31Training Matsuri, Training Gaara
By MadnessinmyMethod
Matsuri was in every aspect of the phrase a strange kunoichi. Initially marked by her adversity to weaponry, many wondered if she could ever become a fine ninja. Most feared that with her timidity, she would be one of the first of her generation to die in battle. Matsuri was even further set apart from her peers by the identity of shinobi sensei: Gaara.
Gaara drove fear into the hearts of many and the student-teacher relationship he had with Matsuri inspired wonder in all who considered it. How could someone with such a phobia for weapons be the student of one of Suna's fiercest killers? For that was what Gaara was, a killer.
But perhaps his student failed to see this side of Gaara. She had no parents, no friends, no one to inform her of the myths and rumors that surrounded her sensei. Matsuri found him intimidating like any other shinobi she had come in contact with. She had never seen him smile. She also never had a cross word from him. Gaara was forever serene and exuded confidence that she envied.
Matsuri was lucky to have Gaara as her sensei and vice versa. Only Matsuri knew how fortunate she was and Gaara was woefully ignorant…
"Ga-Gaara-sensei?"
"What is it, Matsuri?" Gaara asked, looking over at his student. There was a strange look in her eyes and she appeared to be struggling with something.
Matsuri took a deep breath. "I… I would like to learn how to use other weapons."
Gaara blinked at her. "I thought you were afraid of weapons."
"I am, but—" She stopped for a moment.
"But?" Gaara prompted.
"But I'm starting to understand what you've been trying to tell me. It's not the weapon that is evil… it's… it's the use it's put to."
Gaara would have liked to smile, and he knew that Temari or Kankuro would in his situation, but he was not Temari or Kankuro and smiles felt so alien and strange to him. Instead he responded, "Very well."
A small smile crept into Matsuri's countenance which made Gaara feel even guiltier about not smiling, but he couldn't. It was just too weird. "Thank you, Gaara-sensei!"
"It is just my duty," Gaara said, feeling awkward that anyone was grateful to him.
"Oh, right." Matsuri's smile faded which perplexed Gaara and he wondered if it was perhaps that she was having doubts about weapons.
He cleared his throat and removed a kunai from the pouch on his side. "You know what this is, right?" Gaara asked, not entirely sure that Matsuri's fear would have kept her from learning anything concerning weaponry.
She blushed. "Y-yes, of course."
"Good," Gaara said. "And do you have any idea why a kunai is one of the most versatile tools?"
Matsuri bit her lip. "Um… no… sorry."
Gaara took a deep breath. "The ring on the end and the long handle make it easy to hold on to. They can be thrown or used to stab." Matsuri nodded as she listened to him. "You can usually deflect most projectiles with a kunai, again either throwing or hand-held. A kunai isn't particularly complex, but you need to practice to have any skill with them."
"Yes, Gaara-sensei. I…. I don't have any to practice with though."
"Then we'll have to stop at the storehouse after training," Gaara replied. He exchanged the kunai for a shuriken from his pouch. "Same principles apply for a shuriken, except they are only thrown. They aren't particularly easy to hold onto for a long time."
Matsuri eyed the blades with unease that she was utterly unsuccessful in masking.
"Do you see that target over there?" Gaara asked, pointing to a wooden post with a messily painted bull's-eye on the opposite end of the training grounds.
"Yes."
Gaara placed a set of shuriken in Matsuri's trembling hand. "I want you to hit the center. When you do, training is finished for the day."
Matsuri's eyes widened and she looked at him as if he were insane. "But… but how do I throw it?"
It's a good thing I stopped hating people, Gaara thought. "Follow me."
Gaara had Matsuri stand several meters away from the target post. He stood directly behind her to stay clear of her attempts. "Now take a shuriken in your hand," he instructed. "And hold it flat. No, like this." He reached over her shoulder and adjusted the position of her fingers. He missed Matsuri's sharp intake of breath as his fingers touched hers. "Now move your arm a little bit lower."
She complied. "And now I throw, Gaara-sensei?" Matsuri asked.
