Oh my, I am so sorry for not updating sooner guys. Life has been very demanding lately. :C College is blah and yeah. I've been making my cosplay for AX2012 (if anyone else is going, I'm gunna be Sasori ;D) and my roommate and her friend are also commissioning me to make their cosplays. xD;; So I'm swamped. LOVE YOU GUYS. Thank you to my reviewers, aqaumarine-acaia, katexleonn, and Wildrose. You're the best! So here's chapter 12!


Another sleepless night followed my research at the library. What few hours I could have used for sleeping were instead focused on the Fuuinjutsu I had rigged from information on the Shukaku sealing experiments, as well as other chakra sealing jutsu I had found the night before. The seal I had come up with, which I had yet to name, consisted of a square paper seal that was to be placed on Gaara's skin. The kanji for "Sand" was surrounded by consecutive rings of warding seals.

I sighed and grabbed the paper seal from my desk and readied myself to leave. What if the seal didn't work? Or worse, what if it hurt Gaara like the previous two Jinchuriki had been during the experimentation? I probably wouldn't be able to forgive myself if harm came to Gaara because of me. What trust we had established over these days would disintegrate, along with all the hard work Gaara and I had put into making him Kazekage.

Locking the door, I set out for the oasis. The sun was just cresting over the sand dunes as I walked. I took the long route and passed by the hospital where Nanaki was staying. Today would be the last day she would be in there, though the doctors had ordered her to stay out of trouble and off missions for the next two months.

Finally, I had arrived at the oasis. Yawning, I took a seat on a rock near the water to wait for Gaara and Baki. I wasn't terribly excited to see the Suna Jounin since he left while Nanaki's collar bone was being broken, but that's in the past now. There is nothing I can really do about it anyways.

A small whirlwind of sand appeared a few feet away, teleporting Gaara from his whereabouts. His gourd was leaning against one of his legs; he had yet to get another sash or leather strap to hold up the massive weight. Baki wasn't anywhere to be found; perhaps he didn't want to see me either.

I rubbed my eyes and stood from my spot, trying to urge the tiredness away, "Good morning, Gaara-san." Stretching, I continued, "Today I thought we'd try working on your Taijutsu."

Where one his eyebrows should have been raised, "But the sand won't-"

I held up the seal before he could finish. I took a few steps forward, close enough to touch him if I wished, "Do you trust me, Gaara-san? If you don't, I'll figure out-"

"Yes."

I stopped for a moment, staring at the seal held out in my hand. Well, curiosity killed the cat.

"…Don't move…," I reached up to his face, slowly as to not appear as a threat to his sand. Gaara's mind was where Shukaku was being held captive, so logically the only place to put the seal was on his forehead. Gulping softly, I gently brushed locks of his hair from his face.

Wow, his hair was soft. Wait, wait, wait. Focus Toshiko.

Putting just the slightest bit of chakra into the seal, I placed it on his forehead and let his hair drop back to where it was before.

After a few moments of staring intently at the seal, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, "Thank goodness…" I stepped back a few paces. Gaara looked silly with the seal on his forehead, covering some of his kanji tattoo that I had grown so used to seeing, but I kept a serious face.

I reached down and picked up a small pebble off the ground. I tossed it at Gaara. The pebble gently hit his cheek then fell back onto the sand. Gaara looked surprised, expecting his sand to reach up and catch it without a hitch.

"Yes!" I jumped up and punched the air, "I did it!" I wiggled a bit, ecstatic about my accomplishment. The sand around Gaara's feet swirled against itself, desperately trying to reach up and protect its master.

I brought my attention back over to the sandless Jinchuriki, "Quickly,Gaara-san. I don't know how long that seal will last." I took a defensive stance where I stood, "I may not be the best at Taijutsu, but I'm better than you." With a grin, I winked and charged at him, throwing a weak punch. Before anything, he needed to get used to not having his sand shield.

He jumped back and slid, trying to figure out what to do. "Gaara-san, running away won't help with your Taijutsu," I ran at the red-head, ducking at the last moment and sweeping a kick along the ground to knock him down. He jumped, as expected, as I twisted around and used the momentum of my kick to bring my heel into his side. He grunted and held his side, sliding away again from the kick.

Gaara rushed towards me, fist at the ready, as I stood. Moments before his fist impacted with my nose, I yelled, "Stop!" He halted immediately, punch inches from my face.

He blinked a few times, confused, "What is it?"

"Your center of balance is off, Gaara-san. Hold your stance…," I walked to the side and gently pushed his shoulder, he stumbled a bit. I laughed softly, "Take the stance again." He did as I said, eyes forward, lips in a serious permanent line. I walked in a full circle around him, studying how he stood.

Gently, I pressed my hand against his chest, pushing him up straighter, "Straining your back too much can cause injury; make sure to keep up straight." I went through each part of his stance, changing it with a soft nudge and explaining how it could be executed better. A few times I pushed him over, or swept his feet out from under him to show the Jinchuriki exactly what I meant. He simply grumbled and took the stance again.

I could tell he felt incredibly insecure without his sand. It was probably like an embrace for him, holding him with a protective glare at the outside world. Perhaps a real hug would do him good. Maybe later.

Soon we were back to sparring. I managed to get a few good hits in, as did he. My arms and shins were bruised from blocking his powerful attacks. I noticed throughout the spar that the desert sand would inch closer and closer to blocking my attacks, until it was all but in slow motion.

Gaara threw one last punch at me, I caught it in a swift motion with a small smile, "I think we're done for today, Gaara-san. Your sand is starting to figure its way around the seal. It was only temporary, after all…" I reached up and gently tugged the paper seal off of the Jinchuriki's forehead. Instantly, the sand twisted around Gaara in a protective manner. It angrily wrapped itself around my ankles, but did nothing more.

"Oh, Suna-san, I didn't hurt Gaara-san that much. I went easy on him," I laughed softly as it sunk away from my feet and went back to being stasis at the red-head's feet. Gaara was beaten just as badly as I was, a bruise here, a scrape there. We both had dirt everywhere.

Wasn't I thinking about giving him a hug earlier? Well… Curiosity killed the Toshiko-cat. I didn't realize what I was doing until it had already happened. My arms were wrapped under his in a tight embrace as I nuzzled into his shoulder. What in the world was I doing?

Gaara stood in complete shock with his eyes wide. I took his silence and stillness as a sign to stop, so I did, "S-Sorry, Gaara-san… Training is over today." I spun on my heels and left, not daring to look back; he was probably gone anyways. I felt my cheeks burn. Why did I do that? I wouldn't be surprised if he hates me now. Curiosity definitely killed the Toshiko-cat. I was so embarrassed that I wouldn't mind digging my own grave.

Before I knew it I was standing back in front of my house. Something was… wrong. The door was ajar; I had locked it for sure. My embarrassment vanished without a second though. My home was broken into, there was no time to think about a hug that most likely meant nothing.

I was inside immediately. My eyes widened at the sight; furniture was thrown and broken, books lay open and torn on the floor. Pictures were smashed to pieces. Immediately, I bolted into the kitchen. It was spotless, but something was still out of place. What they were looking for was in here.

The jewelry box with my gift to Mother was gone, along with the note. It was replaced with another.


Well, there ya have it. Chapter 12! Review, please? c: I'd love to have a bunch to read after my long disappearance. 33