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Literature Text
Always There
For as long as you can remember, it has always been just you and your mother living in your cute little house near the edge of the Hidden Sand Village. You don’t have any aunts or uncles, and your father left before your parents could give you any siblings. Because of this, it has always been just the two of you. As odd as it sounds, you’ve never minded this lifestyle either. At the end of the day, even if your house isn’t very big and even if your family doesn’t earn a whole lot of money, you find that you’re very content with it being only you and your mother.
Compared to other people, like Feudal Lords, or ninjas, or even the baker that lives up the street, you don’t have much in the world. You have your mother, your cute little house, and all of the money that you earn between the both of you. Every month you earn enough for rent and groceries, and on some months there’s even enough left over for something special such as ice cream or nail polish. It’s very true that your life isn’t lavish, and also true that you never expect it to turn out that way. You have what you have, and down through the years you have learned how to be content with your lot in life.
Never has anyone in the Sand Village ever seen you frown or act depressed, and honestly, this is because you aren’t depressed. Even though you’re fifteen years old and have spent the past nine years of your life cleaning houses instead of making friends, there is always a smile on your face. Honestly, the people you work for have always been very kind to you.
Not only have they helped spread the word that you and your mother are the most efficient housekeepers in the entire village, but they pay you twice the amount that most other housekeepers earn. Word of your cleaning service has become so good that the Kazekage even decided to hire you to clean the Kazekage Tower. Sure you were hired when the Fourth Kazekage was in power nearly a decade ago, but since the Fifth Kazekage has taken over he has made sure to keep you on. Not only that, but he has even increased your family’s pay.
Most people don’t know why the Fifth Kazekage is so kind to your family, but you know, your mother knows, and so does Gaara. Thinking back, it honestly doesn’t seem that long ago when you stood at your mother’s side in the Kazekage Tower’s entryway being briefed on how to do the cleaning. Never will you forget the first day you saw him.
...Nine Years Earlier...
“The lower levels can be cleaned on Tuesdays, and on Thursdays you can clean the upper levels. In the meeting rooms make sure that you use extra wood polish on the tables, and only use name brand toilet cleaner on the upstairs toilets. I know what civilians are saying when they whisper about Lord Kazekage, so they don’t deserve to have their toilets cleaned with quality products! And also...”
It was earlier in the morning than you were used to, and admittedly, you were still very sleepy. You were standing just inside the doorway with a stern-looking bearded man, who you later learned was the Kazekage’s adviser, giving an intense speech. Based on the intent look on your mother’s face, she was listening to the man very closely. You, on the other hand, were growing bored very quickly.
Glancing at your mother and then at the bearded man, you slowly turned your gaze away from them and started looking around the room. Surprisingly, the entryway was rather large; or at least it was to a six-year-old. Shoved up against the wall to your right were a set of wooden chairs and a plain wooden table. Across from the table and the chairs on the opposite wall was a single door that was opened partway, which you could tell was a closet containing mops, buckets, and brooms. Then, on the wall directly across from you, there were several more doors.
Narrowing your eyes in order to see them better from your spot beside your mother, you were disappointed to see that they were all closed. Later you learned that they were closed because one was a stairwell leading to the Kazekage’s level, the other lead to important meeting rooms, and another lead to some type of main office. However, upon a second glance, you learned that there was a fourth door at the end that wasn’t closed. It was opened, but only a crack. Once your gaze shot in its direction the door was pulled closed even tighter, immediately causing your drowsiness to vanish.
Not caring much about the first three doors, but now intensely curious about the fourth one, you glanced at your mother and at the bearded man once more. Seeing that they were still engaged in their conversation and not paying you the slightest bit of attention, you managed to tiptoe away from your mother’s side and in the direction of the door. At first it was your greatest fear that something frightening like a monster was hiding behind the door, thus, why you tiptoed and took your time. However, when a pale red-haired boy who appeared to be the same age as you peeked his head out from behind the door, every ounce of fear disappeared.
Brows furrowed in curiosity, you took several bold steps so that you were directly in front of the door. The boy was no longer peeking out, but you could tell he was there due to the fact that he was breathing heavily in nervousness. Due to various rumors that you’d heard around the village, you already knew exactly who he was. Based on his red hair, the fact he was small, and the fact that he was allowed inside of the Kazekage Tower in the first place, your immediate guess was that he was that demon kid, Gaara, that you’d heard so much about.
Making your way around the door so that you were facing gap that allowed you to see in, you eyed him with a mixture of interest and befuddlement. The adults in the village must have been way off, because what you saw before you wasn’t a demon. Sitting inside of the doorway leaning against the sandy wall was a nervous-looking boy with messed up red hair and seafoam green eyes rimmed with black. Honestly, he didn’t look like a demon or a monster. He just looked like another kid.
Noticing your earnest gaze, Gaara looked up at you with seafoam eyes filled with apprehension. Due to the tiny space that was open you couldn’t tell at the time, but the doorway he was hiding in lead to the part of the building where Lord Kazekage and his family lived. Behind that door was another door that locked, and behind the second door were bedrooms, the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and any other rooms that a given household would have. Of course, at the time, you didn’t even care what the door lead to. Your only focus was on the boy sitting before you.
Arching a brow, you asked him curiously, “Are you Gaara?”
Gulping, the other child nodded. “Y-yes. I’m Gaara.” Pausing, he asked. “W-who are you?”
Upon noticing how nervous he looked, you immediately felt bad and gave him a smile. Squatting down so that you were at his level, you met his gaze through the crack in the doorway while responding.
“I’m ________. Me and my mama clean. We’re going to be here every Tuesday and Thursday!”
It was here that his expression of apprehension turned to one of shock. “Y-you have to clean, too? But you’re just a kid.”
“Yeah, but I don’t mind,” you replied with a shrug and a grin. “There’s a lot to clean, especially in a big place like this. My mama needs help, so I’m going to help her.”
Understanding exactly what you meant, Gaara nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Pausing, he asked another question. One that confused you. “B-but why are you over here talking to me?”
Not knowing why he would ask such a silly question, you laughed and acted as if the answer was a simple one. “Because I saw you, and wanted say something. All of the grown-ups say you’re a demon, but you don’t seem scary. You’re nice!”
It was only after saying this that a small smile started to emerge on Gaara’s face. His smile, in turn, caused your smile to grow wider. Unfortunately for both of you, however, there wasn’t too much time to be happy. Before either of you knew it, the voice of the bearded man was heard shouting loudly.
“Hey, what are you doing over there?! You’re not allowed to talk to him!”
The man’s echoing shouts both surprising and frightening, you turned around to see him towering over you. A few feet behind him was your mother with an expression of concern painting over her features. Of course, your focus wasn’t on your mother. The majority of you attention was on the angry bearded man who was glaring down at you.
Meeting his gaze with terrified (____e/c____) eyes, you replied while stuttering. “I-I c-can’t talk to G-Gaara? W-why not?”
Giving an exasperated sigh, the man placed an irritated palm to his forehead. “The reason should be obvious to you, child.” Pausing, he asked, “Why are you here with your mother?”
Gulping nervously, you answered, “To help Mama clean.”
Crossing his arms over his chest in a stern fashion, he gave a firm nod. “Exactly. You, little lady, are here to clean the Kazekage Tower; not to play! You’re here as the help, not as Gaara’s playmate. You shouldn’t speak to him, or anyone else for that matter, unless they speak to you first.” Turning to Gaara, he continued, “And higher-ups aren’t supposed to converse with the help unless they need something from them. You’re not supposed to be playing with her. Right, Gaara?”
Looking at the little red-haired boy in depression, you noticed as sadness filled his seafoam eyes. Nonetheless, he gave a reluctant nod of agreement. “That’s right. I promise not to talk to her unless I need something.”
Once that was said, the bearded man switched his gaze to you to hear your response. Much like Gaara, you gave a reluctant nod while replying. “And I won’t talk to Gaara anymore, either. Not unless he asks me for something.”
While he still didn’t look entirely pleased, he still seemed satisfied enough to suffice. “Very well. Now that it seems we understand each other, Ms. _______, take your daughter and begin cleaning the lower levels of the Tower. I’ve heard only the best about your cleaning services, so I have no doubt that you will do a satisfactory job.”
After the man was done speaking, your mother gave him a “thank you” and some swift apologies before pulling you away. From there, years passed where you never once spoke to Gaara. You saw him several times a week, and whenever he met your gaze you never hesitated to give him a friendly smile. Also, during those rare times when he actually did need something, you and your mother would never hesitate to help him. Yet, even with the amount of years that passed, you still didn’t speak to him.
Nevertheless, this never once stopped you from treating him kindly.
...Several Months Later...
Four months didn’t seem like a lot of time to your mother, but to your six-year-old self it felt like an eternity had gone by. During your four months spent at the Kazekage Tower, you’d worked your way into a routine. Mostly, your routine consisted of helping your mother mop floors, helping her dust, and handing her various cleaning products while she was bending over to clean toilets or standing very high up on stepping stools. To most six-year-olds, it would sound like a dreary existence. Of course, it wasn’t to you. You’d learned not only to endure, but to appreciate.
Out of the first four months you worked at the Kazekage Tower, you remember one day particularly well. You can remember being on your knees with a rag and a bucket of water scrubbing beautiful gold-colored tiles by hand. The room you were cleaning had high ceilings, a chandelier, and a lovely staircase. When you first saw it your mom explained that this room was used for dancing and dinners whenever Lord Kazekage had a fancy party. The room was such a pretty one, and the idea of fancy parties seemed so magical, that you couldn’t help but love being there; even if all you were doing was cleaning.
At that particular moment your mother was on the other side of the room from you, mopping the floor’s other end on her own hands and knees. Of course, even if your mother was there, you weren’t paying her much attention. Instead you were looking at your reflection in the tiles as you scrubbed, imagining what it would be like to wear a pretty dress and dance the night away with friends. Or maybe even the son of a Feudal Lord or a prince!
Caught up in your fantasy, you started humming a cheerful tune to yourself. In your mind’s eye, you saw an older version of yourself wearing a beautiful (___favorite color___) dress and dancing with a mysterious stranger. Really, a little girl’s innocent fantasies of fairy tales more than anything. A few minutes into your fairy tale, however, a loud shout broke you away from it. To your luck, the shouting wasn’t at you or your mother. Of course, when you discovered who the angry words were aimed at, you instantly felt sad.
“Your teddy bear! That’s why you’ve been trying to get in to see your father all morning?! You’re hoping that he can get someone to fix your teddy bear?!”
Terrified by the shouting, you immediately forgot your fantasizing as well as your mopping and looked up. Loitering in front of the entranceway to the ballroom were Gaara and the Kazekage’s crotchety adviser with the beard. The man looked so angry that he was red in the face and practically had steam pouring out of his ears. Meanwhile Gaara was clutching on to his teddy bear for dear life, fear painting over every single one of his features. While looking at Gaara, you noticed that the stuffed bear he was holding had stuffing coming out of his right arm.
Grasping his bear tighter, you watched with slight fear as Gaara gave a nod. “Y-yes. I was p-playing with him, and he ripped. I was hoping that maybe some could f-fix him.”
