Not even revised, basically entirely rewritten… I've decided to take everything concerning Sakura's keki-genki out completely on the basis of… well, I have no clue as to where I was going with it. –sweatdrop-
Should Tell Her?
By Socially Suicidal
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the song Should I Tell Her. I own Arina and this story, respectively.
Chapter Three: Merely the Beginning
Rays from the sun were filtered through the window in a particular bedroom within the Kazekage abode. The winds outside were peaceful, the heat mild, and the streets below were bustling in a not rowdy way – a fit beginning to a day. The white lace drapes fluttered about in the breeze that carried through the open window and everything was quiet. Despite being only half conscious, Sakura smiled contentedly and sighed, burrowing further into her cozy pillow with intentions for getting more sleep.
Unfortunately, the other occupant of said peaceful room had drastically differing ideas of what this lovely desert morning should consist of.
"Sa – ku – ra!" A terribly grating voice screeched while the owner of said wail shook her violently, attempting to rouse her from her haven of soft comforters and blissful slumber, "Get up!"
After a few moments of nearly groaning in response to the horrific assault, the Konoha medic could no longer take the abuse and shot from her nest, tackling the petite black haired kunoichi to the ground, the two of them going down in a blur of pink and white, "As you can see, I am awake thank you very much," grunted the pink haired youth through her clenched teeth as Arina grabbed a fistful of her petal hair.
Arina shot her a cheeky grin from where she had been pinned by inhuman strength onto the floor, chirping simply, "I'm glad to see that!" Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she released her, slowly pushing herself from the floor, "You know, Saku my love, the early bird does indeed get the worm," the white eyed girl informed sagely as she too rose to her feet in her typical graceful manner.
"The last thing I want is a damn worm," grumbled the angry leaf kunoichi as she ruggedly dragged her fingers through her impossibly messy pink hair, "And I am far from a damn bird." Arina just gave an eye twinkling smile at the grouchy female. Today is the day, she mused merrily, excited to finally have something worth her attention in her usually quiet village of Suna. One could get frighteningly bored with only the typical (as if they were typical in any sense!) odd goings on in the home of the renowned Sand Siblings.
"Well I'm going to get some breakfast. You better get ready for your shift at the hospital." The sand kunoichi announced sanguinely, tapping her pale wrist, as she strolled out of the room.
Sakura's eyes then widened with realization, 'I have to be in Gaara's office by seven!' Hurriedly glancing at the clock, she allowed air to again enter her lungs as she saw the time read only six o'clock and she suppressed a sigh of relief. The petal head rummaged through her belongings until she found a towel, toiletries, and some clean clothes before heading slightly down the hallway into the bathroom. Humming as she turned on the stream of hot water, she stripped quickly and stepped into the shower
Just the tiniest bit further down the hallway, Gaara also exited his room, donning his formal Kazekage robes. He stopped short as his senses were assaulted with her scent, eyes wide and nostrils flared.
'Fresh in there air, boy…' the exotic aroma teased him, the hot water and steam intensifying the usual scent that clung to her form. Gaara found himself having a hard time placing it exactly but he reckoned it was a mix of at least lavender, vanilla, and some sort of apricot. 'Just passed this door…'
'Not even the slightest chance in hell.'
Gaara checked the watch under his white sleeve and suppressed a rather haughty smirk, seeing the time as half passed six and deciding that the bathing kunoichi did have a bit of time before she would be late to their meeting. Turning on his heel, the Kazekage walked down the stairs and into the kitchen intent on having some cereal – or perhaps he'd check the fruit drawer for any apricots.
The bathroom quickly filled with steam as Sakura hopped out of the shower, quickly winding her white towel around her body and combing out her hair. After she was dry, she slipped into an outfit they had purchased the day before. She liked it because it wasn't a far stretch from what she usually wore yet it was, mainly in the fabric, far more fit for the desert climate. The shirt was maroon, sleeveless, with a small collar much like her normal blouse but had been adorned with black petals sewn up from the right side of the hem that blew up her midriff and went as far as just under the swell of her breasts. The sequin like petals had a bit of a sparkle in the right light, giving the shirt a bit of a more interesting glint. Under the maroon tank top she wore a black fishnet shirt, the sleeves of which just reaching her elbows. The skirt she wore, with black shorts under, was very much like her usual one but was black in color.
