Chapter 37
One morning…
Walking down the forested path that spring day, Gaara and his siblings were on their way to Konoha.
To attend Naruto's wedding to Hyuga Hinata.
After much discussion about the gift they should present the happy couple, they were ready to wish them their best.
As they continued through the Land of Fire, a warm spring breeze flew past them.
Swaying the leaves on tree branches as if in a welcoming manner.
While they chatted about what the big day would bring, they approached the cover of shadows from the trees above.
The path weaving into the dense and lush forest, the sunbeams peeking through the canopy with a friendly warmth.
As they made their way through the forest, Gaara paused.
Sensing a chakra nearby, but unable to tell if it was an adversary or not.
Either way, it was a warning.
He could feel a pair of eyes locked onto him from beyond the trees.
Peculiar.
He narrowed his glance towards where he felt them staring.
"Temari, Kankuro," He started. "You go on ahead."
Curiously, they turned to him.
Noticing a sudden stern expression on his face.
"What is it, Gaara?" Kankuro asked. "Something wrong?"
Gaara turned towards the forest path behind.
Preparing himself for an encounter.
"There's a person tailing us, but I don't think it's cause for alarm." He replied. "I'll only be a moment."
Slightly confused, Kankuro nodded.
"Sure thing, little brother."
"We'll wait for you up ahead." Temari added, walking forward. "Don't take too long, now."
As their footsteps faded away into the forested path ahead, he turned towards the thicket.
Alone, he looked into the forest with a serious glance, solidifying his stance in the dirt.
Ready to potentially face an unexpected enemy.
"Show yourself!" He ordered. "I know you're there."
Suddenly, within the movement of the tree leaves, he turned to meet them.
Behind the trees and looking directly into the darkness of the forest, his eyes widened slightly.
A silhouette of a wolf was starting into him, their ghostly figure locking eyes with him as the forest fell silent.
The creature's eyes gleamed from the scattered sunlight, revealing them to be a subtle shade of lilac.
Stepping out of the darkness as if flowing from the image of the wolf, a masked shinobi appeared.
They were petite and appeared feminine in figure.
With long golden hair tucked in behind their wolf-shaped mask, wearing the Suna flak jacket.
He knew exactly who it was.
His expression calmed, growing slightly surprised.
"Nomasaki?"
The masked ninja nodded, kneeling before him.
"The council wanted to make sure you were safe," She answered. "Being that you're venturing off alone with your siblings during this difficult time."
She looked down for a moment.
Thinking of her comrades in the tracking unit…
"I was originally tasked to accompany the ninja scanning for Tenbu's hideout, but they changed my mission last minute."
Her comment surprised him, his eyes slightly widening from her words.
As dangerous as Tenbu were, she narrowly escaped a potentially fatal mistake.
This assured him, but also made him curious as to who might have changed her assignment.
Baki, perhaps?
He straightened his stance, relaxing his arms at his sides.
"I didn't think they'd send you," He remarked. "Especially since you left your position as my assistant so suddenly after the war."
"Well," She began. "I'm rising through the tracker ranks and they're noticing."
A small chuckle passed through her wolfish mask.
"Also, it would be a conflict of interest if I stayed your assistant, wouldn't it?"
Flustered and trying to keep composure, he averted his gaze.
With a hint of subtle guilt and nervousness.
"I didn't tell them we were… together, yet." He confessed. "I'm sorry…"
"That's alright." She nodded, sounding content. "The only people who should care anyways are you and I."
A change of heart since the last time the topic was brought up, which was a good sign.
Relieved and with a small smile, he looked back at the masked kunoichi.
"My mission is to see that you and your siblings reach Konoha safely, that's a direct order from the council." She explained, sounding stern.
She looked down, embarrassed.
"My apologies I can't attend the wedding with you. It's been a while since I've spoken to Naruto during that mission… I wish them all the best!"
Gaara nodded.
"I'll make sure to give them your message." He said.
"You're too kind!" She beamed. "I'll be seeing you when you return, yes?"
