I'm back again with another chapter of Lion in the Desert!

Thank you very much for your reviews! They're really encouraging, y'know? Reading them usually makes me smile and gets me pumped up for writing. I agree - Kohaku does give a whole new light to the term we all know and love - why so serious?

I'm glad you all like her!

So, I know it's been a few weeks since I last updated, and I've been updating for at least once a week, so I profusely apologize for the delay.

Another reason is because I had a bit of a writer's block. Every time I tried to write, my mind just came up blank. I'll explain it later. Geh. Anyways, enough with the ramblings!

Special thanks to:
MidnightCherryBlossoms
jestie Uchiha
GaarasMyBoyzz
aNONYMOUS
LadyAmazon
secret53

Only a small band of readers, but I really cherish each and every one of your support! You are the reason for why I strive to better my writing!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it'd be called Gaara instead. Yeah. I so went there.

This story will not have any relation to Naruto's dream of achieving Sasuke Uchiha's return or deafeating Orochimaru. This happens a little bit after the Rescue Gaara arc. In other words, kind of AU. Thought you should know.

"You again?"

Gaara found himself staring across the enclosed corner of the vast Sunagakure library, his gaze resting on the barely noticeable figure huddled between piles of books towering over her. He had gone to return the book he had borrowed not too long ago, having already fulfilled the use of it, and had passed by a different corner of the library. He had been surprised to see so many books out in one sitting, and if he hadn't been pulled in by the strangeness of it all, he would have failed to notice that the reader was none other than the person who was supposed to be somewhere else at that very moment.

Clearly, Kohaku was an expert at covering her tracks.

"Good morning, Kazekage-sama," cold eyes looked up to acknowledge Gaara's presence briefly before going back to reading.

Gaara was compelled to sigh, but as he was the Kazekage, his pride didn't allow him to do so when Kohaku hadn't done anything to elicit a sigh from him. Yet. "And what is your reason for your absence once again? It's two days in a row now, Chibi,"

"Uzumaki-kun and I had another disagreement," Gaara did not fail to see the well-masked condescending look that Kohaku gave him from behind her emotionless features.

"Obviously so. By reason I meant what was the argument about this time,"

"We agreed to teach chakra control today,"

Gaara gave her a slightly incredulous look. "And how does that qualify for an argument? It sounds like you were actually making progress,"

"We both had different ideas on which ways to teach them chakra control,"

Oh.

Gaara shifted impatiently in the spot where he stood. Sunlight streamed relentlessly through the rounded windows that perforated the walls of the library, warming up the air-conditioned building. "So why couldn't you just go with the easier one?"

"Because Uzumaki-kun seems to prefer shortcuts," Kohaku's fingers flitted through the pages of the open book lying on the table in front of her, her eyes moving quickly to read the complex kanji printed on the pages.

Gaara seemed to be slightly affronted by the fact that Kohaku was not paying full attention to their conversation; instead, she was more concerned with the book. As the revered Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure, Gaara was more or less used to the respect given and the attention he was able to command with a mere flick of his fingers, something that he regarded with humble humility. Kohaku's display of actions were a curious amalgamation - she seemed to be deferential in her actions and words, but Gaara felt like Kohaku did not regard him in the same standard she seemed to regard Tsunade with.

Clearing his throat with practiced subtleness, Gaara gave Kohaku a hard look. "Do you have a short-termed memory or a selective one? Because I clearly remember what I told you to do."

"Neither. I do recall your words."

"And…?"

"I rejected them," Kohaku paused to return the hard look Gaara had given her with a withering look of her own.

Gaara's brow furrowed into a deep frown. No sense in hiding his displeasure now, was there? "I did not give you an option. It was an absolute order."

"The power of giving absolute orders only lies within the jurisdiction of Kakashi-nii and Tsunade-hime,"

Again with that ridiculous subject! What was that damn hawk doing taking so long?

Gaara's hard stare remained. "What makes it so hard to get along with Naruto? Just playing along with him will guarantee results," he decided to ignore the jibe that Kohaku had given him with her earlier statement.

"It is not the problem of collaborating with him, but rather our vastly differing opinions on what is better,"

"Maybe you'd want to give his opinions a more open-minded view," Gaara suggested wisely.

