Copyright notice: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.
Chapter 4: He Doesn't Know Kindness
Tsunade steepled her fingers and pursed her lips, her eyes upon the shinobi in front of her. She had called upon the cells for a very specific mission, no matter how miniscule it might seem to some of them. She glared at the one who looked bored, his hands in his pockets and his earrings gleaming in the sunlight. This was not the right time to irritate her, considering the failure of the mission of capturing the Uchiha and the damage dealt to several of the young shinobi.
No, this was not the time.
Tsunade slammed her left hand onto the papers in front of her and used the other to rest her finger against her throbbing temple. Her eyes skimmed the report before she signed it and gave it to her startled assistant. Their eyes met before Tsunade made a sigh and shuffled through her notes, flicking through them and scanning the elegant handwriting.
"Hey Granny, when are you gonna get going with this? I got training to do with Pervy sage!"
Tsunade growled and looked up into the face of a red faced and twitching blonde boy. The nerve…didn't he have training with Jiraiya now, as of this moment?
"He is right, for once. What do you ask of Sunagakure, again?"
Tsunade shifted her eyes to the tall, curvy blonde Suna kunoichi who always seemed to have a bored smirk on her face and her left hand tapping her large fan. The Sunagakure shinobi had a knack for blunt, straightforward talk and Tsunade could appreciate that about them. The treaty had been a delicate matter with them but it was signed and sealed with firm words of loyalty no matter what. Suna had proved that during the mission in helping the young Konoha shinobi and Tsunade would be ever grateful to them, knowing they would demand the same in return.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair and looked over the shinobi in front of her, chunin and genin alike. Iruka, Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma and Guy stood in the back near their students. Each held a face of utter seriousness or in Kakashi's case, boredom from time to time. It was time to speak about the matter she asked them to come for.
"You are summoned because after the failure of the mission to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke, our academy needs rebuilding in order for our future shinobi and present ones to continue their studies. I have asked the following shinobi to assist in the matter and offer their talents. I have asked the Suna shinobi to also offer their talents and skills as well. I will begin by going down the list quickly."
Tsunade raised one eyebrow. "Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno: you will be training and are thus not needed. You may exit the room."
The pink haired kunoichi bowed and dragged the blonde ninja from the room. Some sighs were let out before the rest of the shinobi stiffened, ready to hear their duties.
Xxxxxx
Tsunade ran her finger down the list, never stopping as if she were a drone. Many of the shinobi had been assigned their jobs, including one of the Suna shinobi. She looked towards the end of the list. Good, only a few more to go until she could go about how to train the young Sakura. She ran her nail further down, dismissing some of the upper shinobi to get started on their assignments.
"Nara Shikamaru, you will be needed. As chunin, you will help lead and your skill with logic will be used in giving planning with the other shinobi."
"Inuzuka Kiba, I understand your companion Akamaru has been injured therefore you may decline but your skills are needed in providing building and in leadership with the younger shinobi."
"Temari, your skills with your wind style are needed to help rebuild and your strategic analysis will be a good combination with Nara Shikamaru."
Tsunade came upon the last two names on her list and quirked an elegantly shaped eyebrow. She read the first name and then the very last name.
XXXXX
Temari drummed her fingers and looked down to pick at one. Blonde bangs fell in her eyes and a frown crossed her thin lips. Sand, how convenient. I have a hard enough time as it is with it at home. I hope the building goes smoothly and quickly. We need to leave soon with Gaara-
"Hyuga Hinata, your clan has recommended you to assist. Your surgically accurate use of the Byakugan and patience will be excellent in helping with rebuilding. You will assist Inuzuka Kiba, Kankuro, and Aburame Shino with pinpointing structural weaknesses and rebuilding."
No, no way. I didn't even notice her hiding by her teammates and sensei.
Temari felt her nail break in her fist, her face paling, before locking eyes with a much more tense Kankuro. She knew they were sharing the same anxiety and slight fear. The room seemed to feel cold and hot at once, she did not know what. Sand whirled by her feet lightly. She knew exactly what Gaara was doing. She only wished she knew why.
She looked over at the Hyuga. The petite female Hyuga was clasping her hands together and listening to her sensei, who she realized had not left yet. A light smile seemed to brush her full lips before she bowed to the Hokage.
"Y-yes, Hokage-sama."
WHY?
XXXXX
"Y-yes, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade went to shuffle her papers and put them away before feeling the bizarre cold draft in the room. Tension filled the room, tension she had not felt before. There was something going, something dark and fearful. She used her peripheral vision, catching a rather tense exchange between the older sand shinobi. It was rare to see this cocky bunch look…anxious. Suna shinobi were also known for their fearlessness in battles, proving their nindo of fierce strength being the key. These Suna shinobi looked anything but. Something had occurred. Tsunade zeroed in on a quick glance from the oldest to the Hyuga female before quickly dropping to the youngest Sand sibling.
Sabaku no Gaara. Ah, the one holding the One-Tailed Shukaku who Naruto fought during the invasion. Jiraiya was correct about him.
