A/N: I wrote this awhile ago but never posted it here. For some reason, I'm really in love with it. Beware the OOC. I'm posting it now because I've been working on a one-shot for about two months and I'm feeling really guilty about that. And I have no idea what Suzuhana means, so don't ask.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Just Amaya, Tsukiko, and Hideaki.
xo
Gaara: He who loves only himself. That's what he would repeat in his head over and over again. No matter how fiercely his mind screamed it or how many times, the fact remained that he did care. There was always her. Amaya Suzuhana.
Amaya: Night rain. That's exactly what she was to him. Her happy, sweet personality had the tendency to wash his troubles away.
xo
He could still remember the day they met. It happened after that whole damned mess with Yashamaru. Gaara walked through the hallways of the Sunagakure main building, reveling in the fear constantly present in the eyes of those near him. They all gave him as wide a berth as possible. All but her.
A little girl ran into his equally little arms. She had appeared out of nowhere and embraced him. He was so startled by this, his first hug, that he forgot he had the ability to kill her.
With her tiny head pressed into his tiny chest, all the young boy could make out was a cascade of white falling over her shoulders. The girl stepped back and smiled warmly at Gaara. This act exposed a set of sparkling, clear blue eyes. A white dress with blue trimmings adorned her child's body.
"You're Gaara aren't you? My daddy told me about you."
A cold glare met the girl as he imagined her father's words. Dangerous. Unpredictable. Monster.
"He said you were the Kazekage's son and very strong."
The boy did not understand. It did not matter who her father was, be he a citizen or one of his own father's ninja; the man could not possibly have used such passive words in his description.
She's lying. The girl is afraid. She's heard all the stories about you, both fact and fiction. These words mean nothing. They are meant to distract you, to appease you, so that she may live. Teach her the consequence of lying to the host of Shukaku, to my host.
But those eyes. Those innocent eyes held no deception. The boy knew those eyes would never lie. They didn't have the ability to.
"My name is Amaya, daughter of Hideaki Suzuhana. I lost my daddy and sister. Could you please help me find them?"
Gaara silently walked past the girl. She followed contently. He headed for his father's office. Outside the office the pair found the sister, Amaya's fraternal twin he learned later, waiting in a chair.
"Tsukiko!" Amaya flew from behind Gaara into her sister's arms.
Two little legs continued to carry the boy forward where he, without knocking, entered through the doors.
"Gaara!" His father stood, anger etching his features.
The girl, surprising him again, hugged his little arm. "I'm sorry Kazekage-sama. I was lost and Gaara showed me the way. Please don't be mad at him."
The two men in the room were stunned into silence. Someone was touching the small boy and he showed no signs of murderous intent.
"Don't go wandering around if you don't know your way," the other man scolded.
"Yes Father."
Gaara now understood the girl's ability to sneak up on him. Her father was Hideaki, or the Specter, the greatest spy in the history of Sunagakure.
"Father," Amaya spoke up again, still clinging to the boy's arm, "can I come visit Gaara-kun more often?"
"If that is what you wish," was his reply.
Everyday onward, after her training was over, Amaya ran to the main building to find Gaara. Hers was the only presence he found more than tolerable. After a time even Shukaku ceased speaking ill of her, the inner, and eventually outer, beauty of the girl was soothing to the demon.
xo
When Amaya was away on a mission Gaara became so anxious that the slightest irritation led to someone's death. There was no reason for that fear for her safety, until that day...
The unfortunate man carrying the news, despite knowing his death was near, searched for Gaara.
"Ms… Ms Suzuhana has returned from her mission sir." No matter how hard he tried, his attempt to mask the fear in his voice was fruitless. "She is... in the hospital with severe injuries."
As the sand began to swirl, the messenger took a step back, if he ran fast enough maybe- but the red-headed boy was gone.
