Notes: Takes place during the time-skip to after the war, I own Akira Sato and some of the plot. I don't own Naruto hence why we are on Fanfiction.

I just want to address quickly that my last two stories will be as they are now and forever. I will be leaving fanfiction, so this is my love letter. This is what I wished my first story was like, and each chapter will be titled of a song I feel like fits it well. I didn't watch much of Shippuden, so a lot of this will be heavily based on my manga knowledge (which rarely featured Gaara) just for the sake of everything staying close to cannon, and for my own sake of wondering which episodes are filler, and which aren't. I hope everyone enjoys this story and any critiques will be welcomed.

Flame me. Burn me. Build me up and praise me. I don't care, just don't steal my work, please and thank you.

Enjoy.

Chapter 1 (Saint Cecilia)

"You're going in on the right to flank. Kai will follow in on the left to help hold the ground." The two ninja nod and jump away to secure their positions around the small facility. The goal is to get inside, retrieve a scroll from a bandit and get out. A simple mission. Gaara nods as he gives out the rest of his orders and the remaining member leaves the ground. He knows how they feel about him. It is how the whole village feels about him, although they certainly hide it better than past teammates.

The tremor in their voices, the lowered gazes, and the tremble in their hands- he would have to be blind, and maybe even deaf, to miss it.

The enemies they encounter are easy enough. He had known of at least four bandits and when six came pouring out he quickly crushed two of them. Kai manages two and as his team completes the mission and gets the scroll. Gaara turns slightly away to make sure his last teammate is fine.

He doesn't see it.

She does.

She quickly moves shoving him over as the kunai pierces her shoulder. She grunts as she takes it out and examines it quickly. Gaara blinks at her as his sand slowly comes down from where it stopped her from touching him. Surprise laces through him and he quickly schools his features as she presses a hand against her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" she asks him as her own blood leaks threw her fingers. Gaara's mouth is dry as he tries to swallow. He couldn't help but stare a little bit at the crimson between her fingers. But he is better now, and he wouldn't let a mistake ruin that.

"Fine." The others come quickly to them and it doesn't take much longer to finish their mission.

Had he seen her before this mission? He stares at her as they travel home watching as she smiles and laughs with the other two members. As she patches up her wound and heals the others. She is a medic-nin. He wonders why she hadn't healed herself, and why he had overlooked her file. He remembers scanning it before the mission at Baki's request to learn more about how Kazekage duties were managed. He saw medic-nin on her file, saw her skills as a Chunin, and had dismissed her completely.

"Hey, I have finished healing and examining the rest of the team, want me to check you over?" She asks as Gaara shakes his head. She nods and walks away as the rest of the team watches weary.

And as they travel home making it back in less than a day he can't shake her from his thoughts.

She hadn't been afraid of him.

The others had been dismissed due to having their injuries healed except for her. Baki had ordered her to the hospital for examination of the wound. She had left it unhealed due to the nature of the weapon. Gaara is surprised to hear there was a gel on it, that she treated the wound with an universal antibiotic but left it unhealed to drain it of bad blood. He is impressed and as she heads to the hospital, he heads the opposite direction.

Gaara doesn't owe her anything. She is interesting yes, but it is better if he doesn't get involved as Shukaku chuckles.

"Bold of you to ignore the bloodlust. To ignore the great-." Gaara imagines a giant wall shutting out the sand demon and forces himself to steady as Shukaku's claws run against it.

He definitely is better leaving that girl alone.

That is until Temari finds him studying scrolls and glares.

"What?" he asks not looking up as Temari turns and walks away. Gaara puts down the scroll as she comes back and throws a bouquet of flowers into his arms. He blinks at her wide eyed and confused as she huffs.

"Your teammate is new to the village. She knows some of the past but not enough obviously since she tried to take a kunai for you. Go visit her in the hospital she deserves that much." She jabs a finger towards him before leaning back as Gaara looks at her still confused.

"Temari I have work to be-." Temari cuts him off as she rubs her temples.

"Fine. You don't have to visit her if you can answer one question." She holds up one finger as she glares at Gaara. "What is her name?" she hisses as he freezes.

He had read her file. Had listened when she introduced herself to him.

He gulps as he looks at his sister whose smile is sinister and points to the door.

"And be sure to thank her for trying to save your life when you ask for her name."

And that is how Gaara came to wander in a hospital with flowers trying to find the girl that was on his mission. He nods to the nurse who allows him in and he immediately turns around and calls for help when he sees her shaking violently in the bed, eyes rolled back and skin paler than before. They come and would later thank him for seeing her then, allowing them to catch the slow acting venom used on the kunai and administer the antidote.

Gaara nods at the thanks and nervously the nurses leave him awkwardly standing there. Unsure whether to leave or stay with the girl. He realizes then that he's still holding the flowers, he moves to set them on the side table and she moves.

