Gaara's POV
Name: Amarante (Unknown Last Name)
Affiliation: Sunagakure, Hidden Sand Village
Current Ninja Rank: Jonin
Registered Ninja #: 050287
Date of Birth: Jan 13th
Age: 17
Height: 167.0 cm
Weight: 61.0 kg
Blood Type: O
Assignments Completed: 32 D-rank, 8 C-rank, 5 B-rank, 28 A-rank, 8 S-rank
Notes: Unknown Origin, Suspicious Entry into Suna, Unknown Sensory Technique, Member of the Stealth Anbu Division
It was just after day break as I sat in my office chair, rereading Amarante's file for what seemed like the hundredth time. After yesterday, I couldn't rid my mind of her shoulder length blonde hair, her brilliantly blue eyes, or the way her cheeks turned rosy when she looked at me. To see her standing right there, completely grown after all this time, it was enough to haunt me all night.
Suspicious Entry into Suna? Did father write that?
As I shook the thoughts of my father from my head, I let my eyes rest on her file's headshot. Her hair was shorter back when it was taken, with the end of her messy blonde hair reaching just passed her ears. Her face was doing it's best to seem excited as she posed for the photograph, with her mouth contorted into a forced smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Those eyes.
I slowly closed mine, frowning as the memories came flooding back to me. Those eyes haunted me for so long, filled to the brim with tears, desperate and fearful. Those blue eyes that held so much concern, so much remorse for the monster I was back then, even when she was about to be crushed by my hand. She extended more understanding for me in that moment, than almost anyone else had at that time. Because of that, they've been etched in my brain ever since.
Sighing, I opened my eyes once more to the papers in my hands, dispersing the mental images.
It's amazing how much time has changed her.
In the photo, she seemed so lost, silently screaming of a loneliness that I only knew too well, but in person the screams were nothing more than whispers. She learned to hide her emotions well while working with the Anbu task force. I almost found myself wondering if she would continue to behave the same way as my thoughts were interrupted by remnants of my memory of her. I felt myself sigh.
It was almost a relief to see her yesterday after so long, to know that my will to spare her paid off in the end. That scared and lonely girl was now a successful Jonin shinobi in her second year as a member of our Stealth Anbu unit. I let myself grow a small smile as I shook my head, amused by the rapid progress.
Amarante, 'the flower that never fades.'
It seemed her name was fitting. After that thought crossed my mind, I frowned. I hadn't found myself this calm in ages, and that made me suspicious. Why did this girl from my past show back up all of a sudden?
Temari.
I had a hunch that she was up to something. Temari has always been very perceptive, and back then when I met Amarante... Well, she knew that I struggled with the realization that I almost harmed yet another person that time. And she knew that for some reason, that particular encounter resonated with me the most, even if she didn't know why.
It just seemed like too much of a coincidence. First, Temari talks nonstop for a week straight about how I need some sort of special protection with the Akatsuki lurking around. Then, she just hires someone without my consent, and that person just happens to be Amarante?
Yes, she was definitely up to something, but for now I didn't have the time to worry about it. Placing the manila folder down on my desk, I picked up another stack of papers to my right and willed myself to get some work done.
~~~~~
Amara's POV
Gaara's eyes were the last thing I could remember when I awoke the next morning. It was just my luck. I laid down for 5 and a half hours without a wink of sleep, and of course the moment I do succumb to my fatigue I have that dream. I frowned, not able to shake his turquoise gaze from my mind. My dream about our first encounter filled my stomach with butterflies and apprehension for the day ahead of me.
Sighing, I forced the sack of bones that was my body out of my small twin sized bed. Forcing myself into my ice cold shower, I allowed myself a moment to adjust to the frigid temperature. I was reluctant to fulfill my duty today as the Kazekage's right hand, even though I knew Temari would have my head if I didn't show.
Being in the same room with the Kazekage--with Gaara--was enough to make my mind race with questions yesterday. What would happen if I started seeing him on a daily basis? Would my mind cease to function from overuse? I frowned as I exited the water.
Gaara's whole aura had changed a lot since the last time. Even though I didn't know him in the slightest, I could tell that he was much less cold and much more trusting. He also seemed more approachable, which was a relief. It gave me hope that he might be willing to answer my questions in the future, that is, if I ever worked up the confidence to ask what was on my mind.
I tried to undo my frown as I began to dress. It had been a while since I wasn't required to wear my Anbu uniform, so I quickly looked through my wardrobe to find my old ninja gear. I slipped on a pair of form fitting black pants and stuffed the ends into my knee high, red ninja boots. After throwing a black midriff t-shirt over my head, I realized that my Anbu tattoo wasn't fully concealed. As my eyes darted to the clock, I realized I was beginning to run late. I quickly grabbed my long black jacket (it was really more of a trench coat the way the back reached my knees) and stuffed my ninja tools in my holster, my jacket pockets, and the extra space in my boots.
Looking in the mirror one last time, I blew my bangs out of my eyes as I tied my red Suna headband around my neck.
I'm finally ready.
Without looking back, I quickly ran out the door.
As I walked the streets of Suna for the first time in months without my mask, I felt the warm breeze waft across my face and smiled. Every ninja always strives to be the best, maybe become a Jonin or an Anbu, and really excel in the ranks of the village. Well, as someone who has done so let me tell you a secret: its a relief to be given a small or simple task every now-and-then. I finally felt like I could take a step back and appreciate the heat of the sun on my skin.
I took a deep breath, breathing in the warm air as I walked in silence. No one on the streets greeted me or gave me a second glance, and I was used to that. I was the outsider and I owned it now.
