A/N: Hi! Well it's been a long, LONG time since I've last updated this story, so…I'm sorry! But at least it's a longer chapter than any I've written! Its a little filler-y so if you didn't like it, feel free to tell me; I'll understand! If you don't remember where I last left off (cuz it's been so long!) it's when Riko finally went to sleep after being saved by Gaara! (and that awesome make-out scene) So…THE STORY BEGINS…AGAIN!
Chapter 9: Sweet Memories
A moan escaped her dry lips as her eyes wouldn't open, for she was afraid of the light that would pour through them, relentlessly. So she started slow.
She wiggled her toes and then rolled her knees. She jiggled her thighs sending a hiss through her lips from the bruises and then flexed her stomach. She took deep breaths, working her lungs and bent her arms. And then, she went completely still.
Th-thump, th-thump…That was her heart. She let out a sigh of relief. I'm alive…
Finally, her eyes fluttered open letting a little bit of sunlight seep in through them as she groaned. She heard a door open and close and then a gasp. "Oh, you're awake!" said a voice, relief and surprise almost dripping off the person's tongue.
Riko glanced over to see a happy blonde. "You were scaring me; before, your breathing was very shallow…" she spoke as she walked over and sat on the bed. Her eyes then went dark and worrisome. "What happened last night?"
Riko stared into the distance as her memory floated to the other night. She remembered screams and curses and cuts and struggles. And then she remembered Gaara, who had saved her from that nightmare. "He saved me, Temari." She had no idea why she had remembered her name. Gaara had only spoken her name once or twice when they were young.
Riko's heartbeat became faster and more joyful as her memory hit her like a brick wall. And once when he was trying to silence her, and stay with me.
Two blonde eyebrows furrowed. "Save you?" She moved in closer. "From what?"
She wanted to tell Temari everything, from the fight to their first real kiss but she couldn't. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized…"I-I don't want to remember…" she whimpered, her body shaking.
Riko pushed herself into a sitting position, gripping the covers around her naked form. "Everything was different, frightening, unreal. For the first time in my life…I was…"
She hugged herself tight trying to remember feeling Gaara's arms around her; of her father's arms around her; anyone would do at this point.
Riko closed her eyes and turned to the side, mentally daring her tears to fall.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Riko looked up, surprise written all over her face as she saw the young blonde smile warily, sweetly, a small twinkle in her eyes. "Don't worry; you don't have to tell me. Whatever happened is between you and Gaara and whoever else was involved. Please, I'm here to help you, not make you sad…" Her smile brightened. "Now let's get you ready for brunch, ne?"
Riko paused. She sounded so understanding, so used to helping people. She heard her stomach gurgle as she blushed crimson.
"Huh?" asked Temari. "I didn't quite catch that!"
Riko snapped out of her phase. "I mean, yes! Of course! Thank-you!" she screeched hastily.
She giggled. "Then I guess we should start with…" she pointed at her form. "Clothes..."
Riko blushed again as her grip tightened around her figure. "My, I-I almost for-forgot!" she stuttered, embarrassed. "Unfortunately, I don't have any clothes with me…" She looked down with a sheepish laugh.
Temari opened a closet in front of the bed. "No worries! You can wear some of mine! I have so many; I keep them in practically every room in the tower!" she chuckled.
"R-Really?"
"Yeah!" She turned around with a smile, her hands on her hips.
"Oh, I couldn't…" she replied politely.
"Oh, yes you could!"
"Well, I-"
"You don't expect to go around naked do you? The majority of the family is, unfortunately, male!" she tisked as she dug through the closet once again.
Riko gazed down as she bit her lip. What was she saying?! The quicker she got dressed, the faster she would get downstairs to brunch. And who knew, maybe Gaara would be there. Her heart almost jumped up her throat and out her mouth at the thought of that. But why? Why was she so hasty about seeing Gaara; why did she find herself wanting to spend every second with him? Why?
Of course she loved him, but was love truly enough? At first she didn't want to see, hear, or even think of the boy. Why now did want to spend every second she could with him? Could love seriously be it?
She didn't want to think of this now. It was too complicated and too much of a general thing. She needed to think of a legitimate reason she wanted to see him now. But she knew the answer to that.
