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Chapter Fifteen
The voice had caught her full attention, and Sakura stood frozen in mid-step. The words sunk in before she slowly turned her head to the source of the voice. Temari stood there with a hard gaze, her colorful eyes staring at the rosette as if she was revolting. The young girl only sneered when Sakura was quiet to her remark, she had been hoping the woman would be rattled by her words, but instead it was only Kankuro behind her, trying to pull her away, whose voice could be heard.
"Don't be mean," he was whispering to her. "Sakura is nice."
To his words Sakura shook off her thoughts as she marched over to the young pair. As soon as the rosette stood before them, Sakura could see the worry once more in Kankuro's eyes, scared of reprimand. Meanwhile, Temari puffed her chest out even more, nose rising to Sakura's close presence.
"Forgive me," Sakura whispered, kneeling down to her knee.
Temari's eyes widened then, not expecting Sakura's apology.
"For?" the blonde asked, yet knowing very well what incident Sakura would speak about.
The girl's bravado broke then, shyness took over and Temari forced her eyes away from Sakura's stare. Her small body relaxed before sinking in to itself with a lowering back.
"At that dinner, I asked questions about your mother and uncle, and probably made assumptions that I shouldn't have," Sakura spoke again, placing a gentle hand on top of Temari's locks, earning back the girl's look. "I won't take back what I told you about Gaara, It's still something I still believe, that someday you both will love each other, but I never meant to make you upset or cry."
A heavy sigh came from the little girl, and her eyes were once again to the side of her.
"I didn't cry..." Temari mumbled. "I don't care about Gaara."
Temari took a step back away from Sakura's touch before speaking more.
"I just want him gone. If he was never born, I'd still have a mother. If he would have just died in the desert, then nobody else would have to die anymore."
Sakura opened her mouth, to retort, but stopped when Temari's glistening eyes met with hers.
"Gaara is going to kill you," she repeated, voice and eyes steady.
At first thought, Sakura assumed Temari to say such a cold thing as some form of resentment towards her. It seemed Temari held nothing but hostility towards her, why else would she say such a horrible thing to her, Sakura thought. However, that idea vanished with Temari's next words.
"I don't want him to."
Silence followed, for Sakura was letting Temari's words sink in while her eyes scoured Temari's own, searching for a hidden meaning. Yet, with time, the message became clear, and Sakura smiled softly at the girl.
"Don't worry about me," Sakura reassured her. "I've seen the kindness Gaara has in him. Maybe soon we can all play together. Just the three of us."
The young woman offered them hope, something they were always searching for. Despite how little they knew of Sakura, she spoke to reassure them, to make them feel better, she smiled towards them and tried to make them see the good in their brother; and to most of her efforts they appreciated her attempts, which in turn drew them closer to her. Temari offered a small smile of her own to Sakura, a silent agreement that she would anticipate for that day to come.
"Better hurry up," Sakura said while nudging her head to the side of her. "Baki is waiting."
As if the day hadn't already started off with many surprises, another one came when Temari bounced towards Sakura for a quick embrace. It had caught the rosette so off guard, that before she could return the hug, the young girl had backed away and was racing away. Shyness had gotten the best of Temari once again, and Sakura simply stared in the direction Temari had ran off to, still surprised the girl sought her affection so desperately.
Perhaps it wasn't only Gaara who was the lonely child in this home, and the more Sakura thought of that the more her heart ached for the little girl who had jumped for her. No doubt Temari was the only one with memory of their mother, even if it was only just a small trace, that Sakura had to wonder if Temari missed the warm hold only her mother could have given her.
"Surely Shiori, or Rasa, gives her..." Sakura began to whisper, but stopped short when she felt a pair of eyes on her.
Slowly she turned her head, this time eyes meeting with the first son. He stared at her curiously, something that made Sakura chuckle in time. He was, surprisingly, the quietest of the three with her, and it was obvious why Sakura hadn't noticed him lingering behind.
"Why are you always the one staying behind?" Sakura asked with a soft smile, before nudging her head once again. "You should go. They'll be waiting for you."
