Chapter 350: Winnow
v. find or identify (a valuable or useful part of something)
Disclaimer: I do not own that which belongs to another.
Temari's eyes narrowed as she glanced over towards where her baby brother was gazing almost dreamlike out the window. She had been back in Suna for the last month and a half and in that time, she had been able to observe a great difference in her littlest brother. None of it was bad, just different. He was prioritizing his work as Kazekage but setting boundaries that had him routinely quitting work nearly every day by 6 so that he would be back in time to help make dinner with Kagome or to go to the greenhouse with Kagome or to spend time with Kagome. If he wouldn't make it back in time, he made sure to send a messenger to let Kagome know not to wait for him.
Since Kagome's return Gaara had attached himself to her side like he was a puppet and he had given her all his strings. Of course, sweet Kagome didn't even realize the power he had let her have over him. She would smile and happily chat at him every day and Gaara would give a bit more of himself over to her. In all her years, Temari had never seen him… lovestruck.
Temari felt a smile settle across her lips as she watched Kagome lean on the counter whispering something to Gaara as they methodically sharpened their shuriken and kunai together. Gaara dithered before swallowing, and Temari was certain that his eyes rounded before they seemed to soften into liquid affection as he responded.
"Oh no," gasped Kankuro annoyingly poking his finger in Temari's face, "that's your thinking face, that can't be good."
Temari glared as she swatted his hand away from her face, turning her attention away from Kagome and Gaara to wrathfully enact revenge on her brother. She moved to kick him under the table but paused as she watched him flinch.
"Hey, actually," Temari redirected, glancing to make sure Kagome and Gaara where still distracted by each other before continuing, "how long has that been going on for?"
Kankuro raised an eyebrow as Temari nodded toward their youngest brother.
"What are you talking about?" responded Kankuro perplexed. Baki chuckled lowly from his place reading a scroll at the end of the kotatsu, drawing both sibling's attention.
"What? Do you know something Baki-sensei?" Temari interrogated enthusiastically.
"What are we even talking about?" groused Kankuro.
"When hasn't that been going on?"
Temari opens her mouth to shout an exclamation but froze when Baki sent a significant look towards Kagome and Gaara. With a synchronized movement Baki rapidly placed a paper seal on the table with one hand as his other contorted into the activation seal. A buzz filled the air as the seal initiated.
"What!" finally breathed Temari, quieter than originally planned. A furrow had appeared on Kankuro's face as he looked between his teacher and sister, then followed Baki's significant look towards the two excluded from their conversation a ray of understanding dawned across his face before it fell into incredulousness.
"What?" Kankuro muttered to himself.
"There was a reason that the fourth and I allowed Kagome to come on that mission with Airi-sama, and it was before we knew about her seals," relented Baki, his controlled face upturning into a teasing grin.
"Gaara barely acknowledged anyone back then," contradicted Kankuro, his mind grasping for memories from five years ago.
"That's true," nodded Baki.
"He did always… kind of linger wherever she was," hummed Temari thoughtfully.
"He never threatened to kill her, ever," reminisced Kankuro, another ray of understanding enlightening his face.
"What about Kagome?"
All three turned to scrutinize.
Words: 600
