Benjiro smiled and rolled over in bed. Naruto was finally awake. He had woken her up by running around the house, screaming for her to make him breakfast. It had been an interesting couple of weeks. She didn't have to wear her ANBU clothes anymore, and she was thankful because then she could wear her more comfortable clothes. She fought better in them, anyways.
She hadn't told him about anything else, yet. She knew it would happen soon, but she wanted to give him time to adjust to his new house. His key was indeed his, and she had her own that she kept around her neck on a string. She had started helping him with his studies, as he had entered the academy a week ago. He wanted to become a ninja, just like Benji, and become Hokage someday.
He told her, with gusto, that when he was the Hokage he would be more fair. No child would go hungry, or be an orphan. He would adopt them all if he could. Just so they could get a home. Or at least treat them better.
Meanwhile, since the watches on Naruto were demolished, Benji needed to start taking missions. She took many easy ones that were nice and quick when the blond was in school. That way they had money but he was never alone. Not again.
When she had gone to one or two missions in Suna, she found that one other young child was alone and hated, too. She felt for him, and she made sure that she wore her mask around him, like she did with Naruto. He was slightly older, but not by too much. And he thought he was a monster. Benji wondered if that would have happened to Naruto if she didn't come along.
Benji made sure that Gaara of the Sand knew that at least one person cared for him. It wasn't his fault that he contained a demon. He should have been called a hero for being the one to contain it! She kept telling him that he was special, and in a good way. He deserved friends, and that he wasn't a monster. She requested missions to the sand village as often as she could, so that she could help him.
She also worked in getting adoption papers for him. She wanted him to grow up with her and Naruto. Because Naruto would love to have a brother, and Gaara would do better in a friendly environment.
She finalized the deal one day and was late coming home. She had brought him with her on her shoulders, running and shu-shinning so she could make the trip in one day. She had to get back before Naruto knew she was gone. Gaara had a small smile on his face. When she first met him he had frowned and cried and kept a mask on. Now he smiled more of the time, happier than he was before. It had been six months, but he had finally made it into her family.
Now they were in the middle of the desert, in a sandstorm. But they were in a small cocoon of sand themselves, Gaara's sand making a shelter for them. Benji had smiled and finally taken off her mask, hugging him for the first time. They had created a bond in that little dome of sand.
Then they traveled again, making it just in time before Naruto got home. Benji let Gaara into his room that she worked on for three months. She had kept it under wraps, only telling him it was her special project and that he wasn't allowed near it. She also asked him about getting a brother. He had loved the idea, and she had always been relived to hear that.
Naruto threw open the door and tossed his small backpack into it's chair next to his at the table. "I'm home!" he called. Usually she had an afternoon treat for him, like ramen or a new dish she had to test. He loved everything she cooked, even though she hated most all of it. She liked the instant ramen, though.
Benji slid down the banister, smiling as she did. They only used the stairs for up, not down. "Hey kid. I have a surprise for you!"
Naruto jumped up and down. "Yeah? Yeah? What is it? I love surprises!"
She laughed. "I know you do. Anyways, go to my special room and knock on the door. You'll find it in there."
On the way back to the Leaf Village Benji had told Gaara all about Naruto. She didn't want him to be too surprised or startled by his joyful outgoing…ness. She followed quietly behind him as he tore up the stairs, a smile stretched across his face. He got to the room and almost barged in. He remembered in time and knocked politely, just like Benji taught him.
"Hello?" Gaara opened the door and Naruto's jaw dropped. For a second the red head thought that the other boy hated him. Then that moment passed and Naruto grabbed onto him, pulling him into a hug. Benji looked apologetic, smiling into the startled face of the sand ninja. 'He likes hugs' she mouthed. He nodded slightly and leaned back. "Hi, Naruto."
Naruto smiled brightly at him. "Hi, I'm Uzumiki Naruto! And you must be my new brother!" He jumped up and down once when Gaara nodded. "I'm…Gaara."
Benji stepped in. "Gaara, you don't need to change anything about your name if you don't want to. I am just Benjiro, because I don't have a last name or past, really. That anybody knows about, at least. And Naruto kept his last name, Uzumiki. Namikazi, really. No one but me and old man Hokage know. Well, other than the idiot sanin.
"So you can either keep your old last name, make up a new one, or use Naruto's. Take your pick." She grinned at him and a small smile appeared on his face. He turned to Naruto. "Is it all right if I borrow..?" Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!!"
"Then Gaara, I'll turn these papers in with your new name. Uzumiki Gaara."
YAY Gaara makes his appearance! I love Gaara. He's so neglected, though Dx
So he's adopted into the family. He's pretty happy about it, too. xD
Anyways, since I didn't go into too much detail about how Benjiro gets to adopt Gaara, I'm going to post a new story in that. It's probably just going to be a one chapter thing, because it's just what Benji had to do to get the Kazekage to allow it. He probably wanted Gaara out of there, anyways xD;
Well, hope you like the story so far! I'd write more, but I'm so tired. I actually wrote this all (so far, all five chapters) in the car. _ I'm on a road trip. NO INTERNET Dx