Stumble [Rewrite]

T&I

In her time, Sakura never really had the chance or reason to visit the T&I building. The people in that line of work never crossed paths with the hospital or were in need of medics, and now that she looked back on it, the two had very different sets of morals. Sure they were both shinobi, but one tortured for information and the other healed wounds and refused to inflict harm on patients. It wasn't until the war started that the sectors had started working closely together.

On the third floor, she received odd glances from the shinobi she passed in the hallway. They whispered to each other and Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Did they think she couldn't hear them? When she arrived at the office, she knocked twice and leaned back on her heels as she waited. An entire minute later, she heard Ibiki speak. "Come in."

Sakura opened the door to see Ibiki scribbling something on a piece of paper. He was completely engrossed in his work and didn't bother raising his gaze.

"You finally have those documents for me, Shiranui?"

"Shiranui-san told me to deliver these for him."

Ibiki's hand froze for a few seconds before he set down the pen and leaned back in his seat. He raised an eyebrow. "And who the hell are you?"

"Haruno Sakura. I'm joining the Academy next term, nice to meet you."

Immediately, Ibiki could tell something was off about her. She held herself in a dignified manner like an aged and hardened shinobi who had breathed the air of war for years. Her words were well enunciated in a way that didn't suit her small self, making Ibiki begin to understand why Shiranui would even think to send her to his office in the first place.

He took the folders she offered him and placed it to the side without breaking eye contact. He stayed quiet a bit more, intensifying his gaze-- daring her to flinch or look away.

She didn't.

Oh? How interesting.

"Will that be all, Morino-san?" she asked.

"... Come back here tomorrow. We'll have a talk."

Sakura couldn't mask the surprise on her face.

::

Undoubtedly, it was a boy. His knees were pressed to his chest with his arms wound tight around his knees and his face pressed in the crook of his elbow. It seemed that he was crying silently to himself with his shoulders shaking slightly and hiccup sounding noises echoing through the empty forest. Sasori jumped down from his perch and landed on the other side of the river.

"Are you alright?"

The boy's head shot up as fear danced in his sea foam green eyes. The sand around Sasori began to shift threateningly. "Did tou-sama send you to find me?" he questioned apprehensively, "Or Yashamaru?"

"...No," Sasori replied smoothly, cautiously eyeing the sand around him. "I don't know either of the them. I'm just asking if you're alright."

The sand shifted for a little longer before it finally dropped. Sasori released the breath he didn't know he was holding and properly crossed his legs.

"I'm okay. I just needed to leave for a little bit," the boy answered solemnly. The older man didn't say a word and merely sat on the opposite side of the river with a small smile on his face. He pulled out a small puppet prototype from one of the pockets in his cloak and attached a few chakra strings to it. Once in control, he sent the puppet to walk across the river to dance for the little boy. When Sasori heard the small giggles that bubbled from his lips, his smile grew wider.

"So, what's your name?"

The boy looked up. "G-Gaara," he introduced shyly. "What's yours?"

"Hiruko," Sasori answered. He glanced behind Gaara before standing and dusting himself off. "I have to leave. It seems that somebody has come to get you after all. Perhaps your tou-sama or that Yashamaru?"