The next day, the three of them had been released from the prison cell. Much to Akira's disappointment.
"Can we just stay here?" Akira had asked when Kankuro had ushered them out back into the streets of Suna. He had laughed it off, but something in Miyuki's gut twisted uncomfortably. Of course, Akira would prefer to be in a cell than out in the open where Eiichi could reach her. The grip she had on Akira's arm had tightened, but if Akira felt any discomfort she did not show it.
When Kankuro had guided them back to the small room Kei and Miyuki had shared he had excused himself, telling them he had to go back to his brother, the Kazekage's, side. When the three of them were alone, the waiting game began. Of course, Eiichi would know about it and would come for them. Miyuki had the sudden urge to grab both Kei and Akira and just run away. Run from their group. Run from this place. She knew they would survive. They were stronger together, and anyone would be foolish to go against the three of them at once. But unfortunately enough, Eiichi was a fool and he had leverage.
She glanced at Kei who was busy fixing the tear on her old shirt. Akira was watching, guilt in her eyes remembering how she had caused that tear. She was seven, but she had already killed more than that. Miyuki stood up, walking towards them when a knock came at the door. She stilled as both Kei and Akira exchanged looks.
Miyuki rolled her shoulders and turned, to feel slightly relieved and confused. She already knew who was outside the door and it wasn't Eiichi. She crossed the room towards the door and opened it to find Gaara standing there, his hat in his hands and Kankuro standing beside him. Her blindfold felt like a lie around her eyes but she had not been given a chance to tell Kei or Akira that Gaara had found out, and his siblings. It was a risk too much, she didn't want them to worry about it yet.
If both the sand siblings found it odd, they did not say as Kankuro spoke, "Eiichi and the rest of your group are being toured by Temari around Suna's greenhouse and water resources. We were on our way there and Gaara here thought you guys might want to come along."
"I want to go!" Akira had piped up excitedly behind her. "I've always wondered how plants could grow in a desert." Then she was beside Miyuki, a hand clasped on her own. "Please, Miyuki? It's been so long since I have seen any plants or flowers."
Miyuki's lips twitched with the urge to smile. Akira had always been inclined to plants and things that grow, something she was actually very knowledgeable about. At her age, she knew how to create poison from herbs and make it almost impossible to find a cure. She too, was almost immune to most poison and gas. That was her gift, the only proof of the harsh training she had gone through to get to where she was was a jagged scar on her back. Done by Eiichi himself. Akira knew she would be almost useless in a mission to a desert but she still insisted. Aside from being a smart plant expert, she also had a very keen sense of smell.
"Of course, you and Kei should go," she says after a while. "I have to do something that Eiichi had asked about two nights ago."
"We won't leave you here alone," Kei was beside her now, she didn't have to turn to know. "Let's go together. Maybe we could even take a bath somewhere that isn't so…limiting." She hinted.
"There is a bath house in Suna," Kankuro offered. "Temari monitors it from time to time and says it's a good place, and positively locked up that sand never gets in."
"See?" Kei continues. "Come with us Miyuki."
"Please, Miyuki." Akira pleaded, shaking their clasped hands. Miyuki sighed, but reluctantly agreed.
Gaara walked ahead of them, almost ignoring all the girls that tried to get his attention. He was partly grateful his company were busy amongst themselves, if not, they would realize how awkward he was feeling.
Yet even after a few minutes of walking, he never stopped glancing behind him to check on them. Or her. But he would never accept that reasoning. Akira was excitedly listening to Kankuro, who was trying to name the herbs and plants they grew in Suna. Kei and Miyuki were at the rear. The two of them seemed to not be talking, but slight movements from their lips suggested they were. Gaara knew they were. It seemed like with each passing day, he found out more about them but realize again and again how there was so much more. They were hiding something, but he respected them enough not to force it out of them.
If they were a threat to his village, he would find out in a way were there would be less risk of a fight. They were not ordinary, not even Kei who seemed the most ordinary among them. Just another girl with a face that could stop anyone on their tracks, yet something about her was dangerous. She was also very protective of Miyuki. If Miyuki had something in her that made sand avoid her, Gaara could not help but wonder what Kei or Akira was keeping up their sleeves.
They all seemed to play the role of someone defenseless, but Gaara knew better than to judge a book by its cover.
"Ga-a-raaaaaaaa!"
Naruto's familiar figure was waving at him and beside him stood Hinata whose swollen belly still made Gaara feel slightly uncomfortable. Remembering how child birth, his own birth, had claimed his mother's life. They stopped walking when they were close enough as Naruto slapped Gaara on the shoulder in greeting.
"Are you having a tour? Can me and Hinata tag along? I don't think staying indoors is good for her or the baby," he explains as Hinata smiled kindly at everyone in greeting.
"We're on our way to the green house," Gaara says monotonously. "You can come if you want to." Then he continued to walk. Naruto scratched his head, smiling as he did.
"Gaara is still Gaara," he says as they walked beside him. Gaara had glanced back once, to see Miyuki tilt her head slightly, watching Hinata. Then Naruto walked towards Miyuki, Hinata staying beside Gaara as they walked.
