A/N: Timeline: Harley's first reunion visit, kinda going back to that mention of a video chat with Hayley from a few drabbles ago. Ignore the technology plotholes because I HC it anyway.

XXI. Digital Reunion

"I just… don't think I'm ready," Gaara said.

"Is it really a matter of being ready?" Harley asked. "You never have to clean up your act or be perfect before coming back into communion with people who love you."

"I just can't face her yet."

"What about with me? We were fine, right? Look, I won't force you. But Hayley has missed you just as much as I have all these years and finally has a free moment to call. The band's show is starting soon so it'll be a short chat anyways. Please? I'll be right here."

He sighed in surrender. Somehow the idea of her presence in the room was comforting.

Harley started tapping buttons on her device; a "smartphone" as she called it previously. She tried to explain it to him, but he didn't really get it. Somehow this device was going to connect him with his long-lost big sister figure.

"Hey Sis," she spoke into it. "I'm gonna put you on speaker and turn the video on. He's right here."

"You ready?" she asked with a smile, handing him the phone.

Warmth flooded his heart the moment he looked into that screen, at the familiar red-haired woman who had saved his life all those years ago, as if no time had passed. He was struck speechless.

"Oh… my gosh…"

She covered the lower half of her face with her hands as tears streamed down.

"Look at you! You've grown up!"

"I know that's what happens when you don't see someone for six years," she continued, "but look at you!"

Gaara tried to hold his own tears in, coming into full realization that, like with Harley, he didn't make her up either. She's real. And he was seeing her face and hearing her voice again, even if it was just on a screen.

"Hayley, I-" he choked.

"Your voice got deeper," she teased lightheartedly. "We've missed you, Gaara. As soon as we finish this tour, I'm gonna travel out there to see you. We have a lot of catching up to do, don't we?"

"N-no, you don't have- after what I've become-"

"We don't need to talk about that right now. I'm just so happy to see you, like I can't even tell you."

He couldn't force any more words out, in fear of completely breaking down into embarrassing sobs.

"Hey, the show's about to start so I've gotta go. But I'll see you soon, okay? Promise."

He nodded. It was all he could manage.

A/N: I've been watching the whole show again lately, so of course fluff is building up and I need to get it out of my system. This stupid stuff is really just for me at this point.