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Chapter Thirty-seven
They spent their remaining days in stores, at restaurants, and Sakura even took Gaara around the whole town to sight see monuments and a few historical spots. In his short time in Konoha, Gaara would learn their history better than his home. A good half of one day she even convinced the boy to come to the library with her. He agreed, quietly looking at the pictures that were drawn in the book he had nabbed as Sakura scoured for information about time manipulating powers. She was able to find info of people with the power to freeze objects, and people, for short amounts of time, but no mention was ever written about her drastic scenario. It made the young woman wonder again if this world manifested itself around her. Like her parent's dead in this time, or no other existence of her, she wondered if time contort certain information from her to keep her from finding a solution.
'Could that mean there is no scroll?' she thought.
Or was it that this was all just a first. Maybe, she would be the first returning home and recording this information, or was it possible, upon her return, this past was erased from her mind.
To that thought, Sakura blinked and raised her eyes from the book to watch her small friend smile fondly at the pictures under him. It took him a moment to realize, but his eyes found her once he sensed she was staring at him. He showed her his huge grin, silently telling her he was enjoying the moment, before turning back to the book under him.
'Gaara,' Sakura thought with her own smile set on him. 'There's no way in hell I'd ever forget about you, or these precious moments.'
After that thought, Sakura sighed and shut her book. Truth be told, she could spend countless days in Konoha's library, but to confine the boy to this building when today was their last day would be heartless on her part. Not to mention, she imagined something as detailed as what she was looking for was probably stored away in the more private library available to only the shinobi of this land.
'If the scroll is a dead end, I'll search harder,' she told herself.
After all, there was already plans of her return here with Gaara in the spring, and hopefully with his siblings too. If here would give her no answers than maybe she would venture farther out, to a different country. Despite the reason behind it, Sakura couldn't help but smile at the thought of traveling around the world with Gaara in tow to see the beauty of it all.
As she continued to stare at Gaara, however, the boy reminded her then what it is was he wanted through this trip. While she was after a scroll, Gaara was after something just as meaningful in his mind.
"When are we going to see the cherry blossom?" he asked her suddenly, eyes not tearing away from the book.
Sakura frowned then, and sighed as she rested her head against her hand. The snow had melted away the day before and the sun rose high and warmth had blossomed with the warmth coming forth. Yet, some cold still lingered with a threat of snow, and it kept every living thing still hurdled away, including the blossoms they sought. Still, it was a promise she intended to keep, and she simply shook her head.
"Soon," she told him.
Her answer brought his eyes up, and he stared at her apathetically before speaking,
"We're leaving tomorrow."
Sakura closed her eyes, resting her head still despite Gaara's tone.
"Don't you worry," she told him. "I'll keep my promise."
Gaara made a noise, and Sakura assumed it to be his way of acknowledging what she told him, before he went down to reading his book as Sakura opened her eyes to stare at him. She blinked a few times, watching passively as Gaara flipped from page to page.
'I won't go back on my promise,' she thought. 'I absolutely won't.'
The rest of the day was eventful in the simplistic of ways. She let Gaara venture a little more deeper into Konoha's woods, and he explored every green tree with a grin. He did not want to visit any more stores, nor monuments, but was allowed to pick his favorite restaurant he had visited so far. As they ate grilled meat together, Gaara had remembered one place he had yet to visit.
"You said we were going to the baths," he pouted at Sakura.
Even though the woman had forgotten that offer, she smiled to Gaara's pout.
"And we are," she told him. "Right after this."
Though, as she paid a hefty amount for the popular bathhouse, she secretly wished the boy had forgotten. When looking back down at Gaara's smile, deep down the young woman knew no price was too much to keep Gaara happy and smiling.
As they undressed for the giant, hot pool, Sakura couldn't suddenly place why she felt self-conscious to the little boy. Perhaps it was because her mind kept falling back to the older man she knew him to be, after all, if not for his young age now Gaara wouldn't be allowed on the women's side of the bath. Maybe if was because Sakura was more private and personal than others. Though she had no body to be ashamed of, she flaunted none of her features as it was another unintended resolve that stemmed from saving herself for Sasuke. That, or it was Gaara's sudden, bold comments that made her feel awkward.
