Author's Note:
So... how'd I do this time? Better? :D I missed you guys. I'm suffering hell in school, ya know. I swear, it's like my teachers are out to kill me or something. The only relaxation I have left is this one. Aaannnyway. Enjoy and review, ne? Tell me what you think about it.
Destiny of the Cursed
Chapter 40: It's a promise
Lights danced around before grey orbs as Katana cracked her eyes open, her eyebrows creasing as the sudden brightness blinded her. She waited, drowsily evening out her breath, as her eyes adjusted to the glow coming from outside. After a minute of staring blankly, the fog of haze inside her mind vanished as well and the brunette blinked away the daze, using one of her hands to push back the makeshift covers that clung to her body.
Sitting up readily, she bit back a groan when a sharp pain shot through her lower back, the girl grumbling and regretting her uncomfortable position as she stretched to relieve the tight knots. Note to self, she reminded rather glumly, wincing when her muscles contracted at the treatment, never sleep inside a carriage again.
Scanning her surroundings for a quick moment, a lopsided smile was brought to her lips when she laid eyes on Tenten's curled-up figure, the bun-haired girl snuggling closely against her stoic Hyuuga teammate.
Beside the male prodigy, Rock Lee was sprawled haphazardly over the narrow bench of their vehicle, his back leaning on Neji's arm, his mouth open as loud snores escaped him.
On the boisterous boy's left, Team Kurenai sat together, the three in a comfortable position with Hinata in the middle of the two shinobi and buried under their jackets. Facing forward, Katana's grin grew even larger at the sight of one of Chouji's beefy arms wrapped around Ino's delicate frame, the other arm draped carelessly over Shikamaru's slumped form.
Shaking her head in amusement and glancing sideways, grey eyes softened when they landed on her pink-haired teammate. Emerald orbs hid behind thick lashes as Sakura shuddered from the cold and twisted in her sleep, her head burrowing further under the blanket. Sighing and draping her own dark blanket over her friend, Katana grabbed her sword from under the seat and stood up, ducking her head slightly as she stepped out of the carriage.
Blinking as the sun's rays blinded her temporarily, the brunette raised one hand to shield her eyes as she walked into the clearing, her hands tying the sheath of her weapon around her hips securely. From afar, some of the shinobi already up and springing into action, their faces already moist with sweat despite still being early in the morning.
"Yo."
Whirling around with her fist clenching on the hilt of her blade and her body tense, Katana's hand stilled as she went face to face with the newcomer, the telltale wisps of silver hair and the dark mask making her drop her guard immediately. "Tou-san." She regarded with a hint of relief, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Unsuccessfully, she suppressed a smile, trying to hide the overwhelming feeling of comfort that washed over her system.
"You're early…that's almost unbelievable." She commented flippantly, smirking faintly when the jounin winced and rubbed the back of his neck out of embarrassment.
"Ne, I'm sure it's not that unbelievable." Kakashi supplied as he stopped by her side, his single eye creasing in mock worry. Biting back the laughter that began to build up inside her throat, Katana let her smirk develop into a grin, her white teeth and twinkling eyes taunting him wordlessly. "Oh", she replied with an exaggerated gasp, her eyes widening in sync with the sound, "but it is, Tou-san."
Stunned silence met her response. Kakashi's onyx orb went wide with obvious surprise; clearly, he hadn't been expecting her to push it that far. When his shock wore off, however, the silver-haired man's eyes fell into a dirty look and Katana barely prevented a snicker from coming out this time, her hand clamping down her mouth with haste.
"Alright, I give up." The older shinobi sniffed begrudgingly as he folded his arms across his chest and feigned hurt, pretending to wipe away a stray tear with his thumb, his feet turning around and walking back to the direction he previously came from. "If you find my presence so impossible to believe, then I'm going back to the tent. At least there, my pillow and sheets welcome me warmly."
Finally giving in to the urge to laugh, Katana doubled over as genuine laughter racked her body, her eyes shut tight and mouth wide open as guffaws left her. Grabbing hold of herself once more as her laughter died down into faint chuckles, the brunette grinned and eagerly yanked back the jounin's arm before he could get away, her smile wide and carefree as she apologetically hugged him from behind.
"Gomen, gomen!" Katana said between small chortles, the girl burying her face on the green jounin vest and inhaling the familiar scent of detergent and grass on the piece of clothing. "I was kidding, Tou-san." She told the older man, chuckling for the last time when the silver-haired jounin sniffed again.
"You're so mean, Kat-chan."
Rolling her eyes at the infamous nickname, the younger girl tightened her grasp on the man's torso suddenly and heard a grunt of protest.
"Oi. Don't call me that."
"But Kat-chan, you—"
"Say it one more time and I will skewer you, Tou-san."
