Sandcastles: A Gaara Romance Chapter 1, a naruto fanfic

Author's Note: This will be my one and only disclaimer throughout the posting of this fanfiction story. I do not own Naruto or any of its characters, I am simply a huge fan of the world. The plot and original characters belong to me, but everything else is just my imagination running wild with the characters and world of Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto.

Cover Image: Credit to the rightful owner.

Warnings: Violence | Language | Abuse | Gore (Nothing will be horribly graphic, but I still advise a PG-13 viewership.)

Update Schedule: New chapter to be uploaded every Tuesday.

Story Blurb: Nakasawa Izayoi lost everything that was precious to her ten years ago. Haunted by constant nightmares, she spends most of her time traveling the shinobi world. She had taught herself about medicines and medical techniques, vowing to help those who need it. One night, as she is traveling to the Land of Silk in search of a flower that is supposed to cure nightmares, she comes across a violent battle between some Sand Shinobi and some rogues. Izayoi comes to their aid and saves the life of Matsuri, the student of the Kazekage himself. Despite not wanting to stay, the medic-nin of the Suna ask her to stay finding value in her skills. Izayoi agrees to stay for a short while, but during her stay, things get dangerous as rogue ninja seek to take Izayoi. Unfortunately, they'll have to get through Gaara first.

Story Notes: Takes place a year after Naruto: The Last movie.

ONE

Most people have a hard time letting themselves love than finding someone to love them.

-Bill Russell

Nakasawa Izayoi didn't have a home or a clan like many other shinobi. In fact, her village had been lost when she was only a child. Bandits raided the village, killing the men, raping the women, and leaving behind the children. Being only ten at the time, Izayoi cried over the corpses of her parents. They had been bloody heaps, lying face down in the mud. Every night since that day, whenever she drifted to sleep, she could feel the blood splatter on her skin, hear the tortured screams of her mom, and the pleading voice of her father. After ten long years, Izayoi had hoped the nightmares would stop, but they never did.

The night sky was cloudless. A desert owl hooted from a cluster of cacti behind the boulder she had perched herself on. A soft breeze blew by, causing grains of sand to swirl around. The Land of Wind stretched far, reaching the ocean tides and the forests of the north. She'd walked across the desert before, running into the occasional nomadic people dressed in vibrant robes that shielded their skin from the unforgiving heat. But this trip had been silent. For two days she'd crossed the dunes, but not once did she see any signs of people.

Rumors about the shifting sands could send some into a craze. The heat, the sand, the wind, the lack of landmarks; it all could drive a person to insanity. Not Izayoi though, she'd come prepared with plenty of water and foods and medicine. She knew where she was, the Sand Village was about a days trip from her current location. Though she had been traveling the shinobi world for many years, Izayoi had never gone to Suna. Most of the time, she skirted around it or traveled elsewhere.

Her avoidance had nothing to do with the Kazekage either. Many years ago, he had been known as a deadly weapon—a Jinchuriki. People all across the Land of Wind knew his name and feared him, but there had been a change. In the last seven or so years, the rumors shifted to something more positive. He led the shinobi into the Fourth Great Shinobi World War and befriended the hero of the shinobi world: Uzumaki Naruto. Supposedly, Gaara of the Desert wasn't the monster he had been made to become.

Izayoi sighed and ran her fingers through her dark brown hair. She had no reason to be thinking about him or the Sand Village. Her destination was the Land of Silk far to the west. She had heard of a unique plant that had been discovered deep in their jungle. The flower was claimed to help those who struggled with nightmares and night terrors to sleep soundly. In a way, it almost seemed to good to be true, but she had nothing left to lose. Ten years of not being able to sleep well had gone on long enough.

An explosion sounded behind her. She leaped to her feet and gasped as a plume of sand, fire, and smoke flew into the air. It wasn't far ahead, about a mile or so. Against her better judgment, Izayoi raced in the direction of the explosion. If anyone had been close, they would be seriously hurt, and as someone skilled with medicine and first aid, she couldn't ignore it. Her green cloak flapped open as she raced across the sand.

Izayoi ran over dune after dune, hoping she would make it before there were any causalities. She skidded to a halt as another explosion blasted, but thankfully it was smaller than the first. Her messenger back slapped against her hip. The muscles of her legs ached from darting up and down the sand dunes. She gasped for air, throat going bone dry. Fire burned in her chest, her lungs constricting with every stride.

"Matsuri!" a male voice boomed over the vast desert. "Get her out of there!"

