Disclaimer: NO RIGHTS TO NARUTO
It had been exactly two days since Yue and Gaara had last seen each other on that roof. The week was drawing close to an end which meant Yue would be going home soon.
Her departure would be exactly tomorrow.
For the past couple of days, Yue mostly stayed at the hotel to help Takahiro-san with chores and babysitting her little girl.
Yue didn't mind of course. She was more than happy to help and the little cutie was more than adorable.
Temari had phoned the hotel for the girl to ask if she wanted to join them for dinner again but Yue politely denied the request and made an excuse to get off the phone quickly.
Yue knew that it was rather rude to refuse a personal request from Temari but she also knew that Gaara would be furious with Temari and Kankuro if she showed up for dinner again.
She didn't want to risk it. No matter how much she wanted to See Gaara.
In some odd reason, Yue had the urge in her heart to see Gaara. Perhaps it was just to apologize for the way things had turned out or maybe it was because she just wanted to see him for no reason at all.
Her heart told her to go see him but her mind overpowered her heart.
In a logical sense Yue would just have to return home without bidding him a proper goodbye.
I guess…I guess I'm just going have to go home tomorrow without seeing Gaara…
Yue thought deeply in her mind as she strolled along the bustling streets of Sunagakure.
Her first intention was to stay at the hotel and have a good night's rest before her trip home tomorrow but it would probably be the last time she would be in Sunagakure.
A last walk through it was more reasonable.
So much of Sunagakure seemed be attached to her and even if it was only for a week, parting with it was a gloomy matter to Yue which was why she couldn't seem to smile.
With all the minor depression running through her mind, she didn't notice that someone was standing in her way until it was too late and an unavoidable collision happened.
Her head crashed directly into the person's shoulder considering he or she was standing at their profile. She managed to catch herself as the other person did too.
While rubbing her forehead, Yue looked to the person to apologize and found the guy to be very familiar.
It was a man about her age and he was wearing in a Sand Shinobi uniform. A couple of his friends surrounded him; all in the same type of uniform.
She couldn't quite put a pin on where she had seen the guy.
He apparently recognized her instantly as he glared at her with raged vendetta eyes, "YOU? ARE YOU STILL HERE TO DISTURB THE PEACE OF SUNAGAKURE?"
Of course! He is the guard from when I first just arrived here…
Uh oh…
She automatically bent forward in an apologetic bow, "I'm sorry to have bumped into you, it won't happen again."
It was definitely an accident but Yue didn't want any trouble erupting on the last night of being there.
The vengeful guard and his friends stared at her apathetically to what she said, "I'm surprise that a rotten shinobi from Kumogakure is still lurking around here. You must have a death wish or secretive plan to invade the village."
Upon his words, Yue rapidly felt the sudden chill rushing down her spine.
She quickly replied to prove him wrong, "No, no I am here to visit and meet with Gaara and that is all. I mean no harm to anyone please."
"YOU DARE USE THE KAZEKAGE'S NAME AS IF YOU ARE HIS DEAR FRIEND. It is clear you have no respect for Lord Kazekage and our village. It is time someone taught you a lesson wench." The sand shinobi and his comrades quickened into fighting stances.
Yue held her hands up gesturing a desperate plea for someone to believe her words, "Please. I am not a danger to this village. Go find the Kazekage and he will tell you!"
One of his friends smirked at her, "Like the Kazekage will listen to you! Once we prove you are an evil wicked intruder he will have you condemned to death."
The girl's eyes flew to all three of The Sand Shinobi to analyze their attacks and impulsiveness.
It was a sure fact that she could beat all three but that would only escalate and make the situation worse…
At that point, the villagers started to gather around them to watch the fight with out loud encouragement for their own people.
One of the three attackers charged at Yue in rapid speed but Yue caught sight right away and delivered a reluctant strong punch to his face only to have him poof into a log.
Oh no substitution jutsu!
"I know better than that Cloud Village trash!" His voice came behind her as he grabbed her in a bear hold.
Yue felt him pressing the air out of her but she focused at her other opponents. His friend took out his kunai and prepared to strike her.
Acting on reflex, the girl kicked up both her feet just in time to have the oncoming attacker crash into the ends of her boots. It made him fall to the ground; writhing pain.
His comrade hurried to his aide but Yue gave swift quick to that fighter's face.
"I'm-I'm sorry!" She apologized immediately. It was never her intention to hurt them too critically but they gave her no choice.
She just wanted them to leave her alone!
"LIAR!" The man that kept her in a bear hold took his kunai and placed it at the nape of her neck but not yet slicing the flesh.
Feeling the cold steel against her skin put her in a panic. Yue elbowed him in his stomach so he would let go her. Once he released her, Yue turned around and punched him twice at his chest.
He coughed up blood as he dropped to the ground.
She sensed movement behind and prepared a defense but she wasn't fast enough.