The walk to the Kazekage building was faster than I thought, and I actually showed up right on time. I decided to use a bit of ninjutsu as I teleported into the structure, right in front of the entrance to Gaara's office.
I sighed, taking one last minute to eliminate my nerves and convince myself that this mission was going to be a piece of cake. With a fake smile, I knocked on the door to his office and waited for permission to enter. Once his gruff voice was heard from the other side, I slowly pushed the door open.
"Right on time I see," Gaara said without looking up at me. His attention was on a piece of paper in front of him, his pen speedily writing something down.
I almost didn't think I was going to make it...
I meant to say my thought out loud, maybe create some sort of small talk, but for some reason as I watched the Kazekage diligently working, my voice was nowhere to be found. I just stood, awkwardly shifting in place until he finished and put his pen down. As he lifted his head, his eyes met mine for a moment before darting down to my feet. I felt my cheeks blush without my consent as he cleared his throat.
"Amarante," he addressed me, returning his gaze to my face. "I want to discuss with you the details of your new assignment."
While he talked he looked me in the eye, and I did my best to keep a straight face and listen to his words as I clutched my sleeve in my hand. I couldn't understand why every time he looked at me, I felt a spark in my chest. It was like a match being lit, a flame igniting inside me and then extinguishing itself just as quick.
"Temari has made it perfectly clear that I am not to cancel your mission for any reason, and while I am the Kazekage, I've decided to respect her wishes," he paused and seemed to assess my body language before returning his gaze to my face again. "Ultimately, your duties will be to assist me in any way and periodically scan for any threats to my, or more importantly the village's, wellbeing."
I nodded.
"I've taken the liberty to have a second chair brought in," he motioned to the chair to his left (my right.) "Since we're going to be working closely together, I don't think you'd appreciate standing all the time."
I cracked a small smile at what I assumed was his attempt at a joke. He noticed and reflected my amusement in his eyes.
"Come sit, I don't have anything other than paperwork to get done today," I followed his hand to the chair beside him and tried to hide my nervousness as I sat. "I realize this new assignment might seem a bit boring compared to what you're used to, but your responsibilities are, unfortunately, solely dependent upon my own."
I nodded and gave him a small smile, "I'm actually looking forward to this break if I'm honest," I said shrugging. "Plus, I'm planning on improving my sensory ability during this assignment. I'm going to try to expand my radius, just as a personal goal."
He stared at me for a moment with a small smile attempting to appear on his features. "That is a wise decision," he said, turning to grab some papers and placed the stack in front of me. "It's an admirable quality to have the want to better yourself. Even if most of your time is going to be spent doing paperwork."
He handed me an ink well and gave me an apologetic look. "This stack is already filled out and signed. Could you roll them and seal them?"
"Of course," I flashed him a forced smile and took the well from him, trying to be as polite as possible and not let my shyness get to me.
We sat next to each other like that for a while, comfortable silence surrounding us for a couple hours. A few people came and visited for new assignments and check ins, but mostly Gaara and I went unbothered. I worked through my stack of papers quickly, rolling and sealing them all faster than I thought I could. After sitting for a few awkward minutes, I offered to help Gaara with what he was currently working on. We began working as a team, almost like a conveyor belt. He would finish up his writing and then hand me the parchment to roll up and seal. Everything was going smoothly until I looked over at him again.
He was glancing over at me too, watching my hands move. When he realized that I was looking at him, his eyes widened slightly and he turned his head back to his current letter. I felt my face blush as I turned back to my work and lowered my head slightly.
How long was he eyeing me like that? Was I doing something wrong?
Our proximity to each other didn't bother me in the beginning, but now that I knew he was watching me, I felt a bit uncomfortable.
Deciding not to address the growing tension in the air, I focused on sensing our surroundings instead. Closing my eyes, I reached my chakra outwards and felt the energy ripple around me. I felt many other chakra signatures from the ninja within the building and the villagers outside, but none seemed out of the ordinary. Smiling, I opened my eyes again. Every time I used my ability, my whole body felt rejuvenated. It was like feeling the waves of other energies awakened every point in my chakra network, making my muscles relax.
For the rest of the day, I did my best to avoid Gaara's eyes as I worked as diligently as I could. Checking our surroundings every hour, I focused on the task at hand of keeping the Kazekage safe and ignored my thoughts for now.
"Amarante?" Gaara's gruff voice boomed in my ear after a while, catching me off guard slightly due to the silence we were sitting in. "This is about the time that I return home. Would you care to supervise my journey back?"
I gave him a confused expression. "Wait, you don't stay and live here?" I asked.
"No, I do not consider this building to be my home. I only utilize it as a place of work and nothing more," he said, casting his eyes down. He seemed to be remembering something, but brushed it off after a moment.
I nodded and felt my face flush from embarrassment, "Sorry for prying, I just assumed... Where do you live?"
"It's quite alright. I understand why you would think that. I live just around the corner from here, not far at all."
As we walked side by side in the night air, I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my jacket. Suna could get pretty cold at night, and my fingertips were never too happy about that. I glanced over at Gaara after a shiver passed through me. He didn't seem fazed at all by the temperature change. He just watched his feet as we trudged through the packed sand, his gourd hanging ominously on his back.
"This is it," he said after we went around a corner to our right. It was a humble looking home, but it was much more extravagant than my apartment, that's for sure.
"Have a good night Lord Kazekage, I'll see you in the morning," I called as he began walking towards his door. He turned to glance back at me, but I already teleported out of there.
If every day was going to be as awkward as today, I wasn't sure how this new assignment would turn out.