Hi everyone! Happy 2021! Hope you all are happy and healthy. 2020 spoke enough for itself, so rest assured the story isn't dead just a little delayed. As always, feel free to send me any questions/comments. I can't wait to hear what you think! That being said, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! XO, ponchoninjax3
It wasn't easy climbing the stairs. Beki mounted them at a glacial pace, reluctant but resigned to the fact that there was no avoiding this encounter. On one hand she knew that everything would be okay. One of the major reasons she had fallen for the Kazekage in the first place was how treasured he'd made her feel. There was no question in Beki's mind that he loved her wholly and completely; he had nothing but the best intentions. But that was the Kazekage.
Now, she was dealing with Gaara. Before the pair had their first conversation people had been warning her about him. Whispered out of the corner of mouths and darting eyes. In a world of professional hitmen he was a vicious, merciless killer. A monster driven only by selfish desires and unpredictable whims.
Yuki had been described to her as a cutthroat sociopath as well. In reality, her mother had proven to be blunt and confident to the point of hubris. The only resemblance to the rumor was that Yuki perhaps got an unsettling amount of satisfaction out of what her profession demanded of her. That was the truth between what her father and uncle had sold Beki; Yuki was exactly halfway between saint and hellspawn. So when everyone told her the Kazekage was a monster Beki only half believed it.
The incident with the Shukaku at the beach convinced Beki the One Tail had been the cause of most of the stories. Gaara himself hadn't done any of those horrible things. It was the murderous tanuki parasite taking a turn at the wheel. That was of course, until earlier that day. There was no One Tail to blame Gaara's behavior on now. It was a grim realization, like recognizing that the stray puppy she had adopted wasn't a dog. It was a wolf, and no amount of training or treats could ever wash that away.
When Beki reached his bedroom door, she knocked. The whole time she had been in Suna that room had been hers to come and go through as she pleased. The terms were different now. Beki was no longer certain of what was waiting for her on the other side. Experience dictated caution was the best approach.
"Come in."
It was strange, almost surreal, to hear that voice again. Familiar and even keeled the way it had always been. For a moment Beki questioned herself. She had felt that way about the Shukaku encounter as well. An event so far from the norm, such a complete juxtaposition from the rest of her experience, that it seemed like a waking nightmare she'd conjured. So awful that her brain forced it to fade back into the abyss with each passing moment until nothing remained but the vague sense she had witnessed something gut-wrenching.
The thought immobilized her long enough for Gaara to open the door. He had his bowl in hand from dinner and a mild look of surprise to find her in the hall.
"Oh, Beki. Go on in, I just need to take this downstairs." He sidestepped her, gently placing a hand above her elbow as he passed.
She walked inside and sat down on the bed. By the papers stacked in piles on his desk, Gaara had spent the evening working. Undoubtedly a surprise Kage Summit left a lot to coordinate in no time at all. Her mind began to wander as she formulated her case. Kankuro had brought up a lot of good points about Beki's behavior and some commentary about her character that hit a little too close to home. For all her own misdeeds, however, Gaara's behavior hadn't been acceptable either. It was difficult to maintain a healthy perspective. She was hurt and so his sins grew in scope while her own waned away into martyrdom.
After several minutes of stewing, Beki realized Gaara had been gone for a while. Beki began to wonder if he planned on leaving her to sleep in there alone when she heard footsteps on the staircase. A moment later Gaara came into view with two steaming mugs of tea. He crossed the room, setting the mugs on his desk with an apologetic look.
"I once read it's easier to have difficult conversations over hot drinks." He stood in front of her, shifting a bit as though he found his skin a size too small. He caught sight of the open door and raised his hand, sending it's sandy doppelganger across the room to close it.
As he eased himself into his desk chair, Beki scooched to the corner of the bed closest to him. Gaara adjusted so their legs were laced. She could feel his eyes on her face but couldn't quite bring herself to meet his gaze. He offered his hand to her, resting it on her leg. Beki took it absently.
"Please forgive me for losing my temper today," Gaara's voice was soft but sure. "There is no excuse for my lack of self-control."
"I pushed you," Beki's tone was flat and stilted. The last thing she wanted to do was talk but deep down she knew it's what they needed.
Gaara squeezed her hand. "Yes, you did. That doesn't change the fact that the way I spoke to you was not acceptable."
