Our Heavy Burdens(Naruto Fanfic Gaara Love Story)[Slow Update]

Chapter 42: Little Talks

Everyone was silent as Nariko rubbed her eyes sleepily. You could practically hear crickets chirping from how quiet it was. "You guys were talking about a wedding, right? What's going on?" Nariko spoke up again, making everyone flinch and panic. "No, no! You were probably just hearing things!" Kankuro immediately laughed off, then looked at Naruto. "Hey, look, Naruto's here! Why don't we let you two talk for a minute?" He added, redirecting her attention to Naruto, whose eyes widened in shock that he was being called out so suddenly. "Come on, Gaara, Konan-san. We'll be back later!" Kankuro practically dragged Gaara out of the room, letting Konan follow at her own pace since he was still too scared of her to drag her as well. Konan took a moment to pet Nariko's hair and kiss her forehead affectionately. "We'll be right outside if you need us." She said before leaving, Nariko watching her with half-lidded, tired eyes before glancing back at Naruto.

Despite her exhaustion, Nariko was confused about Kankuro's frantic and nervous behavior, but she could also feel her own anxiety in her chest as she looked at her brother. Naruto looked nervous and awkward as well, his uncertainty making it clear to her what happened while she was in captivity. "I'm sorry, Naru..." Nariko murmured as she looked up at the ceiling in guilt and regret. Naruto jolted and looked at her with wide, shocked eyes. "Wha- What are you sorry about? Don't tell me you're apologizing for getting captured and hurt! That wasn't your fault-" "No." Nariko interrupted his protest, her voice soft compared to his loudness. "Though that's also my fault since I wasn't more cautious, I meant I was sorry for not telling you sooner about being your sister." She told him, stunning Naruto and making him stammer. "H-How did you know?" He asked, and she glanced at him with a broken smile. "With how awkward you seemed when the others left the room, I guessed someone told you while I was away. Why else would Kankuro call you out like that?" She said in a light tease, making him sheepishly chuckle and scratch his head.

Not a minute later, they had both fallen silent again, the tension rising in the room the longer they were silent. "Everyone kept saying you never told me because you didn't want me to feel like I was in your shadow, that you wanted me to grow up happy with my own success. Now that I know and you're back, I don't know how to feel. I'm glad you're back and okay, and I'm glad that you're my sister. But why? Why are you better than me? Why are you loved by everyone and so in control while I'm a mess? Why didn't you just tell me that we're family sooner and help me be better like you?" Naruto ranted, and Nariko let out a shaky laugh, tears in her eyes as she side eyed him. "When did you become Sasuke?" She joked, referring to when Naruto and Sasuke were younger. Naruto just looked at her angry yet desperate for an answer, so she sighed and closed her eyes.

"I wasn't always loved by everyone, or successful, Naru. When I was a kid, everyone feared me as much as they feared you and Gaara. The people of Suna actually hated that they had to deal with both me and Gaara in the same village. Kurama became my friend by chance, but no one knew that. Not even my caretaker knew. My caretaker... It's been so long, I forgot his name, but he was kind to me out of obligation as a ninja under orders. The only one who was genuinely kind to me was Gaara, before my caretaker and I were cast out of the village. The Kazekage at the time didn't like that I was becoming Gaara's friend, so I was to be sent back to Konoha, but Hidan-oji and Stitches found us. They killed my caretaker before bringing me to Otōsan since they wanted me. I was given the chance to run away to either Suna or Konoha, but I got lost. When I was brought back to the Akatsuki hideout, I was given the Rinnegan by Hagoromo-san.

Anyway, the Akatsuki became my new family. They trained me on everything they knew. Otōsan trained me on the Rinnegan while Ningyō-nī got me bodies for my paths. I also taught myself things like the Flying Thunder God technique, which was dad's technique, and learned Senjutsu around the time you and Sasuke left to train. It took me years, as long as it would take if I had been in the academy. The whole time, I trained with Kurama in secret to fight with him better. By the time you were about to graduate from the academy, I was allowed to go to Konoha. I became your sensei along with Kakashi, as well as an ambassador for the Hokage. The villagers were told that I was mom's and dad's daughter and was in control of Kurama, so they were all fine with me. At the time, they didn't know you were my brother. All they knew was that you had Kurama's other half, but you couldn't work with him as well as me.