Story Time

The muzzle hurts. It's digging into my cheek.

Rin's fingers felt like heaven, massaging away the strain between his eyes.

The warmth of her lap, when his head rested on it, the scent of home, the rise and fall of her words, when she read his favorite story to him, all of it was like a lost dream.

He didn't want to wake up.

"The axe didn't chop the mighty trunk. The ropes lost their grip on the sorrowful branches. The ladder fell to the ground. Nothing seemed to stand up against the tree. The people of the village told the ninja he was a fool to keep trying. His small arms could never reach the golden apples. It was best that he gave up. He'd never amount to anything more than what they thought."

Gaara listened to the story, closing his eyes to picture it fully.

Despite himself, the image of a knucklehead with blond hair and blue eyes came to mind. This seemed like just the kind of story he'd love.

"The sun began to set; the world grew dark and cold. Everyone returned to their homes and left the tree alone, where it had always been."

Gaara's eyes opened.

Rin shifted her weight, never disturbing the resting man on her lap. "The little ninja turned away, but then he heard a sound that made him stop in his tracks. It was the saddest sound he'd heard in his young life and it was coming from the tree. The giant, gnarled, mean-looking tree was crying."

"Why was it crying?"

Rin looked up from the worn pages and saw Gaara's rapt attention.

It took everything within her not to break down and squeal at his expression.

Her face settled into its soft smile and she continued. "The little ninja asked, 'Why are you crying, great tree? Is it because my ropes and axe hurt you?'

The leaves on the tree wilted with its sadness. "No, I'm used to people trying to harm me. I'm familiar with their blades and ropes. I'm crying because, even after they try to take my apples and their harsh words litter me with thorns, they all leave me alone. They go home to their families and their friends and I stay here. I'd rather have their pain, than this loneliness. I don't want to be alone anymore."

The Kazekage worried his bottom lip, entranced in the story.

Haru hadn't moved, though his favorite part was coming up.

"The ninja threw away the axe and undid the ropes. He fell to his knees and even though the thorns pierced his skin, he wrapped his arms around the tree. 'I'm sorry, great tree. I'm sorry for the loneliness you've felt and the pain we've caused you. I'm only a little ninja and I'm not good at many things, but I'll be your friend, if you'll let me?"

The sound of the page turning sent tingles down Haru's spine.

"Then what happened?" Gaara asked, heart in his throat.

Rin came to the final page and brushed her fingers through Haru's hair. "The thorns on the tree started to fall off one by one. The more love the ninja gave, the better the tree felt."

Her eyes flicked up to Gaara and back to the page. "It didn't all happen at once. In fact, it took a very long time for the tree to remove all the hurtful things that had been done to it, but in the end, all it took was one little ninja, with a great big heart, to make the tree beautiful again. Then that tree restored other trees who were hurt and lost, just like it had been helped."

Haru wanted to laugh.

She completely went off script at the end.

He knew very well that the story ended with the words, "the tree smiled," and nothing else.

How she thought they'd be able to live in harmony after this, was beyond him, but she always was the optimist in the group.

He was glad to see that she still held onto that part of herself, despite all the evil that happened to her.

Rin closed the book and set it to the side with a deep, calming breath.

Gaara's eyes turned down, thinking about the story and what it meant for him.

He wished his childhood had been spent in the pages of fairytales and not in volumes of war. What lessons had he missed out on that other children knew?

Temari fiddled with the edge of her fan, pretending the entire time that she wasn't just as invested in the story, as the rest.

Her voice broke the silence. "What now?"

Rin glanced down to the face that looked so serene, she felt like she could almost ignore the terrible condition the rest of him was in.

She knew the second the paralysis jutsu was removed, he would lunge and rip at her. It was selfish, but she there was a part of her that wanted to stay in this moment longer.

"Gaara, I need something from you, before I cast."

"Your oils?"

Rin smiled at him. "No, they aren't necessary here. I need you to sit behind me, against the wall."

"Oh... why, exactly?"

Her eyes trailed along Haru's sunken cheeks. "I don't know what's waiting for me inside. It's very likely, despite what we've done here, that Haru's mind will attack me. Remember how I used the ribbon to anchor myself with you? You are going to be one big ribbon holding me to this plane. Can you do that for me?"

Gaara felt a wave of responsibility crash over him. "I'll try."

"Is this going to be dangerous for Gaara?" Temari asked, her muscles tightening, as if she were bracing for some unknown threat.

Rin scooched forward a bit, Haru's chains rattling with her movement. "No. The only people at risk are myself and Haru. The most I'll steal from Gaara, is his chakra to bring myself back. That's all."

"Okay then."

He stood from his place on the floor and stepped uneasily towards them.

His gaze went to the dangerous man, the one he'd intended to kill only a few days ago. Did he deserve this help she was giving? He knew it was important to gain whatever information he had, but there were other ways. They could force it out of him.

"Gaara?"

His eyes snapped up to Rin, who was looking at him expectantly.

No, of course he couldn't do it any other way. Not when Rin was staring at him like that. He'd promised her they could try this way at least once and he wouldn't go back on a promise to her.

Gaara settled himself behind her, back against the cold wall. "What now?"

She leaned back against his strong chest, her head resting on his shoulder. "Put your arms around me, please. I'm going to need to feel you holding me the entire time."

Gaara blinked at her request.

It certainly wasn't the first time they'd been close like that, but this time felt different. She wasn't leading him into a level of his psyche, nor was she guiding him through his darkness. This time, he was the one anchoring her. She was relying on him to keep her safe.

"Of course."

His arms slid around her waist, pulling her gently into him. His legs came to either side of hers, trying not to disturb the resting Haru on her lap.

Rin shifted so that she was completely engulfed by him.

Her eyes turned up to the pale green she could easily get lost in. "Do you have my back?"

Gaara brushed a soft kiss against her temple. "Always."

The flutter in her heart almost made her lose focus, but she gathered herself and turned her attention back to Haru.

Despite the hideous muzzle, the sunken cheeks and spilt lip, she still saw her friend in him. It had been so long since she induced in his mind, but it almost felt like coming home, in a way.

Her lips came to his ear. "Hey 15? I'm coming to help you. Hang in there for me."

Haru's mind was drifting, but her words echoed in his thoughts. He tried to move his mouth, tried to call out to her and tell her to stay away, but he was frozen.

No. Don't... please.

One hand found his forehead and the other rested on his chest. "Somnam Jutsu."