I've had this idea for quite a while now, in fact it's what I was unsure about adding in an earlier chapter, but I think it fits nicely for the point we are in the story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Wind tousled my black tresses as I stood just outside of the building where the five Kage were meeting. I watched as loose ends whipped and snapped in the flowing air. It almost appeared as though my hair were alive. Suddenly, Aiyota appeared beside me. I didn't say anything. As part of the agreement for him to gain the Kage's trust, he had to keep his thoughts open to me. Currently, he didn't actually want anything. In fact, he was just searching for company, perhaps to chat a little.
Despite first impressions, my sensei was an extremely quiet and thoughtful man. His wisdom was unparalleled, but that was to be expected. Not only had he experienced innumerable situations personally, but he gained countless others by reading the thoughts of those he had encountered over time. There was nothing the man didn't know about.
On top of that, he was very observational. Nothing went unnoticed by him. Even slight changes in the angle of which a headband slants caught his eye. Then again, he had the time to notice everything, to study it all. Since this was the first time he had appeared to any of the new Kage, they didn't trust him as anything more than a soldier so he didn't have any assignments. His lifespan was indefinite, he didn't have to sleep, he barely needed to eat. While I was starving near every second of the day, the stillness in which he rested allowed him to reserve his ungodly amounts of energy. Then again, the fact that he had slowed his metabolism when he gained perfect chakra control meant that he wouldn't burn through his meals quite as fast as I did.
It's strange seeing you so at ease, he noted. I mentally shrugged. My job was pretty much finished until actual war commenced and I had received the day off from Lord Raikage. He hadn't realized that I had been literally working through the night almost every night until I brought Aiyota to him. It was my sensei who had suggested that I sleep.
Are you listening to their meeting? he asked, trying to start up conversation. I shook my head. While I probably should, I honestly didn't want to know any more about the war. Even talking to other shinobi was beginning to bother me. The possibility of having to attend their memorial service was too high. I didn't want to form new connections just to lose them later.
I never saw you as a sensitive person, Aiyota admitted, showing a concern for my mental stability. If I was worried now… War might just crush me.
It's only because I'm forced to wait. If we were actually fighting, I probably wouldn't blink if an ally died. He, too, felt like this. Of course, he had a better excuse. He had participated in every other ninja war involving the Land of Fire so mass death wasn't new to him. His coping method consisted of deliberately ignoring those around him unless it was to give or receive orders. Aiyota, since the day of his first transformation, had always lived in solitude, thus was the life of the first nine-tailed ninja.
Gaara's coming, he thought suddenly, turning his head in the direction from which the Kazekage would appear. My heart pinged with excitement. The last time we had talked was nearly a week ago, and even then it was only a brief conversation. It didn't last five minutes. I'll leave you two, then. Enjoy your mate tonight. I cringed away from the animalistic term and waited for my moon to appear. He appeared a few moments later, walking with Temari.
"Nari," he noticed me immediately.
"Hello, Gaara, Temari."
"How have you been, Nari? We haven't seen you lately," Temari began.
"Stressed. I've come to the conclusion that I'll probably enjoy actual war more than I enjoy preparing for it. All of this anticipation is getting to me. I just want to get it over with already." She nodded in agreement, knowing exactly how I felt. She also seemed to understand that I wouldn't be so freaked out if somebody died in front of my eyes. I didn't allow myself to get close enough to very many people to care.
"Are you waiting for someone?" Gaara asked, jumping into the conversation.
"No. Lord Raikage gave me the day for myself. Aiyota-sensei thinks I've been over doing it." The redhead nodded in complete agreement. He could physically see the toll my duties were taking on me. Not to mention, my eyes were duller than normal. Apparently, they usually sparked whenever I talked to him.
"Well, Gaara is also free for the rest of the day. Why don't you spend some time together?" Temari said, already making a move to leave. Thanks, we both mentally thanked her, but she could hear me. I saw her wink before disappearing.
"So, how did the Kazekage get the day off?" I asked as we began to stroll casually around Kumo.
"The same way you did," he replied. "War could begin any second and, as commander-in-chief, the other Kage want to ensure that I'm prepared to lead and participate in battle at any moment. Not to mention, Temari and Kankuro have both been fighting me to rest. I don't remember when I last slept."
"I know what you mean," I sighed. The last time I had had a full night's sleep was eight days ago. Other than that, the closest thing I had come to sleep was, maybe, thirty minutes of leaning against a wall or tree with my eyes closed. We both were in dire need of rest. Why hadn't I used my free day to sleep? Because I wanted to see my moon. I needed to see him.
Peaceful silence settled around us. We didn't even converse through our minds. Gaara had asked me to keep from his thoughts just after Temari left. I would respect that decision. As we walked, Lady Mizukage came across us.
"Nari," she exclaimed, coming closer. Chojuro was close at her heels. "I was hoping I would happen across you. There's something I've been meaning to ask you."
"Of course," I replied, showing my willingness to answer anything on her mind.
"You explained in your profile that you have three chakra natures and have been able to combine them in multiple manners but you referred to all of them as blast style…"
"Oh, that. You'll have to forgive me. I've never had a formal education in chakra and jutsu properties. Aiyota also corrected this mistake, I just haven't thought of a new names for the other techniques. True blast style is the combination of wind and fire."
