"I'll be fine Baki. There are also thinks I need to do. Understandably I've been asleep for way to long."
The look on the teacher of the forth Kazekage's children told Rasa that none of Baki's worries were alleviated by what he said, but he choose to brush off the concern as the other man simply doing his job. The medical-nin complied with Rasa's request to work on a fast recovery, but gave him strange looks. In his head he listed off the things that would need to be done, and ignored the fact there was a book found in his room that indicated someone came to visit him while he was in a coma.
"First and foremost we need to do something to re-establish relationships with Konoha, as without them we're find ourselves with even more economic strain. Second, I need to do something about..." Rasa took a deep breath the first time he came to the second item on the itinerary. "Second, if Gaara is alive I need to do something about him. I'm honestly not looking forward to that. Third..."
The list rattled on, and on. The forth Kazekage couldn't help though think that his attempt to improve Suna's economic status by improving their chances at the exam would lead to Gaara being used like he was. Rasa found himself unable to decide whether he felt guilty because of the way Gaara's powers were misused by someone, or that his stupidity led to the child's death. Rasa's mind kept leaning towards Gaara's powers being misused by a stranger. "I can't imagine I still have any feelings for Gaara, with what he became."
His mind soon switched to the fact his muscles hurt from the attempt to regain his physical strength, but he pushed it away with the fact he knew there was a goal he needed to meet. As he came in and out of the room he found that the medical-nin brought in various gifts from a few people he didn't know, but he also found his mind drifting back to Gaara.
"He's dead, and you know whose to blame. Can't blame Kankuro and Temari for not wanting to see you." This thought was countered with, "I did what was best for Gaara. There was nothing I could do to save him." This in turn was countered with, "Was it the best, or are you just making excuses?" Rasa somehow managed to find himself moving through the halls with crutches, and found himself running into Baki, and Rasa saw the rather exasperated look on the other Shinobi's face.
"Lord Kazekage. Don't you think you're over doing it?"
"Fine. I'll head back to the room then Baki." Rasa though felt the need to still push himself despite the fact Baki and the others felt he'd done enough for the day. He moved back to the room despite the pain, and a thought popped into his head. "You know Baki is right. You're only punishing yourself." The man shook his head. "No, this is because there are things that need to be done."
Somehow he managed to hobble into the room, but stopped short upon seeing a person in the room over by the bed. His eyes widened as he saw the young, red haired Shinobi standing there. "Gaara?" Rasa watched as his youngest son's eyes darted away, and his head titled in order to avoid eye contact. "You're alive."
"Sorry."
This comment made one of Rasa's eyebrows to go up. "Sorry? Sorry for what?" The man looked around to see if there were any changes to the room, but instead glanced around the room to make sure that Gaara wasn't trying to do something. "I don't have my Gold Dust on me. Plus, did Gaara actually apologize for something? Is he trying to get something from me?"
"For being alive."
Rasa felt the corner of his mouth twitch at what Gaara said, but his eyes fell upon the strange plant now in his room that wasn't there before his youngest had entered the room. "Gaara, what is that?"
The forth Kazekage watched as a spark appeared in Gaara's eyes, and the corners of the boy's mouth twisted up. "It's a Christmas Cactus. They actually don't grow in the desert, but in another place entirely."
Words suddenly poured out of the boy's mouth, and Rasa felt both eyes go up. He moved over to the bed, and leaned his crutches up against the wall between his bed, and the nightstand where this Christmas Cactus now sat. Everything Gaara said about cacti went over his head, and it seemed as if the young Shinobi didn't even notice that he was in the room. Something was different.
Rasa's eyes darted over to Baki, and saw a look of frustration on the sensei of his three children. "Gaara, sit." The forth Kazekage watched as Gaara's eyes blinked a couple of times, and then how the boy sat down in the chair to comply before continuing to speak about cacti again. Baki let out another breath as if her were worried about the situation suddenly exploding. "I can't blame him with Gaara's past temperament. Still, was Gaara the one visiting me. That's a bit odd."
Rasa took a deep breath. "Gaara, if you knew I was awake, then why didn't you come and see me sooner?"
The man watched Gaara's eyes dart to the side, again avoiding the act of making eye contact. "You asked for Temari and Kankuro. I'm sorry that I'm unable to convince them to come see you."
Rasa's stared at the boy for a few minutes. "Are you feeling all right Gaara."
It was then that Gaara finally made eye contact with him, and Rasa didn't see the eyes of a killer at that point, but instead a pair of eyes he hadn't seen since the night Yashamaru died. It almost felt as if he'd never woken up from his coma, and Rasa found himself glancing back at Baki. For some reason the sensei of his three children seemed unconcerned by what Gaara's odd behavior, and was instead watching to see how Rasa would react.
"I am fine."
"I believe you were talking about cacti, and I interrupted you."
"It's all right." Gaara sat there barely reacting.
"What should I ask next?" Rasa took a deep breath. "I see you've had a growth spurt over the last couple of months while I was in a coma. It also looks like you're in need of a hair cut."
Two sea foam colored eyes blinked a couple of times before looking over at Baki, who simply shook his head. The forth Kazekage pushed his lips together wondering what was going on between the two. "I suggest asking Temari for help cutting your hair."
Gaara looked at the man, and then turned to his father making a bow. "Apologies. There are things that I need to do. It was nice speaking to you."
Rasa watched as the boy stood up and left the room, leaving the Christmas cactus behind. The forth Kazekage stared at the potted plant for a bit before turning so that he could lift his legs up into the bed. The movement was painful, and a sound escaped his lips as he did so. "A couple of days. That is what I need."
"Lord Kazekage..."
"Why didn't you bring up Gaara? You didn't think I would want to hear about him?" Rasa flopped back onto the pillows. "Don't tell me that I only asked for Temari and Kankuro either."
Baki remained silent for a few minutes, before a glare from Rasa made the man speak up. "The interactions between you and Gaara in the past haven't been exactly without their problems Lord Kazekage. The last time you saw him, his personality was highly volatile after all."
Rasa closed his eyes, and a memory of Temari pleading with Gaara flitted through his mind. He remembered at first the fear shooting through his mind due to how unpredictable Gaara happened to be. The red haired child was in a rather bad mood that day, but somehow Temari managed to talk Gaara down. He watched as a few other incidents occurred, and Temari managed to have some kind of effect on her younger brother.
"Is the change in personality due to Temari?" Rasa watched Baki's eyes widened. "That's one of the reasons I placed Gaara in a team with Temari." The look of confusion continued to persist on Baki's face, and the forth Kaze found himself forced to elaborate. "She's the only person I've seen ever talk him out of doing something. Under normal circumstances force needed to be used, and I was always the one to apply it."
Baki leaned against the door frame, and crossed his arms across his chest. "I'm not sure Temari would agree with you on that one."