temari, Kankuro, his village of Sunagakure, his brother-in-law Shikamaru...and of course, Yashamaru, Karura, and Rasa. Now, however, in his happiest hour, Gaara felt as if his heart was ready to burst. He was sure it was not a wound, because he felt no pain and was unfamiliar to the sensation.
Still cradling the sleeping Shikadai to his body, he raised one shaky arm to clutch the maroon robes in front of his chest. "Mother...Father...could it be possible...that love can do more than just heal wounds dealt to the heart?"
He lowered his hand from his heart and gathered Shikadai even closer to his body, relishing in the feeling of warmth that rushed through his veins.
"No matter what happens, I will always protect you! Shikadai...!"
Tears of happiness filled her eyes as she heard her son's words, the same words she herself had uttered years ago as a parting gift to him, and the man beside her glanced down at their intertwined hands as her grip tightened.
"Shikadai..." Karura whispered, shutting her eyes tight as the tears finally spilled and rolled down her cheeks, "what a gorgeous child. Rasa...our grandson—I just...love this boy so much already...I want to serve him, and protect him...!" She lifted her free hand and brushed her fingers over her heart in that gentle manner that was unique to her.
Rasa suddenly felt tears welling up in his own eyes as well. He inexplicably thought of one of the most important shinobi rules that had been drilled into his head since before he was a genin. Shinobi must never show emotion. Shinobi must not cry.
And following those rules like the scripture had helped him become a brilliant shinobi and the Kazekage. In his opinion, it also helped him become one of the worst Kazekages in Sunagakure's history, killed his precious wife, made even the eternally compassionate Yashamaru come to hate him, made a living hell out of his children's childhoods, and, as an ultimatum, landed himself dead.
When he opened his mouth, he was barely able to speak above a whisper. The tears that rolled down his cheeks were, unlike hers, those of sadness and despair. "That's because...Karura...you have an incredibly precious grandson."
Rasa had heard of scary women before—in fact, he had one of the worst ones in history for a daughter, and knew that their husbands suffered frequent headaches from loud and vulgar reprimanding and blows to the head (his son-in-law had it worst, frequenting bruises from a giant iron fan). Sometimes, Rasa wished he had married such a woman, because any beating was better than seeing sorrow in Karura's emotion-filled eyes.
The fingers on his wife's bosom tightened. "Why do you say that, Rasa? He is just as much yours as he is mine."
He shook his head, and before she could protest, said, "You never cease to amaze me, Karura. You were never a shinobi, and yet you have more power than anyone I, who was once a Kage, have ever met. Your love for your children was unchallengeable and manifested itself into the most flawless defense the shinobi world has ever seen. You are the reason Gaara is the Kazekage, the reason Kankuro and Temari are the most honored ninja of Sunagakure, and the reason Temari now has a happy family. And now your love has been passed down from your children to this grandson, and for as long as your bloodline continues your love will live on. All this love from you, Karura, who never even had the chance to meet the people you love the most and protect so well. I...unlike you, was blessed with so many years to spend with my children, and not only did I fail in the most basic of parents' tasks...but the only thing I ever gave them was hatred and hurt. The only legacy this child will receive from me..." he gestured to Shikadai, "will be the pain I gave to his mother and uncles."
Karura removed her hand from her heart and placed it over Rasa's instead, and the Fourth Kazekage's breath caught in his throat as he looked into his wife's deep indigo eyes and waited for her words. If any words should be treated as scripture, they should be Karura's.
"You're only half right. I may have passed down a great deal of love to my children, but I was only fulfilling my sole purpose in life: to be a mother. My children were my one responsibility and that in itself was a huge one.
"Shinobi, on the other hand, are people who are burdened with the responsibility of duty and pain. Kage are shinobi who are burdened with those same responsibilities, but thousand-fold, because all the shinobi and citizens of their village are their responsibility. You were the Kazekage," here Karura paused and smiled proudly at her husband, "and I was your wife and a mother. Our children are the Sand Siblings, the formidable shinobi trio, one of whom is now the Kazekage and youngest kage in history, who helped save the world. They owe their skills not to me but to their father, who I know, and they know, without a doubt, was a great shinobi."
Rasa would have interrupted, but the moment Karura had opened her mouth his mouth had been sewed shut.
"I won't lie to you and say that you raised them in a good manner after all," Karura sighed, diverting her eyes for a few seconds, "but every man makes mistakes. On top of that, you were the Kazekage who was also a single father to a girl, a boy, and a jinchuuriki hated by the very villagers whom you had sworn responsibility to as the Kazekage. Two civilian parents with no other purpose than to be a good mother and father would be at a loss at what to do.
