"W-what?"

She cursed herself inwardly for stuttering, but in her shock, it was a miracle she had managed to produce any sound whatsoever.

"I know you have put much consideration into your situation." He hesitated, and Airi heard him move farther away.

Impatience gnawed at her gut, and above all, she wished he would just stop dancing around the subject and say what he meant. Why did he want her to stay? Why, when she was so utterly useless to him now?

"And as the Kazekage… and as your friend… I should not interfere. Rationally, I know that you should choose that which is best for you. I would not blame you if you took the Council's offer to return to civilian life."

"But…?" She supplied, hearing the contradiction in his voice before he spoke it.

"But… I would miss you."

Airi felt dizzy, a condition that wasn't helped by her lack of sight. She reached out to steady herself, but finding nothing, she panicked.

He was next to her in an instant, faster than she could even comprehend, and suddenly he was steadying her, his hand against her arm. She could feel the blood rising to her cheeks.

"Airi?"

"I'm fine." She choked out, but in truth, she was anything but. Elation and anxiety warred in her gut, threatening to make her sick.

"Gaara-sama… what exactly do you mean?"

He cleared his throat, and she felt his grip on her arm slacken just slightly.

"I mean that I would miss you, if you chose to leave the shinobi lifestyle behind. I told you that I have been haunted by your injury… and I'm only just now beginning to understand why."

Tentatively, a hand pressed against her cheek.

"I cannot pretend to fully understand what it is like to love someone. I spent years without even the love of a family, and I once thought I could only love myself. But I am not the monster I once was, thanks to a great many people. You say the people of this village love me, but I owe them a debt I could never repay. They chose to reconsider, even after knowing me as a monster.

"And I owe you a debt as well. I admit I am also not well-versed with experiencing fear. Someone once taught me that you should live to protect those you love, and when you were injured, I was unable to do that."

He paused, and the silence hung heavily between them. Airi's gut twisted. He spoke of love, but it was still too much to hope that perhaps…

"I never want to feel that way again, to feel so utterly powerless to protect someone precious to me. I would rather die than see you in such pain, knowing I could have prevented it. I know it was your duty as a shinobi, and I know you volunteered for the risks that go along with it, but I cannot help but feel responsible for your injuries… for what resulted."

"Gaara-sama…" Airi could no longer control the erratic pumping of her heart in her chest. With every word, it felt less like reality and more like a dream – only the pressure of his hand on her cheek made it real.

"And now, I do not think I could bear for you to leave, knowing what I've done, or what I failed to do."

Airi was beyond the point of shock. Her whole body felt numb.

"Is that truly what you want?"

"What?"

"For me to remain with you." Airi's voice shook as the words left her mouth, every piece of her yearning for him to truly confirm it.

"More than anything."

The words broke a dam within her, fully unleashing the torrent of emotion at war within her. All at once, she was smiling like an idiot, while tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, pattering onto his hand.

She laughed, swiping uselessly at the tears.

"Are you… upset?"

At that moment, she wished more than anything she could have seen the expression on his face. His tone was one of pure confusion, and it only made her laugh all the harder.

"No! Not at all." She managed to get out between chuckles. "I'm…"

Airi brought her hand up to clasp around his, slowly, tentatively.

"I love you. I'm an idiot and I've known it for a long time, but when is a good time to tell the Kazekage that you're head over heels for him, especially after you've lost your sight and are completely uselmmph—"

The last part of her statement never made it past her lips, because at that moment, he kissed her, effectively stopping her babbling.

Airi had never been so happy to be cut off.