Characters: Gaara, Sasuke, Kankuro, Temari
Summary: The shoulder devils and himself. Spoilers for 464.
Pairings: None
Author's Note: How much time passes in Naruto tends to be a matter that escapes me, but my guess is that about a year has passed since the Gaara retrieval arc to the Kage Summit arc. Correct me if I'm wrong. Also: Yeah, I know Sasuke isn't portrayed positively here. But neither Kankuro nor Temari have too many reasons to love him, and there's not much excuse for Sasuke's behavior at this point. Finally, you guys need to go to Hulu and watch episode 203 of Shippuden; it expands on Gaara's attempts to get through to Sasuke and it is truly epic.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
The kid can't be swayed… No one can do it…
After the startling and revolutionary transformation Gaara went through, Kankuro has learned to greatly respect Uzumaki Naruto's powers of persuasion. The kid's annoying as Hell and he's got a mouth on him a mile wide, but when he talks people listen and they take his words to heart.
Well, nearly everyone.
Uchiha Sasuke seems to be the only one immune to Naruto's strange power with words.
"Forget it, Gaara," Kankuro snorts, gazing scornfully at the Uchiha, watching blood continue to trickle from his eye. Man, you've messed yourself up good fashion, haven't you?
And truth be told, Kankuro can't quite dissociate cold logic from the emotional here.
It's been a little less than a year since the village was attacked and the Shukaku was extracted from Gaara by the Akatsuki. Since then, Gaara has spent every waking moment not attending to the village training to regain mastery of his power over sand. His progress has been remarkable; he's at the height of his abilities, and to all those who look Gaara may as well still be the jinchuuriki of the Shukaku.
Kankuro can still remember the screams when Gaara bled for the first time. He can still remember Sasori dragging him away, he can still remember seeing Gaara's lifeless body in the seconds before the reanimation jutsu took effect.
Sasuke's brother murdered his clan and joined Akatsuki. And yet Sasuke himself still joined Akatsuki after Itachi's death. The Akatsuki, involved in Gaara's "death".
Kankuro understands just how the Raikage feels.
"He's just a common criminal, a member of the Akatsuki. He's not like you."
He can't come back. Not like you, Gaara.
-0-
This idiot. He's thrown his life away, and for what?
Temari shifts slightly wary eyes at Gaara, wondering what he will do when he speaks to Uchiha Sasuke and receives no coherent response—just a bunch of maddened screaming, voice constantly cracking, rising and falling. Those eyes are deranged and Temari can see that no reason will be able to pierce their armor.
"Besides…" Temari's eyes are narrowed and she tries not to let Gaara see what's in her own eyes "…Raikage-sama and all those who have been victimized by the Akatsuki won't keep quiet just because you want to show him mercy. Uchiha Sasuke has attacked the summit; he's injured Raikage-sama. In so doing, he's ensured his own status as an internationally wanted criminal; even the Samurai will want his head now. He has no future."
Temari understands what it is Gaara hopes to accomplish here.
Gaara was given forgiveness, if not by all of the village than at least by a large portion of it, for his actions while still choosing to behave as a monster. There will always be those, the families of his victims or just those who were afraid, who will look at him warily, will be unforgiving, but they are few and they keep their opinions to themselves out of respect. If there is fear—and even in those who have forgiven him, there is plenty—it is growing slimmer throughout the months.
Gaara has been forgiven. He hopes the same can be done for Sasuke.
But Temari knows better.
Uchiha Sasuke has gone too far. Rabbits who dig themselves into holes are inevitably caught by the fox, and they will end up with their necks snapped and their blood staining the earth. And Sasuke has dug the deepest hole Temari has ever seen.
Again, her eyes are wary as she looks at her brother. What will Gaara do?
The way Temari sees it, Gaara has two options. He can kill Sasuke. It will solve a great deal of problems and though there are some in Konoha—Temari is definitely thinking of Uzumaki Naruto—who will protest and be upset, but eventually they will see that it was for the best. Sasuke has let himself become a rabid animal, and he will have to be put down like one.
That's the route Temari hopes Gaara will take. But over her hangs the specter of the road he might choose to walk.