"You were afraid to love, and even if you wanted to, you didn't know how to do it. And it breaks my heart to know that I couldn't be there to help you while you and our children were suffering, Rasa. But even though you buried your love underneath all that Gold Dust of yours, I know you still felt it, somewhere deep down. I know it, because I was watching you. You trained Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara to become strong shinobi because that was the best thing to do for them in the heartless shinobi world you were buried so deep in. You took every effort to make Gaara a successful weapon for the village, because he was created for that purpose and it broke your heart to see your son have to suffer through failing to live up to expectations. You were happy when he finally became the weapon Sunagakure could use, despite having become a self-loving monster whose sole purpose was to kill, because in a way, it was to you the same as a parent watching their child succeed in a difficult task.
"You didn't know you were giving love, and our children didn't know they were receiving it from you. But love is a mysterious creature—it is like a desert plant that can survive the harshest and most testing of conditions, but with proper nurturing and care it can grow into the lushest tree blooming with the most beautiful flowers. But the point is, once it's there, it can only grow; and even an attempt at giving love is enough to sow its seeds.
"In addition, you have given love to our children. When you were reanimated—without the burden of being Kazekage you were finally able to assume your role as their father, and you proved to Gaara that you loved him. Didn't Gaara say he'd received medicine from you? You healed his heart, Rasa, and that is love. And it is enough to count for a million years."
Karura finished her heart-melting speech, and as if her husband hadn't been reduced to mush already, she stood on her tiptoes and leaned in to give him a chaste kiss on the lips.
Only soft, gentle Karura could jar Rasa's soul so violently. He practically melted into her touch, her existence, and Rasa felt incredibly lucky to have the world's largest reservoir of love as his wife.
But something still wasn't right.
"Then, Karura...why does it still...hurt so much here?"
He clutched his hand to his heart.
Karura's eyes widened. "It sounds like you have a wound to the heart, Rasa. They're trickier than flesh wounds...but there is one thing that can cure a wound to the heart."
Rasa sighed. "I know. It's love, isn't it..."
"Yes, you're right," Karura smiled. "But my little brother Yashamaru was naïve sometimes...there are some wounds to the heart that do not have to be administered by another person.
"Love is the heart's desire to serve someone precious to you. While receiving it can cure some wounds to the heart, others are healed by the act of giving it."
Rasa's head snapped up and he gave a small gasp, then looked down at his grandson who was still huddled against his youngest son's form. Karura followed his gaze knowingly.
He took both of his wife's hands in his own. Rather than melancholy, his eyes reflected a newfound confidence and determination and she returned the look with understanding and excitement. "He will most likely grow up to become a Leaf shinobi. In the past, this would be considered a violation to my bloodline, but now I do not care a single bit about that. All I want to do now is protect him. I want to make sure that he never has to experience wounds to the heart...and if he does, I want to help administer the medicine." He paused. "Karura, I want to give Shikadai something."
She nodded. "Then let's go."
In his dazed state, Gaara could not be sure if it was the doing of his own subconscious or if it was acting of its own accord, but his sand suddenly materialized into two human figures right before his eyes.
The man had familiar messy blood-red hair and black eyes, while the woman next to him had shoulder-length light brown hair and almond-shaped, indigo eyes.
If he were not so determined to protect the baby, Gaara would have dropped him out of surprise.
Gaara had always known his mother was amazing. He never was able to get so lost in anybody's eyes but hers, and in the past he had only had photographs to look at. Now his mother was standing before him, looking so real, deep indigo eyes swimming with affection, and Gaara knew that her eyes were more powerful than any Sharingan genjutsu.
And his father—seeing him so close to his mother, seeing the tender way his parents held on to each other, Sunagakure's cursed star-crossed lovers finally reunited in death—and the compassionate look in his eyes that he shared with Karura—the look of love he had craved for as a child and had finally received at long last—at this moment, all Gaara was aware of was the constriction in his chest and the tears brimming his eyes.
Karura took an enthusiastic step forward, her hand reaching out as if to touch Gaara, her mouth open about to say something—and then she stopped, realization washing over her as she settled back into position next to her husband with a bittersweet smile on her face.
"Mother—Father—" it took all of Gaara's willpower to make sure his voice didn't waver, "this is your grandson, Shikadai."
He removed the small bundle from its comfortable position against his chest and held it out to Karura. Karura understood the gesture and held out her arms to receive the offered bundle.
"Shikadai, say hello to Grandmother. And Grandfather," Gaara whispered as he gently placed his nephew in Karura's arms. Rasa looked at Gaara in surprise, eyes wide with gratitude for being acknowledged.
The bittersweet curve on Karura's lips split into a true smile as she gathered the black-haired baby close to her bosom with grace in her posture that Gaara though resembled nothing like his own stiff, rigid motions. She gently caressed her fingertips against Shikadai's cheek, and Gaara could literally feel the aura of love emanating from her. Love...is even more powerful than death.
His attention was diverted to Rasa's, whose current owlish expression was almost a carbon copy's of Gaara's only a few minutes earlier.
As if sensing a change, the young Nara awoke from his slumber, eyes fluttering open for the first time. His curious gaze settled upon his grandparents, and he seemed to look up at them in awe.
For a moment, Karura, Rasa, and Gaara all looked at each other in wonder as they took in Shikadai's almond-shaped, teal eyes. Aside from their color, which was inherited from Temari, they were obviously Karura's eyes. Karura...you live on in this child.