Groaning she turns and blinks her eyes open at Gaara who is frozen. "Hi," she mumbles groggily and confused. The boy by her table looks familiar and it hits her as he blinks at her.

"You're the boy from my mission." Her voice is cracking as she clears it and sits up more in the bed. Gaara moves then choosing to catch her extended hand as she gives him a small closed lipped smile.

"I'm terrible with names so excuse me but what was yours?" she asks and Gaara feels the slight guilt Temari had placed in his chest slide away.

"If you pardon my asking for yours? Gaara." He shakes her hand as she nods.

"Akira. Akira Sato." She sighs when Gaara crocks his head to the side in confusion.

"I understand that it's commonly a boys' name, but my mother didn't want someone to see a female name and assume anything." She explains her mouth quirking up to the side as Gaara nods.

"A good reason but ninja shouldn't be judged based on gender." Akira shrugs in response at his observation.

"Still they are at times, but may I ask about the flowers? I didn't remember your name I don't think I deserve them." She makes a face as Gaara looks at the flowers.

"My sister heard about the attempt you made and decided flowers would show gratitude."

"Ah well you're welcome for trying to save you I suppose since I didn't realize you had it under control." She laughs a bit awkwardly as Gaara nods. "Your sister sounds like someone I've meet, may I ask about her?"

"Her name is Temari." Akira's eyes go wide at the name and she laughs again, surprising Gaara.

"I know Temari she helped my mother and I adjust here, and she's been one of my closest friends since I've moved." She nods to the flowers as she adds, "The flowers make more sense now." Gaara nods to that statement as he realizes his sister has struck again in meddling with his life.

"She has the habit of meddling in my life, though I can't say I don't deserve it." Gaara chooses to leave it there. There was no reason to tell this girl he was just introduced to about how he still wasn't sure he was human. How he is pretty sure he is still a monster. They had just met, and no matter how interesting she was, trust wasn't something so easily earned.

They sit in silence a few moments unsure of what to say to each other when a nurse comes and tells Gaara visiting hours are over.

Gaara gives a small nod to her as he leaves, and she waves goodbye and sends her thanks to Temari with him.

Temari smirks when she sees him enter the house, and keeps smirking at his glare that has stopped being menacing to her a few months ago.

"Her name is Akira Sato." He states and Temari leans away from the door-frame and gestures to the kitchen.

"And as a reward dinner is done." She says sarcastically and moves to get Kankuro.

They've been eating together again, awkwardly at first, but the effort mattered.

Gaara wouldn't be scary anymore.

Temari would be cocky and proud around the house again.

Kankuro wouldn't try and find excuses to get out of dinner.

Progress.

He never expects to see her again. Much less at the dead of night as he wanders the village aimlessly patrolling it. He is used to being able to go around in the dead of night. It is usually quiet and Shukaku would claw less at his mind when they moved around. He catches her walking around town at night when every sane person should be resting. He follows for a bit and realizes she's either aimlessly walking or lost as she passes the same street corner twice.

He spies her confused face and sighs.

Temari won't be able to twist his newfound feelings if he helps her.

He lands softly behind her and she spins around surprised. She nods in greeting and he nods back.

"Where do you live?"

"What's a food you prefer?" she asks softly as he leads her back to her home. They walked together but the conversation was extremely one-sided. She had started by asking questions of Suna's history, foods more common around the area, and he had answered with silence. She hadn't lapsed long though before trying questions that had simple answers.

She hadn't gotten much from him that lead her to figure out his character, but he found much about her from her ramblings. She knew little even after almost a year of being here since she went on missions often and trained in her free time. Points of exploring the town were far and in between and when she had to go out it was a straight forward trip. No wonder Temari liked her. She didn't want to window shop and was usually more nonsensical from what he gathered.

"Gizzard." He answers after a moment as they round a corner and find her home.

"Th-"

"What are you doing out here so late?" he asks, his confusion getting the better of him as she blinks.

"I have insomnia. I wandered out tonight just to stretch my legs, I don't usually do it." She says a matter-of-factly as she heads to her house.

"Thank you though and one last question," she stands in her doorway already half inside as Gaara turns around. "Savory or sweet?" she asks as he looks at her.

"Savory." he answers. He did not expect the slow smile and a glint in her eyes as she softly says. "Same, looks like we have more in common then, goodnight Gaara." she turns then and disappears into the house. Gaara pauses for a moment as his interest spikes for a moment before turning away. These feelings were still new to him, some bonds were still mending. So Gaara examines his emotions and feelings once more on his long slow walk home.

-End- Song Choice: I feel like the lyrics to Saint Cecilia by Foo Fighters sets the tone for the story since Akira's house plays a bigger part later in the series. Gaara also slowly gets healing from Akira and her family as well as his own.

Well I hope you enjoy it. Until next time!