Other than that, Sakura opted to wear her usual attire – knee high boots, gloves, and her hitai-ate proudly in her hair.
At 6:45 Gaara smirked to himself as he arrived at his office in a flurry of sand. He felt rather smug this particular morning, an unusually competitive streak pushing haughtiness through his veins as he rounded his desk and sat gracefully into his chair. Having doubts that the pink haired medic would arrive at the agreed time, the Kazekage calmly picked up the paper at the top of his daily pile and began carefully skimming through it.
Sakura flew into her shared bedroom and thanked whatever deity was above that she had packed her bag the night before. Tossing her small medic bag over her shoulder she darted down the hall and jumped, literally, down the wide staircase. Landing gracefully and soundlessly on her feet, she checked her watch- 6:47, on the money. The kunoichi ran into the kitchen and grabbed an apple out of the refrigerator and rinsed it off quickly.
The pink haired girl spun around at the sound of a snicker. "Running a bit late?" Kankurou teased, standing against the counter of the other side of the kitchen, obviously amused. Sakura took a half a second to glare at the purple face painted nin. She sighed, her shoulders losing some tension with her admission, muttering a sheepish, "A bit."
Sakura would be the first to admit that being the student of the Copy Cat Ninja, Hatake Kakashi, certainly had its ups and downs. Sure he was always late, making up excuses even Naruto knew were false, and he always had his face in that porno book of his, but there was one thing about him she was grateful for. He did have a fierce knack for always appearing out of nowhere. Sure, Sakura always found that to be infuriating in her years training under him but now, she thanked any deity above her for that, admittedly strange, part of his persona. Being able to shushin to anywhere she wanted at any time certainly had its many advantages.
In a swirl of her signature cherry blossoms, the girl was gone from the kitchen, leaving a very slack jawed Kankurou in her wake. The only person he had ever seen do anything like that with a substance other than smoke was…
The Kazekage sat in, although not terribly apparent, shock as the pink haired kunoichi stood in front of him, beaming a brilliant smile.
Sakura gave a huge inward sigh as she stood, beaming, in front of a seemingly stunned, if only a little, Kazekage. Eyes shifting over to a clock on the wall, her smile widened. 6:51, her little interlude with Kankuro had cost her about a minute and a half, and then she had to calm the nearly hyperventilating secretary after she shushined right in front of her desk enough to get her to call Gaara, which took roughly one minute. She had been standing in front of Gaara now for about twenty nine seconds, if her mental calculations were correct, which they always were.
Still smiling, but warmer and more casual like, Sakura said, "Good morning, Gaara, I apologize if I'm a bit earlier than expected."
Of course, the pink haired kunoichi couldn't have known about the (ridiculous) mental challenge Gaara had about her being late, but her innocent statement was a low blow. He found himself wishing for the normalcy of self to cringe. She was more than he'd expected, and he was sure he hadn't even had a taste of the full dosage. It seemed he was cursed to keep thinking about her, wondering about her but never understanding.
Shukaku thundered in laughter, the howl of it ringing in Gaara's head.
"Hn," was his monosyllabic response, not looking up from whatever paper he had been reading when she arrived.
'Jeez, he sounds just like Sasuke,' Sakura mused blandly to her Inner.
'The bastard? Maybe.'
"So, I should head over to the hospital until…" she trailed off awkwardly, a hand rubbing the back of her neck in a very Naruto manner – half of her forgetting what he told her, the other half wanting him to confirm it.
"Until all serious injuries are healed, then you are free to do what you want," Gaara finished for her evenly, seemingly unaffected by her weariness as she fidgeted before him.
"Right, then tomorrow I go to the hospital at seven and leave at noon, then from one to four I'm at the medic academy." Sakura nodded thoughtfully, remembering now what he had instructed the day before.
"Correct," Gaara nodded and allowed himself to lift his eyes to her face, though her gaze was fixed out of his window as she waited patiently for dismissal. The Kazekage allowed the idea of visiting the hospital later on in the day to evaluate her progress as Shukaku very nonchalantly suggested it.