Karura turned to her husband and took one of his inexperienced hands and lead it closer to the teal-eyed boy. He's your grandson, Rasa. Touch him.
Shikadai made a small gurgling noise when he saw the approaching hand and grabbed the Fourth Kazekage's finger, gripping it tightly. He giggled as if he had just acquired a new toy.
A few seconds passed and suddenly Gaara started when the look in his father's eyes changed. It was...determination? For a split second, Gaara felt a jolt of panic and the memory of his father from his childhood days rushed into his mind. His father always had that look in his eyes when he looked at Gaara, full of determination and intent to destroy him.
But the feeling passed quickly, and Gaara felt silly for even having worried in the first place. The look in Rasa's eyes looked nothing like the way they did in the past. The resolve in his eyes...it was out of determination to protect and preserve.
This is the happy family I always wanted...thought Gaara.
Tenderly, Rasa pried Shikadai's small fist from his finger and softly encompassed the baby's black-haired head with his palm. Shikadai's eyes crossed as he looked up at his grandfather's hand, and made a curious noise as if to ask, What are you doing, Grandpa?
Rasa brought his other hand in front of his chest and performed a hand sign. In moments, black, tanuki-like rings that looked just like Gaara's permanent ones surrounded his eyes.
The Magnet Release! The Kekkei Genkai both Father and I possess! What is he doing...
Before Gaara had time to ponder further, the black rings around Rasa's eyes receded and he put down his hand. The red-haired man looked at his wife and they looked at each other knowingly, as if communicating in the secret language of lovers. Gaara regarded his mother's face and felt very bad for his father for having lost this woman so long ago. All those years after Mother died...he must have lonely, and living without love as well.
Sand started to swirl around the couple and Karura and Rasa turned back to their own son. The pride in their eyes was unmistakable. With a small nod, Karura held Shikadai out to return to Gaara once more. Time is up.
Shikadai gave a small cry of protest as he felt himself leaving his grandparents' embrace, but when he realized that it was Gaara who was receiving him, he seemed to recognize him and deem him worthy. Just a few seconds after returning to Gaara's arms, his teal eyes fluttered shut once more as he returned to a peaceful slumber.
It started with the legs, then the torso began to vanish from existence, followed by the arms disintegrating into miniscule grains of sand. Gaara watched as his parents slowly turned into a swirling sandstorm. Soon only their eyes remained, and in the last few seconds Gaara clung hungrily to the sight of his mother and father's indigo and obsidian eyes, respectively, and they, in turn, used their remaining time on earth to do the same to Gaara's sea-foam green ones.
Goodbye.
Then they were gone, and the only traces that they had even been in the hospital room were the grains of sand drifting through the air. Out of the corner of his eye, Gaara thought he saw specks of gold.
Gaara had a vague feeling that some time later, he had teleported himself and Shikadai back into Room #422. A spiky brown-haired man he remembered as his brother seemed to have approached him to take young Shikadai from his arms, and the room filled with people who seemed to call themselves Shikadai's new aunties and uncles, and they took turns passing him around and cooing to him in a high-pitched language. Shikadai soon made it back into the arms of a familiar sandy-blonde on the bed with a loud voice—was Temari her name? yes, he was sure of it—and she yelled at everybody in the room and shortly thereafter the crowd seemed to shuffle out of Room #422 in a panicked fit. He felt a sensation on his shoulder and turned to see a black haired man with a spiky ponytail patting him on the back. After exiting room, he was approached by numerous figures who stuck out their hands to him—what were they doing? was it some kind of a friendly gesture?—and he just stared at them until they left. Arms were thrown over his shoulders and he allowed them to collect there. After a while, he had the feeling that questions were being asked and some of them were being directed towards him—that tone of voice—were they concerned? but he allowed them deflect off his eardrums. He was attacked by a blonde but felt no animosity from the offending man, and allowed himself to be tackled onto a bed of sand on the floor.
But Gaara wasn't really lying on the hospital floor while the his brother stood watching over him, his concerned friends worried for his health, his friend blonde friend Naruto Uzumaki seizing him, shooting questions at him rapid-fire about his comatose state and whether or not he was okay. His mind was still lingering in that empty hospital room, and he was still admiring the gorgeous couple made of sand in front of him, the new grandparents who had come back from the land of the departed to bask their son and grandson with a gift of love that would last forever.
Gaara was a very logical person. All logic would say that what had just happened was a fragment of his imagination. All logic would that his parents did not just manifest their spirits through his sand to visit them. All logic would say that Shikadai never met his grandparents, and Gaara never saw those loving indigo and obsidian eyes.
That's why Gaara refused to believe for a second that they had been there, that he had met them.
He didn't have to believe. Because he knew that he had just met the real Karura and Rasa.
He raised his hand and clutched the robes in front of his heart.
Author's Note: I should be posting the next chapter sometime this week. Check back to read more if you are interested!