"I see. I was also curious about if you were able to combine all three."
"There is one jutsu I know in which I use all three but I never use it. I mean, I never actually mastered it. The process is difficult." She nodded, understanding. The reason why she had asked because she thought I might be able to perform Particle Style, the Tsuchikage's jutsu. If so, she was going to put in a request for me that I be tutored by the man himself. Lady Mizukage was now convinced that she would do so after the war. My potential was unparalleled to anyone else she had met before.
"Thank you for allowing me to interrupt you." She eyed us suspiciously and then strode off.
"That was odd," I commented. Gaara shook his head.
"You don't seem to realize exactly how much the other Kage wish to possess you. They've realized and regret their decision to push you away."
"I don't see why. If I was actually under their complete command, they'd hate me. I just don't listen well enough." He agreed silently. Again, silence encompassed us. Part of me wanted to break the promise I had made to let his mind have privacy, but I didn't. We were supposed to be a mutual, working pair. If I went around disobeying, him it'd only cause problems in the end.
Finally, as dusk fell upon us, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Whatever was bothering him was going to be shared with me, one way or another. I led him up into the higher parts of the Village Hidden in the Clouds and into a building. We perambulated the halls at a calm pace, but I was taking him to the top. The stars in the moon looked lovely from the roof of this particular place. I knew this from experience.
Just a few minutes from our final destination, my moon spoke up. "Nari," a slight hesitation, "I've been thinking about our relationship." I froze, horrified by where this might be going. The possibilities immediately filled me with dread.
"And?" I asked, tentatively.
"You're possibly the most important person in the world to me." I relaxed, realizing that this wasn't headed in a bad direction. "My thoughts stray to you when I'm alone and I miss you when you're gone. I want to spend every moment with you and I know that I love you more than anything in this world." My heart skipped a beat as he turned to face me, taking my hands in his and gently circling his thumbs over my wrists as he normally did. Pale ice peered into my soul, forcing me to seriously acknowledge all he was saying. "Nari Ninetails, with your permission, after this war is finished, I would like to marry you and claim you as my own for the rest of eternity."
"Gaara," I breathed, beyond shocked. He invited me into his mind, to see for myself that he meant every word of it. The boy had gone so far to even ask his sister and brother on how he should go about asking me. He had been building up to this moment ever since he saw me waiting for him after his meeting. Gaara wanted me. Just me. "I would be honored to marry you." Relief flooded his system and he pulled me into a hug.
"Thank you, Nari," he said, stepping back. I laughed a little.
"Don't thank me. You're the one who made me fall in love with you," I responded, putting a hand on his cheek. Then, I leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on his lips. "Come on." I tugged at his fingers, taking him to the roof. My eyes, of their own accord, flickered to the stars and marveled at their wonder. "Lay down with me," I said, laying on the flat roof and staring up. He obliged, refusing to release the hand I had given him to drag him to the roof. I didn't mind, interlacing my fingers with his own.
We stared p at the cosmos, content with each other's presence. I wonder how many are up there, Gaara thought, trying to count the stars.
"Thousands," I replied instinctively. He could tell I had more to say on the subject so he turned his face towards me, waiting. "The stars are the souls of all the past shinobi. They're watching over us and each star has a specific person they watch over. Their observations go to Mopa, the goddess of judgment and prayer. She then evaluates our lives and decides what to do with our souls after we die." A small smile touched my moon's lips.
"I never saw you as a religious person," he admitted.
"I'm extremely religious, as far as my religion goes. My strict moral values are completely based off the religion. It's how I decided what was right and wrong."
"But you don't pray or…"
"You don't talk to the gods unless they talk to you. What is meant by Mopa being the goddess of prayer is that she hears and records everything we say to the gods or about them. For example, my stupid habit of thanking the gods despite the fact that they probably had nothing to do with the situation. I mean, they could but it's said that the higher beings tend not to interfere with us inferior life forms."
"One day, you'll have to teach me more about your gods.
"Sure," I agreed, secretly delighted by the idea. The gods were a very interesting subject and it would bring up some other fascinating topics I wished to discuss. The event would be a learning process for both of us. I had no doubts about it. The young Kazekage returned his eyes to the sky and I rolled onto my side, curling up beside him. Just being in his arms again was making me drowsy. I yawned, my eyelids growing heavy.
"Nari," Gaara called softly, keeping me awake. "Let's go inside and lay down. We shouldn't sleep out here." I moaned, shifting into fox form and crawling into his arm so he could simply use the teleportation technique instead of walking the entire way. He held me tight and then laid me on the bed in the room they had given him. With one eye, I observed as he removed all of his clothing aside from his baggy, black shorts. Then, he came to lay beside me.
I shifted forms again, wanting to feel that delicate, beautiful skin under my fingertips. "You should undress too," he pointed out.
"I'm too lazy," I muttered, snuggling my face into his neck. For once, I let myself fall asleep before he did.
I'm sorry it was so short but I didn't want to drag the chapter out and ruin the major mood I was trying to set. Thanks for reading and please review!