Beki forced herself to look up at his face. She loved his eyes. It was so easy to lose herself in the depths of seafoam. Normally being this close and staring longingly into each other's eyes would have been an intimate moment. There was longing there now, but it wasn't the slow burn of bridled passion. It was a hurt child seeking comfort and reassurance.
She averted her gaze. "It was all true, though. Every word of it and I needed to hear it."
"That doesn't mean I get to be an ass about it." Gaara looked down at their hands. "The last thing I want to do is hurt you but I feel like it happens every time I see you."
"I haven't made things easy for you." Beki ran her thumb over his hand. "Every time you turn around I'm on the brink of starting a war."
"You're no worse than Naruto," Gaara gave her his best attempt at a smile.
There was another presence in the room. The sum of all their doubts, their fights, all the greener pastures they'd both eyed from their side of the fence. It was a looming thing, hovering over the pair, breathing down their necks. It had always been there. Following them, feeding on their conflict until it towered over them. It waited. It hungered for its final meal, to plunge its fangs into the last morsel of hope that kept them going.
Gaara took both her hands in his. He locked eyes with her, his grip as tight as if Beki were hanging off a ledge. "I know we've talked about this before. But every time we've sidestepped it with platitudes and put it on the back burner."
"I…I need you. I am a broken man with a repulsive personality but being with you makes me feel like I can be normal. Everything I've ever wanted but could never have I have a shot at with you." He swallowed. Beki spied a glimmer of uncertainty, and for the first time in all the years she'd known him saw him truly afraid. "I want you to be my family. You're the person I want protecting my back when the world turns against me. When everything comes crashing down, when I'm holding it all together with nothing but my bare hands and I feel like I'm going to crack you smile at me. You tell me you believe in me and suddenly hell itself couldn't hold me down."
He had been perched on the edge of his seat through the whole speech. It took less than a second for him to drop to the floor. His hands were shaking so he gripped her hands till his knuckles turned white.
"Gaara…" Beki brushed the hair out of his face as he stared up at her, the picture of vulnerability as he struggled to find the words to express his heart.
"This would be a lot to ask anyone, the most I could ever ask of someone, so I'll understand if you aren't interested. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But I'm the Kazekage. The village has to be my number one priority and I have sworn to protect it, even at the cost of my life. I've already been taken to the mat for it once and it will happen again. So if you take me, I need you to take all of me. My heart, my hopes, my dreams, my body, my name, and my job."
"This is it." He was always pale but what little color he had drained, leaving Gaara a ghostly husk of himself. "I won't ask you again, I promise."
He fumbled as he fished something out of his jacket slung over the back of the chair. Before the small velvet box came into view Beki's throat burned, her vision blurring at the sting of her tears.
"Beki, will you marry me?"
Gaara held up the box, revealing a heart shaped ruby haloed with tiny diamonds on a gold band. A sob stole itself from Beki's throat and Gaara's arms drooped. His expression sank from fearful to crestfallen as everything shattered around him, the world fading to darkness and silence.
Arms around his neck, the warmth of her soft face against his.
"Yes."
The small voice whispered in his ear, flowing through him without quite sinking in. Gaara blinked.
"Yes?"
Beki pulled away, rolling her eyes at him with a sad smile. "Fine, I'll say the whole thing. Yes, Gaara no Sabaku. Kazekage sama. I will marry you. You are worth all the trouble in the world and then some."
Gaara dropped the ring box, wrapping his arms around her so tightly it squeezed the air out of her. He buried his face in her neck and breathed deeply in relief. The joy was so profound Gaara's heart ached from it. He had existed under the yoke of a terrible curse, the words echoing in his ears like a vengeful spirit that he could never be loved. He would live and die alone. His only possible redemption for his selfish, sinful past would be a joyless pursuit of self-sacrifice and service to a people that would respect but fear him. Then a little blonde girl darted around a corner and clobbered him in the face with a bag of flour.
It had become too much to process, the ramifications of what had transpired took on a physical weight. With Beki still locked tight in his embrace, Gaara collapsed on the floor. Beki was pinned beneath him. All she could do was scratch his back and head comfortingly, whispering soft reassurances as rode out the waves of emotions together.
The bedroom door opened a crack and Kankuro stuck his head in. A look of concern flashed across his face at Gaara's form atop Beki. Beki and Kankuro locked eyes and he relaxed somewhat. She realized he had been looking for signs of life. She gave him a thumbs up and a small nod. He returned the gesture and quietly closed the door.