He wanted desperately to be in the operating room with her but if he were he knew he would be in the way. If he were in the way, he could complicate things. That was the last thing he wanted. Instead, Gaara stood outside the door with his third eye inside. Each cut by the doctor into the girl's pale skin was felt by the boy. Every tug of the needle and twine pulled at Gaara's skin as well.
When the surgery was finally over Gaara followed as they wheeled the unconscious body into an empty room. His eyes held fast to the mars on her perfect skin. The anger coursing through him was directed at himself for letting such a thing happen. He sat there, in the chair next to her bed, until she awoke.
Hours later those beautiful eyes fluttered open. Gaara always felt a mixture of love and hate for those eyes. They were so innocent, so honest, that every one of Amaya's emotions could be seen in them. Looking into them was like staring at her exposed, naked before him. But all that honesty was worth it when she smiled. Those magnificent, bubbly, rare smiles lit them like none of her other smiles could. Those smiles made him want to smile and every time he almost did. Almost.
The emotion those clear blue rings held now clawed at Gaara's heart. Fear. Not the usual fear Gaara saw; not fear for one's life or fear of him, it was fear for another. But no matter what type, it was still fear reflected in those eyes. It was one of the emotions he never wanted to see there.
"Is Tsukiko-"
She stopped, having no need to continue. The boy not only averted his sea-green eyes, he turned his entire head to the side. This action meant one thing. Dead.
Each and every tear that spilled down her cheeks drove Gaara to insanity. The cries of loss made him wish he were deaf. He stayed though, for the tight grip on his arm told him her pain would increase with his absence.
In the weeks following, Gaara terribly missed the strong, sweet, independent Amaya. At the same time, he would be lying if he said he hated this temporary version of her. This girl worried about him when he wasn't in sight, she needed him around so much more than before. Those reasons meant absolutely nothing when she finally smiled again. A true smile, not a forced, heart-wrenching thing. At that moment he decided he would never lose that smile again. He forced his father into agreeing she would not be sent on a mission ranked higher than 'C'. The girl was upset to say the least.
xo
Amaya refused to let it show she was worried when the Kazekage's three children left to attack Konohagakure. She had refused to speak with her friend since his overprotective moment. An hour of sleep was all the girl ever managed after the Kazekage was found dead. Desperation setting in, she took to waiting at the village gates for him.
That's where Gaara found her on his return. The relieved smile on her face brought back Naruto's words. There were people that cared about him, needed him. That memory, coupled with the fact that Amaya was no longer ignoring him almost brought a smile to his face. Almost. As a substitute, his arms shot out and brought the girl into his chest. Gaara no Sabaku hugged Amaya Suzuhana.
"Just wait at my house next time. It's dangerous out here," he whispered in her ear.
xo
All these thoughts and memories floated through the new Kazekage's mind as he returned home. No one stood outside the gates to welcome him. None of the crowd smiling at him was the one he wanted to see. The couch in his living room was cold and unused since his kidnapping.
In his bed though, asleep in the white sheets he bought because they reminded him of her, was Amaya.
"Amaya, wake up." His finger ran slowly down her cheek.
A hand gently rose to rub the sleep from those happy blue eyes. "Gaara-kun?"
"Yeah."
She sat up in the bed, white locks tumbling behind her. The boy sat next to her.
"I couldn't sleep. You told me to wait here next time. Your room smelled so much like you, and I felt so safe, and I was so tired that..." Her delicate voice trailed off. "Sorry I couldn't wait up."
Gaara had relived life with Amaya for a reason. He wanted to sort out his feelings. It helped.
An arm wrapped around her waist, steadying her when his lips unexpectedly crashed into hers. Only a second passed before her arms were draped around his neck, hands running through his hair.
When they broke apart Gaara whispered, "Ten years was a long enough wait." His lips formed a smile as he leaned back in.
Dying put life in perspective.
What's in a name really?
All it is is a label.
No one ever said labels had to be correct.
In the end, a name means absolutely nothing.