Healing Demons [Gaara x Reader/OC x Sasuke]

Chapter 12 | A Mask of Silence

Miku's P.O.V.

You awoke the next morning still entangled in Kakashi's arms and sighed wearily. You pulled away from him, sitting yourself up and squinting at the sunlight daring to creep through your windows. This was the day, the morning you would have to find some sort of closure in Sakura's passing. It was going to be difficult, and you would be expected to stand with your teammates, who hardly even begun to know the circumstances of her passing. It felt like you would be betraying them if you stood next to them like that. You groaned softly hugging your knees tightly to your chest. You felt Kakashi stir next to you and you turned your solemn face towards his person.

He groaned slightly as he stretched his arms and legs under the covers. He peeked his one eye open and locked it with yours. "How do you feel?" He asked you. You couldn't see much emotion behind his eyes or demeanor, not like you had seen last night. It appeared things had returned to somewhat normal between you two. No more delving into the deep mystery of your sensei anymore, but you were grateful that he was still present and caring.

You gave a small smile, "Like death."

He sighed and sat up rubbing his eye. "Well there's not much we can do right now," He sighed out as he glanced at the clock. "You should get ready, I'll use the other bathroom." Kakashi said as he got up and headed toward the hall bathroom.

You bit your lip and blinked away a few stray tears. "I have to be stronger than this, I have to stop crying... everyone is counting on me...even sensei wants me to get my act together," You thought frustratingly as you dragged your forearm roughly across your eyes to dry your tears. You stood up and gathered some clothes, a long black gown with a small ruffle at the bottom that grazed the ground. It was long sleeved with ornate style to the bodice. You pulled out a black rimmed hat, attached to it was a thin black veil. These were your mourning clothes. You sighed and laid them across the bed, your finger grazing the fabric softly. "Now or never..." You thought to yourself quietly. You stalked off toward your bathroom and turned on the hot shower, scrubbing your skin and hair roughly before sitting down letting the hot water rain softly on your skin. The sounds and soft water droplets hitting your skin allowed you some moments of peace. Like it was taking you to another world, where you weren't anything but Miku, yourself. No strings attached. It felt like a moment of bliss, so brief in passing as the water grew cold – a signal that you had been in there too long. You sighed quietly in frustration as you turned the water off and dried yourself. You wrapped your hair and body in separate towels as you walked out of your room to change.

You could hear your sensei in the kitchen and could smell that he started making some breakfast. It brought a small smile to your lips. It reminded you of when you had your family, breakfast shared over the table and all of you trickling in slowly to the table and sharing your worries and excitements of the day. How you missed that too.

You pulled on your dress and zipped up that back robotically. You applied a light coverage of makeup to cover up your hours of crying. Adding some mascara, a light blush and eyeliner. You looked back at yourself, dark circles and redness covered around your eyes, and once chapped lips returning to a moisturized pink hue. While you new it was fraudulent, you were contented with wearing the mask. You placed your hat above your head, and further hid yourself behind the veil as you walked slowly out to the kitchen.

"Sensei." You said flatly, keeping your emotions rigidly in check.

"Miku-san... do you want breakfast? We have a few minutes before we need to leave." He said giving you a sideways glance as he slid some omelets onto a plate.

You stared at him momentarily as you strode up to him, placing a delicate hand on his forearm and shook your head. You couldn't really find the words to tell him that you appreciated his efforts but that hunger would be the last obstacle you would have today.