"Fuck you, Old Man. I'm getting married."
"What?" Beki asked.
"Nothing," Gaara smiled to himself. "Forget it."
He got to his feet, collecting the ring box on the way up. Beki took his outstretched hand and held it steady for him as he slipped the ring on her finger. Gaara gently kissed her knuckles.
"I'm feeling a little too emotionally vulnerable right now. You're going to have to give me something." He said.
Beki blinked. "What, like an embarrassing story from my past? Like the time I decked a kid at the academy because he had the audacity to tell me I needed to wear a bra?"
Gaara snorted. "Not what I had in mind but thank you. That helped somewhat."
"What did you have in mind?" Beki asked.
"Take off your clothes." His wet eyes had warmed to a smoulder.
"Excuse me," Beki yanked her hand away. "I'm not your wife yet. You can't just boss me around."
Gaara gave her an uncertain look. "Please?"
Beki scoffed as she pulled off her shirt. "There, was that so hard?"
…
The pair came downstairs a half hour after they were expected to the smell of fresh brewed coffee.
"You know, you're both adults. If you choose not to sleep the night before a long journey that's your business," Temari went out of her way to avoid looking at them as she poured the steaming liquid into mugs. "But I'd ask you have the courtesy not to make that decision for others."
Gaara and Beki stood hand in hand just out of range, shuffling sheepishly like scolded children.
"Well?" Kankuro fidgeted with his mug, an expectant look on his face.
Gaara held up Beki's left hand with his right, like a referee declaring the winner of a boxing match. Kankuro clapped and hooted and Gaara basked in the approval.
"Come on, you're embarrassing her," Temari cooed as she handed Beki a cup of coffee. "Congratulations."
"Thanks," Beki smiled shyly.
"Well, let's see it," Temari held out a hand expectantly, her tone gentle.
Beki presented her newly adorned hand for Temari's inspection. She gave Beki an unexpectedly warm smile. "It's lovely. He was so secretive about it, you see. Neither of us had any idea what he had picked."
"I know hearts are kind of dorky and cliché but we're corny like that," Beki grinned, not noticing the way Gaara's head had craned in her direction as she spoke. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."
He relaxed back into his conversation with Kankuro as she continued. "I have no idea how he got my size right on the first try."
"Oh that's easy." Temari said as she fussed with a bit of lint on Beki's sleeve. "I'm sure he used his sand to make a cast of your hand at some point while you were sleeping."
Beki scrunched her nose. "So he's just had a severed sand hand sitting around?"
"No," Temari chuckled. "The sand remembers. It can take the exact shape of anything it's encased before or that Gaara can visualize perfectly."
"Tell her about the sand burrito," Kankuro barked over his shoulder.
"Oh yes, the burrito." Temari shook her head. "Gaara ate Kankuro's dinner and left him a surprise. You would have been just as fooled. It had been sorted so it was the palest sand, speckled with golden sand just like a tortilla would look. It even had darker patches in the shape of grill marks."
"You forget to mention he put it in the paper my burrito came in," Kankuro added.
"Yes. So there was no way to know it wasn't the real thing until he'd already taken a mouthful," Temari beamed. "Gaara is so clever when he sets his mind to something."
"Don't say that like it's a compliment!" Kankuro shook his empty mug at her. Temari yanked the mug out of his hand.
"I will not apologize for being a supportive sister." Temari said as she offered Beki a refill.
They had a quick breakfast, checked their supplies, and headed out into the chill of dawn.
"So," Gaara sidled up alongside Beki. Kankuro and Temari had walked a bit further up ahead and were talking shop as they approached the Kazekage's office.
"How I'm going to try to sell this is I'm bringing you along to protect you. In trying to deal with the Akatsuki, who have already attacked both me and my village; you are a new weak point. It only makes sense to keep you close during such uncertain times."
Beki nodded. "Makes sense to me. That would be a tough sell in my armor but as I am now, they might buy I'm a doe-eyed diplomat."
"Oh God," Gaara pressed his hand to his mouth. "A."
Beki cocked an eyebrow. "You're worried about Uncle A?"
"During the chunin exams, he was giving me a hard time about you," Gaara set his jaw. "Not as bad a time as your father but a hard time nonetheless."
