"How did I get myself in this situation?" [Name] pitied herself as she climbed the steep mountaintop, using no protection whatsoever, relying on the placement of her limbs to save her. She could hear the echo of, possibly an eagle, cry throughout the valley. There is no way she could face her impending doom if she looked back, she had pushed herself too far to back out.
"Come on, [Name]-chan! The top is just a kilometer away!" edged Rock Lee who had trekked further with his dominant hand tied to his back. He waited for her, confidently swinging his body, hanging off the only grip he had on a ledge barely sticking out. Crumbs of dirt fleck off her face, she gritted her teeth, knowing this is the training she decided to commit on, pushing herself forward, increasing her pace, holding her own weight.
"OHHH!" exclaimed Might Guy as he clutched her tightly, lifting her from the ground, staring out in the distance. "To think...you would want to train with me, such an honor to bestow upon the YOUTH of today."
"Please, I just said I want to improve my taijutsu," she stood among his team, faintly recognizing their faces, mainly Lee's because those bushy brows, bowl-cut, and green jumpsuit were too hard to forget. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to interrupt any training."
"What's with the formalities? Just call me sensei from now on!"
"Rethink your choice before settling on it," whispered the Hyuuga boy, his calm countenance differing from his teacher's.
"He may have a point there," said Tenten.
Only Lee had good thoughts about this, "OHHH!" He grasps her hand and bows, "How formidable it is of you to ask training from the greatest teacher in Konoha! I hope we get along well!"
"Yeah, me too," she had no where else to turn. Although her genjutsu and ninjutsu could use improvement, she never honed on her taijutsu, being a strength needed to become a jounin. Remembering Guy from the Chuunin Exams had her turning to Konoha, the boisterous man wasn't hard to find either way.
However, Guy had a last minute call by the Hokage, therefore leaving the second best taijutsu user to her benefit. She gasped, her hand finally settling on flat land, hoisting her body up, collapsing immediately. Her muscles screamed from the beginning for her to stop, her pulse raced to incredible speed, feeling as if her breath could stop at any second. Her vision is blurry, clearing up as she peered to Rock Lee who stood proudly beside her crouched body. He isn't even sweating, "Nothing like a good morning exercise!"
"Oh lord...there's more?"
There was more.
When she was at her fifth lap around the village, she was ready to call quits. Her arms sore from climbing and push-ups, her abs strained from the sit-ups and jogging, her legs stiffly following the commands she sent. Rock Lee kept ahead of her at a pace he probably considers to be slow, but she can't catch up, lingering behind. The sun is setting, and her mind drifts to Gaara, every single time. It was difficult, but she kept her head up, learning how to steady her breathing, to ignore the pulsating sensation in her hot head. Inching closer and closer to Lee, soon passing him, encouraged by his endless cheers.
"Wow! You finished the ten laps," marveled Lee. "As I thought, this training is too easy-"
"Don't you even think about changing it!" she huffed, removing her headband that was coated and stank with sweat. She regrets skipping breakfast and having a light lunch before the afternoon with him. They stood in front of Konoha's gates. "Ugh," she covers her mouth, not wanting to throw up the only contents in her stomach. "...thank you, Lee-san."
"All my pleasure!" he grasps her hand, "Whatever I can do for Gaara's girlfriend!"
"...huh?"
"Well, same meeting place tomorrow, okay? Yosh!" she sighed, too exhausted to correct him, turning back to the village, ready to turn in to her tiny apartment.
To her shock, she is met with an array of girls. One being Tenten, who reached over to drag her gently by the end, "[Name]-chan, let's eat together!"
"...huh?" she didn't mean to sound rude, but was worn out to be proper.
The girl with hair reminding her of sakura petals blooming in the spring stepped up, hooking her other arm, "Don't worry it's our treat!"
She glances at the one who shied away, having a resemblance to Neji along with the same eyes, relatives no doubt, "H-Hello, I'm Hinata."
"Oh, right! I'm Sakura," a suitable name for her appearance. She points at the last girl with blonde hair and the light scent of flowers, "That's Ino-pig!"
"Hey now, just because your strength matches with that giant forehead of yours doesn't mean we need any more of that cockiness," they shot a glare at each other, Tenten dismissing the atmosphere.
"I bet you must be starving!"
She is flustered by their welcoming arms, the differing personalities, how she was able to fit into their group without making much effort. However, the group only increased on their journey to the restaurant. Akimichi Chouji, who cannot deny a free meal. Inuzuka Kiba, the hot-head who recognized her through scent, only curious of who she is. Aburame Shino, attempting to socialize and make his presence known to the new girl. Even Neji surprisingly turned up along with Lee, who had ditched his training when Neji mentioned Tenten's plans. Tenten warned the boys to pay for their own, their outing no longer girls only.
She sat between Sakura and Tenten, the girls arranged on one side of the booth while the boys occupied the opposite. She and Kiba glowered while sitting across from each other, but she was in no mood to pick a fight. Her eyes flickering from Hinata, Shino, and finally settling on him, "So, you guys are the ones who faced off Burami and the rest right?"
Only Shino nods, Kiba looking away stubbornly.
She lets out a restrained giggle, "Tell me, did he stink?"
"Oh, HELL yeah!" he goes on listing the intolerable, but distinct aroma Burami releases from his body. Hinata still shudders of Kiba's description, soon everyone joining in and wanting to silence him. In the end he beamed, "But...they were pretty damn hard to beat at first."
"At first," she repeats, reminding him that it took more than one try to defeat the Kusagakure team. "With that sensitive nose of yours, I can't imagine what aroma you inhaled."
"Speaking of aroma..." his nose twitched and she self-consciously covered herself.
"What?! I know I stink!"
"No, it's not that!"
"Kiba, you pervert!" cried out Sakura.
