Gaara Sabaku (Naruto)

Chapter 16

It had been weeks since your incident and you were recovering fairly well. Your abdomen would still ache occasionally, so Sakura had advised you take it easy. Your brother was getting in sync with the way things worked in Konoha.

Everything was fine but... he had been quite distant for a while. You couldn't understand the reason why. For a while you couldn't help but wonder if he blamed you for what had happened to your parents. A part of you also felt responsible, if only you weren't so weak maybe they would still be here.

You were walking through Konoha on your way to visit their graves. When you had turned sixteen, you had asked the Third Hokage if he could build graves for your parents. Thankfully, he had agreed. You had picked up a few roses on your way, your mother had always loved them. You smiled at the memory. Whenever your father had returned from a long mission, he would get roses so she'd be to busy gushing over them to yell at him for taking so long.

You stopped walking when you reached the grassy area, your eyes caught a figure a few feet away standing by the two gravestones. You placed your hand against the tree nearby when you recognized who it was.

"Oni-san..." you mumbled. He didn't move an inch at your voice. You sighed moving towards him. Standing next to him you gazed at the initials of your parents engraved on the stones. A sad smile formed on your lips. Looking over at (B/N), his head was bent blocking your view of his eyes. Kneeling you placed the roses down carefully.

"Did Tsunade-sama tell you about the graves?" you questioned softly. He still didn't reply, the only indication that he had acknowledge you was the clenching of his fists.

Your eyes wavered for a second. "I..I'm sorry Oni-san." you lamented. "If I had been stronger...m-maybe they would still be here. O-Otou-san was so focused on protecting me that he died because I-"

"IT WAS MY FAULT!!" He yelled startling you. When his head lifted you saw the hate that was present in his eyes. So many times since you reunited you had seen that look. Before you ad thought it was what he had felt towards the ones who killed your parents but that wasn't it. (B/N) had been angry with himself....all this time he had hated himself.

"I ran....I should have given my life to keep them safe but I...I abandoned them.." you watched as tears rushed down his cheeks as he started to scream into the air angrily. You watched helplessly as he continued to wail in pain. 

"W-Why didn't I help them...why did I-" you pulled him into a hug halting his words. His hands shook as he slowly enclosed his hands around your smaller frame. "He told you to save me and y-you did. I-I know that they are both proud. You're my hero Oni-san. If it wasn't for you I would be dead. Thank you for always protecting me.." you looked up at his tear stained eyes with a loving smile.

"I love you Oni-san."

(B/N) trembled hugging you tightly as he cried softly into your shoulder. 

"I'll always protect you (Y/N), no matter what."