Garden of Fate

Neji stared at the beautiful, geometric patterns that decorated the ceiling of his room. The design reminded him of a mandala he once saw in the Fire Temple. The colours and shapes enchanted him and looking at them cleared his mind, as if he had been meditating.
This would be the last day he’d see them, though. This evening, he would be on his way back to Konoha. Up to a few weeks ago, he would be more than happy to leave. That was before he met Gaara.

The room he was in belonged to Gaara. That is, it was inside Gaara’s home, which he shared with his sister, Temari, and his brother, Kankurō. Neji had been invited to stay here after he had become friends with Gaara. He had gladly accepted the invitation.
That was about two-and-a-half weeks ago. In the time that followed, he and Gaara had grown very close. Perhaps even closer than to any other friend either of them had ever had. Now, Neji didn’t feel quite as glad to leave Suna. He really didn’t want to miss drinking tea with Gaara in the cactus garden, or sleeping as Gaara’s watchful eyes guarded over him.
Still, he knew he couldn’t stay here forever. His parting with Gaara might be sad, but Konoha was his home and the goodbye wouldn’t be permanent. It was only a three-day’s trip between the two villages and there would be ample opportunity to visit each other.

So why did he feel so melancholy? His own feelings confused Neji. It was as if he wasn’t acting like himself. As if his friendship with Gaara had changed something in his heart. He sighed and got up. “This is getting me nowhere,” he thought, “Maybe a change of scenery will help me clear my mind…”

He dressed and quietly made his way out of the house. Not that he could disturb anyone. Beside himself, the only people in the house were the servants. Gaara and his siblings were all out on missions and wouldn’t be back until the afternoon, at the earliest. Still, it was his nature to be as quiet as possible.
He strolled around Suna, not going anywhere in particular. Eventually, though, he found himself standing in front of Gaara’s garden. He pensively stroked the wall, noting the unique texture of the sand. He was surprised when the wall suddenly opened up to him, allowing him to enter the garden. Once inside, Neji sat down in the shade of a large saguaro and let his mind wander.

He thought about all the things that had happened since he had arrived in Suna. He thought about how he met Gaara and how he had become friends with him. He thought and thought and slowly fell asleep.
The heat of the midday sun woke him up again. He stood up and brushed the dust off his clothes. A quick glance at the sun told Neji what time it was and he realised Gaara would be back in less than an hour. This would be the last time he would see him.

He hurried back to the house, although he knew there was no need to. When he arrived, Temari had already returned, as well, and the two had a polite conversation until Gaara arrived half an hour later.
Kankurō arrived soon after and the four of them enjoyed an early supper. Afterwards, as usual, Neji and Gaara took their leave and headed for the garden at a leisurely pace. The walk was a silent one, but not unpleasant in the slightest. Neji as amazed by how much he had gotten used to these walks.

They had tea in the garden and together, they tended to the cacti. Their being together seemed natural now, as if it was the way the gods had intended it to be. Still, the mood was almost melancholy. Both knew this would be the last time they would be together like this for a long time to come.

By the time they finished their gardening and sat down for tea again, the sun had already set. The night was bright with a full moon, so even without lights, they could easily see each other. They sat down against a large rock, close together to fight off the cold. The mint tea filled the air with a sweet smell. The sound of birds singing their lullabies brightened the mood. The moment was perfect.

“Gaara?”
“Yes Neji?”
“I should get going…”
“I know.”
“When will I see you again?”
“The chūnin exams are next month. I might be able to make it there.”
“They’re in Takigakure this time, right? I should be able to get leave for then.”
“Say, Neji?”
“Hm?”
“What do you think is the difference between friendship and love?”
“Does the difference matter?”
“I don’t know… Wouldn’t a romantic relationship ruin a friendship?”
“I don’t think so… Not necessarily, at least. I think that, if it was meant to be, it will only increase the bond between the two immensely.”
“How do you know if the other wants to take that step as well?”
“I think… a kiss would be a good indicator.”

Gaara leaned over and kissed Neji. The kiss was clumsy, but sincere and Neji gladly returned it. It seemed to last for an eternity as they wallowed in each other’s warmth and taste. Both knew it for certain now. This was meant to be. This was their Fate.
When they broke the kiss, the world seemed different. More perfect, as if a few more pieces of a jigsaw puzzle had fallen into place. They remained in each other’s embrace for a while, simply enjoying being together.

No perfection can last forever, though, and eventually they had to get up. They held hands as they walked back to the house, feeling strangely proud of being able to show everyone their bond.
Gaara helped Neji gather his belongings and pack his bag. By now, Neji was already behind schedule, but although they should be hurrying, they just couldn’t do it.

They walked to the village gates together and after they said goodbye, they kissed again. This time, the kiss was more determined, more passionate. They said goodbye again and Neji turned to leave, when Gaara suddenly halted him again. “Neji, wait. I… I have something for you.”
Neji turned and looked at Gaara. “Something? A goodbye present?”
Gaara nodded and gave Neji a small box. “Be careful with it, it’s fragile.”
Neji took the box and carefully put it in his backpack. Then he gave Gaara a small kiss on his cheek. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too.”
“We’ll see each other again soon.”

Neji turned and walked away, waving at Gaara. Gaara waved back and watched as Neji disappeared into the darkness. He stood there for a long time, as if his standing there would guarantee Neji’s safe return.

It was a long way back to Konoha, but the journey seemed much faster this time. Even though it was still a good month away, the mere thought of seeing Gaara again filled Neji with energy and joy. He felt reborn, enlightened. He couldn’t wait to tell the people back home about this trip. It was the best mission he had ever had.
Back home, Neji quickly unwrapped the gift and smiled as he saw its contents. Inside was a tiny cactus in a beautifully decorated pot. Neji carefully took it out of the box and placed it in front of his window. Its tiny spines shimmered in the mild Konoha sun.

Neji looked at the cactus and realised that Gaara and he had a difficult path in front of them. Living in two different villages would make their relationship that much more troublesome. It would be as fragile as a seedling cactus, but Neji knew they would be able to make it through any hardships and that eventually, their love would be as strong as the strongest cactus.