Giving an aggravated sigh, the Kazekage’s adviser glared at him. “I’m sorry, Gaara, but there isn’t anybody in this building who cares about fixing your bear. You are never going to find anyone who will sew it back together for you.” After a momentary pause, he adds, “And before you think to ask about it, nothing special is happening for you next week, either. Lord Kazekage is very busy, and doesn’t have time for menial things such as parties.”
It was here that the red-haired boy’s expression shifted from fear to sadness in less than an instant. “I don’t get a party for my birthday this year either? But I’m turning seven.”
Crossing his arms, the bearded man rolled his eyes as if thinking the child to be an imbecile. “Yes, and the year before that you turned six, and before that you turned five. Your age doesn’t make a difference, Gaara. You aren’t getting a party this year.”
With that being said the adviser stormed off, leaving a devastated-looking child in his wake. The sight was almost enough to make you cry. More than anything you wanted to go over to Gaara, give him a hug, and tell him that everything was going to be okay. Only, you knew that you couldn’t. The bearded man said that you weren’t allowed to talk to Gaara. You’re just “the help”...
However, only a few moments after the Kazekage’s adviser walked away, your mother stood up from her spot kneeled down on the tile. At first you thought that she needed something and was coming over to talk to you. Of course, when she passed you by and went over to Gaara’s side, you're sad expression morphed into a smile. Somehow, you knew that she was going to do the one thing that you were banned from doing.
A gentle smile on her face, she crouched down so that she was at the little boy’s eye level. “Good afternoon, Gaara. I know that, as a servant, I shouldn’t be addressing you, but I noticed that you look sad. Is there anything I can help you with?”
When you noticed how your mother’s kind words seemed to cheer Gaara up, your smile widened even further. It took a long few seconds, but at last the child replied to her.
“I know it doesn’t matter, but can you fix my bear?”
Smiling kindly, your mother took the stuffed animal from him as she replied. “Of course I can fix it for you. I’ve had to fix plenty of stuffed animals for ________, so I know a thing or two about sewing toys back together.” Pausing, she added, “Besides, I heard that your birthday is next week. Think of me fixing your bear as mine and ________’s birthday present to you.”
It is here that a small grin came across the almost-seven-year-old’s face. “Okay. T-thank you.”
Your mother gave a nod. “You’re very welcome. So what day is your birthday on?”
Small grin growing wider, he replied, “January nineteenth.”
“January nineteenth,” she said as if storing that piece of information away. “________ and l will have to remember that.”
Once those words were spoken, Gaara’s gaze flickered to the part of the ballroom where you sat on your knees holding a rag. Upon seeing you, he smiled. Feeling happy, you returned his smile.
...The Next Day: Your House...
“I know he’ll like what you did with the bear, Mama, but can’t we do something else for Gaara since it’s his birthday? Something special?”
You are your mother sat at the kitchen table eating dinner that night as you had this discussion.
Meanwhile, after swallowing a particularly large bite of food, your mother replied to your question. “You know what, ________? I think that maybe you’re right. We should do something for Gaara’s birthday, shouldn’t we? Since nobody else wants to recognize him on his special day, that only means that we should put in some extra effort.”
Nodding your head eagerly, you smiled after gulping down your own bite of food. “I think we should too! Just because I’m not allowed to talk to Gaara doesn’t mean that I can’t be nice to him. I still want him to be my friend, so I want to do something that a friend would do. Just without the talking.”
Meeting your gaze with her kind (____e/c____) eyes, your mother reached across the table and gave you a pat on the hand. “That’s exactly what I was hoping you would say. The Kazekage’s adviser doesn’t realize it, but banning you from talking to Gaara still doesn’t ban you from being his friend. You can show him love and support without ever saying a word. And with the way the rest of the village treats him, who knows? Our kindness could be the only thing that makes the difference.”
Taking in your mother’s words, you gave a comprehensive nod. She probably didn’t realize it, but her words at that moment always stuck with you after that. Then again, considering the exact nature of your response, it isn’t possible that she ever could have guessed.
“Can we bake Gaara a cake, Mama?!” You’d asked in excitement. “One of those small one-person cakes with the white frosting that you make me on my birthday?”
Smile never fading, your mother gave a pleasant chuckle. “Sure, ________. Let’s finish our dinner first. Then we can get started on it.”
...The Next Morning...
Thinking back, you can always remember where Gaara spent the most time as a child before the tragedy with his uncle. When he was inside of the Kazekage Tower, he would always spend his time playing in a small room that could be found just outside of the area where the Kazekage’s family resided. It was a room with sandy walls and wooden floors, but it was also filled to the brim with toys.
That room could have entertained an entire group of children all day long with the amount of toys that it had. However, the only child who was ever in there was Gaara. You very rarely walked past it, but during those rare times you did, Gaara was always seen by himself playing with the toys. Sometimes you even heard him talking aloud to himself, or what might have been an imaginary friend. Seeing him like that, all by himself, made your heart ache in a way that it had never ached before that. Even you weren’t as alone as he was. At least you had your mother.
On the day that you and your mother approached the playroom, Gaara was there by himself the same as always. Sometimes he went to the park, so you were very uncertain as to whether or not you would run into him. It was only when you saw him in the center of the floor stacking wooden blocks into an elaborate tower that you’d realized you were worrying over nothing. Upon seeing him, you smiled. When your mother tapped on the wood of the door frame to alert him of your presence, your smile only grew wider.
Your mother was holding the little white-frosted cake in her hands, and the bear that she’d repaired is what you were holding. When Gaara looked up at the two of you with bright happy eyes, it was almost enough to make your spirit burst with joy. A moment later he stood up from his place playing with the blocks and ran over to where you stood in the entranceway. He didn’t even seem to care when his flawless tower of blocks toppled over.
“My bear! You fixed it!”
Giving a nod and a joyful grin, you shoved the stuffed animal in his direction with outstretched arms. Taking it from you with an equal amount of happiness, he hugged it close before glancing at you and your mother.
“T-thank you,” he said hesitantly. “Very much.”
It is here that your mother gave him a response. “You are very welcome, Gaara. You’re bear is all fixed. If he happens to rip again or if you need help with anything else, don’t be afraid to come to ________ and me.” Pausing, she looked at the cake, then at you, and then at Gaara. “By the way, since it is your birthday, we decided to do something else special for you. Seven is a big number. You are really growing up, and your birthday deserves to be celebrated. So, here. This cake we baked is for you.”
All of the sudden the boy’s features were taken over by obvious surprise. He looked at your mother, then at you, and then at the pretty little cake. Not only did he look surprised, but Gaara appeared to be in a state of absolute disbelief.
“T-that cake is for me? D-do you really mean that?”
Your mother chuckled kindly at the question. “It isn’t anybody else’s birthday today, is it?”
Though he was very hesitant about it, Gaara eventually tucked his bear in the crook of his arm and took the cake from her with slightly shaky hands. Nonetheless, a smile of gratitude eventually brightened his stunned face. He looked so joyful it was unfathomable.
“Thank you,” he said at long last. “Nobody has ever made me my own cake before. Thank you!”
Giving a smile and then a nod, your mother replied, “You are very welcome, Gaara.”
First Gaara smiled at your mom, and then at you. When his gaze met yours, you returned his grin with every ounce of joy that you couldn’t express with words. This wasn’t the first time you expressed your friendship with only a smile, and it certainly wasn’t the last.
For many years after his seventh birthday, that was the only time you’d been in close contact with Gaara. Only a few days afterward, Gaara’s uncle tried to assassinate him and the man was killed in the process. Thus, turning the boy into a cold and unfeeling shell of his former self. You can remember the first time you saw him following the tragic event. Upon arriving at the Kazekage Tower you sent him a smile from across the room, and were met with eyes that held nothing but hatred.
Frightened and confused by his reaction, you turned to whisper to your mother once he’d vanished into another room. “M-Mama… That look he gave me… Is Gaara okay?”
Hugging you to her side, she gave a sad sigh before responding. “No, _______. He isn’t. I don’t think that Gaara is going to be okay for a very long time.”
Many of the servants, cooks, and various ninjas that were in and out of the Tower quivered in fear when they saw him pass through the corridors. Others sent him brutal glares. Then there were some who would pretend not to notice him and scurried on past. Yet, despite all of their less than pleasant reactions and the hateful demeanor Gaara took on, you never once hesitated in your efforts.
The year after his seventh birthday, just like the year previous, you and your mother made him a cake. The only difference is that this time, due to the fact that you were rushed with the cleaning that day, you had to deliver the treat to him by yourself while your mother was cleaning the bathrooms on the main floor. The idea of going to see him all by yourself made you nervous, but at the same you felt an enormous sense of accomplishment; like that single tiny cake with white frosting is all it would take to get Gaara to return your smile. Sadly, your thoughts were proven brutally wrong.
At that point you and your mother were very well known by the people who were regularly seen around the Kazekage Tower. During that year you’d become so trusted by the rest of the staff that they gave you access to nearly every part of the building, including the area where the Kazekage’s family resided. The only place you weren’t allowed to go was the Kazekage level. It is because of this that, in spite of your young age, you were able to slip inside of their living quarters very easily.
Having memorized the area, you slipped in through the kitchen, made your way through the family’s dining room, and to the living room. Once you were inside of the living room you wove your way to the proper exit and sauntered cautiously down the hallway. From the very first time you saw it you thought that the hallway was odd, and even now you think this. The corridor is one that is extremely long, but even with as massive as it is, there is only one door attached to it. This door is at the very end and is always barred shut to everyone besides the cleaning staff; this room is Gaara’s.
The first time you stood in front of it, the door appeared so large and intimidating that you almost wanted to run away. Yet, you didn’t dare to run away. Did you gulp anxiously as you reached out to knock on the solid wood? Yes. Were you afraid of being caught there while you were supposed to be cleaning? Absolutely. Did your fear outweigh your desire to present Gaara with the only form of birthday celebration that he would be getting that year? Never. It is because of this that you knocked.
Taking a deep breath, you tapped on the wood in a quiet manner. Yet, even if it was quiet, it was still very much audible. For a long moment after knocking you stood in front of the door in silence, quietly expecting an answer. When a minute or two passed and an answer never came, you raised your fist to knock on the door again. It was only surprising that, before you were given the chance to knock again, a voice came from the door’s other side. It was a horrifying voice filled with loathing.
“Go away now. If you don’t, I’ll kill you.”
Frightened by his words, you backed away from the door by several steps. Yet, for some reason, you still didn’t leave completely. Despite you fear, you didn’t want to leave without giving him his cake. Because of this, you stood there for several minutes until he spoke again.
“I already told you to go away. Don’t force me to bring your life to an end.”
As he spoke he shoved open the door in a slow and intimidating manner. A moment later, after opening the entrance to his room completely, you took in his full form with fear. Oddly enough, however, it was also with sadness. Gaara, who’d always appeared reasonably content or smiling previous to this, currently stood in front of you with his posture rigid and his eyes filled with anger. Nonetheless, you were still able to meet his seafoam eyes with your (___e/c___) ones.
Upon meeting your gaze, the coldness in his eyes grew colder still. “What do you want?”
