"Ne, ne, okachan? Why did we visit the Hokage?" Naruto was tugging on her shirt, insistent fingers clawing and grabbing.
Alice looked down at him, pulling his fingers away and placing them more steadily in her own. "Well, I've just remembered something about someone else who needs me. You wouldn't mind a brother, would you Naruto?"
"A...brother?" He looked musingly at the ground, something he did not often do. She stroked his little head, hoping he would take to the idea.
"Yes...it doesn't mean...I'll love you any less...because I love you more than anything...and..."
"I know." He smiled up at her, and she stopped talking. "It's just...I've always wanted a brother!" And Alice smiled back at him.
♥ ♥ ♥
He looked around, dark eyes absorbing his new home, his new life. He said nothing, just followed everything he was told, never complaining, never speaking. Naruto gabbled away happily to him, making all sorts of plans and mischief for him and his new brother. When Alice brought out the spare futon, she apologized to Gaara.
"...but we can get you one you like tomorrow." Gaara stared at her, so Alice just reached out to him to hold him. He shied away from her touch like a fawn, and she let her hands fall. This beautiful child was clearly not going to open up to in the same way that Naruto had. She began to blame herself, for not remembering sooner about him. Naruto looked at his new companion in concern, clearly wondering why he would resist attention and affection. She tucked the both of them into bed, and as lay down herself her dizzying thoughts exhaust her into sleep.
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Pad, pad...the noise drifted to Alice in sleep, waking her. Naruto had never gotten up in the night after Alice had laboriously potty-trained him. She looked to the two little futons beside her, one empty. She turned around to see Gaara, who had slipped outside and sat on the step gazing. She hurried over to him, and said, "Gaara! Why aren't you in bed? Isn't your bed alright?" He didn't move, but continued to look at the night sky.
"I don't sleep." Then Alice remembered why. He couldn't, because of the demon contained inside him. She stroked his head, and this time he let her without a word. She slowly picked him up, and he clung to her awkwardly, the instinct there, but the memory of how to gone from his fingers. She took him back inside, holding him tightly as she could all the while, willing love into him.
"You can come and lay next to me alright? If you get scared or lonely you can wake me up quickly. Okay?" The child nodded, and she slipped back into her bed, and held Gaara in her arms, as she thought and thought of what she could do. So while she worried herself to sleep, Gaara laid in her arms, unmoving, dark lined eyes open in the night.
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"Hokage-sama!" Alice marched up to him, bright and early and angry. "Hokage-sama, there is a problem!" She wasn't angry at the Hokage, she was angry at the situation, at the people of Suna for ignoring this child's needs for so long. That fact, however, wasn't enough to stop her from letting the anger creep into her voice.
"Tell me child." He still sometimes called her this, even after all this time.
"Hokage-sama, it's about Gaara. Did you know he is incapable of sleep?" she whispered, now a little frantic.
"I am aware of the fact, as I'm sure you were, and that Shukaku is the cause. That demon will eat away his soul if he sleeps."
"Hokage-sama, is there nothing you can do about this? Perhaps a temporary solution..." she pleaded.
"Temporary...hn." The Hokage, stroked his chin, his eyes lifted to the ceiling in contemplation. Alice stood silently, waiting for an answer. "Perhaps we may devise a jutsu that will temporarily seal the demon, to be performed every night. It will take some time to develop it, but I assure you that all my top medics will be working on it. I'm afraid the only permanent solution I know is to draw the demon from him, and that will most assuredly result in his death. Please wait patiently; I will have you called for we have completed this jutsu." Alice nodded, bowed, and left.
♥ ♥ ♥
And she waited, each day playing and teaching and attending to her two little boys, one like the sun, and the other like the moon. Naruto laughed and ran in the fall's leaves, while Gaara picked them up and observed them in his hands. He seemed to be overwhelmed by the amount of life and water surrounding them. She often sat by Gaara as they watched Naruto get out some of his energy and quietly stroked his head, and answered all the questions he had. They were few and far between, but she always answered them as thoroughly as possible.
But as different as the two boys were, they seemed to get along very well. Naruto continually was pulling Gaara to come play, and Gaara would almost smile as he was herded along by the exuberant Naruto. He even helped her with finding out Gaara's dislikes and likes.
"Ne, ne...okachan." whispered Naruto, as he tugged on her clothing. She bent down to listen to him, and he cupped his hand to her ear. "Gaara's likes...miso!" Alice gave him a swift kiss on the cheek, and thanked him as he ran back to play with Gaara, giggling hysterically.