Instantly an enormous heaviness took Yue by surprise from her back. Two male villagers tackled her roughly to the sandy ground.
The three ninjas in uniform swiftly got up on their feet again so they could hasten themselves over to Yue with a rope and a paper seal.
Yue tried to push herself up from the ground despite the fact that they had her hands behind her back. They shoved her back to the floor so hard that her face hit the ground. Her lip busted open from the earth's friction.
Again she tried to plead, "Please…I-I" Her voice paused when a tape seal was slapped onto her mouth. No matter how much she muffled her pleas, it was impossible to hear.
"The Kazekage will have your head. There is no escaping with pity this time!"
They lifted Yue up by her arms and started shoving her to the direction of the Kazekage's office.
Yue helplessly stood in front of the three men as they all waited for The Kazekage to arrive in his office.
Gaara had already left to go home a few hours ago but the three brutes demanded that it was important for them to meet with him.
It was close to late ten o'clock or so. Almost everyone had gone home from the Kazekage building except for some whom were busy typing up reports and dealing with some sort of business.
From behind her Yue could hear them chuckling and snarling at her but yet she still didn't harbor any anger or bitterness toward them.
Instead, she was more scared of whether or not Gaara would be more furious with her for troubling the village again.
The sound of the door opening was heard and in came Gaara. He was not at all happy that he had to make night trip to the office.
He didn't look at the people standing in his office but just walked straight to his desk and sat in his leather chair where then his eyes finally fell onto Yue and the three sand shinobis standing in front of him.
When his eyes and Yue's eyes met, Yue tried desperately to say something but the tape was still over her mouth.
A shocked expression swept over his face, "What is this? Why do you three have Kamiya-san in your custody?"
One of the three stepped forward to bow and then made his statement, "She attacked me and proceeded in attacking all three of us. If we had not stopped her, surely she would have attacked the entire village and called for reinforcements. Lord Kazekage this trash is from The Cloud Village, she is an intruder. If you just believed us-"
Yue worriedly shook her head and muffled loudly again. She tried to get near his desk but a pair hands shoved her to the floor, "Be at your place insolent girl."
The moment Gaara saw the guard put his hands on her, a bizarre feeling of fury surged through and he shot up from his seat.
Gaara calmed himself enough to strictly order him, "The only insolent one here is you, you fool. Release her NOW."
The surprised ninja stepped back at the sound of Gaara's voice. "But Lord Kazekage! She attacked us; we have the injuries to prove it. She is the one who provoked the fight first."
Again, Yue tried to explain herself through her taped lips. Gaara couldn't hear her clearly because of the tape.
He went over and knelt down to the girl to try to listen attentively but it was near impossible. "Release her now and let her speak."
"B-But."
The Kazekage glared up at the disinclined man.
He gave up his argument and lowered himself down to untie the rope and then ripped off the tape from Yue's mouth in one single pull.
Gaara lent his hand to her. She shyly accepted it and let him help her up.
That was the first time Yue had been so close to the Kazekage. It presented a nervous feeling and redness on her cheeks.
Her head only reached up to his chest but being so close to him made her feel even shorter.
"Your.." His hand lifted close to her bottom lip but not yet touching it. Yue touched the slit on her lip and winced.
He jerked around to the three swiftly, "Are you three mentally challenged? Kamiya-san is a guest to our village; any village idiot would know to treat a guest with decency."
"But Lord Kazekage she is from our enemy village!"
"She is not an intruder; I and the council personally invited her. I should have you all severely punished for this!"
Yue intervened to clarify, "Gaara, it's not their fault. I didn't explain myself to them. Please don't punish them."
"Look at what they did to you. This cannot be taken lightly." Gaara snapped at the girl for having defended the three.
One of the three shouted an outburst, "With all due respect Lord Kazekage, punishment is not fair, we were all trying to protect our beloved village-"
"SILENCE. You three are all suspended until I figure out a fair but brutal punishment."
Yue tried to give aide to her attackers, "Please Gaara, I am not hurt and this little injury is nothing but a scratch. I ask of you to not punish them, please."
He glanced down to her face and saw the sympathetic look. He glowered to the idiots, "You three should apologies and thank Kamiya-san and LEAVE at once."
Unwillingly, they grudgingly bowed and did as they were ordered, "Goodnight Lord Kazekage and Kamiya-san. We're sorry for what we have done."
When they left the room, Gaara looked apologetically at her face. His eyes was set particularly on her slit lip.
"Goodness it's… It's bleeding." He brought his hand near her lip again but didn't allow himself to actually touch it; fearing it might have been too inappropriate.
Yue felt the cut with her fingertips and took a glimpse.
She was bleeding; a small splotch of blood rested on her fingertips. She took out handkerchief and held it to her lip.
His hand fell to his side as he told her, "Next time be on the best of guard. I don't have to remind you how the villagers feel about Kumogakure."
