(2023/02/14) Author's note: Hey everyone!

This is the last POV chapter for a little bit until we pass the next major event in the story. It's also Valentine's Day, which is funny considering this chapter got a heated (?) argument between this fic's OTP. Next chapter might be out by the end of the month, depending on things. I'm aware that this fic is extremely niche as it's a sequel to my main fic, but I'm super happy that there's people still following up and reading this as it goes on! So thank you all to those who have read, kudos'd, and commented!

And happy valentine's day xx

Chapter 23
Gaara VI

The month passed by agonizingly slow.

Gaara returned to Sunagakure with his son as he agreed. As much as he objected, he had to admire his wife's stubbornness. But it was for the best. Nomasaki was in the wilds, but for how long, he was unsure. She told him a month. A month apart from their family, their home, and their shared life together. They had done two years separated before, but a month now – after everything they had been through – it was unbearable to him. As soon as the Suna-nin reached the first grains of desert near the Land of Wind's border, Gaara summoned his sands and flew them to Sunagakure. Kyōkurō slept cuddled against his chest, sheltered by his cloak from the desert winds. Although Kyōkurō did not weep on the journey home, the child seldom made a noise until he was put to bed in his crib that night. He slept soundly, assuring Gaara that the time apart would not be too hard on their son.

But Gaara knew the time apart would be difficult for him.

This is something she has to do, he reminded himself, She'll be back.

The empty void beside him prevented his sleep when he went to bed. The bed was cold and hollow, and all comfort was absent from the pale green cotton sheets. The fair golden hue of her head was absent, as was her groggy smile that would greet him when she turned over to kiss him goodnight. Cold sheets lay where she once did, where he would hold her close in his arms as they slept. He could not sleep alone. Insomnia crept back, gnawing at his psyche. He tossed and turned that night, but sleep never found him. Only the cold of her place by the pillow graced his touch.

Heartache.

And it would be one month until she returned.

The greenhouse provided some relief, but sleep had alluded him during Nomasaki's absence. Gardening granted him solace. In the early hours of the morning, he would tend to his many plants. Watering, changing the soil, and trimming took up the bulk of his time there before returning to the Kazekage's office for his daily duties. He looked after Nomasaki's sunflowers while she was gone. Planted during her tumultuous pregnancy with their son, the sunflowers were towering at nearly five feet with pedals the now length of kunai. Surprisingly, most of them had survived. It humoured him, in a way. Nomasaki was never fond of gardening, she confessed to him once. As a child, she told him she and her mother had a small garden of necessities. Potatoes, leeks, carrots, and cabbage. An herb garden was close by – her mother's herbs for treating simple ailments like colds and scrapes. Planting and caring for vegetables were one thing – tending to and caring for flowers and shrubs was another. Still, Nomasaki's first sunflowers were healthy – save for the ones stunted by shade and drowned by too much water.

The snow lilies Gaara kept in the greenhouse were thriving despite the desert heat. Summer was approaching its fair end in the western lands of Sunagakure, yet the scorching swelter was still clinging to the sands. Their pedals were a brilliant blue and white, reminding him of the colours of her favourite dress. It was the blue of the sky against a white plain of snow. They were peculiar flowers to him, as they were cold to the touch even in Suna – realms away from their native mountains of snow and ice. Perhaps he would grow more and let them flourish – maybe even take them to their beachside manse and surprise her when she returned.

She would like that.

Life became secluded in his office, the stacks of paperwork growing ever so slightly taller than the day before. Even with Kankurō to lend time, the work seemed to never end. Meiyumi cared for things at home, caring for Kyōkurō as if she were his own mother. Gaara felt guilty for not being able to be with his son for most of the day, but he made up for it by sneaking in a Sand Clone to his office and council meetings whenever the opportunity arose. Even if it was for only a few hours, he made it count. Seeing his son's little smile and hearing his laugh left him feeling less empty. And Kyōkurō especially loved watching his sand. It marvelled him how his son came to be – so much like him yet different in every way. He was pure, good, and free from the curse of being a jinchuriki. But what warmed him the most was how alike the child was to Nomasaki, sharing the same soft purple eyes and kind face. Their son may have looked like him with his feathery crimson hair, but Kyōkurō possessed the nature of his wolfish mother. When Gaara left his son back into Meiyumi's care, he could sense Shijima's chakra appear close by – guarding them against anything that dared emerge from the shadows of the corridors.

