Chapter 13

Come morning, I was surprised when things just felt normal. Waking up next to and eating breakfast with Gaara went seamlessly as though we'd been living together for months. The fact did wonders to rid me of most lingering insecurities.

After the meal, I freshened up before approaching the closet for a change of clothes. Gaara sat on the edge of the bed and silently watched me as though he was a scientist and I was his test subject.

My fingers danced slowly over the many hangers, each item of clothing bringing memories of my life before. Finding one that didn't threaten to bring tears to my eyes was impossible, so I grabbed a random blouse and a pair of jeans before closing the closet door behind me and taking a deep breath. Teal eyes watched me cross the room to shut myself in the bathroom so I could get dressed.

After changing, I looked at myself in the mirror and almost smiled, but instead, my chin quivered, and I struggled once more to keep my composure. I look almost exactly the same as before everything happened. My skin tone was a bit lighter from not being outdoors for many consecutive months, and my hair was longer than ever before, but other than that, I was the same.

Gaara's face remained stoic when I returned, but his eyes warmed slightly, "Pretty."

I blushed, "Would you like to go for a walk?" He nodded, rising to lead the way downstairs, where we put our shoes on by the door.

Once outside, I took a slow, deep breath and let it out while feeling the tension leave my shoulders. Ever since I was a child, I've liked the outdoors. I'm not naturally athletic, but being in the sun and fresh air is something I've known all my life. My family's always been poor, so I didn't have many toys growing up, meaning I played outside almost daily.

It's currently mid-August, and the heat of Summer's just beginning to lose its edge to make way for the fall season.

Gaara slid his hand into mine as we approached the compound gate and had to tighten it substantially when he opened said gate, and I got terrified and tried to run for cover at the sight of strangers just living their life outside the protective walls. In my mind, another person being around means danger because they're likely inhabited and will attack me on sight.

As soon as I realized what had happened, I looked at him with a bright red face, "Sorry…."

He shook his head and began walking, slowing his pace slightly to match mine since I was much shorter than him. Without saying it, I understood that he, and likely everyone else, also struggled to acclimate to everyday life at first. My skin bristled with each new face that I saw, a person walking across the street, people driving in their vehicles on the road.

Once the initial shock of it began to wear off, I was able to take a moment to appreciate how normal this was, being with Gaara. Hoping he was lost in his thoughts and wouldn't notice, I surveyed his appearance. Dark-washed jeans, black sneakers, and a plain black t-shirt. That's what he wore. Then I compared us. I wore a dulled-out lavender and pink short-sleeved blouse and light-washed skinny jeans with sandals.

We're nearly as different as night and day, at least visually. Some might find that odd, but it only warmed my heart. I could care less what kind of clothes he likes to wear so long as he's happy and healthy, and I'm grateful he doesn't seem to mind mine either.

~

When we returned home later, I was surprised, yet again, when Gaara took me to the guest bedroom on the floor level of the house without explanation. I understood in an instant the moment I opened the door, though. Inside were nearly a dozen big moving boxes, unopened.

When I unfolded the top of the nearest one, I saw a framed photo of my mother, father, and me from when I was a toddler sitting atop the quilt my grandmother had knit for me when I was born. Then, I realized my wardrobe wasn't the only thing the Subakus managed to snag from my old house. Gaara wordlessly began unstacking the boxes and opening them, one by one, and that's when I realized that some of this stuff was his, too.

"Why haven't you unpacked yours yet? It's been eight months," I absently asked as I carefully began taking items out of the box and sorting them into piles regarding which room they'll eventually be stored in.

There was a long pause, making me stop and turn around from where I crouched. Gaara kept his gaze down as a light pink raised on his cheeks, "I wanted to do this together."

Overwhelming feelings of love and warmth met my chest as I rose to my feet and hesitantly took a few steps to come up and hug him from the side, smiling when he looked down at me, "Thank you for waiting."

Back at their apartment in Suna, I don't recall seeing a single photo hanging on their walls, but I was surprised to find that he had one, which was already framed. It was of his late parents with his older siblings. His mother appeared to be pregnant with him in the photo. Kankuro stood in front of his father, the man's hands on his shoulders, while Temari stood by her mother, an arm across her swollen stomach and a big grin on her face as though trying to make sure the photographer knew she was excited to be getting a new sibling.

When I asked if we had any nails and a hammer so I could hang it up, he texted Kankuro, and the man came over with a toolbox we could borrow for the day after getting off work.

I started off heading into the kitchen to grab a dining chair so I could reach the spots on the wall where I wanted to hang the two photos, one of his family and one of mine, but he stopped me with an amused expression and told me to just point out where to put the nails.

After hanging up the two frames, we stepped back to admire our work in silence. I looked at Gaara after a moment, though, and his somewhat surprised expression brought a smile to my lips. That was the look of someone who's never felt at home before. He was beginning to for the first time, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it.

He noticed my staring and looked over. I just pulled his arm until he leaned down enough that I could reach to kiss his lips quickly before heading back to the spare bedroom to find more items to bring out.

When I first arrived yesterday, I thought the place seemed bare and unwelcoming, but by the time we unpacked, it was at least somewhat on its way to feeling home-like.

After taking turns showering, we decided to watch a movie downstairs on the larger television in the family room. At first, we sat side by side, but then I got cold and moved against his side. I got a thin blanket from the storage closet when that also didn't warm me up. Then I realized I was still cold, and he reclined on the sofa before pulling me in between his legs to lay against his chest, arms loosely around my body to rest at the small of my back.

Finally, I was comfortable.

It was hard to focus on the movie when such a long day thoroughly tired me, and I fell asleep. At some point in the night, I woke up and realized we were upstairs in bed. Gaara had to have carried me up here. I must've been much more exhausted than I thought because I hadn't even stirred.

With a smile, I snuggled into his turned back, tossing an arm over his waist before letting myself fall asleep again.