"Everyone's naked!" he boomed loudly inside the changing room, suddenly pulling forth an aberrant manner. "And nobody cares!"
Sakura quickly covered his mouth then, approaching him from behind so as not to let his eyes fall on her naked form.
"Hush, you're being loud!" she whispered fiercely at him. "Don't go yelling things like that in here."
Gaara nodded against her hand, and Sakura slipped her palm away from his mouth. Yet, as she saw his head suddenly turning up to look into her eyes, Sakura gripped his shoulders tight and led him towards the bath. She still couldn't bring herself to let him see her.
Staring at the steaming, hot bath, Gaara made a loud cry of amusement.
"It's so big," he exclaimed. "Everyone takes a bath together?"
He asked this before Sakura began to rinse him off with the shower wand.
"I guess you've never been to one, have you?" she asked.
Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she assumed Yashamaru had taken the liberty of bringing Gaara to a bath house, but Gaara answered her before she even remembered what sort of past the boy had.
"I was never allowed," he mumbled, watching the water that fell from him twirl away into the drain.
Sakura was quiet for the moment, they both were, and it surprised her to remember that through all this happy time spent together with Gaara there indeed had been more troubling times in the past.
"This won't be your last time, I promise you that," Sakura whispered to him, making the boy smile as he continued to watch the water drain under him.
After their rinse, everything happened in a flash. Sakura literally had to twirl Gaara, by his shoulders, just to make sure his eyes would never meet her naked form before she sunk her entire frame into the hot, cloudy water. She sighed in contentment at the feel of the mineral water, and was glad to see her body finally hidden. She rested her head against the side of the bath, watching with an amused smirk as Gaara tested the water first with a toe. As excited as he was for this new experience, he grimaced at the feel of the water's temperature and turned to look at Sakura, confused that she found this relaxing.
"If it's too hot, just soak your feet in it," she told him. "Your body will heat up and get use to it."
He did like she suggested, but still sneered at the sensation. For the longest time, he was quiet while he stared at his feet submerged in the murky water. Silence followed even longer as there was so little of people, and the bath was big enough to hide their quiet chatter. Sakura, too, felt no urge to speak as she instead let the warmth envelop her and soothe her to an almost sleeping state.
"This is boring," Gaara sighed, breaking Sakura's serene mood.
Sakura opened her eyes to glare at the little boy, but couldn't help herself from smiling to his little pout. She even giggled some before speaking.
"You're the one who wanted to do this."
"I thought it be more exciting..."
To that comment, Sakura flicked a little water onto Gaara's face. The boy shook his head to the wet, hot sensation before mischievously grinning back at Sakura. It didn't take the young woman long to realize what kind of mishap Gaara was preparing for as he cupped some water into the palm of his hands.
"No, no," she quickly told him, regretting her previous action. "We can't play like that in here."
Gaara raised his brow bone in question.
"Why not?" he asked.
Sakura rested her head back against the side, and she let out a small sigh before closing her eyes.
"You can't play or be loud here," she told him. "This is for relaxing. You don't want to upset other people."
To her words, Gaara stared at the warm water that swayed still in his cupped hands. He didn't reply, and Sakura assumed the sweet boy to follow her guidance like he always did. This time instead, her eyes shot open the moment she felt Gaara pour the water from his hands onto her head. He did his best to stifle his snickering as soon as Sakura glared at him.
"I was trying to make your pink hair come back," he said through his stifled laughter.
Yet, the boy cried out, earning everyone's attention then, once Sakura grabbed him by the leg and yanked him into the hot water. There was no etiquette in her loud laugh while she watched Gaara gasp loudly the moment his head popped back up from under the water; and there was definitely not an ounce of courtesy within the boy's voice as he yelled at Sakura while struggling to climb out of the water like a skittish cat thrown into a tub of water.
"You're stupid, Sakura! Stupid just like that black hair!" he screamed, struggling and slipping to get out all the while.
It only made Sakura's laugh grow louder.
"It isn't funny!" he cried. "This water is too hot!"