He wondered if Nomasaki was safe in her clan's sacred forest.

He could only hope.

No letters arrived for him from Yamagakure. Finally, worry got the best of him one day during the second week and propelled him to send a scroll by Suna's fastest hawk from the aviary. An owl arrived from Yama less than a day later from Kyō, only for her father to confess he had not heard from her but assumed she was alright. The Yamamori guarded the village's perimeter, and with Tenbu stalking their heels, clansmen scouted the Land of Mountain's border with the Land of Earth. No threat could get in or out unless they wished to meet a gruesome end by fang and claw. Kyō said Sana of the Kumatsume was in charge of guarding the sacred forest entrance, as the nature energy that radiated from that place would do the rest. The Yamamori could sense all life on that mountain. If Tenbu were to appear, they would know. The forest would tell them.

It was when five weeks passed that Gaara contemplated journeying to Yama himself.

Gaara's day of clerical work abruptly paused when a cipher from the Suna Aviary burst in his office unannounced. The commotion made Kankurō roll off the couch and hit the floor, interrupting his mid-day nap. Gaara glared up from his stacks of papers, anticipating another scroll from the Chūnin Exams Committee. This better be worth it. The piles of paperwork were not going to finish themselves. The messenger shook their head, "It's about Nomasaki-sama!" – and Gaara stood instantly from his chair.

The council chamber doors rattled with a thunderous clang as they slammed behind the Kazekage and his brother. When Zarō pressed for the messenger to reveal the scroll, they bowed and stepped forward – only to reveal the news was not from Nomasaki herself but from the old fence sitter Tsuchikage Ōnoki. Gaara grew perplexed. But what the messenger spoke further of the scroll, a stark silence fell. Then, curtly, they bowed their head and made their anxious exit. They left the scroll and contents behind on the great table, the councillor's hands grasping furiously to confirm the messenger's words. When Gaara saw the parchment himself, his heart dropped to his stomach.

"Kazekage-sama,

By order of the daimyo of the Land of Earth… I must bring dire news to you. It has come to my attention that your wife, the she-wolf Nomasaki of the Yamamori and Ambassador of Sunagakure, has committed acts against Iwagakure in violation of the treaty put forth by the Shinobi Alliance. As such… Iwagakure has declared Yamamori Nomasaki an enemy of the village and an S-rank criminal. She is to be killed on sight if she trespasses our lands… such is the request of our daimyo. Kazekage-sama, if you apprehend your wife and provoke her to confess her crimes to the Shinobi Alliance, she may avoid facing death, but it must happen imminently… -,"

Gaara forced himself to stop reading further.

"How can this be true?!" A councilman gasped, frantic. "Our lady is no criminal!"

Baki kept a stern glare, but doubt clung behind his eyes. "Iwa has made it clear. She has allegedly slain one of their guardsmen on their territory, unprovoked. For her crimes, Nomasaki-sama is listed as an S-Rank criminal in the Bingo Book."

Kankurō took the black book that lay beside the parchment, flipping through it until coming to a sudden pause. He tsked, frustration and disbelief marking his painted face. "' Kill on sight'…" He turned to his younger brother gravely. "Gaara, this is really bad. What do we do?"

"How do we know this isn't false?" Gaara pressed, eyeing the council with a glare hardened by stone. "My wife was in the Yamamori Forest for a month, days away from the border with the Land of Earth. How could she possibly be the one to slay the guard?"

