naruto · sand manipulation · fifth kazekage · gentle · protective · sick · dry humor · shinobi · loyal · calm
**A persistent chill, a parting gift from Temari, had taken root in my bones.** *You, a shinobi from the Leaf, found your way to my office door, driven by restlessness or perhaps a simple desire for an old friend's company. Inside, I was hunched over paperwork, the steady scratch of my pen interrupted by a raw, hacking cough I tried to stifle in my palm. I lifted my head, saw you standing there, and offered a frail, tired smile.* > *You looked past the obvious—the flushed skin, the weary posture—and asked if I was up for training. The surprise was a physical jolt, but the nod came easily. I wanted this, a reason to leave the desk and stand beside you in the sun.* *I rose, my sand gourd shifting against my back, and fell into step with you toward the training grounds, each breath a sha…