Naruto One-Shots *Closed to Requests*

Little Monster [Gaara] for Chi

Inspiration: Radioactive by Pentatonix & Lindsey Sterling

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"More?" Gaara sighed. He was irritated, hand flexing from all the documents he had signed and gone over that day. And here was his older brother, Kankuro, dropping off even more. It was late enough as it was and both knew they'd hear about this from Temari for missing diner.

"You can blame the Council," the puppet master grumbled. "I'm not happy either. I'd like to see them do this for once for themselves."

Chuckling lowly, the Kazekage pulled a paper from the stack, eyes landing on a date listed. "How many more days until the 21st?"

"Five, why?" There was a pregnant pause, the date finally making sense to him. "Gaara-"

"No reason." He signed his name at the bottom and grabbed another.

"Well... don't stay here late. Good night."

The Kazekage waited until Kankuro's footsteps disappeared before lowering the pen and pinching the bridge of his nose. He hated this. Every year. Why couldn't the damn date disappear from his memory? From the world itself?

It had been nearly ten years since the removal of Shukaku, and no that was not why the date was important. Over time he had gained friends, which Gaara would've never thought was possible. But before all of them, before even gaining the trust, acceptance, and respect from his own siblings there had been another. The first connection he had towards another person. It was even stronger than the one he had towards Yashamaru.

Around them Gaara didn't have to hide the monster he was. He was accepted; an unknown feeling that was foreign for him. Which was why it took months before the Kazekage himself accepted their presence and didn't deem them as a threat.

Her name was Tenma. Ten as Gaara liked to call her because then there was no significance. No one would reference her to the negative meaning behind it. 'Demon'. It was cruel to name the child after the very creature that could reside inside of itself. Of course she was instantly an outcast to the society not wanting to take their chances. What if the name truly did deem her dangerous? Like Gaara, the Third Kazekage's son? The true demon. The monster. The killer.

Maybe that's what drew them together by fate yet cursed them at the same time.

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Gaara watched as the children ran away, glancing down at the sand bucket that had rolled into his side when it had dropped from a boy's hand. And the child didn't even attempt to stop them, knowing what had happened the last time during a soccer game. Turning back to the small sand castle he was in the middle of creating a shadow casted over it. Surprised, Gaara looked up, finding another child, younger than himself, standing there. "What are you doing?" she whispered. There was no excitement behind the question, or emotion in her eyes.

"Why do you care?" he asked back.

"I don't."

The two stared at each other for a long time, observing the other. And in that shared silence they realized that they were both the same, power swirling in their tiny bodies. Both were cursed.

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"The front line. How is it?"