"She gave him a message, the one she let live," Zaro answered, the parchment in hand. He cleared his throat, reading the dire words sent from the northern border. "'Tell your lords what just happened and what you did to deserve it. And if any of your men come close to Yamagakure… I'll rip you and your men apart'. Her words, as recorded in the correspondence."

Kankurō scoffed, crossing his arms against his chest. "Damnit… that does sound like her."

Gaara could only sit in shocked silence. Resting his lips on his folded hands, he forced back any rage that dared to rise to his throat in protest. But Kankurō was right – those words did sound as if they were from her. The she-wolf, as they called her. Nomasaki…. What did you do? He rose his head to meet Zaro's glance, his ringed-eyes narrowed and sickened by the truth. "And what did Iwa do to warrant such aggression?"

"It seems a Yamamori clansman approached too close to the border and refused to leave peacefully. And so… the beast was slain." Zaro said gravely. "They thought the beast was her, initially. Iwagakure is convinced that Nomasaki-sama is the culprit behind the recent destruction of villages along Earth's eastern border with the Land of Mountains… as she is the only known living person who can wield the forbidden blood-sealing."

Gaara's glance narrowed, drawing his suspicion immediately. A ploy… They want her.

Baki grunted, rifling through the letters and parchments from the Land of Earth. "As punishment for harbouring an alleged criminal, Iwagakure and the Land of Earth had declared an embargo on all trade to and from Sunagakure… as retribution for failing to hold her for her crimes."

An elder councillor tsked. "Crimes, indeed."

"She has committed no crimes." Gaara corrected, glaring at them. "That's a falsification of great proportions, councillor. Iwa should tread carefully when spreading such dangerous words."

"And you have proof that our lady is innocent?" The councillor shot back, anger flaring. "After all she has previously done prior to being your wife?! She was an agent of Kenzō, the disgraced councillor who attempted a coup against your bloodline's right to rule! She was pardoned, yes, but hearing about this act of violence against another village is… appalling. We are in peaceful times, and Suna is in a recession… we can't afford any diplomatic setbacks, let alone another war."

War.

Yamagakure against Iwagakure, pulling any and all shinobi powers into the vacuum of destruction and bloodshed. A pure nightmare, especially in the present times of peace. Gaara tensed at the thought, dreading the future discussions that lay ahead. If war truly did come to pass, he would have to choose what was right for Suna. If Suna had to uphold the Alliance and side with Iwa, if Nomasaki sided with Yama… He tried not to think any more of the possibility.

Kankurō let out an uneasy scoff, taken aback. "Surely it won't come to that."

"Best that it wouldn't." Gaara eyed Zaro with an expression of pure unbending iron. He ignored the daggers thrown at him by the elder councillor, awaiting his anger to seethe. "Zarō-sama, I assure you Nomasaki is innocent in the matter of the village raids. She was pregnant with our son during that time and was secured within the village until his birth. On the matter of the border guard…" The councillors all waited. Gaara closed his eyes, taking a deep calming breath. His hands tightened in their hold, controlling the anger that lay dormant in his blood. When he opened his ringed-eyes, they observed the council with hardened steel. "…I can't testify in confidence. She'll no doubt return to Suna, and she'll be brusquely questioned. If guilty, the responsibility falls to me."

Zaro flinched in his seat. "Kazekage-sama,"

"It falls to me." Gaara firmed, his voice thundering the council to silence. And the council remained silent. He looked to Baki, easing his glare. "Baki, send a hawk to Iwagakure and inform them this does not change our Alliance. We will accept this embargo as temporary. Further, it is advised they do not tempt Yamagakure with violence, being that Suna is a strong ally of Yama. I vote for a meeting with the Tsuchikage – alone. If they wish to play war, we will make this known to the daimyo of Earth and Mountain to settle diplomatically. I will hear no more of this." He stood, starting for the chamber doors. "This meeting is dismissed."

