SUMMARY: This got away from me a little...
Bonding time for the Genin.
Temari and Kankuro do not know who the three Konoha Nin are.
They don't know how they can walk up to Gaara without any traces of fear.
How they can trust him enough to simply sit with him for twenty minutes with their eyes closed and just breathe.
They don't want to admit it but they are jealous.
So they take to watching and eavesdropping every now and again.
"... monster." Gaara says after the twenty minutes.
The three snort in unison.
"You a monster!"
All three of them are laughing and Temari and Kankuro wish they could be laughing along with their brother like that.
The blond one straightens up, a serious expression on his face.
"Before I met Re and Ra, I used to think like that too."
"Really?" there is such vulnerability in Gaara's tone. Temari wants to get up and try to reassure him.
"The villagers used to hurt me, shout at me, beat me up. I never knew why. I begged and they just wouldn't stop."
The blond takes Gaara's hand.
"But they were the monsters, not me. They were the ones who beat up a child that did nothing to them."
"But I hurt them." Gaara argues.
"No. 'Mother' hurt them."
"You know that. They know that."
"And they weren't the only ones suffering. What about you?"
"What about me?"
"You suffered too."
Temari and Kankuro wince.
The three are right.
They are so right that it hurts.
They have to do something.
Not right now, they won't, can't interrupt this moment.
But they swear to do better.
They begin to part ways.
"Oh, and Gaara," one calls over their shoulder, "if anyone else in your team wants to join us, we wouldn't mind."
Temari and Kankuro are close enough to hear the murmur:
"Instead of watching us like creepy stalkers."
"Yeah, we have enough of those already."
Temari and Kankuro aren't sure whether to laugh or be embarrassed.
They are grateful though.
They will do better.
For Gaara.
Gaara walks back to the hotel, unsure.
He wants to believe his new (friends) companions desperately but it will take time.
He's though he was a monster for years, it is not just going to go away.
But he thinks he is starting to heal.
Even if Meditation is doing nothing for him, the three are.
They have no problem being affectionate with him and he likes it.
He has never had someone be so tender with him.
He knows it is partly because Naruto is like him.
Naruto can stop him if Mother gets too out of hand.
The idea brings him relief.
But still, this time time Naruto was late, and only Simure and Sakura were with him for a few minutes.
Gaara was tense.
What if he lost control?
Neither of the girls acted like anything was wrong.
Gaara couldn't understand it.
How could they be so calm in the presence of a monster.
He couldn't stop himself asking.
He will never forget the response.
Sakura's face lost all emotion.
Simure smiled but it wasn't warm. It was bitter, unhappy, resigned.
"We've seen monsters."
"You are nothing like them."
Gaara had no choice but to believe them.
There was something about those tones, those expressions.
If they didn't think he was a monster, Gaara did not want to meet the people they classified as ones.
He wished he could have stopped them meeting them too.
But he can't change what has happened.
Instead, today, he is going to try to hold a short conversation with his siblings without threatening them.
He's slowly been building up to this, a few touches and looks every now and again.
He's tried not to talk much so he won't make it worse.
He thinks it is working.
Maybe he can ask them to join in the Meditation sessions if all goes well?
Sakura did say they wouldn't mind.
Sakura usually says what she means.
First, he needs to actually talk to them.
No threats.
He hopes he can do it.
If you were to find a particular rooftop the next day, you would find an odd group there.
Two blonds, one redhead, one pinkette, one purplette and one brunet.
They don't appear to be doing anything except sitting there with their eyes closed and breathing.
It seems almost comical.
But they look so peaceful.
No one dares to disturb them.
Instead, they simply act like it is nothing out of the ordinary to see Konoha's most secretive Genin sitting with the Kazekage's children on a random rooftop.
The six in question simply sit there, meditating.
It is an odd sight but everyone else is used to odd sights.
In comparison, this is nothing.
For three of the six in question, it is much more.
No one else knows.
Lee sprints around the buildings determinedly.
His legs are burning, he is exhausted and he wants nothing more than to stop.
But he can't.
Gai-sensei believes in him.
His ninjutsu and genjutsu skills are non-existent but Gai-sensei still believes that he can become a Chunin.
Lee pushes himself hard.
He will become a Chunin.
He has to show Gai-sensei that he was right to train him.
That he is not a lost cause.
He needs to show Neji that being a prodigy is not everything.
That even people like him can succeed if they try hard enough.
He has to admit it hurts that Neji never acknowledges him, that he sees him as a lost cause.
Lee has to prove to Neji that anyone can defy Fate, even him.
Maybe then, he can alleviate some of his burden.
Lee sprints around the town.
When he is done (for the time being), he decides to take the roofs back to the training ground.
They pose a bit more of a challenge because he has to be careful not to break them or fall.
He is hard at work when he spots an interesting sight and comes to a stop.
"Well, this looks very youthful!"
Six pairs of eyes open and scrutinise him, their vigil broken.
"Gai-sensei would approve! Spending time to strengthen relationships with other Hidden Villages is-"
Here, the pink one interrupts.
"Would you like to join us?"
All the other five turn to glare at her but Lee is oblivious.
None of them have insulted him!
They are so kind!
Maybe they don't know about his handicap yet.
He is going to enjoy it while it lasts.
The six- now seven settle down and begin to meditate once more.
"Lee, there you are! This looks very youthful!"
Five pairs of eyes glare at the pinkette once more.