Gaara had stayed with Riko the whole night. Though asleep, Riko could feel his chakra constantly by her side. She knew that his chakra was strong and that he could have easily made a believable clone, but Riko had been trained by her clan in the arts of ninjutsu, and he was there. Riko knew it not only in her mind, but in her heart as well.
Riko was snapped back into reality by the sound of Temari's voice. "Pardon?" she inquired.
"I said what bra size do you wear?"
Riko blushed once again. "…large B, small C…" she murmured softly.
Temari giggled at her meekness. "What's to worry about? That's normal size! I don't have either of those but will bindings work?" she questioned with a smile.
"Bindings are fine," she replied with a nod.
Temari pulled out the bindings and threw them at her and then went back to searching her closet. Riko grabbed the bindings and slipped from the covers, a shiver soaring down her spine. One thing was for sure, their air conditioning was definitely working.
There was nothing she wanted more that to get out into the searing heat of Suna, at this point. She wanted to feel the coursing hot sun on her skin, the gritty sand beneath her toes, as awkward as that sounded. She wanted to feel life, and she knew that waking up from such a comforting sleep would bounce her back into reality, but she wanted it; she could handle it.
Riko paused in the middle of her task, (wrapping the bindings) and gazed at Temari. "Do you think…do you think we'll have enough time to go out for a while?" she inquired softly.
Temari answered with a giggle at first. "Of course. Gaara will be pissed if we're late to brunch, but he's a tight-ass, anyway!" She giggled once again.
"Temari-san, I don't wish to mess up your schedule-"
"Stop being so formal," she reprimanded as she threw a simple yukata, slacks, and a new pair of underwear at her. "You are going to be my sister-in-law soon, after all!" She smirked triumphantly as she put her hands on her hips. "Am I right?"
Riko gasped; her whole face felt like a cherry that was getting redder by the second. She proceeded to look down and hurriedly put her clothes on.
The young blonde chuckled. "Come on; get dressed quickly, I want to do your hair and make-up."
Riko did exactly what she was told and, in a matter of seconds, was in a chair, getting her hair brushed out.
"I love your hair, Riko. Where did you get it done?"
"Um…some lady in Amegakure did my layers and threw in the streaks for free…" said Riko with a pleasant smile.
Temari sweat dropped with a sheepish laugh. "That's really random…"
The beautiful, green-eyed girl chuckled softly. "Yes, I suppose it is…" She smiled sweetly, as if she didn't even notice it himself. It was a small smile, but it was complete, nonetheless.
Temari was just relieved she was doing better. By the stressed look on Gaara's face this morning, she knew something tragic had happened, because emotions were distant to the young Kazekage; f istant--or the filler-y chapter! Luv u and laterz!!!----------------------------------------------- then planted one on her for her to actually see the grief on his face was quite frightening. So she thought about it; making her happy would bring him back to his normal state, or maybe even a better one. Maybe making her happy would boost his spirits to help others he loved. Maybe…maybe she would see him smile.
And Riko was a kind girl; just the girl she wanted to see standing beside him always. The one that could comfort him, understand his feelings like no one had ever done before.
Temari finished tying her hair into a bun with chopsticks and then turned her towards the mirror. "There you are!" she said through an exhale. "Like it?"
Riko gasped with astonishment as she stared at her reflection. To say the least she was surprised. The only time she wore make-up was on holidays when the rest of the Masako clan came to visit. They were formal occasions usually accompanied by long silk kimonos, with fancy hairstyles, face powder, and eye-watering perfumes; she had never once thought to wear the stuff casual.
"I-I…I love it. Thank-you, Temari."
"Got to have you looking good for Gaara-nii, ya know?" she teased with a laugh.
Temari noticed that Riko hadn't even heard her for she was too busy staring at herself in wonder. She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Like you've never seen make-up before…"she mumbled to herself. "Come on!" she growled as she pulled her out of her seat and ran out the room with her.
"Temari!" she screamed. "Where are we going?"
"Yow wanted some fresh air didn't you?"
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Riko inhaled, spreading her arms out wide, as she wiggled her bare toes against the sand that tickled her feet. She smiled into the wind and stood up high; as high as she could reach without physically flying in the air. Her eyes were closed, but if they were open, you could bet they'd be sparkling with bliss. And finally when her lungs sent a message to her brain saying they couldn't hold any more air, she exhaled, bringing her senses back in check as she fell back down to the soles of her feet, still keeping her arms akimbo, outstretched as if welcoming the world into a strong embrace.