"Weren't you guys the ones that performed the other night?" He asked, sounding almost too innocent that Gaara almost believed he had forgotten that they discussed Eiichi's group not long ago. He studied them, being discreet as possible. He needed some sort of distraction, or else he would not stop staring at Hinata and the baby inside her. She looked too fragile. But still, there was no monster inside Hinata. He was a monster though. A Monster who took his own mother's life.
"Yeah," he heard Kei respond behind him. "You don't look like you are from around here?" she ventured.
"We're not," Naruto replied cheerfully. "Me and my wife decided to come and visit. She's giving birth soon. We both wanted to personally invite the Kazekage to the occasion. He's a really close and special friend."
"That is so thoughtful of you…uhm?"
"Oh, my name is Naruto and that beautiful girl over there is my wife, Hinata," he answers then laughs. "Even now it still sounds unreal. I still can't believe someone like her is my wife, you know?" he gushes, making Hinata blush but smile and wave at them all the same.
"Yes, your wife is quite beautiful," Kei agrees. "Her eyes are a give away, is she a Hyuuga?"
"Yep," Naruto nods before glancing at Miyuki who remained quiet beside Kei. "And you guys are?"
"Oh, my name is Kei and this is Miyuki," she replies before Akira jumps towards them, a smile on her face.
"And I'm Akira!" This makes Naruto smile, and ruffle her short hair.
"Cute," he comments before their party stopped walking. They had reached the green house and Naruto jogged back to Hinata and Gaara as Akira ran past them and into the green house with Kankuro running after her.
Kei stepped forward to go after her before Miyuki pulled her back slightly.
"I need to tell you something," she says, her eyes already counting how many people were in the green house. The girls were there, but not all of them. There were three missing and Eiichi was not there either. She felt something run down her spine. Where was he? And what was he up to? Where were the other three girls? Was he with them?
When the door of the green house swung shut in front of them Kei turned to her.
"What is it? Is Eiichi in there?"
Miyuki shook her head, turning her head left to right. She could find no sign that Eiichi had even been here.
"Gaara knows," she says quietly. She let the words sink in Kei's head and silence swallowed them before Kei spoke.
"How much?"
"Only that I can see and…that sand avoids me," she answers. "He didn't seem to find it the least bit odd or threatening but Eiichi found Naruto to be threatening and… his wife. The Hyuuga. Eiichi asked me to avoid her."
"Why?"
"I don't know," Miyuki answers honestly. "But what I do know is Eiichi will do anything to eliminate a threat to the succession of his plans. Kei, we don't need unnecessary deaths."
They stand in silence for a while. Kei understood. Eiichi would probably attempt to claim Naruto or his wife's life. He was heartless enough for it.
"It's a boy," Miyuki whispered quietly. "They'll have a baby boy."
Kei reached out a hand, wrapping it around Miyuki's own hand. "We'll make sure they will."
Gaara noticed the way Kei and Miyuki entered slightly a few minutes after them. They had discussed something outside, and from the look on Kei's face it had been something unpleasant. Then Kei's eyes shifted to Naruto and Hinata, a look of sadness on her expression before her expression changed completely.
"Kei, Miyuki! Look!" Akira called out, pointing at some of the flowers that grew in rows at one corner of the room. But Miyuki didn't look at Akira, she was distracted as Kei ushered her to where Akira was. It seemed like Miyuki was looking for something in the room, but what it was, Gaara couldn't tell.
He remembered something Temari had always lectured him about.
"If you want to know what a girl is thinking about, the best way to find out is to ask her. Really, it's as easy as that."
Gaara sighed before he took steps towards Miyuki who turned her head slightly towards his direction.
"May I borrow Miyuki for a while?" He had asked, almost so quietly but the world around him decided to be more silent as everyone heard him. If there was a word worse than awkward, it would describe the way he felt just then. Kei had blinked before that smile appeared on her face.
"Just return her else I'd have to kill you," she says and Miyuki had the urge to roll her eyes. Kei had actually meant every word. Literally.
Gaara didn't respond, neither did he react when Miyuki placed a soft hand on his arm. He felt her touch, nothing between but the sleeves of his shirt. They walked quietly and out into what appeared to be a makeshift bridge that lead to where they planted medicinal herbs.
"What are you thinking about, Kazekage-san," she asked casually as her free hand undid the binds of her blindfold. She opened her eyes, she wanted to see.
"I was thinking about asking you the same thing," he answered. Somehow, they had fallen into a weird comfortable place wherein they seemed to not be bothered that they had just met three nights ago.
"You know, it's weird," she says, ignoring his question. "That you trust me. That was what I was thinking about."
"Why would that be weird?" he says. Naruto didn't seem to have a problem with trusting people at all, and somehow that was what saved Gaara. Somehow, he wanted to see the good in people, always.
Miyuki shrugs, closing her eyes and letting the sun light rain down on her face. Gaara seemed to find her out of place. From her stark white hair, and milky skin. She seemed like a snowflake, thats fallen down on a place she didn't belong in. Then she turned towards him, the dark pools of her eyes the only thing that seemed different about her. The only thing she was shunned for.
That same thing, somehow, that makes him think she did belong here. Right now, right here. Two people, with too many secrets, and a single thing that made their lives so different and the same.