Hello again! Firstly thanks to everyone, and in this chapter you'll know a little more about Yonaka. :)
And now, on with the story!
The night fell at last upon the village. The Sand had repelled the attack, but they didn't feel victorious at all. The corpses of all the fallen Sand nin's were wrapped in write shrouds, and the funeral was held at the light of the moon and torches. Everyone dressed in black and gathered in the crematorium plaid, where Gaara, flanked by Kankuro and Temari, presided over the ceremony.
-We're all here to say farewell to those who fought bravely today. They died protecting what they called home, protecting whose they called beloved, protecting their ideals –Gaara stopped his speech briefly to look at their faces. No one was crying. In the Hidden Sand Village, the people hardly showed their feelings in public. They were raised in such a hostile environment as the dessert, where a sign of weakness could lead you to death. –And that's not a shameful dead at all. We'll remember them with pride and we'll hope to meet them once we end our own life. Meanwhile, we have to keep defending what they died for. Our ideals, our people and our village.
Saying this, he took one torch and started burning the corpses. It was tradition, but it was of necessity too. They had sandy soil, and it wasn't the most appropriate to bury a large amount of bodies. Everyone stared to the flames as hypnotized, remembering their comrades and relatives, watching as the rising smoke vanished in the air…
Later that night, and after offering his condolences, Gaara headed to his residence. He walked slowly; he wasn't in a hurry at all. Yonaka was occupying his thoughts. Why did she freeze in the middle of a battle? She was supposed to be a jounin! Gaara knew that loosing someone important was a great shock, but…he still couldn't understand it. He looked at the night sky and saw the full moon…that was going to be a long night…
When he arrived at his place, he went to his favourite spot, the balcony. It was huge and you could see all the Sand Village, the dessert and an oasis in the distance. He spotted a lonely figure cut against the dark sky, it was Yonaka. She was standing on the railing, looking at the emptiness with her hands entwined in her back. She lowered her head, sighed and mumbled a "goodbye". Gaara quickly reacted, and within seconds he gently enveloped her with his sand and put her away from the railing, softly putting her in the balcony's floor beside him. He frowned and crossed his arms, looking at her severely. She had an astonished expression in her face.
-You scared me, Kazekage-sama –the sand left her and she panted heavily.
-What do you think you were doing? –he demanded
-I was saying farewell…
-You were going to jump –he stated
She raised an eyebrow and her eyes reflected her amazement –Are you mental? –she enquired
Now was Gaara's turn to be surprised. It was the first time he was insulted so directly, so he looked intensely at her.
-Excuse me?
-Oh, sorry Kazekage-sama! –she bowed deeply realising her mistake –I didn't mean to insult you.
-But you did.
-Well, you called me suicide –she retorted.
-I didn't.
-You thought it.
If Gaara were a more expressive person he'd have laughed, but he wasn't, so instead of laughing he inclined his head. Yonaka spoke again.
-What I mean to say is…-she paused to measure her words –Please, Kazekage-sama, don't have such a low estimating of me. I wasn't going to commit suicide. I was saying goodbye to my father. From this spot I can see the crematorium plaid, so I watched the whole ceremony.
-I see –he answered –but I couldn't help but notice that your father meant a lot to you. You froze in the middle of a battle, and you waited for your death.
-My father was everything to me. He was the only person who ever cared for me, my only relative and friend. I don't have more family, and though I have some acquaintances they aren't friends to me. I've lost everything, even my meaning of life. I wanted my father to be proud of me as a ninja, but I failed.
A silence fell upon both of them. She approached again to the railing and sat on it. Gaara sat beside her, leaving his gourd on the other side. He seized firmly her wrist. She looked at him again frowning.
-I told you, I'm not going to jump.
-Just in case.
-Committing is the last thing I'd do in my life.
-That's obvious.
Yonaka laughed bitterly at her own stupidity. –You know what I mean. You can go to sleep, is late.
-I don't sleep with full moon. You're the one who should go to sleep.
-I can't sleep, not tonight.
-You need some rest.
-Actually, there's something I'd like to ask you, Kazekage-sama. Give me some time of permission, please. I need to reconsider my job after this war. I don't know if I can stand being a ninja anymore. I had enough blood and pain today. I need a break.
Gaara looked at her frowning face and nodded.
-As you wish, you've six months. You will be in the administrative department during that time; after that period, if you want to work again as an active ninja, you will go back to your missions as a jounin. If you don't, you can remain there as much as you want.
Yanaka lowered her head and thanked him. She turned again to look at the full moon, and they remained silent the rest of the night.
I'm terribly sorry for the long delay for this chapter, but I just started classes again :'(.
I also think it's too short, but this is better than nothing, isn't it? Anyway, hope you like it and I'll work harder in the next one. See you!