I'm alive! Muahahahaha! *cough*

I am back, people! And I am so, so, sorry for making you wait so long. (bows before thy awesomeness) My last four months had been bombarded with endless projects, tests and finals. Not to mention brain-damaging writer's block, ne? Anyway, ENOUGH RANTING! :D

Read and Review~!

P.S. I cut chapter 39 into two parts because it was too long. ^^" 39.1 and 39.2 have the same plots.

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 39: The Night before War

War.

No amount of preparation could have readied them for this.

Blood was splattering everywhere. Desperate screams ripped out of their throats. Adrenaline was the only thing left to fuel their wounded bodies. Instincts and negative emotions were taking over their minds, clouding over their hearts.

This was it. This was the very definition of war.

Panicked yells and enraged shouts filled the area, joining the shrill clashing of swords and the whizzing of kunai through the air. The girl's comrades were dying one by one, their bodies sprawled lifelessly on the ground and their clothes soaked red. Pained screams echoed all over the place and she winced at the sting it caused, her bloodstained hands automatically fending off the dark figures as they pounced on her.

Katana fought viciously, her sword slicing through her enemies without a second thought. Crimson liquid sprayed out of their slit throats, painting the girl's dirt-coated face with blood. Grey eyes were wild and crazed as they darted around her surroundings, her body tense and rigid in a defensive stance, her breathing shallow and her heart running miles. She could feel adrenaline coursing through her veins, sweat pouring out and mixing with the dirt in the air. The figures attacked head-on once more, their claws slightly curved as if ready to shred her piece by piece.

The shadow-like silhouettes emitted screeching noises, the noise intensifying the pounding of her head due to all the adrenaline rushing towards it. Bone-chilling shrieks echoed inside her ears, threatening to burst them open. "Stop it…" She hissed, retracting as one hand clutched her throbbing head, her fingers burying through her hair as blunt nails dug deep into her scalp.

"Dammit, stop!" With one swift and hasty flick of her wrist, the shadows were reduced into nothing but bleeding, writhing and soon-to-be corpses. Pools of blood were everywhere—making her see nothing but red—, along with impaled bodies of shinobi and discarded weapons.

"Katana…"

In a swift motion, the brunette whirled around, her expression horror-stricken and livid as she whipped out her sword defensively. "Get away from me—" Grey eyes were wide as they fixed themselves on the newcomer, Katana's breath hitching inside her constricting throat. With a metallic clank, her bloody sword slipped out of her loose grip and fell to the ground, her shock too great for her to notice her discarded weapon.

N-No…No, no, this can't be true…

Hysteria flashed through her eyes as she took a step back to balance herself, her knees shaky and unstable from the shock.

"G-Gaa…ra…"

Color drained away from her face as her gaze traveled from the Kazekage's bleeding eye to the crimson stains on the corner of his gasping mouth, both his sleeves torn and one of his arms missing. "K-Katana…" The redhead murmured once more in his rough tone, his voice sounding weaker than it used to be. He took a fragile step forward before crumpling down on the dirt, his body falling like a limp sack.

With her heart roaring inside her chest and her mind drowning in horrid thoughts, Katana sprinted over to where the man laid, blood pounding anxiously inside her head. "Hang in there, Gaara!" She ran with all she had but could never seem to reach him, the distance between them even increasing as the seconds passed by. Shadows and darkness were slowly catching up to the girl's running figure, the claws of death soon swiping at her ankles. Katana tripped, her body crashing down on the ground, the sharp jagged rocks cutting her side.

Almost instantly, the claws shot up from every direction, latching on to Katana as the woeful moans increased in volume. They begged, screamed, pleaded and groaned, agonized sobbing mixing with sadistic laughter and ringing so painfully inside Katana's ears.

"Let go of me! I need to save him!" The kunoichi snarled hysterically, panic and anger lacing her voice, her feet kicking away from their grips and pigheadedly scrambling back up. Gradually, the light in her surroundings dimmed, the claws enveloping Gaara's silhouette tauntingly, their hands grazing his porcelain skin, puncturing it and drawing out blood.

"Gaara!"

Darkness soon took over her line of sight, the murky fog blocking out all the sources of light. The all too familiar feeling of fear and dread paralyzed her, leaving her legs unstable, buckling traitorously beneath her. Pain coursed through her veins as shadows dug their nails into her flesh and Katana thrashed against their iron holds, her teeth clenched as she stubbornly fought.