Currently the boys were playing in the forest; Naruto was attempting to show Gaara the finer points of playing ninja. He had told her the schedule earlier this morning in his most adorable fashion. He was planning to teach Gaara tag after this, but then would allow for two hours for lunch and katakana. Alice had laughed at his little tirade, but was pleased that he was dedicated enough to his studies, even if he wasn't particularly interested in them. She sat on the porch, watching the boys dreamily, happily ignoring work for a while.
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"Dinner boys! Naruto stop burying Gaara under all those leaves...you can finish that tomorrow..." Naruto looked up disappointedly and even went so far as to make a boo-boo face...his little lip sticking out underneath those wide blue eyes. Gaara slowly got up, attempting to keep as much as Naruto's work intact as possible. Alice smiled at their efforts. She was really truly very proud of them both, for they had the deepest kindness she had ever seen. She only worried now that they would be incapable of interacting with the other children. Only three short years now and then...
"Ahh." said an interesting slightly unfamiliar voice. Alice turned around and saw Kakashi-san hanging from her roof...upside down.
She was a little startled, but quickly put a hand to her rushing heart, and said politely, "Kakashi-san! Please do come in!" He leaped gracefully down, and Alice was shocked to observe that he had grown even taller. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks as he towered over her. "To...what...to what do we owe the honor of your visit?" she said looking downwards. Gaara and Naruto were staring like mad, eyes open and wide.
"The Hokage has sent me with the completed jutsu. I will be the one to come here every night and perform the jutsu." He said stoically.
"Not one of the medical ninjas?" said she with only true curiosity. She looked up towards him again, and she knew whomever the Hokage selected to take care of Gaara would have been of the best qualifications. However a Jounin would often be on missions, and it seemed a little bit of boring task for someone at his level. He seemed to be following her thoughts.
"I am especially skilled at sealing jutsu. When I cannot be here, and that is truly not very often, there is a medical ninja trained in the jutsu as well, for he is its creator."
"Well, it is whatever Hokage-sama has decided and I leave it to the both of you. Please take care of Gaara." Kakashi nodded, and Alice said, "Won't you please join us for dinner? I can't claim to be the best of cooks, but I hope you will find it to your taste." He nodded once more and followed the now jabbering Naruto and Gaara into be washed. Alice quickly set the table while they busied themselves with the rather long task of washing themselves, for Naruto had a tendency to spill, and Gaara to patiently clean up his mess. She quickly removed her apron and looked into the other bathroom's mirror. She had barely looked at herself in so long. She quickly ran a brush through her hair, and washed her face and hands. These ninjas had modern conveniences, but she had only ever used the bare minimum, such as shaver and deodorant. She had never worn makeup, for she thought it didn't suit her. She still didn't think so, but she didn't know what else to do. She brushed her teeth quickly and left it at that.
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"Okaaaaaaachan! Hurry! I want to eat ramen!" said Naruto playfully. She had recently learned to make homemade ramen for Naruto, and now it was his favorite thing to demand. Even Gaara seemed to like it, but that might have been Naruto's influence. They each quickly said, "Itadakimasu" and began to slurp copiously. Alice knew she was never going to get over this, but let them slurp anyway, for it was polite in Japanese culture. Instead she quietly ate her own food while Naruto grilled Kakashi about being a ninja in-between ramen slurps, and Gaara added a thoughtful question now and then. Alice was happy to let her boys lead the conversation. "Hey Kakashinii-chan! Remember those fangirls? Gotta a girlfriend!?! Boy would I like a girlfriend!"
Alice slapped her forehead. "Naruto! You cannot ask that...apologize to Kakashi-san!" And while Alice heard Naruto murmuring a quiet 'gomen' Kakashi spoke over him.
"No Naruto...no I don't."
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Alice watched nervously as Kakashi performed the jutsu for the first time. Gaara sat motionless, and shortly after the jutsu was complete his eyes fell and he was asleep. Naruto peered at him interestedly from his own futon, but said nothing. He knew his friend didn't sleep and often whispered to Alice how badly he felt for him. Alice breathed out her anxiety and smiled at Kakashi-san gratefully. They quickly stepped outside so not as to disturb the slumbering Gaara.
"Thank you so much Kakashi-san...it means so much to us...I'm sorry again for Naruto's rudeness." Kakashi only smiled politely and nodded, then bounded away into the night.
♥ ♥ ♥
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Notes for the Reader
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