Snowy Heart. (Naruto FF)

"Thank you, Saruko."

Previously:

   Gaara nodded, watching as Saruko leaned her head back against the tree, hitting the rough bark. Just as she had shut her eyes, she felt the light tap of a raindrop on her nose. Within seconds, the rain started to come down hard on the both of them.

   "Quick, in here!" Saruko called out, placing her hand against the bark of the tree as it opened for them. After a brief moment of surprise, he took up on her offer, and they both flocked inside the tree.

   ×××

   The two of them eventually reached the top of the steps, finding shelter in the baby sanctuary. While one redhead tried to process what the room was to be used for, the other instantly made a water dome above their heads to prevent any from leaking in and ruining her hard work.

   "Please, have a seat. We'll probably be up here a little while." Saruko suggested, nodding towards the rocking chair as she pulled out a few towels she used for Kin's baths. Tossing one to the Sand Ninja, she was about to start drying herself when a whimper fell on her ears. Within a few seconds, that whimper morphed into a full-on cry.

   Bolting up from slight surprise, Gaara watched as Saruko scampered over to the crib side, shushing whatever laid inside. 'A baby? Does she have a baby brother or sister? Or maybe...no, that's practically impossible. She's not too much younger than I am.'

   He stood back and watched as Saruko picked up a chubby bundle of joy from the crib and started to bounce him, comforting the child. Recognition sparked in his eyes at the child. More specifically, his teeth and skin. "Isn't that the missing newborn to the Riokumi clan?"

   "The one that 'mysteriously' was eradicated in the middle of the night? Yeah, that's him." Saruko smoothly replied over the baby's quieting yells. Across the room, she had a water clone making him a quick bottle.

   Gaara seemed to connect two and two together, his face seemingly unchanging from the hard look he came into the village with. "So, when you were in the Sand Village, you were the one who finished them off, weren't you?"

   "Why else would I've been in the village for? Window shopping for my deluxe mansion on a hilltop?" She sassed, catching the bottle flying towards her and warming it to the right temperature. "It was a mission I took to help keep this son of a bitch in my head calm and contained. Nothing more, nothing less."

   "And yet, you saved the only son of the head clansmen and care for it as your own. Why would you go out of your way to do such a thing, especially if it violates the mission you took. Why do you care about anyone but yourself?" He asked, confused. Saruko looked up for a moment before giving Kin his bottle and watching him suck down the formula.

   "Well...as you had just heard, I didn't have the greatest of childhoods. So, when I went to kill Kin, I couldn't help but think about myself. He was labeled a monster for something that he couldn't control. He had so many enemies out for him, and he isn't even a year old yet. It just...I don't know how to explain it." Saruko explained, her voice timid as she looked down at the fast-growing infant. A soft smile pulled onto her lips as she looked up at Gaara. "I guess I wanted to be there for someone like my 'mom' was for me. To care for someone other than myself again, ya know?"

   Gaara's eyes went big as he felt his heart start to pound. Her joyous smile, the passion in her voice, the glimmer of utmost determination in her eyes--it was all beautiful to him. She was beautiful to him.

   With red cheeks, the sand ninja turned to the most interesting wall in all of walldom, rubbing the back of his neck a bit. "You know, it doesn't look like you get a lot of sleep." Saruko cocked an eyebrow, gently bouncing the child as she threw a towel over her shoulder and started to burp him. "And you've lost a bit of weight too, no? I could, um, help with the baby somehow. If you want me to, that is. I'm not gonna hang around much if you got everything handled..."

   Saruko giggled softly at his awkwardness, unable to hear him and Shukaku yelling at himself. "I would love it if you decided to help, Gaara."

   "Well then, that's good. Cause I want to help and, uh, learn about...baby things." He tried, only getting Saruko to laugh some more.

   She started to walk over, hearing the satisfying burp of the baby in her ear and lowered herself to Gaara's level, who was still seated in the rocking chair. "Would you like to hold him?"

   He looked over at him, noting the baby's drooping eyelids as Kin yawned, just wanting to return to his nap. The redheaded boy nodded a bit, making the blue-eyed girl smile. "Okay then. Firstly, you gotta sit all the way back in your chair."

   Saruko helped Gaara ease into the proper position before gently transitioning the baby to his arms. "That's it now. Keep his head up, and be gentle with him." She saw his nod and stepped back, watching the scene as it played out.

   Gaara couldn't help but stare in awe at the small child, who was peacefully resting in his arms. The hands that have so far only brought pain and fear, now gently caressed the young boy's skin. He felt something, a mixture of nerves and something...brighter. Something he's never felt before.

   "He's so...small." He muttered, though Saruko easily caught it with her enhanced hearing. "And sleepy."

   A soft giggle. "That he is. But he's only about four months, so he's still growing." Saruko explained, walking over to the wooden dresser in the corner. She shifted through one of drawers as she continued. "He tends to become a lot more active in the late afternoons, though. However, he might just sleep the day away due to the rain."

   She pulled out a book, walking back over to the two boys. Making several fast-paced handsigns, thin, soft barked streams of water lifted out of the tree and bent themselves to the shape of a couch, circulating between the 'couch' and the tree's system. She sat, cracking the book open to the bookmarked page. "If you ever need to switch off, just let me know and I'll take him, okay? Also, feel free to familiarize  yourself with the area."

    "Thank you, Saruko," Gaara spoke, seeing her nod before going back to admiring the child. He noticed every gentle feature of Kin's. Every misplaced raven strand. The curve of his eyelashes. The plumpness of his cheeks and the slightly odd shaping of his head. Was that normal? Or was he malformed for whatever reason?

   Looking up to ask his new friend, Gaara wasn't too surprised to find Saruko snoring softly on the couch she had made. Her chest moved slowly with even breaths at first, the look on her pale and slightly scarred face was much softer than it's usual tense self. The sweep of her hair as it wrapped around her strangely mature figure. The sliver of her fangs pressed gently against the bulge of her bottom lip. The fading ombre of her red to blonde hair about halfway down, much higher than it was just a few months ago. Every delicate, elegant feature she had came to light when she was enveloped in slumber. 

   Suddenly, her face contorted into something pitiful. Her eyebrows scrunched together and her features tightened uncomfortably. Breathing turning choppy, Saruko whimpered softly as the soft glistening of tears built up by her eyelashes. She muttered something unintelligible and begun to shake harder, as if she were freezing.

   Gaara silently stood, moving to where she laid and moving her with his sand so that her head was on his lap as he sat. Carrying Kin in his opposite arm, he hesitantly laid his hand on her head, softly stroking her newly colored hair. After a short while, Gaara felt Saruko relax on top of him. Shutting his own eyes, he slipped into a mediatory state, focusing in on the calming effects of both the baby's and the young teen's slow, gentle breathing. And for once, he was calm...

...and he was smiling.

A rather short chapter, but I'm trying here! Finals are just around the corner and I am SWAMPED. Though, my summer break starts next Friday, so I should have a bit more free time after school is officially out! I will try to get another chapter by Saturday night up. Key word here being TRY. 

It's a stretch, but you guys deserve nothing but the best from me. So, until next time! Ja ne, my beautiful rosebuds!!