Three

Hour of Kazekage

BEFORE KIYOMI HAD TURNED TWELVE, SHE HAD LEARNED WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO take a life. It had been a life changing even that brought her home in numb silence. She thought she'd never remember how to talk without remembering the way her hands had felt like covered in blood. It was an accident. She only meant to get him to stop, but Kiyomi had fucked up. She hadn't meant to kill him.

It had been an Akatsuki member. He had been a criminal and he shouldn't have the right to anything else after the Akatsuki had attempted to destroy Suna to get to their Kazekage. Thus, she had killed the man known as Hidan. At the very least, she had aided Konoha in his removal. In doing so, she shared the burden of murder with a man known as Nara Shikamaru who had his own vendetta against that man. Kiyomi's team had been tracking Hidan for months after he was spotted in the Wind country, and he pushed her hand when he murdered her friends.

She supposed that was just how the world worked these days.

Still, Kiyomi would never forget the look in Shikamaru's eyes when he fought at her side. The boy had wanted more than just Hidan's death. He wanted to destroy him. Kiyomi, having been trained from birth to fight, had followed his strategy, his lead, and had walked away with blood upon her hands.

That battle made Kiyomi know that she would much rather protect a life than take one. Thus, she joined exited her time with the persuit brigade and joined special forces with the intention of being a teacher. Of course, that was before she found out about her illness. How could she ever dedicate her life to students if she only had a year left. No, she instead was forced away from the dream that had once been so attainable. She was left wandering the village without anything in her life. She began living through the mere memories of her brother who she would never see again.

"Have you thought about a position under protection of the Kazekage?" Sobune Hibito had asked her as she put in her letter of resignation. She had planned to live out her last days getting fat and masturbating. Maybe she'd get a house mouse or a chameleon. At least that way they'd both live the same amount of time.

She was livid and shaken at the thought of where she was and she wanted to pass out as she walked up the steps towards the hallway that would lead past nearly twenty rooms, most of which she had never stepped foot inside. After Kota, she had taken every mission she could out of Suna. She had been desperate for distraction, she had been the first to request every mission that took her away from the home she had once felt safe to be inside. That innocence had died the day Kota departed.

She took another step, wishing that she could stop the rise of fear and the emotion she would not name and give power over her. She had to be stronger than she had been the first month she wasted of her year. She hurt her parents and she was hurting them now. Kiyomi's steps faltered as that second emotion swallowed her lungs when she approached the door at the end of the hall. She stared at it, and it was taller than her. It was menacing, but she had gotten so much stronger than she had ever been as a kid.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Kiyomi had asked her brother, watching him stare up at her with that innocent twinkle in his eyes. She could still see it when she closed her eyes.

"I want to be your brother!" Only Kota could say something so embarrasing and still mean it. Kiyomi swallowed her feelings at the thought.

She had laughed at him back then. "You will always be my brother, but if you don't study then I will tell everyone I don't know you!"

Kiyomi smiled, allowing those happy thoughts of her brother fill her heart as she reached the end of the hallway. She raised her hand, willing it to move as thoughts of running away had filtered back into her mind. Still, she wasn't certain how long she stood in front of that door before it opened. No one greeted her, and instead all she saw was sand retreat from the door that had opened on its own. That sand trickled along the ground, retreating back to a red headed boy—her Kazekage—who had not looked away from his paperwork. She watched those beautiful pieces of sand run right back into the giant gourd next to his desk. She stopped herself from shivering as she gave a solid ninety degree bow.

Gaara glanced up from his paperwork, his dark shadowed eyes running over the girl that had spent a good five minutes standing in front of his office door. His Chakra sensing abilities, while not as good as it had been when he housed a demon, were still excellent. It had been a curiosity at first, when he tried to concentrate on the treaty in front of him, that someone outside his door remained. After the first minute, it had gotten annoying. What is taking them so long?

Another minute had passed and he was just staring at the door, able to feel the person's warm Chakra from behind the door. It felt like a crackling fire or like sand under the hot sun. It wasn't an unappealing texture, surely not spiked in threat. Still, they were distracting him from the treaty that he already didn't want to be reading. What would it take, he thought to himself, to just have someone else do the work for him. Still, he was far to diligent to ever skimp on a single detail in the mix or slack on his work.

By the time three minutes had passed and the door still had not cracked open, Gaara had began stealing glances over to it. He began to wonder if perhaps the person did not know how to properly disturb the Kazekage or perhaps, Gaara grimaced at the thought, whoever it was was afraid of him. That thought was frustrating since Gaara worked immensely hard to rid himself the reputation of his past. He was ashamed of that reputation and that idea left him using his sand on the fifth minute and opening the door. He spotted a rather tall brunette girl.