Feigning a scowl as she heard the jounin burst out into laughs, Katana dropped her hug readily, opting instead to cross her arms over her chest. Glaring as the man turned to face her with his visible eye creasing in hilarity, grey eyes relaxed their glower when they landed on the masked face, without a doubt a grin hidden beneath it.
"I almost forgot that your temper is rather short when it comes to my antics." Kakashi joked lightly, reaching out and tucking a strand of loose hair behind the brunette's ear. His onyx eye softening, the silver-haired shinobi patted the girl's head, ruffling her hair slightly. "I missed you, kid."
Suppressing a smile, Katana coughed casually before looking away, her feet walking towards the opposite direction. "After only three days? Tou-san, you softie." She interjected teasingly, glancing back to beckon him. "Ah, that's right…walk with me?" Raising an eyebrow, Kakashi gave a masked smile, burying his hands deep in his pockets.
"Alright then."
"So…How have you been while I was away?"
Kicking the dirt carelessly from the path, Katana peered up curiously at the jounin as both walked on without a destination, raising an eyebrow at his attempt to start a conversation. "Fine." She replied slowly, blinking twice in confusion.
Fixing her steady gaze at him, Katana watched her father nod once, a distant look set in his eye. She waited for him to go on but after a short moment of silence, it became clear to her that he had no plan on responding yet.
Sighing as she shook her head lightly, the brunette let her mouth twist into a smile, her gaze turning back to the road. "Gaara kept me company during that time and made sure I was alright."
"Oh? He took care of my girl then?"
Almost proudly, Katana beamed and gave a nod, her hands interlacing behind her back. "Yeah. That he did."
"Aa. Seems like I had nothing to worry about after all."
"Of course…" Shooting the older man a bewildered glance, Katana frowned and lowered her gaze, the dullness of the jounin's voice troubling her. "Even without Gaara, I can take care of myself just fine." She added defensively, just then realizing that the thought of the man worrying offended her.
Raising his hands up in surrender, Kakashi let out one last sigh of hilarity before smiling apologetically down at the kunoichi, the unmistakable worry creeping once again inside his eyes. "Hai, hai." He said in defeat, placing both raised hands on the back of his head. "I know that."
Flinching inwardly as she heard the glum shift in his tone once more, Katana's grimace dug deeper as she gave the seemingly nonchalant man a pointed look, her feet halting stubbornly in the middle of the busy road. "Hm?" Turning to her in question, the masked man stopped as well and raised an inquiring eyebrow, the guilt that passed through his gaze well-noticed by the brunette.
"What?" He asked casually as if he was bored, though his uncomfortable shifting betrayed his indifference.
"What's wrong?"
He stared at her for a long time, his gaze fixed on her forehead, purposely missing her eyes. Silence took over as the two stared at each other with unwavering gazes, the girl's grey eyes determined on glowering. The dry, lonely breeze of the morning blew pass them teasingly, taking with it a cloud of dust that brushed ever-so-gently over the brunette's exposed face. Finally, the jounin broke his stare and sighed in defeated, his shoulders slumping.
"The teams…" he began with an exasperated grunt, his balled hands jamming themselves deep into his pockets in order to release some pent-up frustrations, "they'll be split up. Instead of the divisions composing of different teams from different villages, the shinobi themselves would be separated and placed into the division that suits their range and ability, regardless of whether his or her teammates would be there as well."
Hearing the silver-haired man's explanation made Katana's heart weigh down, her glare dropping to the ground as she voiced out her disappointment in the form of a single syllable. "Oh." She replied miserably and sighed, her mind twisting and turning with worry. With uncertainty, she looked up, hesitancy clear in her expression. "Will…Will Team 7 be separated as well?"
"Hai. You're assigned to Darui's division, if I'm not mistaken. Sai belongs to the Surprise Attack Division. Sakura will be placed under my care." His answer was soft and low, unexpectedly gentle and soothing to Katana's ringing ears. It made her unease lessen gradually, though she was not sure where the relief came from exactly.
She sighed for the second time around, closing her eyes as she tried to think through the confusion fogging her mind. "Well", she began weakly, smiling in an attempt to comfort the older shinobi, "at least you and Sakura will be together. That's enough good news to me already. Not to mention, Sai had been used to working alone before he got stuck with us." She told him with a relieved beam, the thoughts that previously bothered her dissipating all at once.
"And you?"
Raising an eyebrow at the query, Katana beamed lopsidedly at Kakashi, inwardly chuckling at the way his eye narrowed with concern. "What about me?" She shot back jokingly, her grin widening when the jounin scowled beneath his mask.
"Didn't you just say earlier that there's nothing to be worried about? I'll be fine, Tou-san. Trust me." She told him reassuringly, placing a gentle hand on his arm. Immediately, Kakashi relaxed, though his chakra remained scattered and frenzied around the atmosphere.
