Eyes Full of Hatred
Day 1: Bleed
"You have a blood fetish."
Gaara frowns, his teal eyes narrowing. "Shukaku has a blood fetish," he clarifies with a hint of finality that Sasuke misses completely.
"Shukaku isn't the one who insists on biting me every time he gets close enough."
The demon whispers that he would if he could; adding as an afterthought that Sasuke's exposed collarbone would look far more attractive with the impression of Gaara's teeth upon it. Gaara resolutely ignores him.
"I do it to keep him happy. He becomes less restless when supplied with your blood."
Sasuke sneers, "And when he's happy you get hard?"
Gaara's frown deepens as Shukaku sniggers. "Your blood is not linked to me becoming aroused."
Sasuke's smirk tells Gaara he doesn't believe him. Annoyed, Gaara makes to leave (much to his demon's displeasure) but is stopped by Sasuke's hand on his wrist. The look on the Uchiha's face is serious as he says, "There's nothing wrong with having a blood fetish; it doesn't make you like him."
Gaara is still as he stares at Sasuke. The Uchiha stares back as he moves in to claim Gaara's lips, his hands drifting to the redhead's waist. Shukaku mutters his approval, and eventually Gaara responds. He takes Sasuke's bottom lip between his teeth and bites until the skin tears. Blood slides over his tongue and a wave of pleasure mingled with desire washes over him that isn't entirely Shukaku's doing. Sasuke moans his approval and raises his hips to meet Gaara's, showing the redhead that he isn't the only one enjoying this.
Gaara pulls away, his eyes alight with sudden understanding. "You're a masochist."
Sasuke silences him with a kiss and drags him down onto the bed to the sound of Shukaku's laughter.
Day 2: Regret
Sasuke has many regrets. He regrets being too weak to save his family. He regrets spending most of his life chasing after a demonised version of his brother. He regrets fighting for a village that persecuted his family and ordered their deaths. He regrets ever forming attachments to his teammates and allowing them to hold him back. He regrets his brother's death, the fact that he never got to say goodbye. But most of all he regrets that the life he has been dealt has made him Gaara's enemy.
Day 3: Fall
Gaara is not use to winter in Iron Country. He's use to heat and the presence of the shifting sand underfoot. He's use to having the sun bearing down on him, relentless in its attention. He's not use to the cold and damp, to slipping and sliding on icy paths. This, he reasons, is why he needs Sasuke by his side. Fire, rather than ice, may be the Uchiha's element, but he is still far more adept at handling the frictionless ground than Gaara.
Gaara conveniently forgets to mention that he enjoys having Sasuke's arm around his waist, or that he revels in having an excuse to lean in close to the Uchiha and feel the heat radiating through his coat. Such arguments are hardly relevant, anyway.
Day 4: Envelop
Gaara is not use to being hugged. Public displays of affection, even between family members, are frowned upon in Suna; and even in private his siblings are not the affectionate type. (Well, Kankuro is, but he'd much rather give him a pat on the back or mess up Gaara's hair than hug him). This is why when Sasuke first hugged Gaara the redhead thought that he was being attacked and sent the Uchiha flying. Although Kankuro had found it funny, Sasuke had not, and Gaara had been forced to endure the Uchiha giving him the cold shoulder for a whole week. Gaara has never made the same mistake again.
Day 5: Meet
When Gaara stops at his cell door Sasuke knows that the meeting did not go well. He turns his back to the Kazekage and glares at the wall. "When?" he demands, his back straight and his voice unwavering.
"A week today."
Sasuke ignores the too-obvious pain in those three words as he again demands, "Where?"
"Here, in front of the troops. You're too dangerous to transport."
"How?" His voice catches on this question, but Gaara acts like he hasn't noticed.
"Beheading." There is a pause. "Uzumaki is trying to appeal-"
"He'll never convince them to change their minds."
Another pause.
"I tried-"
"Obviously not hard enough."
Sand shifts and now there is nothing but anger in the words Gaara speaks. "This is not my fault. You were the one who betrayed your village repeatedly, who murdered a Kage, who took part in international terrorism, who abandoned the light to seek revenge in the darkness! You alone are responsible for these crimes. My only crime is loving you."
By the time Sasuke turns round Gaara is already gone.
Day 6: Cheat
"You're lucky he missed all your vital organs," Tsunade says as she applies chakra to the wound. She smiles sardonically at her hands. "Looks like you've cheated death again Uchiha."
Sasuke says nothing. There is bitterness in the Hokage's eyes and he knows that she has not forgiven him for his betrayal. He is sure that the only reason she is helping him now is because of her promise to the Kazekage. Sasuke glances up at Gaara and sees that the other teen is watching him with narrowed eyes. Sasuke supposes he must be angry with him for disobeying orders. Gaara had tried to keep him out of the fighting, had told him to leave defeating Madara to him. Sasuke looks away, his own annoyance at the situation simmering beneath the surface of his composed and disinterested exterior.
Tsunade stands and turns to Gaara. "He's all yours Kazekage-sama."
Gaara nods, apparently disregarding the Hokage's brusque manner. Once Tsunade has left, he pins Sasuke with his gaze. "Why did you disregard my order?" When Sasuke doesn't reply Gaara growls his name and takes a step closer to him. "Please tell me you didn't pull this stunt because of Naruto."
Sasuke glares at the canvas of the tent rather than meet Gaara's eyes.
"I've already told you that I no longer have any feelings for him. Why do you insist on following me?"
Gaara kneels beside him and cups his unbruised cheek. "What more will it take to convince you that you are the only one I wish to be with?"
Sasuke remains silent, not knowing what he wants, but also knowing that right now he hates Naruto with a burning passion. He wants Gaara to never see the blond ninja again, but knows that this is a childish demand that he will not lower himself to. So he says nothing, wishing Gaara would leave him alone to lick his wounds in peace. Eventually he does, his eyes dark with disappointment.
It isn't until Sasuke lays down to sleep that he realises his mistake. Every time he pushes Gaara away he pushes him closer to Naruto. It is with this revelation fresh in his mind that he falls into a fitful sleep and dreams not for the first time of Naruto's sneering face as he holds Gaara close and gives him the love and support Sasuke does not know how to give.
Day 7: Pray
Gaara closes his eyes and clasps his hands together. It has been years since he last prayed. After everything he has been through it is little wonder he lost his faith in a benevolent being. He still doesn't know whether or not he believes, but he does know that there is nobody else he can turn to. He loves a man fated to die – Sasuke has been branded an international terrorist and there is no escaping that mark. No amount of pleading with the other Kage will change their minds; Gaara knows that only blood will fill the void left by the loss of so many of their subordinates and friends. All that is left for him now is to appeal to a higher power to save Sasuke's life.
"Lord, hear my prayer. Save Sasuke Uchiha. Please."
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