'To witness her capability,' the demon murmured reasonably.
'She is apprentice of Godaime Hokage, Best Medic Nin in the world. Some say she has surpassed her mentor. I think we can surmise what she is capable of.' Gaara responded flatly, his gaze not wandering from her fair visage and distant eyes.
Jade eyes fell back onto the paper he was working on, "Dismissed," he heard the door open and her steps slowly fade away as she walked down the hall.
Sakura sighed as she left the hot, dry air and entered the cooler air of Suna's hospital. The walls were tan with blue molding. Some plants were placed in pots in the waiting area, as well as some customary blue hospital waiting chairs. Pictures of what she guessed great medical nin and doctors were framed here and there on the walls. It was a regular hospital, a hospital one could find in most places, with a couple differences, mostly adaptations to the punishing desert.
Walking up to the receptionist's office, Sakura watched nurses and doctors alike running up and down the already hectic hallways. She wondered just how many people she would be healing today.
"Good morning, I am the Konoha medic nin, Haruno Sakura," she greeted the receptionist politely, who looked up through her thickly rimmed glasses and smiled in return.
"Ah, the Hokage's apprentice," Sakura smiled as her chest swelled with pride to be immediately recognized as such, "We are so grateful for your help. One of our doctors will take you to the medic that will be accompanying you while you work here. By the way, I'm Uki," the girl named Uki nodded to her, extending her hand as she introduced herself.
"Thank you, Miss Uki" Sakura beamed as she shook hands with the receptionist, whom she had already decided she liked very well. She hoped beyond hope that she would get along with the other people she would encounter working in Suna just as well. Being friendly with the staff would certainly make her work more enjoyable, plus Tsunadae had mentioned future missions in Suna if this one worked out, so it would be nice to have friends in the hospital.
An elderly woman of about 55 wearing a doctor's lab coat with gray hair clipped up in the back of her head approached the pink haired medic, disapproval shining in gray eyes, "You the medic?"
"I am," Sakura confirmed evenly, despite the obvious resentment the other woman obviously held for her, "Nice to meet you…" she trailed off, waiting for the older woman to introduce herself.
"Miss Haruno, this is Dr. Hitimata, she will be taking you to our medic." The receptionist cut in quickly. "Doctor, this is Haruno Sakura, the medic from Konoha, the Fifth Hokage's apprentice, you know, the Greatest Medic in the world…" Uki hinted that Sakura deserved the woman's respect, oh so very subtly.
"I'm glad to be of service." Sakura just smiled, really hoping to get onto this woman's good side.
Dr. Hitimata scoffed, "We'll see about that." She turned on her heel and stalked down the hallway.
Inner Sakura grunted in irritation at the treatment, 'Cha, I bet this grouchy old biddie doesn't know her ass from her elbow. We'll show her!'
Uki shot her an apologetic look as she sat back down behind her desk, to which Sakura nodded to before jogging after the nasty older woman. As the pink haired medic walked down the hall, she couldn't help but notice all the varying looks she received from doctors and nurses (barely seeing any medics, she noted). Some nurses, the younger ones as they seemed, shot her envious looks – for what, she did not know. The older nurses gave her more respectful looks, nodding to her politely in greeting. The male doctors, however, all ages with few exceptions, mostly leered at her. Inner Sakura scoffed again, ignoring them, her invented head held high.
Inside the hospital room the gray haired doctor finally lead her to was a bed with at least four different beeping machines surrounding it. A girl with chocolaty hair reaching her shoulder blades and bangs swept out of her eyes stood in front of the bed, assessing the patient. The tall, thin girl had on a navy tank top and loose khaki capris. The hip pouch hanging loosely from her side indicated to Sakura that she was a fellow kunoichi, most likely the medic nin she would be working with. The taller girl turned, smiling at the two – well, smiling at Sakura, she seemed to ignore the presence of the irritable doctor by her side. Sakura didn't blame her.
