Tell Me Once More
*Set a little while after episode 182.
*Disclaimer – Naruto is not mine but Masashi Kishimoto's.
Enjoy.
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"Tell me once more…" Gaara said after they had bid Team 7 farewell, his subordinates Yaoki and Korobi turned around after hearing Gaara "Huh?"
"Tell me what you said back there, just once more..." Korobi and Yaoki looked at the ground in guilt "We're sorry we ran away without you…"
"No, not that…" Gaara said quickly, stunning them
"Huh?!"
"Not that one. The other thing… Before that…" Gaara said as he looked away from them. "Ah!" Korobi said and winked at his friend while putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Oh! Of course!" Korobi said, and then they replied in unison "We're your friends!" At that, Gaara smiled.
That was 3 months ago, and still Gaara couldn't forget. The memory still fresh in his mind.
Gaara, Yaoki and Korobi were making their way back towards the Hidden Sand, having just finished a delivery mission to a small village on the outskirts of the Hidden Sand.
When they were travelling back to the Hidden Sand, Korobi asked: "Hey, when we get back to the village should we all have dinner together? I don't think we've had one as a team yet." Yaoki then replied "But how? You can't possibly afford to pay for all three of us. Unless... We split the payment between us?" He smiled at Gaara, "Lord Gaara, what do you want for dinner? You can have anything, me and Korobi can cover it."
Gaara looked at them shock evident on his face, but it only lasted for a brief moment before it reverted back to its impassive look. "Well if you'd like, you are welcome to dine with me at the Kazekage Mansion." Then he looked away thinking that they wouldn't take him up on his offer. "You… Want us to… At the Kazekage Mansion…" Yaoki and Korobi had replied stunned, and then they smiled excitedly "Yeah sure! We'd love to have dinner with you at your place!"
When they all arrived at the Kazekage mansion, they took off their shoes and gourd then Gaara led them towards the dining room and gestured towards the kotatsu table "Please, sit down."
"Oh you can sit first Lord Gaara." Korobi gestured making way for Gaara, while he sat in the middle on the right hand side of the table that was facing the doorway into the dining room.
"Thank you very much for having us here Lord Gaara," Korobi and Yaoki said as they too sat down with Korobi on his left and Yaoki on his right. "The mansion is a very nice place Lord Gaara." Yaoki said as he was looking around with a curious look in his eyes. "Please, just call me Gaara." He said, because honestly, it made him feel uncomfortable with his new "friends" calling him 'Lord' Gaara.
"Oh, okay then Lor- I mean uh, Gaara…" Korobi said cringing a little. "Is something wrong Korobi?" Yaoki asked "A little, it's just going to have to take a little time getting used to saying Lor- I mean Gaara's name without the 'Lord' part." Korobi replied but then frantically added moving his hands around the air in a panicking-like motion "But I mean, it's not like it's a problem or anything!" "It's fine." Gaara said.
Then, as Gaara was about to call for a maid to bring them dinner he could hear Temari and Kankuro's voice as they were walking through the door "Gaara! Are you home? Is someone else here? We see other pairs of shoes as well." "In the dining room," Gaara called out. "Have you had dinner yet Gaara? If not then we could- oh…" Temari stopped mid-sentence as she entered the dining room with Kankuro close behind, "What's up Temari? Why'd you stop- oh…"
"Good evening, my name is Korobi."
"My name is Yaoki, it's truly a pleasure to meet you both Lady Temari, Lord Kankuro." They said together as they bowed respectfully towards them, "Ah, there really is no need for formalities here, but it's also a pleasure to meet you as well." Temari said as she and Kankuro took their seats opposite Gaara, Yaoki and Korobi.
"I don't want to sound rude when I ask this, but who are you two exactly?" Kankuro asked as he pointed towards Korobi and Yaoki. "We are Gaara's friends and teammates." They said in unison, confused as to why they would as such a question. "Pardon me, but we've been friends for a little while now so…" Yaoki said as he looked at Gaara. Gaara looked away in embarrassment suddenly deciding that the table was so interesting to look at for the time being.
Temari and Kankuro looked at each other in understanding and smiled "Friends huh?"
"Of course! Right Gaara?" Yaoki and Korobi asked, everyone turning their gazes on Gaara to see how he would answer. "Well… Yeah." Gaara replied slowly. It was still a bit strange for him to say that he 'friends' now but it wasn't like he didn't like it or anything, it was just something that he would have to get used to, but nonetheless it made him happy that his teammates continued to converse with him about non-important things joking and laughing together here and there while patting Gaara on the back smiling.
Kankuro and Temari both smiled at the unfamiliar scene before them both thinking 'It's still a long process, but Gaara's getting there. Slowly but surely… He will reach his goal, to be accepted by everyone in the village.'