"Fine." He responded grudgingly as he shook his head, his hand reaching up to tuck the stray strands of hair behind the girl's ear.
"Besides", grabbing the sleeve of his shirt to get him moving, Katana tugged him forward, setting their languid pace back into motion again, "even though I'm afraid of this war, it's not exactly my death that I'm worried about." She murmured lowly, remembering the nightmares that had come to visit her on a nightly basis days ago. "More importantly, it's you and everyone else's safety that makes me anxious, especially now with us fighting alongside strangers instead of our familiar comrades. I don't think I can—"
"Shinobi! Form according to your villages now! I repeat, shinobi! Form according to your villages now! Captains, you are needed by the Raikage!"
Groaning as the untimely announcement interrupted her, Katana whirled around and glared, her eyes searching for the culprit. Seeing none suspicious-looking enough to be blamed, the brunette grimaced and folded her arms across her chest, annoyance glinting off her gaze.
"I better go." Kakashi said with an inaudible sigh, breaking free of the latter's grasp gently. Looking around before glancing back at the girl, Kakashi brought down his hand on the kunoichi's head affectionately, ruffling the girl's hair. "Take care of yourself, Kat-chan." Rolling her eyes despite the soft beam plastered on her face, Katana pushed away his gloved hand, her fingers combing the mess he made.
"You be careful, Tou-san." She said as she walked away from him, both father and daughter turning their backs against one another and trudging onto opposite directions.
A frown was placed on Katana's expression as she slowly paced her way back to where their carriage was, her hands awkwardly fidgeting with the new forehead protector on her head. Rolling back her shoulders, her grimace deepened as the chuunin vest given to her restricted her movements, the article of clothing hugging her body too snuggly for her taste.
They even made me change my shirt, Katana added to her list of complaints grudgingly, the intense beams of sunlight increasing her discomfort. With her uniform clinging to her like a second skin, Katana swore incoherent, broken strings of curses under her breath, her mood turning sour as she reached their vehicle. As soon as the horse-drawn carriage filled her view, thin eyebrows both rose in surprise, the sight before her taking her aback.
"Oh my god, you guys! How long have you kept this from us?"
The sound of Ino's sickly sweet tone and Sakura's girly squealing made Katana gag inwardly, goose bumps appearing down the length of her arms. The blonde and her pink-haired friend were always touchy-feely and both had a knack for cliché things ever since they were children; Katana never really got used to it.
Swallowing as she braced herself for the impending chaos, the brunette trudged halfheartedly towards them, a lopsided smile brought to her face when she caught Tenten blushing furiously with the stoic Hyuuga looking down in embarrassment beside her.
Behind the two of them, Rock Lee had his fists balled and shaking, fire passionately lighting up in his round eyes. "Neji! Tenten! My youthful teammates! You should not have kept this a secret from us!"
"I told you once, I told you a thousand times! Nothing happened!" Tenten shrieked in frustration and embarrassment, her face as red as a ripe tomato. Her hand collided with her forehead as she shook her head repetitively, irritation flashing through the honey brown orbs that she possessed. "Neji, tell them already!"
"Tell them what—"
"Tell them that nothing happened, you idiot!"
"N-Nothing…happened…Hn."
Kiba gave a sarcastic snort. "He sure sounds convincing."
"You'd be smart not to provoke a Hyuuga, Kiba." Shino advised in a low murmur from his side, giving Neji a nod of acknowledgement before walking away from them. The Inuzuka's overconfident smirk and reply only made Neji's scowl deepen, his white eyes narrowed as he balled his fists.
"You should listen to your teammate a little more, Kiba." He shot angrily, pale cheeks flushed. Next to Kiba, Hinata mustered up a courageous front before marching towards the Hyuuga prodigy and facing Kiba with a stern but gentle frown, her actions rather cute than firm.
"A-Anou, I'm sure Neji-nii-san and T-Tenten-chan have a g-good reason f-for not telling us s-sooner." She defended mildly, looking at Tenten and smiling as she grasped the older girl's hand.
"Aww, don't tell me you're actually siding with 'em, Hinata-chan!"
"Hinata-sama…"
In the midst of the noise and madness, Katana found herself chuckling in amusement at her so-called friends; The stunned expression on Neji's pink-tainted face and openly gaping mouth while he thought of a comeback was the most hilarious one so far.
The laughter that erupted from her throat made everyone snap their attentions back at her and Katana grinned widely at them, feeling too curious to care about the way her hair stuck to her sweaty forehead. "So", she started when nobody took the initiative the break the silence, one of her hands resting on her hip, "just what the hell is going on in here?"
"Katana-chan!" Kiba greeted boisterously after her question, his grin wolfish as he snuck a mocking glance at the Hyuuga prodigy. "We were wondering where you've gone so early in the morning. It's too bad that you've missed the show. It was quite entertaining seeing Tenten and Neji cling to each othe—" His eyes widening in shock as he narrowly dodged a flying kunai with a yelp of protest, Kiba sent a dirty glare to the bun-haired girl's direction, who in turn, offered her own stubborn scowl.
