Hello! I hope everyone's holidays were great! Here it is!
Gaara hovered to the side of the open door to the tower workshop, concealing his chakra as he remained hidden from view. He could hear the shifting of Hiromi—no, wait, of Hinata—while she worked on filling the various prescriptions that now dominated her life.
This was the first time he had come to visit Hinata since showing her to her room that initial day. Gaara had let Temarihandle introducing Hinata to her workshop and explaining her job, still unsure of how to act around the dark-haired girl. He had been worried about seeming too eager, so Gaara had decided to avoid her for a while, if only to get his thoughts straight so hecouldn't embarrass himself.
And so, he had made no contact with her for a week. Sure, he had seen Hinata at meals, had passed her walking in the hallway,had stopped by to pick up a couple of prescriptions. But their interactions had been only brief scenes: an awkward greeting, her quiet response, and a nod goodbye. Nothing big, to his disappointment...and relief.
But today was a new day. Gathering what courage he could muster, Gaara ducked into the apothecary. He was going to do it, was finally going to talk to her, to make a step in reestablishing their long-forgotten friendship. His stomach churned with barely contained nerves, exploding like the feeling he got when Narutolanded a rare left hook in his gut while sparring. But Gaara paid no mind; he had gotten used to it, and almost expected feeling like that around the young Hyuuga.
Hinata's head snapped up as Gaara walked in, her blue eyes expectant. Huh... She knew he had been there after all. Hecouldn't help but be impressed, although he kept telling himself that she was a jōnin-level ninja, despite her apparent innocence. Her head dipped slightly in acknowledgement.
"Kazekage-sama," Hinata formally greeted him as he walked, before returning her focus to the counter in front of her to finishpreparing his medicine.
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead grinding his teeth and inclining his head in response. What little progress Gaarathought he had made with Hinata and titles had disappeared as soon as she had started working in the tower. Even though Gaarahad asked her several times to refer to him at least on a last name basis, she always resorted to that quiet, infuriating "Kazekage-sama." He didn't know if it was some twisted form of guilt for her small tantrum, or a show of respect to lessen any suspicions, but whatever the reason, it bugged the hell out of him. To Gaara, it felt like a wall, a defense mechanism just like his sand, designed to keep him from coming any closer to discovering her thoughts and feelings. But he wasn't going to stand that; there could only be one ultimate defense in these parts.
Gaara quietly sucked in a deep breath. He stared at the top ofHinata's dark head as she gathered the contents of his prescription; to any other customer she would have appeared completely absorbed in her task, but Gaara knew that her obliviousness was an act. She seemed to forgot he was a high-level ninja, too. She couldn't deceive him about this. Her slightly tense shoulders and taut knuckles on the knife grip betrayed her discomfort.
He wished she would look up at him and give him a shy, sweet smile like the ones he remembered from so long ago. But she continued in her task, deaf to Gaara's mental request.
Despite her unease, Hinata still seemed so calm, so focused, exactly the opposite of how he felt at that moment. And people had always called him impenetrable. For Kami's sake, he had led the Shinobi Alliance, had faced the edo tenseis of some of the greatest shinobi the world has ever seen, and yet this girl could turn his knees to jelly without even looking at him. Talk about a hit to your pride. Slightly rankled, he squared his shoulders. This is it... Here goes...
"How...how are you?"
Her slim body stiffened in surprise, and Gaara avoided the glance she sent his way, instead studying some herbs on the counter like they had just sprouted some legs and were doing a jig.
"Fine, Kazekage-sama. The Tower has turned out to be a wonderful place to live..." That damn title again, in that soft, calm voice. She warily watched him, as if waiting for him to sprout horns or something. Gaara huffed in annoyance. Was itreally that surprising that he wanted to be social?
"Gaara-san, please... If not, then at least Sabaku-san..." To his surprise, she sent him a baleful look, her vibrant eyes piercinghim. But she said nothing as usual, merely nodding in compliance, always the polite one if his memory served to be correct. So, Gaara let the topic drop, not wanting to take advantage of that well of patience.
Floundering for words, Gaara searched his mind for the different conversation topics he had reviewed before coming. He found it better to be prepared when it came to being..."social"...
"Is the workshop here as good as the one back home?" He leaned forward to rest his elbows on the counter as he waited for her to reply. Maybe if he seemed to relax it would encourage her. At least, that's what Kankuro always told him when Gaarawondered why he made people tense.
