Blood of the Desert (Read after 'fixing the shattered glass')

Chapter 9

Taki's P.O.V

Days later, after we had all been released from the hospital, we all sat in Dashyte's living room. Gaara and Crystal were still trying to sort out everything in the Kazekage building. We've been sitting here since early this morning, but not a word has been said.

Some time later there was a knock at the door. Bedai slowly walked over, opening the door he was met with a familiar face.

Bedai smiled sadly: "Hey, Kuraudo. Been awhile since we've seen you around."

Kuraudo frowned scratching the back of his head: "Yeah man, sorry about that....And sorry about Raki. I heard what happened."

My brother nodded letting the son of the lazy leaf ninja in the room. Kuraudo chose to sit next to me while my brother sat back down next to Dashyte. She looked so distant from everyone in the room. Her eyes didn't look like they were focused on anything.

Kuraudo whispered to me: "Do you want to take a walk?"

I only nodded letting him take my hand and led me out of the apartment. He didn't let go of my hand even after we had left the busy streets of the village. I knew where he was taking me, it was where we always went when we needed time to ourselves. Shikamaru had passed on his habit of cloud watching to his son. After we had reached one of the few hills that had some grass on it we sat down, our hands still intertwined.

Kuraudo: "I know you're not feeling okay and there is something on your mind besides Raki's death."

Tears started to fall as he pulled me into his chest: "I can't tell him, i just can't."

Kuraudo: "Tell who?"

: "My brother.."

Kuraudo: "What can't you tell him taki?"

I buried my face into his chest making it hard to hear what i said "I..i am no longer capable..of being a ninja."

Kuraudo let me sob into his shirt as he held onto me, slowly rocking us back and forth.

Bedai's P.O.V

I knew why Kuraudo had come over, it's the same reason i was here next to Dashyte. Only Kuraudo and Taki have been dating for a few months, me on the other hand, i've never worked up the courage to ask her out.

Dashyte quietly asked me: "Why does it happen?....Why do we have do die?"

I slid my arm around her waist laying back letting her lay across my chest. She always said listening to someone's heartbeat was comforting to her.

: "I don't think anyone can really explain why it happens, but because of the lives we live, as ninja, we take on that risk so other's don't have to."

Dashyte: "I guess that makes sense...It's just... i don't know."

I moved some of the hair out of her face: "Remember we've taken lives ourselves and even though we didn't know them at all, it still affected us. Raki was a very close person to all of us, so his death affected us much more than that of a random enemy."

Dashyte only nodded her head, her breathing slowly evening out. By carefully looking down I could see she had finally fallen asleep. Her face was finally relaxed, not all scrunched up or covered with tears, but actually relaxed. For the first time in the past few days, she looked peaceful.

Carefully i bent down and kissed her forehead: "Sleep well."