"Yes. You want to flick your wrist," Gaara said. "Watch me first." Gaara's shuriken soared through the air gracefully and embedded itself in the target with hardly a sound at all. "Now you try."
Matsuri sent her blade flying it. It struck the stone wall behind the target post and fell down into the dusty dirt.
"Your hand was tilted too far upward," Gaara said calmly. "Level your hand out and you should hit the post."
"To be honest, most ninja spend their early childhood mastering the use of kunai and shuriken," Gaara told his student. "You should feel proud it only took you a month."
Matsuri was breathing heavily and a large pile of kunai and shuriken lay scattered in the sand around her where they had fallen not so long ago. Despite this, she glowed with her sensei's praise.
"Now I think we should intensify your taijutsu training," Gaara said.
"Yes, Gaara-sensei."
The corners of Gaara's mouth twitched. It wasn't a true smile, but Matsuri noticed. Slowly he undid the buckles that held the gourd strapped to his back and set the container down. "Well then, come at me with the intent to kill."
"Wh-what?"
"You won't progress unless you spar," Gaara said. "And you will not get very far unless you have a murderous intent."
"But Gaara-sensei—" Matsuri stopped as Gaara kicked her feet out from under her. She skidded slightly in the sand. She had little time to process what happened for she had to roll to the left to avoid Gaara's incoming fist. "Good," she heard him say, "attack me."
Matsuri sprang back onto her feet. She had grown almost addicted to her training. Something about it made her feel excessively good. A grin found its way onto her lips. Gaara dodged or blocked every blow she sent his way, but she knew she was improving because even Gaara was getting tired.
Another two months (in which she trained in taijutsu as well as other basic ninjustu) went by before Matsuri became curious about another type of ninja technique. She and Gaara were taking a small rest after a sparring match. "Gaara-sensei, how do you mix chakra with your sand?"
"It's just a chakra release like other ninjutsu," Gaara replied. "It's only consistently useful if you carry it with you."
"Is your gourd heavy?"
"I have grown used to it, I suppose."
"Could I learn how to use sand like you do, Gaara-sensei?" Matsuri asked.
"I don't think it would be wise at this time," Gaara said slowly.
Matsuri deflated. "Oh."
Gaara looked at her sideways. "I did not say that I would not teach you. When you reach genin status you may learn more specialized techniques. For now it is your duty to get a thorough knowledge of standard techniques."
Matsuri's good mood was infectious. A smile might not have appeared on Gaara's lips, but there was no mistaking the happiness in his eyes.
Gaara called to Matsuri from the other side of the training grounds. Matsuri jogged over. "Did I do something wrong with that last ninjutsu technique?" she asked worriedly. "I don't think I focused my chakra right. I'm sorry. I—"
"Matsuri!" Gaara interrupted.
"Y-yes, Gaara-sensei?"
"Your technique was superb. I called you over because I have something for you." The world seemed to slow down as Gaara reached into his pocket and removed a Suna forehead protector.
"Ga-Gaara-sensei…"
"You are officially a genin of Suna, Matsuri, should you choose to accept this."
Matsuri slowly reached out, half-afraid that it was all a mirage or that Gaara was teasing her (ridiculous as that last theory was).
"I… of course I accept it," she said finally. Matsuri took the forehead protector and tied it around her neck, displacing the old scarf she normally wore.
Gaara nodded in a satisfied sort of way. "It suits you, Matsuri." Her grin made a strange part of his insides flutter. Was this pride?
"You have a promise to keep, Gaara-sensei," Matsuri told him.
He frowned. "I do?"
"You said that when I became a genin, you would teach me how to use sand," she said. Because when you are no longer my sensei, I will still be able to feel close to you, Matsuri added silently.
The corners of Gaara's mouth twitched. "Very well. You and I will have to find time around our missions to continue with these lessons, but I am no longer your sensei."
"But what shall I call you?"
"Gaara will do. There is no need for formalities." Gaara looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set. "Meet me here at noon tomorrow. Matsuri, I wish for you to be more accomplished than a ninja who just uses sand. And it is a heavy burden. I am afraid I can do very little without sand."
