Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Together With You: A Gaara Story ❯ A Talk Between Two Friends and a Realization ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own any Naruto Characters except Hiruka, Shiruki, and some other characters that you will meet later on ^^

 

Recap:

Shiruki looked at him. "Temari was right," she whispered. Gaara turned to Shiruki. Her face changed. It wasn't cold. It was just...blank, innocent. He nodded and Shiruki did something she hadn't done for ten years.

 

She smiled.

 

 

Chapter 2: A Talk Between Two Friends and a Realization

 

Hours later...

As the sun was starting to rise and the moon set, Shiruki got up and went inside. Gaara had left long before. She went to the room that her and Temari had shared. She sat on the bed and stared off into space, recalling earlier events with Gaara. They talked as if they had known each other for years. It was strange that she would be this deep with a team member she only recently met. It was odd to her but for some reason, she embraced the bond without hesitation. She felt completed with Gaara. Like nothing in the world mattered except her time with him. And he had her smile. Something she hadn't done in years. Something she had nearly forgotten how to do. She didn't think it was ever possible to be this happy again. Laying there, Gaara's face popped in her head and her face felt hot. Her eyes widened as she realized that she was blushing. No one had ever made her blush in a while. Nor even get close enough to her to where she considered them friends. She didn't understand this feeling but she knew she liked it. She gingerly touched her hot cheek with her fingertips and a grin appeared on her lips. As she sat up, a knock came at the door. She quickly slapped on that glare that she had before she met them. She sighed lightly as she let her sand open the door. It was Kankuro, holding a tray of some sorts, grinning like the idiot he was. “What is it?” she asked coldly.

 

Kankuro grinned more at her coldness. He walked in, thinking it was alright, since the door hadn't slammed shut in his face. He looked down at her as he drew neared, holding a tray full of steaming food. “Dinner's ready. I brought you some,” he said, sitting the tray on the table next to Shiruki's bed. He noticed Shiruki was about to protest so he continued, not giving her a chance to. “And before you reject it, Temari fixed it. It tastes fine. She insists that you and Gaara eat.” Shiruki's glare only got more harsh as she stared at him. Kankuro grinned and crossed his arms, sitting on Temari's bed, across from Shiruki. “I'm not leaving until you eat,” he said confidently, with an undermining stubbornness that reminded her of someone she had known before.

 

Shiruki glared and scoffed, laying back on the bed with her arms behind her head, giving Kankuro a perfect profile view of her. “Guess you're going to be sitting there forever then,” she spat, evilly. She looked like an angel, just as she had when he remembered her. She had grown more voluptuous and fuller now, however. She looked like a true, gorgeous woman. The kind that Kankuro knew she would eventually become as years progressed. Gaara truly was lucky to have her by his side. It made Kankuro slightly jealous that his brother got such a beautiful woman. Shiruki's eyes were still the beautiful icy blue that resembled his brother's. When Kankuro looked into Shiruki's eyes, he only wanted her more. It was all he could do not to just steal her away and make her his. That would be unfair to Gaara. He kept his feelings inside, unmentioned, where he hoped they would die. They only grew. Shiruki saw him looking at her longingly. “Ech. What the hell are you looking at, cat boy?” she growled. The same name she used when she was a kid. Kankuro felt happy that even though she didn't remember her past with them, she at least remembered to insult him.

 

Kankuro chuckled and raised an eyebrow. “You're beautiful. You're Gaara's match for sure,” he grinned.

 

Again with that comment. Shiruki wouldn't stand not knowing what he meant. She'd be damned if she would let him walk out of the room after saying that and not explaining his choice of words. She shot up into a sitting position and growled at him. “Just what do you mean by that?!” she all but shrieked. “That's the second time you've said that! Now explain!” she hissed.

 

Kankuro was a bit taken aback by her tone. He hadn't remembered this side of her, partly because it never existed unless her or Gaara were in danger. Kankuro smiled at her. “You mean you haven't gathered it for yourself?” he asked, taking amusement in her show of emotions. Shiruki tilted her head in confusion like she always had. “You're cute,” he said simply. Shiruki blinked through her glare. She had never liked that word and Kankuro could see that she was about to explode at him. Instead of her yelling at him, however, she crossed her legs on the bed, turning to face him completely, knowing he'd explain to her. Kankuro sighed before continuing. “You and Gaara are in the same situation. As you may have already learned from him, he's been shunned by everyone because of his inner demon. Everyone flees in fear of him. Temari and I are all he has.”

 

Shiruki felt bad for the first time she'd been with these three. She listened intently at his words, contemplating what he had said. It was true that her and Gaara were the same in this case. But as for anything else, she was not sure at the moment. This was for her to learn on her own by spending time with Gaara and getting to know him better. She would draw her own conclusions then. “He's lucky. I have no one. No one was there for me while I was going through that. No one has ever been there for me. Not Hiruka, not Sasuke, not Naruto...not even Kakashi...no one. I was alone. And I continue to be alone,” Shiruki answered in her dark voice.

 

Kankuro was still trying to get used to her change. It took him a minute to get what she was implying. He looked at her oddly. “But that isn't true,” he said, confused by her words. Shiruki looked at him. Her glare was gone. Her expression was blank. “You have Temari, me, and Gaara,” he grinned with a slight wink. Shiruki's eyes widened a little at this statement. Her eyes watered a little and she quickly regained her glare, refusing to cry. She hadn't had anyone to help her through her change. No one accepted her. Not even her own team mates. She was alone. She was beside herself. Backed into a corner she couldn't escape from. “Ya see...when you joined the team, ya joined the family,” he said softly.