At this point she opened her eyes and noticed a single tear streaming down her face, swearing it was from the constant blow of sand. But she was in denial. "I've missed this…"
She bit her lip and closed her eyes once more, bringing her arms back down to her side. "Thank-you, Temari."
Riko turned towards her as she pushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "Should we go to brunch, now?"
Temari's blue-green eyes held question. "Is that all you wanted was to inhale this annoyingly hot air?" She sighed. "I guess we could go in. But I was kind of in the mood for messing with Gaara-kun…" she pouted as she got up and wiped imaginary dust off herself. "Oh well, guess it can't be helped. Come on…"
Riko smiled and followed her to the dining area where a whole table of food and a hungry looking Kankuro awaited them.
Kankuro raised an eyebrow towards the girl after taking his attention off the food. "Well, good morning, sleeping beauty, looks like someone decided to wake up," he jeered with a sarcastic smirk.
Riko blushed deeply and replied back with a good morning of her own.
Temari scowled. "Kankuro, that was rude!"she screeched. "And cat ears off at the table, dumbass!"
Kankuro glared and then roughly pulled off his hat. "…bitch…" he cursed under his breath. He sent a hand sharply through unruly, chocolate hair. His face paint was smeared and chipped due to his sweating in the heat and most likely from training.
Temari stood up and slammed her palms on the table. "What did you say!?"
Kankuro smirked evilly. "Well, what's the use of that? A deaf bitch?" he shouted as he too leaned forward.
The oldest sibling growled, stomping one foot on the table as she shook a threatening fist at him. "Ima' make you swallow every word you said, you asshole!"
The puppet master hopped on the table. "Bring. It. On!!"
Riko gasped; if Temari and Kankuro were anything like their brother, one of them would be dead in a matter of seconds.
She centered her chakra, her breath hitching; she was still a little low and sore from the previous night. In what seemed like a few seconds, she had done two sets of hand signs. Riko closed her eyes. Ninpou: KageBushin no Jutsu
Temari charged at Kankuro, but there was one problem; she didn't seem to get any closer. She noticed that Kankuro was in the same predicament. It was then that she felt two arms snake around her shins and saw Riko in front of her, holding her steady.
Kankuro's eyes widened as he noticed the young girl holding him back.
"Kankuro-san, please refrain from hurting Temari; Gaara-sama will be here soon…"she murmured softly, her hand holding his strong fists. She was shaking from the difference in strength but still held her ground well.
KageBushin? Last time I checked she was a chuninHe looked over to the side to see her other one holding Temari back and then looked down. How?! She had another one jutting from the ground and holding his shins as well. She would be from the Masako clan, wouldn't she?
"Masako-san is an honored guest. Messing with her is messing with me…" a voice boomed through the dining room.
Everyone looked towards the door. And there stood Gaara, looking as stressed as possibly possible for the boy.
The room was silent in fear of what Gaara would do to the innocent souls that ruined that uneasy silence. But one person did ruin it.
"Gaara…" As she said that, all her clones holding the siblings back had disappeared and the ones that had jutted from the ground simply faded back into the marble floors. The real one bowed politely. "Good morning, Gaara-sama," she whispered.
The red head bowed his head slightly. "Riko-san," He glared up at his siblings. "As for you two, sit, now," he commanded sternly as he too took his seat.
Temari and Kankuro did exactly as they were told, swiftly and quietly.
Riko stood there, not in surprise, but more because she was thinking. Of what, she didn't know. All she did know was that Gaara looked different. Tired and stressed; angry, yet calm. And even a bit of uncertainty was laced into the depths of his eyes. Different from confusion, which she had seen in his opaque eyes years ago, but almost the same as misunderstanding; something that was unusual to her. His posture and attitude was the same though; Riko knew he did well with hiding his feelings. But the truth of the matter was, Riko could see EVERYTHING, and at this moment it was profound as ever.
"Please have a seat, Riko-san…" said Gaara, his sapphire gaze too weak, at this point, to bore holes into her head.
She blushed slightly. "Oh! Please forgive me," she giggled as she hastily took a seat as well. After a scoff from Kankuro at Riko's meekness, there were a few awkward moments of silence as everyone placed the food on their plate.
"Did you sleep well?"