It would be a small slap on his bare bottom that finally gave Gaara the push to scramble himself out of the bath. Not enough to cause pain, but just enough to make Gaara go red and cradle where Sakura smacked him, that the woman boomed with laughter once more as Gaara remained silent to the humiliating act.
"Sit down, Gaara," she eventually managed to say through her laughing. "Otherwise I'm going to tell Kankuro how everyone here saw you naked."
Sure enough, as Gaara glanced around the bath, their little show was being watched by all, and the boy managed to turn an even darker shade of red as he realized the women were all snickering. He quickly shot back down to sit, glaring at Sakura then.
"Stupid," he whispered in her direction still. "You're stupid!"
Sakura swam herself closer to him then, smiling softly when he turned his face away from her in anger.
"Aw, don't be mad," she told him, relaxing her head back down on the edge. "I was only playing with you, Gaara."
Yet, the boy remained unmoved, and continued to glare past her with a voice left unspoken.
"Please, Gaara," Sakura began again, poking him lightly in his cheek. "We're best friends, you can't stay mad at me."
To her touch the boy continued to sit like a statue, but he did finally speak.
"I'm not mad," he finally confessed. "I'll just remember this, and I'll get you back...one day."
Sakura's eyed widened to Gaara's foreboding promise. When had her little, quiet friend become so mischievous, she wondered. Yet, as she saw him finally turn and give her a smirk, she knew then that whatever would come from him would be as harmless as what she had done now. His playful side was rare for to see, that she couldn't help but return the smile and be so thrilled to see this carefree side of him she was sure he would have cast away without her interference in his young life. Not to mention, she was certain his older self had given up jokes like this, and as she remembered that thought, she couldn't help her smile falling to a sad frown. It didn't go unnoticed by the little boy either.
"Y-You started it!" he told her, trying to justify in his heart his rights lest her sad frown make him consider otherwise.
Sakura forced a smile then, and shook her head at the boy.
"Don't mind me," she told him. "I was just thinking how sad it would be if you outgrew all of this."
To her words, Gaara tilted his head while watching her still. In a sense, he understood the plight she was telling him, he had a sense that time changed people, yet his young, naive mind cemented his thoughts that time could not change their happy interactions like this one.
"I won't," he told her with a grin. "I promise."
In her mind, as she fell back to the quiet, collected Gaara of her own time, Sakura was certain that was a promise Gaara couldn't keep.
'Enjoy it while you can,' her mind told her now.
Even if the smile was again a mock, it was good enough for Gaara to buy it.
"Then I think we'll be the best of friends...always," Sakura said.
Gaara grinned then, agreeing with this happy woman.
"Always," he repeated.
They fell silent again after that. Sakura laid her head back down, watching Gaara with relaxed eyes threatening to fall completely. Meanwhile, the boy, stared at his feet in the water. He glanced in every direction a sound was made, watching the other women and children murmur, or cough, or simply get out of the bath themselves. He was attentive of his surroundings, but not out of fear or worry, but because this circumstance was a first for him, and he absorbed as much of it as he could while also trying to understand the excitement in this act Sakura had painted for him days before while mentioning her own mother took her here once.
'Cute kid,' Sakura thought, still watching him silently. 'His innocence really shows in situations like this. He really doesn't understand how the world functions around him, but he is so invested in trying to learn. He wants to be as normal as any other boy his age.'
She continued to smile as she watched Gaara suddenly settle his small hands against his chest.
'You'll be a great man one day, Gaara,' Sakura thought with her smile still.
Yet, her eye twitched the moment she saw him begin cupping his chest. He flexed his fingers in the air just above his skin, and Sakura's jaw dropped at the act when she saw his eyes were settled on some naked women walking back to the changing room.
'Innocent my ass!' she suddenly thought. 'He is just like any other boy!'
Sakura's eyes narrowed before she called for his attention.
"Gaara!" she whispered fiercely. "What are you doing?!"
His stoic gaze returned to Sakura then, yet he continued to flex his fingers in the air.
"What?" he asked innocently.
Sakura reached for his hands then, lowering them before anyone caught sight of his embarrassing display.