The redheaded boy that lay limp on the ground disappeared, along with the grey corpses and the girl was left alone in the dark to listen to the desperate wails and cries of the dying, the shadows tearing her apart limb by limb, bathing in her agony and blood.

Faint rays of early morning sunlight peeked in through the thick black curtains, providing the inside of the spacious room dim illumination. Monochromatic clothes smelled of laundry detergent, all of them ironed and hung neatly inside the wooden closet. Three books—along with several fat folders containing classified information—were separated from the others staying on the shelf in the living room and were stacked on the bedside table, just beside a small lamp.

From outside, the footsteps that were hastily scuffling here and there along with the occasional orders barked out roughly overpowered the gentle chirping of birds in Konohagakure, silence nowhere to be found in the usually peaceful village.

Silent tapping of feet against the wooden floor sounded inside the dimly lit room as the girl in the dull-colored clothing traveled back and forth across the expanse of the bedroom, her arms full of a variety of weapons, uniforms and other things. Taking a seat on the cold floor just slightly further from where her bed was situated and dumping the things she carried in front of her, her sweater-clad body leaned feebly against the hard wall, her legs crossed.

Bloodshot and sleep-deprived grey orbs stared blankly at the mess before her, hands half-heartedly sorting out her belongings into organized heaps. Although the girl had showered and changed into fresh clothes the minute she entered her room after the assembly, the unhealthy pallor on her skin that she had earned after three consecutive sleepless nights still hadn't gone away. In fact, it was safe to say that she looked even more ghostly with the addition of dark circles under her eyes.

Katana released a heavy sigh, regretting it immediately when her throat itched and a harsh cough escaped, developing into another violent coughing fit; they seem to have a habit of attacking her all of a sudden. As her hacking subsided, Katana massaged her throat lightly using one hand, a permanent-looking grimace etched on her face.

Exhaling downheartedly, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes shut, her eyebrows creasing as the scenes of her nightmare whizzed through her mind. "Damn it…" She hissed lowly, her clammy hands clenching and unclenching. "It was just a dream. Just a dream." She chanted in a weak croak, the strong voice she was used to hearing now raspy and broken because of her sore throat.

To say that the vision that decided to visit her during her sleep had left her edgy was an understatement still. She had woken up screaming, thrashing and kicking on the bed, with her grey eyes wide and traumatized; her legs and arms tangled in sweaty bed sheets.

Even after calming down, the kunoichi made no further attempt to get back to sleep, the nightmare still fresh in her head. Shaking her head, the brunette resumed her earlier work, folding her clothes neatly and stacking them in a towering pile.

Hours passed by like mere seconds as the kunoichi busied herself with preparing all needed things for the departure tomorrow, filling the room with cold silence. Amidst the tranquility, Katana found her thoughts drifting to a certain topic, her hands then stopping in mid-action as a worried frown took over her face.

I can't understand why I'm feeling this so suddenly but…, she mused internally, the troubled pinch between her eyebrows digging even deeper as the scene of a bloody battlefield flashed through her mind once more, along with the image of a dead redhead, War's not even starting yet and here I am, already having double thoughts.

Katana inwardly scoffed with bitterness, her nails slightly digging on the fabric of her pants in both shame and irritation. I can't be scared. I shouldn't be scared; she inwardly berated herself, the deep, troubled pinch in between her eyebrows appearing.

I'm a shinobi. Shinobi have no fears. Shinobi have no doubts. The only thing they have is duty.

Flexing her hands on her lap unconsciously, she felt something cold brush against her finger and she looked down, her murky gaze softening at the object. Raising her hand up into eye level, she scrutinized tiredly the shyly twinkling sphere around her finger, the clear stone attached on top of it gleaming with radiance. I wonder…Pondered the brunette wistfully as she dropped her arm back to her side, her thoughts returning back to the present. I wonder how long this happiness will last this time…

Three urgent knocks on the front door made Katana jump in alarm, her hand reflexively snatching a kunai from her pile of weapons. "Katana-chan! Are you there?" The person outside called out and the brunette immediately relaxed, recognizing the owner of the familiar voice. Dropping the knife and pushing herself up from her seat with much effort, Katana strode out of her bedroom and towards the door, reaching for the knob and twisting it open calmly.

"Sakura." She acknowledged her pink-haired friend lightly, taking in the way her teammate stared at her a few seconds longer than usual before the girl fidgeted in her spot, her face obviously etched with shock. "K-Katana?"