Her face turned bright red at that, and she bowed her head as she mumbled a response, "The facilities here are amazing... More than I would ever have imagined for a desert village," she peeked up at him shyly in a way Gaara couldn't help but think was adorable, "But...the quality of Konoha plants is nearly unparalleled by anything here, as you could probably guess, even in the indigenous plants...Maybe it's just that Konohaplants are so fresh and alive..."
Gaara's mind sent up a red flag hearing those words. Not as fresh...? We have a greenhouse he— his thought cut off as he realized the implication of those words.
Temari didn't tell her.
They had a greenhouse here in Suna—not the small one for visiting ninja, but another, more extensive building. It was just a private one, its location known only by a small group of occupants in the tower(small as in the Sabaku family, certainSuna ninja, and medical personnel). There, plants from various locations were gathered and raised to replenish the limited supplies of desert plants. Gaara always was amazed by the vast array of plants with incredible medicinal properties, never seeming to have enough time—or the knack, to his frustration—to learn them all.
But it was a ninja's greenhouse, meaning that its contents were not all harmless. Suna puppeteers were known for their potent poisons; they had to get their supplies from somewhere. For this reason, not just the greenhouse's location, but also its existence itself was kept secret. Any ninja with even half a knowledge of rare plants who stumbled across this arsenal would pose a huge threat to Suna's safety.
The fact that Temari hadn't revealed this to Hinata, a new medical personnel trusted by even Gaara himself, spoke volumes. This was Temari's hidden warning. She obviouslydidn't trust Hinata, and apparently she was advising Gaara not to either through her silence.
But Temari didn't know the truth.
Storing the information he had just gleaned for later review,Gaara continued his conversation with the kunoichi in question.
"So... You're basically saying the Konoha plants are better?" He tilted his head at her, watching her with a cocked eyebrow; hewasn't offended, just honestly curious. If the fact was true, Sunaneeded to pick up the pace. He couldn't be outclassed by Naruto, even if the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki was his best friend. The man had beaten him with a head butt for Kami's sake.
Belatedly, Hinata realized she had made a potentially disastrous mistake, at least in etiquette. She ducked her head as her face reached an unhealthy shade of scarlet, choking out a mangled apology, "Gomensai... I... I meant no offense at all... You see-"She stopped as Gaara held up a silencing hand.
"You don't have to apologize; I've been to Konoha, and I have to say I agree. The plants there are quite beautiful compared to the rocks we have here..." A small smile stretched across Gaara'slips; those seemed to happen more and more often during thetime he spent with this girl. He didn't really know what to think of that, but he wasn't necessarily bothered by the fact either. "But I do have to admit, I don't really understand... What's so different about the plants in Konoha? You end up in a workshop like this one there with them, regardless of the freshness."
Hinata paused for a moment, weighing her options before quietly speaking.
"Well... In Konoha...you get to experience the process before the workshop...You... get to feel the soft earth slide underneath your hands as you pull weeds to protect your plants... You smell the unique scent of upturned dirt, proof of the hard work you just put into planting your garden..." Gaara watched, fascinated, as her aquamarine eyes closed in rapture, a peaceful smile slipping across her delicate features, "You get to watch your seeds sprout and then grow under your guidance..."
At that, her voice trailed off. The smile fell from her lips and morphed into a small frown. Her brow furrowed as she opened her eyes. Their blue depths were glazed over with sadness before turning their focus to him, the calm blue sea that had been there before disrupted by a storm of emotions. A small sigh escaped her lips.
Shaking her head like a dog shakes off water after a bath, Hinataaddressed him. A melancholy smile hung on her face, a mocking ghost of the joy that had been there only seconds before.
"I'm sorry.. I doubt you care to hear the longings of a garden hermit..." She tore her gaze away from him, staring in the distance, watching some distant memory. Gaara patiently waited for her to continue, but she remained speechless, her features falling even more with each second that passed.
In the quiet, Gaara began to experience a rare feeling: powerlessness. He had no idea what to do, how to handle this, how to stop it. This wasn't some military maneuver or issue of discipline; this was a young girl, with feelings: a new field to discover. Sure, he had dealt with Temari and her temper, but as far as he could tell, she wasn't like most other girls...or people for that matter.
Gaara warily watched the depressed girl. He could tell she was obviously trying to play her sadness off as thoughtfulness, but for all his social ineptitude, Gaara wasn't stupid.
Although he felt very ignorant trying to handle the issue in front of him.
