Naru: Misty Eyes (A Naruto Fanfic) [Complete]

Chapter Eight: Life Moves On

Over the next several weeks, Gaara and Naru became entirely inseparable. The other children didn't like Gaara any more than the adults in Konoha liked Naru, so the two of them tended to stick to themselves. Neither particularly minded. On rare occasions, Kankuro would join them, dragging Temari along as well. They didn't seem to hate Gaara, but Naru noticed they always seemed more hesitant around him.

Gaara, who was already six, insisted on Naru celebrating her birthday. She agreed only if Gaara celebrated, albeit late, with her. Kohaku, who was used to seeing Gaara around their house more often than not, just laughed at the two and said they'd both get a party whether they agreed or not because she and Ryuu were already planning one. The two nin had finally agreed to go out together after Gaara and Naru's little intervention in the ramen restaurant.

On October 10th, Kohaku, Karasu, Tsuki, Ryuu, Kankuro, and Temari celebrated Naru's birthday and had a late birthday for Gaara. Gaara's uncle Yashamaru even made a brief appearance. Both were happier than they had been in a long time. They didn't mind that there weren't many people there. It was still more people than either had had for a long time.

Naru and Gaara got assorted gifts from everyone, although they were almost all ninja related, seeing as all the attendees were ninjas or ninjas-to-be. Naru's favorite was a new staff Ryuu had gotten her. It had the Suna symbol engraved near the top and the Konoha symbol near the bottom. He said it was so she wouldn't forget her roots, even though she had branched out into a new place. Gaara, personally, favored a large gourd Temari and Kankuro had gotten him to hold his sand in.

They had gotten each other gifts as well, although they'd gone together to do so. Each had a pendant with half the kanji symbol for friends. They fit together to form the whole symbol, something that had excited Naru because she could feel the symbol even though she couldn't see it. Naru loved the pendant even more than her staff because, as much as she liked Kohaku, Ryuu, and the others, Gaara was her first friend her age, and he would always be important to her.

~*~

Weeks quickly turned to months and then years, and Gaara soon entered the Suna Academy, having turned eight. Naru was proud of her friend for deciding to become a ninja, someone who protected their village no matter the cost, even when so many still feared and distrusted him. She didn't know if she could do that for Konoha. The Hokage expected her to come back home when she was twelve, she knew, but how could she? Konoha wasn't her home. Suna was her home. It was where Kohaku and Ryuu were, where Karasu and Tsuki were, where Temari and Kankuro and Yashamaru were, and it was where Gaara was. How could she possibly leave any of them behind?

~*~

Even after she was old enough, Naru didn't enter the Academy herself. Gaara taught her what he learned, Temari correcting him on any misinformation if she was there, and Kohaku and Ryuu helped her as well when they had time. Kohaku was excellent at taijutsu and genjutsu, although she mostly taught Naru the former, and Ryuu taught her how to use her staff as a weapon. She wasn't as accurate with kunai and shuriken, but she picked up staffs and swords surprisingly well. Ryuu and Kohaku worked together to integrate her weapons into her taijutsu. It was what she learned from Tsuki that she liked the most though. The silver-haired nin used tessenjutsu and hojojutsu, fans and ropes. Naru wasn't any good with hojojutsu, which disappointed her because it sounded useful, but she was fairly good at using war fans. The ones she practiced with, though, were nowhere near as large as Temari's. Where Temari's fan was large and obviously a weapon, Naru preferred the far more discreet fans that, unless looked at closely, seemed nothing more than an ordinary fan. Karasu even tried teaching her seals. He knew some but not a lot and only agreed because she presented an explicit interest in the subject. Gaara helped with those as well, manipulating his sand to form the seals so that Naru could feel what they looked like.

~*~

When Naru turned ten, she was thrilled to find out that Kohaku and Ryuu were getting married. They'd been dating for four years, so it was about time if anyone asked her. On December 1st, they were married, and Naru got to be their flower girl. She smiled so much that her face hurt. Her smile only grew when they announced at the reception that, if she wanted, they'd like to officially adopt her. Of course, she had said yes, repeatedly in fact.

She stayed over with Gaara while her parents-- she loved calling them that-- went on a honeymoon to the Land of Waves. Apparently Kohaku wanted to tease Ryuu about his inability to swim. Kohaku defended herself by claiming that they were going because the ocean was pretty and Ryuu could always learn to swim while they were there. Naru just laughed and told them to have a good time.

Not long after they got back, Naru discovered she was going to be a big sister. She danced around the house smiling and laughing, while Ryuu danced with her and Kohaku laughed at the two of them.

On October 20th, ten days after Naru turned eleven, Eito Senshi was born. Her little brother. Gaara, who still described people for her, told her that Eito was small and pale, but that his hair was a strawberry blonde color. His eyes were a dark golden brown. Naru didn't need Gaara's description to know that Eito was the most beautiful baby ever. He was no matter what he looked like. Still, she was glad Gaara told her. She liked to picture her baby brother in her head. He was perfect. Another special person in her growing group of special people.

~*~

The day Naru turned twelve, she and Gaara were taking care of Eito. Kohaku and Ryuu had said they'd be back by lunch, that they had to talk to the Kazekage, but it was already early afternoon. When they finally got back, the two were much quieter than normal. Naru turned towards where they were when the door closed.

"You're back!" She got up from where she'd been kneeling on the floor, playing with Eito, and ran over to her parents, throwing herself into Kohaku's and Ryuu's arms.

"Hey, kiddo," Ryuu said. Naru frowned. He sounded... dejected. Ryuu never sounded like that.

"What's wrong, Dad?" Naru asked as she heard Gaara walk up behind her, Eito babbling happily to himself in Gaara's arms.

"Do you remember what the Hokage told you about coming to Suna, Naru?" Kohaku asked gently. That set off more alarm bells than Ryuu's dejection. Kohaku might be motherly, but she wasn't particularly delicate. She said what needed to be said, no matter what it was.

"That I could stay... until I was twelve..." Naru's lower lip started to quiver. "I don't want to go back there, Mom. Please don't make me go back. I live here now."

"I know, Naru, I know," Kohaku hugged her tighter, and Naru buried her head in the retired nin's shoulder. "And I don't want you to go back. You're our precious little girl."

"Think of it like a study-abroad program, kiddo," Ryuu said, trying to sound positive. "Kazekage-sama has been talking with the Hokage. They agreed that, if you still want, you can return to Suna in a year. Permanently. You'd be an official citizen of the Village Hidden in the Sand."

"I thought I already was when you adopted me."

"So did we. Apparently something 'went amiss in the paperwork,'" Kohaku didn't sound like she believed it.

"You mean Naru is going away for a whole year?" Gaara asked, joining the conversation. "That isn't fair! Why does she have to go if she doesn't want to?"

"Because, Gaara, she is technically still a citizen of Konoha," Kohaku said. Naru felt her crying. Ryuu too. They loved her so much, and they didn't want her to leave either. She knew that, but it still hurt that she had to leave.

"Then I'll go with her!"

"You can't, Gaara," Ryuu said carefully.

"You said it was like a study-abroad. If Naru can study abroad, so can I!"

"It'll be alright, Gaara," Naru said as she turned to smile at him, although her smile was admittedly quivery. "I'll be back before you know it, you'll see."

Gaara must have handed Eito to her parents because Naru felt him hugging her the next instant. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'm going to miss you too." Naru hugged him back tightly, feeling him cry into her shoulder, and she wished she could still cry as well. She surely would be now if she could. Why would she ever want to return to Konoha when they were the reason for her tears and the reason for her inability to shed them?