Kohaku gave no reply, as she continued moving her fingers across the pages of the book, seemingly transfixed by the characters printed neatly on the pages. Her eyes darted back and forth, making Gaara wonder whether she really was reading or pretending to do so in order to avoid a direct conversation with him. Gaara let out the tiniest of sighs as he stepped forward, approaching the table, and pushed the piles of books that were shielding Kohaku away. His hand shot out and pulled the book the girl was reading away.

Kohaku ceased all movements momentarily before her eyes went up to look at Gaara. She remained devoid of emotion as she opened her mouth to speak. "Please give it back, Kazekage-sama,"

Gaara shook his head firmly. "Your mission or the book: Which is more important?"

The redhead could hardly believe his eyes when Kohaku actually stopped to think. Her eyes strayed to the book in Gaara's hands; her lips pursed in deep thought. She definitely liked reading more than she had let on when Gaara had randomly asked her the question a while ago. How could choosing the importance between a book and an S-ranked mission be a difficult decision? Just one more thing about the eccentric loner that puzzled the young Kazekage.

Deciding that this was probably not going to go anywhere, Gaara sighed. "Look, I'll let you check out this book under my name if you follow me somewhere,"

A gaze laden with suspicion rested on Gaara. "What are your intentions? I was not aware that my presence was required somewhere,"

"I'm not going to do anything shady if that's what you're worried about," Gaara deigned to roll his eyes at the doubt that Kohaku was showing, "I just want to show you something,"

Despite the sweltering heat relentlessly sweeping through the village in stifling waves that made even the homegrown Sunagakure dwellers grouse, it was hard to ignore Kohaku's chilling and somewhat highly disturbing presence as she walked a few paces behind him. Either it was a sign of respect or that she found being with Gaara embarrassing and did not want to be caught walking alongside him.

Gaara suspected it was the latter.

Compared to the first time they met, walking with her now had a completely different atmosphere, despite the crowded street. Kohaku's presence was like a soul-sucking abyss that was hard to miss in the busy lane of commerce. While he had been at ease - albeit not completely - bantering with the eccentric girl who had tried in vain to shake him off her tail while looking for her comrades, this time he felt uncomfortable, like he was walking with a feudal lord of the Land of Wind and he was trying his best to not make any doltish blunders, letting his inhibitions take complete control of him.

Was it just him or did Kohaku radiate waves of regality that scared everyone else stiff? Maybe that was why people found it hard to get along with her. Also, Gaara wasn't in a hurry to forget the strange speech habit that was unique to Kohaku. He still wondered where she had picked it up.

Gaara caught sight of a particular shop nestled between two sand-coloured buildings identical to it. The Suna shinobi pushed open the door and stepped inside, vaguely aware that Kohaku had also followed suit.

"Ah! Gaara-sama! Welcome!"

A portly woman bustled forwards, exiting from the curtained doorway at the back of the shop. She was dressed in mahogany robes; her rounded face was lined with creases that showed age, messily framed by salt-and-pepper hair. Gaara gave the woman a respectful bow of the head. "Hello, Ruka,"

Ruka was all smiles as she hurriedly shook her head vehemently. "Gaara-sama! Please don't be formal with me! I already told you not to do that!"

A corner of Gaara's mouth quirked up briefly in a quick smile before returning to his usual mask of nonchalance. "Is that thing I was looking at during my previous visit still here?"

Ruka nodded. "Would you like to purchase it, Gaara-sama?"

Gaara shook his head. "I'd like to show it to my fr-," Gaara wondered what Kohaku's reaction would be to being called his friend. He decided to go with the safer option. "Sorry - Shishimiya, here,"

Ruka craned her neck to take a look at the enigmatic figure that stood silently behind the Kazekage. Kohaku remained impassive, only regarding the elderly woman with a stiff bow of the head. Gaara had to give props to her - at least she didn't lack manners.

The shop-owner smiled reluctantly before whisking off to the back of the shop, leaving the two teenagers alone. Gaara turned to Kohaku. "So, what do you think, Chibi?"

Kohaku met his eyes with a cold glare. "I still do not understand your purpose for bringing me here. This is a pet shop."