"I told you to stop it already." She snapped, another kunai in hand and ready to throw at anytime. "There's nothing between Neji and I. It's just that I'm naturally clingy when I sleep."
"That's true." Neji supported with a nod, his expression desperate and more than eager to end the meaningless debate. Shaking her head at the pitiful excuse, Katana sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, her fingers fumbling with annoyance at the collar of her new sleeved shirt.
"I don't know about your sleeping habits, Tenten,", she commented flippantly, sending the girl a comforting wink when brown orbs glanced at her, "but I'm pretty sure the rest of you guys are needed over there. They're giving out the uniforms already."
"Oh? Is that why you're wearing a chuunin vest?" Sakura piped in, raising both her eyebrows as she just took notice of her friend's change in clothing. Nodding and grunting as she was once again reminded of the repulsive vest, Katana crossed her arms and tried not to look too upset, her lips falling into a frown.
"Pretty much. I haven't had much choice, especially since they practically forced me into putting it on." The pink-haired girl's sympathetic chuckle rang inside her ears as melodious echoes and soothed her inner turmoil, her gaze softening and her scowl turning into a faint beam as she glanced at Sakura.
"Anyway, you guys better get going." Katana reminded as she looked away from her friend and to the others, her smile dropping as she put on her serious façade. "The assembly's going to start soon." A series of feigned sighs and mock sniffles answered her, Kiba's response especially whiny.
"But Katana-chan…" he grumbled, pouting like a child, "It's still too early to—"
"It is not, Kiba!" Cut off the bowl-haired boy behind Neji and Tenten, startling everyone with his energy.
Dramatically fisting his hand and shutting his eyes tight, Rock Lee bellowed with as much emotions as possible, "It is never too early to start such an exciting day!"
"Oi, pipe down, Lee! You're bothering sleeping shinobi!"
"Yoooosh! Let's go, my youthful comrades!" Lee shouted with a blinding grin and ran to the direction of the crowd, blatantly ignoring Kiba's hissed advice. Sighing, Kiba slapped a hand on his face, frustration scribbled all over his puckered up expression. "…He just doesn't listen, does he?"
Silence. It was the one thing Katana desperately wished for the moment she got pushed into the formation, the endless chattering and noise of the thousand shinobi making her ears ring. A grimace was placed on her lips as she glanced around warily, attempting to at least familiarize herself with the faces of her comrades.
The crowd was packed so tightly that shoulders and elbows bumped against one another, the heat between their clothed bodies almost suffocating. Distancing herself from the crowd to take a lungful of fresh air had been a tempting option but Katana gritted her teeth and willed herself to stay.
If only it didn't seem as if I was running away, then I would've…
"You alright there, Katana-chan?" The Akimichi clan leader, Chouza, inquired out of concern, his plump face contorting into a frown as he eyed the gloomy girl. Snapping out of her daze and looking up at the beefy man, the younger girl forced a tight smile, wiping away the sweat that gathered on her hairline with her sleeve. "Hai. I'm fine. I'm just…a little tense."
The reply she received was a spirited deep laugh, the man's body shaking with the action. "Ah…I understand where it's coming from, young un." He said with a soft smile, bringing a large hand down on Katana's head gently. "You're a newbie on the battlefield. You're bound to be nervous. But ya know what? You'll be fine. Saw you fight with Kakashi during Pain's invasion, remember? You'll be fine, kid." He said reassuringly, grinning as if war was a natural occurrence. "You'll be just fine."
"Ah, hai." She responded with a polite nod, relaxing a little at the older man's words. "Thank you." Shaking his head and turning to face forward once more, Chouza beamed good-naturedly, taking his hand off her head. "Speaking of which", he muttered lowly as he bent down to whisper at her ear, his smile fading away, "that lad over there had been eyeing you ever since we got here. I suggest you stay cautious."
Whirling around once the older man was done talking, grey eyes met the soft hazelnut orbs of a blushing boy, his lean built hugged by a violet Kiri vest. The girl blinked twice before looking over her shoulder to check if there was someone there that was making eye contact other than her and finding none, she turned to the boy again, mustering up an awkward smile.
Much to her surprise, the blush on the lad's face intensified tenfold, the shade of his cheeks resembling a ripe tomato in the verge of bursting. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, she turned back, averting her gaze from the timid shinobi to the high balcony of the Kumo Mansion.
An inaudible sigh escaped her as she lowered her eyes back down to the ground, the noises all around her fading into the background as a certain redhead descended into her thoughts. I haven't seen him all day…She contemplated inwardly, fingers toying amongst themselves behind her back. Her eyebrows furrowed and she grimaced, one of her hands coming up to tuck a strand of hair back in place. Gaara…
Sighing, the girl toyed with the metallic band around her ring finger, a habit she developed over the weeks whenever there was something bothering her.