The sand medic had liquid citrine eyes and a fair, slightly tanned face. Sakura found that she was very pretty. "Good morning, you must be the medic from leaf. It's great to meet you, I'm Havai Tori and I'll be working with you," Tori said as she extended a friendly hand to Sakura.
"Yes I am, it's lovely to meet you. I'm Haruno Sakura, please call me Sakura," the leaf medic grinned and shook the girl's hand as she nodded.
Tori's gaze hardened as she released Sakura's hand and turned toward the doctor accompanying her, "Thank you, Dr. Hitimata, you may return to your work, now." Scowling, the doctor turned and lurked out of the room, "I cannot stand that woman," Tori sighed, shaking her head with a hand exhaustedly running through her brunette locks.
Sakura blanched comically, "I can see why." Tori grinned and nodded in what seemed to be approval.
"I'm already looking forward to working with you." "Likewise," Sakura agreed and turned to the Suna shinobi lying on the hospital bed. A mass under white sheets, the only visible part of the nin was his head. He had long dirty blond hair which probably reached past his ears, if she had to guess, that was splayed out around his head and face. His chalky pale face was twisted into a grimace of pain and his eyes were tightly closed.
Attached to him was an IV, a blood transfusion device that was fastened to his limp and pale left arm, a heart monitor, an oxygen tube, and a brain stimulator. The grease board on the wall read, "Chitimata Yukon".
Moving over to the machines, going into medic mode, Sakura analyzed the data displayed, "What's wrong with him?" she questioned, still examining the machines' statistics.
The other medic sighed, walking over to the other side of the Sunian Nin, "That's just the problem. We don't know. All of his wounds have either been healed or treated, but he still hasn't woken up from this comatose-like state. His poison test is negative, but he can still seemingly feel some sort of pain. But from what…" Tori trailed off, frustration ringing her voice.
"Hm…" Sakura wondered thoughtfully, "Symptoms?" She examined him more, using her careful eye, or sense, to see his chakra levels. The Konoha Kunoichi had an idea of what was wrong, but she needed to be sure before she could act on her hunch.
Tori picked up a clip board from the table next to the Suna Nin, "Hm… Chitimata, 'Symptoms: fluctuating chakra levels, hemorrhage of various veins (mainly within left arm), and pneumonia symptoms of shaking chills and 103-105 degree fever.'
"He was also showing signs of an early brain tumor. The cerebrospinal fluid around his brain seemed to have some sort of parasite in it, but that went away after about three days after his admission in the hospital." Tori put down the clipboard and shook her head, "He really got hit with a crap load of things, and he isn't even our worst. He is only our second in that rank."
Sakura nodded, definitely knowing what plagued this shinobi. Though, she was disturbed by the idea of his case only being second in degree of severity.
Taking a deep breath the Godaime Hokage's apprentice stood over Yukon, "Mr. Chitimata, I'm afraid this might hurt just a bit." Closing her eyes, her hands hovered over his chest and green chakra flamed her hands.
"Seru doku tekishutsu no jutsu,"Sakura muttered, moving one hand to his temple and the other to his left arm. Her chakra flared and a sizzling sound was heard as a small incision was made on Yukon's left arm and a light green liquid twirled out of it, rising to Sakura's hand, and then was enclosed in an orb of chakra.
Focusing her emerald eyes up to her chakra infused hand at Yukon's temple, she pressed her hand to his temple and his chalky skin turned back to its natural tan hue.
Stepping away, the Konoha medic wiped at a thin film of perspiration that had formed along her brow. The kunoichi looked up at her new comrade to see her absolutely puzzled. The pink haired girl just smiled.
"Ano… What in hell was that? What was wrong with him, how-did-what..?!" The sand kunoichi rushed to the patients side, sputtering in confusion as he wide eyed gaze jumped from Sakura to the sleeping shinobi.
"After hearing his symptoms it was obvious. Fluctuating chakra levels, hemorrhage, and pneumonia symptoms and the parasite in the cerebrospinal fluid, they are the exact symptoms of an infection I had read about a few years ago while studying under shishou," Sakura explained calmly as she did a once over of the man's vitals.