"Kazekage-sama,"

The doors thundered at his back.

His office was not the solace it once was earlier in the day.

The five Kage immediately video-called, much to Gaara's chagrin. He wanted to settle the matter privately with Ōnoki and his wife once she returned – not with the other shinobi nations aware of their dirty laundry. It was a stark contrast to the last meeting. The Raikage entered first, his voice near loud enough to clip the audio on the laptop's microphone. He was furious, even more so than the fence-sitter, who appeared miffed at best. The Mizukage tried to calm him down but demanded to know what warranted such a meeting on such short notice. Ōnoki sneered as he told them the news. He was bitter, but something in his old eyes made Gaara contemplate an ulterior motive. Iwa had fought against Yama in the past, as recently as in the Third Shinobi War. Kyō was stationed along the Land of Mountains border as part of the aid from Suna to protect the small village from the mighty Land of Earth who threatened to overtake the country's border. Perhaps Ōnoki had a grudge to settle with the land Earth could not claim.

Kakashi was the voice of reason, demanding to know if Nomasaki would testify. Gaara could only tell them he did not know where she was – or when she would return. The old fence-sitter boasted about his grandchildren finding her first, but Gaara cut him off and said he would be the one to find her and have her make her case. Kakashi agreed that would be the best step, with Mei following suit. But, unfortunately, the Raikage only made clear he intended to follow justice for the sake of the Alliance. And to what justice he was referring, Gaara was unsure if it meant an apology or Nomasaki's death.

Gaara closed the laptop with his sand.

Tension swirled in his stomach, his forehead against his folded hands resting on his desk. Peace had only become a reality within the last few years, with much discussion and diplomacy. And now that peace was torn to shreds by the woman he loved. It was said that the fabled Princess of the Moon was sentenced to death by her husband, the ruler of an ancient land that time had forgotten. But the sentence provoked her to merge with the ten-tails and wreak havoc upon the world. A cruel irony and one to be brusquely avoided. He sighed, allowing his shoulders to ease. He decided to leave at nightfall to Yama and take Nomasaki back to Suna. She was in danger if she remained there, as would her father and his village. He knew he could pull some strings with the council and at least please the Shinobi Alliance. She could be placed on house arrest until the matter was sorted. Here, she would be safe from any would-be bounty hunters or assassins.

He lifted his head from his hands, easing his back into his chair. Glancing to the corner of his desk, he looked at the small, flowering cacti and the picture frame beside it. Their wedding day almost a year ago. Nomasaki's smile was warm and soft, her golden hair shining in the desert sun. It was a cruel twist of irony for something of such upset to occur on the eve of their anniversary.

He cursed under his breath.

At home was no better.

Kankurō met him in the kitchen, his face paint washed away hastily from his assignment. The doors were sealed tight and the curtains drawn. Meiyumi understood the need for privacy and remained in the nursery with the door shut, leaving the brothers to their discussion. Gaara leaned against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest while Kankurō opted for a seat at the dinner table. Tension rose in Gaara's blood, the myriad of moving parts giving birth to an anger he had not felt in ages. It was palpable.

Kankurō spoke first. "Do you know when she'll be back?"

Gaara shook his head. "I know nothing. She hasn't sent an owl, which is very unlike her…" He sighed. "If she's not in Suna by evening, I'll set out to Yamagakure myself and retrieve her… and put this nonsense to rest. She won't be permitted to leave Suna until we figure this out. I must protect my family at all costs."

"But then we have the other nonsense to deal with," A smirk curved on Kankurō's lips. "The black market – I was able to locate an entry point within the lower district."

Gaara scoffed, disbelief humouring him. "You didn't."

"Did."

A thought crossed his mind, furrowing his brow. "Isn't that the brothel you used to frequent…?"

"Used to!" Kankurō flinched. "I haven't since Meiyumi -," He coughed, clearing his throat. "Anyways… I have ANBU surveying the area day and night, relaying any and all information of patrons to the Puppet Corps and me. It took a while, but it paid off."