"H-Hi…"
Stiffening as she heard the soft-spoken greeting, the brunette took a sharp breath and placed a hand on the hilt of her sword, her face falling into a hasty frown the minute she faced the stranger. "Yes?" She asked, sounding so breathless and defensive that the poor boy that approached her took a step backwards. Recognizing the shinobi from earlier, Katana dropped her firm grasp on her weapon, her hand resting on her hip instead.
"It's you." She regarded in surprise, a faint beam entering her face at the sight of warm brown eyes. "Is there something you need?" She asked once more, this time in a clearer, calmer tone.
"H-Hai." The dark-haired teen stuttered out nervously, his eyes wide and his face pink as he spoke to her. "W-Well I-I—N-Not really, n-no—I-I mean, y-yes!" He yelped indecisively before groaning in embarrassment, the boy burying his face in his hands. Blinking twice at the scene before her, Katana cleared her throat slightly, unsure of what to say or do.
"Have we," she began slowly, careful as to not scare the jumpy boy further, "met before? You seem to be familiar with me."
At the attempt to start a conversation, the Kiri shinobi gave off a relieved sigh, his mouth curling up in a sheepish smile. "Hai. We did. " He said with a chuckle, scratching his head. "You…I'm the one you h-helped out. The one with the swords." He supplied, his tone hopeful as he peered from behind his dark brown bangs. "Do you remember?"
Furrowing her eyebrows, Katana racked her mind for the memory and her eyes widened when something clicked into place. "Oh!" She gasped and grinned as she remembered, her face lighting up. "You're that guy."
"Hai." He confirmed with an embarrassed laugh, his bashful beam gracing his young face and adding a boyish charm. "Anou…I wanted to thank you for your kindness that day." Blinking and smiling confusedly, Katana raised her hands and shook them in front in sync with her head, "No, it's fine, really. Anyway, I wanted to say sorry to you, y'know? I was in a hurry and I didn't really pay attention. It was sort of my fault."
"Not at all! I—"
"You shouldn't talk to strangers, jan."
Whirling around in question, Katana instinctively smiled at the sight of a purple-marked face and smirking lips, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Kankuro? What are you doing here?" She asked the puppeteer, facing him fully a second later and missing the warning glare he shot the other boy. Then, with an excited smile that she tried hard to fight off, Katana cleared her throat, looking away, "It's Gaara, isn't it?" She inquired again in a seemingly nonchalant tone, though her heart was racing faster than it should be as she let hope wash over her carelessly.
With a friendly beam that only Katana could witness, Kankuro shrugged, his grin becoming wider. "You got me. He wanted to see you before the assembly."
Perking up at the older shinobi's statement, Katana smiled back just as enthusiastically before a thought occurred to her, causing her to faintly grimace, "It better not be some pathetic parting words. I won't accept any forms of goodbye." Snorting, Kankuro shook his head, his black hood flying with the movement. "I'm sure it's something like that, jan. Knowing Gaara, he probably has been over thinking again. Anyway, let's get going, shall we?"
Jerking his head to the side, Kankuro offered one last smile at Katana before he turned his back on her, slowing his steps on purpose in order to make sure that the girl could keep up. Grey eyes followed the dark form of the puppeteer that steered pass the crowd in broad daylight, the possibility of the redhead saying goodbye making her frown.
As if remembering something, Katana's eyes widened and she readily whirled back to face the boy, momentarily forgetting about Kankuro. "Sorry 'bout that." She apologized with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her head. "It seems like I have to go. The Kazekage's asking for my presence." The brunette explained, keeping her tone low as not to sound so eager.
The Kiri nin blinked back his hazel orbs, his mouth falling into a slight frown of disappointment. "O-Oh. That's alright." He said, lowering his gaze down to the ground. Suddenly, he snapped his head back up, mouth falling agape as a thought struck him. "Anou, c-can I…have your name?" He asked, grasping Katana's wrist hurriedly when he noticed her already walking away.
Startled, the kunoichi turned back, her lips curling into a beam at the sight of the boy's once again red face. "I'm Katana. You?"
"Kyosuke."
Giving the shinobi a curt nod before craning her head back to search for Kankuro, she told him, "It's been nice talking to you, Kyosuke." Finally catching sight of a black hood, Katana broke free of his hold, waved her goodbye and jogged away, disappearing in the crowd as just another insignificant blur.
The blow of cold air from inside the air-conditioned office as the mahogany doorknob was twisted open elicited a long sigh of relief from her mouth, the artificial breeze enough to calm her nerves. Slowly, and as gently as she could, the brunette pushed the door wide open, her eyes scanning the empty room for any signs of movement.