"But wait," Tori interrupted; her face hard with concentration, "the parasite was gone three days after…"
"Precisely, what was used was a special jutsu, medical nin-jutsu actually, that injects a special poison into the cells. The injection point was his left arm and it was done a bit sloppily, which was the cause of the hemorrhage. His white blood cells were dying, so his chakra was trying to make up for the damage, but the poison was also eating at his chakra, causing the fluctuation. The chills and fever were classic side-affects.
It took a good bit of energy but I should be recovering rapidly. Anyway, next patient?"
"Right, let's go."
Walking out of Yukon's room, Sakura, clipboard at hand, read up on the next patient. Tori suddenly stopped short, and Sakura, behind her, bumped into her back. "What's wrong?" She craned her head over the halted kunoichi's shoulder, trying to see what she was gazing at.
"L-lord Kazekage..?" The brown haired medic sputtered with shock. Sakura's emerald eyes locked with sea foam green from over her shoulder.
Sure enough, there was the redheaded Kazekage, arms crossed over his chest in the customary pose. He was leaning against the wall quite nonchalantly on the other side of the hallway.
Gaara, through Shukaku, had heard and seen, using his Third Eye technique to see what Sakura was up to in the patient's room. Due to lack of color and quality in his vision from the position hidden behind Tori, he couldn't see or understand much, but his interest was more than thoroughly spiked.
Sakura, though confused, smiled in pleasant greeting. Tori seemed to get over her shock and quickly bowed, greeting him formally, "Good morning, Lord Kazekage."
Gaara nodded in response, and Tori stood up straight, "Hello, Miss Hayai." His black rimmed eyes switched over to Sakura, who had stepped to the side of Tori.
Sakura gave a small bow as well, "Hello again, Lord Gaara," she murmured respectfully, sure that in public he would preferred to be referred to with the respect a shinobi of his position deserved, "What brings you to the hospital?"
Tori's jaw slackened as she gaped at the girl that had just addressed her Kage by his name.
"Sakura," the Kazekage nodded in greeting, catching the attention of the present sand kunoichi as she snapped her gaze over to his unmoving form, "Checking up on some things."
'Lie.'
'Not completely.'
'I hardly believe that stalking her counts as checking up on some things'.
Sakura gave him a teasing grin, "All work no play makes for a very dull Kage." The joke nearly knocked the wind straight out of the mortified sand nin at her side. Tori's first impression of Sakura was admiration for a strong, intelligent medical ninja. She had not anticipated her new companion to have been completely insane with a wish for a death of the utmost gore and agony at the hands of an irate Kazekage. Just who in their right mind teases Sabaku no Gaara?
"All play no work makes one like Kankurou." Gaara shrugged indifferently. All sense of reality was lost for Tori. Did the former serial killer, powerful, block of ice, Kazekage of Suna, vessel of Shukaku, just crack a joke… moreover, a funny joke?
Sakura snickered, thoroughly enjoying the laid-back aura surrounding him at the time. He was nice to be with when he was calm, certainly pleasant company. If only Gaara would be like this in public the some people that did wouldn't still fear him.
That thought reminded her of the night before with Gaara out on the roof. Under the desert moon and stars, much more vibrant in Suna than in Konoha, he looked… almost angelic. Of course, angelic in a demonic sense, as strange, twisted, and unintelligible she knew that was. And the way he seemed when he talked about the moon, at the time she didn't notice, but looking back he seemed almost hesitant. But of course he was Sabaku no Gaara, he never would hesitate about anything…
The intellectual pink haired girl wanted to know more about the unique way her redhead jinchuuriki friend thought. Talking to him was the only way to learn more, but the problem was she'd have to figure out a way to talk to him in an appropriate time and place or she'd have to wait for him to come and talk to her. She didn't know the probability of the latter happening too often.
"Miss Haruno, Tori! Please," a young nurse panted as she came to a stop from her sprint down the hallway in front of the trio, offering a quick bow to the present Kazekage, "Please! Come now, we need your help immediately!"
Sakura's eyes hardened and she nodded stiffly, turning back to the redheaded Kazekage. He spoke before she could dismiss herself.
"Of course, go. See you, Sakura," Gaara murmured, offering a nod to Tori and a soft "Miss Hayai" before deftly turning and departing without another word exchanged.