Kankuro took it as a joke and smiled, trying to lighten the odd mood. "I slept pretty well, but it was a little chilly, if you asked me…" Gaara glared ferociously at him. "If you could get someone to send up some extra…blankets…?" Kankuro locked in on his brother's malicious stare, but couldn't hold it.
He chuckled sheepishly as he looked down at his food. "…er…gomen…"
"Riko-san?" he asked, his attention turning back to her so she could see his sleep deprived eyes, even more so than before.
But there was a twinkle, a difference in his somnolent eyes; a spark of amusement that lasted a second, most likely less. One that clearly said he knew exactly what she was going to say one that begged for forgiveness, one that showed her he cared, all in one. His eyes to her, said it all.
Riko's eyes smiled as well, but longer than his own, and so that anyone could tell. "Hai! Arigato gozaimasu, Kazekage-sama."
He nodded towards her and then looked down at his food. As did everyone else, quietly, might she add. There seemed to be a lack of noise; a pregnant pause; a silence; one that blanketed the whole room with an awkward quietness that she was not used to with the sand-sibs.
At odd times like this, she tried to think of other things, focus on a new subject rather than doing nothing at all. And after these couple of days, you would think that there was much to think about. But there wasn't much to think of, and the lack of noise; the pregnant pause; the silence, seemed to be blanketing her not with awkward quietness, but with queasiness, suffocation.
Riko glanced up to see if everyone was still there, and sure enough, they were; eating with small hesitant bites and swift sips that took no time at all. She looked back down. There wasn't much to think about, but surely there were things to talk about. But she wasn't one to start up a conversation since being older. If she were the sassy, young girl that took everything for granite like she was so long ago, she would definitely talk the room out of awkwardness. But that attitude had long passed, and in etiquette, striking a conversation with THE sand-sibs of Suna was rude, in common sense; stupid.
Riko bit her lip. But the silence was killing her. She dug her fingernails into her arm to calm her nerves, though to no avail. She bit down on her lip harder, practically drawing blood. It would have worked, but the silence was so heavy, so dense, she could just…
She got up out of her chair, bowing quickly. "Excuse me," she stifled out as she ran out the dining room, down the hall, and out the door.
"Riko-chan!" called Temari worriedly as she ran after her, leaving Gaara with a nod.
He nodded back at her and then turned back to glare at his brother; long and hard. I think it was accurate to say that Kankuro was just about ready to pee himself.
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She sprinted down the halls, falling over herself a few times as she tuned out the desperate screams of Temari. Riko knew where she was going; every corridor, ever passage, every single door. She had been through these many hallways playing hide-n-seek and running around like chickens with their heads cut off, dozens of times before. A few of these hallways had even been their "secret fortresses", every once and again. But that was long ago, when Gaara's silence wasn't so deadly, when his stare wasn't so cold, when he wasn't so…different. Riko closed her eyes and kept running.
She had taken everything for granite; everything disappeared before her eyes; everything was gone and it didn't feel like it was coming back ever again. Once things like this were changed, they could never be turned back ever, ever again…
And where was Temari during brunch? Obviously not there to catch her silent pleas for help. She didn't look her in the eye once. And it hurt; she felt almost betrayed.
"Riko-chan!!" She had finally caught up to her, grabbing her arm and forcing her to stop.
To her surprise she wasn't shaking; so it must have meant she wasn't crying. As she turned her around to look at her face, the first thing she noticed was her eyes. They weren't surprised like she had expected, but quiet; soft; serene.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered. "That was very rash of me to act that way…"
The wind kunoichi's eyes saddened for her friend. "Riko-chan…" She pulled her into a hug. "We need to talk…"
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Kankuro cleared his throat awkwardly and tugged at the collar of his shirt. "So…Gaara-nii…" he paused as he glanced at his younger brother and smiled sheepishly. "What's up?"
Gaara stared at him blankly, harshly, as if silently telling him he wasn't in the mood. Kankuro didn't catch the hint.
"Sandstorms! Haven't had much of those lately! Nice weather, ne?" asked Kankuro as he prodded his brother to say something, anything so there wouldn't be such a thick, odd silence.
Gaara caught the hint, but did not take it. His stare intensified and seemed to be silently commanding him to shut-up this time.
"Ne?" said Kankuro referring to his never answered question and finally prodding Gaara to the edge.
This time Gaara full on glared, stood up from the table, and walked away, stiffly.
