When Waves Meet the Sand

The day had been rather peaceful after finding Konohamaru.

Once Temari and Kankuro scurried off to the hotel, hoping that their little brother would cool off after a few hours in Kumiko’s company, she had led Gaara to the apartment she had come to share with Kana and Megumi.

It was rather sizable, considering; the living room was large enough for a well-worn black couch, a dark-wood coffee table, and two matching armchairs.

The attached kitchenette on the right, cut off from the rest of the room by a counter and stools, was clean and Spartan in comparison.

All the floors were white, carpet or tile, and the walls a calm, soothing blue that immediately put Gaara at ease.

The entire place was comfortable and homey, like it’s owner, and Gaara immediately liked it.

Setting his gourd down by the front door, and allowing some sand to seep out so it could scout the perimeter, he peered down the small hallway, spotting four doors.

As she dropped her water pouches onto the off-white counter, Tomo leaping off her shoulders, Kumiko slid into the kitchenette, rolling the numbness out of her shoulders.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Alright.” He answered, taking a moment to appreciate the nice view he was presented with as Kumiko leaned into the refrigerator before sitting on the couch.

Not thirty seconds later, something slammed into the sliding glass door on the other side.

Tomo seemed to be laughing hysterically under the coffee table.

“That’d be Ki-chan.” Kumiko stated calmly, pulling out a large container of chilled water from the top rack. “Could you let her in?”

Seeing the excited canine through the glass, Gaara considered not doing that.

But his angel had asked, so he directed some sand to unlock the simple mechanism and pull the door open.

Fubuki scampered in, still panting from her quick patrol of the village, and took a moment to shake out her fur.

“That’s my girl.” Kumiko praised, throwing a raw steak into the Polar Bear Dog’s eager jaws before turning back to root around for a glass.

Treat held securely between her teeth, Fubuki immediately settled on Gaara’s feet instead of heading down to her owner’s bedroom like she usually did.

Surprised by the show of affection, he could only stare as the large dog chewed happily on her steak, growling softly in pleasure.

“She’s never done that before…”

Looking up at Kumiko’s thoughtful expression, Gaara wondered what she meant.

“Polar Bear Dogs aren’t usually domesticated like she is.” The Waterbender explained, handing a glass of water to the somewhat pinned Jinchuriki. “She’ll always be a little wary of being hurt, so it means a lot that Ki-chan would put herself in such a vulnerable position with you.”

The thought was slightly confusing.

Why would this defenseless creature compromise her safety like that?

Gaara was starting to think it might be the same reason Kumiko never feared him.

A knock sounded at the door, and Tomo hissed softly before jumping onto the couch’s back, claws sinking into the battered leather.

“You be nice.” Kumiko warned the feline, heading for the door.

Sand rose up along the wall seams, twisting in the air as if trying to see who was standing on the other side of the door.

“Oh, Ebisu. I wasn’t expecting you to come by…” The white-haired kunoichi admitted, looking up at the frustrated, and frustrating, Tokubetsu Jonin.

“Hokage-sama asked me to retrieve you.” Ebisu explained, frown firmly in place. “It seems your antics have finally shown him the error of his ways.”

Gaara felt a deep vibration come up his legs, and looked down to see Fubuki, ears back and tail bristling, growling softly.

The canine seemed rather upset, as if she could sense the displeasure obvious on the man’s face.

Tomo seemed to be of the same opinion, fluffing up like he was, and Gaara actually agreed with the infuriating feline.

No one was allowed to make his Kumiko look so sad.

No one.

“Just give me a second, Ebisu. I have company.” Kumiko replied tiredly, stepping away from the door.

“Your mongrel doesn’t count as company.”

Fubuki’s growl rose sharply in pitch, and Gaara was sadistically pleased to see how nervous the sound made Ebisu.

Though he would likely never admit it, the Jinchuriki was growing fond of the Polar Bear Dog that was his angel’s best friend.

“Sure she’s not.” Kumiko teased lightly, swinging her water pouches back into place. “I’m sorry, Gaara-kun, but otousan probably wants another report on the mission. I shouldn’t be long, so make yourself at home, okay?”

As Kumiko went back to the door, Tomo bolted across the carpet and leaped onto her shoulders, taking a moment to hiss at Ebisu before curling around her neck protectively.

For once, Gaara let it go.

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Gaara could not be sure if it was curiosity or boredom that made him go to Kumiko’s room, but that would certainly not be his excuse if he was caught.

Either way, he was there, and Gaara would not waste the opportunity.