Think... Think... Every problem has a solution... He just had to think about it logically. If he had learned anything from watching Temari and Shikamaru, it was that. Gaaracontemplated the blue-haired girl, reviewing their conversation in his head. He watched her fiddle with a leaf on the table in the silence. Flip and switch, flip and switch. Pale hands pushed the slip of green back and forth between them. Time seemed to stretch on in the silence, like fog creeping over the morning ground.
Then Gaara had an idea.
"Follow me." The command, soft yet authoritative, shook Hinataout of her reverie. He turned and began to leave the apothecary, not waiting for Hinata, who was conscientiously organizing her work area.
He knew he had commanded Hinata to come but couldn't help but worry that she wouldn't, so he held back a small sigh of relief when he heard her scurry to catch up with him, although he refused to look back at her.
Gaara led her through the twists and turns of the tower's hallways with ease, nodding to the various personnel they crossed paths with. Hinata trailed behind, the sound of her soft steps mingling with his.
The appearance of random servants decreased as they moved further from the main halls, until more than a few minutes passed without sighting anyone. The pair soon reached the quietest part of the tower, where the storage rooms were located.
Gaara stopped in front of a large tapestry, one of many adorning the extensive walls of the tower.
A festival scene stood before them, paper lanterns weaving amongst the village's inhabitants. Couples danced throughout the square in front of a castle gate. Unlike Gaara and Hinata'scurrent location, green was the dominating color; plants hung from the town's windows, vines crept up the palace's stone walls, and flowers adorned the hair and garments of the people in the scene. The vibrant colors and lifelike details of the figures made them seem like they could jump out of the woven picture, into the sandy reality of Suna.
Gaara stretched out his hand toward one couple in particular, a willowy, blond, green-eyed girl with a sinewy, dark-haired boy, pointing toward the castle with matching smiles as they danced. He ran his fingers along the fabric's surface until he reached the white chrysanthemum tucked into the girl's golden locks. He traced its ivory petals, infusing chakra into the flower as he went.
Then he stepped back to watch his work's effects.
At first, the scene appeared to remain unchanged. But slowly, the castle's wooden gate grew, pushing the other objects in the scene out of the way until it had enlarged enough to cover the whole tapestry. It sank backward and thickened until melded into the wall, dispelling the genjutsu and revealing a wooden door that had been hidden the entire time. Gaara pushed the hinged entrance, and it swung inward to reveal stairs descending into dense darkness.
It was then that Gaara decided to finally look back at Hinata.
Her bright blue eyes were stretched to their limit, wide with apprehension. She stood there, body taut, chest discreetly but rapidly rising and falling. It was obvious that she expected the worst and was panicking, but desperately trying to hide it, barely under control.
Gaara couldn't blame her; if he had been in her situation, he would have already made a move to escape. Who knows what could be lying in wait for her at the bottom of the stairs?Imprisonment? Torture? ... Death?
All sad realities of the life of a ninja.
As he watched her, he almost wished that the circumstances were different, that they didn't live in a world full of danger and deceit, but instead a world of peace, where people weren't used as weapons. This wasn't the first time he had longed for that.
"It's ok," Her eyes shot to his, suspicion swimming in their aquamarine depths. He continued cautiously, "Nothing will happen to you... I promise." He nodded at her in what he hoped was an encouraging way. Gaara considered offering a hand to her. He wanted to do something, anything to make her he thought better of it. This was a powerful, competentkunoichi he was looking at; although he had good intentions, an offer like that might make it seem like he didn't believe she could handle this, and he would never want her to think that he saw her as weak. She was far from that.
Hinata stared at him for a moment, and he could see her internal debate. But something she saw in him must have convinced her, because her eyes filled with resolution, and she dipped her head slightly in response.
Without another word, Gaara turned and proceeded down the stairway into the shadows. The pair soon reached the bottom and continued forward along a path hewn from rock. They walked in silence once again, eyesight dimmed in the darkness of the tunnel. Only their soft breaths disturbed the stillness of the underground path.
After a couple minutes passed, the tunnel grew lighter, with a yellow square of light not far in the distance. The air grew heavy with moisture, the humidity almost stifling compared with the usual dry, desert air. Gaara and Hinata approached the exit and stepped into the sunlight. Behind him, Gaara heard Hinata's soft gasp.
They had reached the Suna greenhouse.
