Yuri couldn't sleep though it had been a busy day at aunt Hana's tea house. Her body was tired but her mind still raced.
The young woman hadn't decided if she would see the highly respected healer from Konohagakure about her ‚condition'.
Sakura's arrival was expected around tomorrow afternoon.
With a deep sigh Yuri got out of bed and changed her pajamas for a comfy pants and sweater combination.
It would be cold outside.
Once outside the house, Yuri walked at a quick pace. She was headed to the tea house.
Just two days ago she'd found out that the building had a roof terrace instead of a normal roof.
The young waitress liked to use it for alone time. Especially in the early morning hours it was very comforting and watching the sun rise from up there was magical.
She let herself in with the keys uncle Kenji had given her on her second day and locked the door behind herself.
As soon as she arrived on the roof she took a deep breath and felt the tension leave her body.
Gaara stood on the roof of the Kazekagetower and watched the silent village. He always enjoyed the peace of the night and often he would stay up there for hours after work.
Like he sometimes did - to make sure all was well - he let his third eye roam over the village's roofs tonight.
The red head registered movement on top of one building. He let the eye move closer and recognized the building as the tea house. Sure enough it was Yuri Hamata he saw there.
His guess was that she used the solitude of the roof terrace to think about his offer from earlier this week.
Since Gaara had told her about Sakura's visit and the possibility that presented itself, he hadn't seen hide or hair from the black- haired woman.
Now he decided to pay her a visit.
Yuri looked up from her silent musings to see a platform of sand moving towards her.
A second later Gaara stood before her.
„Good evening, Yuri. How have you been? I expected to hear from you days ago."
She bowed low. „Good evening, sir. I'm fine, thank you. Please accept my apology. I didn't want to bother you because I still don't know…" she drifted off.
Gaara gave her a small smile and nodded. „No apology needed. My words were a rather big surprise, I think. And please don't be so formal with me. It's not Kazekage or sir, but Gaara."
Anticipating her protest he continued: „At least while we're alone."
Yuri nodded and stayed quiet.
After a few minutes the young man asked: „Do you want to talk about it?"
She nodded again and said: „I told my relatives about your offer and they were overjoyed. But I am not so sure… Of course it would be wonderful to get access to my chakra… but what if I raise my hopes too high… there is more than one possible outcome, right?"
He answered: „Yes. Sakura could find out what the problem is and find a cure. She could find out the problem but no possible cure. And she could find out nothing." he paused shortly before shaking his head and adding: „I'm sorry, Yuri. I shouldn't have mentioned it at all. It's just… I want Suna to thrive and all the villagers to be happy. That includes you. I just wanted to help but it seems like I made it worse."
Yuri hastened to assure him, that it wasn't his fault and there was no need to be sorry.
Gaara saw tears in her eyes and though he wasn't comfortable with touch - especially not from strangers - he opened his arms to her.
With a sob she threw herself at him and he held her tight.
When the sun started to rise Yuri and Gaara sat on the roof watching.
It had taken half an hour for the young woman to stop crying and calming down.
She was still a little embarrassed that she fell apart on him.
He, on the other hand, had been surprised.
Though there had been the expected discomfort holding a stranger in his arms, he'd also felt a contentedness.
„It's marvelous, isn't it?" Yuri broke through his thoughts.
He looked at her, recognizing a deep joy in her countenance while she stared at the sky.
Gaara felt oddly happy at her joy.
The next day an hour before closing time, Temari came in with one woman and two men.
They sat down at Temari's usual table and Yuri moved over to welcome them and take their order.
That's how she was introduced to the medic nin from Konoha.
Sakura was a friendly woman of her own age with pink hair. She'd arrived with two fellow Konoha nin, Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi.
Yuri tried not to stare at Kakashi. Even in her regular boring life back in Iwa she had heard of the famous copy ninja.
She also knew about Naruto being a jinchuriki and his awesome strength but it was impossible to be intimidated by someone so cheerful and nice.
Temari invited Yuri to sit with them to talk and after checking in with Kenji she just did that.
They sat for an hour chatting cheerfully before the visitors left to get rest.
Gaara was still in his office though it was in the middle of the night. He was restless.
Hours earlier he had welcomed his friends from Konoha and as always he was really happy to see them.
The red- head respected all three of them but with Naruto he had a special connection and he could relax in his presence.
Naruto had save him from the hatred he had felt as a young boy and then he had saved his life or rather brought him back from death.
Gaara would always be grateful to the blonde man.
But what made him restless tonight was Yuri. He had asked his sister to introduce her to Sakura and her teammates so she could meet them without the pressure of being a patient.
The young Kazekage hadn't dared to ask anyone of them how the meeting went. He didn't want to intrude Yuri's privacy.
Unable to stay inside any longer, he stepped out on the roof and from there he let his sand carry him home.
Yuri got up early this morning. The overall pleasant encounter with Sakura had helped her find the answer.
She would let the medic Konoichi examine her and she would only think of it as a final confirmation, a way to set her Kazekage's mind at ease.
Uh, her Kazekage?
So subconsciously she already saw herself as a Suna citizen not as the stranger from Iwa.
Yuri smiled, she liked that very much.
After talking to Sakura and making an appointment for the evening, the black- haired young woman went to work at the tea house.
It was a busy day and during the noon lull Yuri went up to the roof.
She had gotten her uncles permission to set up a few chairs, a table and a sunshade up there.
The terrace looked really cozy now and thanks to the sunshade the blazing sun was bearable.
Yuri actually liked the dry heat during day and the chilly nights of her new home.
She sat there smiling to herself when an unexpected visitor arrived.
Gaara had been debating with himself to ask Sakura if the latest addition to the village had talked to her about an examination.
But he still thought this would violate Yuri's privacy and he couldn't do that.
So he went straight to the tea house to speak to her personally.
Hana told him he would find her niece on the roof and showed him the way.
Up there he found Yuri sitting at the table and she smiled.
He cleared his throat and she looked up at him.
Though it seemed impossible her smile got even wider when their eyes met.
This joyous expression made something inside Gaara tighten.
„How are you?" he asked politely.
Yuri answered: „I'm fine thank you, Kaze- uhm Gaara. Has your day been pleasant so far?"
The young Kazekage gave her a small smile and nodded.
Somehow something had lodged inside his throat and he felt unable to speak.
Beside his siblings nobody ever asked him about his day and she seemed to be sincerely interested.
The young woman offered him a seat and a drink of cold water.
He gladly accepted both and she told him about meeting the Konoha ninjas the day before.
„Sakura has this smile that makes people feel comfortable with her and Kakashi seems to be very intelligent though a little too quiet. Naruto on the other hand is so lively and exuberant… I think the three of them make a good team. They balance each other." Yuri grinned.
Gaara nodded.
They talked some more about her new friends before Yuri told him about her appointment in the evening.
The red- head asked her if she would allow him to sit in.
Yuri gave her consent.
„I know I am still ‚the new girl' and it's your responsibility to look out for your village. I think it's a good way to show you I'm sincere. I like Suna, it's citizens and all. So it'll be a great honor to have the Kazekage sit in on my appointment."
She bowed to him.
He didn't like that. If she wanted to think his question had been asked out of concern for his people, then he would let her think that.
Gaara knew that's not why he asked. He wanted to be there for her support. At least to himself he could acknowledge that he had a quite different feeling for her than for his other villagers and that he wanted to explore this feelings some more.
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