Sighing and cursing under her breath about her lack of sleep and her shitty appearance, Katana cleared her throat, shaking her head in affirmation. "Yeah, it's me. What is it? Is something wrong? Do you want to come inside?" She offered politely, shifting from her position and opening the door a tad bit wider. "N-no, that's okay." The girl answered quickly, her words stumbling over one another in her haste.

"U-Um, Tsunade-shishou asked me to remind you of the documents you were supposed to deliver today." Nodding cautiously as she tried to make sense out of the words that came out of Sakura's mouth, Katana flashed a tentative smile at the medic, trying to hide all the thoughts that whizzed through her brain. "Oh. Thank you. I'll deliver it right now, then."

Just as she was about to close the door and turn away, a hand shot out to latch on her forearm, halting Katana in her place. "Wait." Sakura croaked out and the brunette craned her head towards the pink-haired kunoichi in surprise, her eyebrows raised up. "…Sakura?" She inquired lowly, her raspy tone turning soft with concern.

Grey eyes fixed themselves at brilliant emerald orbs, Katana's gaze searching for answers inside the latter's nervous glances, all the while trying to hide her own thoughts. The two girls remained in a lock for a moment, before the older of the duo loosened her grip on the brunette's arm, her gaze darting away.

"Sakura—"

"I'm sorry."

Katana froze for a minute, her orbs wide as her mind tried hard to register her friend's statement. As her head wrapped around the idea, her eyebrows furrowed deeply, a concerned frown taking over her already downcast features. "What? Why?"

"I'm sorry", the latter repeated once more as she glanced at Katana's horribly confused expression, a sad smile entering her normally cheerful face, "that I haven't been much of a friend to you these past few weeks…Everything's just been in such a rush." Sakura gave off a dry laugh, her large green eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I…heard from Hinata-chan…that you encountered some trouble with the Wind Daimyo's daughter." She continued slowly, her teeth worrying her lower lip. "I…I also h-heard from Tsunade-sama and Shizune-sempai…that you've been working yourself a little harder lately…and that you were wondering how Naruto was…"

Katana didn't miss the almost choked sob at the end of her sentence nor the way tears threatened to spill at the mention of their blond teammate's name. Her stiff shoulders sagging in sympathy and realization, Katana closed her eyes and bit back a heavy sigh, her arms raising in their own accord and wrapping around Sakura's slightly quivering frame.

Tentatively shifting closer, Katana dropped her chin on top of her friend's head, her hands gently squeezing the girl's arms and allowing her to sob against her shoulder. "So that's what this was all about…" she murmured hoarsely near Sakura's ear, her hands soothingly rubbing the girl's back. "You miss Naruto, don't you?"

"Y-Yes…" Hiccupped Sakura in between sniffs and shaky breaths, tears trailing down freely from the corner of her eyes. "E-Ever s-since Tsunade-sama sent him away…I felt like I've lost him completely…" She whispered weakly, burying her tear-stained face on Katana's black shirt. "And with all these things happening around us…we grew farther and farther apart…I don't want to lose you as well, Katana."

Hearing the girl's last statement made Katana's heart contract painfully, in relief, pain or in both, she didn't know. This…This is exactly why I can't afford to be afraid. Not right now…not when they're relying on me. Releasing a dejected exhale, Katana nodded once in comprehension, understanding the feeling completely, "I…I miss him too, Sakura. But you haven't lost us. You never will…because we'll always be here for you." She reassured in a whisper, drawing back and offering the girl a gentle smile.

Relief washed over her when she saw Sakura smile back, the medic-nin wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Yeah. I know…" She answered, sniffling and nodding, the bright twinkle in her eyes returning. "Thank you, Katana. I should probably go now." She said with a sheepish chuckle, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry for bothering you."

Beaming tiredly, Katana gave her arm one last squeeze before letting go. "No…you didn't bother me at all. It was nice talking to you, Sakura." Hearing a sharp inhale, a surge of panic crashed into her system again—had she said something insensitive? Did she make Sakura cry for the second time?—and she looked up immediately, surprised when she found a hesitant smile on Sakura's face.

"Um, the g-girls." Sakura stuttered out hastily, as if Katana would disappear before her very eyes if she didn't hurry. Clearing her throat and laughing awkwardly, Sakura corrected herself. "The girls and I are going to have dinner at Barbe-Q later this day. It's just a little get together before the...before we leave for Kumogakure."