"Don't do that," Sakura told him. "Only perverts do something like that."
To that, the boy chuckled before kicking up some water.
"Sakura?" he suddenly asked. "Are you a boy?"
The young woman stared at the boy a little bewildered. Had it not been obvious this whole time? She was sure she had made mention of it at some point, and yet, Gaara cleared her curiosity with his next words.
"You don't have boobs like other girls. Your chest is just like mine."
Sakura's eyes widened then, his words echoing in her ears still.
"...just like mine."
'He's comparing my breasts to a small boy's chest.'
Her head hung low then.
"Gaara," Sakura murmured. "That was probably the most cruel thing I've heard from you."
To that statement, Gaara tilted his head some.
"Worse than the times I said I would kill you?" he asked.
For a moment, Sakura was quiet, but eventually picked her head back up to show off what pride she had left to muster.
"Far worse," she told him while reminding herself in her mind that her body was built for fighting, and that Gaara was just young-minded.
Gaara laughed a little again before the pair fell silent. Past the steam, his young eyes traveled up towards the sky, and searched for those bright stars he was accustom to seeing back home. Yet, from Konoha's many lights, and dark clouds, the stars glow could not breakthrough, and as happy as this boy became of this village, wishing him and Sakura to stay together forever here, he was saddened by the skies lackluster display.
"The sky doesn't smile here," Gaara whispered.
Sakura looked at Gaara and turned her head once she noticed he was staring towards the sky.
"It does," Sakura reassured him.
Her mind settled suddenly to the familiar story Sakura had told Gaara, and she smiled thinking how long it had been since she had told them the tale of a smiling sky. It was also a reminder how far her and Gaara had come. At that time, he had called her pointless and had barely been convinced to come along with her to get kakigori. Never would she have imagined that night leading up to this day, and never again did she think to past by a kakigori stand without her thoughts falling to Gaara's smiling image begging her for the sweet treat.
"You're happy, Sakura."
Her stare must have been distant, but her smile must have grown enough for the boy to take notice. He simply stated what he noticed with curious eyes set on her.
"Yea," Sakura whispered before her eyes, and smile, met Gaara. "I am."
He tilted his head.
"How come?"
She sighed before resting her arms next to Gaara and dipped herself deeper into the pool.
"I'm remembering some times that make me happy," she murmured.
"Oh?" Gaara piqued. "Like what?"
Sakura smirked.
"Like the time I told you you wouldn't hold a prettier girl's hand than mine. I don't think I've seen you turn so red."
To the embarrassing thought, Gaara pouted lightly which made Sakura snicker.
"You know what else makes me happy?" Sakura asked him, hoping for his smile to return.
Gaara locked eyes with Sakura then.
"What?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"It makes me happy remembering that very same day, you listened to my whispers instead of everyone else. It felt like...after that, we were able to talk a little more."
Gaara's eyes widened, surprised Sakura delved so far back into their past relationship. The present always seemed like such a happier place the longer time went on, that it hadn't struck Gaara entirely to fall back on the harder moments Sakura and him shared. In his own mind, he recollected the time his father first brought Sakura to his room. The anger, the hurt, the confusion he felt that moment staring at Sakura then as she fell to the floor in tears felt so entirely opposite of feelings he now had towards her. Like her, if he took the time to recollect their past and compare it today, Gaara found that finding a smile now was much more easier than it had been in the past. For him, that only meant the bright future she always claimed for him came to fruition more and more with each passing day.
"Though it was awkward, it still makes me laugh when I remember the way you scared Baki and Annaisha, and it makes me happy that you were curious of their love, and asked me why they kissed. Do you understand what I was telling you then?"
She turned to look at Gaara, whose mind went back to that day. Not really, he had wanted to tell her. He knew love through the definition a little more better now, sure. He knew of the caring love through his siblings, and that concerned love that came with friends. But had yet to experience the unconditional love you earned from one other partner. The kind that led to nurturing, and kissing, and devotion, and sometimes even marriage. Never experiencing what Annaisha or Baki shared, and still doubtful his future self would, his answer was a shrug and apologetic smile towards Sakura.
"A little," he whispered.