Indeed, the place where Gaara had wanted to bring her to was a pet shop. A row of cages that stood against one side of the walls housed various sizes of desert eagles, while another corner had a glass tank containing snakes that blended among the rocks and sand scattered inside. Another row of glass tanks stood beside the cash register, with a family of slow-moving desert tortoises crawling around inside. A colorful bird - obviously not native to the Land of Wind - perched inside a roomy birdcage displayed in the middle of the shop.

"You don't like animals, Chibi?" Gaara asked, seeing the crack in the mask that Kohaku skillfully wore. It was apparent that she was disgruntled by the unexpected visit to a pet store.

Kohaku gave Gaara a pointed look. "That is none of your concern. What I want to know is why you brought me here,"

Gaara gave the girl a devious half-smile. "So you don't like animals, then?"

Kohaku's brows furrowed into a frown. Success! Gaara managed to make her produce a different facial expression! "That is besides the point-,"

"Here you go!" Ruka was back.

The two teenagers turned away from their conversation, seeing the woman carefully balancing a hefty glass tank in her arms. Grains of sand rose from inside the gourd on Gaara's back and flew towards the woman, lifting the tank from her arms and placing it on the counter. The sandy river, done with its purpose, then floated back into the gourd, the cork materializing back in place. Ruka beamed at Gaara in appreciation for his helpful gesture.

"Thank you very much, Gaara-sama! Now you'll have to excuse me, because there's a very troublesome ledger I'll have to deal with. Take your time viewing the farm! Just leave it on the counter once you're done!" she called out as she returned to the back room.

Gaara could tell Kohaku was puzzled by the mention of 'farm'. Her brow was still creased into a frown, but instead of glaring at Gaara, her eyes were rested on the glass tank sitting on top of the counter, following the movements of the dark specks moving around inside.

"What do you think?" Gaara decided to break the pregnant silence.

Kohaku gave no answer as she continued to follow the movements of the ants inside. Gaara sighed. He might as well give her the explanation for their visit to see the ant farm. "Do you know the characteristics of ants?"

"I was unaware that things like these existed," an amazed tone to the quiet voice startled Gaara from his explanation.

"What?" incredulity was apparent on Gaara's face.

There were two reasons for Gaara's shock: One, the fact that Kohaku had never seen an ant farm before and two, her voice had been unrecognizable with the alien tone; Gaara had almost thought that there was another person inside the shop.

Kohaku realized that she'd spoken a few decibels too loud, because the wondrous expression that had been quietly dawning on her face quickly froze back into a stone mask. Gaara allowed himself a tiny smirk, before clearing his throat as if nothing strange had happened. He pointed to the glass tank containing the crawling insects.

"As I was saying earlier, are you aware of the characteristics of ants?"

Met with silence, Gaara studied the stoic expression on Kohaku's face. The slight, barely noticeable shift of the muscles in between her eyebrows told Gaara all he needed to know.

"You don't know a thing, do you?"

"I never said that," Kohaku bit back; her words cold and cutting.

Without meaning to, a small chuckle escaped from between Gaara's lips. The redhead smothered the next chortle with a loud cough, making the shorter shinobi give him a glare. "It looks like the childish, petulant Chibi is back," he commented casually.

Kohaku gave him another hard look, lips pressed together in distaste. "Kazekage-sama, please stop wasting time and get straight to the point. What is your purpose for bringing me here?"

Gaara tapped the glass lightly; the slight vibration made the ants inside go into a frenzied scurry. "I was passing by a few days ago when I saw this," he said, "And watching the network of ants working together reminded me of the problem you and Naruto are having right now.

"Because the both of you are unable to work together, I decided I'd pick the more reasonable of you two and show you this; to show you how one party has to be accommodating of the other, to be able to see from the same viewpoint. Ants, as weak and insignificant as they are, are insects that are able to thrive because they are able to find ways to cooperate. You and Naruto are both individuals that have differing strengths and weaknesses - you may be polar opposites, but that does not mean you cannot work side by side. Like the ants, you just have to be accepting of each other's shortcomings and be able to work out things together with clear and open minds."

