A/N: Hey sorry it took so long to update!i was having some writers block issues!!!Plz forgive! Alright on with the story!


Chapter 4: A Deal

Riko's eyes widened as she began breathing hard. He had caught her wist! She looked into his eyes slowly. There was no way!

She wanted to slip out of her arm protectors and keep fighting to the death. That's how bad she felt. That's how much pressure and hurt she had been put through.

But when she looked into those eyes, those opaque eyes of icy blue, she knew she couldn't hurt him; for it would be to hard for her. Her love for him, from long ago, was just to strong.

By now tears were pouring out of her eyes.

"What are you doing here...I thought I told you I never wanted to see you again?!" she screamed shakily.

She slipped to the ground. "I thought I told you...it was over..." she continued to cry as he frowned.

Riko then rolled up into a ball wrapping her free arm around herself, her face hidden.

"Let go..." she whispered as she began to shake.

She then looked up at him with fierce tear stained eyes.

"Let me go now!" she cried as she began to beat on his legs.

Gaara glared down at the defenseless looking girl. He shook his head. Pitiful...

But then he noticed something; Riko wasn't trying to hurt him either.

"I will let you go if you do one thing for me..." said Gaara, squeezing harder on her wrist to get her attention.

She glared up at him with questioning eyes, tears escaping rapid fire now. "What do you want?"

Gaara bent down to her level as his free hand caressed Riko's face gently.

"Never...ever cry in front of me ever again, Riko-chan."

Her green orbs widened as she looked into his crystal blue eyes.

For once she noticed that they were filled with something else.

Not cold hatred.

But warmth.

She began to shake her head slowly. "I-I told you...I never wanted to see you again," she repeated shakily as she stood up.

He swiftly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down. "Riko..." he whispered quietly so even she could barely hear. "Is it a deal?"

She searched in his eyes for any sign of deceit, but could not find any.

Riko hesitated. "...Deal..."

Gaara's facial features took on a look of relief as he began to kiss her tears away.

He tilted her chin up and almost showed her what could've been a smile. "Then it's a deal."

With that he closed what little space there was between them and pecked her on the lips leaving Riko alone in the alley with a surprised look on her face.

Her hand lifted up to her lips as she stood up, picking up her basket. "Hai, Kazekage-sama...a deal..."


She jogged through the streets of Suna trying to go as quick as she could without spilling the objects in her basket.

The streets were slow. She growled; she needed to get home now!Riko was already late when Gaara had stopped her in the alley. Her father was waiting on her.

"Shit," she quietly swore.

Riko then hopped onto a building and went on from there.

She slammed open the door as she ran up the steps. "Father!" she yelled.

Riko got to the last step leading to the hallway. "Fa-" she paused as her eyes widened, a gasp escaping her parched and dry lips.

There stood two women taller then her. One had long black hair that was at this moment in a bun. Her eyes were a forest green even brighter and more vibrant than Riko's. She wore a white nurses outfit and regular white flats. Her arms were crossed and there was an unpleasant scowl on her face.

The young women next to her had long brown hair that was braided all the way down her back. She had warm hazel eyes, a contrast to the two girls with her. She wore a regular ANBU vest with a black mesh top that went to her elbows under it. She had short, tight black shorts and regular ninja sandal boots on. Her forehead protector was around her upper arm. The young women looked cross and her hands were on her hips.

"Riko...I am very disappointed in you..." said the first one with long brown hair.

"Ai-nee-dono, I-"

"We come home to see you not here? Have you forgotten that Father is very ill?!" scolded the other one, her green eyes filled with fury.

"Nanao-nee-dono, I just w-went o-out to do some e-errands," stuttered Riko. "I'm just running a little late, is all..."

Ai's fist clenched and then loosened. "Riko...just be careful...please..." pleaded her sister as her face softened.

"Keep Father and yourself safe. You know we can't be here to check up on you all the time," put in Nanao.

Riko closed her eyes. She wouldn't cry. She had to be strong for her family, for herself...

Her eyes tightened as she gritted her teeth together.

...for Gaara...

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Riko looked up to a smiling face. "We'll be here for some time; we will take care of Father, for now. You go train before it gets dark," assured Nanao sweetly.

Riko looked over to her eldest sister to see her nod with a warm smile.

She looked into both of their faces again and then grinned with a bow. "Hai!"


"Tsume no Gin (claws of silver or solver claws)!" shouted Riko, sweat dripping down her body.

Long metal looking knives began to shoot out where Riko's nails were to be.

As soon as they came she rushed towards a tree at the edge of a clearing as her knives sliced through it and then...she waited...

Her eyes widened at the tree; had she not just sliced through it? Why had it not fallen?

She walked to the other side of the tree and frowned. They had not sliced all the way through.

"Dammit!" she cursed loudly.

Riko struck the tree with her palm. And then again. And again.

I have to be stronger!

She ran her blades across it over and over.

For my friends, for my family...

Riko did a few combo kicks on it, her chakra practically coming out in spouts as she growled and screamed.

For Suna, for Leaf...

She punched and punched at the tree until her knuckles began to bleed, but it wouldn't give way.

...for Gaara...

Riko gave one more battle cry as she jammed her foot against the tree, her other foot and one hand placed on the ground to steady herself.

She was breathing hard as she scowled at the tree, her hair now out of its ponytail and sticking to her sweaty face.

A few cracks were heard as she stayed in her stance, the tree giving one more creak before it smashed to the ground.

For a couple more seconds she was frozen there as dust passed her way.

She closed her eyes as tears filled them for the last time that day. Riko remembered her promise to Gaara, but for some reason she felt deep inside he wouldn't mind these tears. These tears of realization and accomplishment.

For Gaara...

She fell to the ground with a soft smile as she fell unconscious.

For Gaara, I will become stronger...

A/N: Well i hope u liked it!also i no i'm a little comma happy but...DEAL WITH IT!!!review!