Disclaimer!- Eh, sadly I don't own any characters in Naruto.
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Chapter 1- Nitemare
Gaara felt the rough scraping of sand against his skin. It was warm and wet to him as screaming filled his ears. The taste of blood and grit tainted his tongue slowly at first but gradually quicker until it filled his mouth. He felt suffocated. His eyes were welded shut as the wailing of people pushed in on him only to be out screamed by a deeply, grumbling laughter. He was falling...
Gaara lurched up right; a thin coating of cold sweat covered his body. He gripped his sheets in pain. The boy hadn't been able to sleep in years but now that Shukaku was gone he could rest. The only problem was that his fear of letting the demon go had been replaced by his fear of nightmares. They were horrid visual things that left him more drained when he woke than before he'd laid down for bed.
He sat quietly, aside from his labored breathing, in bed. A pale stream of light seeped through the window and washed his skin in white. If he could fight the voices for a few more hours, he could survive the night and the hot sun of the wind country would rescue him.
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Naruto looked out at the sunset from his roof as it came up. He hadn't slept that night and instead stayed up watching nature run its course. He wasn't the type for sentimental things but he had felt unusually pensive. Maybe it was just the effects being home had on him. The spiky haired boy still hadn't found Sasuke and recently almost lost someone else dear to him. Somehow the thought of leaving the Kazekage alone again didn't seem to ease his troubled mind.
With a light foot, Naruto stood and jumped down and made his way down the streets of Konaha. If the sun was up that Ichiraku's ramen shop would be open. He thought that maybe some food would keep his mind busy. So off he was to buy a bowl or two for breakfast to go along with his now digesting brain.
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Gaara hadn't moved for the rest of the night and when warm light finally trickled in to replace the moon, he didn't hesitate to get dressed for the day. He stepped outside with his usual attire and walked leisurely through the streets to greet his villagers as their day began. The dessert climate of Suna was already showing its ugly face as wind blew sun heated sand across the ground. Today was going to be a just another day: calm and uneventful.
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Naruto laid some money on the ramen counter before standing up to leave.
Nothing better than a full stomach.
Just as he stepped out, Shizune ran straight into him with TonTon in tow behind her.
"Naruto," she yelled. "Just the person I was looking for! Tsunade would like a word with you." She ran off in the direction she came from, leaving him confused outside of the restaurant.
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Soft voices began whispering into Gaara's ear. Darkness closed in on him and blood filled his mouth again.
"Come here child…"a rumbling voice shook him from the dark and showed him a long path. It was dimly lit and his feet made soft pats as he walked along the dusty stone floor. A familiar laugh shook the ground beneath him and he stumbled but continued. Come a bit closer. He kept walking further and further in only to feel his legs start to sink into a thick liquid. Crimson. The color made his eyes burn as if they'd let the same flow out to mix.
Gaara slipped out of the world as a hand slipped over his shoulder. "Kazekage!" yelled a voice. He opened his eyes and looked up to see Baki looking at him with a stern face.Damn it, had he noticed the trembling that was coming over Gaara?
"Yes?" Gaara spoke lowly, clearing his throat. He could somehow still taste the metallic tang in his mouth.
"I have a reply from the leaf for you."
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Naruto knocked on Tsunade's door then let himself in. He hadn't heard any voices and expected her to probably be waiting for him.
"Grannie Tsunade, Shizune mentioned you'd like to have a word with me?"
The blonde women looked over her shoulder at him. "Yes, I would like to discuss an issue with you." Naruto shifted some and listened. "You see," she began again," I recently received a scroll from Gaara. He seems to be troubled about something and asked that he be able to see you. He mentioned that you would be the only person to understand his situation and that if I were to tell you this, you'd understand what he meant. Do you know anything that's going on?" Tsunade finished and turned to look at him but he was already running out the door. He knew exactly what was bothering the older boy.
He ran by his home, grabbed a bag with a clean change of clothes and a few things to eat on his trip. It normally took three days to reach Suna but Naruto was determined and this was the excuse he had been looking for to protect Gaara. He'd find a way to make it there by this sundown.
Tsunade grinned as she watched her blond protege run off on a mission. It was a good thing she had already said Naruto was on his way.
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Gaara dismissed Baki and sat at his desk, unrolling the small scroll to read.
I'm sending Naruto your way. Keep him there as long as you need. Hopefully he can help whatever is troubling you. -Tsunade.
He put the scroll down and looked at the few papers left on his desk. It didn't take long for his mind to start wondering and soft voices start filling the silence of the room. His pale slate eyes fell shut and he drifted back to sleep only to be greeted by the same luring voice.
This time as he walked down the path he found himself stepping over limbs. Small bits of flesh clung to him and his face felt dirty. Detached arms with bone dripping red at the ends reached up to him as if it would reverse their owners' pain. Death had never bothered him but now his skin felt cold and chills ran over his spine with every body you past. The walk felt endless until Gaara found himself at a door. The vioce let out a sadistic chuckle. Next time child...
The dark world dissipated and Gaara looked around to see his office flooded in celestial light. A light knock came on his door followed by a bright flash of orange coming in. It made the boy dizzy to see so much motion and color after the dream. He stood then felt his head spin and the floor slip from underneath him. It didn't appear again until his head had made contact and shuffling feet came towards him. For the first time in awhile darkness came without dreams.