Kiyomi has one year. She never thought her life could be cut so short when she spent so long wasting time. She wanted to go to her death with no regrets, but how could she possibly die with peace when her family is being torn apart and her father wo...
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THE HOUSE WAS SWARMING WITH SHINOBI filtering in and out of the doors. The darkness was a very little reprieve to the noise, and citizens of Suna exiting their homes just to see the commotion erupting into the early morning. The sun had yet to rise from the backdrop of the walls, over the great sand sea. Kiyomi was tired of the questions. In fact, she was just downright exhausted.
She answered them all the same, each one bringing a stinging sensation into her heart as the head of the Suna Protection force piled one question on top of another. "Did you see anyone in the house?"
"Did you notice anyone following you down the path?"
"What path did you take?"
"Can you draw it?"
Kiyomi's answers were nonconclusive and likely unhelpful. Katsuko, the small girl who had only just deduced that her entire family was dead, hadn't spoken throughout the night. Kiyomi had little idea on how to help with that either. She just sat near her, letting the child lean her entire body weight against Kiyomi's numbing arm and cry. The sobs had been ear piercing at first, but an hour waned by with no one risking disturbing her with Kiyomi's glare for them to back off, piercing anyone and sending them away.
Kiyomi glanced down at the small girl, curled into her lap with blotchy cheeks and bloodshot eyes. Having finally fallen asleep from excessive crying. Not that there could ever be too much crying after such a night. Kiyomi stroked her fingers through the small girl's hair, detangling the strands with gentle fingers. She hyperfocused on individual strands of soft hair, as if she could solve anything the way she could solve each knot.
She barely moved when she saw someone sit down next to her, filling the silent night with more silence. She and the Kazekage sat in a tense stillness, but Kiyomi was too exhausted, both physically and emotionally, to mind him being so close. She had to get used to it by now since her feelings meant so little in this instance. Instead, she continued detangling knots, attempting not to let her own personal vendetta get in the way tonight. Her fingers continued, now massaging Katsuko's scalp, watching the girl's shoulders visibly relax despite the sadness.
"You're good with her," Gaara said, filling the silence and forcing Kiyomi to notice that he had been staring. She tilted her head to the side, contemplating a reply that had a difficult time escaping her lips.
"She reminds me," Kiyomi said, feeling the old familiar pain slip out into her rib cages. She almost drowned on them, but she was stronger than an old lingering sadness. "Of my brother." Kiyomi was proud that her voice hadn't staggered or shook. If only she had the time to heal from it.
Gaara was silent for a moment, his voice staggering out as he tried to think of a reply. He had been Kazekage for a long while now, had nearly died for the village, twice, but he still had such a difficulty connecting with other people. "I have a brother."