"Did you scar where Dad hit you with the kanabo?" Beki asked.
Gaara shook his head. "He clipped me out of the sky like a bird with an arrow. If I hadn't had so much sand armor on it probably would have killed me."
"Sounds about right." Beki squeezed his elbow as they headed into his office for a final sweep.
When they arrived, Gaara met with some shinobi including Baki who had been waiting for him. Kankuro stayed close by Gaara while Temari kept Beki busy with small talk. After a few minutes Gaara walked back over.
"Beki…were you aware Tsunade is no longer the Hokage?"
"What?!" Beki balked. "What happened?! Is she okay?!"
Gaara shook his head. "I don't have the details but they've installed a new kage. Does Danzo sound familiar to you?"
Beki blinked several times, wracking her memory for any encounters. "No, I don't know him. I don't remember Dad ever mentioning him either."
Gaara and Temari shared a look.
"What?" Beki glanced between them.
"I can't guarantee your safety under the new circumstances." Gaara's jaw was set.
"But you said-" Beki winced and stopped herself, remembering the Sand shinobi in the room. She took a breath and nodded.
"Should we keep her here?" Temari asked. "Or do you think she's safe in Konoha?"
Gaara's expression hardened. "In times of upheaval it is not uncommon for opposing sides to take political hostages. However, in our efforts to protect her, keeping Beki in Suna might be considered an act of aggression towards both the Moon and the Leaf."
"Her mother hasn't left town yet." Kankuro called out from the other side of the room. "I told the guards to send word if she did."
"What are your thoughts?" Gaara asked.
Beki shrugged. "Like you said, this is a coin toss. If things are as bad as you say I might even get recalled back to Getsu."
Gaara thought for a moment. "May I speak with Miss Tsukimori alone for a moment?"
Kankuro, Temari, and Baki waved out the shinobi who had been hovering in the office and stepped outside. A moment after the final click of the door behind them, Gaara took her hand.
"Thank you."
Beki shook her head. "I promised you I would support you. This is step one."
Gaara's thumb brushed the ring on her finger. "This changes things. I…I've never liked watching you go. With everything going on in the world I find myself even more reluctant to let you out of my sight."
"I'll be okay." Beki gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm more than safe with the Hyuuga."
He watched her carefully, his tone measured as he spoke:
"I have no reason to believe the Hyuuga would ever harm you. However, a kage who has snatched power during a coup in the night looking to legitimize his rule might show up at their door. They care for you deeply. I'm reluctant to believe they love you enough to disobey a kage and make it open season on their clan."
They were hard words to stomach. Hinata and Neji, even Hiashi were like family to her. They had stuck their collective necks out for her multiple times, physically and emotionally saved her on more occasions than she could recall. Be that as it may, Gaara's tone reminded her of Seiichiro. There was a tone he used when they were in danger that told Beki not to ask questions. There was no room for protest; she had to obey to survive. Gaara's voice wasn't the same but it carried the same gravity.
"So what do you want me to do?" Beki cocked an eyebrow. "You think I'm safer lurking in my mother's apartment?"
"Your mother has no allegiance to anyone but herself. She would not hesitate to cut down anyone foolish enough to make an attempt at you, regardless of who they were. Hyuga, ANBU, or kage, all would fall before her without a second thought." He had slipped into his kage voice; cold and professional. It was as casual and unemotional as though he were discussing the weather, not using her mother as a hitman to kill her Leaf friends for him if they tried to bring her in following this Danzo's orders. "Which makes her the only person outside my family I can trust with your safety."
Bile rose in her throat and Beki swallowed hard. She was in the big leagues now. Having her uncle murder her father and try to frame it on her had seemed like the worst thing that could ever happen to her. Now she realized it was only the beginning. Gone were the days where she could blindly trust that the adults would work everything out. They were the adults now. That meant the knives in their backs wouldn't just come from grumpy old men now but each other.
His words hung in the air, increasing in weight until they threatened to smother them. Rather than acknowledge the death of a carefree youth, Beki decided to break the silence.
"So are you going to ask my mother for my hand or what's the protocol now?" Beki leaned against him, grateful he lived and breathed as a human wall.
"I'm in the clear." Gaara wrapped his arms around her. "I asked your father for your hand when we had dinner together. He gave me his blessing as long as I waited until we were older."
Beki blinked. "That was only a few months ago."
