I Give Up

Chapter 10

"...... Kankuro?" Naruto was startled when she saw the Sand Puppet Master and the brother of her best friend, Gaara.

"....... So the Intel really is correct" he said before he deliver a punch on her head

"Ow! What'd you do that for!?!?" Naruto gritted her teeth as she rubbed her head

"You made us worried you moron, disappearing just like that" Kankuro snorted, Naruto rolled her eyes as she picked up the fallen vegetables and basket

"One could take so much. Gaara had reached his limits long ago before the pent up anger and hatred was released. I may smile and act like nothing happened but that does not mean that I do not feel other emotions other than happiness and contentedness. Shouldering so much for years now, it's bound to crush someone" Naruto said

"I see. You are so strong and unbeatable, from Zero to Hero. Like nothing could sway you other than Sasuke. It made me forgot that you are also a human" Kankuro said, Naruto only smiled

"Hm. You are alone?" Naruto asked, Kankuro nodded

"Gaara sent me here to check. What should I tell him?" Kankuro asked, in other words, 'This is none of my business but from the two of you and my brother, who should I choose?'

"Tell him nothing" Naruto said, Kankuro sighed before he waved farewell and left

"Do you think he would tell?" Iruka asked as he walked out of the house wearing black sweater and blue pants

"I am not sure. I don't know Kankuro that much, but he knew how to keep his mouth shut" Naruto said as she walked in.

Three weeks have passed and snow started falling. Naruto head to the woods and started collecting loads of firewood in which she forgot to collect earlier. Just as she head back, the pile of twigs, branches, and stumps was lifted from her arms. She blinked and stared at the firewood and spotted something, she whirled around.

"Gaara?" she called, and lo! The former Jinchuurikis of Ichibi Shukaku and current Kazekage step out from the shadows

Still wearing his maroon robes and the oversize peanut like gourd strap on his back, he looks exactly like the last time Naruto saw him which was almost 6 years no, though his hair is more longer and more spiky as well as messy. He did not wear any cloak, so the snowflakes gated on his hair, shoulders, and gourd.

"Naruto......" Gaara walked forward

"Did Kankuro tell you?" Naruto asked, Gaara closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them, evaluating Naruto

"He didn't. He haven't said a word. It made me suspicious of course, I had placed Baku in charge of Suna for a while and came here to check it myself" Gaara answered after a few seconds

"I see. Come, let's talk to my house, there is bound to be a blizzard in a few hours" Naruto said as she lead Gaara back to her house, Iruka is out with some friends

"Make yourself at home" Naruto said as she head to the basement to pile up the wood she collected, she put her cloak away as she started boiling the water to prepare for tea.

"You're not...... You're not in disguise are you?" Gaara asked as he sat down and watched as Naruto busied herself

"No, actually... It was a funny story" Naruto said as she leaned on the counter and waited for the water to boil

"Hm....Kyuubi is no longer inside you. I can't sense him" Gaara stated, Naruto smiled and nodded

"That is true. I wanted to let Kurama out, but it cost the both of us, our genders" Naruto said as she gestured her body

"I see" Gaara looked not that surprised, Naruto pour the boiled water into the teapot and placed it on the tray as well as the snacks and serves it to the. Oth of them before taking a seat in front of Gaara

"Don't be surprised that I am not surprise with this news. After all, you are not the Most Unpredictable Knucklehead Ninja" Gaara said as he blew softly on the steaming tea and took a sip

"No longer a Shinobi. I resigned, its probably one t of the reasons while I am rusty" Naruto chuckled, Gaara gestured at the photo hanging on the wall

"The Red head woman is Kurama, beside her is Itachi whom was now her husband, yes, she brought him back to life along with my parents" Naruto smiled at Gaara's surprised look

"Yeah, pretty surprising. I just took an undercover name of Uzumaki Natsume whom was Uzumaki Naruto's Wife" Naruto said as she took a sip on her tea

"Aren't you tired....?" Gaara asked, the 'Of pretending, hiding, and holding back?' was left unsaid

"I am but what choice do I have? I don't. I think it's best if I live like this, ttebayo" Naruto said

"You're living a life of paranoia which is not living at all." Are you satisfied with that? Gaara asked

"Are they satisfied?" They cause me to live like this

"But did that stop you?" Gaara asked, Naruto smiled but did not say anything

"......"

"......"

The two former Jinchuurikis just sat there in silence, basking in each other's company, the occasional clinking of the tea cup softly hitting the table could be heard every once in a while.

"What's you agenda then?" Naruto asked

"I'm going to find a wife. The council insist me to do so, many just want to jump in the opportunity, either for status, money, or just plain obsession" Gaara said

"So you found an excuse to escape those old cots? What about that Matsuri girl?" Naruto asked, amused

"She belonged to the Third Category" Gaara stated flatly

"I see" Naruto smirked as she drank the tea

"So I was thinking...... If you would be up to it" Gaara said making Naruto spit her drink in shock, Akai who was unfortunate to be in range was sprayed

"I'm sorry what?" Naruto asked, blinking in shock

"Be my wife" Gaara simply said, Naruto was outright speechless.