Sakura and her medic comrade went quickly to see a woman in labor that needed a C-Section but had already lost too much blood to go through with the operation.
Healing the woman and successfully delivering a healthy baby took about an hour and a half and it was about noon when everything was finished and cleaned up. After that, the day seemed to be a whirl of rushing and healing as the resident staff seemed to realize the usefulness of the Konoha kunoichi that had fallen into their lap. Sakura's last coherent thought of anything that had naught to do with injuries and healing was before she was called to heal a ninja with five broken ribs and a concussion promptly after she walked out of the delivery room.
After the shinobi had been healed to the best of her ability and his broken bones wrapped up snuggly, newborn baby had a fractured shoulder that needed to be carefully healed by Sakura, considering the child's fragileness. She took her time and the child was released to its very grateful mother.
Sakura then healed a kunoichi with a kunai lodged dangerously close to her heart and a fractured leg. The kunoichi had the kunai in her chest for six hours and the cut was infected so Sakura had to heal that too, as well as mend the cut itself.
A man with a blood clot right near his lung needed Sakura's attention and she carefully drained and sutured. He was about fifty and had a back problem which the pink haired medic mended by soothing his back muscles with a special technique she had learned from Shizune in the beginning if her medic days.
The Fifth Hokage's apprentice extracted many poisons, but the worst was one that infected the chakra flow of a young shinobi, almost stopping it, before Sakura stormed into his room and pushed the fussing medics aside after quickly verifying their uselessness with her newly acquired partner. An hour and a substantial amount of her chakra later, the roseate haired kunoichi had managed to extract the poison and reassure the panicked shinobi, who had before then not realized how close to death he had truly been. He was grateful, admiration dancing in his eyes as Sakura was swept out of the room promptly after he was saved.
These, plus about twelve more patients, each with at least two problems each, were all the people she healed in the day. Sakura, as always, enjoyed helping the people and their thanks when she was done. At first, every person she came into contact with whom wasn't already made aware of her status was wary of having such a feeble looking, petal headed girl seeing to their medical needs. However, in a very Naruto-like manner (perhaps she was spending a tad bit too much time with the exuberant shinobi), she had managed to change their opinions drastically.
By the time all emergencies - with the one exception of the worst patient whom had been basically deemed dead due to his lack of response to any and all given treatment - were healed, it was about seven o'clock at dusk.
Tori whooshed a sharp exhale as the doors of the operating room swung shut behind her, "I'm exhausted, personally. And almost out of chakra. You must be too, how do you feel?"
The shorter, paler female glanced at her comrade as they walked fluidly down one hallway of the hospital, "Yeah, it was a long day, but I'm alright," the darker haired kunoichi scoffed and Sakura chuckled, "Hey! Being Lady Tsunade's apprentice can do that to a person."
"I guess it would. Well, since you have to have lost some chakra, we'll handle our worst case tomorrow." She silenced whatever protest the determined haired girl would have had with a wave of her hand, "Our worst case will require you and all of your chakra at the ready, he'll make it another night no problem. He's stable as for now."
Sakura sighed, "Fine, well I guess I'll head home now, I am a bit tired."
'You fucking liar, we're more than a bit tired.' Inner Sakura accused, chiming in for the first time today since her crude comment in Gaara's office.
'I know but I still want to help all I can. I am looking forward to some rest, though,' Sakura replied, stifling a yawn that must have been brought on by her thoughts.
Tori nodded, about to retreat behind the reception desk to write some memos and gather her things, but paused and instead asked, "By the way, have you figured out where you're staying? You're of course welcome with me if you have yet to acquire accommodations," the kunoichi offered politely.
The shorter female smiled and thanked her warmly, turning down her offer, "I'm staying with some friends not too far from the hospital."
"Oh? Are they shinobi?" Tori replied, shuffling behind the desk and rifling through some papers.
Sakura nodded dutifully, "Yep. I'm staying with the Sand Sib…" she began, and then realized that the sand kunoichi wouldn't be familiar with the name the Kazekage's team was given during her first chuunin exams, "The Kazekage and his siblings. See you tomorrow!"