Gaara gave her a coy look. "We're older, aren't we?"
The door swung open and familiar footfalls drew their attention. Yuki stood with her hands on her hips and an expression that was simultaneously amused and homicidal. "Not interrupting anything, am I?"
"I tried to get her to wait." Kankuro came rushing in behind her with Temari. "She pulled my hat over my face."
Temari opened her mouth to defend her own lapse in gate keeping when Yuki shot her a dangerous look. Temari clasped her arms protectively over her breasts and shrank back toward the door.
"It's fine." Gaara waved dismissively. "Are you up to speed?"
Yuki cocked an eyebrow. "About what? Whatever the hell the four of you have been up to the last few days? Something about a Kage Summit or a coup or something?!"
Gaara, surprisingly kept Beki in his embrace. Upon her mother's entry Beki had tried to disentangle herself for propriety's sake. Her fiancée, however, seemed confident to the point of hubris with their display of affection.
"Let me go," She whispered.
"No." He said softly.
Beki puffed up her cheeks defiantly. "I can always change my mind, you know!"
"No takebacksies." Gaara said with a deadpan expression, completely in opposition to the infantile words coming out of his mouth. "Struggle any more and I'll stuff you in my coat."
Beki grumbled and allowed herself to be held, avoiding eye contact with her clearly irate mother.
"Plans have changed." Gaara began simply, as though a dinner reservation had been adjusted. "Tsunade is no longer Hokage. A new kage has been shoehorned into office and will be attending the Summit."
"So…?" Yuki rolled her wrist expectantly.
"It is no longer safe for Beki to accompany me there." Gaara explained. "I'm returning her temporarily into your custody."
Yuki's eye twitched. "Excuse me? Come again?"
"Would you like to share the news or should I?" Gaara asked Beki. Beki now wished she could take refuge in his coat and never emerge to face the beast they were about to unleash. But she had made a promise, and supporting Gaara meant she would have to stand and face her mother.
Beki took a deep breath and turned to face her. Gaara released Beki, his hand tracing along the small of her back until it met her forearm, his fingertips sliding along the soft flesh until they laced themselves through the fingers of her right hand.
"We…" All Beki's confidence ebbed from her like a leaky balloon. "We're engaged."
The temperature dropped in the office and the light coming through the windows took on a cold, wintry gray. The color began to drain from Yuki's skin as her hair inched its way from jet to silver. Temari and Kankuro moved into defense positions.
"Would you mind if we moved this outside?" Gaara gestured around his office. "If you must express yourself with violence, please spare my cactuses. They're innocent bystanders."
Yuki took a deep breath and hugged herself, squeezing her eyes shut. In a few moments the temperature returned to normal. The color came back into her skin and she gave her daughter a disappointed look.
"Congratulations."
For some reason that hurt worse than anything Beki could have imagined. Yuki losing her temper, berating them with harsh words, lashing out physically, all were possibilities Beki was prepared to weather. But disappointment? Resignation? It almost made Beki feel as though Yuki didn't think it was worth the effort to fight her.
"So am I watching her here or in Konoha?" Yuki leaned on her left hip, fixating her gaze on adjusting her pant leg.
"We think Konoha would be best for now." Gaara explained. "With the political situation as it is, you may want to be ready to retreat elsewhere."
Yuki was silent for a moment as she processed all the information. "I still have some safe houses in Getsu. I'm more effective when defending from familiar territory."
"Understood." Gaara nodded. "Konoha if its safe, Getsu if it isn't."
He looked at Beki. "Could you safely get word to me if you end up in the Moon?"
"I should be able to come up with something." Beki shuffled uncomfortably.
"I'll be waiting for you at the Inn." Yuki said as she turned for the door. As she stormed out, Beki could make out her quiet diatribe: "Bunch of know-it-all punk ass kids with stupid hats and haircuts thinking they know shit about shit because their daddy died and left them the family business…"
"She took it better than your father did." Gaara gave Beki a small shrug.
"No," Beki winced. "I think she took it much worse."
…
Beki arrived at the inn to find her mother sitting on the bed. Her bag was packed beside her as she stared absently out the window. There was a purposefulness in her set posture that reminded Beki of meditation.
"Hey," Beki announced herself softly. Yuki paid her no mind. "Mom?"
