[on hold] Falling ━━ Kakashi Hatake

05 ━ One Heart and Soul

five, One Heart and Soul

DURING THEIR JOURNEY TO THE AKATSUKI HIDEOUT, Naruto was the one to rush forward, his brows furrowed and expression contorted into one of anger.

Himiko could not help but admire the Uzumaki boy and the determination he held toward her brother, his obvious display of platonic affection toward him warming her heart. To see someone outside her family who held Gaara close to his heart, went out of his way to save him, made her happy. Out there, all this time, was someone who changed her brother into the person he now was. Even though she had stuck by her younger brother his whole childhood, the impact she had upon him was not as big as the impact the boy before her had during the Chuunin exams. Were angels real, to Himiko he would be one.

Most likely, their connection stemmed from their shared status of Jinchuuriki or that was at least what Gaara had hinted at when he had begun to speak of Naruto.

"He's like me." He had told her.

"How so?" Himiko asked him, carefully reading his facial expression to gain some further knowledge.

Her youngest brother had always been readable, his face tinted with anger a majority of the time. The amount of anger and sadness burdening him must have been unbearable, a burden no child his age should have to carry. Though now, he appeared different, calm.

"He taught me I don't have to be unhappy, I can rely on others," As Gaara spoke, his lower lip trembled, his blue eyes shining with something Himiko had not seen within him since he was a child: sorrow. "Himiko-nee, I'm sorry."

It had been years since he had last called her that with such emotion in his voice. Himiko had gotten used to him pushing her away, both mentally and physically, fighting back against her. With his venomous words he had shot arrows through her heart, but all wounds were long gone once he spoke the words.

Gently, Himiko had reached out to him, beckoning the boy closer. Once he showed no protest to her action, she placed her arms around his shoulders, bending down to properly embrace him like she hadn't done in years. And when he placed his face in her neck, his breath hitting her skin, the first tears had begun to surface. One tear after the other rolled down her cheeks, the delight she felt overwhelming her.