#AUGH. AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. HEART-RENDING OP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[princess-of-purple-prose]

[ID: A Naruto comic done in black ink and set during the Chuunin Exams. Gaara stands and thinks about the words "'Precious to me'," which repeat in his head. He thinks, "Something precious is something to be protected." We see his sand shield rising as he thinks, "I am protected, but..."

The view turns to Gai hugging Lee as they stand on cracked ground. Gaara thinks, "What I want is... What I want.. I want I want..." Now sitting down and curled into himself, he repeats, "I want... I want..." His eyes overflow, and he clutches himself and shakes as he cries.

Kankuro is seen pushing the door open, his shadow on the ground and pointing towards the shaking Gaara as he says, "Gaara? I thought I heard..."

In the last part, Kankuro looks shocked and makes a sound of surprise before stammering, "Uh, are you... (said quietly) Crying...? I don't..." He runs from the room, shouting, "I'm getting Temari!" In the foreground, a shuriken has embedded in the opposite wall. End ID]

i don't want to imply that last panel is resolution, or that, at this point, kankuro even knows How to be a good brother, they all have a ways to go