She had piercing green eyes, Gaara noticed as he watched her eyes trail over his sand that he placed back into the gourd. He glanced back towards his paperwork, deciding to wait for her to speak considering he had already done the work of opening the door for her. She did not say anything, and instead bowed. That was not something he was used to yet, even though he had been Kazekage for two, nearly three, years by now. He had gotten used to the sight of people cowering to get away from him when he had still be Gaara, the monster of the Sand.

"Kazekage-sama."

She had a soft voice, Gaara noticed with a bemused glance over her very tall figure. She was lanky, her fingertips easily reaching her knees. Her legs were very long and muscular, making it obvious that she probably never skipped a training session. Still, when she finally met his curious gaze, he noticed that here cheeks were sallow. She was tan, fitting the idea that spent much time training in the sun.

"I am Shiragane Kiyomi," she finally greeted, and Gaara finally placed the papers back down on the desk. She watched his actions, unable to help being cautious at every move of his hands. She tried to hide the fact that she was studying him, ready for any attack. She was confident in her ability to hide her emotions. Kota had always said she was cold to people and that was why people always thought she hated everybody.

It hurt to think of Kota when the Kazekage was so close. More than hurt, it felt like her blood was on fire. Speak respectfully, she reminded herself as she tried to remember that she was to work under the Kazekage. She had meant what she said to Kankuro. She would protect him with her life and Kiyomi was not liar. Her personal feelings meant nothing. Her history and background meant nothing.

"Ah." Gaara said nothing more, and their silence was awkward, uncomfortable, and Kiyomi began to regret coming here. She regretted telling her mother this was what she had to do before the end. She regretted not bringing Kota with her in her suitcase when he had begged.

"I don't suppose..." Kiyomi paused, awkwardly raising her gaze over the plain room. Her eyes ran over to the window where the Suna's beautiful sun had begun to disappear from over the buildings. She wished she had her father's charisma at that moment. She wished she had his bravery and impossibly bright personality. No, she was cursed with her mother's awkward and long silences that she had no idea how to fill. "Kankuro told you about me."

Gaara blinked, very slowly and it was the first time Kiyomi had seen him blink the entire time they had been together in this room. She remembered that the closest she had ever been to him was that day so long ago on the playground of Suna. Many in her field of Shinobi arts never met their village leader, and for Kiyomi's case, this had been intentional.

"He did," Gaara said, and her gaze ran over the tanuki-like black rings around his eyes. Kiyomi was knowledgable enough to recognize that they had very similiar levels of social abilities. His lack of socializing was something she found rather bemusing in hindsight since she remembered his touching speech during the fourth Shinobi war. She watched him slowly lean back in his chair.

"I don't suppose you are already familiar with my resume," she said, forcing herself to take a step forward as she further investigated the contents of his office. She wanted to go home. She wanted to be anywhere else.

"I have read your file," Gaara said, and that much was true. His siblings had been begging him to pick more bodyguards since the night he was captured by the Akatsuki. It had only gotten worse in the passing months as more village tension swept Suna and many new villages in the land of Wind had arisen to challenge Sunagakure's rule as capital. Gaara, regardless of his siblings complaints, wasn't interested in more people watching his every move. Still, his love for his brother and sister had finally caused him to relent to their wishes.

Gaara had been forced by Kankuro and Temari to read nearly one hundred different files before he finally relented to five Shinobi, telling Kankuro to decide which two would be added to the Kazekage's personal shadow. When he had finally been told which two had gotten the position, he was impressed by the line up. Especially that of Shiragane Kiyomi who, Gaara thought to be overqualified to be a personal and high status babysitter.

Her Kekkei Tōta had especially impressed him, as it was said to be something one didn't just inherit. It was studied to be a random mutation that left a person with the ability of three very destructive elemental controls. Little else was known because it was rare to meet someone with the ability.

The other under the position was yet another impressive man, his abilities reminding Gaara of the Nara clan. This was due to his ability, as with the rest of the Kage clan, to hide in shadows. This, Gaara was certain, was likely something Kankuro found amusing since that meant that Gaara never had any inclination that the man would be in the room. Gaara, being a very private person, found this prospect very uncomfortable. Even the man's name, Hisashi, meant 'always with you' which Gaara also did not like. Still, even Gaara couldn't deny that the ability was useful. He didn't have to like it.