Gulping nervously, you nodded down at the tiny cake frosted in white in order to explain your presence there. Following the gesture, you shoved it in his direction with wide, hopeful, eyes. Even so, Gaara didn’t take it. He simply stared at the cake in confusion prior to regaining his hateful expression.
“I don’t want it. Go away.”
Upon hearing his words, a disappointed frown crossed your face. Even so, you weren’t about to take the cake with you and retreat. Rather, before retreating, you squatted down and placed the little cake beside his bedroom door. Once the treat was next to his door frame you gave him a small glance as he switched his gaze from the cake, to you, and back again in what appeared similar to disbelief. As his gaze landed on you once more, you gave him a small smile, waved goodbye, and left down the hallway.
Whether he took the cake into his room and ate it or left it there untouched, you had no idea. All you knew is that you’d delivered it, and in the end the fact that he had it was all that mattered.
The years felt as though they went by in slow motion. From his eighth birthday until several months after Gaara turned twelve he was like that. Cold, hateful, and unfeeling. Every year on his birthday, either with your mother or without her, you continued to stop by his room and give him a cake. Nevertheless, you were met with the same response of hatred every time. And every time you were met with hatred, you continued to leave the cake beside his door in hope that he would take it.
Whether or not he took it, you never found out, though. Instead the years passed, and things changed immensely. The Fourth Kazekage and his bearded adviser became so pleased with your cleaning services, that they started recommending you to everybody they knew. They referred to you as hard-working, efficient, and professional. Apparently everybody in the Hidden Sand Village loved the idea. Not too long after the Fourth Kazekage and his adviser started telling people about you, you and your mother started getting requests for more cleaning jobs.
For the first year or so it was only a few more jobs, causing you to fill up six days out of the week with cleaning jobs rather than the measly four that you’d had to work with before. Not only did it make it less stressful to pay bills, but you were able to make some much needed repairs on your house, such as fixing the leaky sink in your bathroom and the doors on the cupboards. By the time the repairs to your house were made, there was even some money left for your mom to put in a bank account for her much needed retirement fund.
By the time you were eleven-years-old, however, the amount of jobs coming in became too much for you and your mom to handle together. In order to handle all of the job requests, as well as to add to your mother’s growing retirement fund and your own personal saving’s account, you had to split up to take jobs. No longer would you go to client’s houses together to clean them, but your mother would go to one house, and you would handle the other. Having been cleaning from the time you were six years old, you were just as skilled at it as your mother and could no doubt clean an entire mansion.
It was due to this odd mix of circumstances that you began cleaning the Kazekage Tower completely by yourself. With as huge as the building is, it took a lot of work convincing your mother to allow you to clean it by yourself. Not just her, but the Fourth Kazekage’s adviser, too. An eleven-year-old girl cleaning a huge building all by herself? There’s no doubt that they were skeptical.
Even so, you still managed to prove yourself in time. Doing it on your own takes arriving at the Tower an hour earlier, leaving an hour later, and sometimes going in on the occasional Wednesday, but you always manage to get it done. At the age you’re currently at, you still clean the Kazekage Tower on your own, too. To others it sounds like nothing but work, but to you it has been entirely worth it. It is only because you started spending so much more time around the Tower that, after many long years of waiting, things finally changed.
From the time you were six years old, all you could do was smile. From the time you were seven years old, the only thing you could give was cake and attempted kindness. Even when you weren’t smiling or giving him cake, you’d spent those long years watching Gaara from the corner and supporting him in silence. The whole time you did this, you’d performed your life’s destiny of physical labor without a single complaint. For a long while you were wondering if it would ever happen, but one day your patience and your persistence finally paid off.
You can remember how that day at the Kazekage Tower had been a particularly long one. All day as you were cleaning, people had been scurrying up and down stairs and through corridors in a frenzy. In all honesty, you couldn’t blame them for being in a frenzy, either. The day prior, all of the remaining Hidden Sand shinobi who were sent to the Hidden Leaf Village on their mission to annihilate it had returned. Not only did the Hidden Sand fail in its mission and threaten its ties to the Hidden Leaf, but the Fourth Kazekage was lost in the process. Because of this, the day was utter turmoil.
Not only were you shaken by the loss of the Fourth Kazekage, but the panic everybody was in made in next to impossible to get anything done that day. You’d finished cleaning the ballroom on the lowest level, but directly after you’d finished men came storming through the area and flooded it with sand. You’d cleaned all of the bathrooms, but it didn’t take long for people to use them and to turn them into a complete disaster zone again. You’d swept all of the stairs, but much like the ballroom, sand had gotten tracked in everywhere.
It was in the middle of the afternoon when it happened. You were exhausted from all of the additional cleaning, and were already on your third attempt at cleaning the ballroom. By this point you were ready to ditch the ballroom, and to go clean the downstairs meeting rooms. After all, if this were a normal day, you would already be halfway through the meeting rooms anyhow. Yet, you couldn’t force yourself to leave the ballroom. The last thing you needed was the late Kazekage’s adviser scolding you because the place looked like a sandstorm had blown through.
Because of this, you were on your hands and knees scrubbing at the floor. Your hands were starting to get sore from scrubbing and your knees from kneeling, but this didn’t matter. All that mattered to you was getting the ballroom clean...again. However, you had been so focused on cleaning, that you didn’t notice that you were being watched.
Loitering in the doorway, a gourd on his back and curiosity painting over his features, was Gaara. You hadn’t seen him since before he left for the Chunin exams, and honestly, you didn’t even know that he’d returned to the Kazekage Tower. For all you knew, he was still in the Hidden Leaf Village trying to smooth things over with their elders. Not only that, but he’d turned twelve shortly before the Chunin exams, and you’d given him another cake. Considering how he’d give you less-than-happy glares for several weeks after receiving one of your cakes, you weren’t too bent on seeing him again so soon.
Due to this combination of factors, it surprised you immensely when you heard his voice. Not only that, but the kindness that was there was also something to behold. Before turning to face him, you wondered if you were hallucinating. After turning to face him, you started to wonder that all the more. Not only was his voice kind, but for once there wasn’t a hint of hatred or anger on his face.
“________, don’t worry about doing the cleaning today. With the amount of activity that is going on, I don’t think that you’re going to get much accomplished. Try coming back again on Thursday.”
You didn’t move for a full minute after he spoke. Instead you remained kneeling on the floor, gaping up at him in a shocked trance. Eventually, he spoke again.
“I mean it when I say that you don’t have to stay. Don’t worry about getting in trouble with my father’s adviser. He has been replaced by someone else, so we won’t be seeing him anymore.”
It took a long moment for you to get past your shock, but once you did, you stood up. While standing up, you spoke to the red-haired boy for the first time in years. It felt so strange speaking to him, that it almost seemed like it wasn’t real. Of course, it was only “almost”.
“Okay. If it isn’t any use being here today, then I guess I will go home. Thank you, Gaara.” Pausing slightly, you picked up your cleaning supplies and started toward the door. While walking, you added kindly, “And thank you for remembering my name. It has been such a long time since we’ve talked, that I didn’t think that you would remember it.”
Surprise overtook Gaara’s seafoam eyes at your comment. “That’s a strange thought. As far back as I can remember, you’ve always been here at the Kazekage Tower. When a person is always there, their name is next to impossible to forget.”
Caught off guard by his comment, you froze momentarily. A second later, however, you gave the red-haired boy a beaming smile.
“That’s good to hear; especially coming from you. With your father’s adviser gone, maybe we can pick up where we left off?”
Though his smile isn’t as big as yours, Gaara still smiles nonetheless. “I would like that.”
From that day forward, things changed enormously. You’re not sure what happened to Gaara during the chunin exams, but whatever it was, it completely transformed him. Like you’d been dreaming of doing for years, you were finally able to greet Gaara whenever he walked by while you were cleaning. It wasn’t just with a smile, either, but also with a “hello”. Not only would Gaara respond every time, but he would also smile in return.
This isn’t the only way in which things changed, either. For the first few months it started out with you saying a few words to each other every now and again, but before either of you could say anything much, you returned to your perspective tasks. Gaara would either train or go help out at Sunagakure’s Academy, and you would continue on with your cleaning. It didn’t stay like this, though. Eventually, as you became trusted enough to help clean the Kazekage level of the Tower, Gaara started talking to you more.
You had to come early and stay late to clean the sections of the Kazekage Tower that you were already given the duty of caring for. With the uppermost level containing the Kazekage’s office also on your plate, it forced you to stay later still. Not only that, but the occasional Wednesday slowly transformed into every Wednesday. You didn’t mind this, though. As strange as it might sound, you enjoy the extra work. It gives you more time to be around Gaara.
Over the three years that you have resumed speaking to each other, you have grown very fond of the brow-less boy’s company. Sometimes you are forced to stay at the Kazekage Tower so late that you got into the habit of occasionally eating dinner there. You never eat in the large dining room where everybody eats at, but in a little dining room off to the side that is more private. It gives you privacy to do the things that you like while eating meals, such as reading or doodling.
For five months straight you ate dinner in there without anyone knowing. That is, until Gaara walked in one evening. This is yet another fond memory of your ever-changing relationship with the Hidden Sand’s one and only jinjurichi.
On that particular night, you were eating a sandwich while drawing a picture of a rabbit. You haven’t seen too many rabbits, but you’ve seen pictures of them and have read about them in books. Over all, you think that rabbits are adorable creatures. Or, you would think that if you’d ever seen one, anyway... With a pencil in one hand, and your sandwich in the other, you drew to your heart’s content. The whole time you did this while humming a cheerful tune to yourself.
Once you were over three-quarters done with the rabbit, you paused in your chewing and your humming in order to speak to yourself.
“It isn’t bad. It’s not as good as the picture I saw in my book, but it’s still good.”
So focused were you on your doodling, that you were never aware that someone had entered the room. Not until the person spoke out sounding mildly surprised.
“_________, what are you still doing here? I thought that you went home for the night.”
Looking up from your drawing, you saw Gaara standing in the doorway of the kitchen. For once he wasn’t wearing his gourd. Instead he was wearing plain black pants and the plain black shirt that he wears under his crimson jacket. Neither his gourd nor trademark jacket are in sight. Not used to seeing him without the gourd, or without crimson, you did a double-take before greeting him.
“Oh. Hi, Gaara. Yeah, I’m still here. I still have a couple rooms on the Kazekage level to finish up, and then I’m gone for the night. I won’t be here for too much longer.” Pausing, you asked, “You don’t mind that I’m using your kitchen, do you?”
It was here that Gaara fully entered the room, eyeing you curiously. “No, I don’t mind you being here. You just bewilder me is all. It seems like all of your time is spent working. Don’t you ever want to go home and be with your mother, or spend time with your friends?”
For some reason, his inquiry caused you to stop everything you were doing in order to stare at him. Until Gaara brought it up, the questions he asked never occurred to you. Has your entire life really been spent working? Come to think of it, when was the last time you went home to talk to your mother instead of going straight to bed? Not only that, but the “friend” statement had caught you off guard as well. All you’ve been doing from the time you’ve been six years old is helping your mom make a living. Because of this, you never had time to make any friends. None besides Gaara, that is.