After the last few words, another bout of silence stretched around the room; Gaara felt somewhat uncomfortable with the owlish stare Kohaku was giving him. He couldn't tell what the girl was thinking, for her eyes betrayed nothing on her mind. The Kazekage had actually been indecisive with the idea of showing Kohaku his ant farm metaphor, but a strange force had compelled him with a final decision, after he'd had the conversation with her earlier in the library.

While Naruto would've had some trouble understanding what Gaara wanted to show, Gaara suspected that Kohaku was more intelligent than she seemed. The books were definitely a surefire indicator, for normal people her age would have preferences for books that had nothing to do with history and politics; her baffling vocabulary was also another indication that she wasn't just your average, run-off-the-mill Konoha shinobi.

Smiling to himself, Gaara marveled at the multitudes of unique shinobi that Konoha seemed to never exhaust itself of, with Naruto being a prominent figure floating at the top. But this particular shinobi at the moment wasn't part of the positive side of unique. Bordering in between, maybe, but not completely.

"Kazekage-sama, while it does not really concern me, I have been told that people who smile discreetly to themselves are either mentally debilitated or thinking up a plan for conspiracy," the same cold voice broke through his train of thoughts, making Gaara's eyes move towards Kohaku.

"I see no need to do any conspiring within my own village, Chibi," Gaara sniffed, stepping away from the ant farm, "And I am definitely not mentally whatever."

Ignoring Gaara's retort, Kohaku said, "If that is all, I will be taking my leave now, Kazekage-sama,"

Her head dipped slightly, before she turned to walk out; steps unfaltering. Gaara sighed and called after her, "Just make sure you think about what I said and I'd better see you at the academy tomorrow."

The quiet footsteps stopped, and without turning to look back, a quiet voice said, "You may have an extreme predilection for wasting time, but I take back my words. You are a wise Kazekage, after all,"

And then Kohaku disappeared from view, leaving a startled Gaara making sure that her words had been real and not the tricks of the heat playing with his mind.

"Did she just… compliment me?"

xxxx

Truth be told, Kohaku had felt naught but amazement when she had discovered Gaara's intentions of showing her the nest of ants crawling around multiple networks of tunnels in the soil-filled tank (Although it was true that she had not been aware that ants could be kept in such a manner). Listening to him, Kohaku realized that Gaara had been trying to make an effort with a shinobi that was not one of his own; normally a kage would merely focus of his own army of shinobi, but it was a surprise that instead of terminating the contract and asking for a different platoon, Gaara had made an honest attempt to try fix the problem with the best of his abilities.

A small seed of newfound respect for the young Kazekage found itself planted in the depths of Kohaku's heart; it was something that did not happen often, for the way Kohaku had been raised went against it.

Slipping the metal key from the weapons pouch attached to her waist, Kohaku unlocked the door to the apartment. As she walked into the living area, she saw Kakashi seated on a chair, deeply absorbed in one of his many editions of that strange series he enjoyed reading. Hearing the slight creak of the door, Kakashi looked up and recognition dawned in his visible eye as he lifted a hand to greet the girl.

"Hey, Kohaku! How was your day?"

It was common knowledge taken from observation that Kohaku and Kakashi were familiar with one another, with the way Kohaku referred to him by his first name with a prefix that indication a certain amount of affection in their relationship, and the way Kakashi was able to call her by her first name without any reprimanding from the girl to call her by her last name. Kohaku made to sit down in the angular sofa opposite of the armchair Kakashi was seated on.

"Kakashi-nii," a ghost of a smile touched upon her lips briefly as she regarded her senior, "My day was somewhat unexpected. I learnt a valuable lesson today."

A pale silver eyebrow arched up in surprise. "Oh? That's a shocker,"

Kohaku's face easily melted into a surly expression. "What does that mean?"

Kakashi was a man that you had to be cautious around, because he was as unpredictable as his battle-style was. Kohaku knew that, and as much as she regularly disregarded that fact without as much of a bat of an eyelid, she found herself, at times, doubting the cheery mask that Kakashi put on, hiding the sardonic tongue he was skilled at using to deal snide remarks.

