𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐤𝐢 | ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ꨄ︎ ꜱʜɪᴘᴘᴜᴅᴇɴ

Kage Summit

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✧˖*°࿐

"It'll get colder when we depart for Iron." Gaara spoke as he exited the tassels to a street store. He held onto a thick red wool, which draped over his palms to his thighs.

A scarf.

Appreciatively, I took it. The colour of the scarf was just like his hair, making me gaze longer than intended before wrapping it over my grey robes. He was right, of course. The more we travelled north, the more the chill from Otogakure became nothing compared to the ice breeze in the snow-filled air.

I dug my chin into the scarf, dreading the cold. "Thanks."

Gaara himself had a scarf around his neck and over his long red sleeves, though it was the colour of rich cream. He carried his gourd of sand effortlessly on his back.

From the day's journey up north, I had a short time to process things. Gaara felt the need to tell me Naruto and Sakura were alright after the Akatsuki attack. Even then, I found it hard to express the relief inside of me. But I was glad. Even more so when Gaara spoke up again, keeping me from spiralling too deep into the thoughts of my first team.

"My siblings are waiting at this checkpoint here." Gaara pointed toward a direction down the bustling streets.

"Do they... know? The truth, I mean." I uncomfortably frowned, 

If Danzou's motive was to frame me for traitorous acts, I could be wrapped up in politics. But that mysterious bastard wouldn't be entirely wrong. I've stained my hands in the wrong way of shinobi. To think, I'm still not finished until it's Kabuto's blood next.

"They do." Gaara smiled, already in sync with my steps. "Forgive me, but I couldn't keep secret of your efforts from them if we were to travel together."

"That's fine." I shrugged, feeling oddly embarrassed. He made it sound like something completely different from my ANBU duty.

I thought back to Gaara's siblings; Temari and Kankuro. The last time I saw them was three years ago. I'd be lying if I said I didn't notice their appearance among the festival crowd. It was seconds before Gaara successfully hid me away.

Temari was strong-headed and blunt, even Kankuro. Unlike Gaara's mellowed softness, they were the jagged brutes. It would've been better for them to know the truth about me.

"About time you came back!" Kankuro's matured voice yelled, much deeper than his high-pitched threatening one to the Third's grandson all those years ago. He waved for us until we were standing little feet away.

He wore an entirely black robe over a navy blue turtleneck, gripping to a strap of his box bag. Kankuro still had the animal-like sun-protecting hat with plum paint across his eyes, mouth, and chin.

Standing next to him was Temari, who leaned on a rail. With crossed arms, her darker teal eyes landed right on mine. I figured she'd be the one to be mostly wary.

"Thought you left without us, your two bodyguards." She added, eventually smirking. Her sand-blonde hair is still styled in the four-spikey ponytail style, and even though her arms and legs were exposed, she wore a light green scarf similar to Gaara and I's to make up for the lack of warmth.

"Sorry for the wait." Gaara apologised. "But Kaz's finally here." His eyes scrunched slightly, pleased.

"It's certainly been a while..." Temari kicked off the railing, raising a brow as she examined me from scalp to toe.

I'm not a nervous person, but right now was an appropriate moment to feel nervous. Temari acted like Gaara's strict father whilst Kankuro awkwardly scratched his cheek at the atmosphere. Gaara remained quite oblivious.