"Of course." He smiled, softly. "I'll see you then."
Smiling under her mask, she weaved a single hand-sign.
To teleport back to the cover of the shadows.
"Ciao!"
And in a sudden cloud of smoke, she disappeared within the forest.
Despite being relieved to see her safe with his own eyes, deep down he felt concern for the inevitable.
Although she was safe from harm, thoughts of Tenbu still flooded his mind.
She was a tracker-nin, and with that she accepted the responsibilities and the risks of being a shinobi.
But still, he did not want her to get hurt by those who were after him.
He felt torn inside.
Brushing aside his troubling thoughts, he turned and started on his way to rejoin his siblings…
En route to Konoha for his best friend's wedding…
Later that afternoon…
Once they were settled in at the village…
Near the Hokage's mansion, the Kazekage and his siblings were invited to stay at the elegant suites in the district.
Luxurious, simple, and prestigious, they were welcomed guests.
Not to mention, due to the word of Tenbu, the suites where all the Kage were staying were heavily guarded by ANBU.
In case of an ambush during the one of the most important political marriages in Konoha's history.
On the table before them as they sat on the couches, there was a bottle of unopened sake and some chocolate sweets.
A gift for attending the wedding?
Perhaps.
Disappearing from their room, Temari sneakily approached the sliding door.
Hoping to not gain her brothers' attention.
"Where are you off to, Temari?" Kankuro smirked, glancing towards her. "Going to meet up with that Nara guy again?"
Jolting, she could feel her whole body freeze in a state of fluster.
"Huh?!" She whipped her head towards him, blushing. "N-No! I-I… Well…! I'm stepping out, and it's none of your business!"
And with the slam of the sliding wooden door, she was gone.
Taking a shot of a sake, Kankuro leaned back in his seat, relaxing after a long day's journey on foot.
"Geez," He sighed. "In a bad mood again, like the last time we were in Konoha…"
With a sneaky grin on his face, he turned to his younger brother, who sat across from him with his arms folded.
His expression stoic, and trapped in his internal thoughts.
"Do you think she's seeing him, Gaara?"
Gaining his attention, Gaara put his thoughts aside in his mind.
"Who knows," He replied, turning to him. "I wouldn't be surprised."
He thought to himself for a moment, a small smile forming on his lips.
"And she's right, that's none of our business. Although, if true I'm not opposed. Shikamaru seems… to fit her well."
Chuckling to himself, Kankuro leaned forward, placing his glass on the table.
"I would've never thought that I would be the only single Sand Sibling," He sighed, pouring another drink.
Gesturing the bottle to his younger brother, Gaara shook his head in response.
With a shrug of his shoulder, Kankuro took another sip of the Konoha's sake.
"I'm still surprised you and Nomasaki really hit it off!"
Surprised, Gaara jolted from the mention of her name.
"O-Oh," He acknowledged, faintly blushing as he glanced to his side. "Thanks. She… said she can't make it to the wedding."
"Aw, really? That's too bad."
After a moment, an idea entered Gaara's mind.
This was his chance to leave the awkward conversation.
Standing up, he started for the door.
"Kankuro," He paused. "I'm… going out for a while."
Stuffing his face, Kankuro nodded.
"Alright," He waved.
With the sliding of wooded door, Gaara was gone…
As the afternoon approached the evening, the village streets became calmer…
Silently, the young Kazekage entered the Konoha bookstore.
Lurking in the section towards the back of the store, away from any wide-eyed customers who were shocked to see a foreign ruler in their midst.
As he began to rifle through the shelves, a familiar face spotted him.
"Gaara! Long time, no see!"
Turning towards the familiar voice, he softly smiled.
"Lee!" He spoke. "How've you been?"
"Terrific!" Lee beamed. "I've been training non-stop and-"
As he walked towards him, he glanced at the books he had set aside on the counter.
"What books are those?" Lee asked, curiously.
As he glanced, he grew surprised.
"'How to Build Relationships', 'Emotions 101', 'Healthy Relationships'… 'Romantic… Intimacy'?!"