At that moment, Sakura began to pick herself up as well, knowing she was long overdue leaving Gaara with someone else. Yet, through the corner of her eye, she saw Kankuro reach out towards her with a means to stop her, yet apprehension came over him before he could actually touch the rosette, and instead he stepped back when her eyes turned back to his in question.
"Um..." Kankuro mumbled, unsure of himself.
Silence followed while Sakura placed herself back down to the boy's level, and with time, his dark eyes finally turned towards her emerald ones. By then, he had found the courage to finally speak what was on his mind.
"Is it true?" he asked, barely even a whisper.
Sakura tilted her head, unsure what he meant.
"Is what true?" she asked.
Kankuro's eyes fell then, a sheepish smile coming into play, but he did step closer to Sakura.
"What you said about Gaara. That he'll love us one day… Is it true?"
Sakura was shocked, and her eyes even widened to the boy's question. However, it wasn't because she suddenly had doubts that made her surprised, but instead by the fact that Kankuro remembered her words. He had taken her remarks into consideration, and judging by how apprehensive he was for her answer, his eyes focused entirely on her now, the possibility of Gaara loving him made Kankuro wishful for just that.
"Of course," Sakura answered no hesitation in her voice.
With no surprise to her, a smile began to grow on the boy's features. His eyes had shuffled away, mind warping at the very thought while he twiddled his fingers around each other. Even if the idea excited him though, he couldn't help but ask questions, and was glad Sakura had the answers for him.
"When?" he asked.
Sakura's smile didn't match his, instead her mind tried to pinpoint that exact change in Gaara's life. She couldn't be too sure, but nonetheless it was her blonde friend, and his silly grin, that flashed in her thoughts then. Naruto had been the successful one in changing Gaara's views, and the results that followed after were years away. Yet, with her around, this new change, would the amount of time be any shorter, she had to wonder. For that reason alone, along with the thought of her blonde friend, Sakura looked down at Kankuro with a blank stare.
"Hopefully soon," was her soft answer, earning back the eyes of Kankuro.
Though her face was fallen, the boy had a smile for her answer. Once again, he played and twiddled his thumbs sheepishly before explaining to Sakura all that he wished for.
"I-I always wondered what it be like if Gaara and me could play together," Kankuro's smile began to fall after those words. "I don't have many friends. They don't want to ever come here, or get near me."
Sakura's eyes widened then, her questions from earlier finally being answered. Gaara's siblings were indeed just as lonely as the small redhead, and this brother anticipated the thought of spending time with his own younger sibling. It made her think again, did Gaara ever have these quiet wishes like Kankuro had? Did he too imagine what it be like playing with his older brother?
'A family...' Sakura thought, looking down still at Kankuro with solemn eyes. 'Those bonds. That's all we ever strive for, isn't it?'
Sakura shut her eyes then, trying to find the comfort and warmth that came with the mental images of her own family. Whether it was her parents, her friends, her teachers; for her, they were all family. She hated to imagine losing any of them, yet in this world, she already felt as though they were gone in an odd sort of way. The comfort she sought was lost as well, and her frown grew heavier thinking of her loved ones.
"Are you okay?"
It was Kankuro's voice that made Sakura's eyes snap back open, and her eyes locked to his worried look. Perhaps her face had shown more than she meant, and the rosette forced a smile then to reassure the brunette. She nodded in his direction.
"Yes," she whispered softly. "I'm alright. Just thinking about my family."
Yet, despite her words, Kankuro's frown remained and he studied Sakura for a few moments in silence.
"Are they not nice?" he asked eventually, positive the look she had a moment ago had not been a good one.
Sakura slowly shook her head, eyes looking up above as she tried to recall each one of their smiling faces.
"No," she answered plainly. "They are my world. My family, and friends, mean everything to me."
She blinked a few more times above her as Kankuro watched on, slightly mesmerized as a smile finally grew on her. Opposite from before, the comfort finally found her, and she mentally basked in that warmth.
'Everyone, I'll see you all again. Soon,' she told herself.