The focus came back into Yuki's eyes and she glanced at her daughter. She wordlessly rose, collected her bag, and pushed past Beki to get to the door. Beki bit her lip, steeling herself against the childish urge to plead. Yuki had never been really mad at her. Sure, she'd huffed and puffed any time Beki blew her off to spend time with her friends. That wasn't true anger. Worse than anger, this was hurt. Beki had hurt her mother.
Yuki checked out of the inn using soft tones and averted gazes. Beki followed her as helplessly as a child out into the heat of the day. They passed through the village gates and into the wilderness with surprising speed and efficiency. Beki was used to taking an ambling pace with her mother. They made good time but never pushed to being too out of breath to talk. Instead of trudging along beside Beki, Yuki was running point several feet ahead. She moved with purpose, her inky braid bobbing frequently as she Yuki scanned their surroundings.
Even in a fight, Yuki had a fun and easygoing attitude about her. Beki was sure there was a way the woman could make doing taxes look like a good time. On this trip, though, Yuki was…off. It was strange seeing her mother actually act like a shinobi. On one hand, what Gaara said may have set Yuki on high alert. Her protective instincts might have overridden her typical behavior. Then again, Yuki was very much like animal. They tended to retreat when injured and for Yuki, that meant receding behind the walls inside her heart. Beki hated to think that she could be locked out like that.
Beki jogged up beside her mother, straining to keep pace with her longer legs. "So is it going to be like this from now on?"
Yuki didn't attempt to flee but she didn't make eye contact. "Are you pregnant?"
"What?!" Beki stumbled in shock. "No!"
"Then why the hell are you engaged?!" Yuki stared her down. "A couple days ago all you did was bitch about how much you don't want to do this, how you were ready to break up with him and this is all just a formality!"
Beki winced at the onslaught. "I…It's complicated."
Yuki glared. "Oh, that's your favorite word, isn't it? I'm here to talk to him because its complicated. I have to try to work it out because it's complicated. I'm marrying him BECAUSE ITS COMPLICATED."
"Why are you so upset with me?!" Beki's voice cracked and she swallowed. "You're always so willing to assassinate people, go wherever I go, whatever, but why is this decision different?!"
"BECAUSE I WASN'T A PART OF THIS DECISION!" Yuki spat. She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed, quietly seething beside Beki as she regained her composure. "You just agreed to marry a kage. This changes everything."
"I've been dating him for two years, how does this change anything?" Beki asked.
"Because powerful men and women have toys. To the world, a seventeen year old boy with a blonde bimbo girlfriend isn't worth anyone's notice." Yuki ignored the way Beki cringed at the unflattering description. "Hell, even the fact that you were a diplomat didn't count for much. It was your daddy's job and you kind of sucked at it. People like you are dime a dozen in the ninja world and don't warrant a moment's notice."
Yuki glared into the horizon. "But now you're marrying him. Since you started dating him I looked into that kid, his family, and Red has some skeletons. There are grown ass men with belts notched with kills from end to end that pale at his name. He's a stone cold son of a bitch, no matter how much of a 'teddy bear' you think he is. I bet if it came down to it, he'd stand there and sadly ruminate as he watched an orphanage burn if it meant saving his village."
Beki had no riposte. She knew Gaara had to be tough for his job but had never seen him do the ugly business that might entail. Their conversation earlier, however, had been a window into the darkness that lurked in that office. It had shaken her in a way she wasn't ready to accept. Knowing someone as kind, gentle, and considerate as Gaara had to make such cold calculated calls made Beki reevaluate her safety in Konoha. To them, she might have to be a sacrifice for the greater good.
"Yeah." Was all Beki could manage. Yuki blustered as if she hadn't spoken.
"So now, being the dumb kid you are, you've agreed to marry him at seventeen. Congratulations, stupid, you now have a target on your back. Any time someone wants to get leverage on that gaudy garage band looking ass idiot, you'll be their go to. He has no other weaknesses. He killed his uncle, do you know that? He was like, five? Do you think if someone had their hands on Kankuro or Temari and it reaaaaally came down to it, he wouldn't sacrifice them for the village? No. Because they would understand."
Yuki fumed on. "But his wife? The woman he's sleeping with? Potentially the mother of his children? That hits different, sweetheart. Greater men than him have caved and made shitty life decisions for their women and children. The call of biology is hard to ignore and security there isn't too great. I mean, they marched right the hell in and abducted Red, didn't they? Almost killed his brother?"