Gaara looked down, putting his hands into his pockets. "But then there's the matter of who will infiltrate."

"Nomasaki wanted to, huh?"

"Absolutely not. Not after this." He tensed, his voice iron-firm. "If she truly is in a volatile state, I can't put her in positions which will provoke her. This must be a clean job… an S-rank mission of high stakes."

Kankurō snorted, taking a sip of his tea. "She won't be happy."

"That's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

"That's certainly noble of you, little brother." Kankurō sighed, tracing a finger over the rim of his cup. "I, for one, think she should be the one to infiltrate the base. I mean… she's high profile but not as recognizable as you. She can blend in with the riffraff and talk the talk. You know…" He leaned back in his chair and shot Gaara a snide smirk. "…and her vendetta against Tenbu would make for an excellent driver to get as much information out of them as possible. She can do it."

Kankurō had a point, he had to admit.

Nomasaki made it clear she wanted to be the one to infiltrate the black market – wherever it was. She had a score to settle for the anguish and suffering inflicted upon her and their son, but it appeared she had already settled a score in the Land of Earth. Revenge had hovered over her as if a dark cloud, tempting her to strike down the man who abandoned her and her mother in her youth. All seemed to be resolved during the war, but the urge for revenge still seemed to fester and boil in her blood over time. And it came to a head at the snowy border a mere day ago when she ended the life of an Iwa-nin. Gaara wished he could put his trust in his own wife – he could for anything, but the news of her violent act stirred something in him. A dark rage. Tenbu deserved any and all suffering for what they did, but Iwagakure… Gaara had to meet with the fence-sitter to figure out why they believed Nomasaki was behind the attacks of blood-sealing. However, her current situation did not help in her case.

Unease and anger gnawed at him, churning his thoughts.

He sighed, closing his ringed-eyes. "You make a convincing argument, Kankurō… I'll mull it over."

He did not eat supper as the evening came to pass.

Kankurō eventually left to join Meiyumi in the nursery, leaving Gaara alone to think. He decided he would wait until midnight before venturing to the brutal north. He could see a sandstorm brewing in the desert from the window. Nomasaki might be trapped in a cave waiting for the storm to settle. If he ventured out, he would search there first. He did not know which frustrated him more – the danger she posed to herself with her recklessness or the bounty hunters who began chasing her following the decree by the Tsuchikage.

Damn it all, he thought.

He did not dare think of what his father might have done in a similar situation if it were his mother. Knowing Rasa, he probably would have imprisoned his wife or signed her death warrant to keep the peace between nations. Gaara could not fathom such a vile betrayal. He cursed under his breath, languishing over the sink of dirty dishes.

11:00PM

The clock read eleven o'clock, with one hour to midnight to spare.

Reading in the living room on the comfy and worn couch was never so unnerving. The moments ticked by, and focus was difficult for him to grasp as he flicked his glance back to the clock every so often. He barely got through the first few chapters of a new book before slamming it closed on the coffee table. Looking straight across at the empty space along the wall, he almost wished he had replaced the old television he and Kankurō had destroyed. At least flipping through the channels would be some sort of distraction. He looked at the clock again.

11:45PM

He swore under his breath, scratching at the back of his head as he leaned over his lap. Insomnia began to gnaw at his awareness, his eyes growing heavy. He swept his hair from his eyes, his glance aimlessly locked onto the carpeted floor in thought. Nomasaki, what did you do? And why did you do it? This isn't like you… I thought you said you didn't want revenge… Have your thoughts changed? Don't do anything else until I find you… or else we'll both be in shit.

He hung his head low, sighing.

And at 11:59PM, the door clicked open.