They were in a large rock cavern; hard brown walls rose on all sides, with mirrors lined in various spots, providing the optimum amount of light for the plants below—not the plants, the jungle. Green was everywhere, from the overlapping leaves of the underbrush to the gargantuan fronds of the various trees in the orchard. And amidst this verdant assemblage, it was like someone had taken the rainbow and deposited every color imaginable.
Bright hibiscus dotted the undergrowth, oranges, reds, and pinks clashing with their green background. Orchids covering a large spectrum of color were nestled in treetops and hung from various structures. Different species of vines crept along latticework, twisting through the wooden pieces. It wasorganized chaos. Plants were separated by indigenous location and species, with different areas of the cavern sporting the different temperatures and soils to support their plants, thanks to the chakra and efforts of the attendants. But no attempts were made to keep plants in the same section from overlapping, as long as it didn't inhibit their growth.
"This is the Suna greenhouse," Gaara looked back at Hinata, who was craning her neck back to examine the cavern, "Outside of the ninja population, only a select few in the tower know of its existence. As a medical personnel, you are supposed to have access after working in the tower for a few weeks, but I decided that since you are living with us now, your competence would be a great help, so I showed it to you prematurely."
"It's beautiful..." Hinata's gaze dropped to meet his, and she offered him a small smile.
They walked along the overflowing pathway, where Gaara ledHinata to the Konoha section of the greenhouse. Hinata's eyes litup with recognition as they approached, but she stayed back, turning to look at Gaara for permission. At his nod, she smiled gratefully and rushed forward, with the same enthusiasm of a child entering a candy store.
She walked among the plants—unfamiliar to Gaara but obviously well-known to her. She whispered the name of each species, running her fingers along leaves and petals like they were old friends. Face flushed, eyes bright, Hinata had come to life, absorbing and reflecting the energy that surrounded could only stand and watch in awe.
She was amazing. Seeing her in her element, Gaara wondered why she had even decided to leave her home. A twinge of guilt shifted through him. It was obvious she belonged in Konoha, not here, in this harsh desert that sucked the life from her.
"Why did you leave?" The question that bubbled inside burst through his lips before he could stop it.
Hinata froze, hand extended toward the soft pink of the sakurablossom in front of her. After a moment, she closed the gap and stroked its feathery surface, staring at the ground as she replied.
"I... I decided that I needed to leave...for the safety and well-being of my friends...and my sister," This revelation surprisedGaara; he thought that something had forced her to leave her home. He never would have guessed that it was by her owndecision.
Letting her hand drop, Hinata continued through the lush garden, with Gaara trailing behind, "My friends, they... They always were protecting me, always putting themselves in danger so that I could return home unscathed. My team, my uncle, my cousin... They all put my needs before them, even though I was weak and undeserving... After watching so many people get hurt...or die... I couldn't take it anymore. I wasn't worth this, so I had to put a stop to it somehow."
Gaara let those words sink in for a moment before remembering her stating another reason for leaving. "What about your sister? Why would leaving help her well-being?"
She glanced at him curiously before turning back to the plants lining the trail, running her fingers along a low-lying branch. "I guess you don't know much about clan traditions in Konoha, do you?" Her blue eyes found his, and he shook his head slowly.
"In the Hyuuga clan, we are separated into Main House and Branch House. Those in the Main House live a life of luxury, controlling decisions for the clan, while those in the Branch House live a life of servitude, caring for and protecting the members of the Main House. They receive a seal—the Caged Bird Seal—that...ensures that they obey the Main House, causing excruciating pain to those who rebel." At these words,Hinata's hands wrapped around the branch and tightened. White skin stretched across bone, contrasting the dark brown of the tree's bark.
"Obviously, there can only be so many in charge, so there is a limit placed on the Main House: only the eldest child of the Main House leader may become heir and stay in the Main House. Any other children must be sealed and placed in the Branch House."
Hinata's eyes hardened, becoming cold sapphires. She let go of the branch, turned, and kept walking, leaving the Konohasection of the greenhouse and entering the Suna area. "After our mother died giving birth to my younger sister Hanabi, I made it my goal to raise her in my mother's place. I remember holding her, immediately falling in love with the small bundle of life in my arms. However, as we grew, my father constantly pitted us against each other, trying to determine who was stronger, so that obviously placed some strain on our relationship... But aftermy...near-death experience during Pain's invasion, something changed, and my sister and I grew closer than ever, despite the challenges our father threw at us."