Apparently Gaara saw the affect his questions had on you, because a short time after asking them, he sauntered over to the table where you sat. Pulling out the chair that was directly to your left, he took a seat while continuing to observe you. Meanwhile, as he watched you’re in depth facial expression with consideration, you managed to formulate a response.
“Now that I think about it, I guess I do spend a lot of time working. Don’t worry about it, though. I still have plenty of time on Sundays to spend with my mother, and I have the evenings on Mondays and Fridays, too. We have to work a lot to get ahead in life, but it isn’t a big deal. I’m used to it.”
You tried not to notice, but concern filled Gaara’s seafoam green eyes. “What about your friends? Don’t you have any time to spend with them?”
You couldn’t stop your cheeks from coloring at this question. Nonetheless, despite the embarrassment you felt, you answered his question honestly.
“Actually, no. I don’t have time to spend with them, but it doesn’t matter too much. You see...”
You trailed off after that last sentence, but it didn’t make much of a difference. Gaara being Gaara, he was able to decipher the meaning behind your unspoken words.
“Oh...” he’d replied with wide eyes. “I see... Until now, I thought that Naruto and I were the only people who had that kind of problem.”
Cheeks turning more crimson than before, you replied while averting your gaze. “It isn’t really a ‘problem’, Gaara. It’s just...unfortunate...”
A long moment passed, neither you nor Gaara saying anything. Eventually Gaara stood up, but it wasn’t to leave. Instead he got into the refrigerator and began removing the proper ingredients to make his own sandwich. Confused by this, you eyed him momentarily before inquiring about his actions.
“Gaara, what are you doing? Don’t you want to eat dinner with Temari and Kankuro?”
The boy gave a small smile while turning away from the counter to face you. “They can eat without me for tonight. Besides. I’m sure that Kankuro has already eaten my portion of the food anyway. I might as well sit in here and have a sandwich with you.”
You couldn’t stop joy from consuming your voice his words. “Okay! Company would be nice.”
After putting the finishing touches on his dinner, Gaara shoved the ingredients back into the fridge and resumed sitting in the chair situated to your left. For the first few minutes after he sat down, the two of you ate in silence. Gaara carefully chewed his sandwich, and you nibbled yours while completing your drawing of the rabbit. The only time the peaceful silence ended was when the boy commented on your artwork.
“That’s a very good rabbit. I like the fur pattern you drew on it. I saw one just like on my way back from the Hidden Leaf Village once.”
Gazing down at your drawing, you noted the gray spot you drew around the bunny’s eye as well as the additional spot on its stomach. Smiling, you asked Gaara about the rabbit he saw in excitement.
“There are rabbits near the Leaf Village?! Really?! What do they look like?!”
Returning your smile, he replied, “Exactly like that, to be honest. Though they’re a bit smaller, and their ears are different.”
Intrigued by the description of the rabbit, you made another inquiry. “What other animals are there near the Leaf Village? Are there trees, too? You have to tell me!”
Surprisingly, Gaara’s smile grew slightly larger at your question. “I can tell you about what the Hidden Leaf Village is like if you want me to. I’ve been there several times.”
A long moment of silence passed, but it wasn’t the awkward or uncomfortable sort. Rather, Gaara appeared to be contemplating something as he sat quietly in his spot. The moment that passed felt incredibly lengthy, but at last the red-haired boy spoke once more. When he did, he stared you down with his green eyes containing an expression of intensity.
His seafoam eyes met your (___e/c___) ones and your gazes locked, causing your heart to flutter. Nobody had ever looked at you with that kind of expression before, so it was definitely something new. Of course, even with as new as the experience was, you couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling that his gaze gave you. Your insides twisted awkwardly in the most pleasant of ways, and for some strange reason, you found yourself wanting to lean in closer.
Before you had a chance to follow your gut reaction, however, Gaara spoke once more.
“Maybe one day you could see the Leaf Village for yourself. Not just the Leaf Village, but other places, too.” Pausing, he added, “A new Kazekage is going to be chosen in a year or so. Once they’re chosen, somebody might be able to pull some strings for you.”
You have no idea how long you have been daydreaming for. All you know is that one moment you were busily dusting off the book-filled shelves in the Kazekage’s office, and the next thing you know you find yourself staring out the window thinking of times past. For some reason, Gaara’s office always does this to you. It makes you think of how your fifteen years of life have treated you, of how the past hasn’t been too kind to either you or Gaara, and how despite all that, life has turned out well.
Gaara started out as nothing more than a human weapon, feared by everyone who crossed his path. Now this same boy is the leader of Sunagakure, and is greatly admired. You started out as girl who spent her entire life working and who never made a single friend because of it. Now this same girl is a close friend of the Fifth Kazekage, has been earning better wages due to her friendship with Gaara so she doesn’t have to work herself to death, and has recently met some very kind people. These people consist of the Kazekage’s own siblings, some people who were here from the Leaf Village to take the combined Chunin exams, and oddly enough, some of the people in your neighborhood who you didn’t used to speak to very often.
Since becoming the Kazekage, life has definitely been looking up for both of you. In all of your fifteen years, you have never felt this happy. Amazingly enough, it all started with a ripped teddy bear and a piece of cake. The thought that something so simple could have such an effect makes you smile.
Meanwhile Gaara, who was sitting at his desk working on paperwork, glances over at you. Being caught up in your thoughts you don’t notice it, but the sun is setting on the other side of the spacious windows. You should have been home hours ago, but you have been increasingly distracted today; first by going out to lunch with Gaara, and then by spending the day shopping with his older sister, Temari. Nonetheless, it was a welcome distraction. Friends really are a wonderful thing to have.
As you stand in front of the window staring outward, your shiny (___h/c___) hair catches in the light, setting your entire persona in a beautiful glow. Your serene posture and pleasant smile appear truly breathtaking as well. Thus, why Gaara stands up from the long hours spent sitting behind his desk and walks over to stand beside you at the window.
“You have been in a very good mood today, ________. I take it that you had fun spending the afternoon with Temari?”
Coming out of your thoughts, you face Gaara with a nod as well as a happy smile. “Yes, I did. It was nice. The whole day has been nice.”
Once that is said, the two of you lapse into silence. It is a very peaceful silence. When Gaara moves closer to you by several inches, watching the sunset from the top of the Kazekage Tower is made even more pleasant. Before you know it, you find yourself snuggling up against him. Gaara blushes momentarily, but finds himself returning the action by placing an arm around your shoulder a moment later. You find your own face reddening as he does this, but you don’t protest; not in the slightest.
It takes a moment, but at last Gaara speaks again. This time it is in the form of an odd question that causes you to raise a brow.
“________, are you happy here in Suna?”
Raising your head so that you’re looking up at him, you reply curiously. “Yes, I am. I’m very happy. This is as happy as I have ever been.” Hesitating slightly, you inquire, “Why do you ask?”
“I was just wondering,” he says simply. “For the past nine years I have always seen you around the Kazekage Tower. Every time I saw you, you always wore a smile. Not once have I ever seen you without it. The fact that you always wear a smile and always manage to be happy... It’s refreshing.”
Smiling, you turn your head back down to its previous position and lean against him. His maroon jacket is always the tiniest bit gritty with sand and his chest is always very firm, yet Gaara always manages to be a comfortable person to lean against all the same. Meanwhile, you respond.
“Of course I always smile. I’m as happy as I’ve ever been, but that doesn’t mean that I was miserable before. When you look hard enough, there’s always something to smile about.” After a momentary pause, you add, “Right now, for example, I’m smiling because I get to talk to you and be near you even though I’m only ‘the help’. I may only be a maid, but it ends out that your dad’s adviser was wrong. Me being ‘the help’ didn’t change a thing, did it?”
Pulling you closer, Gaara rests his chin atop your head. Admittedly, it is a bit of a bold move for Gaara, but it has always amazed you what he will do differently when nobody else is around.
Meanwhile, he responds with a smile of his own. “Honestly, I don’t think that being a maid would have changed anything either way. I’ve always had a hard time keeping you in that category, to tell the truth. Out of all the people in this village, you’re the only person who stuck with me before I became the Kazekage. There wasn’t a single person who made me anything for my birthday, or even offered me a smile the way you always did. Even if you didn’t talk, ________, you were always there. And for that, I thank you.”
Upon hearing his words, you are instantly stunted speechless. For a moment you don’t move, but then you find yourself turning around in his grasp and giving him a long hug around the neck. Luckily, it doesn’t take long for Gaara to return your embrace.
Several lengthy moments pass before you speak to him.
“You don’t have to thank me, Gaara. There’s nothing else I would have rather done than be there for you. If anything, I should be thanking you for everything you’ve done for me.”
Once this is said, the two of you lapse into silence once more. This time, however, the silence isn’t filled by hugging or by peacefully standing next to each other. Instead, you find yourself standing on the tips of your toes with hesitation. In the same manner, Gaara bends over while appearing slightly nervous. Nonetheless, the anxiety doesn’t last long for either of you. An instant later your lips meet in a brief but strong kiss, your arms around Gaara’s neck and one of his hands cupping your cheek. His other hand rests at the small of your back, holding you close to him as he kisses you.
After a few passionate seconds you pull apart, green eyes meeting (___e/c___). There isn’t any doubt that both of you are a bit surprised by what happened, though you still can’t help but feel happy about the occurrence.
It takes a second, but at last Gaara speaks. “________, I’m going to the Leaf Village next week to meet with the Hokage. Would you like to come with me to visit our friends?”
Resting a hand on one of his broad shoulders, you reply easily. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
For as long as you can remember, it has always been just you and your mother living in your cute little house near the edge of the Hidden Sand Village. You don’t have any aunts or uncles, and your father left before your parents could give you any siblings. Because of this, it has always been just the two of you. As odd as it sounds, you’ve never minded this lifestyle either. At the end of the day, even if your house isn’t very big and even if your family doesn’t earn a whole lot of money, you find that you’re very content with it being only you and your mother.
Compared to other people, like Feudal Lords, or ninjas, or even the baker that lives up the street, you don’t have much in the world. You have your mother, your cute little house, and all of the money that you earn between the both of you. Every month you earn enough for rent and groceries, and on some months there’s even enough left over for something special such as ice cream or nail polish. It’s very true that your life isn’t lavish, and also true that you never expect it to turn out that way. You have what you have, and down through the years you have learned how to be content with your lot in life.
Never has anyone in the Sand Village ever seen you frown or act depressed, and honestly, this is because you aren’t depressed. Even though you’re fifteen years old and have spent the past nine years of your life cleaning houses instead of making friends, there is always a smile on your face. Honestly, the people you work for have always been very kind to you.
Not only have they helped spread the word that you and your mother are the most efficient housekeepers in the entire village, but they pay you twice the amount that most other housekeepers earn. Word of your cleaning service has become so good that the Kazekage even decided to hire you to clean the Kazekage Tower. Sure you were hired when the Fourth Kazekage was in power nearly a decade ago, but since the Fifth Kazekage has taken over he has made sure to keep you on. Not only that, but he has even increased your family’s pay.
