I AM SO SORRY if I haven't updated in ages!! : but don't worry, this monday and tuesday we don't have any class, so with this weekend coming up, I have at least 4 days to work actually 2 since i still have to practice for our presentations and stuff but I'll work on at least long chapters to upload now! And you know what guys, I finished writing the ending already… oh no! haha
Shoutouts: XiaBubbleQueen, Natalie101 and Lithiumxx – hello and thanks for the reviews!!
Btw, do you guys know about the anime/manga Ouran High School Host Club? haha, my friend hiromi lent it to me the episodes and they we're über nice!! I'm now trying my best to read the manga… :P
To Reiyka, the office now looked very frightening. The wind howled fiercely and it deafened her ears. She heard Gaara's muffled footsteps. "Don't move," she heard him say. Reiyka stayed where she was. She saw Gaara's silhouette move to peer at the window.
It's so dark, he thought. If my memory serves me right, it's now evening, remembering the time when he had last checked the clock. He sighed with a hint of nervousness. Gaara waited until his eyes had adjusted to the darkness. "This is, the first time that this has happened…" he said almost to himself.
"Ugh… What are we going to do now?" Reiyka said worriedly. She saw him come toward her and take her hand. She felt him stand beside her.
"I need to check the village's power supply." he said, clutching her hand gently. If it weren't for him standing before her, Reiyka wouldn't have noticed that they were holding hands, it was so gentle.
"I-I'll come with you," volunteered Reiyka. Her stomach was fluttering, and then she suddenly had an idea. "Oh! I thought of something." She took a glass kunai from her pouch. Of course, Gaara couldn't see it.
"Ok," he said instead. "Are you ready?" he said softly.
"Uh-huh." Reiyka felt Gaara move. She saw him faintly in the dark, it looked like he was pulling and putting something on him.
"Close your eyes." He looked at her face to see if she did.
Reiyka did so. She felt Gaara's arm pull her close to him. Surprised, she also heard a slight popping sound and he muttered something. A gust of air flew between them, it smelled like something peculiar. Reiyka felt it brush against her skin. Sand? she thought. She opened her eyes to guess.
Exactly at that moment their feet touched the ground, which puzzled her because it seemed like she didn't feel hers leave the ground. Gaara slowly let go of her. Concentrating her chakra on her kunai, she broke its tip and the top erupted into small flames; their was a small amount of liquid gas inside. The light bouncing off the glass made it act like a torch, illuminating their surroundings.
"Where are we?" she said, holding the light up. Looking around, she saw Gaara putting back the cork on the gourd behind his back. "Wow you can really carry it!" she remarked gaily, momentarily forgetting as to how they were somehow transported there.
"We're underneath the building." he answered. They started to walk forward. The passage was quite small and there was water dripping from overhead. Pretty soon they saw some Suna ninjas before them. At first they seemed to be busy, but when they heard Gaara and Reiyka approach them they stopped to bow.
"Master Kazekage!" Gaara nodded. The ninjas also bowed to Reiyka, who felt embarrassed. Baki, Kankurou or Gaara must have notified them already about her persona.
"What's the cause for the blackout?"
"We've just located the source of the problem, sir. Just a short-circuit."
"We'll be able to fix it in half an hour, weather permitting.
"Good," Gaara said in relief. "It would be best not to let the people worry." They nodded and bowed down, going back to work. They saw Baki appear before them.
"Oh hello there, Gaara, Reiyka. Look at this," he said, motioning to the dankness, dampness and darkness around them. "The rain was surprisingly strong this year."
"Yes," Gaara replied, smiling a bit. "Looks like we celebrated the festival a little too much." Baki laughed at the joke. Reiyka smiled, noticing that this must be a seldom event, and that she was fortunate to be at hand to witness it.
"I'll be seeing you then." He bowed. "Take care, Reiyka."
"Well, everything's okay now," said Reiyka happily, after Baki had left, turning to Gaara, whose positive face was illuminated by the weak light. "Shall we go now?"
"Yes," agreed the Kazekage. She closed her eyes as Gaara opened his gourd, and by the time that she had opened them, they were inside the office again.
"I can only teleport through short distances." he explained. "Actually I've been trying to improve that technique."
"Oh it's all right," said Reiyka. Gaara realized he was still holding her and he backed off feeling embarrassed. She laughed lightly and went over to the sofa, feeling for the dried clothes and taking them. "Let's go upstairs."
The lighted kunai now glowed weakly against the high ceilings, so Reiyka lighted the candles that Gaara had managed to find. She lay on the couch of the living room. "Whew, I'm tired. Aren't you tired?" Gaara removed the gourd and sat down also.
"A bit." he said. Reiyka folded the white cloth that he had lent her, and carefully placed them beside her clothes.
"I'll just wash all these tomorrow." she yawned, looking at him to see if he would yawn too. But he didn't. "You know what, Gaara?"