 

Shiruki almost fell over at the word “family.” She had longed to hear that word for as long as she could remember. All through the ten years of isolation, tears, and suffering, no one had once considered her family except that fool Naruto. And she hardly wanted him as family. She'd thought that he would get the clue everytime she threatened him and glared at him but he kept insisting. Now that another person had said the same thing, she took what Naruto and Kankuro said at heart. She had a family. She had friends. She glared at Kankuro and lowered her head. He looked at her and tilted his head in confusion. “Family...” she said, almost hopeful like a little orphan that had been told she was loved for the first time.

 

Kankuro chuckled and sat next to her on her bed. He embraced her gently and patted her head softly. Shiruki gasped at his sudden nearness to her. First he called her family, now she was being held by him? She didn't understand. Was this happiness that she was feeling? Joy? Elation? These were somewhat new to her. “Yep. You, me, Gaara, and Temari.” His voice was reassuring. Like he wasn't lying. It was heartful and soft and caring. Different from the impression she first had of him. He was slowly changing what Shiruki thought of him. Now, instead of looking at him as an incompetent perverted jerk, she looked at him as a caring big brother. She was family.

 

Shiruki's eyes widened at his speech. She slowly looked up at him, to find his face mere inches from hers. She thought nothing of it. She had a question and a realization. “You're...not afraid of me either?” she asked, staring into his dark eyes. Thought it was a stupid question, considering how long they've been with Gaara.

 

Kankuro grinned. “You're kidding!” Kankuro laughed. He hugged her again before getting up. “Being with Gaara so long, ya get used to it.” He turned to Shiruki and grinned. He saw happiness in her eyes and gratitude. Her face was still twisted in a glare but he could tell that she was happy. She did that when he comforted her years ago so he was used to reading her. “Now, eat.” He smiled and left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

 

Shiruki sat on the bed silently, staring at the shut door. `Did that really happen?' she thought. She turned her attention to the food sitting on the table, eyeing it curiously, as soon as she caught scent of the enticing aroma. Steak with Ramen. Baki must have told Temari. She inched closer to it and took in its scent. Chicken Ramen. She cautiosly picked up the bowl and her chopsticks. “So much for staying until I ate,” she grinned. She started eating and to her surprise, it tasted just how she liked it. Strong, yet spicy.

 

After she was done, it was almost time for the moon to rise. She breathed deep and was about to leave when another knock came at the door. She growled quietly and reluctantly answered the door to see Temari and Kankuro standing there. “How was dinner?” Temari smiled.

 

Shiruki nodded and glanced at Kankuro. Her sighed returned to Temari. “Who told you?” she asked with the same coldness as before.

 

Temari grinned. “No one. You and I have similar tastes. I merely fixed it the way I'd like it.”

 

Shiruki's brow twitched in annoyance. She refrained from killing Temari. Who was she to automatically assume that her and Shiruki had the same tastes? They were far from the same in Shiruki's eyes. Annoyed, she walked back to her bed and sat down, admiring the moon from her window. It was obvious that Kankuro and Temari would be here a while.

 

Temari sat on her bed with Kankuro. “Aren't you going on the roof with Gaara?” Kankuro teased.

 

Maybe it wouldn't be as hard to escape after all. Shiruki glared at Kankuro and disappeared. She was on the roof. She saw Gaara there first this time. She was about to disappear again when Gaara looked at her. She looked into his eyes and saw something that invited her and beckoned her to stay. He slowly turned his head back to the moon. Shiruki shrugged and sat next to him in silence. It was alright to stay here. He had basically invited her anyways with that look.

 

“You spoke with Kankuro,” he more or less asked. Shiruki nodded. “Nonsense?” he asked, glaring at her. Shiruki hesitantly nodded. “Hesitation.” He had her. He knew she was lying when she hesitated that long. He'd gotten used to it quickly. And he never forgot.

 

Shiruki looked at him. After a few minutes, she nodded once and turned away. “He brought me dinner. Spoke idiocy of me being your match again. Said Temari and him are all you have. And that I have all three of you. That I am...'family.' You and I are in the same situation, he says.” She glanced at him to see his face a bright pink. She did a double take and stared. “Your face matches your hair...Gaara,” she grinned.

 

Gaara glared at her and grinned. “Yours did last night,” he countered with his cold voice. He would not lose so easily. After all, he was related to Kankuro. Stupidity may not run in the family...but stubbornness did.

 

Shiruki scoffed. “As if,” she snickered and moved closer to Gaara only for him to move closer also. “You're not as bad as I thought you'd be,” she whispered, bringing her knees to her chest again with a crooked grin.

 

Gaara grinned and decided to push it further. “How would you know?” he challenged.

 

Shiruki's turn to grin. “Let me rephrase that...you're not annoying like your idiot brother.”

 

Gaara grinned. He rested an arm on his propped up leg and the other to prop him up. “We have met before.” Shiruki glared at him, threatening to kill him with her penetrating glare if he didn't continue. He grinned and continued to clarify himself. “When we were kids.”

 

 

 

TBC

 

 

A/N: alright. Chapter 2 is done. Woot. XD meh. Again...any questions/concerns, direct them to me through email:

gaarasluver13@yahoo.com