Sakura took another silent moment for herself before her warm gaze fell back to Kankuro. His cheeks had turn a few shades pinker, and with her eyes now on him, Kankuro jumped to being caught admiring her and forced his eyes once again to the side. To this, Sakura chuckled lightly. His blush deepened then, and the young woman was only able to bring his attention back when she stuck her fist towards him. The young boy stared at her hand for some time, wondering what all Sakura meant with her gesture before turning his eyes up towards her in question.
"Since you don't have many, I'll be your friend, if you'd like," Sakura grinned, motioning her fist towards him again.
They boy's eyes widened in surprise then, and he was at a lost for an answer. He did this not only because Sakura offered friendship, but because what all it entitled as well. She had just smiled so warmly thinking of her friends, telling him that they meant everything to her. Would this include him now? Would her smile grow when she thought him in the same fashion she did others just moments ago? These warm thoughts raced in his mind, and only was he brought back from his thinking when Sakura again inched her fist at him.
Unlike Gaara, the boy in front of her needed little convincing, and even grinned as he brought his own fist to bump to Sakura's. His fist came a little harder than she expected, perhaps he was trying to show off his strength, but Sakura nonetheless grinned back at Kankuro's own smile now.
"Friends?" Sakura asked.
"Friends!" Kankuro replied.
Sakura's grin fell back to a soft smile then. Something inside of her warmed at the sight of Kankuro over joyous in front of her.
"Will we be friends forever?" he asked.
Sakura nodded.
"Forever."
Kankuro's happy eyes fell then, and he once more he twiddled his fingers.
"You'll come play with me soon then?"
Sakura smiled at the innocent question before sighing and standing herself back up.
"When I have time, I promise to play with you too," she replied, walking towards the boy and playfully ruffling his hair. "But for now, you should get to your training. You want to become stronger, don't you?"
The boy's eyes widened then, remembering he had spent too much time here. He mentally cringed at the thought of his sister berating him for making her, and Baki, wait so long.
"R-Right!" he replied before sprinting from Sakura. "I forgot!"
Sakura stood silently listening to the boy run behind her, yet before she even took a step she heard Kankuro's small shoes skid to a halt.
"Sakura!" he called back. "Tell Gaara to hurry up and get better soon so we can all play together soon!"
Sakura froze to those words, and Kankuro didn't wait on her on her reply before leaving her to her thoughts as he ran back to join his teacher and sister.
'Get better?' Sakura repeated Kankuro's words is her mind.
She knew better than to think Kankuro didn't quite grasp the situation. He was a smart boy, he understood to an extent that Gaara wasn't right in his mind, yet Sakura couldn't help but wonder if that was how the brunette, and maybe even his sister, perceived their youngest sibling. Did they think him sick? That his mental and emotional struggle was just an illness he hadn't quite gotten over yet? It was possible the two children didn't understand that the struggles Gaara had already gone through were going to affect him for the rest of his life. Even if he was undoubtedly to overcome hardships and change himself to a better man in the future, his struggles were sure to follow him to his death.
What was happening to Gaara now wasn't sickness. It wasn't like medicine or some sort of pill was going to heal him in days time. He had a disorder, and it came from two sources. The Ichibi, and the people who mistreated him throughout his life so far. In truth, Gaara was never going to get better, but he was going to learn from it, and grasp one day what was acceptable behavior and what wasn't.
Yet, as Sakura had these thoughts while making her way back to the child, she knew Kankuro's heart was in the right place. One day too the brunette would understand what in the same light Sakura did, and it would be that understanding, and the sympathy that came with it, that would help these two brothers come together. It brought a smile to her face at the thought.
That smile only grew when she stepped into the kitchen.
Her presence went unnoticed by the two, instead they had their backs turned to her. Gaara stood on a wooden stool, barely reaching the counter both he and Annaisha stood in front of. Sakura peered quietly behind them, watching as Gaara was slowly spinning a large spoon in a bowl that held what looked to be like batter. Meanwhile, Annaisha was standing next to him, explaining to him what they were making and what the ingredients were.
"You're doing an excellent job, Gaara-sama. Let me know if your arm gets tired," Annaisha could be heard saying, slowly pouring a small cup of flour into the mixture.