Sakura, too, it seemed understood that his young mind was still too innocent for that sort of love, so she instead nodded at him not to feel bad that he couldn't comprehend.
"You'll understand one day," she told him. "Maybe when you're about my age."
Gaara returned her nod, not at all deterred that his young mind could not perceive such a thing yet. Instead, he watched as Sakura recollected more memories to smile about.
"Though I won't do it again, I do think it was a little fun that one day we broke your toys."
Hearing Sakura say that, Gaara grinned before his eyes whipped around him. Though pointless since no one was near, he tried to repress a chuckle before leaning in towards Sakura to hear his whisper.
"I really like doing that with you. It was really fun!"
Though she rolled her eyes, Sakura still smiled as Gaara continued to chortle at the memory. He may be coming to peace now with himself, but Sakura still saw the little boy still in awe at everything that was chaos and destruction. Maybe it was just a boy thing, Sakura assumed.
"...but, I think I liked the hug you gave me more. That was the first time someone else, besides Yashamaru, had ever hugged me."
Sakura smile big upon hearing that.
"Me too," Sakura explained. "I like hugging you more than breaking your toys. And I was so proud of you that day for thanking Tsutomu-san, I think he was too! It was like you made a whole new friend."
Gaara's eyes widened to the mention of the old man.
"Ah!" Gaara exclaimed as he remembered. "I should bring Tsutomu-san something from here."
"That's very sweet of you, Gaara," Sakura smiled. "We'll stop at a store before we leave and pick something out for him."
They shared another smile, both of them falling back to the idea of Tsutomu. Yet, as if the two of them remained link in thought, both Gaara and Sakura suddenly frowned. For while the mention of Tsutomu as a friend came to mind, the only other kind adult towards Gaara besides Sakura, their minds settled back to the brunette girl who, once, offered Gaara that same smile. As silence settled between them, Sakura looked back at Gaara and studied his frown for only a second before she came to the conclusion that Annaisha was now on his mind as well.
"Do you want to talk about her?" Sakura asked.
Gaara brought his eyes back up to Sakura then. He took her question into careful consideration before shaking his head.
"No," he practically hissed.
The enmity was still strong in the little boy for the young girl who had hurt him so. Sakura could understand why, but couldn't bring herself to believe Annaisha truly hated the boy in return like Gaara did her. She had disdained Sakura's reasoning, yes, but in the end, she did allow precious moments and teachings to occur between her and Gaara. Like Rasa, Annaisha's actions contradicted some of her words.
"I don't think she hated you, Gaara," Sakura whispered, testing the waters somewhat.
What she got was piercing eyes settled in her direction, and boiling anger she knew to now be brewing within Gaara's small self. I don't believe you, he was silently telling Sakura, and with just the tiniest sprinkle of, and I never will. Instead of heeding his warning, Sakura's heart made her press forward.
"She smiled at you," Sakura began, hoping he could see the beauty of Annaisha's actions before the attack. "She taught you how to make cookies."
Gaara sneered, and with his next words, Sakura knew the boy wanted to waste no more breath on the brunette.
"She tried to kill me."
Silence followed again, and Gaara kept his angry gaze set on Sakura for some time before he drew them back away towards the water.
"That's true..." Sakura murmured after some time in thought. "In a way, though, I think she also brought you and I closer together."
Her smile was sympathetic as Gaara whipped his round eyes back towards Sakura in shock. While the evidence was clear as much to him as it was to Sakura, he still shook his head.
"No, she did not," he refused.
"You didn't kill me along with her, even when I hurt you as well," Sakura said, making Gaara's eyes grow as he frantically shook his head.
For him, he didn't want to believe Annaisha, who represented so many of the others who hated him, had helped the bond him and Sakura now shared. Gaara was still too young to realize that through hate and turmoil could also a blessing, or a lesson, be buried within that despair. As he aged, he would see that all the hate he received at a young age would eventually lead to the empathetic man he would become. In a way, Gaara wouldn't be the great leader Sakura knew him to be without the animosity he earned at such a young age. It was a cruel thought, Sakura could definitely agree about, but the bright future that came with it could possibly give hope to even the most broken of people.