Gaara did not rise immediately, but he stayed as calm and as silent as could be on the couch. He eased himself against the cushion, diffusing any sort of anger that flared in his blood. Then, he heard her footsteps enter the distant porch beyond the hallway. She tossed her boots in the corner by the coat rack and heard the ruffling of a fur cloak resting on a hook. Her footsteps then travelled to the kitchen, where he heard her sigh, then the tap turned on, and a glass was filled. He had not heard anything from the guards at the border to tell him of her presence, and his Third Eye did not sense her presence at all from her arrival. Instead, she arrived as if a shadow sneaking its way into the dark.

A wolf on the hunt.

The irony left a bitter taste on his tongue.

Finally, he rose from the couch and walked to the kitchen to meet her. When he saw her, he could not lie and say that he was not relieved by her presence. Nomasaki appeared unscathed from the back, her hair was still long and golden, and her frame was unmarred by battle. Even her dress was clean, appearing as if freshly washed. She faced no difficulty in the storm, it seemed. He wanted to sweep towards her in his sands, to hold her close in his arms and feel her warmth and presence against him. She was safe, she was here, and she was alive. But as soon as the relief washed over him, the anger rose.

He spoke first, his tone cold. "You snuck past the guards."

She shrugged and kept her back to him as she drank her water. "They would've bothered me. I wanted to come home without interruptions. It's been a… long and tiring journey."

"Seems as if you already caused an interruption."

Nomasaki finally faced him after putting her empty glass on the counter. Her violet eyes pierced his glare like he had never seen. He saw a beast within them, waking. Her tone was even icier than his. "You're not pleased to see me."

He narrowed his glare, anger seething through his teeth. "What have you done?"

"News travels fast…" She placed a hand on the counter, seemingly to calm herself. Her voice became smooth and controlled, challenging him. "I did what I had to do. Iwagakure thought they should butcher my clansmen, so I sought justice. Justice prevailed, and my clansman is avenged."

"You threatened Iwagakure – our ally – with war!" He countered. "Your selfish, impulsive action could cost us lives! Not just the Yamamori, but of Suna if Iwa dares to pull us into conflict!" His voice rose, and he did not care if he was shouting. To say he was angry was an understatement. "And Konoha, Kiri, and Kumo will either sit on the sidelines or join with Iwa. You just jeopardized our peace… peace we already fought and died for." He calmed, meeting her stunned glance with bitter empathy. "I died for, in case you've forgotten."

Nomasaki scoffed under her breath, averting her eyes back to the counter. "You don't understand…"

"Are you listening to yourself?" He shot back. "A life for a life serves no justice – no peace! Only war and death. Vengeance is the last thing we need right now."

"They killed my clansmen!" She yelled as she whipped her head to him, her voice near beast-like. "He was Ekashiba's son, his firstborn! And he was butchered by those bastards… peppered by so many arrows they…-," Tears formed in her nightshade eyes. She averted her glance and swallowed back the sobs that dared to swell into her throat. She breathed slowly, trying to regain a sense of calm. "Iwa wanted me. They think I'm the one using the blood-sealing to destroy their outposts. It's obvious it wasn't me, yet… they would stretch to any excuse to attack Yamagakure! They want our iron and gold mines… they have wanted them for centuries. Our pelts, too." She met his eyes, the desire for vengeance clearly lurking behind them. "What I did was seek justice. If that earns me a page in the Bingo Book, then so be it. I can't sit idly by when my people – my flesh and blood – are murdered!"

Gaara was unmoved. "You will apologize to the Tsuchikage and beg for forgiveness."

"I'll do nothing of the sort." She hissed through fanged teeth. "That geezer needs to apologize to me – and then maybe I'll reconsider."

His glare hardened. "I'm Kazekage, and I command it."

She snorted. "This is the path you wish to take with me?"

"You brought this on yourself."