Gaara said nothing, eyes still fixed on the batter, but nodded in understanding. It was at that point Annaisha took notice of Sakura, giving the rosette a small wink.
"Gaara-sama is helping me bake some cookies," Annaisha explained. "It seems somebody keeps snatching them away at night, we were needing more."
Sakura chuckled then.
"Couldn't tell you who the culprit is," Sakura said before remembering Temari and Kankuro. "It may be more than one person. There are three very, hungry children in this home."
Annaisha giggled and stuck her tongue out playfully before turning back to Gaara and giving him words of encouragement. With that, Sakura returned to the table, picking up where she left off with her blue fabrics and thread while listening to Annaisha speak with Gaara. It was a one-sided conversation, much like the luck Sakura had with Gaara most of the time, but the most important fact wasn't whether Gaara returned words or not. The most important things were that someone spoke to him with a level of respect, and that he listened to them. He was taking into consideration peoples words and thoughts. He followed Annaisha's directions, and didn't retort or lash out angrily in any way. It almost made Sakura a little envious that Annaisha's first experience with Gaara had gone over so smoothly compared to hers. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she came to realize that this scenario would have probably not come to fruition without everything she had already instilled in the boy.
The two worked together mixing the ingredients. Gaara watched as Annaisha rolled out the dough they prepared together before the woman helped him to cut out different shapes. Sakura meanwhile continued to work on in silence, engrossed with her task, that she didn't even notice when the little boy came to her side at first. He stood there, silently waiting for her eyes to turn to him, and only did they do that when she happened to catch a glimpse of red hair in her outer vision.
"Ah, sorry!" Sakura apologized, setting down her work and trying to hide her work from the boy.
Yet, Gaara paid it no mind, for it seemed he had another task at hand. With his arms outstretched, the young woman stared at his open palms. He was holding a few cookie cutters out in front of him.
"Pick one," he ordered the older woman with a blank tone.
Sakura's eyes widened in surprise before she glanced back at Annaisha who winked as soon as they made eye contact. She held a grin while watching both Gaara and Sakura.
"Let me see," Sakura said, eying each cutter.
Yet, before long, her eyes were back on Gaara with a smile.
"I think you should pick. You worked hard, and helped Annaisha to make them. You should choose which cutter to use."
Sakura could hear Annaisha giggle to the side of her, and watched as Gaara's eyes fell and a small tint of pink painted his cheeks. Sakura was surprised to see him actually bashful in the presence of others. Maybe this was because Annaisha had suddenly become someone just a little closer to him, and her laughter made him a little more self-conscious. The woman's amused chuckled carried on, even as she turned from them, and Gaara eyed her momentarily before slowly turning back to Sakura. He looked to be debating with himself in Sakura's eyes, but soon enough regained back the courage to usher Sakura closer towards him.
The young woman did just that, tilting her ear towards him when she realized he was aiming for that. He brought his hands up to cover his whisper lest Annaisha hear, which made Sakura smile at how obviously shy this small boy could be. She didn't think his older self was this same way.
"You pick," he whispered quietly to her, and it made her turn once again to him.
"I think you should," Sakura replied.
Again, he reached for her ear, and she was quick bringing it back down to him. It took him a few moments to speak, instead he filled her ear with warm breaths while he struggled with his courage again.
"I'm making it for you," he muttered.
He pulled back from Sakura then, tilting his head while he tried to read her slightly surprised look. It explained now why Annaisha chuckled wholeheartedly since the beginning of this situation, why Gaara was nervous asking the rosette anything, and why he blushed to the brunette's laugh. To her less than quick answer, the boy took a step back, eyes beginning to narrow with confusion. Sakura caught on quick with the sudden ambient change, and turned her warm smile back to reassure him before glancing back down at his hands and taking in her options.
"Gaara," she murmured nonchalant as she brought one of the cutters up in front of her. "You're a very sweet kid. You know that?"
Gaara's reply was just a small, quick grunt that he had heard her words. His attention was instead on the rosette, watching her with a blank expression as she brought up a heart shaped cutter to her face level. Though he hid it well, he was curious to her actions. At that point the young woman shut one of her eyes, smiling as Gaara's face fit perfectly framed inside the cutter.
