Part 38 Departing
The warm desert wind whipped my hair about my face attempting to cut it to leave some deep scar. It was warm as it was in fact the desert but for all I cared it could be the snow country. I stood there hand in hand with Gaara looking at Makaiko and not believing this was real. When I had ever thought about it well it had always seemed so far off especially as a child.
"Well this is it then," I said.
"Yeah never good at goodbyes but look after yourself and that child, if you dare drink I'll come back and haunt you!" I laughed.
"I wouldn't put it passed you but thanks for everything especially in Hoshigakure and well goodbye Makaiko-san." I wasn't going to try and persuade her to stay like I had been because I didn't want us to argue again.
"Goodbye Keitii-chan and Gaara look after her or a may get the dead to come after you." Gaara frowned. "Only joking but I was serious about looking after her."
"Don't worry I will." I ran over to Makaiko and hugged her almost squeezing her to death.
"Okay, okay stop squeezing me to death you bloody idiot!" I let go. "Right well goodbye then." She turned around and walked off just like that but then transformed in to a beautiful bird which rose up in to the blinding sun. I stood there not moving a muscle, Gaara touch my arm lightly but I did not move afraid that if I did, memories of her would be erased.
"Come on Keitii-han," Gaara whispered gently. I turned around slowly and walked back to the Kazekage manor with him. He leaned down and kissed my head trying to take my mind off of the soon immanent death of my best friend.
On the way back children were rushing about to the near by academy or to the park. Some younger teens leaned against a wall waiting for their sensei most likely they bowed as Gaara and I walked passed even though we were only a couple of years older than them. I stopped outside a shop which sold all kinds of baby things from booties to changing mats. I stopped and just stared it all seemed so new and alien. I half contemplated going in but on the other hand no-one knew but the medical-nin, Gaara and people who wouldn't spread it. I turned back to Gaara and saw him frowning.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know much about little children this seems a bit... strange." I smiled at his confused expression a Kazekage ruler of Sunagakure who couldn't even change a nappy probably, mind you neither could I. OOOOOOOOOOh fuck! Mummying essentials I did not have I pictured myself looking bedraggled with 10 ft bags under my eyes and the most god awful clothes on. I shook my head no I would never get in that state because that was cringe worthy.
"Well believe it or not I am probably as bad at it as anyone I mean it's like trying to figure out the codes for the matrix." Gaara smiled probably glad at knowing he wasn't alone in this new parenting thing.
"That reminds me a medical-nin came whilst you were asleep to say they want to talk to us both."
"Oh joy!" I seemed to spend half my time in those bloody places. "Well we might as well get it over with I don't want to make it seem like I'm trying to avoid the inevitable."
"Yes but first we have to go say goodbye to the guests." I groaned.
"There's sooo many of them."
We were stood outside the Kazekage manor an hour later saying goodbye to people we'd never even met.
"Hey Naruto," I said finally able to see a friendly face I recognised.
"Naruto thank you for coming to the wedding but we have to tell you something so if you just wait until we've said goodbye to everyone." I glanced sideways at Gaara then smiled at Naruto.
"Keitii I know that all of Hoshigakure wishes you all of the happiness." I nodded.
"Thanks Hoshikage-sama." He smiled I was only joking being formal like that. After a century and many handshakes later we turned to Uzamaki Naruto the rest of his team and most of the people from Konohagakure. I was actually quite nervous about how Gaara would manage to depart this type of news due to the fact we were young.
"Well Keitii and I have something to tell you all," he paused looking at me and he knew that I was not likely to say anything any time soon. "Well Keitii is having a child." As in one of the situations I had envisioned the guys jaws dropped and the girls squealed congratulations. Mind you the other situations had involved the apocalypse, meteors, the dead rising and a mass massacre from the heavens. The girls all hurried over and surrounded me all squealing and asking me questions the guys surrounded Gaara.
"When's it due?" Sakura asked.
"Around about nine months time most likely earlier."
"Do you know what it is yet?"
"Err no it's too early to tell."
"Have you got any names in mind?"
"We haven't really considered it yet."
"Can we come see it when it's born?" Asked Sakura hopefully.
"Yeah sure." I basically couldn't think of a good excuse. They all departed and I felt quite windswept. "We are not having anymore," I said bluntly because if that's the reaction I was going to get, have my spine bent out of place, grow hugely fat, be deprived of alcohol, sleep and vital bodily fluids then as it stood having to endure the agony of childbirth then no. Oh the joys of children!
After every single one of the guests had gone Gaara and I made our way up to the ward to attempt to find a medical-nin. We were walking down the excruciatingly clean corridor Kotaro and I needless to say aren't the tidiest of people and get bored very easily. So As Gaara was walking serenely down the corridor he noticed that Kotaro and I weren't with him. He turned around and saw no-one there. Then out of nowhere a samurai (and a samurai bird) ran at him full pelt Kotaro and I made a lot of noise, I mean me plus sword equals a very happy and violent Keitii! Gaara's sand stopped us and I had to dislodge myself whilst spewing sand out of my mouth that had got in through the mask. I hurriedly chucked mine and Kotaro's samurai outfits away. Gaara rolled his eyes shaking his head. "What?" I asked innocently.