"But, Gaara-sen—Gaara when you do have sand, you can do anything," Matsuri said, using his own mantra against him.
His lips twitched again. "I have taught you well."
Matsuri concentrated her hold on the sand around her. It bent to her will by the force of her chakra. "Look, Gaara! I made a sand castle!"
Gaara shook his head sadly. "This is what my student has become," he muttered.
"What was that?" Matsuri asked.
"Nothing."
"Aw, c'mon. I know you think it's cute."
"So you are reading my mind, are you?" Gaara asked.
"Careful, Gaara, your sense of humor is showing," she warned.
He thought her lopsided grin looked absolutely ridiculous and yet found it pleasant. "Perhaps I should have never made you a genin," he said. "It has made you grow quite rude."
Matsuri stifled a laugh. "You and I both know that you absolutely love my 'rudeness.'"
Gaara rolled his eyes. "Love?" he echoed.
"Yes, love."
Gaara was leaned up against a wooden door, his ear pressed firmly to the gap on the edge. He was usually not one to hide his presence or eavesdrop, but there was a first time for everything and that had been happening a lot lately. His brother and sister didn't know he was home. They most likely assumed he was in the Kazekage Tower, which wasn't a bad guess since he always buried himself in work, especially since his "run-in"—and that was a very loose term for it indeed—with Akatsuki.
He had intended to leave through the back door completely unnoticed, that was until he'd spotted Matsuri walking up the drive to his home. She was probably wondering when their next lesson with sand would be.
Gaara had been dreading this. With Shukaku removed from his body, he wondered if he would still be able to manipulate sand on the same level. And what if his pupil surpassed him? What would he do then? With these doubts circling in his mind like vultures, he had solidly ignored Matsuri for a whole month.
Now the girl to have sought out the council of his older siblings and so Gaara was eavesdropping (rather cleverly if he had anything to say about it).
"So you can understand why I'm worried," he heard Matsuri say. He could picture her shifting her weight nervously.
"Yeah," Kankuro said. "He seemed fine at first, but we've noticed it too."
"Well, could you let him know I came by? I must have missed him at the Kazekage Tower."
"Sure thing," Kankuro said. Temari was surprisingly quiet. He heard the door click shut as Matsuri left.
"Missed him my ass," Temari muttered. "Gaara! Stop eavesdropping!"
Gaara waited a minute before entering the room. "I wasn't," he said coolly.
Temari ignored the lie. "It's rude. You're going to have to make it up to the poor girl. She's worried sick."
"Who?" Gaara asked coyly.
Temari stomped away muttering about men and stupidity. "I think it's that time of the month," Kankuro said wisely. "We'd better watch out."
Temari was right of course—as she often was. Gaara didn't usually like to admit to this sort of thing, but if Kankuro was right about it being "that time of the month," then Temari's feminine intuition was to be trusted implicitly.
Gaara left home for the training grounds and began a very serious undertaking.
Matsuri had been out when the message arrived. When she did return home, she found a letter from Gaara. It was short and to the point. "Sorry I haven't been training you. Come to the grounds as soon as you get this. –Gaara."
She felt her heart flutter and wondered how long the note had been waiting for her. Needless to say, Matsuri set off at once, running at a breakneck speed (and causing minor incidents along the way).
Gaara was starting to wonder if Matsuri would even come. It was very late, almost night. A tiny sliver of moon was beginning to push its way up in the east as the sun settled west. He sighed and traced a pattern in the dirt with the tip of his shoe. "Damn waiting," he muttered, a bit surprised at himself for he didn't curse very often.
"Gaara-se—I mean—Gaara," a sweet voice called out.
His whole exterior instantly brightened at the sight of her. "Hello, Matsuri," he said, barely noticing how easily the words rolled off his tongue. "I hope you have maintained your skills with sand," he said as if he hadn't been avoiding her for an entire month.
"Of course," she said quickly.
Gaara's eyes held a smile that would never reach his lips. "I have something special planned so you will need every bit of skill you possess." Matsuri nodded. "Have you taken a good look around you, or more specifically, above you?"