Most people don’t know why the Fifth Kazekage is so kind to your family, but you know, your mother knows, and so does Gaara. Thinking back, it honestly doesn’t seem that long ago when you stood at your mother’s side in the Kazekage Tower’s entryway being briefed on how to do the cleaning. Never will you forget the first day you saw him.
...Nine Years Earlier...
“The lower levels can be cleaned on Tuesdays, and on Thursdays you can clean the upper levels. In the meeting rooms make sure that you use extra wood polish on the tables, and only use name brand toilet cleaner on the upstairs toilets. I know what civilians are saying when they whisper about Lord Kazekage, so they don’t deserve to have their toilets cleaned with quality products! And also...”
It was earlier in the morning than you were used to, and admittedly, you were still very sleepy. You were standing just inside the doorway with a stern-looking bearded man, who you later learned was the Kazekage’s adviser, giving an intense speech. Based on the intent look on your mother’s face, she was listening to the man very closely. You, on the other hand, were growing bored very quickly.
Glancing at your mother and then at the bearded man, you slowly turned your gaze away from them and started looking around the room. Surprisingly, the entryway was rather large; or at least it was to a six-year-old. Shoved up against the wall to your right were a set of wooden chairs and a plain wooden table. Across from the table and the chairs on the opposite wall was a single door that was opened partway, which you could tell was a closet containing mops, buckets, and brooms. Then, on the wall directly across from you, there were several more doors.
Narrowing your eyes in order to see them better from your spot beside your mother, you were disappointed to see that they were all closed. Later you learned that they were closed because one was a stairwell leading to the Kazekage’s level, the other lead to important meeting rooms, and another lead to some type of main office. However, upon a second glance, you learned that there was a fourth door at the end that wasn’t closed. It was opened, but only a crack. Once your gaze shot in its direction the door was pulled closed even tighter, immediately causing your drowsiness to vanish.
Not caring much about the first three doors, but now intensely curious about the fourth one, you glanced at your mother and at the bearded man once more. Seeing that they were still engaged in their conversation and not paying you the slightest bit of attention, you managed to tiptoe away from your mother’s side and in the direction of the door. At first it was your greatest fear that something frightening like a monster was hiding behind the door, thus, why you tiptoed and took your time. However, when a pale red-haired boy who appeared to be the same age as you peeked his head out from behind the door, every ounce of fear disappeared.
Brows furrowed in curiosity, you took several bold steps so that you were directly in front of the door. The boy was no longer peeking out, but you could tell he was there due to the fact that he was breathing heavily in nervousness. Due to various rumors that you’d heard around the village, you already knew exactly who he was. Based on his red hair, the fact he was small, and the fact that he was allowed inside of the Kazekage Tower in the first place, your immediate guess was that he was that demon kid, Gaara, that you’d heard so much about.
Making your way around the door so that you were facing gap that allowed you to see in, you eyed him with a mixture of interest and befuddlement. The adults in the village must have been way off, because what you saw before you wasn’t a demon. Sitting inside of the doorway leaning against the sandy wall was a nervous-looking boy with messed up red hair and seafoam green eyes rimmed with black. Honestly, he didn’t look like a demon or a monster. He just looked like another kid.
Noticing your earnest gaze, Gaara looked up at you with seafoam eyes filled with apprehension. Due to the tiny space that was open you couldn’t tell at the time, but the doorway he was hiding in lead to the part of the building where Lord Kazekage and his family lived. Behind that door was another door that locked, and behind the second door were bedrooms, the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and any other rooms that a given household would have. Of course, at the time, you didn’t even care what the door lead to. Your only focus was on the boy sitting before you.
Arching a brow, you asked him curiously, “Are you Gaara?”
Gulping, the other child nodded. “Y-yes. I’m Gaara.” Pausing, he asked. “W-who are you?”
Upon noticing how nervous he looked, you immediately felt bad and gave him a smile. Squatting down so that you were at his level, you met his gaze through the crack in the doorway while responding.
“I’m ________. Me and my mama clean. We’re going to be here every Tuesday and Thursday!”
It was here that his expression of apprehension turned to one of shock. “Y-you have to clean, too? But you’re just a kid.”
“Yeah, but I don’t mind,” you replied with a shrug and a grin. “There’s a lot to clean, especially in a big place like this. My mama needs help, so I’m going to help her.”
Understanding exactly what you meant, Gaara nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Pausing, he asked another question. One that confused you. “B-but why are you over here talking to me?”
Not knowing why he would ask such a silly question, you laughed and acted as if the answer was a simple one. “Because I saw you, and wanted say something. All of the grown-ups say you’re a demon, but you don’t seem scary. You’re nice!”
It was only after saying this that a small smile started to emerge on Gaara’s face. His smile, in turn, caused your smile to grow wider. Unfortunately for both of you, however, there wasn’t too much time to be happy. Before either of you knew it, the voice of the bearded man was heard shouting loudly.
“Hey, what are you doing over there?! You’re not allowed to talk to him!”
The man’s echoing shouts both surprising and frightening, you turned around to see him towering over you. A few feet behind him was your mother with an expression of concern painting over her features. Of course, your focus wasn’t on your mother. The majority of you attention was on the angry bearded man who was glaring down at you.
Meeting his gaze with terrified (____e/c____) eyes, you replied while stuttering. “I-I c-can’t talk to G-Gaara? W-why not?”
Giving an exasperated sigh, the man placed an irritated palm to his forehead. “The reason should be obvious to you, child.” Pausing, he asked, “Why are you here with your mother?”
Gulping nervously, you answered, “To help Mama clean.”
Crossing his arms over his chest in a stern fashion, he gave a firm nod. “Exactly. You, little lady, are here to clean the Kazekage Tower; not to play! You’re here as the help, not as Gaara’s playmate. You shouldn’t speak to him, or anyone else for that matter, unless they speak to you first.” Turning to Gaara, he continued, “And higher-ups aren’t supposed to converse with the help unless they need something from them. You’re not supposed to be playing with her. Right, Gaara?”
Looking at the little red-haired boy in depression, you noticed as sadness filled his seafoam eyes. Nonetheless, he gave a reluctant nod of agreement. “That’s right. I promise not to talk to her unless I need something.”
Once that was said, the bearded man switched his gaze to you to hear your response. Much like Gaara, you gave a reluctant nod while replying. “And I won’t talk to Gaara anymore, either. Not unless he asks me for something.”
While he still didn’t look entirely pleased, he still seemed satisfied enough to suffice. “Very well. Now that it seems we understand each other, Ms. _______, take your daughter and begin cleaning the lower levels of the Tower. I’ve heard only the best about your cleaning services, so I have no doubt that you will do a satisfactory job.”
After the man was done speaking, your mother gave him a “thank you” and some swift apologies before pulling you away. From there, years passed where you never once spoke to Gaara. You saw him several times a week, and whenever he met your gaze you never hesitated to give him a friendly smile. Also, during those rare times when he actually did need something, you and your mother would never hesitate to help him. Yet, even with the amount of years that passed, you still didn’t speak to him.
Nevertheless, this never once stopped you from treating him kindly.
...Several Months Later...
Four months didn’t seem like a lot of time to your mother, but to your six-year-old self it felt like an eternity had gone by. During your four months spent at the Kazekage Tower, you’d worked your way into a routine. Mostly, your routine consisted of helping your mother mop floors, helping her dust, and handing her various cleaning products while she was bending over to clean toilets or standing very high up on stepping stools. To most six-year-olds, it would sound like a dreary existence. Of course, it wasn’t to you. You’d learned not only to endure, but to appreciate.
Out of the first four months you worked at the Kazekage Tower, you remember one day particularly well. You can remember being on your knees with a rag and a bucket of water scrubbing beautiful gold-colored tiles by hand. The room you were cleaning had high ceilings, a chandelier, and a lovely staircase. When you first saw it your mom explained that this room was used for dancing and dinners whenever Lord Kazekage had a fancy party. The room was such a pretty one, and the idea of fancy parties seemed so magical, that you couldn’t help but love being there; even if all you were doing was cleaning.
At that particular moment your mother was on the other side of the room from you, mopping the floor’s other end on her own hands and knees. Of course, even if your mother was there, you weren’t paying her much attention. Instead you were looking at your reflection in the tiles as you scrubbed, imagining what it would be like to wear a pretty dress and dance the night away with friends. Or maybe even the son of a Feudal Lord or a prince!
Caught up in your fantasy, you started humming a cheerful tune to yourself. In your mind’s eye, you saw an older version of yourself wearing a beautiful (___favorite color___) dress and dancing with a mysterious stranger. Really, a little girl’s innocent fantasies of fairy tales more than anything. A few minutes into your fairy tale, however, a loud shout broke you away from it. To your luck, the shouting wasn’t at you or your mother. Of course, when you discovered who the angry words were aimed at, you instantly felt sad.
“Your teddy bear! That’s why you’ve been trying to get in to see your father all morning?! You’re hoping that he can get someone to fix your teddy bear?!”
Terrified by the shouting, you immediately forgot your fantasizing as well as your mopping and looked up. Loitering in front of the entranceway to the ballroom were Gaara and the Kazekage’s crotchety adviser with the beard. The man looked so angry that he was red in the face and practically had steam pouring out of his ears. Meanwhile Gaara was clutching on to his teddy bear for dear life, fear painting over every single one of his features. While looking at Gaara, you noticed that the stuffed bear he was holding had stuffing coming out of his right arm.
Grasping his bear tighter, you watched with slight fear as Gaara gave a nod. “Y-yes. I was p-playing with him, and he ripped. I was hoping that maybe some could f-fix him.”
Giving an aggravated sigh, the Kazekage’s adviser glared at him. “I’m sorry, Gaara, but there isn’t anybody in this building who cares about fixing your bear. You are never going to find anyone who will sew it back together for you.” After a momentary pause, he adds, “And before you think to ask about it, nothing special is happening for you next week, either. Lord Kazekage is very busy, and doesn’t have time for menial things such as parties.”
It was here that the red-haired boy’s expression shifted from fear to sadness in less than an instant. “I don’t get a party for my birthday this year either? But I’m turning seven.”
Crossing his arms, the bearded man rolled his eyes as if thinking the child to be an imbecile. “Yes, and the year before that you turned six, and before that you turned five. Your age doesn’t make a difference, Gaara. You aren’t getting a party this year.”
With that being said the adviser stormed off, leaving a devastated-looking child in his wake. The sight was almost enough to make you cry. More than anything you wanted to go over to Gaara, give him a hug, and tell him that everything was going to be okay. Only, you knew that you couldn’t. The bearded man said that you weren’t allowed to talk to Gaara. You’re just “the help”...
However, only a few moments after the Kazekage’s adviser walked away, your mother stood up from her spot kneeled down on the tile. At first you thought that she needed something and was coming over to talk to you. Of course, when she passed you by and went over to Gaara’s side, you're sad expression morphed into a smile. Somehow, you knew that she was going to do the one thing that you were banned from doing.
A gentle smile on her face, she crouched down so that she was at the little boy’s eye level. “Good afternoon, Gaara. I know that, as a servant, I shouldn’t be addressing you, but I noticed that you look sad. Is there anything I can help you with?”