The sound of shuffling footsteps made her turn her attention to the windows sharply, her pursed lips relaxing at the familiar sight and releasing a long sigh of breath she hadn't been aware that she held.
She smiled, a soft genuine smile painting her lips, as she stared at the rich crimson strands that ruffled obediently along with the puff of air. The broad shoulders that faced her were hugged fit by a brown Suna vest, the clothing showing just how lean the boy really was despite his position and title.
The mighty Kazekage, they call him, Katana mused with an ironic beam, her arms crossing over one another as she stared at his back, I really don't get it. All I see here is a boy waiting for me. Shaking her head and pushing herself pass the doorway, Katana welcomed the gust of chilly wind, making sure to make her footsteps loud and clear as she entered the room.
"You called for me, Commander General?" She asked, her heart skipping rebelliously and her face heating up against her wishes when the redhead turned and faced her with an unusually soft gaze. A small, faint smile entered the Kazekage's emotionless face, the atmosphere around him lightening up the minute he laid eyes on her.
"You don't have to call me that." He protested despite the obvious relief that crashed into him that moment. Without giving anything to say further, he merely turned his attention back at the window, fixing his gaze down on the gathered people below.
Her feet moving in its own accord and approaching the boy slowly, Katana joined beside him, her eyes scanning his face. "What's wrong, Kazekage-sama? You seem duller than usual." Raising an eyebrow at the defensive glare the latter threw her, she chuckled, crossing her arms and turning to look at the sea of shinobi outside.
"What is it? You haven't prepared your speech yet? Did you get cold feet, perhaps?" She inquired in a teasing tone, trying to loosen up the tense aura of the boy. After a moment of quietness, the girl released a sigh, her shoulders slumping and her smile dropping. "Fine, I give up. You know, this could be easier if you just—"
"I don't know if I could do it."
Startled by the deep voice that suddenly rang out, Katana's head snapped up to look at him, her grey orbs blinking and softening at his faraway gaze. His eyes held a distant look in them, aquamarine orbs glassy and unfocused as they stared into the boisterous crowd. Gaara's thin lips were molded into a faint grimace of worry, his emotionless façade long gone in front of the brunette. After all, there was no use in putting effort in something that could be easily overlooked by just a single individual.
Brushing away the crimson hair strands that tickled his forehead, Gaara let out a silent breath, the first reaction he showed ever since the girl came. "I don't know…" he trailed off, repeating himself and for once, sounding so frail and uncertain, "…if I can be the Commander that the army needs. I don't know if I can be the leader that they expect me to be."
He averted his gaze, away from the window and away from her; shamefully, he directed his eyes down on the floor instead. "Those people…their lives depend on my actions; on my decisions…Can I really…be the person that will lead them?" His statement made the latter close her eyes and take in a deep breath, the puff of air slipping past her mouth as an inaudible sigh. Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared at the back of his head, a hand reaching forward in sync.
Without warning, she grasped his hand, her fingers intertwining with his and taking the young man aback. "You're an idiot."
"W-What?" Gaara stuttered out in question, his ringed orbs widening for a second before narrowing in offense, his porcelain-like skin turning pink with embarrassment. He glared at her, mouth slightly agape, utter speechlessness taking over him.
Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, Katana smiled, shaking her head, "You're an idiot for even having those thoughts." She told him, her thumb rubbing the back of his hand soothingly despite her words. "Those people out there…they trust you, you know. They trust in you so much, that they are able to throw away their fear and fight wholeheartedly for their comrades because they know that their lives are safe within your hands."
She spared him a glimpse, taking in the way his aquamarine eyes lowered, the hopeful glimmer in them returning once more. "Have a little more faith in yourself…Kazekage-sama." She added flippantly, smirking once more at the sound of his snort.
Her gaze relaxed when she noticed the doubt in his eyes fade away, a faint beam gracing the Kazekage's stoic face as he stared at her, transfixed. "Don't call me that." He murmured, the loose hand that she held clasping hers lightly.
"Why not?"
"Because…" Gaara started significantly only to trail off with a faint smile, turning back to the window. The cool breeze from the air conditioner blew at them again, making brown and red strands of hair flow at the direction. Raising an eyebrow, Katana waited for the redhead to continue and hearing no statement coming after that, she nudged his side, expectantly looking up at him, "Because?"
"Just…because."
Blinking twice at his illogical answer, realization dawned into her little by little and Katana scowled at being tricked, pulling away from his grasp and crossing her arms when she heard him snicker under his breath. "Jerk." She snapped, avoiding him eagerly as he tried to reclaim her hand. "Idiot Kage." She bit out next at the sound of his chuckles, her annoyance increasing at his infuriatingly handsome smirk.
Glaring and gnashing her teeth, Katana balled her fists and swiftly turned on her heel, turning her back on him with a defiant grunt. "If that's all you need from me—"
"Katana, wait—"
"—then I'll be going, annoying jerk-sama."