Katana's gaze on the pink-haired medic softened reflexively, silent gratitude reflecting off her eyes as she noticed how the latter avoided saying the taboo word 'war'. "If…If you've got time to spare, we'd be happy to have you with us." Sakura finished, her hopeful tone leaving no room for doubt. With a soft chuckle and a nod, Katana smiled, truly meaning the gesture for the first time. "Yeah. I'll go." The sudden squeal that left the girl's mouth as Sakura tackled her inside an excited hug made Katana laugh wholeheartedly, her earlier worries and pessimistic thoughts pushed back into the depths of her mind for later.

"Why don't you just give in already, Hokage-sama?"

"Give in? Hah! Screw you. I will never give in."

The sound of the Raikage's raucous laughter and a string of colorful words that only the Fifth Hokage could utter broke through Katana's stoic façade as she neared the Hokage Office, her mouth unable to prevent the amused smirk that took over.

Shaking her head and snorting, she took a moment to compose herself and wipe off the last remains of a troubled look in face, her expression then molding into a well-practiced grin. Raising a loose fist, she let it collide carelessly against the smooth wooden surface three times, unsurprised when the two Kages inside didn't cease their noises or stop what they were doing.

For the second time around, she knocked thrice again, making sure to add a little more force this time. "What the—Dammit!" Katana winced inwardly at Tsunade's indignant shriek, a reflex action she had developed from the years of being the blonde woman's subordinate. "I demand a rematch, Raikage! Oi, Raikage!" She heard Tsunade call out, frustration and impatience clear in the older woman's tone. "My, my! Such an amazing temper, Hokage-sama!" The Raikage's voice boomed next, his chuckles deep and soothing to Katana's ears, since his tone was—for once, truly happy.

"Come in!"

The blonde woman's bark was harsh, her irritation unconcealed even from behind the sliding door. Hearing the permission given, Katana straightened up unconsciously and squared her tense shoulders, hand pushing the sliding door of the office with ease. "Hokage-sama, Raikage-sama." She greeted with a bow, the words rolling off her tongue smoothly, just like how it should be.

"Ah, Katana!" Came her father's acknowledgement, the mouth that usually wore a grimace now grinning smugly. "You came late! If you had arrived a little earlier, you would have seen the priceless look on Tsunade-hime's face when I—"

"Raikage, you noisy bastard! She doesn't need to know any of that!" Tsunade snapped in annoyance, cutting off the tanned man in midsentence as she massaged her seemingly aching arm. With a silent grumble and a slight downward pinch of her elegant eyebrows, the Hokage nodded once as regards to the brunette standing on her doorway.

"Katana. I presume that you're here to deliver those documents?"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." The brunette answered with a teasing beam as she took a few steps forward to hand over the folders, her grin widening when the blonde woman snatched the papers off her grip with a warning growl. "Any other errands you want me to run for you, Tsunade-sama?"

"No." The answer came out as a defeated grunt and Katana had been a second too late to bite back a chuckle. The Hokage sent a half-hearted glower at the girl and Katana murmured a silent apology after another snicker, her father's not-so-subtle chuckling in the background proving to be rather infectious. "I guess I'll be taking my leave then, Hokage-sama, Raikage-sama." She bowed before both leaders again, making sure to keep her smile intact as to deter any attention from shifting to the heavy bags under her eyes instead. "Enjoy arm wrestling." Her hand went for the sliding door and she pushed it open with ease, her foot already taking a step outside.

"Wait."

Stopping in her tracks and craning her head back, Katana raised one eyebrow at the blonde woman in inquiry. "Tsunade-sama?" She watched the Hokage flip through documents with a determined frown, gold-rimmed orbs glaring at the papers before her. "Now that I think of it, there is something you can do for me." The blonde woman murmured under her breath, elegant eyebrows creasing in concentration as she scanned through the files. Finally, slender fingers pulled out a folder from the pile, one that was comparatively thinner from the rest. "I want you to give this to the Kazekage." Tsunade said, her face devoid of any mischief as she handed out the document. "And remember to tell him to return it to me before 6."

Warily taking the said document from the Hokage's grip, Katana gazed at Tsunade expectantly, waiting for the impish grin and suggestive comment that had always accompanied her orders whenever Gaara was the highlight of their conversation.

Much to her surprise, instead of the immature snickers that she had braced herself against; Katana found herself staring at a rather quiet Tsunade, the blonde woman resuming her earlier work of flipping through the pages of another file.

"…That's all, Katana." Tsunade added after a while, her eyes flickering to the brunette pointedly. "You can go now." She told the girl slowly, letting just a tiny bit of concern to flash through her gaze. Blinking and clearing her throat as if snapping out of a daze, Katana managed an awkward smile before bowing politely. "Hai, Tsunade-sama." She responded, striding back towards the door and pushing it open. "I'll make sure he gets this."