Without a glimmer of hesitation, Nomasaki strode for him and met him directly. She stood shorter than himself, but the closeness was anything but intimate. They stood as if opposing samurai generals on a field for war, posturing their threats. Her fanged teeth were barred, seething with rage as her purple eyes darkened with intent. Revenge was swirling in her glance, and in that instance, to Gaara, Nomasaki did not seem human. She was a beast. He gave no reaction except pure steel meeting her ferocity with silent power with a glare that rivalled her malice.

"I will not bow my head curtly and apologize to a man who has ordered my execution!" She spat through her fangs. "As my husband, I would have expected you to be as enraged as I am… but here I am mistaken. Your last option is to brand me a traitor and arrest me, Kazekage-sama. I refuse to back down without a fight… I promise you that."

He cursed the day he appointed her as Ambassador.

She was speaking like a true diplomat.

He almost wanted to cradle her face in his hands and kiss her. Seeing her so ruthless in her words struck him, wanting to go against the tide and envelop himself in her. But he was angry. He was enraged. This was their second argument but their first in their marriage. Still, something about seeing his wife vicious with anger almost made him want to push her into their bed. Or over the kitchen counter. He truly was a masochist, as Kankurō once jested. Instead, he pushed all blasphemous thoughts aside, focusing on why he was confronting her in the first place.

But before he could say anything, Shijima appeared at the foot of the hall.

"Nomasaki-sama," She said, knelt with her head bowed. "Sorry to interrupt, Kazekage-sama." She raised her chin, meeting their disconcerted glances. "My lady, I will now return to your service as you are back in Sunagakure. Your son is doing well, and no threats have emerged since your departure." The tension in the room became palpable, chakra near running amok. "…Should I come at a better time?"

"Shijima, leave us for a moment." Gaara dismissed, gesturing to the door. "Let me argue with my wife in peace."

"No," Nomasaki cut in, a sneer on her tone. "Shijima can stay."

Gaara nearly swore his blood boiled.

Shijima's presence became wary as she stood. Cautious. "My lady, I think it might be best to settle your differences in private. But, to be truthful, I came because I could sense your chakra rising. I was under the impression there was a battle to be had."

Gaara kept his glare on Nomasaki. "There will be if pride refuses to step down."

"Don't talk to me as if one of those councillors!" Nomasaki barked. "If you wanted to argue so badly, then go ahead. I'm all ears, Kazekage-sama. Give it your best shot."

Gaara felt a rush of warmth in his throat, coursing through him. The kitchen counter beckoned to him again, making him visualize his wife giggling and moaning as he would thrust into her while she clawed his bare back. He tensed. He shook off the urge, deciding it for another time. Even when angry, his mind still found ways to become aroused by the sight of her. He cursed in his thoughts.

Shijima bowed her head. "I'll take my leave, my lady. However, if this escalates, I will intervene."

Once the Hoki woman was gone and the door shut, Nomasaki furrowed her brow at his fixated stare. "What?"

"You've changed." He retorted as anger flared. "This isn't like you. How could you do something so rash and selfish? You're my wife – the wife of the Kazekage! Anything you do reflects on me, reflects on the village. Does any of that matter to you?"

A snarl escaped her lips. "Am I supposed to be a happy little wife? Locked up in the village all hours of the day and expected to bear heirs for you? While enemies slaughter my clan?!" She glared into his eyes, her rage cooling to a simmer. "If that's what you expected, I don't know what to tell you, Gaara."

"Perhaps we don't know each other well at all." He said coldly. "You're not the same woman I married."

She spat through her fanged teeth. "Then perhaps you should've married that Hōki woman."

"Perhaps I should have."

A vicious growl rumbled from her jaws, seething with anger.

But in her eyes, Gaara saw hurt.

It was only then he realized what he had just spoken. He loved her more than anything in the world, yet he was capable of saying something so horrible. He did not mean it in the slightest, but the anger brought it out to the surface of the bubbling rage that sweltered between them. Regret soon washed away any anger that clung to his heart, nearly provoking him to apologize.

But Kankurō's entrance to the room ended any further conversation.

