Kosuke Maruboshi, the Eternal Genin, has adopted a child and named her Akimi Maruboshi. He has taught her to cook without a kitchen, fight without fancy weaponry, and go to the Academy for an education. Now if only there was a way to fight without...
The doctor looked grimly at Akimi. "I am sorry, but Nao Sora is gone."
The feeling that time had just stopped came over her.
"What?" Akimi looked aghast. "Nonononono, please don't. He's not gone. He's not gone." She fell to her knees, clutching her head in horror.
"Miss--" the doctor noticed her medical bracelet. "I'll escort you to your room." He led Akimi away back to her room, before leaving. Akimi was in a state of trauma. She wanted to deny that Sora was dead. It just wasn't possible. He couldn't be dead. He can't afford to be dead! That means, she would be the only one left of the team!
"Miss Maruboshi," Akimi's current check up doctor came in. "I'm.....sorry for your loss."
Akimi just let the tears fall. Nothing came out of her mouth. Her eyes were wide open and her head hanging down. The tears fell, pooling in her lap. First Kazu's disappearance, then Hokage-sama's death, and now Sora's death. What would happen next?
"Miss, please rest," the doctor sighed, helping her back to bed. "Take it easy."
"I can't." The doctor looked at the girl, patting her back soothingly. Akimi choked back a sob. "It's too hard. I've lost both of my teammates."
"I know what it's like when you feel like you can't save your friends or someone you know," the doctor said gently. "I've had my share of saying goodbye to many patients too." Akimi said nothing. "Rest. I'll come for you in a couple hours."
Akimi shut her eyes, but her mind wouldn't sleep. Everything hurts, from physical pain to emotional pain. She lied awake in bed, the tears running continuously.
What felt like hours later, the doctor came back, but she wasn't alone. After checking Akimi over, the doctor opened the door to let the visitor come in.
"Gaara-san?" Akimi called out. The boy silently entered, carrying a bouquet of two irises.
"I'll come back later," the doctor said, leaving. Gaara wordlessly sat down in the empty chair and handed Akimi the flowers.
"Thank you," she said gratefully. "Are you alright?"
The boy looked at her confused. Why was she, the sick patient, asking him whether or not he was alright?
"I am fine," he responded softly, his voice quiet and low. "Why did you give me the flowers everyday?"
"There's no need to treat you like trash, right? You're a fellow Genjn participant of the Chunin Exams."
"I have killed people before," he said darkly. "I killed people without mercy. I'm a killer. I could end you right now."
"Then why didn't you?" Akimi asked. "All those times I came over to your room, why didn't you?" Gaara didn't answer. Akimi smiled and leaned back against her pillows. "I believe the answer is because you have a sense of freedom from you killing desires."
"Aren't you scare of me?"
Akimi let loose a short laugh. "I would be dumb if I weren't, but that's just it. Can't I learn to treat you as a friend?Anyways, since our villages are in an alliance, why don't we get to know each other? Hi, I'm Akimi Maruboshi, adopted granddaughter of Konoha's Strongest Genin." She stuck out her hand.
".....I'm Gaara no Sabaku." He hesitantly shook her hand, and afterwards they sat in silence, neither side bothering to raise a conversation. When the doctor came back, Gaara stood to leave.
"The Baumkuchen was good, thank you." Gaara promptly left after those words.
"You must be really good friends, huh?" The doctor said eagerly, checking Akimi's stitches. "And good-looking. You don't see red haired boys everyday."
"He's from Suna," Akimi added.
"I know, but don't let that stop you," the doctor chided, taking out a syringe.
"I don't know if I want to be in a romantic relationship."
"That's fine. Take it easy. There's no need to go jumping boys so soon."
The doctor left, and this time, Grandpa Kosuke came in. "I heard what happened about Sora." Akimi gripped the blanket tightly.
"Yeah. He's.....gone. They can't find Kazu either."
"Don't give up, Akimi," he said, sitting down. "Kazu is still out there, waiting to go home. You may have lost Sora, but don't take this as your fault. Accidents happen, and in the end, they may turn fatal."
"Yes, Grandpa."
"I'll bring you some dinner, alright? I'll be back." Grandpa Kosuke ruffled her short red-brown hair affectionately and left. Once she was alone, Akimi rested a sleeved-arm over her eyes, just letting the painful tears fall. Loneliness washed over her, and she couldn't help the emotions bubbling inside of her. No matter what the rules said about don't show emotions, there was no way she couldn't just keep smiling after seeing someone she knew very well.....die.
"You should visit some friends," Grandpa Kosuke suggested, returning from the store. "Go talk to them. Don't be by yourself."
"Yes, Grandpa."
So that evening, when Ino came in with a small box of panna cotta, Akimi delivered it herself to Gaara's room. "Gaara-san, may I come in?" The door opened immediately, and Gaara showed himself on the other side.
"Please come in."
"I've brought you some panna cotta," she announced, holding up the little box. "It's a dessert that has a creamy cheese layer with a fruit sauce right on top. I hope you like strawberries! Well then, I'll take my leave--" Gaara grabbed her arm quickly.
"No. Stay. Prove to me you're not scared to stay with me."
"Um.....okay." He let go of her arm after she said that, relieved.
"Then, can you eat it with me?" Gaara asked quietly, pointing to the gift she had brought.
Akimi smiled gently at the boy. "Sure thing."
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