Chapter 12

First thing in the morning, Shikamaru picked us up in a large SUV, and then we were on the road. With each minute that passed, my heart rose higher into my throat.

What kind of place will it be? Temari tried to explain the Uchiha compound after I calmed down last night, but I won't know until I see it myself. As she explained, there are five houses in total, protected behind a tall security wall.

I clung to Gaara's hand like my life depended on it, and he let me.

The moment I stepped outside for the first time, I nearly fainted when the sunlight brought on a massive dizzy spell. The fresh air and change in the atmosphere were almost too overwhelming. Though I know these people wouldn't pull a nasty trick on me, I can't help but think that we're going to pull up to some curb, they'll say goodbye to me, and I'll never see them again.

"Oh, you're going to start your schooling in January, by the way. I told them you'd probably prefer virtual classes. I hope you don't mind."

Temari turned slightly in the front seat to give me a sheepish grin. My head shook quickly, and I tried to manage as normal a smile as possible, but I probably looked like a nervous wreck. Shikamaru pulled the vehicle up to a black gate, clicking a small remote on the dash to make it open, and then we drove into the compound.

"The first one on the right is yours and Gaara's. Shika and I are across the street."

A slight sound of confusion left my chest, and I looked over to see her giving me the look of someone who had just pulled a successful prank. When I turned, Kankuro was making the exact same face, and then it clicked.

"Just me and Gaara…?"

Kankuro laughed loudly, "Surprise! Well, actually, I might end up crashing the party if Okami moves in with Kiba, but we'll figure all that out later."

The hand in mine squeezed, and I nervously met the redhead's eye, asking in a quieter and unsure voice, "Are you alright with this?" He nodded once, but those teal eyes were warm and content, which reassured me.

As Shikamaru pulled the SUV into the driveway of what I now know is his and Temari's house, Kankuro snickered, "On the topic of Okami, I definitely thought Ino would be the first one to get knocked up. That little minx's favorite seat is Sai's lap."

Shikamaru snickered, "Or his face." The two shared a laugh as we began crossing the road.

Temari said, "My money's on Sakura getting pregnant first out of the two. I bet she and Sasuke are worse than Ino and Sai when behind closed doors."

Her brother tossed his head back with an amused smile, "Yeah, you might be right."

The Subaku sister unlocked the door to the house and held it open, "Home sweet home! Go on in!"

I hesitantly stepped past the doorway's threshold, only to jump in fright when the lights shot on, and suddenly, all of my friends were before me shouting, "Welcome home!".

My hand shakily reached back, searching blindly until Gaara grabbed onto it, and I covered my mouth with my other one, tears in my eyes, "E-Everyone…."

Temari stood tall and proud, "I told you she had no idea I lied."

The party was incredible. It took a few minutes for me to stop crying because the fact that so many people were there just for me made me so happy. I'm a lucky girl. Hours passed, people left, and a few stayed behind to help tidy up from the celebration. Then it was late evening, and Gaara and I closed the front door after saying goodnight to his siblings.

The redhead, always a professional at not letting things get awkward between us, wordlessly grabbed my hand to lead me upstairs, and I allowed him. There were two bedrooms upstairs, the master having its own ensuite bathroom, while the guest bathroom was downstairs. The house was modern and stylish but didn't have that "home" feeling yet. It'll probably take some time for me to feel that way, especially since I never imagined myself living in such a nice place.

My hand was released as Gaara turned into the bathroom to start a bath, but I slowly continued into the bedroom, taking in all the details. A large bed lay centered with a nightstand on either side. A TV was mounted on the opposite wall. On the right-hand side were a closet and a dresser. On the left was the bathroom.

Curious, I ran my hand over the soft blanket on the bed and wandered over to open the closet. A slight sound caught in my throat when I laid my eyes on all the clothes from my house back in Suna. Someone went through the trouble of retrieving them for me. It was easy to tell where my clothing ended and where his began because of how dark almost every piece he owned was.

My hand was grabbed again, and I allowed Gaara to pull me away into the bathroom and didn't stop him when he calmly began pulling my sweater off over my head. His face was content and focused, and I stared at it as he helped me undress the rest of the way, even though, at this point, I didn't need assistance for something so simple. Then he undressed, too, and we got into the bath.

Gaara seemed resolute that he was taking care of me completely, at least for tonight, because he sat behind me and washed my hair without a word. The last time we bathed together, not showered, on the day he found me half-dead while protecting his brother, the seriousness of the situation made it hard to appreciate how it felt. This time, though, I clung to every touch of his long fingers and let his affectionate deeds ease the anxiety of suddenly moving to a new and unfamiliar place.

"Matsuri." My eyes snapped open, and he continued, leaning me back so I could look up at his face and rinse my hair, "If you don't want to live alone with me, I'll ask Kankuro to move in."

Confusion met my brow, and I sat up carefully before turning my torso to make his eye less strenuous, "I'm happy if you're happy." I thought he'd like that response, but instead, he seemed perplexed. Rather than say something else, though, we returned to bathing.

Soon, we were in bed. The room was almost pitch black, and the only sound was the light hum of the ceiling fan.

It's kind of nice to be back in my own clothes. It's been over a year since the last time, and it made me feel more like myself than before. My clothing typically leans toward earthy tones but with some subdued pops of color. Honestly, I'm okay with it as long as it's not super bright. Neon makes me look washed out, and I don't want my clothes to draw attention as someone else might.

When we were bathing, I was tired, but now I'm wide awake. I rolled onto my side to look at Gaara's tranquil face. It's been over an hour since we first laid down, too, so he's likely asleep already.

Tears welled in my eyes like yesterday as I tried to memorize the picture before me. He's proven more than once now that he's not just messing around with me, but my insecurity won't let up. What if he grows out of it and ends up miserable here? I just want him to be happy. The greatest gift in the world is the smile I've only seen freely less than a handful of times.

Suddenly, it occurred to me that I should just do what I've always done when it comes to Gaara, and that's to be one hundred percent honest, holding nothing back. I whispered his name softly to see if he would stir and jumped slightly when his eyes opened, proving my earlier guess incorrect. He's been awake all along.

"I'm scared."

Gaara's brow furrowed, and he looked over me as though searching for injuries before meeting my eye again after finding none. I closed my eyes, my tears overflowing, "Do you honestly want me here? Please don't lie for my sake."

He responded instantly, much quicker than expected, "I want you here."

I opened my eyes to meet his and reached a shaky hand up to rest between his cheek and the pillow, "I'm sorry for asking questions like this, but I… I just have to hear you say it."

His fingers wrapped loosely around my forearm, reminding me of the first night I ever touched his face.

"You aren't just saying that because you'd feel guilty for breaking up with me, right? If you're not happy, please tell me now. The last thing I want is to-"

"I love you."

The air in my lungs got stuck, and I panicked and tried to pull my hand away, but he held it there, "But do you think we're doing things too fast, moving in together so young and-"

"I love you."

My chest heaved as I bit back a sob, "What if you wake up one day and don't-"

"That's enough. Stop."

I searched his eyes through tears, and he released my arm to cup my face in his hands and leaned in slightly closer, "I love you, Matsuri."

Shaky hands came up to rest over his, and I accepted defeat, "I love you, Gaara."