When you noticed how your mother’s kind words seemed to cheer Gaara up, your smile widened even further. It took a long few seconds, but at last the child replied to her.
“I know it doesn’t matter, but can you fix my bear?”
Smiling kindly, your mother took the stuffed animal from him as she replied. “Of course I can fix it for you. I’ve had to fix plenty of stuffed animals for ________, so I know a thing or two about sewing toys back together.” Pausing, she added, “Besides, I heard that your birthday is next week. Think of me fixing your bear as mine and ________’s birthday present to you.”
It is here that a small grin came across the almost-seven-year-old’s face. “Okay. T-thank you.”
Your mother gave a nod. “You’re very welcome. So what day is your birthday on?”
Small grin growing wider, he replied, “January nineteenth.”
“January nineteenth,” she said as if storing that piece of information away. “________ and l will have to remember that.”
Once those words were spoken, Gaara’s gaze flickered to the part of the ballroom where you sat on your knees holding a rag. Upon seeing you, he smiled. Feeling happy, you returned his smile.
...The Next Day: Your House...
“I know he’ll like what you did with the bear, Mama, but can’t we do something else for Gaara since it’s his birthday? Something special?”
You are your mother sat at the kitchen table eating dinner that night as you had this discussion.
Meanwhile, after swallowing a particularly large bite of food, your mother replied to your question. “You know what, ________? I think that maybe you’re right. We should do something for Gaara’s birthday, shouldn’t we? Since nobody else wants to recognize him on his special day, that only means that we should put in some extra effort.”
Nodding your head eagerly, you smiled after gulping down your own bite of food. “I think we should too! Just because I’m not allowed to talk to Gaara doesn’t mean that I can’t be nice to him. I still want him to be my friend, so I want to do something that a friend would do. Just without the talking.”
Meeting your gaze with her kind (____e/c____) eyes, your mother reached across the table and gave you a pat on the hand. “That’s exactly what I was hoping you would say. The Kazekage’s adviser doesn’t realize it, but banning you from talking to Gaara still doesn’t ban you from being his friend. You can show him love and support without ever saying a word. And with the way the rest of the village treats him, who knows? Our kindness could be the only thing that makes the difference.”
Taking in your mother’s words, you gave a comprehensive nod. She probably didn’t realize it, but her words at that moment always stuck with you after that. Then again, considering the exact nature of your response, it isn’t possible that she ever could have guessed.
“Can we bake Gaara a cake, Mama?!” You’d asked in excitement. “One of those small one-person cakes with the white frosting that you make me on my birthday?”
Smile never fading, your mother gave a pleasant chuckle. “Sure, ________. Let’s finish our dinner first. Then we can get started on it.”
...The Next Morning...
Thinking back, you can always remember where Gaara spent the most time as a child before the tragedy with his uncle. When he was inside of the Kazekage Tower, he would always spend his time playing in a small room that could be found just outside of the area where the Kazekage’s family resided. It was a room with sandy walls and wooden floors, but it was also filled to the brim with toys.
That room could have entertained an entire group of children all day long with the amount of toys that it had. However, the only child who was ever in there was Gaara. You very rarely walked past it, but during those rare times you did, Gaara was always seen by himself playing with the toys. Sometimes you even heard him talking aloud to himself, or what might have been an imaginary friend. Seeing him like that, all by himself, made your heart ache in a way that it had never ached before that. Even you weren’t as alone as he was. At least you had your mother.
On the day that you and your mother approached the playroom, Gaara was there by himself the same as always. Sometimes he went to the park, so you were very uncertain as to whether or not you would run into him. It was only when you saw him in the center of the floor stacking wooden blocks into an elaborate tower that you’d realized you were worrying over nothing. Upon seeing him, you smiled. When your mother tapped on the wood of the door frame to alert him of your presence, your smile only grew wider.
Your mother was holding the little white-frosted cake in her hands, and the bear that she’d repaired is what you were holding. When Gaara looked up at the two of you with bright happy eyes, it was almost enough to make your spirit burst with joy. A moment later he stood up from his place playing with the blocks and ran over to where you stood in the entranceway. He didn’t even seem to care when his flawless tower of blocks toppled over.
“My bear! You fixed it!”
Giving a nod and a joyful grin, you shoved the stuffed animal in his direction with outstretched arms. Taking it from you with an equal amount of happiness, he hugged it close before glancing at you and your mother.
“T-thank you,” he said hesitantly. “Very much.”
It is here that your mother gave him a response. “You are very welcome, Gaara. You’re bear is all fixed. If he happens to rip again or if you need help with anything else, don’t be afraid to come to ________ and me.” Pausing, she looked at the cake, then at you, and then at Gaara. “By the way, since it is your birthday, we decided to do something else special for you. Seven is a big number. You are really growing up, and your birthday deserves to be celebrated. So, here. This cake we baked is for you.”
All of the sudden the boy’s features were taken over by obvious surprise. He looked at your mother, then at you, and then at the pretty little cake. Not only did he look surprised, but Gaara appeared to be in a state of absolute disbelief.
“T-that cake is for me? D-do you really mean that?”
Your mother chuckled kindly at the question. “It isn’t anybody else’s birthday today, is it?”
Though he was very hesitant about it, Gaara eventually tucked his bear in the crook of his arm and took the cake from her with slightly shaky hands. Nonetheless, a smile of gratitude eventually brightened his stunned face. He looked so joyful it was unfathomable.
“Thank you,” he said at long last. “Nobody has ever made me my own cake before. Thank you!”
Giving a smile and then a nod, your mother replied, “You are very welcome, Gaara.”
First Gaara smiled at your mom, and then at you. When his gaze met yours, you returned his grin with every ounce of joy that you couldn’t express with words. This wasn’t the first time you expressed your friendship with only a smile, and it certainly wasn’t the last.
For many years after his seventh birthday, that was the only time you’d been in close contact with Gaara. Only a few days afterward, Gaara’s uncle tried to assassinate him and the man was killed in the process. Thus, turning the boy into a cold and unfeeling shell of his former self. You can remember the first time you saw him following the tragic event. Upon arriving at the Kazekage Tower you sent him a smile from across the room, and were met with eyes that held nothing but hatred.
Frightened and confused by his reaction, you turned to whisper to your mother once he’d vanished into another room. “M-Mama… That look he gave me… Is Gaara okay?”
Hugging you to her side, she gave a sad sigh before responding. “No, _______. He isn’t. I don’t think that Gaara is going to be okay for a very long time.”
Many of the servants, cooks, and various ninjas that were in and out of the Tower quivered in fear when they saw him pass through the corridors. Others sent him brutal glares. Then there were some who would pretend not to notice him and scurried on past. Yet, despite all of their less than pleasant reactions and the hateful demeanor Gaara took on, you never once hesitated in your efforts.
The year after his seventh birthday, just like the year previous, you and your mother made him a cake. The only difference is that this time, due to the fact that you were rushed with the cleaning that day, you had to deliver the treat to him by yourself while your mother was cleaning the bathrooms on the main floor. The idea of going to see him all by yourself made you nervous, but at the same you felt an enormous sense of accomplishment; like that single tiny cake with white frosting is all it would take to get Gaara to return your smile. Sadly, your thoughts were proven brutally wrong.
At that point you and your mother were very well known by the people who were regularly seen around the Kazekage Tower. During that year you’d become so trusted by the rest of the staff that they gave you access to nearly every part of the building, including the area where the Kazekage’s family resided. The only place you weren’t allowed to go was the Kazekage level. It is because of this that, in spite of your young age, you were able to slip inside of their living quarters very easily.
Having memorized the area, you slipped in through the kitchen, made your way through the family’s dining room, and to the living room. Once you were inside of the living room you wove your way to the proper exit and sauntered cautiously down the hallway. From the very first time you saw it you thought that the hallway was odd, and even now you think this. The corridor is one that is extremely long, but even with as massive as it is, there is only one door attached to it. This door is at the very end and is always barred shut to everyone besides the cleaning staff; this room is Gaara’s.
The first time you stood in front of it, the door appeared so large and intimidating that you almost wanted to run away. Yet, you didn’t dare to run away. Did you gulp anxiously as you reached out to knock on the solid wood? Yes. Were you afraid of being caught there while you were supposed to be cleaning? Absolutely. Did your fear outweigh your desire to present Gaara with the only form of birthday celebration that he would be getting that year? Never. It is because of this that you knocked.
Taking a deep breath, you tapped on the wood in a quiet manner. Yet, even if it was quiet, it was still very much audible. For a long moment after knocking you stood in front of the door in silence, quietly expecting an answer. When a minute or two passed and an answer never came, you raised your fist to knock on the door again. It was only surprising that, before you were given the chance to knock again, a voice came from the door’s other side. It was a horrifying voice filled with loathing.
“Go away now. If you don’t, I’ll kill you.”
Frightened by his words, you backed away from the door by several steps. Yet, for some reason, you still didn’t leave completely. Despite you fear, you didn’t want to leave without giving him his cake. Because of this, you stood there for several minutes until he spoke again.
“I already told you to go away. Don’t force me to bring your life to an end.”
As he spoke he shoved open the door in a slow and intimidating manner. A moment later, after opening the entrance to his room completely, you took in his full form with fear. Oddly enough, however, it was also with sadness. Gaara, who’d always appeared reasonably content or smiling previous to this, currently stood in front of you with his posture rigid and his eyes filled with anger. Nonetheless, you were still able to meet his seafoam eyes with your (___e/c___) ones.
Upon meeting your gaze, the coldness in his eyes grew colder still. “What do you want?”
Gulping nervously, you nodded down at the tiny cake frosted in white in order to explain your presence there. Following the gesture, you shoved it in his direction with wide, hopeful, eyes. Even so, Gaara didn’t take it. He simply stared at the cake in confusion prior to regaining his hateful expression.
“I don’t want it. Go away.”
Upon hearing his words, a disappointed frown crossed your face. Even so, you weren’t about to take the cake with you and retreat. Rather, before retreating, you squatted down and placed the little cake beside his bedroom door. Once the treat was next to his door frame you gave him a small glance as he switched his gaze from the cake, to you, and back again in what appeared similar to disbelief. As his gaze landed on you once more, you gave him a small smile, waved goodbye, and left down the hallway.
Whether he took the cake into his room and ate it or left it there untouched, you had no idea. All you knew is that you’d delivered it, and in the end the fact that he had it was all that mattered.
The years felt as though they went by in slow motion. From his eighth birthday until several months after Gaara turned twelve he was like that. Cold, hateful, and unfeeling. Every year on his birthday, either with your mother or without her, you continued to stop by his room and give him a cake. Nevertheless, you were met with the same response of hatred every time. And every time you were met with hatred, you continued to leave the cake beside his door in hope that he would take it.
Whether or not he took it, you never found out, though. Instead the years passed, and things changed immensely. The Fourth Kazekage and his bearded adviser became so pleased with your cleaning services, that they started recommending you to everybody they knew. They referred to you as hard-working, efficient, and professional. Apparently everybody in the Hidden Sand Village loved the idea. Not too long after the Fourth Kazekage and his adviser started telling people about you, you and your mother started getting requests for more cleaning jobs.
