By The Strings

18~ company

I sat up, a drip of drool cane from my mouth and my hair was an absolute disaster.

"Temari?" I saw her looking at Kankuro with a fire in her eyes, I had never seen her so fired up over anything.

"Kakashi requested you stay here and wait for team guy also so that you can watch over Kankuro, the rest of us are headed to get Gaara." I pouted wanting to go fight people.

"I'm sure you could see some action too, just wait here alright?" She didn't want to fight me on this. She finally glanced over at me about lost it while Kankuro tried to shush her. I just looked at the two of them like they were complete weirdos.

"I'm off now, you might want to wash your face, Masako." She shook her head as she left the room.

I looked at my reflection in a trey and I could have killed Kankuro in that moment. He painted my face with his Make up, "you make fun of me so much for it I figured you were just jealous." He shrugged.

I didn't feel like washing it off right then but I planned to after I finished checking on Kankuro. I took his vitals and everything, he was already gaining his strength back.

"Don't rush it but I think soon you should be well enough to walk around." I smiled at him before going to wipe the stupid stuff off my face before anyone saw.

When I walked back out Baki was scolding Kankuro for walking so I decided to interject.

"It's okay, I cleared him to walk around." I was actually thinking about it since he was doing much better.

They both left giving me nothing to do so I used the opportunity to brush out my hair. Yosuke rubbed her face on my leg telling me she was there.

I went outside to help defend the village, it's always a possibility that we will be attacked.

I just impatiently waited on top of one of the walls unsure if an attack would even come.

I sat impatiently watching over the village, I really wanted some action. My calls were answered as I watched a fully clothed Kankuro sit down on the steps, curiosity got to me.

I jumped from building to building making my way closer to him, once I was close enough I dropped down and sat beside him.

"Are you here to stop me?" He sounded hostile. "Nope, I know I can't. But I will advise against it even though I know it won't change your mind. You're just as stubborn as I am." I admired that about him, the lengths he would go for his baby brother.

"Your clothes are looking a little small by the way, I take it they had to rip off your other ones?" I'd probably try and sew him a new pair.

"What took you so long?" He smirked looking up at Temari who had just run towards us.

"I flew back as quickly as I could. More to the point, you took too long to send over a substitute border squad." She tried to catch her breath clearly having run quite a ways.

"Your planning was bad." Leave it to Temari to say how it is.

"That's no way to show your appreciation. I carried out your selfish request despite recovering from an illness."

She scoffed.

"Well, shall we get going?" He questioned standing up.

"Yeah."

"Yes, sir!"

"Finally some action," I moaned.

And just like that, we were running towards the hideout looking for a fight.

"Stop!" Kankuro called turning around to look at us, "what's wrong, Kankuro?" Temari furrowed her brows.

"We'll rest here."

Temari protested his orders, "what?! What do you think your doing, Kankuro?! There's no time to rest easy in a situation like this!"

"Don't be so impatient... that's not like you, Sis."

I put my hand on her shoulder to get her attention to the people behind her, they couldn't catch their breaths as they pleaded for time to rest. Temari wasn't having it.

Kankuro scolded her for being unreasonable, I was with the others. I needed a short breather.

Yosuke whined as we plopped down onto the hard earth below, Honorable Grandfather was going to tell stories while we rested up but I ended up falling asleep due to staying up so late with Kankuro the night before.

Back on track, we continued our never-ending running. I had no idea how far we would be going, just in case I poped a food pill in my mouth crushing it with my teeth.

It was silent as we continued out farther into a large field, most of the village crowded around what I could only assume was Gaara alive and well.

Temari rushed over to inspect her brother, she had been worried sick the entire time. Gaara was stunned by how many of his people were there, he couldn't believe they were there just for him.

I was relieved to see him alive and healthy but my heart instantly dropped seeing Granny Chiyo motionless in Sakuras arms, there was no way she had died right?

No one else had noticed her yet, everything around me stopped moving as my ears began ringing. I had spent almost a year pestering her every year, we had a bond similar to a teacher and a student.

My feet moved on their own carrying me towards Sakura who still held onto Granny Chiyo, I had to know for sure.

I was inches away when Sakura held her bag up to me, "she said to give you these to guard until he is strong enough to use them," she looked as devastated as me, her voice shook with every word she uttered.

I peaked in the bag not sure what it was she wanted me to guard, upon inspection, I realized it was all of her prized puppets... I couldn't hold back my tears as they ran down my face. I tried to cover my eyes, I didn't want to ruin the return of the Kazekage.

An arm draped over my shoulder, I tried to stop my crying but I just couldn't. I was both happy for the return of Gaara but losing Granny hurt deeply.

"Come on, I don't think she'd appreciate those crocodile tears." He lightly shook me, he was trying to make me feel better.

Without thinking I just buried my face into his chest, "jeez, your such a cry baby!" He joked ruffling my hair.

"Hey! Don't act like you didn't cry over Gaara!" I laughed sniffling. For some reason being with Kankuro made me feel better, I didn't feel so alone for once.

He pulled away as Gaara stood up to speak, "everyone, let's pray for Granny Chiyo."

We all bowed our heads to do as he wished, the tears continued to run down my face along with Sakuras.