Kakashi chortled, closing his book. "Now, now. Don't be touchy. I wasn't being sarcastic, if that's what you're thinking," he said with a wary tone, knowing that Kohaku's mood was volatile, mostly always frozen cold with the likeness of an emotionless statue. As comfortable as Kohaku was with him, even Kakashi knew where to tread when talking to Kohaku. "I mean, you're not an easily influenced person, right? Did you read a particularly riveting book or something?"

"No," Kohaku shook her head once, "I was wrong. The Kazekage is not the sapient fool that I originally denoted him to be. He has proven to be a particularly insightful character."

The silver-headed jounin gave the girl a look of incredulity. "Did you just compliment someone?"

The sullen expression on Kohaku's face remained; accusing brown eyes directed a glare at the ex-ANBU. "I see no reason for you to sound so shocked, Kakashi-nii. After all, I don't see anything wrong about it within the context of social boundaries. Is is not a normal thing for humans to commend one another?"

"Not when that human happens to be you,"

xxxx

Unable to think of a riposte, another glare was directed at the skeptical shinobi as Kakashi's statement was obviously a jibe at Kohaku's reclusive character. Kakashi's eye crinkled, a smile apparent in it. He remembered the time when he'd first known Kohaku. She had treated him the same as she treated everyone else; cold, detached and unfeeling. Really, she had almost reminded him of himself in his younger years.

Now, all she needed were people who could be like how Obito and Rin had been to him.

"So you're more interested in Gaara, now? Are you both friends?" Kakashi asked, casually toying with the book in his gloved hands. He couldn't suppress the grin on his masked face when Kohaku shot him another fierce glare.

"Hardly. The Kazekage remains as he always has been to me - a part of my mission and nothing else," she replied, a hint of condescension in her voice. It was so obviously clear that she somewhat resented Gaara for reasons unknown to Kakashi.

The ex-ANBU let out an exaggerated sigh at the answer the kunoichi had given him. He knew it was hard for Kohaku to accept people the way she had accepted him. Heck, it had been hard for him to break through the cold, icy shell that encased her. Even now, Kohaku was still an enigma that the Copy-Nin wasn't able to figure out; a labyrinth that was hard to get out of.

"I'd like to say 'try harder and make new friends' but that's hardly a valid point of advice for you," Kakashi waved his hand in resignation, "It seems like the only fitting thing I should say is 'I hope you one day learn to talk to more people'. And don't you dare try contradict what I said. Don't try to be a smart-ass," he added as he saw a flash in Kohaku's eyes when he'd said something about talking to more people.

"I will take your words into consideration," Kohaku said instead.

"To heart, not consideration," Kakashi corrected, as he stood up. "Now, I'll be going to disturb Sakura in the kitchen. Do you want to eat anything in particular?"

Kohaku shook her head once. "No, thank you," was her blatant reply, "I will be in my room."

As Kohaku slid off the sofa and headed down the hallway to her room, Kakashi shook his head in resignation - did Kohaku really have to make things so difficult? She refused to eat with the rest of them at the table - instead Kohaku preferred to eat whatever she could come up with. Kakashi had a sneaking suspicion that the girl lived on only cereal and mochi sometimes, but he wasn't too sure. Even that part of Kohaku was still a fuzzy picture to him.

As much as Kohaku could be an expressive person when it came to their long conversations of menial things, he couldn't breach the walls that she'd erected around her personal life, and nor did he want to. He had discovered a small part of it a long time ago - and he had never, ever, once expressed a liking for it.

Never.

You see? It was hard to write the segment where Kohaku's iciness melts a little upon accepting Gaara for who he is - although she's obviously in denial. Kohaku was just adamant when I was trying to write a bit of emotion into her. She was all, "No. You are just a mere human being with no redeeming qualities. I do not see any reason for you to showcase my personal life in such a derisible manner. Now go away."

Still, I hoped you all liked this installment of Lion in the Desert!

Kohaku's story begins to show! But I promise and assure you it won't be the typical 'My-parents-died-so-I-was-left-alone-to-fend-for-myself-and-now-I'm-stronger-and-special-because-of-it' kind of Mary Sue story. Geh.

Lastly, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated! Let me know what you think!

Luv,
Pichuzilla