Kankuro let out a relieved sigh as he raised a brown eyebrow. He had expected Gaara to say something negative in response, like "Your ignorant blabbering is giving me a headache," or "You're riding my patience, Kankuro." For even though Gaara was doing better socially, he could still get kind of moody, or in other words, obnoxiously cranky. But it was easy to say that Kankuro was happy, for at least he still obtained life.
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Temari turned her gaze down, unable to speak, unable to comprehend the words that had just come from the girl's mouth.
Riko looked down also, understanding the eldest siblings worry. "Please don't fret, Temari-san. Gaara saved me in the end. And he took good care of me last night," answered Riko, trying to pull Temari from her current phase.
She frowned."But they…they…they raped you! Why would they…" Shinobi too… thought Temari. Gaara must be heart-broken that people are still like that after all he's accomplished.
"Yes…they did. But I'm ok! I promise."
"You better be; I don't know what Gaara would've done if you had gotten seriously hurt!" screeched Temari as she lunged forward, latching on to the girl tightly. "I don't know what Iwould've don't if you had gotten hurt…When Gaara met you, I thought it was odd, even crazy for someone to want to be Gaara's friend…"
Temari smiled slightly, tears caught in her eyelashes, threatening to fall. "But then, I found out you were really sweet and even came to think of you as family…" she whimpered out; and then chuckled a little. "And despite what he did today, I know Kankuro feels the same…I-wethank you for loving Gaara when we didn't…"
Riko hugged back and gave her a tight, comforting squeeze, closing her eyes. "Life can be such a big, scary thing if you have no one to share it with…"
Temari let go of Riko and stared at her, confused.
"Gaara was not only deprived of friends and love, he knew not what they meant or what they were even for. When he thought he was finally getting a clue, he was swiped of it, and harshly. He was confused, hurt, and angry all at once and didn't understand why no one could love him."
Riko looked down and played with her hands. "I could only imagine how Gaara felt…"
"Did Gaara tell you all of this?"
Riko shook her head. "His eyes. Though practically unreadable, there was something there…" she explained as if she didn't quite understand it herself.
"You have a gift, Riko-chan," commented Temari with a subtle smile. Riko smiled also.
They soon found themselves talking about anything, everything they could. Friends, family, crushes, even their stupidest moments in the academy. They talked hours on end, just enjoying one another's voice, enjoying the company.
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When Riko was heading out, she had noticed she had not said goodbye to one person. But that person seemed to be reading her mind.
"Good evening, Riko," murmured a voice.
Suddenly, there was a whirlwind of sand, a mesmerizing one that dispersed slowly, sending tiny, sparkling specks of sand toward her.
She felt strong arms around her tiny waist and warm breath against her neck. "Gaara…" she whispered and twirled around to meet his icy gaze.
Without a second thought, she smashed her lips onto his. Riko took control as her arms found his head and held him close to her, kissing him hard, with vigor, relentlessly.
It wasn't hard for Gaara to catch up; their lips moving in perfect harmony as he lovingly traced the small of her back down to her bottom where he squeezed gently.
She squeaked and he smirked against her lips, taking the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth and she moaned slowly, softly; like a young humming bird, sipping nectar that it just couldn't resist.
Her hands came back down to his shoulders and they began to kiss more sensually, soon breaking off into smaller, chaste kisses, then finally stopping.
She caressed the tired lines of his face; from his love-tattoo, to his soft, swollen lips. "Thank-you for staying with me last night…"
He grabbed her hand kissing her fingers; each one lovingly; each one different than the one before and then planted one on her forehead. "Anytime…" She smiled.
Gaara looked up at the sky as if it were his watch. "Would you come with me?" It was said as more of a statement than a question.
Her hands traced his collarbone to his chest, her eyes watching her hands wherever they went. "To the ends of the earth, my love…"
"Good," he said as he scooped her up into his arms; and with that, they were gone in a whirlwind of sand…
A/N: So there you are! I know. It's been a LONG time! But, still! I think I deserve reviews for this long ass chapter! Well…longer than my previous ones! What else, what else….OH YES!!! And if you thought Temari was a little…OOC, I TOTALLY understand and I'm sorry! But she can love sometimes, ne? Well…plz review! OR it will be ANOTHER long wait! And sorry for the filler-y chapter! Luv u and laterz!!!
--SAYURI--