Tsunade scrutinized him while seeming to place her papers to the side and preparing to stand up. The boy was pale, almost anemic looking in contrast to his dark mahogany clothing. His fierce red hair was wild and parted from the left to show his angry kanji tattoo. Love,Tsunade thought to herself. His dark rimmed eyes were open, the turquoise color swirling in a vicious storm of emotion. Other than that, everything about him seemed deathly and cold. Nothing, I get nothing. I am almost…frightened.
Tsunade darted one last glance to the young Hyuga girl before forcing a smile on her face and standing up.
"You are all dismissed. Temari, Kankuro, I will ask that you stay so I may discuss very particular specifics about what I would like you to do."
All the shinobi bowed respectively before leaving only the older Suna shinobi in the room with Tsunade.
Tsunade motioned them forward. "Come forward to me."
Temari and Kankuro walked up to her desk, their eyes meeting hers.
Tsunade knitted her eyebrows together before leaned forward, gripping her desk to the point of splintering it.
"Now what the hell is going on with you two? I demand answers and I demand them now."
The sand siblings looked at each other and both sighed out together.
"We don't know, Hokage-sama but we recommend you take the Hyuga off this mission," the girl huffed.
"Why must I do that? She is the most talented of her clan concerning her accuracy of the Byakugan. She may not be a genius like her cousin, as I've learned so far, but her skills are still exceptional."
"Our..um…we don't think its good to have her near our brother Gaara. That's all. Okay?" The brother crossed his arms and looked away.
Tsunade wrinkled her nose. "I understand the One-Tailed Shukaku has been controlled. The last mission was an example of that. Obviously he isn't in some damn quest for blood or murder. Naruto Uzumaki trusts him and Lord Jiraiya trusts him as does his former sensei Kakashi. Therefore I will give them all my trust. Do NOT bother me with such nonsense again. Am I clear?"
The sand siblings both shuffled their feet before the female slammed her hand on her fan hard and eyed Tsunade.
"We are telling you. Take her off! Something isn't right!"
Tsunade liked the fire in her but now was really, really not the time.
"You will all go to your posts. Dismissed."
The girl, Temari, eyed her a few more seconds before her brother touched her arm. They seemed to share a forlorn look before turning on their heels and leaving. The door was shut with a slam.
"Should I keep an eye on Sabaku no Gaara?"
Tsunade had flopped in her chair and pressed both hands to her temple, barely glancing over at Kakashi leaning against the window. He held one of his trash novels, looking as relaxed as ever. Tsunade noticed an apple in one hand that he kept rolling around in some sort of juggling manner.
"Not at the moment. Something is going on, but right now I have other things to think about. Jiraiya has sent more intelligence to me that I have to look over and I have a student to train soon."
Silence.
Tsunade looked to the sill. Kakashi had disappeared without a trace.
Damn you, Jiraiya.
Tsunade rested her head on the desk and closed her eyes.
XXXXX
"Okay, r-right there Kiba-kun. I-I see it."
Hinata squinted her eyes, the veins throbbing on the sides of her temples as she zoomed in on the one crack on the wall. No one else would have noticed it had it not been for her. Sweat plastered her neck, strands of her loose hair from her ponytail falling down and framing her face. She could feel the sun on her neck and back of her arms. She had hesitantly ditched her jacket off to the side after much pestering from Kiba and eventually even Kankuro. Now she only wore her capris, sandals, and mesh tank shirt. She had decided to strap her kunai pouch on her arm this time, oddly enough, after her back began to ache after bending down so much.
The other shinobi were doing their jobs. She had noticed Ino preparing meals for the young genin and yelling at Choji for repeatedly taking breaks to steal some food. Shikamaru and Temari were also bantering quite a bit by the looks of Temari's hands on her hips and Shikamaru's strained expression and tired voice. Neither would give. She felt a smile touch her lips.
Its so nice seeing everyone work together. Everything should always be so peaceful. Loyalty, caring, patience, and trust. Nothing would be accomplished any other way.
Hinata tucked her hair behind her ear and jabbed a kunai into the crumbling wall at the point she saw, marking the weakness. She backed away so Kiba could get ready to barrel into it and Kankuro with his puppets could begin helping rebuild. It really was nice seeing two different shinobi from two different lands work together. It reminded her of how well her father and herself were starting to get along, aside from the harsh sparring.
Father, I won't disappoint. I was picked for this. Will it make you proud? Will you no longer frown when I bleed after sparring or when I miss a point on you? Will you smile during tea and say how much of a great heiress I will be, even if its not what you or the clan desired?
Hinata felt herself frown then she gasped and fell to her knees as a sharp pain tackled her like a palm to the chest during sparring. She gasped loudly and nearly fell into a fetal position on the ground. One hand touched her head and the other dug into the dirt on the ground. The veins had retracted on her temples, returning to normal. She could barely hear Kiba yell for her or the shuffling of feet. She knew what had happened. She had used the Byakugan for too long and the heat was too great. I am still too weak…
She gently opened her eyes, wiping the tears off in the process when she saw a light shadow beside her own on the ground. She tried not to squint as she gazed up at the figure, raising a hand to shield her eyes.