For the first year or so it was only a few more jobs, causing you to fill up six days out of the week with cleaning jobs rather than the measly four that you’d had to work with before. Not only did it make it less stressful to pay bills, but you were able to make some much needed repairs on your house, such as fixing the leaky sink in your bathroom and the doors on the cupboards. By the time the repairs to your house were made, there was even some money left for your mom to put in a bank account for her much needed retirement fund.
By the time you were eleven-years-old, however, the amount of jobs coming in became too much for you and your mom to handle together. In order to handle all of the job requests, as well as to add to your mother’s growing retirement fund and your own personal saving’s account, you had to split up to take jobs. No longer would you go to client’s houses together to clean them, but your mother would go to one house, and you would handle the other. Having been cleaning from the time you were six years old, you were just as skilled at it as your mother and could no doubt clean an entire mansion.
It was due to this odd mix of circumstances that you began cleaning the Kazekage Tower completely by yourself. With as huge as the building is, it took a lot of work convincing your mother to allow you to clean it by yourself. Not just her, but the Fourth Kazekage’s adviser, too. An eleven-year-old girl cleaning a huge building all by herself? There’s no doubt that they were skeptical.
Even so, you still managed to prove yourself in time. Doing it on your own takes arriving at the Tower an hour earlier, leaving an hour later, and sometimes going in on the occasional Wednesday, but you always manage to get it done. At the age you’re currently at, you still clean the Kazekage Tower on your own, too. To others it sounds like nothing but work, but to you it has been entirely worth it. It is only because you started spending so much more time around the Tower that, after many long years of waiting, things finally changed.
From the time you were six years old, all you could do was smile. From the time you were seven years old, the only thing you could give was cake and attempted kindness. Even when you weren’t smiling or giving him cake, you’d spent those long years watching Gaara from the corner and supporting him in silence. The whole time you did this, you’d performed your life’s destiny of physical labor without a single complaint. For a long while you were wondering if it would ever happen, but one day your patience and your persistence finally paid off.
You can remember how that day at the Kazekage Tower had been a particularly long one. All day as you were cleaning, people had been scurrying up and down stairs and through corridors in a frenzy. In all honesty, you couldn’t blame them for being in a frenzy, either. The day prior, all of the remaining Hidden Sand shinobi who were sent to the Hidden Leaf Village on their mission to annihilate it had returned. Not only did the Hidden Sand fail in its mission and threaten its ties to the Hidden Leaf, but the Fourth Kazekage was lost in the process. Because of this, the day was utter turmoil.
Not only were you shaken by the loss of the Fourth Kazekage, but the panic everybody was in made in next to impossible to get anything done that day. You’d finished cleaning the ballroom on the lowest level, but directly after you’d finished men came storming through the area and flooded it with sand. You’d cleaned all of the bathrooms, but it didn’t take long for people to use them and to turn them into a complete disaster zone again. You’d swept all of the stairs, but much like the ballroom, sand had gotten tracked in everywhere.
It was in the middle of the afternoon when it happened. You were exhausted from all of the additional cleaning, and were already on your third attempt at cleaning the ballroom. By this point you were ready to ditch the ballroom, and to go clean the downstairs meeting rooms. After all, if this were a normal day, you would already be halfway through the meeting rooms anyhow. Yet, you couldn’t force yourself to leave the ballroom. The last thing you needed was the late Kazekage’s adviser scolding you because the place looked like a sandstorm had blown through.
Because of this, you were on your hands and knees scrubbing at the floor. Your hands were starting to get sore from scrubbing and your knees from kneeling, but this didn’t matter. All that mattered to you was getting the ballroom clean...again. However, you had been so focused on cleaning, that you didn’t notice that you were being watched.
Loitering in the doorway, a gourd on his back and curiosity painting over his features, was Gaara. You hadn’t seen him since before he left for the Chunin exams, and honestly, you didn’t even know that he’d returned to the Kazekage Tower. For all you knew, he was still in the Hidden Leaf Village trying to smooth things over with their elders. Not only that, but he’d turned twelve shortly before the Chunin exams, and you’d given him another cake. Considering how he’d give you less-than-happy glares for several weeks after receiving one of your cakes, you weren’t too bent on seeing him again so soon.
Due to this combination of factors, it surprised you immensely when you heard his voice. Not only that, but the kindness that was there was also something to behold. Before turning to face him, you wondered if you were hallucinating. After turning to face him, you started to wonder that all the more. Not only was his voice kind, but for once there wasn’t a hint of hatred or anger on his face.
“________, don’t worry about doing the cleaning today. With the amount of activity that is going on, I don’t think that you’re going to get much accomplished. Try coming back again on Thursday.”
You didn’t move for a full minute after he spoke. Instead you remained kneeling on the floor, gaping up at him in a shocked trance. Eventually, he spoke again.
“I mean it when I say that you don’t have to stay. Don’t worry about getting in trouble with my father’s adviser. He has been replaced by someone else, so we won’t be seeing him anymore.”
It took a long moment for you to get past your shock, but once you did, you stood up. While standing up, you spoke to the red-haired boy for the first time in years. It felt so strange speaking to him, that it almost seemed like it wasn’t real. Of course, it was only “almost”.
“Okay. If it isn’t any use being here today, then I guess I will go home. Thank you, Gaara.” Pausing slightly, you picked up your cleaning supplies and started toward the door. While walking, you added kindly, “And thank you for remembering my name. It has been such a long time since we’ve talked, that I didn’t think that you would remember it.”
Surprise overtook Gaara’s seafoam eyes at your comment. “That’s a strange thought. As far back as I can remember, you’ve always been here at the Kazekage Tower. When a person is always there, their name is next to impossible to forget.”
Caught off guard by his comment, you froze momentarily. A second later, however, you gave the red-haired boy a beaming smile.
“That’s good to hear; especially coming from you. With your father’s adviser gone, maybe we can pick up where we left off?”
Though his smile isn’t as big as yours, Gaara still smiles nonetheless. “I would like that.”
From that day forward, things changed enormously. You’re not sure what happened to Gaara during the chunin exams, but whatever it was, it completely transformed him. Like you’d been dreaming of doing for years, you were finally able to greet Gaara whenever he walked by while you were cleaning. It wasn’t just with a smile, either, but also with a “hello”. Not only would Gaara respond every time, but he would also smile in return.
This isn’t the only way in which things changed, either. For the first few months it started out with you saying a few words to each other every now and again, but before either of you could say anything much, you returned to your perspective tasks. Gaara would either train or go help out at Sunagakure’s Academy, and you would continue on with your cleaning. It didn’t stay like this, though. Eventually, as you became trusted enough to help clean the Kazekage level of the Tower, Gaara started talking to you more.
You had to come early and stay late to clean the sections of the Kazekage Tower that you were already given the duty of caring for. With the uppermost level containing the Kazekage’s office also on your plate, it forced you to stay later still. Not only that, but the occasional Wednesday slowly transformed into every Wednesday. You didn’t mind this, though. As strange as it might sound, you enjoy the extra work. It gives you more time to be around Gaara.
Over the three years that you have resumed speaking to each other, you have grown very fond of the brow-less boy’s company. Sometimes you are forced to stay at the Kazekage Tower so late that you got into the habit of occasionally eating dinner there. You never eat in the large dining room where everybody eats at, but in a little dining room off to the side that is more private. It gives you privacy to do the things that you like while eating meals, such as reading or doodling.
For five months straight you ate dinner in there without anyone knowing. That is, until Gaara walked in one evening. This is yet another fond memory of your ever-changing relationship with the Hidden Sand’s one and only jinjurichi.
On that particular night, you were eating a sandwich while drawing a picture of a rabbit. You haven’t seen too many rabbits, but you’ve seen pictures of them and have read about them in books. Over all, you think that rabbits are adorable creatures. Or, you would think that if you’d ever seen one, anyway... With a pencil in one hand, and your sandwich in the other, you drew to your heart’s content. The whole time you did this while humming a cheerful tune to yourself.
Once you were over three-quarters done with the rabbit, you paused in your chewing and your humming in order to speak to yourself.
“It isn’t bad. It’s not as good as the picture I saw in my book, but it’s still good.”
So focused were you on your doodling, that you were never aware that someone had entered the room. Not until the person spoke out sounding mildly surprised.
“_________, what are you still doing here? I thought that you went home for the night.”
Looking up from your drawing, you saw Gaara standing in the doorway of the kitchen. For once he wasn’t wearing his gourd. Instead he was wearing plain black pants and the plain black shirt that he wears under his crimson jacket. Neither his gourd nor trademark jacket are in sight. Not used to seeing him without the gourd, or without crimson, you did a double-take before greeting him.
“Oh. Hi, Gaara. Yeah, I’m still here. I still have a couple rooms on the Kazekage level to finish up, and then I’m gone for the night. I won’t be here for too much longer.” Pausing, you asked, “You don’t mind that I’m using your kitchen, do you?”
It was here that Gaara fully entered the room, eyeing you curiously. “No, I don’t mind you being here. You just bewilder me is all. It seems like all of your time is spent working. Don’t you ever want to go home and be with your mother, or spend time with your friends?”
For some reason, his inquiry caused you to stop everything you were doing in order to stare at him. Until Gaara brought it up, the questions he asked never occurred to you. Has your entire life really been spent working? Come to think of it, when was the last time you went home to talk to your mother instead of going straight to bed? Not only that, but the “friend” statement had caught you off guard as well. All you’ve been doing from the time you’ve been six years old is helping your mom make a living. Because of this, you never had time to make any friends. None besides Gaara, that is.
Apparently Gaara saw the affect his questions had on you, because a short time after asking them, he sauntered over to the table where you sat. Pulling out the chair that was directly to your left, he took a seat while continuing to observe you. Meanwhile, as he watched you’re in depth facial expression with consideration, you managed to formulate a response.
“Now that I think about it, I guess I do spend a lot of time working. Don’t worry about it, though. I still have plenty of time on Sundays to spend with my mother, and I have the evenings on Mondays and Fridays, too. We have to work a lot to get ahead in life, but it isn’t a big deal. I’m used to it.”
You tried not to notice, but concern filled Gaara’s seafoam green eyes. “What about your friends? Don’t you have any time to spend with them?”
You couldn’t stop your cheeks from coloring at this question. Nonetheless, despite the embarrassment you felt, you answered his question honestly.
“Actually, no. I don’t have time to spend with them, but it doesn’t matter too much. You see...”
You trailed off after that last sentence, but it didn’t make much of a difference. Gaara being Gaara, he was able to decipher the meaning behind your unspoken words.
“Oh...” he’d replied with wide eyes. “I see... Until now, I thought that Naruto and I were the only people who had that kind of problem.”
Cheeks turning more crimson than before, you replied while averting your gaze. “It isn’t really a ‘problem’, Gaara. It’s just...unfortunate...”
A long moment passed, neither you nor Gaara saying anything. Eventually Gaara stood up, but it wasn’t to leave. Instead he got into the refrigerator and began removing the proper ingredients to make his own sandwich. Confused by this, you eyed him momentarily before inquiring about his actions.