"Wait."
Grains of slithering sand coiled around her ankle and stopped her in mid-step, the girl groaning and cursing the blasted sand. She struggled stubbornly but the dusty particles had her glued to the spot for good. "Katana." Whirling one foot back in order to face him again, the brunette glowered at the marble tiles, avoiding his gaze with a pout.
"What?" She asked—almost whined—, all the while scowling, her eyebrows drawn together in a furrow.
The sound of quiet footsteps echoed throughout the dead silence of the room. Calmly, the redhead stopped in front of the girl, easily towering over the kunoichi's smaller build, casting his shadow on her form. After a pregnant pause, an eyebrow was raised and Gaara's smirk turned into something a little more tender, his eyes softening further.
He backed a step away and raised a ball fist in between them, opening it slowly and revealing a tiny hourglass dangling from a string in a necklace-like fashion. "Here." He said simply as he took the necklace in both hands and secured it around her neck, his fingers brushing against her nape and leaving a lingering sensation. "I wanted to give it to you before the war."
Her scowl falling apart as curiosity and surprise took over, Katana picked up the tiny vial, her eyes snapping wide open as she watched the specks of sand inside it dance and swirl restlessly, gliding along the surface of the glass.
"It's beautiful…" She breathed out in awe, a grin threatening to creep in her expression, "What's this for?" A sudden thought hit her and any plans of smiling were quickly erased, her mouth falling in a stubborn grimace instead. Her glare took him aback and Gaara offered a clueless raised eyebrow, his expression once again becoming a mask of indifference. "What?"
"Why give me this all of a sudden? You're thinking of something, aren't you?"
"What could I be thinking?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure it's not something good." She muttered in a grudging tone, narrowing her eyes and clenching a fist around the hourglass. "For all I know, this could be some sort of goodbye gift that you're giving me." She added, her face turning livid as the gears inside her head turned. "You bastard, you're thinking just that, aren't you?" She snapped in accusation only to pause when he glared at her, his porcelain-like skin turning red without warning.
An inaudible sigh escaped him and he averted his stare, looking down at the marble floor. "You're reading too much in one gift. I'm not thinking of anything." He said reassuringly and spared Katana a quick glance, "Can I not give my fiancée a gift without thinking of anything besides that she might like it?" Blushing at his response, Katana dropped her glare, sighing heavily and rubbing the back of her neck in a sheepish manner.
"Alright." She exhaled in defeat, loosening her death grip on the necklace and opting to rub it gently instead. "I'm sorry. You're right." She apologized, looking up at him and smiling lopsidedly. "It is beautiful…and I do like it." Hearing her statement, the upset frown on the teen's face fell apart, his ringed orbs peering at her tentatively from behind his red bangs. "I'm glad."
Sighing once more, Katana brought the small container at eye level, staring at it intently. "I'm curious though." She said, her eyes determined on following the sand, "How can it move like this inside? Isn't it supposed to drop grain by grain to the other side of the hourglass?" The sound of low chuckles reached her ears and she glanced up, expecting an explanation from the amused-looking redhead. "Well?"
"Chakra." Gaara answered, extending a hand towards the hourglass and caressing it, his fingers grazing Katana's ever so softly. "I took some of my sand from the gourd and placed it inside. It has my chakra embedded within it and as long as I keep feeding it my energy, it'll keep on moving." He said, staring at the mesmerized girl.
"I gave it to you", he drawled out, his gaze moving onto the glass figurine in her hold, "so that you won't worry. Because no matter how bloody the war is, as long as I'm alive, the sand inside that hourglass will never stop swirling."
Grey eyes flickered up from the sand towards the redhead's aquamarine orbs, Katana's smile dropping into a thin line as her eyes hardened in challenge. "Alive, you say?" She voiced out, her hand letting go of the necklace carelessly. The hourglass tumbled back down and thumped against her vest without a sound.
The girl looked past Gaara's shoulder, her eyes focusing on the crowd of shinobi waiting outside. This may be my first time in a war…She contemplated grudgingly, her train of thoughts leading straight to a dark path, but I'm no newbie in a battlefield. I'm not stupid enough to believe in false hopes. She frowned, her hands limply dropping into loose fists by her sides. "I doubt it."
"Why?" There was no bitterness in Gaara's voice. No anger, no offense taken. There weren't any negative emotions because he knew Katana would never say anything unnecessary; she would never say anything without an explanation. And so, the young man waited, staring at Katana's expression intently.