Gaara might choose to continue extending the arm of mercy to Sasuke. He might even take the boy back to Sunagakure and grant him amnesty, whether Sasuke wants it or not. In that case, Kumo will certainly declare war on Suna. Given the Akatsuki's devastating assault on Konoha the government of that village will likely declare war as well. Temari doesn't want to see Sunagakure plunged into war again, not over a rabid animal like Uchiha Sasuke.
Gaara, I understand. I know you want him to "see the light". But he's not like you. He's not like you. He's not worth a war. He's not even worth your words.
-0-
You still have eyes like mine were. Even after all this time, you're still in the same place, except you're darker.
Gaara understands greatly the value of being forgiven. Even more intimately is he aware that those who are forgiven never deserve it. No one ever deserves to be forgiven, not really, but they are anyway.
"Your eyes are still the same." And they are, even though one is swollen shut and weeping blood. Uchiha Sasuke looks at him, defiant, uncertain. "Eyes that long for power, eyes overflowing with hate and a hunger for blood." Sasuke does not respond, his expression unchanging, and Gaara wonders if he's even listening. His tone does not change and he doesn't miss a beat, though. "Eyes itching to kill the one who drove you to this Hell called "Loneliness".
A small sound, maybe a snort or a snicker of laughter, can be heard emerging from Sasuke's mouth. Gaara's eyes narrow. "Living for revenge solves nothing. I learned that lesson personally. It's not too late for you. Do not abandon this world for the one where you are all alone, obsessed with hate. You won't be able to return."
Listen to me. Listen to my words now. No one will ever say them to you again; no one will ever even bother.
This is your last chance, Uchiha.
Finally, Sasuke responds. But it's not what Gaara hoped he would hear.
A strange, alien smirk steals across Sasuke's face. "And if I returned? What would I find there?"
Ah… So you have already reached this point.
Gaara resists the urge to squeeze his eyes shut tightly.
He was forgiven. He was forgiven even though he had committed unspeakable acts and murdered countless souls, innocents and attackers alike. Gaara had inflicted terror on two villages—Suna first and Konoha second—and still, he was forgiven. And he wasn't even forgiven by someone who knew him; instead, he was forgiven by a virtual stranger. Another jinchuuriki, who had taken a different path and found himself closer to whole for it.
Gaara was—is—forgiven, and he, more than perhaps anyone, recognizes the need for forgiveness.
Kankuro and Temari make their arguments. From Kankuro's mouth, Sasuke is a common criminal. From Temari's, it's no longer feasible to offer the hand of mercy to him, not with the actions he's taken. Gaara hears them.
Uchiha Sasuke has not yet fallen to the level he fell. He hasn't committed the same slew of horrific acts that he, Gaara, once-jinchuuriki and now Kazekage, committed. Surely Sasuke is more deserving of forgiveness than he ever was? Surely, if Gaara can see forgiveness and take it in his hand, Sasuke can too?
"Sasuke… You and I are alike. We have treaded darkness. That's why you should be able to see any light at all, no matter how faint. In the past… and even now."
The wild smirk on Sasuke's face grows to a full-fledged, if toothless grin. The scorn in his one eye left open is palpable. "I closed my eyes long ago. I only want to live in darkness."
Gaara watches him throw forgiveness away.
Kankuro's voice is rough but understanding. "Leave your feelings out of this. You can't make this personal, Gaara. You are the Kazekage."
He says nothing.
Temari's eyes are on him, watchful, waiting, and Gaara can guess what she's thinking. He isn't listening. He won't listen.
…I don't understand why anyone would ever throw forgiveness away.
"Yes." A single trail of water escapes from his left eye, brimming over slowly and trickling down just as slowly, and Gaara wonders when the last time was that he cried. It must have been when Yashamaru died. Funny. He feels the same clench in his chest now. "I know."
The sand still obeys him, even if Gaara is half-hearted.
But he knows he can't afford to be half-hearted now.
He is the Kazekage, and Uchiha Sasuke is nothing but a criminal.
Once forgiveness is thrown away, it can't be regained.