"Come on then."
"Okay we'll keep it this side of Christmas then."
"What's Christmas?" Gaara asked confused.
"I don't know," I said with shifty eyes. We found several of the medical-nins clustered around a desk mostly female and mostly gossiping.
"Kazekage-sama!" They all stood to attention.
"What can we do for you Kazekage-sama?"
"Oh you're here!" A medical-nin came skidding round the corner.
"Well I don't know we could be a hologram," I said.
"Right, right then erm lets go in to here." She opened a door and we stepped in to a surgically clean office. Let's get one thing straight, I am not a neat and tidy person.
"You said you wanted to talk to us," Gaara prompted as we all sat down.
"Ah yes it was just to discuss in detail about some complications and things like that," she shuffled some papers on her desk, "Well as you know certain things can harm a child's health such as drinking, smoking, drugs,"
"Yeah I'm a regular Rastafarian,"
"It's just standard about what I have to tell you, also with you using that jutsu and being so young and not having long left could also affect it."
"Well I don't want a child with 20 toes and two heads as much as the next person."
"Quite," she said. "But as I said to you on the day Keitii-sama you could potentially lose the child and your life as well, the child could be born prematurely which is highly likely but the risks can be reduced if you don't drink alcohol, don't over exert yourself and a general healthy diet also."
"I have the no drinking covered unluckily and I don't lead an unhealthy diet so does this mean no missions no fighting, no training no nothing?"
"Correct."
"Great just great," I huffed.
"Kazekage-sama you haven't said anything." I looked at Gaara he was really still his face completely emotionless.
"Gaara?" I whispered and put my hand gently on his.
"They could both die?" His expression unreadable, it was almost scary.
"Yes but the risk is one of the smallest there is, it's a 45 chance, but if either of you are having doubts there's always one more option," she said tentatively.
"What is it?" Gaara asked.
"An abortion." I felt the colour drain rapidly out of my face, Gaara looked sideways at me and I knew that he was considering it.
"Can you give us a minute please?" Gaara asked the medical-nin.
"Of course Kazekage-sama." I just sat there staring at the floor, Gaara's eyes followed the medical-nin out.
"Keitii-han it is an option and it would mean that you'd still be here." I looked at him.
"You mean that you want me to go through that procedure and on top of that kill a child no Gaara I will not do that." He sighed heavily and I looked him straight in the eyes.
"But there's so much danger and so many risks if you carry on with this child."
"I don't care!" I yelled at him standing up. "I'll die within the next 4 years anyway and I just cannot let a child be killed like that!"
"Keitii listen," he said with concern in his voice.
"No Gaara you listen because you don't seem to get the fact that I am not getting an abortion! Or maybe you're suggesting this because you don't even want this child!" I knew it was too far but I just said it.
"That was too far don't you dare say that I don't care for this child or you because I do." His voice was a deadly whisper. My breathing steadied and I sat down.
"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean it."
"I know look if you really want this child then that's fine." He drew me in closer kissing my forehead. The medical-nin walked back in she closed the door behind her.
"What is your decision then?"
"We're keeping the child." She nodded, "Very well, we'll send for you every so often so we can keep checking that you're okay."
"Thank you for your time." Gaara and I got up then we exited through the door to a sound of cheering, she'd obviously not been able to keep her big gob shut. We walked through the ward to applause and I just wanted to get out of there and go shopping as it was the only thing I could do now.
A little while later Gaara had rushed off to a meeting and I'd been left to my own devices. This required shopping therapy! "Ooo a cake shop!" As I ran in to one.
"A sweet shop! A book shop! An art shop! A hippy store! A hentai shop! .. Okay maybe not." I walked down the street laden with bags and stopped outside a familiar shop. Its window displayed tiny clothes, I looked around and walked in. All the clothes were so small and there were little toys, I stood there just dumbstruck at what to do. I went over to the toy section and browsed its contents picking up a few items.
"Oh hello Keitii-sama." I blinked oh fuck I forgot that everyone knew me.
"Hello erm I'm shopping for a friend." They seemed to accept the story thank god! I walked out hurriedly. When I eventually got back to the Kazekage manor it was the evening and night had cast its enchantment upon the landscape.
It had been a long meeting with the council deciding on matters and it had been made no easier by me having to tell them about the baby, at least they couldn't say anything as I was the Kazekage. I walked down the corridor wondering if Keitii was back yet, I decided to see if she was in the bedroom as I passed. Indeed when I approached Keitii's guard was outside the door. I opened the door and slipped inside and turned around. She was laid on the bed, her eyes closed asleep. I walked closer to her and saw a teddy bear in her arm pressed against her chest. Shopping bags were next to the bed I peered in to them, she'd been out buying children's toys. The television was on so I turned it off she stirred as I did so. I kissed her on the cheek, her hand went up to her cheek then flopped down as a subconscious reaction. I smiled, the only one who could make me smile.