The following day Mei was resting at home after having her wounds bandaged. The medical ninja wanted her to stay in the hospital but Mei had said no. She hated hospitals unless she was the one working. She loved helping people and hated being helped.
Mei woke up with a light yawn as she walked into her bathroom. She carefully undressed, removing all her bandages as well, and took a shower letting the warm water clean her wounds and soothe her sore body. She was told that she could not go on any missions until she was completely healed which was disappointing to her. She loved missions and longed to be an active shinobi for the sand village. She vowed that she would heal as quickly as she could so she would be able and prove her worth to the sand.
Mei turned off the water and carefully dried her body before wrapping the wounds. She had several wounds on her legs and arms that still required bandages but the rest of the wounds had completely closed on their own. Mei then put on a black strapless dress, it was one of the more comfortable articles of clothing that she could wear as she let her wounds heal. The dress was form fitting to her hips then hung loose to her knees. The dress was strapless with a red ribbon around her small waist. Mei brushed her still damp hair that she had used a towel to dry off before sitting down on her bed.
I wonder how Gaara is... Me thought. She was so happy that he was alright and alive after everything that had happened the previous day. Mei then began to remember a moment when Gaara had saved her life...
"Let go of me!" Mei shouted. Mei was only 5 years old as a man wearing a sand village headband with a deep gash though the symbol grabbed Mei's arm. It was late and dark, Mei was on her way home from the playground after getting into another argument with the other children about Gaara when the man appeared out of the darkness. Mei struggled to get out of the man's grasp but he was much to strong for such a young girl.
"Shut up kid" The man growled as he pulled out a kunai which made Mei freeze in fear. The man smirked "Good now you won't have to end up like your father"
The mention of her father made her angry very suddenly. She was young but understood what had happened to her father and was very proud of him so if someone brought up his death in such a way she got very upset. Mei suddenly pulled her arm hard, obviously stunning the man since she was able to get her arm away. Mei did not waste time in saying anything. She quickly turned and ran.
"Someone help me!" Mei called out desperately as she ran as fast as her small legs would carry her. Mei saw the man appear suddenly in front of her which brought her to a shocking halt.
"Leave her alone..." A familiar rough voice spoke from behind Mei. Mei turned and saw that it was Gaara. Gaara was only a few inches taller than she was so Mei knew that he could get hurt.
"Gaara" Mei began.
"Oh if it isn't the keeper of the single tailed demon..." The man smirked before suddenly grabbing Mei and lifting her up off the ground by her small throat.
Mei struggled, unable to breath as the man held tightly onto her throat.
"Mei-" Gaara looked over with horror in his eyes. "Leave her alone you're hurting her!"
"The daughter of such a legend will fetch me a pretty penny." The man smirked.
Mei struggled for breath as she squirmed attempting to escape to no avail. Mei suddenly saw sand completely cover the man except for the hand which still held tight on Mei's throat. Mei was slowly losing consciousness as the man suddenly released his grip on Mei as her body fell but she did not land on the hard sidewalk. She landed gently on sand. She could not see what had happened as darkness consumed her vision...
Mei did not know what happened after that. She had lost consciousness but what she did know was that if Gaara was not there then she would most certainly be killed.
Mei looked toward her door as she heard a gentle knock on her door.
"Come in." Mei looked as Gaara stepped into the apartment. "Oh good morning Gaara." Mei smiled softly, she was somewhat embarrassed since she was still covered in bandages and her hair was still wet from her shower.
"How are your wounds?" Gaara slowly walked over.
Mei stood up "Oh they are fine, in a few days I should be as good as new." Mei rubbed the back of her neck.
"That is good to hear..." Gaara trailed off.
"And how are you?" Mei asked.
"Fine..." Gaara spoke plainly.
"Is something bothering you Gaara?" Mei looked at him with gentle eyes.
"Why risk your life for someone like me..." Gaara spoke, his gaze out the window.
Mei was caught off guard by his sudden question. "Well you had done the same for me so long ago...and...Because..." A small smile crept to Mei's face. "That is simply what someone does...for those they care for."
Gaara's breath caught in his throat before he regained his composure and nodded.
Mei had had feelings for Gaara for such a long time but feared rejection. Gaara was her friend as a child and ever since she returned to the sand village her feelings for the red haired boy with such a big heart that was masked behind the painful past that he lived.
"I care for you Gaara...I always have..." Mei whispered.
Gaara was stunned in silence. He felt that people had not cared about him until he had become Kazekage. When Mei left he had thought that Mei would have forgotten all about him and that would be the end of the only friend he had as a child. Mei proved those thoughts wrong the moment he had spoke to her when she returned.
"Gaara..." Mei looked down at the ground, she knew she had to saw this now or never. "I love you..." Mei stood in silence waiting for and expecting rejection.
Mei suddenly felt a small amount of sand wrap around her wrist and pull her forward. Mei looked up and saw that Gaara's gaze was no longer outside, his eyes were looking into her own. His ice blue eyes were full of something Mei had yet to see since she had returned to the village...he looked calm. The sand suddenly pulled Mei close so she was against Gaara's chest, his mouth just above her ear.
"I...love you too...Mei..." Gaara spoke, his voice barely audible.
