When Waves Meet the Sand

The day to leave Suna had arrived sooner than Kumiko would have liked.

Gaara had left the night before, saying he had something to do, and she had not seen or sensed him since.

Adjusting the packs on Fubuki’s saddle, the Waterbender kept sending glances back into the village from where her team stood by the wall, ready to leave.

Tomo meowed softly, doing a figure-eight around her ankles and looking up at her with those too-familiar jade eyes.

Heart seizing on itself, Kumiko managed a smile and picked up the shaggy red cat with one arm.

“Okaasan?” Tomoko voiced, big green eyes innocent and worried.

“What is it, amai?” The white-haired Bender wondered, already scanning the area for threats.

“Are you upset because your boyfriend isn’t here yet?”

The entire world ground to a halt.

“N-Nani?” Kumiko stuttered, blushing fiercely.

“I like Gaara-san.” Tomoko continued, as if unaware of the older girl’s embarrassment. “So do the others. Are you going to get married? And live in a big house with a yard for Ki-chan? Can we visit? Or are we going to live with you? Do you think Gaara-san would let me call him otousan? How about-?”

Kumiko covered the girl’s mouth with both hands, blushing so hotly she was sure to be glowing.

“Momo!”

“Aw, why’d ya stop ‘er?” Kana wondered, smirking. “She was ‘bout ta get ta the good part.”

“Kana!” Kumiko scolded, blush growing impossibly hotter.

Fubuki huffed in laughter, and hid behind her forepaws at the Waterbender’s embarrassed glare.

Megumi sighed, chiding Rei and Yei for laughing with a glare while Benjiro shook his head, resigned.

Blush fading slightly, Kumiko turned back to her old task, Tomo climbing onto her shoulders for a better perch.

‘I don’t know where she got the idea.’ She thought to herself, evening out the load mechanically. ‘We’ve only known each other a few days! He probably doesn’t even like me like that anyway. I don’t even know if I like him like that! I mean, he’s definitely attractive, with that red hair and those light eyes and that little smile he sometimes has when no one else can see…’

Seeing where that train of thought was leading, Kumiko hit the brakes, blush returning with a vengeance.

‘N-Not that I want to date or anything! Even though it felt really nice when he held me…’

“Kumiko?”

Yelping in surprise, she whipped around and came face-to-face with the boy that had consumed her thoughts.

“Gaara-kun!” She greeted, surprised by his sudden appearance.

Scanning the area again, Kumiko nearly winced as she realized that two older Suna Genin and a Jonin had also arrived without her noticing.

‘Some ninja I am…’

“Are you coming with us?” She wondered, growing hopeful.

Genma had said another squad would be joining them on the way back, but she had not dared to think…

“Yes.” Gaara replied, fighting down a smile at the joy filling Kumiko’s face like dawn sunlight.

“That’s great!”

Fubuki huffed in amusement, and Kumiko elbowed the pack-laden canine in the ribs as Tomo meowed softly in agreement with the Polar Bear Dog.

“So that’s your team?” Kumiko deduced, looking towards the unfamiliar Genin.

The kunoichi was only a little older than Megumi, with dark blonde hair in four spiky pigtails and dark green eyes, a large black fan strapped to her back.

The other was taller, wearing all black, with purple face paint and a large wrapped container hanging from his shoulders on white bandages.

Gaara frowned as he looked towards them, not wanting to share his angel’s affections.

“They are my siblings, Temari and Kankuro.”

She blinked once in surprise.

“Really?”

When Kumiko looked more closely, she could see some similarities; the color of the eyes, the shape of the face.

But the way Gaara was acting had her concerned.

“You don’t seem very happy about it, Gaara-kun.”

The Jinchuriki sighed internally, having momentarily forgotten how perceptive his angel was.

“It’s nothing.”

A frown tugged at her mouth, so Gaara decided it was prudent to change the subject.

“You were thinking very deeply before. About what?”

Reminded of her budding attraction, Kumiko blushed deeply, scrambling to cover it up.

“Oh, nothing! I was just…um…Oh, look! Everyone’s heading out! We should catch up!”

Confused by the sudden redness of her cheeks, Gaara allowed himself to be pulled along through the gate, thinking hard about what had caused the unexpected change.

Having very little social experience beyond the last few days, Gaara could not have known the promising turn his angel’s thoughts had taken…