Izayoi dropped down at the crest of the sand dune, peering over to assess the situation before barreling in. She could fight, but her abilities weren't amazing by any means. A few pants escaped her, blowing the sand near her mouth away. Chattering and clicking sounded from the far right where a large boulder protruded from the sand. A top the rock, a man dressed in all black stood, swinging his arms in broad strokes. More chattering and clicking, followed by the clash of kunai and shuriken.

A puppet master? Izayoi thought, her eyes widening in surprise. She knew of shinobi who used puppets as they often soaked their weapons in lethal poisons. Many times she had studied antidotes and sold them to various shinobi—it made her quite the profit.

"Kankuro-sensei! She's not breathing!" a female voice cried out.

"Shira!" the puppet master called out as he sent his puppet toward three shinobi in dark red cloaks.

Someone leaped into the air and came hurtling down at lightning speed. The cloaked shinobi scattered as the man slammed his fist into the ground. Sand splashed up like tidal waves. Another puppet soared onto the battlefield, capturing one of the cloaked-figures. Izayoi stood as the other puppet broke apart, revealing many weapons that flew into the other puppet. A scream of anguish came from within and blood dripped down onto the sand.

"Let's get out of here!" one of the cloaked-figures said, racing off with the other following close behind.

The one named Shira prepared to take off but the puppet master called him off. Izayoi bit the inside of her cheek as the puppet master, let his puppet go and roll down the dune. Both of the shinobi raced over to the two women beside the boulder.

"What do we do?" the girl with long black hair asked. "Matsuri-chan, hang on."

Izayoi took in a deep breath and put her hands up, hoping they wouldn't think she was allied with their attackers. She made her way down the dune, cautiously. When she was a few paces away, a sharp blade pressed into her neck. The puppet master glared at her, purple face paint smeared on his skin like the markings of a demon. The moonlight glinted off their headbands, bearing the mark of the Sand Village.

"Kankuro-sensei," the dark-haired girl said softly, reaching for his arm.

Chakra threads stretched from his finger to the puppet arm. A pinch at her spine, caused Izayoi to stiffen. Kankuro's eyes narrowed, full of distrust and anger. "Are you one of them?"

"No." Izayoi shook her head. "I can help your friend. I'm a medic."

The blade at her neck pressed harder into her skin. Kankuro stood, his guard still up. "Why should we trust you?"

"Because your comrade's life depends on it."

"Captain Kankuro," Shira said, looking up at him. "We're too far from the village. We'd never make it back. Matsuri needs medical attention, now."

Izayoi stared into Kankuro's eyes. The pressure of the blades pulled away and Kankuro took in a deep breath. "Save her."

"I will." Izayoi dropped her arms and ran over to them. Her eyes scanned Matsuri's body. No blood, no wounds to be seen. Izayoi removed the girl's vest then lifted the girl's shirt, revealing bare skin. Nothing out of the ordinary. Matsuri tried to gulp down air, but it was as if she was getting no oxygen. Izayoi took in a deep breath and pulled her satchel in front of her. She dug around inside and pulled out a surgical scalpel. A bright green flame engulfed the blade then quickly faded. Izayoi pressed her fingers against Matsuri's ribs and made a small incision. She grabbed a small bamboo straw from her bag and stuck it into Matsuri.

Kankuro, Shira, and the dark-haired girl stared in worry and shock.

Matsuri gasped, her chest moving up and down, proving she was okay.

"Matsuri-chan!" the dark-haired girl smiled, tears brimming her eyes. She looked to Izayoi and nodded. "Thank you for saving her."

"She isn't out of the woods yet, this is only a temporary fix." Izayoi continued to hold the straw, which allowed the air from within Matsuri's chest cavity to escape, stopping the pressure from building. They were a long way from the village and with no medics with them, Izayoi feared for Matsuri's health. Despite, not wanting to take a detour on her travels, Izayoi couldn't let the girl die—besides she'd already made herself known.

"What's your name?" Kankuro asked, staring down at her, his expression softer than it had been when she first arrived.

"Nakasawa Izayoi."

"And what are you doing out in the desert all by yourself?"

She flicked her hair from her eyes. "I was on my way to the Land of Silk. My camp was a little ways from here. When I heard the explosions, I came to see if anyone would need medical attention."

Shira titled his head. "You're traveling alone?"

Izayoi nodded. "I'm a vagrant. I never stay in one place too long."

"Where'd you learn your medical abilities?" the girl beside her asked.

She appreciated they were trusting her, but it wasn't the time. "None of this is important right now. We need to get your friend back to your village."

"Of course," Kankuro agreed and pulled one of the large scrolls secured to his back. He knelt down and rolled out the scroll. A cloud of smoke appeared and when the wind blew it away, a large puppet resembling a salamander stood before them. "Let's get her back to the village."