"Thank you, Katana…for everything."

The last statement was said in a voice lower than a whisper—and yet holding so many emotions, barely reaching the girl's ears. It did though, but the girl didn't bother stopping or turning back, her legs already sprinting out of the Office as soon as she closed the door shut behind her, a knowing smile taking over her face.

Gaara, you big pain in the ass…, grumbled the brunette inwardly, fuming as she stomped along the bustling streets of Konoha. Why can't you just stay in one place? She asked wordlessly, unflinchingly accepting the harsh bumps and accidental shoves she received from her fellow shinobi. Noticing two men fast approaching, she sidestepped to get through the burly shinobi that threatened to sandwich her in between as they passed by briskly.

Successfully slipping in between and managing not to get squished, she breathed out a sigh of relief, only to have her whip her head back in front and duck reflexively with lightning speed, several blades promising a very bloody and headless death had she taken a second later to avoid them.

The Kirigakure shinobi that carried the swords in his arms sputtered out hasty apologies in both shame and humiliation, his young face tainted with red. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was kind of spacing out. Shoot, Taichou's gonna kill me! I didn't notice that—I, uh, Sorry!" He tried to bow but the weapons were at risk of falling out of his grasp and so Katana provided him quick reassurance. "It's fine." She told him, a little out of breath from dodging too fast, and gave him the sincerest smile she could muster up. "Just be careful next time."

She left him even before the young man could thank her, her feet itching to get out of the tightly packed crowd. She frowned as she wiped away the sweat building up on her hairline using her free hand, the way her clothes stuck on her like a second skin getting on her nerves.

With a suppressed groan of discomfort, she squeezed through the crowd, ignoring the urge to shrink back when equally sweaty and grimed arms brushed against hers. Her patience wearing thin, the kunoichi gathered chakra at the balls of her feet and leapt up, landing with ease on one of the roofs. Huffing, she ran, allowing chakra to pool around her calves and increase her speed.

Minutes later, she arrived at the training grounds 1, where the shinobi she had inquired said the Kazekage should be. The answer still baffled her, but she shrugged it off easily, keeping her mind blank and unoccupied as she jumped over the low fence around the area. Almost instantly, she felt a strong surge of familiar chakra wash over her as she neared the grassy field, the insistent tapping of feet against wood echoing all over the place.

Curiosity getting better of her, she masked her chakra and made her breath shallow, her footsteps light and silent as she tiptoed on the soft grass. The sharp slapping noises became clearer as she came close, the girl's dark figure blending in well with the shadows as she hid behind the trunk of an old tree. Slowly, she peeked out and her eyes widened, her gaze drinking in the unusual sight.

Loose black pants were slung dangerously low around narrow hips as the young man in the middle of the vast field abused the wooden post with his feet, his naked back sweat-drenched, crimson strands of hair ruffling slightly from the gentle breeze. Toned arms were tucked in and positioned up front for defense, calloused hands balled into fists.

Grey eyes shamelessly traveled down, heat rushing towards the girl's face as she found herself staring at washboard abs. With her heart beating outrageously inside her chest, Katana pulled herself back up and leaned against the bark of the tree she was hiding behind, her face seemingly seconds away from combusting completely.

Blushing over a shirtless shinobi…Seriously, Katana berated herself internally, embarrassment scribbled all over her expression, you're a kunoichi, Katana, not a pathetic genin. She took a calming breath and let it out slowly, her thundering heart beat lowering into mere drumming as she regained her composure.

With one last deep breath, she stepped out of the darkness and into the light, the sun's sudden brightness causing her to squint. Tentatively, she approached him, her lips quirking up into a faint amused smirk the minute the Kazekage whirled back to face her, his expression clearly taken aback.

"Katana…?"

An electrifying thrill ran down her spine as her name was uttered in that deep velvety voice and Katana could feel her heart running miles once more, her insides reduced to a quivering mush. "Kazekage-sama, I'm surprised to see you here." She greeted as she stopped right in front of him, a part of her silently hoping she didn't sound as breathless as she thought. "I haven't seen you since yesterday morning. You had yourself locked up inside your office all day." She added as a matter-of-factly, sitting down cross-legged on a soft patch of grass.

Blinking twice, Gaara sent her a sheepish look before turning back and reaching for the brown towel draped over the next post, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. "Sorry", he murmured apologetically as he patted away the moisture from his face, his lips turning down in a mild frown, the crease between his eyebrows digging deeper, "The meetings took forever to finish…The paperwork assigned to me doubled in number as well."