Matsuri squinted at the glowing twilight above her. "Sand platforms," she said.
"Stairs to be exact," Gaara replied. "You need to strengthen the sand with enough chakra to hold your weight. But you don't want to waste chakra either. I'm going up. Meet me there."
She watched him silently as he casually moved up the arrangement of platforms until he was several hundred feet up in the sky.
Gaara could see her lips moving. She was muttering to herself, something he had noticed Matsuri do quite often. His eyes threatened a smile again as he saw her pull sand together for the first step in her set of stairs. Matsuri was nervous and using more chakra than she needed to. Gaara was confident enough in his own abilities for he still felt a large amount of chakra in his reserves that he could help her when she ran out of strength.
Within an hour or so, Matsuri was two thirds of the way there and running out of chakra. Her cheeks reddened shamefully and she looked up at Gaara. "I can't make it," she said softly.
He nodded gently and brought her up to his platform which he widened slightly to accommodate her. "You can let your steps go now," he said. Matsuri released her chakra and a cascade of sand poured downwards. "Do you know what you did wrong?" he asked.
"I put too much chakra in my steps," she answered.
"Yes. When approaching a task like this you need to think of how best to preserve your chakra. Putting less chakra in your platforms would have helped. Also you maintained steps which you no longer needed. That put a strain on your reserve as well."
"I understand," Matsuri said, bowing her head. "I will try harder."
"It was an admirable first attempt," Gaara offered, feeling uncomfortable because of her disappointment. He had hoped the lesson would please her to make up for his elusive behavior. "You should rest a bit before you go back down."
"Yes, Gaara."
He studied her features for a long time in the soft moonlight until he felt compelled to speak. "Why are you sad, Matsuri?"
She turned to him in surprise. "I'm not sad," she replied.
"But… you look sad," he protested.
"I'm okay. I was just thinking."
Her response begged further interrogation. "What about?"
Matsuri's cheeks tinted slightly. "Um… people."
"Matsuri, you know I am no good at this 'talking' thing. We have been over it before. Your vagueness is very disturbing to me."
To Gaara's surprise, she laughed at his stern reprimand. "I'm sorry, Gaara." She paused to bit her lip briefly and then continued. "I was thinking about you."
"I heard you talking to my siblings this morning," he confessed. "You do not have to worry about me."
"You were there?"
"Yes, and Temari already went off on me for eavesdropping," he began.
"And you deserved it," she interrupted.
"As I was saying, I wanted to make it up to you with this lesson, but I seem to have miscalculated your enjoyment," Gaara finished quickly.
"No, it was great. I just want to get stronger," she explained. "I—"
"I am very proud of you, Matsuri," Gaara said.
She glowed. "Thank you."
Silence, though a very different kind, pervaded once more. Matsuri said down with her legs dangling hazardously over the edge of the sand block. Gaara watched her limbs swing back and forth, mesmerized by the monotony.
"Gaara, come look at the stars with me," Matsuri said suddenly, patting the spot beside her. He acquiesced, pausing only to unstrap the large gourd on his back. "Look there," she said pointing to a band of three stars. "Orion's belt. It's my favorite."
Gaara looked at her.
"Okay," she admitted. "It's the only constellation I know. But it's still pretty."
"I don't have to look up to see a star."
To Gaara's horror (since he thought he'd said something so perfectly poetic) Matsuri burst out laughing. "I'm—I'm sorry," she gasped. "You just—looked so—funny."
Gaara frowned and looked away. Matsuri's heart clenched with guilt. "Oh, Gaara, I didn't mean—"
"What did you mean? Matsuri, you confuse me more than any other person I have ever met."
"Gaara," she repeated, taking his hand. "I—" she took a deep breath—"I love you."
"Love?" he repeated squinting intently at her features. She nodded. "You love me?"
"That's what I said."
"Then you mean—"
"Goddamn it, shut up and kiss me!"
Splee. They're so cute! Anyway, I've been promising this one for awhile and now it's here 'cause I've got a life again. Hope you enjoyed it. Review.