"I see a small, sweet boy growing up to become a kind, gentle man," Sakura murmured, almost laughing as Gaara's expression did not change.
Soon enough, she handed the heart-shaped cutter back to Gaara.
"This one," she offered finally. "I think it's the prefect one for me."
Gaara took a moment to stare at the cutter before turning back to Sakura. He gave her a quick nod before he made his way back to the other woman.
"Thank you, Gaara!" she called.
Sakura watched as he trudged back to Annaisha. And her smile grew as Gaara offered up her choice cutter to Annaisha. The brunette smiled down at him before pointing and explaining once again the process they were going through. The rosette watched them together for a few minutes longer before going back to her threading and stuffing. She tried to listen in on all that Annaisha was telling Gaara, but voices were soon drown out by her own thoughts, and her work became almost involuntary while her mind went back to all that Baki had told her.
'I want to believe. I really want to, but...' Sakura spoke to herself, eyes furrowing when doubt came to her.
Upon first hearing it, she blew up on Baki and blamed everyone for viewing Gaara in the wrong, which, were true words. Yet, now that she had time to cool down, to dwell on the situation at hand, Sakura realized now that tossing out all that Baki had told her would be foolish. After all, they had spent years with the boy whereas she still considered herself new to his life. Did she think Gaara to become some bloodthirsty animal today like Baki had mentioned might happen? The answer to that was a definite no. Did she think he might be restless tonight, act up in his own way? To that, she did have to admit to herself that that idea was possible. Hopefully she could just distract him tasks, and play, much like what was happening now, and Gaara would give nothing else much thought.
'No sleep for me tonight,' she decided then.
A small clap resonated within the kitchen, one that came from Annaisha as she turned to Gaara with a smile.
"They'll sit in the oven for a bit. After that, you can eat some fresh cookies. You deserve it! Can you wait here with Sakura for them?"
Gaara nodded at the brunette and stared at her smile before looking back to her brown eyes.
"Great!" she beamed, making her way out of the kitchen. "I think you'd make a great baker, Gaara-sama."
She waved to the boy before walking past Sakura and offering her a smile as well. Though, the rosette did not turn towards her, still focused entirely on her thoughts and her thread and needle.
"They should be about an hour. I should be back before they're done. I just need to go out and grab some ingredients," Annaisha said, but only smiled as her words flew past Sakura's ears.
To this, the brunette shrugged. She didn't have the heart to tear Sakura away from the task she was working so hard with. So instead, she offered another goodbye, one that still did not nab Sakura's attention, before leaving the rosette and small boy alone. The room was filled with silence at Annaisha's departure. A silence that Sakura usually broke being with the small boy. Yet, with minutes passing, and Gaara watching and waiting for her acknowledgment, he began to grow slightly anxious. He had began becoming accustom to a voice during the day, only the past and night held silence since Sakura's arrival, and this long quietness made his small heart begin to race.
Gaara walked up next to Sakura, standing right beside her while waiting on her still. Yet, unlike Annaisha, he didn't understand how engrossed Sakura was of her task, and felt himself confused when the rosette still didn't turn to face him. For the moment, he watched her stitching and allowed his mind to linger on thoughts and questions of his own. For a moment, the young boy was able to comprehend how Sakura, despite all she seemed to know of him, did not flinch or run away when he drew near. That thought dwelled in his mind for a moment, thinking back at many other times he found his courage to approach others just to simply have them run away in fear, or disgust.
His innocent thinking began to take a turn to a more darker place as he recalled the many faces that looked down at him. Were he alone, Gaara would unintentionally let these hurtful thoughts plague and frustrate him. The only happy, and good, experiences he could fall back on were just as aggravating as well. Even more so since he learned Yashamaru's true feelings towards him. For the little boy, bad days were much more accustom to him than good ones. In a sense, he could understand the unfairness of it all. He knew he was different, knew there was a monster inside of him that people feared. He understood all this, but hadn't had anyone to teach him how to overbear and overcome. His uncle had tried, and his betrayal made Gaara doubt his teachings, and also made him question Sakura's own many times.