A pale hand reached out to her slowly, an object in his palm, nearing her own hand. She felt the warmth of his body heat and her eyes begin to focus on his own cold green ones, the black outlining the shimmering pool of color. As his hand almost brushed hers, sand fell away from his wrist and swirled over her own. Hinata felt her eyes widen and quickly pulled her hand away to her chest, but no matter how frightened she felt she found she could not pull her eyes away from his own.
She thought she saw a quick flash of hurt in his eyes then anger quickly replaced by his usual blank expression. His hand slowly pulled away to leave the ointment on the ground by her a few feet away. She did not realize how close he had been or that he had crouched near her. His gourd had been slung to the ground, the blood of his sand hitting her in a wave.
I-I think I might vomit. The b-blood, its t-too much right now.
Almost cat-like, he unfurled himself and rose up, slinging the gourd back on his back. His eyes still held hers before sliding away when he turned on his heels and made to walk away. Hinata almost let out a breath when she heard him over his shoulder, his face barely tilted.
"The ointment will help your headache. If you relaxed more, you might succeed with smoother chakra control. Less fear and anxiety, more control and more confidence."
Hinata's eyebrows rose before Kiba got to her and held her up to him with Shino not too far behind, getting the ointment out for her.
What does he mean? No, he can't mean. H-he can't m-mean…
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Temari had watched the whole thing. She had seen from the corner of her eye that Gaara had been standing off by a tree, arms crossed and his eyes closed almost in a meditative state. She knew better though. He was keeping an eye on the Hyuga girl. He had been watching her every move: when she took off her jacket, when she giggled at Kiba, when she talked to Kankuro, and when she used her Byakugan to pinpoint weaknesses in the walls and mark them with a kunai.
What's your game, Gaara? Is it Shukaku? I don't see the usual signs.
She had fooled herself when Hinata had let out a hurt cry and fell to her knees. Gaara had opened his eyes right before she had fallen and darted them to her so quickly, almost like he knew she would fall down from exhaustion. She did not know how he knew but she knew that her brother walking over there was a bad idea and unusual.
Why was it unusual? Gaara had never,neverapproached anyone like he was with Hinata. He had stopped that after their uncle tried to kill him when they were all so young…
Temari shook the unwanted thoughts away and found that she was moving over to Kankuro, who was a few feet away. Both watched the whole scene play out before them: Gaara crouching by her to extend his hand, Hinata pulling away in fear, and Gaara leaving the medicine to walk off and disappear in a sand swirl.
Both siblings had gasped at it and felt different emotions: shock, fear, pity, and anger.
Gaara's first real attempt at trying to touch someone and he was met with what he was always met with since he was born: fear.
Night fell on to Konoha. Kankuro uneasily watched the crescent moon, listening to his sister splash water on her face in the sink. She was mumbling angry to herself. He knew what would happen next and it would not be good. He did not know how to feel himself. Hinata was so sweet and she wasn't nearly so strange as before. He had been impressed by her Byakugan skill, if only she was still more confident. But with the way Gaara had been treated…he was angry.
Do I have a right to be though? Didn't we all treat him the same not long ago? I guess we never thought about how HE might have felt. I am such an asshole. No wonder he wanted to kill us a little even if he didn't have Shukaku inside.
Sand swirled in the room, grains touching Kankuro's neck. He turned to see Gaara standing in the room, calm as ever, or so he looked. His nose was wrinkled up a little. Kankuro saw Temari slam off the water and barge over in anger. This was bad timing. Before Kankuro could even make a signal to stop, Gaara's voice cut through.
"Am I a monster? Answer honestly or do not answer at all?"
Temari stood baffled. "What? Gaara, are you-"
"Answer me."
Both siblings stood still.
"C'mon, Gaara. You know this is stupid bullshit to ask." Kankuro offered lightly, trying to put a hand on Gaara's shoulder.
Gaara pulled away and stood in front of a desk, one arm down and the other by his side. He clenched his fist before sliding his burning eyes to his siblings with anger none had seen since the invasion.
"Am I a monster? It's a simple question!"
Gaara's cold monotone voice had risen up loudly and menacingly. Both siblings stood frozen. Gaara's eyes went from one to the other, waiting like a snake. The tension hovered in the air like a fog.
Finally, a sound.
"No, brother. You are not a monster to us."
Temari's soft, nearly tear filled voice replied quietly.
Gaara turned back around and his shoulders sagged. The other hand fell by his side.
"Then why does she treat me as if I am?"
Kankuro barely caught his reply as he swirled out of the room once more to disappear into the night. He heard a gasp and turned to Temari. Tears ran down her face.
"Temari…"
Temari held her chest. "He does not know kindness, Kankuro. I am afraid he never will know it because he will never receive it."
"There's Naruto, Baki, us…"
"We don't count. We just…don't.
Kankuro could only watch Temari cry as he held her.