“Gaara, what are you doing? Don’t you want to eat dinner with Temari and Kankuro?”
The boy gave a small smile while turning away from the counter to face you. “They can eat without me for tonight. Besides. I’m sure that Kankuro has already eaten my portion of the food anyway. I might as well sit in here and have a sandwich with you.”
You couldn’t stop joy from consuming your voice his words. “Okay! Company would be nice.”
After putting the finishing touches on his dinner, Gaara shoved the ingredients back into the fridge and resumed sitting in the chair situated to your left. For the first few minutes after he sat down, the two of you ate in silence. Gaara carefully chewed his sandwich, and you nibbled yours while completing your drawing of the rabbit. The only time the peaceful silence ended was when the boy commented on your artwork.
“That’s a very good rabbit. I like the fur pattern you drew on it. I saw one just like on my way back from the Hidden Leaf Village once.”
Gazing down at your drawing, you noted the gray spot you drew around the bunny’s eye as well as the additional spot on its stomach. Smiling, you asked Gaara about the rabbit he saw in excitement.
“There are rabbits near the Leaf Village?! Really?! What do they look like?!”
Returning your smile, he replied, “Exactly like that, to be honest. Though they’re a bit smaller, and their ears are different.”
Intrigued by the description of the rabbit, you made another inquiry. “What other animals are there near the Leaf Village? Are there trees, too? You have to tell me!”
Surprisingly, Gaara’s smile grew slightly larger at your question. “I can tell you about what the Hidden Leaf Village is like if you want me to. I’ve been there several times.”
A long moment of silence passed, but it wasn’t the awkward or uncomfortable sort. Rather, Gaara appeared to be contemplating something as he sat quietly in his spot. The moment that passed felt incredibly lengthy, but at last the red-haired boy spoke once more. When he did, he stared you down with his green eyes containing an expression of intensity.
His seafoam eyes met your (___e/c___) ones and your gazes locked, causing your heart to flutter. Nobody had ever looked at you with that kind of expression before, so it was definitely something new. Of course, even with as new as the experience was, you couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling that his gaze gave you. Your insides twisted awkwardly in the most pleasant of ways, and for some strange reason, you found yourself wanting to lean in closer.
Before you had a chance to follow your gut reaction, however, Gaara spoke once more.
“Maybe one day you could see the Leaf Village for yourself. Not just the Leaf Village, but other places, too.” Pausing, he added, “A new Kazekage is going to be chosen in a year or so. Once they’re chosen, somebody might be able to pull some strings for you.”
Current Day and Time
You have no idea how long you have been daydreaming for. All you know is that one moment you were busily dusting off the book-filled shelves in the Kazekage’s office, and the next thing you know you find yourself staring out the window thinking of times past. For some reason, Gaara’s office always does this to you. It makes you think of how your fifteen years of life have treated you, of how the past hasn’t been too kind to either you or Gaara, and how despite all that, life has turned out well.
Gaara started out as nothing more than a human weapon, feared by everyone who crossed his path. Now this same boy is the leader of Sunagakure, and is greatly admired. You started out as girl who spent her entire life working and who never made a single friend because of it. Now this same girl is a close friend of the Fifth Kazekage, has been earning better wages due to her friendship with Gaara so she doesn’t have to work herself to death, and has recently met some very kind people. These people consist of the Kazekage’s own siblings, some people who were here from the Leaf Village to take the combined Chunin exams, and oddly enough, some of the people in your neighborhood who you didn’t used to speak to very often.
Since becoming the Kazekage, life has definitely been looking up for both of you. In all of your fifteen years, you have never felt this happy. Amazingly enough, it all started with a ripped teddy bear and a piece of cake. The thought that something so simple could have such an effect makes you smile.
Meanwhile Gaara, who was sitting at his desk working on paperwork, glances over at you. Being caught up in your thoughts you don’t notice it, but the sun is setting on the other side of the spacious windows. You should have been home hours ago, but you have been increasingly distracted today; first by going out to lunch with Gaara, and then by spending the day shopping with his older sister, Temari. Nonetheless, it was a welcome distraction. Friends really are a wonderful thing to have.
As you stand in front of the window staring outward, your shiny (___h/c___) hair catches in the light, setting your entire persona in a beautiful glow. Your serene posture and pleasant smile appear truly breathtaking as well. Thus, why Gaara stands up from the long hours spent sitting behind his desk and walks over to stand beside you at the window.
“You have been in a very good mood today, ________. I take it that you had fun spending the afternoon with Temari?”
Coming out of your thoughts, you face Gaara with a nod as well as a happy smile. “Yes, I did. It was nice. The whole day has been nice.”
Once that is said, the two of you lapse into silence. It is a very peaceful silence. When Gaara moves closer to you by several inches, watching the sunset from the top of the Kazekage Tower is made even more pleasant. Before you know it, you find yourself snuggling up against him. Gaara blushes momentarily, but finds himself returning the action by placing an arm around your shoulder a moment later. You find your own face reddening as he does this, but you don’t protest; not in the slightest.
It takes a moment, but at last Gaara speaks again. This time it is in the form of an odd question that causes you to raise a brow.
“________, are you happy here in Suna?”
Raising your head so that you’re looking up at him, you reply curiously. “Yes, I am. I’m very happy. This is as happy as I have ever been.” Hesitating slightly, you inquire, “Why do you ask?”
“I was just wondering,” he says simply. “For the past nine years I have always seen you around the Kazekage Tower. Every time I saw you, you always wore a smile. Not once have I ever seen you without it. The fact that you always wear a smile and always manage to be happy... It’s refreshing.”
Smiling, you turn your head back down to its previous position and lean against him. His maroon jacket is always the tiniest bit gritty with sand and his chest is always very firm, yet Gaara always manages to be a comfortable person to lean against all the same. Meanwhile, you respond.
“Of course I always smile. I’m as happy as I’ve ever been, but that doesn’t mean that I was miserable before. When you look hard enough, there’s always something to smile about.” After a momentary pause, you add, “Right now, for example, I’m smiling because I get to talk to you and be near you even though I’m only ‘the help’. I may only be a maid, but it ends out that your dad’s adviser was wrong. Me being ‘the help’ didn’t change a thing, did it?”
Pulling you closer, Gaara rests his chin atop your head. Admittedly, it is a bit of a bold move for Gaara, but it has always amazed you what he will do differently when nobody else is around.
Meanwhile, he responds with a smile of his own. “Honestly, I don’t think that being a maid would have changed anything either way. I’ve always had a hard time keeping you in that category, to tell the truth. Out of all the people in this village, you’re the only person who stuck with me before I became the Kazekage. There wasn’t a single person who made me anything for my birthday, or even offered me a smile the way you always did. Even if you didn’t talk, ________, you were always there. And for that, I thank you.”
Upon hearing his words, you are instantly stunted speechless. For a moment you don’t move, but then you find yourself turning around in his grasp and giving him a long hug around the neck. Luckily, it doesn’t take long for Gaara to return your embrace.
Several lengthy moments pass before you speak to him.
“You don’t have to thank me, Gaara. There’s nothing else I would have rather done than be there for you. If anything, I should be thanking you for everything you’ve done for me.”
Once this is said, the two of you lapse into silence once more. This time, however, the silence isn’t filled by hugging or by peacefully standing next to each other. Instead, you find yourself standing on the tips of your toes with hesitation. In the same manner, Gaara bends over while appearing slightly nervous. Nonetheless, the anxiety doesn’t last long for either of you. An instant later your lips meet in a brief but strong kiss, your arms around Gaara’s neck and one of his hands cupping your cheek. His other hand rests at the small of your back, holding you close to him as he kisses you.
After a few passionate seconds you pull apart, green eyes meeting (___e/c___). There isn’t any doubt that both of you are a bit surprised by what happened, though you still can’t help but feel happy about the occurrence.
It takes a second, but at last Gaara speaks. “________, I’m going to the Leaf Village next week to meet with the Hokage. Would you like to come with me to visit our friends?”
Resting a hand on one of his broad shoulders, you reply easily. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Literature
Gaara x Reader : Changes?
You were walking around the village for no particular reason.
"Hey! (y/n)!" A voice called out.
You turned around to see that it was Hiroya that called you and he was running towards you.
"Hey, Hiroya. What's up?"
"We're having another match later this evening. Are you coming?"
"Of course!"
"All right! See you later!" He said as he ran off back in the direction from where he came from.
You stared at him as he ran. You were astonished. Hiroya never asked you to play. It was always one of your friends. You weren't close with him at all, and even heard about the rumor that he hated you.
You continued walking, until you saw a certain redh
Literature
Naruto X Little! Reader
“Sasuke-kun! Grab her!” Sakura yelled as she chased the little girl that was armed with a paper bomb and a kunai.
Sasuke appeared in a puff of smoke in front of her with his arms wide open ready to catch her. She smirked and made a left turn leaving a trace of paper bomb where Sasuke and Sakura were.
“BOOM!”
The both of them looked fried.
“I’m gonna kill you, you little brat!!!!” Sakura was about to go after her but Sasuke stopped her by wrapping his arms around her waist saying, “Sakura calm down, our job is to make sure that she’s not harmed.”
Sakura calmed down but not by wha
Literature
Gaara x Reader : Smile
Staying over at someone's house is something you've never done before.
Staying over at Gaara's place is something you thought was not possible; or anyone else did for that matter...
But that is what you did ever since the attack from Hiroya. Although it was just a shuriken, the fact that he stepped on the injury made it worse; the cut was deeper than expected and left a pretty bad wound, which will take days to heal, according to Yashamaru. Not only that, it had scrapped the joint of your ankle which was why every time you attempted to walk, it hurt badly.
Nevertheless, the thought of staying with your friend kind of thrills you. 'I guess
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Okay, it has taken me ages, but this story is finally finished! Usually I prefer to do my reader-inserts from a comedy angle, but I decided not to this time. I felt another idea for a story coming on while I was writing it, so I went with it. Nonetheless, even if this story doesn't provide my usual dose of comedy, I am actually very happy with the way it turned out. Hopefully you like romance, because this is what it contains. Enjoy, my friends! 
To you who made the request, I really hope you like it. Sorry it took me so long to get it done for you!
*Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto*
Other Stories of Mine:
When You Get Embarrassed: Kakashi--fullmoonbloodbender.deviantart…
When You Get Embarrassed: Gai--fullmoonbloodbender.deviantart…
When You Get Embarrassed: Iruka--fullmoonbloodbender.deviantart…
The Hidden Truth [Itachi X OC]: Chapter One--fullmoonbloodbender.deviantart…
To you who made the request, I really hope you like it. Sorry it took me so long to get it done for you!
*Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto*
Other Stories of Mine:
When You Get Embarrassed: Kakashi--fullmoonbloodbender.deviantart…
When You Get Embarrassed: Gai--fullmoonbloodbender.deviantart…
When You Get Embarrassed: Iruka--fullmoonbloodbender.deviantart…
The Hidden Truth [Itachi X OC]: Chapter One--fullmoonbloodbender.deviantart…
© 2016 - 2024 FullMoonBloodbender
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Your writing was incredible and I genuinely enjoyed the story!