Closing her eyes, the brunette took in a calming breath, releasing it gradually, a furrow appearing between her brows as she recalled her visions. He died twice already in my nightmares. I know that it couldn't be true…but the possibility of it happening is just too high. At this rate, even false hopes are enough. If only I had just one little reassurance, anything at all… She thought with a grimace, desperation overcoming her shame at showing weakness openly. Then I'd be fine…
Snapping open her grey eyes, she stared at his aquamarine ones, hopelessness hidden deep within her gaze. "I'm not stupid enough to believe in things so easily, Gaara." She said with a soft snort, looking at him in an almost miserable manner, her smile heartbreaking.
"Promise me." It wasn't the answer he was looking for, but nonetheless Gaara sighed, a rueful beam plastered on his face. "Promise you what?"
"Promise me that by the end of this war…you'll be waiting for me right here", she said, stomping one foot down on the ground to emphasize the last word, "alive and intact." The redhead raised a hairless brow, amusement glinting off his expression. "You drive quite a hard bargain." He complained flippantly, meaning it as a simple joke. Her smile wavered for a moment, taking his statement seriously, anxiety flashing through her gaze.
"Promise me." She pressed on, her beam wiped off. Her voice was trembling, sounding so unlike from the strong tone that she was used to hearing. The stubbornness was still present in it yet it was weaker this time, more desperate than anything. "Promise me, Gaara." Finally, the redhead let out an inaudible sigh, a pale hand coming up to ruffle his already messy red mane. "What do I get in return?"
"What?"
"As in", he began, stepping forward and closing the remaining the distance between them, and leaned in so that their lips were barely centimeters apart, "if I promise you that…what will you give me as payment?" Grey eyes lowered and the brunette's anxiety and fear vanished away completely, her mind shutting down and her heart racing at the hot breath that fanned her face. She swallowed quickly, her mouth parting slightly as she attempted to form the right words.
"A-Anything you'd like." She stuttered out in response and tried to take a step back to retreat, only to find out that the claw of sand still bind her to the floor. She glanced at his sea foam eyes, her heart pounding against her ribcage when she saw him smirk faintly. Cursing the heat that traveled up to surface in her cheeks, she clenched her jaw and jutted out her chin so suddenly that the latter took a step back.
"You haven't promised me anything yet." She said cheekily, grinning when he blinked twice. "Ah, that's right…" She heard him mutter slowly as if he was in deep thought, his eyes fixed on her mouth. Shaking off the blush in her face, the kunoichi took a shaky breath, her confidence wavering, "Well?" She demanded, clearing her throat to cover up for her breathlessness.
"...Hn."
With the uttered syllable as an abrupt answer, Gaara dove in smoothly, claiming his payment and pressing his lips against hers in a sweet manner. Eyes widening, Katana felt the heat rush all at once towards her face and she stumbled back on her weak knees, breaking the kiss in the process.
With a gasp, she threw her arms around the redhead's neck, holding on to him as she tried to regain her balance and her senses. Arms wove around her waist, hands grasping onto her protectively as the young man pulled her flush against his lean body. "It's a promise." Gaara whispered, leaning once more and bringing their foreheads together.
Hearing the reassurance, Katana exhaled heavily and closed her eyes, relaxing inside the Kage's embrace. "You idiot." She said, though with a smile on her red face, her teeth showing on her grin. "Anyone can enter this room and see us like this, ba~ka."
"Hn."
"Oi. Don't 'hn' me. Aren't you worried about what they might thi—"
Silencing her with another quick peck and watching with amusement as her face lit bright red like a bulb, Gaara loosened his hold slowly, one of his hands reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let them think what they want to think." He droned out before turning his back on her, his attention shifting outside of the window again.
Taking a second to fix his indifferent mask in place, the Kazekage cleared his throat, crossing his arms over the expanse of his chest. "You can go now."
Straightening up and putting on her own façade, Katana bowed quickly before standing up again, the faintest hint of a beam tugging on the sides of her mouth. "Hai. I'll be taking my leave then. Thank you, Commander General." Turning on her heel and swiftly striding towards the mahogany door, Katana grasped the cool surface of the knob, twisting and pulling it open in one fluid movement.
"Oh, and Kazekage-sama", she added urgently, craning her head back to look at him for one last time before going out into the soon-to-be battlefield. She waited, watching him as he turned slowly, raising a non-existent eyebrow.
"Yes?"
She smiled—inwardly, of course, because shinobi should blatantly show any emotion to anyone—and coughed lightly before speaking up in a low voice, "I love you." The girl looked up to see unfazed aquamarine staring at her blankly, the redhead turning back without a reply. Shaking her head, Katana snorted, closing the door little by little.
"I love you too."
The deep voice drifted into the air, ringing inside Katana's ears like an echo even as she closed the door shut with an audible click and walked away, her feet tapping rhythmically on the tiled floor and her heart beating inside her chest, this time certain and unafraid.
End Chapter
P.S. Who the hell is Kyosuke? What does he want from Katana? Could this be the start of another love TRIANGLE?! Dun dun dun. (Lol, suspense.) Stay tuned!
See ya next update! ;D