He turned away from her and started toward the door, "Come along now, the villagers still see you as a threat so I will walk you to the hotel."
"If they do hate me enough to kill me than it is all right…" Gaara heard her say. He stopped halfway to the door and turned back to her.
She continued, "I don't care about what happened tonight because I am grateful."
The Kazekage frowned at her strange answer, "Grateful? What are you talking about?"
She blushed as she sincerely confessed, "Because… If it wasn't for what happened tonight I wouldn't have gotten a chance to see you."
Now Yue wasn't the only who had a tint of red on her face. Gaara tried to act his indifferent nature as the girl went on.
"I wanted to go see you these past two days to say I'm sorry for what happened between us but I thought that you would be mad by seeing the mere sight of me. If it wasn't for the people of this village tonight I would have had to return to The Cloud without giving my apology or even a proper farewell… I'm in debt to them."
Why…Why does she have to be like this…?
In all genuineness, Gaara unexplainably wanted to see the wretched girl too but his pride came in the way.
He knew full well that tomorrow was her last day and he was thrilled that she was leaving but he was currently unsure of what he wanted.
The redheaded man gazed at her lip, "You are in no debt to them; they are in debt to you for having done that."
Yue ignored her wound and what he just said, "Gaara, thank you for letting me stay here for a short while. I enjoyed the time I had at this village. Please tell Lady Temari and Lord Kankuro thank you for their kindness. I will never forget them."
It was getting hard for Gaara to think of anything to say to her without it being awkward for them both of so he changed the subject, "It's late. You should rest. Let's go."
While they walked beside each other out of Gaara's office, he peeked at her from the corner of his eye.
Why must she torture me with her kindness like this….
I guess this is it… Goodbye Sunagakure…
It was really early in the morning. The sun had just risen into the sky.
The Village Hidden in the Clouds was a long way from Sunagakure so it was smart to start the journey early.
Considering it was just dawn Takahiro-san and Kiko were still asleep so Yue left a letter on Mrs. Takahiro's desk and sent one to Temari.
She thought of writing Gaara a letter but last night was a good enough farewell to her.
Her village and Sunagakure had been in turmoil for as long as she could remember.
Everyone at Kumogakure would say terrible things about The Sand Village and spread insult of its people.
Yue usually ignore it back then but after having been in Sunagakure personally, it would be hard to disregard it anymore because deep in her heart; she fell in love with Sunagakure.
Her heavy eyes fell to the ground with burden as she made her way to the large gates of The Sand Village.
When she got there, she lifted her eyes to see Gaara standing there like he was waiting for her.
Astonished, Yue hesitantly approached the Kazekage. His outfit consisted of the traditional robe with a black shirt underneath.
Yue smiled softly, "Good morning Gaara-"
"You are leaving." He stated directly.
The girl nodded, "I am. Thank you for coming to see me off."
"Last night I was thinking of what you said to me. You said 'anything could happen, faults could be forgiven, and the future could change'…" Gaara quoted her.
Yue listened closely; interested in what he had to say.
The Kazekage crossed his arms strictly, "The people here strongly dislike you. That is the truth. They would not dare criticize me because I am the Kazekage but if you were my wife they will taunt you at times when you're not with me. It would be worse than last night. That is not the only problem that you will be faced with but the fact of being the Kazekage's wife is very hectic. As time goes on and stress piles on it will feel like there won't any air to breathe and it will be more than suffocating. There will be very little chance in visiting Kumogakure ever again because you will have to stay here and go on with the natural obligations of being my wife. You will have to give up everything to stay by my side."
"I understand but why are you telling me-"
He interrupted to answer her unfinished question, "Are you willing to endure all of that and give up everything you cherish to stay at my side?"
That was Yue's plan all along but Gaara was confusing her. He made it abundantly clear that there would be no wedding. "Yes of course I would. For the sake of our villages, I would give up everything."
Her sincerity baffled him, "You understand that you might never return to your own village again. The chances that you might never see love ones ever again are next to never.
Yue nodded, "Yes, if I have to stay here for the rest of my life and never go home then that is what it is. I will miss home but I will remember that I have a responsibility here."
Aggravation welled in Gaara at hearing her words, "You are a fool. After all they have done to you, you still want to risk your own freedom."
She replied calmly, "Kumogakure is important to me and so is Sunagakure. I am willing to be a fool for our homes."
Certain warmness started growing in Gaara's heart again. "Then be a fool… and stay. Stay as my wife."
A gasp escaped from Yue's lips, "W-What…? Please don't toy with me Gaara; I'm already having a hard time leaving as it is. "
"I am quite serious. Stay here with me so that Kumogakure and Sunagakure will be in harmony."
"Really…?"
This time Gaara nodded and lightly smiled, "Yes. Will you stay…? Will you marry me?"
"I will..."