'Like Naruto had with Gaara,' Sakura thought with a smile.
Sakura brought her warm hand up to cradle Gaara's cheek, and her touch was enough to ease the boy then into revealing something deep.
"Back then, I didn't want you to leave me too," he confessed.
"I'm not like them," Sakura whispered. "I'll never be like them. I'll always be your friend, no matter what."
Gaara smiled with appreciation, leaning more into her hand. With time though, Sakura brushed her damp hands and tickled Gaara on the cheek, making the boy pull back with a grin and chuckle. She couldn't help but grin herself when she noticed his missing tooth.
'I'm surprised he hasn't lost anymore,' she thought.
To his smile as well, she was glad to see more of it now than the sad, cold child who played with blood to ease his mind and heart. Her thoughts were forgotten once she felt a hot splash of water hit her face. Gaara smiled when her eyes met his, and she was glad to see the anger from speaking about Annaisha vanish as he instead took a playful approach.
"You have to be there to keep holding my hand," he told Sakura then.
Yet, despite his words, Sakura hummed in thought which made the boy suddenly worry about her answer.
"Do I?" Sakura asked. "If you let her, Temari would do the same. Chiyo-baasama might even as well, she did hug you after all."
Despite this, the boy continued to pout. Her answers weren't the one he was looking for.
"Maybe, when you are both older, Matsuri might as well," Sakura smirked.
She earned another splash then, and as the water fell from her face, Sakura could see Gaara had turned a shade darker, and she was sure the cause of it wasn't from the bath's heat. Sakura laughed as Gaara yelled,
"If you don't want to hold my hand anymore you should just say so!"
Sakura shook her head, laughing still.
"No," she tried to speak. "No, that's not it at all. Of course I still want to hold your hand."
Gaara continued to pout, eyes turning towards the side as he tried to calm his nerves.
"All I'm saying is, now, instead of me, you have your brother, sister, friends, to do that with now. Isn't it a great thought knowing there's so many other people in your life now?"
Despite her underlying message, Gaara's stubborn, spoiled self failed to see what Sakura was trying to say.
"You can't stop now," he mumbled at Sakura, making the young woman roll her eyes.
"Gaara, don't you see what I'm saying?" Sakura spoke.
This time, the boy opened his mind a little bit more, and looked at Sakura while she spoke.
"Isn't it wonderful to know that your siblings recognize you now? That Matsuri, Tsutomu-san, Baki-san and Chiyo-baasama all stop and take a moment to speak to you? You're no longer lonely."
Gaara's eyes fell to the ground, and they scanned the water while taking in Sakura's words.
"The future I told you, it's coming into fruition. Though I've seen you kill, Gaara, you saving a life speaks more to me, for I know that's the kind soul you have in you. I'm certain at this point you can overcome your pain, and Shukaku," Sakura finished.
Gaara's eyes widened then, surprised as to what he was hearing, and how truthful all of what Sakura was saying felt.
"Don't ever forget, too, even if you can't see her. You have your mother, her love, and her song. You always will," Sakura finished.
She hoped Gaara would understand the message of her last words then, for that even if he couldn't see her that Karura's love would always be there. After all, it would be the same impression Sakura hoped to leave behind for the boy as well.
Eventually, Gaara's round eyes settled, and he grinned once more, his eyes somewhat dewy to her words. He nodded at her, agreeing with all she had said.
"Thank you, Sakura," he whispered.
She watched Gaara begin to wipe his eyes vigorously, probably trying to dry them before the tears even broke. She hopped out of the bath then, no longer caring if Gaara saw her naked form now, and sat next to him before pulling him in for a side hug.
"Don't cry, Gaara," Sakura told him. "You should be happy thinking back to all you've accomplished."
Gaara sniffled.
"I feel like crying," he told her. "But I'm not sad. These are...are..."
'Happy tears,' Sakura thought with a smile.
Sakura embraced him a little more closer then.
"It's alright to let those out," Sakura told him.
He said nothing, but simply nodded his head against her, still trying his best to brush them away.
"Make it quick though!" she told him suddenly. "There's one last stop I want to take you tonight."