"Whoa, whoa – stop fighting, alright?" Kankurō groaned, rubbing at his temples. "Kyōkurō is trying to sleep. And all this shouting is giving me a migraine…"

Gaara glared at him in warning. "Stay out of this, Kankurō. This doesn't involve you."

"Clearly, it does if you're preventing my migraine from leaving… damn it, Gaara." Kankurō walked past Nomasaki, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Nomasaki. Sorry for your loss." She nodded, keeping her eyes locked on Gaara. Kankurō leaned close to her ear, glancing at his younger brother. "Iwagakure is in the wrong… ignore my little brother. You have every right to be angry. They're blaming you for something you never did… and they struck first."

She placed her hand over his, closed her eyes, and nodded. "Thank you, Kankurō." She watched him walk to the pantry, then side-eyed her husband. "And thank you for seeing reason… unlike some people in this room."

Gaara crossed his arms against his chest, furrowing his brow. "What do you want?"

"Still in a mood?" Kankurō yawned, seating himself at the dinner table with a bag of chips and salsa to dip. He opened the bag and began snacking, drawing Gaara's ire. This clearly amused him, as he made sure to bite each chip as loud as possible, smirking as he did so. "I wanted to formally discuss the black-market ring. Now that Nomasaki's here, we can talk business."

"Kankurō -,"

Nomasaki stepped closer. "You found the entranceway?"

Gaara near cursed aloud. And now it begins…

Kankurō nodded, dipping his chip in salsa. "It's in the brothel located in the red-light district. There's a door that leads to the cellar… and at the bottom of the stairs, there's an iron door that takes you to the ancient cistern – from the first settlement of Suna that's long since abandoned. It's underground and supposedly a hidden oasis. Perfect for black-market goods, contraband, and Kurogane wine - that sort of thing."

Nomasaki froze, all hope fleeting from her purple eyes.

Gaara realized immediately. She was not underground since her capture by Kōga and Kenzō in the jade mines, where she was kept under total darkness and nearly paid for her life. She almost died in that cave if it were not for Gaara and his sand. Although she had made progress with Shijima before her departure to the north, Gaara was unsure if she could handle being underground after such a traumatic event. It might be too much for her. He felt his chest seize with worry, all frustration leaving as he noticed his wife taking frantic breaths.

"Underground?" She repeated. "I… I haven't been underground since the cave… and that was…-,"

"I told you this was a bad idea." Gaara stepped in. "Let the ANBU handle it."

Kankurō shook his head, leaning back in the wooden chair as he put his feet on the table. Gaara was irked and annoyed. "Rumor has it that the rook that fell from the assassin is the key to gaining passage." Kankurō began, glancing to Nomasaki. "Gaara is too high profile and could easily be identified just from the nature of his jutsu and the sand. My puppets are easily identifiable, and no one else knows Tenbu's ambition like you. You were once a tracker-nin, and your Kekkei Genkai makes it easy to detect chakra and follow it. So you're the best choice for this infiltration mission, Nomasaki. All you need to do is conceal your presence and not reveal yourself to the enemy." A subtle smirk curved on his lips. "Once we have proof it's the Kurogane family pulling the strings and allowing Tenbu to enter Suna, we can oust Genji-sama from Sunagakure and put forth the proper charges." He looked at his younger brother. "Anything else, Gaara?"

Gaara remained silent, averting his narrowed ringed-eyes.

"What do you think?" Kankurō asked, turning back to Nomasaki. "We need to do this sooner than later. Timing for this is crucial, so we should use the time we have to prepare."

Nomasaki hung her head low, her golden hair curtaining her expression. It was too soon, all of it. She had just returned to Suna and had one political crisis to deal with. Gaara could not fathom a second. Gaara swore he saw her shiver as she turned her gaze back to Kankurō, her face washed with fear. Her expression was steely, her eyes stern with a cold fire that lurked beneath.

"I do have a question." She spoke, drawing their attention. "When do we start?"