Hinata paused and glanced back at Gaara, the coldness of her eyes melting slightly as she continued, "I love my sister, more than my own life. So, I would rather die than watch her be forced into the Branch House...and that's what I did, in a sense... I promised her the first time I held her after she was born that I would keep her safe and happy, no matter what."
She closed her eyes as Gaara watched, fascinated. "And I never back down or go back on my word, because that is my nindo, my ninja way..." Gaara felt warmth crawl over him as he watched determination fill her features. The more time he spent with her, the more he grew in respect and awe of her. While she was still the quiet, polite girl he knew once, she had changed, too, becoming a loyal, capable woman who followed her beliefs. Besides Temari(and Lady Tsunade), she had to be the strongest woman he had ever met.
Hinata's eyes blinked open. She shook her head rapidly and looked down, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as if she just remembered where she was and whom she was talking to. "Anyway... Call it stupid, or cowardly, or weak, but... I do not regret doing this...if it means I can protect those I love..."
"You aren't weak," Startled, Hinata's wide eyes shot to his, "This act required strength that not many people have. And I find that the purest, most honorable bravery involves the ability tosacrifice your own needs for the good of others... Through doing this, you became stronger... You are right to not regret this decision." He let his gaze bore into hers, emphasizing every word to get his point across. He wanted so badly to make her understand that she needed to give herself more credit.
Hinata flushed a deep shade of red, nodded, and looked away, crouching to finger the branches of a small bush. Awkward silence filled the air.
Realizing he might have said too much and embarrassed her,Gaara fumbled for another topic. He looked around desperately, keeping his gaze off her in an attempt to keep his mind clear. Hecouldn't have any more rash statements like the one he just said.
He spied the plant she was examining—a small bush about as tall as his knee, dotted with medium-sized, silvery-white blossoms—and recognized it with relief. And then he almost laughed at the irony.
"That's one of my favorites: the Invalesco flower." Hinata didn'ttear her gaze from the translucent flower resting in her palm. Eight petals—with rounded bases that eased into a smooth point—laid in layers around a shimmering silver center, where several golden stamen poked out, anthers covered with a lightlayer of pollen. It looked like a cross between a hibiscus, lily, and rose, along with possessing some desert wildflower characteristics, a unique blend of beauty and hardiness. Studying it, Hinata inclined her head toward Gaara as he spoke, indicating that she was listening.
"It's a rare flower that's indigenous to only the bases of the mountains that line the northeastern border of Suna..." He walked over and crouched next to her, reaching out to stroke one of the plant's palm-sized flowers. "While it has no medicinal properties, it blooms all year, and its petals absorb and reflect moonlight, making it a hot commodity among businesses that host nighttime events.
"But its most amazing property is not its aesthetic capability, but rather, its regenerative ability, which is why the greenhouse contains this plant for research. Branches of the Invalesco that hold a blossom can, when broken off the main plant," with this, he snapped off the branch he had been examining, "grow into another plant—roots, stems, and all."
Gaara glanced past the flower in front of his face at Hinata and found her staring at the flower, fascination shining in her blue eyes. Seeing them next to the flower's white surface, he thought of her natural eye color. He liked the Hyuuga's ivory hue better; it was soft and pure, like her.
"Instead of remaining the same in size or diminishing, the blossom grows larger and fuller after separation, eventually creating a plant bigger than the original. That's the reason why it is my favorite," Gaara held the branch—slightly longer than his hand—out to her, catching and holding her gaze, "I think the ability to survive and flourish after hardships is an admirable trait, no?"
He stared into her eyes, green clashing with blue, as she plucked it from his fingers. Gaara began to experience a most peculiar feeling. His stomach flipped in circles, and he felt heat spreading out from his center, reaching his fingertips and leaving them tingling. They both looked away and blushed. This is weird…but a good weird…
After a moment, Gaara cleared his throat, "Well, I have...Kazekage affairs to attend to. I trust that you will be able to find your way back, but if you need any assistance, there are attendants if you look for them." He didn't want to leave, but he was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would try something incredibly stupid. What exactly, he wasn't sure.
She nodded, and a flash of unreadable emotion danced across her eyes.
Gaara turned away and began to make his way back toward the tunnel. Was that...disappointment he had just seen? He stifled the hope bubbling in his chest; it couldn't be that, that's just wishful thinking.
But glancing back to find her holding the flower to her face, eyes closed, smelling the blossom with a small smile, he couldn't help but believe that maybe his wishes weren't completely ridiculous.
Tell us what you think!