Bonds of Promise

Naruto and Gaara stood side by side on the balcony, the night breeze gently blowing, bringing the dry scent unique to the Sand Village at night into their nostrils.

The starry sky above was unbelievably dazzling; far removed from the bright lights and bustling activity of Konoha, the stars here were exceptionally clear.

"It's been so long since we've looked at the stars together like this." Naruto leaned on the railing, tilting his head back, his blue eyes reflecting the starry sky. "The Sunagakure's starry sky is still so beautiful."

"Hmm." Gaara responded softly, but his gaze didn't look at the sky; instead, it fell on Naruto's profile. "Naruto last came several months ago, to be precise, three months ago."

"Three months? Has it been that long?" Naruto scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "I've been too busy lately. A troublesome old man asked me to handle a certain place..."

"But now that we're here, aren't we? I remember what I said."

"... Um."

Gaara's answer was brief, so brief that it revealed no emotion whatsoever.

Naruto turned his head to look at him and found Gaara looking down, lost in thought, staring at some unknown place downstairs.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked. "Is something on your mind?"

Gaara was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke. "Naruto, tell me... how much dependence on one person has to be considered abnormal?"

Naruto paused for a moment, not quite understanding what the question meant.

"Dependence? Like how you depended on Kankuro and Temari?"

"Not that kind of dependence." Gaara him when I can't see him, and when I do see him, I want to stay with him forever. And when I see him getting close to other people, I feel... uncomfortable."

Naruto blinked, and Satsuki's face flashed into his mind. Wasn't this exactly how Satsuki felt about him?

"Oh... I think that's pretty normal, isn't it? It means that person is very important to you."

"Very important..."

Gaara repeated those three words. Naruto looked at him, and suddenly, a thought entered Naruto's mind.

"Gaara," he began, "If you were given the chance... the chance to resurrect the dead, would you use it?"

Gaara paused for a moment.

He turned his head and looked at Naruto, a look of confusion flashing in his eyes. This question was too fantastical, so fantastical that it seemed to have come from some mythological story.

Resurrecting the dead? That's something even the Sage of Six Paths might not be able to do.

But it was Naruto who asked that question.

Therefore, Gaara began to think about it seriously.

He thought of many people. Those who died in the war, those who sacrificed themselves to protect the village, those he had killed with his own hands... and the three people who were related to him by blood.

Mother.

Uncle Yashamaru.

Father.

"Hmm," he finally spoke, his voice firm.

"I will use it."

Naruto's eyes lit up.

The Gaara of today is nothing like the monster who only knew how to kill back then. He can feel longing, regret, and the desire to make amends.

Even now, Gaara's way of thinking is still more inclined towards emotion.

"Yeah?"

Naruto smiled, already starting to plan in his mind. It seemed he could resurrect Gaara's mother and uncle, giving Gaara a surprise.

As for that Rasa... he should be looking for wild fruits to eat in the Forest or fishing for insects in the water.

"Then who would you choose to resurrect?" he asked, anticipating the expected answer.

However.

"I choose to keep this opportunity."

Gaara's answer stunned Naruto.

"If something unexpected happens to Naruto in the future..."

Gaara turned to look at Naruto, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve and an unquestionable seriousness. "I choose to revive Naruto."

"...Huh?" Naruto stared, unsure how to respond.

This is completely different from what I imagined.

But Gaara's expression was serious; he wasn't joking at all. His gaze was fixed on Naruto, as if he were stating something perfectly obvious.

Gaara's idea is simple.

He did indeed have three deceased family members.

Mother, Karura; Uncle, Yashamaru.

And then there's his father, Rasa —but that man was never even in his consideration from the start. Gaara absolutely no affection for the man who treated him as a tool, a monster, a failure.

Gaara truly misses his mother and uncle.

On countless nights, he would wonder what his mother's feelings were when she gave him this protective power before she passed away, and he would remember the gentle way Yashamaru bandaged his wounds.

But... if you have to choose between them and Naruto —for Gaara right now, Naruto is undoubtedly the one who falls short.

The person who pulled him out of the darkness, the person who taught him what Bonds are, the person who made him feel "it's good to be alive" for the first time—it's no exaggeration to say that if this person died, Gaara would find no reason to continue living.

Therefore, there is absolutely no need to hesitate about this choice.

"Uh... well..." Naruto tried to steer the conversation back on track.

"What if there wasn't just one chance? I mean, Gaara had multiple chances to be resurrected?"

Gaara was silent for a moment.

"Several times?"

"... If that's the case, I want my mother... and Yashamaru back."

Naruto finally heard the answer he wanted and breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the process was a bit tortuous, and although Gaara seemed to have a special protective instinct towards me, the outcome was ultimately good.

The chat has come to a temporary end.

The two turned around again and looked side by side at the brilliant starry sky. The night breeze blew by, bringing with it the dry scent unique to Sand Village and a soft rustling sound.

Naruto gazed at the starry sky, reflecting on their conversation, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. Gaara's dependence on him seemed to be far deeper than he had imagined.

Just then, Gaara took a deep breath.

He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a small object.

It was a small glass ball, gleaming softly in the moonlight.

"I can..."

Gaara spoke.

His voice was tense, so tense that even Naruto could hear it. The usually calm and composed Kazekage's hand, holding the small glass ball, was trembling slightly.

"... Should I make a request to Naruto?"

Naruto turned his head and looked at him.

"Hmm? What request?"

Gaara a deep breath and held the small glass ball between the two of them.

"This is a type of mineral recently discovered in Sand Village, called Sand Crystal." His voice was solemn. "It can store chakra; once it's injected into it, it can be preserved indefinitely."

"A rumor has been circulating in the village recently."

"Sand is fluid. The sand in the desert migrates with the wind, just like human destiny—unpredictable and unstoppable."

"Crystals are eternal. Solidifying flowing sand into crystals is like keeping something with you forever."

His fingers traced the small glass ball. "So..."

He raised his head and looked straight at Naruto, his eyes filled with an undeniable solemnity.

"I would like to ask Naruto to store some of your chakra in here."

"It's not ordinary chakra, it's the kind... that carries Naruto's aura, the kind that makes you feel like Naruto is right next to you."

"That way, when I can't see Naruto, when I need power, when..."

"When I feel lonely, I can look at it, hold it, and know that Naruto is still alive and well somewhere."

"May I?"