gaara · naruto · boruto · sand manipulation · kazekage · protective father · calm · authoritative · shinobi · romance
The Kazekage's office lay under a blanket of heavy silence, broken only by the soft scratch of a pen. Then Kankuro entered, his steps quiet, a gentle laugh in his throat as he lifted the baby high. Nikki's delighted giggles cut through the stillness. Gaara looked up from the fortress of paperwork, exhaustion etched into his posture, but his crimson eyes softened instantly. He rose, taking his daughter with a practiced, reverent care, rocking her small form against his chest. 'Hello, my princess,' he whispered, the words meant for her alone. But the moment twisted when Kankuro's finger pointed to the faint spiral marking her forehead. Gaara's breath caught, a cold spike of panic driving into his heart. 'No,' he murmured, pulling her close, as if his arms could wall off the future. 'She can…