Kiyomi, however, had a far more impressive file. She had been, as Gaara had seen it, a workaholic who must not have taken any time off considering all her missions left little time for preparation to the next one. He understood that tenacity well, and he found it respectable. Hence why he agreed with Kankuro's choice.

"She kicked me in the nutsack!" Kankuro had screamed, and Temari had begun laughing, making it obvious to Gaara that this was not the first time Temari had heard their brother's complaints.

Still, thinking on the way the battle had been through the recordings he had seen of her fights, Gaara had been aware that by the time the last battle had come up, Kiyomi's Chakra must have been depleted. After all, the stamina one needed to go through back to back battles with Jounin who wanted a position just as much as the next was not an easy feat. Yao's battle had come up and still, Kiyomi had used her environment to take him down. She must have been exhausted, she must have been just wishing for it to end already, her Chakra must have been fleeting. Yao, in contrast, had only battled two opponents before Kiyomi, so he was well rested.

Still, Kiyomi had beaten him. Then, she proceeded to beat Kankuro. She was tencious, Gaara could see that much. He had been eager to meet her, and part of that was due to the fact that Kankuro would not shut up about her.

"I had thought," Gaara said, mulling over his next couple words as Kiyomi's gaze had drifted back towards him with a tilted head. Her expression was unreadable, but Gaara had never been to experienced in understanding emotions upon one's face. However, he was an expert at detecting fear. The moment he saw it, he felt immense disappointment that threatened to break his composure. "You were on the path to become a sensei."

That had confused him, as her file stated that she had taken internships and displayed direct enthusiasm for a different goal than the one she was currently standing. Gaara had always been curious about the goals of others, especially if he was to be employing one to watch him and be at his side during missions when his siblings could not.

Kiyomi's expression had not changed, and Gaara could still see the fear in her eyes regardless of her attempts to hide it. "I had wanted that," Kiyomi said, forcing her legs forward until she was in front of his desk. He was surprised by her action of closing the distance as this was definitely not something people readily did when they were afraid of him.

"And now?" Gaara didn't want to be with anyone who didn't want to be around him. He worked hard to leave his past behind him, but he understood that not everybody could leave such twisted and monstrous actions behind him. He could never make amends for his actions, but he could at the very least show that he would give his life, and proven such, for his village.

"Now," Kiyomi said, still wishing she could be at home. "Now I'm here." Her eyes ran over the very neat desk of the Kazekage. Even the papers and files were in distinct and organized stacks. Kiyomi had always been very messy, so seeing such a well structured desk was a contrast to her hectic room that so very well resembled her hectic life.

She held her breath, wondering just how much he could know about her life. She hadn't been surprised that he knew about her career path since to become a teacher in the sand, one had to be very vocal about the intent. It required many tests, many recommendations, and even more permissions by high ranking officials. So many had been disappointed when she dropped out of the race after all the work she put in to get there.

"Ah," Gaara said, and glanced away from her gaze first. "If that is the case, I suppose I should introduce myself."

Kiyomi's brows raised, and she attempted to keep her comments to herself when he stood up and walked around his desk. He was taller than her, but only barely. She imagined he might have been taller, but theorized that the heaviness of his gourd had stumped much of his growth. She wondered why he would bother with introductions considering everybody in Suna knew who he was, unless they were dumb or babies.

"I am Gaara," he said, and she tried to control the emotion in her heart since it was not at all helpful and definitely contradictory to her vow to protect him. "I am the son of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa. I am your Fourth Kazekage. I look forward to working with you." Slowly, and much to Kiyomi's surprise, he bowed to her.

The leader of Suna bowed to her. She felt, almost immediately, a burst of heat rush through her cheeks as shame flooded her gut. She covered that up with more work than she was proud to admit. Slowly, she nodded her head and examined his posture, his hair, his red clothes, and began to wonder what he was like when the demon still resided in his body. Obviously, even with its departure, it had not zapped much of his strength.

"I look forward to working with you as well, Lord Kazekage," Kiyomi said, and she hated herself for lying. She always hated lying.

I will protect you. I don't have to like you.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Does anybody got any theories as to why Kiyomi hates Gaara? I'd love to hear them! I am so excited for the next chapters and as of right now, I do have a lot of ideas for this story. It will definitely be much shorter than my others since the plot isn't as big as my other stories and I don't need to incorporate any huge events that happened in Naruto in this series.

I get to make this entirely my own thing, which is much easier than worrying about making an extremely AU Naruto fanfiction.

That's not to say this DOESN'T have a plot. It's just mostly focused on character growth and the stages of grief.

Regardless, again, thank you to everyone who has read! Have a wonderful day!

- Ul'Yana