I didn't quite know what to do for this day at first, but this drabble was actually really relaxing to write? and it's not even a little bit sad for once! (actual timeline doesn't really matter in this one, but let's say that tema is pushing 40 in this)

Enjoy folks!

Day 5 - Finding Peace

The chill was just starting to sharpen the dry air, as the sun hovered on the fine edge between twilight and dusk, the entire sky fading from vivid golds and oranges at the horizon, to an even, soothing violet blue high above, the few scattered, wispy clouds painted shades of pastel pink and yellow.

Sunset in the desert was always a beautiful sight, even though it was easy to take it for granted when one saw it so often.

Still panting from her work out, Temari allowed herself to rest for a while, to enjoy the relative cool, before the sun truly set and the night would force her to either retreat back indoors, or resume her training to get warm blood pumping through her again. For the first time in as long as she could remember, both options seemed equally valid, and the idea of cutting her exercise short and going back home – even to do nothing more significant than relax and spend some time with her family – didn't fill her with the creeping guilt that had always been such a good friend of hers.

But, without any war, any tension between nations, with her home prospering and people happy, her family – messy and complex and unpredictable as it was – the tightest it'd ever been and her own mental health finally to a point she could tolerate… there really wasn't anything tying her down anymore.

For once she didn't have to dedicate her entire existence to only serving others, she could just… live.

Obviously she still had responsibilities, she was still an important part of Suna's government, her family would always need the reassuring stability she provided, there were still missions and chores and general self-care, but those tasks were all reduced to the point that she could actually spend an evening sitting on the highest point of the cliffs surrounding the city and watch the sunset for as long as she liked, confident that her world wouldn't fall apart before she got back to it.

She almost didn't know what to do with that freedom, she was already happy enough, there wasn't anything she felt like she was particularly missing out on.

Now that the world had settled into a peace that looked set to last for many generations to come, her career was satisfying in its challenge, without causing the kind of stress that used to keep her awake long into the night.

She had many friends, both within Suna and outside of it, people who she could open up to, rely on and just enjoy the company of.

Her family was perfect as it was; her brothers, the two parts of her soul that she could not live without, the only people she would ever claim to truly know; her niece and nephews, loud and rambunctious and embarrassingly sweet with their love of their father, aunts and uncles; Baki, the man who'd somehow replaced the image of a man she'd both loved, hated, respected and feared, he was now the one she went to when she needed a heavy hand dropped onto her head and an honest reassurance of her worth; Matsuri, the little sister she'd always secretly wanted, who could make her feel better with just a smile and who loved her unofficial family with all her heart.

Perhaps her love life was a little lacking, but the few true loves she'd experienced in her busy life, were more than enough to satisfy her, and she didn't feel the need to seek out any more.

A bitter chill stroked across her shoulders, the material of her tank top doing little to protect her from it. The sky was still light, but if she looked carefully, she could see the tiny pinpricks of light starting to dot the darkening blue behind her.

It was still a beautiful sky and she was sure the night would be beautiful too.

But, she didn't feel like staying out to see it on this occasion, so – gathering up her discarded clothing and gear – she slowly made her way down the steep Sunagakure cliffs, already thinking of what was awaiting her at home.

Maybe tomorrow she could borrow some of Kankuro's supplies when she came back here.

Painting sounded like it might be fun.