Infected

Chapter 14 Understanding

   "Gaara!" Temari shouted and ran over to him and Mizu.

   After their conversation Gaara found that he was strong enough to walk. It wasn't long until Yoki brought the group back to them meeting them before the cliffs. Which was a good thing, Gaara didn't think he had the strength to scale them.

   Sakura grabbed his face and inspected his eyes as she shot off a series of questions, "How are you feeling? Yoki said you'd been infected, how far along is it? Do you feel feverish, are you having trouble breathing?"

   "I'm tired, but I'm fine now," Gaara reassured her and pried her fingers off his face.

   Temari interjected, "No, you need to take her questions seriously Gaara. If you get sick...."

   "I'm seriously fine. Mizu treated me before it got worse," He explained.

   Kankuro looked over at Mizu who was leaning into Yoki's side, she looked exhausted. "Treated you? Without the ingredients for the cure?"

   Oh, crap. I didn't think about how that would sound.

   "It's something she can do because she's my assistant," Yoki spoke up and the group looked at him. "It's a deadly jutsu though and should only be used as a last resort."

   Sakura walked over to Mizu and gave her a once over. "Are you alright? You didn't have much chakra to begin with. Forcing a jutsu like that can't be good for you."

   Mizu smiled weakly. "Thank you for your concern. I just need some sleep to recover."

   Temari was eyeing Mizu distrustfully, but Kankuro put a hand on her shoulder and his big sister kept her mouth shut. Finally. Gaara looked around and realized one was missing from their group. "Where's Naruto?"

   Sakura huffed and his siblings smiled awkwardly. Gaara decided not to ask, he would have to thank Naruto later. They headed back to the village instead of the campground, Gaara's entire body was heavy and exhaustion was setting in. Mizu had climbed onto Yoki's back and was nodding off. Temari the whole way back eyed Mizu and pursed her lips like she wanted to say something. When they got back Gaara went to his office despite his siblings and Sakura's protest. He needed to send someone out to finish up with the Utanai clan and to think of a way to get the ingredients they needed. Should I attack the Yama village or make a deal with them? What is it they even want? Probably the fertile land up north, but I can't trade that. The village's food supplies for the winter would decrease and—.

   Someone coughed to get his attention, and he looked up to find his big sister standing in the doorway. "What is it Temari?"

   "Oh, um... I just... about... you know..." She didn't look up at him and shifted her feet. Finally she took a deep breath and blurted out, "I'm sorry for how I've been acting it was childish of me."

   Gaara didn't know what to say and wondered what brought this change about, before he could ask she continued, "I talked with that wo—no, Uta-san and apologized to her. I won't pick any more fights with her... I'm sorry."

   A weird tickly feeling in his stomach made him happy. "What brought this change about?"

   "Ugh..." Temari seemed uncomfortable and then shouted, "That's girls' talk!"

   He resisted the urge to shrink back; he didn't know what girls talk meant, but it sounded like it would be better if he didn't know. "Right... As long as you're not picking any more fights than everything's good."

   Temari scratched the back of her head and half smiled. "So... we're good now?"

   Gaara nodded. Temari sighed in relief and turned to leave, but before she left her big sister mode activated. "Don't work too late, you almost died a few hours ago. I'm serious you should be resting."