04. Inner demon
Here lies Temari's greatest fear.
It's small, with dark fuzzy hair, wrapped in a soft pink blanket. It fits so perfectly in the crook of her arms that she wonders if it really was meant to be there, its tiny, breakable little neck supported easily by her elbow.
She's trembling.
Nine months. She's had nine months to confront her greatest fear, her own terrible little demon. Nine months, and six years, ever since that lazy bastard smiled at her, really smiled at her, and made her heart flutter in foreign way she was unable to recognize.
The baby coos in her arms. She's surprised at how easy this is, how naturally motherhood—the only thing she would ever admit to fearing—comes. It's surprisingly simple, rocking the baby back and forth, brushing back its black peach fuzz out of its face.
Perhaps she has nothing to fear; maybe everything she was terrified of comes later, when the baby is older.
For now, though, she can lean back, breath a sigh of relief, feel the warmth of her husband's arms around her shoulder, and rock her baby.
A/N: It is my personal pet theory that Temari is terrified of children and being a mother. I'm writing a longer fic that goes in more detail about this, but for now, have a drabble.