A/N: Right now this is an one-shot but if you guys like it I'll add to it, maybe even turn it into a story. I was inspired by a GaaraxSakura AMV on youtube by Sasuke216 so please go check it out.
Edit: (7.6.12. The picture for this story was created by Th3Juic3 from DeviantART, check out Th3Juic3's profile here: th3juic3deviantartcom just add a period after the second 3 and the t of art.)
"And the next match is Sakura Haruno versus Gaara Sabaku!" No one moved, no one spoke. Everyone thought, That pathetic little girl is going to get killed in there! She should just forfeit now!
Sakura slowly blinked and then headed to the steps leading into the arena but Naruto stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to do this Sakura-chan! You can forfeit and be safe!" Sakura shook her head before staring right into Naruto's eyes.
"I can't look weak in front of Sasuke-kun." And then she was gone, climbing down the steps and walking to the center of the arena. There, standing across from her with a wicked grin that stretched across his lips and showed in his eyes, was the bloodthirsty monster she feared. She glanced back at where her team was to see Sasuke staring at her with a passive expression. I must be strong. I must win. Ran through her head over and over, becoming her mantra. She had to show Sasuke she wasn't useless and that she could win. She had to.
The match started and Gaara immediately made hand signs, his sand slithering up off the ground and making a cocoon around him save for a hole in the front so she could still see him. With a deep breath she pumped chakra into her feet and charged at him, throwing out kunai and senbon needles at him. They ricocheted off his shield and she cursed under her breath while continuing to sprint at him. Quickly, when she was closing in on him, she made two clones that spilt off to go on the sides of the cocoon. She was within three feet of him, about to unless an onslaught of close range attacks in an attempt to tire him out, when a sand tendril whipped out and smacked away her and her clones.
She flew across the arena, stopping only when she hit the opposite wall. She was aware of Naruto calling her name, Ino screaming at her to not lose, and Lee cheering her on, but she noticed the one voice that mattered wasn't there. She just had to try harder. She shakily got to her feet, crying out when pained ripped through her chest. That was no excuse.
She again pushed chakra into her feet and sprinted at Gaara who had dropped his cocoon to let the sand spread out around him and form tendrils that were smashing against the floor in a taunt. She closed in on him, dodging a tendril that had attempted to sweep her legs out from under her. The next tendril was faster though and managed to clip her shoulder sending her sideways where another tendril had been waiting in case she had been hit. It smashed into her back, knocking out her breath and sending her to the floor hacking.
Then, another tendril was upon her and hit her side sending her skidding across the hard floor. She dug her nails into the ground in an attempt to slow herself so she didn't hit the wall and her fingers began to bleed from the harsh friction. She finally stopped, taking in gulps of air, a luxury she didn't have. Gaara had moved towards her on a wave of sand and a tendril flew out and wrapped itself around her right leg. She screamed at the pressure, only worsening the pain in her chest. Suddenly she was yanked from the ground up into the air before the tendril pulled her away from the wall for the momentum before throwing her straight into it.
She let out a piercing scream, realizing then this match would likely end in her death. She was about to call for mercy, beg to end the match, when she noticed she was on the opposite side of the arena as her team and Sasuke was staring at her with disgust. Across the arena, somehow, she was able to see him mutter. "Pathetic."
That word brought her to her feet despite the pain, despite the cries against it in both her mind and from the audience. She swayed, almost toppling back over, but steadied herself on the wall stained with her blood. My...blood? She looked down to see her right leg had a long gash on it, stretching from the top of her thigh to the top of her knee. Odd, she didn't recall getting it. Then she noticed the blood running down her chin from her mouth. She didn't remember coughing up blood either.
Then she turned her gaze back on Gaara, doing several hand signs and producing a second her. She knew she was running low on chakra, still exhausted from the Forest of Death, but this move might help her. She sprinted to the left of Gaara, the red head keeping his wide eyes and twisted smile on her, before veering straight at him. Her only chance of getting ahead would be to hurt him in close range and shock him. She ran moving faster and faster until she was merely feet from him before she saw Gaara whisper something and the sand came together in one huge tendril that slapped her away.
She flew, becoming unaware of her surroundings. As she lay on the arena floor, having landed on the ground after hitting a wall and falling, she could only feel pain. She strained to hear, tried to hear his voice and see if he acknowledge her fighting. She couldn't hear him, but she felt the sand slide up and cover her whole body except her head. She felt it lift her off the ground, rising until she was at the level of the balconies which she could make out through bleary eyes. She saw him and realized, with a burst of joy, Sasuke was leaning on the railing screaming for her to quit.
She smiled at him, the best smile she could form through the pain. "I tried." She called to him quietly, feeling the sand tighten.
"Sand coffin!" mingled with, "Sakura!" were the last things she head before the pain became too strong.