"Make that triple then." Interjected Katana lightly, chuckling as she raised the document and waved it around teasingly. "Tsunade-sama asked me to give you this." Aquamarine eyes narrowing in disdain and exhaustion, Gaara sighed before dropping down beside Katana, his legs stretching out before him.

"Sometimes…" He mused silently as soon as he took the document, his hands already opening it wide and flipping through pages, "I really do hate my job." Smirking, the girl rolled her eyes and shook her head, shifting to a new position as she placed her nestled her head comfortably on Gaara's lap, her hair splayed carelessly across his legs. "Aw, you poor baby." She commented flippantly, her grin widening as she noticed his glare from the corner of her eyes.

Shaking her head, she closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath and drawing it out slowly. "Suck it up and work, Kazekage-sama." She added with a smile, chuckling when she heard him grunt. "I'll be right here by your side." With those words escaping her lips, Katana felt his muscles relax, silence taking over them slowly. Soon, only the scratch of pages against each other could be heard, along with even and synchronized breaths that mingled with each other in the air. Wordlessly, gentle fingers traced the outline of the brunette's jaw, the calloused pads of Gaara's hands caressing her face ever so softly.

Grey eyes flickered open, languidly pulling their gaze up at the redhead. The boy gave no indication that he noticed her pointed stare on him, but the small content smile on his normally stony face told Katana otherwise. Her orbs softening unconsciously, she reached up, her hand covering the one that rested on her jaw.

"Gaara…" she began, earning the attention of the Kazekage towering above her. She looked away from his face, fixing her blank stare on the clear horizon instead. "It's your first war as well, isn't it?" There was a moment of silence before the shinobi could answer her, his reply cautious and hesitant-sounding even then. "Yes."

The grip she had on his hand tightened reflexively. "You're not afraid." The words were delivered as a statement, nothing but a silent observation; nonetheless, Gaara answered her as he bent down to press her lips against hers. "No." This time, his response was calm and immediate, his voice without a trace of nervousness. A sharp pang hit Katana squarely in the chest and she pursed her lips, her stormy eyes staring back uncertainly at sea foam. The two regarded each other for a moment, neither one moving or speaking.

Finally, the girl averted her gaze, a humorless snort escaping her. She looked up, forcing a genuine-looking smile to grace her lips. "Of course…" she drawled out, teasingly tapping the bridge of the redhead's nose. "I was stupid enough to think that you of all people would be afraid. I couldn't help but wonder though." Raising a nonexistent eyebrow at the girl, Gaara peered at her with a slight frown, brushing back the strands of brown hair that fell on the kunoichi's face. "Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Afraid."

A pregnant pause answered him, the girl on his lap looking up innocently, her thoughts well hidden behind the depths of her ash-colored eyes. "What do you think?" She asked him, pushing herself up in a sitting position to meet his gaze. The Kazekage lowered his orbs, shifting his attention to the ground below. "I wouldn't know." He said lowly, his voice sounding worried despite the nonchalant shrug that accompanied his answer.

A pained smile took over Katana's face as she gradually stood up, her stare never leaving his face. "Truth to be told, I'm not so sure either." Clearing her throat to grab his attention, she sighed, "I have to get going. Tsunade-sama would probably want me reporting to her immediately." She told him, her feet already stepping back. "I guess I'll see you later?" She weakly offered, the smile on her face slowly fading away as she further distanced herself from him.

"Wait."

Before she could fully turn her back on him, Gaara stood up as well, his hand reaching out and gently grasping her wrist to stop her in place. "Lunch." The redhead stuttered out hastily, his usually expression scrunched up in hesitancy. "Yes?" Katana asked encouragingly, her stare expectant and hopeful. Coughing lightly and reluctantly loosening his hold on her, Gaara swallowed, reigning control of his voice.

"I'm sorry that I haven't spent much time with you." He said, his hand travelling down to intertwine with hers loosely. "I don't want you to think that paperwork is much more important to me than you are. I want to have lunch with you before you resume work...if that's alright with you."

Eyebrows shot up at the sudden offer and Katana nodded eagerly even before her mind could wrap itself around the idea fully, light shining from inside her previously dull eyes. She squeezed his hand, a warm, grateful smile growing on her face. "I'd like that very much." She replied with a grin, her grasp on his hand tightening securely as she gave him a gentle tug to make him start moving. "I want ramen. Your treat?"

It continues at the next page. ;))