He raised his eyes to her. Reiyka smiled. "You're a good Kazekage." she said proudly. The candles flickered and Reiyka saw him looked surprised and he blushed. Actually, he looks tired, she thought, so she stood up and walked over to him.
She pulled him gently. "Come," she said.
"Huh?" he stood up politely as she pushed him, getting a candle, leading him to the bedroom.
"Don't get ANY ideas." she began curtly. Gaara immediately stopped from forming any conclusions. "I just want you to rest." Reiyka made him sit on the bed.
He gulped. Gaara felt his heart beat faster. "B-But…"
"Come on, you've got nothing to be scared of. You're old now, for crying out loud. Lie down." She pushed him again, and he fell down on the soft cushion. Reiyka got a pillow and sat on the floor. "Sleep," she laughing commanded.
Gaara sat up, smiling uncomfortably. "It's not that I don't want to, Reiyka… It's just not that easy." I've lived a life of insomnia… is there a cure for that? he thought, sighing.
"Are you kidding?" she said, standing up to get another candle. "You just close your eyes and poof!" Reiyka sat down again, watching him closely. Gaara noticed that Temari's old dress was a bit loose on her.
"I'm sorry…" he sighed defeatedly. "I don't think I can do that."
"Well then, let's just talk." suggested Reiyka hopefully. "Cause I'm not gonna sleep until you do!" She took her dry sweater vest and draped it over her.
"Uh… ok then…"
"I'll start." she offered. She started talking about her favorite color. After a while, "You?" she said. Gaara shook his head politely and just let her continue. Reiyka went on and on until almost all the candles had burned out and went on even after the rain had stopped.
Gaara watched and listened, fascinated with her feelings. Even her mannerisms were fun to watch, like her fingers combing her long hair, or clapping her hands together whenever she remembered a fond memory. Somehow, his heart lifted whenever she smiled. He ran his hands over the bed, suddenly realizing that she had slept on it before. He remembered the first time she had gone here. When Gaara could not hear her voice anymore, he looked at her and saw that she had fallen asleep on the floor. He smiled widely.
It's been almost a month since you came here, thought Gaara. You've brought so much change into my life… the change I was secretly yearning for… and, I thank you…
The Kazekage quietly left the bed and stretched a bit. His eyes remaining on Reiyka, he walked over to her. Kneeling, he carefully put his arms under her, slowly standing up and then carried her over to the bed, where he put her gently. He removed the sweater over her, and instead covered her with the blanket. After doing so, he smiled and stroked her face.
Reiyka opened her eyes a little. She smiled sleepily, as if half-unaware. "You tricked me…" she yawned. She then closed her eyes, breathing deeply. Gaara smiled, remaining seated by her side, continuing to stroke her face gently, absentmindedly. He wished it would remain like this forever, the world seemed so peaceful and still.
Gaara looked up in wonder. I wonder if I also brought the change that you had wanted… Am I important to you as you are to me? He blew out the remaining candles that were still glowing hazily.
"Goodnight Reiyka."
When Gaara opened the door to his office, the lights flickered on suddenly, cackling with the surge of electricity. Someone was standing over his desk with his back to him, apparently hunched over something.
"Aaahh… you're here." He turned around.
He spoke with a kind of growl in his throat. The skin that peeked through his tattered and ragged gray sleeveless suit was very pale, yet his cheeks were flushed. His teeth were pointed and so were his fingernails, which seemed to be bitten a lot. His dark eyes were terrifying.
"Who the hell are you?" said Gaara. He immediately thought of Reiyka and how he left her alone upstairs. He wanted to go to her, but then he saw something move behind his desk. A bloodied hand showed beside the desk's legs.
"Gaara…" Eerily, the weak voice sounded familiar to his ears.
"Van?!" He removed the cork from his gourd and the sand spilled out.
"Don't…" Van crawled into view. He lay on the floor on his side for he had large shards of dark glass embedded in his back, and his clothes were ripped. "He's dangerous…" Gaara took a step backward, trembling and not knowing what to do.
The man laughed and rolled up an enormous scroll. "This boy wouldn't tell me where the Glass Princess was. I don't suppose you could tell me, huh?" Gaara made the sand surround him defensively. "But it's ok, I guess I'll just leave – for now. Consider it a warning, from Haide." he said, pointing his thumb on his chest.
Haide held his hand up suddenly, and his face broke into a smirk. Gaara's eyes widened in horror. It was Reiyka's forehead protector! How did he get it??
"By the way, I found this beside her at the hospital," he sneered. He pressed his finger on the plate and the glass turned dark with a hissing sound. "She was very beautiful… What a lady she has turned into…"
Gaara's fear vanished and he raised his arms in anger. The sand flew towards Haide, but he had vanished, his laughter ringing in his ears. Reiyka's forehead protector fell on the floor, cracking.