"The Akatsuki are a problem for everyone, not just Suna." Beki was glad to at least defend that much.
Yuki rolled her eyes. "Don't get me started on that pack of ronin trash. Back to the subject at hand. You really think you're ready to be the kind of cutthroat bitch you need to be for that job? To not be able to have any real friends? Half of them will be ready to sell your secrets to any tabloid that'll pay for them and the other half will be trying to screw your husband. Hell, you might have to make a few of them 'disappear'. You ready for that? To have a girlfriend like Hinata that you have to call in black ops to bury them in the desert somewhere?"
Beki stomped her foot. "Oh come on! You're exaggerating!"
Yuki shook her head. "No. Either you're both stupid and naïve or Gaara is keeping quiet not to scare you off."
She buried her face in her hands. "Oh God, your kids…we are not the most emotionally stable people, Beki. And you're going to be rolling the cosmic dice with someone who killed people for sport when they were a child."
"Most of that was the Shukaku." Beki sighed. She was exhausted but it was better to let Yuki blow off steam now.
Yuki pressed her hands against her eyeballs. "We sheltered you too much. Made you soft and stupid."
"Is this ever going to end?" Beki pleaded. "Belittle me and tear me down at every opportunity from here on in? I made a decision. Can't you trust me that knowing the situation, knowing Gaara the way I do I made the best call I could?"
Yuki merely shook her head. "Love isn't enough, sweetheart. And you're right. This is your bed, you have to sleep in it. I'll protect you as far as I can but you've opened yourself to a whole new world of hurt where no one can save you but yourself."
"What do you want me to do?" Beki asked. "What would you do in my situation?"
"Run." Yuki gave her a serious look. "I told you I have safe houses in Getsu. I know that territory better than anyone. We drop off the map and we live off the grid for as long as it takes for the heat to die down. He'd never find us and believe it or not, you'd have a better quality of life than what you just signed up for."
Yuki's doubt was infectious. Her mother wasn't afraid of anything and she was losing it. No matter how much Beki knew and loved Gaara, Yuki's words rang too true to be ignored. Had she made a terrible mistake?
As her mind wandered down the rabbit whole of possible tragedy and infernal consequences, her mind shot back a few days. Standing in his house, watching the sand seep ominously from the gourd. The anger. The hatred that still lived locked up like an animal somewhere deep inside him. The way he'd talked about possibly having to kill her friends to protect her.
"No." Beki felt a chill go down her spine. "He would find us. No matter how hard my life will be as a kage's wife, abandoning him would be a fate worse than death."
Yuki surveyed her expression and swore. "You're right. I guess we're locked in now."
The two walked in silence for some time. Yuki's expression had softened from incensed and aloof to grim and thoughtful. Beki couldn't keep a clear train of thought. Her mind kept darting to her father and Gaara, Ishida and Getsu, the shrine, the Hyuga, Konoha, the fear in her mother's eyes. Not having her armor made the sense of exposure and vulnerability worse.
"We're going to have to move quickly once we're in Konoha." Yuki spoke at last, her tone serious. "Word travels fast and Red is right, with a new Kage in office you're a valuable asset to keep in the roost. Both sides will be scrambling, snatching at all the marbles to see who wins."
Beki scrunched her nose. "You think they'll find out before we get there?"
Yuki shrugged. "Hard to say. We're shinobi. People pay good money for information. Plus, that ring he picked for you? Could he have been any more obvious? Might as well have given you a matching 'love' tattoo on your forehead to mark his territory."
"I think it's cute." Beki protested.
"You're seventeen, of course you think a heart ring is cute." Yuki groaned. "Stupid and she has no taste. What a lucky boy the Kazekage is."
"I get you're mad but knock it off." Beki growled.
Yuki grabbed her by the collar and pulled her close until their noses almost touched. "I might have to kill Kakashi. You might have to kill your little friends. Sure, they aren't Orochimaru. From purely a difficulty standpoint, not impossible. But this is the sort of blood you never wash off your hands if you have to spill it. You made this mess and dragged me into it without so much as asking. Seeing as I am the last damn person you can be sure is on your side, you can stomach a little smack talk."
She let go of Beki's collar and the two stared each other down for a moment.
"Probably good for you." Yuki sighed as she stalked towards Konoha. "You'll have much worse said about you from now on, and most of that won't even be true."