Rabbit Princess [Gaara] [3]

☾ 14 ☽

Days went on and on, and the snow began to pile up more often as the days settled deeper into the cold month of December. Tsukiko was busy for the most part, spending her time at work or making gifts for Gaara, especially since his birthday was also coming in January. She was missing him very much but Kakashi had told her to take it all easy.

And by that, Tsukiko knew that Kakashi did not want her to go with him to the Kage meeting. She was disappointed, wondering what Gaara would think but Kakashi told her that it was his request. Not to mention, she could afford to miss at least one Kage meeting to relax.

"Listen, Gaara personally requested me to let you relax," Kakashi said, rubbing his forehead. "Suna's a close ally, you're his fiancée, and I'm your teacher – everyone wants you to take some time off,"

"Right," Tsukiko muttered as she eyed him in his Hokage seat. "I know that, but I always feel like things would go wrong if I'm slacking off somewhere..."

"Don't you trust your Sensei?" Kakashi asked, sounding rather whiny and Tsukiko turned to him.

"Are you pouting right now, Kakashi Sensei?" Tsukiko inquired. "You know what that means –"

"No, no, it means nothing," Kakashi interjected quickly. "I'm not whining at all, trust in me and go have some nice time with your friends. Or just do whatever you like,"

Giving arguing with her teacher, Tsukiko headed out to the streets, strolling along as she did not have any work to do until later. She sighed as she was bombarded with more and more gifts, and she hid within crowds as she went to buy something pretty for Mirai.

It was Mirai's second birthday – the little girl had plenty of toys and clothes so Tsukiko was hoping to buy something that would complement her messy black hair that Tsukiko adored.

"Sounds like a good idea," Usaji agreed with her trail of thoughts.

"Right?" Tsukiko replied, smiling.

Tsukiko browsed through the hairclips in the store, checking out the ones with red gems upon them. She smiled to herself, finding it to suit Mirai the most. She looked up when she saw someone come to a stop next to her to look at the keychains nearby.

That someone was Hanabi, the brunette now growing into her height just a little smaller than Tsukiko. She had grown her hair out and was dressed in orange-yellow kimono-style clothes.

"Good morning, Tsukiko Nee-Chan!" Hanabi greeted playfully as she looked up at the older female. "What are you doing here? Are you buying hairclips for yourself?"

"Hanabi-Chan, good morning," Tsukiko replied, smiling. "No, I was actually buying some for Mirai-Chan, you know, Kurenai Sensei and Asuma Sensei's daughter?"

"For the Rinne Festival?" Hanabi inquired curiously, looking at the red hairclips.

"No, it's actually for her birthday," Tsukiko said. She tilted her head at the girl. "But you're right, the Rinne Festival is coming up. Why don't you pick something you like and I'll buy it for you as a gift?"

"Will you?" Hanabi asked, perking up and Tsukiko nodded with a smile. "Then..." She browsed through the keychains and picked out one with a small, pink Shinobi doll. "... this one!"

"That's really cute," Tsukiko agreed as she took it from her to take to the counter. "I remember really wanting all the rabbit keychains when I was younger. But I couldn't so I always used to make my own with my Crystal Style," She looked at the shopkeeper. "These, thank you,"

"Is that why everyone calls you the Rabbit Princess?" Hanabi asked. Tsukiko nodded, embarrassed. "I always wondered about it... I think it was because of your hair, they're like a snowy rabbit,"