Frostbitten Sand (Naruto Fanfic)

Playing Pieces

Shock...

Temari didn't understand her father, beyond perhaps making an educated guess that the man had a need to be in control. This would in turn cause problems once the man found out Gaara was now Kazekage. Finding out the man left the hospital before he was ready also stung, reminding her that Rasa never thought of his children's feelings or wellbeing. The distance the sandy-haired female felt between her and the auburn-haired man grew despite her hopes he would tell her something about Karura.

"Why? Why did he get out early like he did?" The reason wouldn't come to her. Anger pounded through her skull, as did annoyance. "He's not worried about overexerting himself, and yet he's worried about having caught some kind of bug? What is wrong with him? Can't he get his priorities straight?"

Temari watched Baki help the head medical ninja help Rasa to his feet. She dropped the trash can back in the allocated spot and set about making her own breakfast. With the food, she prepared a pot of tea. Baki soon came down, looking rather unpleased with Lord Rasa as well. The young woman set a cup of tea down. "Can we talk, sensei?"

"I need to wait for further instruction from the doctor. Your father is in the shower and has been told to remain under the hot water for awhile." Baki sat down across from her, not taking up his cup of tea.

"I hate him," Temari muttered into her first bite of food.

"I'm aware of that. You and Kankuro have told me this quite a few times." The man still didn't pick up his cup of tea.

"He's so childish. He's forty years old, but acts the way he does." Temari took a sip of her tea. "He's avoiding answering my questions. Told him I'm not a child anymore."

"Keep in mind, Lord Rasa's been in a coma for over a year, so he's not used to the idea you're seventeen, eighteen now. You turned eighteen this August, did you not?"

"Please don't tell me I'm of marrying age." Temari watched Baki flinch.

"Perhaps you should be glad Lord Rasa didn't bring that up, Lady Temari?"

Temari stopped breakfasting, setting her cup down. She tossed the idea over in her head. "I think..." A sigh escaped her lips, her teal eyes looking at the top of the table. "I think I'd be a lot less concerned if maybe he did bring it up, but truth be told I find myself questioning why he even came back."

"Lord Gaara."

The sandy-haired female pushed her lips together. "Great. Merry Christmas to us, with the old man butting into Gaara's business. That man's why my baby brother was as messed up as he was. All the previous Kage was good for was keeping Gaara under control, and that isn't needed anymore."

Baki remained silent, still not touching his tea.

"I don't get him. I mean, he's so concerned about getting out, and pushing himself like he did, and then he freaks out because he might have a flu bug."

The man's dark eyes widened. "That makes sense, though, considering the fact him having the flu wouldn't be a good thing."

Temari let her toast slip from her fingers to the plate, her mouth pushed into a frown. "I really don't care if that idiot gets himself sick."

"That's not..." One of Baki's eyebrows, or the one which was actually visible, went up. "Are you telling me Lady Temari, that you're not aware of that issue with Lord Gaara?"

The sandy-haired female felt a chill run down her spine, and she couldn't help but let her jaw drop. Her words began to stammer out. "Wait. What about Gaara? Tell me."