Gaara averted his glance, awkwardly.
He remembered the advice Temari gave him about the matter.
When he told her about his relationship months before…
"Ugh… Gaara, you're so clueless about anything to do with relationships and feelings, so why don't you just read about it?"
Although she gave him lessons in etiquette, he was still quite naïve on the concept.
Rambling on about cacti and the different species of cacti of Suna.
But he was willing to understand anything for her.
"…They're for a friend." He lied, averting his glance.
After leaving the shop, he stopped by a park bench under a tree across from the plaza.
Reading anything he could grasp…
As he skimmed through the pages, he scratched his red hair of crimson.
Confused and dismayed by the contents of the chapter he was reading.
With a subtle sigh, he turned the page.
"Are they for a friend?"
Surprised from the voice, he looked up.
Rock Lee, standing before him with a smile.
"Lee!" Gaara stammered.
He looked down, his eyes closed halfway in sadness and embarrassment.
"Sorry." He apologized, quietly. "I'm… just embarrassed."
He thought of what Kankuro would say if he was caught with the book he was reading.
"You're reading books on relationships?! What kind of man… no, Kazekage are you?!"
The potential jabs Kankuro could make ran through his mind.
Sadly, he closed the book, hanging his head low as he sat on the bench.
"I can't even understand the 'Icha Icha' series…" He sighed. "To be caught reading these books… I would be laughed at."
"Do not worry!" Lee chimed in. "Our friend Sai still reads those books, too. And he has a girlfriend!"
Gaara's eyes widened, slightly.
Surprised and comforted by his response.
Leaning in, Lee grinned at him.
Hoping to bolster his mood.
"Say…" He started. "Do you have a girlfriend, Gaara?"
His question caught him off guard.
Surprising him greatly.
Looking up to him with eyes wide, he faintly blushed.
"Uh," He fumbled, averting his gaze. "Well…"
Winning over his nervousness, he looked up to him, a soft smile on his lips.
"Yes." He nodded.
Lee smiled widely.
"Amazing!" He cheered, posing in his exercise stances. "I wonder who she is… Surely she must be strong if she is with you! And pretty!"
He continued posing.
Displaying the 'power of youth'.
"A formidable partner for my formidable friend!"
He stopped his posing, turning to him.
Lee looked down for a moment.
"I have to be honest," He started. "I never imagined you being with someone, Gaara."
He looked back at him, a wide cheerful smile on his face.
"She must be truly amazing!"
Gaara thought about his words.
Gently, he smiled to himself as he thought of her.
"Yes." He nodded, looking up to him. "She is."
Lee reached out, picking up one of the books he bought.
"Is that why you're reading these?" He asked, as he began to skim through the pages.
"Yeah," Gaara nodded. "I'm working on expressing my feelings. It's… more difficult than I thought."
"You can do it!" Lee beamed. "As Gai-sensei says, 'any goal is possible, no matter how challenging or impossible'!"
Warmly, Gaara closed his eyes halfway and smiled.
"Thanks, Lee."
"Hey, Lee!"
Turning their attention towards the village street, Tenten was standing with her hands on her hips.
"We have to get ready for the reception tomorrow!" She shouted. "We still haven't wrapped Naruto and Hinata's present yet!"
Realizing how late he was, Lee perked up and started towards her.
"My bad!" He laughed. "I got carried away!"
With a smile and a thumbs up, he paused and turned around to his friend.
"See you later, Gaara!"
Watching Lee run off, Gaara thought to himself.
-Can I… really do it, after all…?-
As the tree leaves rang in the wind, the evening approached…
Tomorrow was the big day…
Elsewhere...
Deep within the wastelands of the land where Ishigakure was located, the tracking unit from Suna approached the location...
Where they suspected Tenbu was hiding...
The squad of five masked tracker-nin and their captain approached the cave entrance, quickly noticing there was no one around...
However, a large looming presence shadowed behind them as if from nowhere...
Snuffing them all out within an instant...
No one escaped...