Opening the door carefully, the Jinchuriki did not flinch as a trap was triggered, sending a flurry of kunai towards his face.

The sand reacted immediately, catching them easily, and he looked down to see a switch in the knob.

If he had turned it more swiftly, unafraid of making noise, the trap would not have been triggered.

Clearly, his angel wanted to keep intruders out of her space.

More wary now, Gaara sent his sand in to check for any other traps while also replacing the kunai he had inadvertently sent flying.

Once it was safe, the redhead slipped inside, flipping on the main lights.

The room was rather large, with soft white carpet, a twin-sized bed, and a dresser.

All four walls were painted with the scene of an early morning in the middle of winter; icy blue sky touching a white horizon, soft hills curling around corners and twisting ice formations sparking rainbows.

Dark furs covered the bed, and a large collection of blades and boomerangs stood on the dresser like priceless artifacts.

Spears, roughly made, with long feathers tied near the head, and elegant swords were mounted on the far wall over the dresser with a bookshelf.

Stepping further in to skim the titles, the gleam of polished stone caught Gaara’s eye.

There, sitting innocently amid the tools of war, was a cloth choker with a blue pendant, a symbol of waves carved into the smooth surface.

Intrigued, the Jinchuriki picked the necklace up carefully, as if afraid it would break in his hands.

Shukaku moved sharply in the back of his mind, surprised.

‘Is that…?’

A new presence brushed the edge of his awareness, and he turned.

“Gaara-kun?”

Kumiko stood in the doorway, confused, water pouches held idly in her hands.

The confusion made a sudden transition into worry, and the leather sacks were abandoned on the floor as she rushed forward.

“Oh spirits, are you okay? Did you set off anything? Spirits, I knew I shouldn’t have been so paranoid-”

Gently taking hold of her wrists, the Jinchuriki pulled the panicking girl into his chest.

“Relax.” He ordered softly, closing his eyes in order to better enjoy the feel of her against him. “I was not hurt.”

Slowly, Kumiko relaxed, letting out a deep sigh.

“You scared me…” She admitted, voice muffled by his chest. “I thought I’d hurt you…”

That warmth filled Gaara’s chest again, tingling just under his skin, and he held her more tightly.

No one had ever been scared for him before…

“I’m fine, Kumiko.”

After a few moments, she nodded, pulling back slightly to look up at his face.

“What are you doing in here, anyway?”

Averting his eyes, Gaara slowly released her wrists, holding up the necklace still held in his fingers.

“Looking.”

The item immediately registered in Kumiko’s brain, and she blushed as red as the boy’s hair.

“Oh, that…”

Her reaction stirred his curiosity, and Gaara suddenly needed to know why.

“What is it?”

“That’s a…necklace my mother gave me when I was little.” She explained, pausing only momentarily as if to gather her thoughts. “In the Southern Water Tribe, where I was born, every girl was given one of these by their mother and told to only give it to the person they love the most. If that person loves them back…”

Her lithe fingers twisted the pendant to show the unmarked side.

“They’ll engrave the symbol of their people here and give it back. As long as the girl wears the necklace, they’re promised to each other.”

Shukaku nudged the back of his mind, impatient.

“What is it called?” Gaara elaborated, brow furrowing at the slight headache his Bijuu was creating.

The white-haired girl fell silent, gaze downcast and cheeks flaming, finally stepping out of his embrace.

“It’s a…betrothal necklace.”

A bolt of warmth traveled throughout the Jinchuriki’s body, fingers tingling where they had touched cloth, stone and skin.

Gaara was practically holding her heart in his hands…

And Kumiko was letting him.

She was clearly flustered, but made no move to take the necklace back.

In Gaara’s eyes, she might as well have offered her neck and asked him to mark her.

Shukaku was already having something similar to a seizure, shouting for him to take the chance and sink his teeth into that soft, pliable neck…

“But I can’t give it away yet.”

That brought both their thoughts to a screeching halt.

‘WHAT?’

Under the sudden intensity of Gaara’s stare, Kumiko flushed darker.

“It’s just…I’m not considered an adult yet. Until I do my Mizu no Dansu, I can’t be…”

Oasis eyes flashed up, locking with jade, before looking away again.

“Courted.”

Pushing back Shukaku’s angry ramblings, Gaara thought the situation through rationally.

Kumiko had not said she would not give the betrothal necklace to him and become his mate.

She had said she could not do that yet.

Once the Waterbender had gone through whatever was needed, then she would be his.