Above everything though, it made him angry.
Only when he could hear a dark echo trying to reach him in his mind did Gaara suddenly reach for Sakura. Despite his uncertainty of her, and what she wished to accomplish with him, her selfless actions spoke to him still. Her words rang in his mind as well.
"Let my whispers become your strength."
Sakura did not flinch, or jump, when she felt someone suddenly bury their face within her lap. She knew who the culprit was even before catching a glimpse of his red locks. She smiled down at his red hair before setting aside her little project and bringing to her hand to stroke his head.
"Gaara," she softly said, "are you and Annaisha finished?"
At the mention of the brunette, Sakura finally took notice that it was once again only her and Gaara. The little boy nodded his head against her lap still, his hands gripping slightly on her clothes. Sakura was impressed that Gaara answered her so willingly today, but at the same time couldn't help but shake off the thought that this was only because of what Baki told her. She continued to stroke his head, silently and in thought. Gaara did not protest this action, her voice and attention was something he sought moments ago, and even her affectionate touch was starting to become welcoming. They stayed like this for moments until Gaara shuffled his head to rest it against the side of her lap. He even emitted a small sigh of relief when her hand came back down to stroke his locks. Gaara's movement made Sakura shake off Baki's words, and instead focus on the little boy who nestled his head in her lap.
"Did you have fun baking with Annaisha?" Sakura asked.
The boy nodded.
"It's hard work, isn't it?" Sakura asked, smiling when Gaara nodded again. "Annaisha has to do this everyday, for everyone that lives here."
The boy didn't reply, and the moment was silent again as Sakura stared down at Gaara.
"Maybe once in awhile I'll bring you down here to help her. Would you like that? I'm sure she'll be happy to have another chef in the kitchen."
"More cookies," was Gaara's soft reply, and it made Sakura chortle.
Her head rose afterward, staring off to the side of her with a small smile.
"Who would have thought you,of all people, were obsessed with everything sugar," the young woman whispered, Gaara's older self in her mind.
She tried a pinpoint a time she had seen Gaara, from her time, indulge himself in something sweet, but couldn't recall. Then again, it wasn't as if she was by his side constantly. Her and Gaara only bumped into one another once in a blue moon. At the thought of Gaara, her mind once again began to wander more about the older redhead. She was silent again for some time, unconditionally stroking the boy's hair still, and thinking back of all her past experiences with an older Gaara. In a way, it was hard to comprehend the boy in her lap now would one day become the man she knew to be Kazekage.
"You will become a great man," Sakura eventually whispered.
Gaara did not move from his spot, but Sakura could feel his small fingers fidget lightly against her leg. She wasn't sure if he did this because he doubted her words, or it had all been just a coincidence, but something inside her wanted to speak out. To make him believe all that she was saying was true.
"You will be a strong ruler. Everyone will look up to you," Sakura softly said.
Again, his fingers twitched and gripped at her skin. She was well aware now that he took in her words, but was obviously uncertain how to feel about them.
"Everyone will follow you."
Another tight grip came from the boy, but he eventually released his hold and relieved a breathy sigh. He didn't make any remark to her to comments, just instead let his thoughts wander, and relish to her touch. They shared a few more minutes in silent tranquility before Sakura rested her hand on of the boy's head and looked back down at him. Gaara didn't move still, and the young woman's smile grew at the thought of what Gaara would become, and all that he had accomplished today. He had let someone new into his life today, was able to listen to Sakura to help stop himself from attacking his siblings, and even spent time with Annaisha all while taking her lessons in. It made her feel so much more relieved that even if the process was slow, he was learning to overcome.
With all that in mind, she wrapped her arms around the small boy before lowering herself to embrace him. She felt him stiffen for only a moment before relaxing when he realized she was engulfing him in another tight embrace. Even if he would probably deny if she asked, Sakura swore she could even feel the small child draw in closer to her hold, taking in her words once more.
"I'm so proud of you. I will always be proud of you, Gaara."