She then waved and left, heading out into the dry coolness of the desert twilight.
Tori stared after her, her jaw unhinged for the umpteenth time since she met the interesting medic kunoichi of Konoha, 'She's staying with…the Kazekage…? And Temari…? …and Kankuro…? That was why Lord Kazekage…Whoa. This really is a big deal.'
Sakura sighed wistfully as she finally arrived at the front door of the mansion, wondering where Naruto had been all day as she pushed the door open. Brushing her sandy boots off on the rug, she continued into the hallway and was greeted by a delectable smell wafting from the kitchen.
The resident black haired kunoichi stood precariously next to the counter, balancing several plates full of food in her slight arms. Sakura rushed to relieve of her some of the dishes, receiving a sheepish look from the kunoichi who had taken up more than she could carry. "Thanks, we're eating in the living room tonight." Nodding, the leaf medic dutifully continued into the living room to set the plates on the coffee table.
Arina moved to the bottom of the stairs, being more careful now in balancing the food in her arms, as she called up the stairs, "Gaara, Kankuro, dinner! Get yourselves down here."
Kankuro was the first to respond to the call, although he stopped midway down the stairs sporting a comfortable mesh sleeping shirt and his black pants instead of his usual attire, attempting to get a better look around. "Who cooked?" He asked the smaller female at the bottom of the stairs hesitantly.
Temari sighed and called from the kitchen, "I got take out!"
"No cooking? Are you sure?" Kankurou asked suspiciously, receiving a reassuring nod from the mind-hopping kunoichi in front of him. The puppet master grinned, continuing down the stairs and into the living room, from which he called to his brother, "Its safe, Gaara!"
Sakura giggled from her spot on the couch as the baritone sand shinobi sauntered into the room and fell into his chair. She studied his paint-free face and his unusually hood-free brunette spikes. There certainly were good genetics among the Sabaku siblings.
The medic stood and picked up a plate and utensils before turning to the broad shouldered nin, stifling a smirk at his close eyed expression before waving the still steaming dinner under his nose. The shinobi's dark eyes flew open and met Sakura's amused ones. Shooting her a sheepish grin that forced a blush to creep up her neck, Kankuro gratefully took the dish offered to him as Gaara silently moved into the living room.
Sakura stepped back just as Gaara descended gracefully and nonchalantly down the stairs. "Needed the warning?" she joked, not looking at him as she picked her own plate off of the table and settled into the couch once more, legs tucked under her gracefully.
The Kazekage followed in tandem and too grabbed his food from the table, opting to lean against the wall beside his much more outgoing brother, "In this house, you will learn quickly, that it is rarely safe," The medic laughed, a reward with which Gaara was more than happy for his somewhat forced reply to her quip.
Temari shot him a glare as she and Arina entered the room, picking up the remaining plates and settling variously around the room, talking idly while they ate.
After dinner in the living room, Temari and Arina insisted upon cleaning; receiving objections only from Sakura. Arina suggested, or ordered, that they all stay downstairs and watch a movie- for some rare quality "bonding" time, as she put it. Kankuro just shrugged lazily, commenting that he didn't mind sticking around for a few more hours before continuing his day-long nap on his day off. Sakura of course agreed, which left Gaara to just glower at Arina for suggesting it. She happily ignored him.
The sand kunoichi of the household entered the kitchen, now empty plates in hand. They began giving the dishes a wash, Arina looking over her shoulder to where Kankuro had sprawled his long tan body over his chair as he talked to Sakura, folded up neatly on the couch still. Sakura seemed to be laughing at something the puppet master had said, shaking her head, to which Kankuro was grinning widely. The black haired kunoichi duly noted Gaara's stiff posture against the wall, not participating in the conversation but seemingly keen on the interaction between his brother and the medic.
Temari followed her line of vision and sighed, "Sometimes I wish he could be more like Kankuro."
Grinning, Arina shut off the tap and leaned her hip against the counter as she dried her hands, "Yeah, but then he wouldn't be him."
The eldest of the Sand Siblings agreed whole heartedly.
Go Forth and Review