"For shame," chided Shino.
"Kiba-kun..." even Hinata had a scolding expression.
"No! No!" everyone else giggled at his agitation and reddening face. Only Neji wished for them to settle, but held back, knowing everyone is enjoying themselves, especially Hinata. "Under all that rank, there's the familiar smell of cinnamon, and...flowers?"
"Oh...so you were sniffing my sweat."
"That's not the point!" he gave up, wondering why he ever brought the topic up.
[Name] is satisfied, ending the tease, "I did have a tea and flower shop in Suna. And, I did have tea before training, the flowers are probably just part of my own scent."
"Oh, Ino owns a flower shop!" mentions Sakura.
"You should come by whenever," invites Ino.
"Oh, that's right, you have yet to see the whole village!" says Lee, the food arriving to the table. Chouji dumps the platter of meat on the grill before anyone else can choose their own. They pass along the bowls of rice and chopsticks, "If I had known it was your first day in Konoha, I would have gladly postponed our training!"
"Oh, no, it's fine, I came here to train, not to tour around."
"You have time for both!" said Sakura while Ino hurriedly placed cooked meat on [Name]'s plate before Chouji could take it all for himself. "I'm sure Gaara would want you to have fun too!"
She choked from the mention of his name, the pork fat hardly chewed before swallowing, but she managed, immediately gulping her glass of water. The empty glass hits the table, everyone's eyes on her, inquisitive of her relationship with the Kazekage. It was unknown to her, how popular the topic is among the gossip in Konoha. She sighed, ready to break the news as she blandly replied, "We're not dating."
Chouji fished the cooked meat while his crew were distracted.
"But I heard he was 'tenderly caressing' you as you laid on your deathbed!" exclaimed Kiba.
"Who the hell offered that sort of description?" she eyes Sakura and Lee who frantically turned away. She had yet to find out that some of the people she sat with were at her bedside when she fell unconscious, "First of all, Temari said it was my hand he held, and that's it."
"But that look! I've never seen a more youthful look in Gaara, ever!" defends Lee. "It was so obvious that he deeply cares for you!"
"It was hard to deny it," said Ino, "He gave you the 'look.'"
"...the look?"
"It's like when Hinata looks at Na-" for once Shino spoke up, but is interrupted by Hinata's begs to stop. Neji silenced him for her by tossing a slice of meat in Shino's direction. The meat missing, ending up on Kiba's cheek.
"That's hot!" the table is becoming rowdy, Tenten standing to settle the boys down.
"Sorry," apologized Sakura, knowing it was her fault for bringing his name up. "We were too quick to assume..."
"No, it's fine, anyways, he would have probably given any of his friends that sort of 'look' if they were dying..." her voice trails off, reminding her of how she almost left him with a handshake.
The tint of sadness is detected by Hinata.
When the night ended smoothly, with a huge tab divided among them, [Name] was already prepared to go with her original plan before she was intercepted. She watched her company break up in groups as she bids them goodbye, only Hinata staying back. She is surprised that the most timid wanted to accompany her back home.
"I'm sorry for Kiba's behavior that day," her voice is so soft, if the streets were bustling at night [Name] probably wouldn't be able to hear her.
"Oh no, water under the bridge now. I'm sorry for being harsh to you guys. To be traveling for three days and having dinner ruined," she cringed, remembering Burami's fall sparking madness through everyone.
"I'm glad, we can all be friends."
"...me too," [Name]'s eyes wandered above to the stars, the sky has a hue of blue.
"Do you miss Gaara-san?"
"Huh?! Ehm..." even Hinata is curious of their relationship. "I'm sorry, I just realized all of you seem familiar with Gaara, how is that?"
"Oh! Our Chuunin Exam, I think two years ago...he participated in them," her voice naturally withdrew. "He...was very different back then."
"So I've heard..." it's hard to imagine, his gentle touch and gaze had not existed until recently. A question that had been long forgotten popped back up, "Oh! Hinata!"
"Yes?" she's surprised from [Name]'s voice being suddenly raised.
"Do you...know a Naruto Uzumaki?" She watches Hinata's face immediately lit with pink, and with the same teasing of Kankuro's she smirked, "Oh?"
"I-It's not like that! H-He's just ah-friend! Um! Let's see-" every stutter she backed further from [Name].
"Is he not here?"
"No," she sadly answers, her fingers fidgeting in a peculiar manner, "He's training right now..."
"I see," she sighed, "He apparently is Gaara's first friend. The one who changed him. Who Gaara upholds as an individual, following what Naruto had taught him," Hinata intensely listened. She is a much better audience than Kankuro had provided, "That's why, I would still like to meet him someday."
"I-I'm sure you will!" Hinata said confidently, "Because, he'll definitely come back!"
"I'm counting on you to introduce us," she playfully nudges Hinata, feeling more comfort in her presence. After walking a block away from her destination she twisted around, "Oh! We passed my apartment already! Well," she faces her companion, "I guess I'll see you whenever?"
She nods happily, "Yes, of course! Good night, [Name]-chan."
"You too, Hinata."
Packed boxes have piled in one corner, her futon being the only thing unfolded. Like her place in Suna it was compact, and roomy for one person. A small dining area including a tiny stove, a bathroom dividing her bedroom and kitchen, and finally a little balcony sticking outside. Just enough space to lean out with a hot cup of tea. However, the emptiness showed she had yet to claim the property hers. Only the potted cactus received from Gaara sat on the window sill. It now marks a week since she had left Suna. With the money that she scrimped, and lucky circumstances, she was able to find the apartment. Still, it is empty due to her laziness. And because of her training, she excused herself for the evening after a shower.
Under her futon, she stared at the new space that warded a foreign feeling, sighing to the familiar scent of her blanket. Dozing off while contemplating about him.