The Weakness of a Smile

Genre: Romance?

Full Summary: They had always hated each other, every since they had met so long ago. They've never gotten along. By a chance, they meet again years later, almost by fate—perhaps they were supposed to meet. Now they realize the other's biggest weakness— each other. He only ever smiled for him. (During Shippuden)

Pairing: SasuGaa

Rating: T

This story was a gift for my summah gymmin' buddy, Nicole. Her SasoDei stories on DeviantArt got me inspired, so I decided to write a SasuGaa for her, since I hadn't gotten a drawing done at that time.

IT'S BADLY WRITTEN AND IT SUCKS D: It's just a stupid, mindless, OOC thing that I used to get me back into the swing of writing ... Oh, and this wasn't Beta'd. I never do that to my stuff (since no one ever agrees to), so if there's a mistake, please point it out for me. Now, Sasuke-kun, disclaimer!

Sasuke: ... Marine-Depths13 owns nothing that is mentioned in this story and- no, I'm done. It's the same thing everytime. Just record one of our voices or something and leave me alone.

M-D13: ... Asshole. Fine, whatever. Obviously I don't own NARUTO ... Now go, read!

The cold, black eyes scanned over the quiet forest clearing, staring silently from the high perch of the branch the form they belonged to sat upon. The black hair cast itself aimlessly across the pale face, features cold and unfeeling, the body tense and alert. The black orbs flickered from the centre of the clearing, landing upon a small area of tress that were gently rustling. After a momentary pause, a figure stepped out from them, as silent as the body in the tree was.

Not a sound was made as the pale figure made its way into the clearing, dark, blood red hair hanging messily in its face as it spiked, neat but at the same time disorderly, in every direction. The eyes were a heavy rimmed black, surroundings orbs of green, or perhaps blue—the colour was hard to assert to just one. The form stood there for a moment, taking in the world around him for a moment.

The pale figure suddenly brought his head up slowly, staring into the trees, right at the hidden body within them. The blind gazes locked and the lips moved to form a word from between them,

"Uchiha," it sounded, quiet and raspy. Delicately it was whispered, eyes blinking so gently as the form stared back at him.

Somehow the redhead had known he was there.

The older male made no move other than a slight twitch of his pale hand as it raised to pull away the brush that covered his face, "… Sabakuno." The body moved forward and, in the blink of eye, was at the bottom of the tree, sitting on crouched knees. A hand was splayed beside him, keeping balance, as the other rested idly on the leg. The large, black and red and clouded cloak he now donned hung loosely from his frame.

The entire time, the red haired Kazekage had made no move. He did not flinch, or twitch, but simply let his calm, ever stoic gaze fall to the other form's new location. Here he stood, before the missing ninja of Konohagakure, a boy who wouldn't hesitate to kill him. It was certain—Sasuke Uchiha had grown stronger in his years away from his home. Whether his disinherited teammates would believe that or not, it was true— such power was rarely seen within the walls of the village. The Uchiha heir, alone in similar blood and bond except for one, was an admirable foe.

However, so was Sabaku no Gaara.

"What brings you here?" None other than Sasuke himself, surprisingly, broke the silence. The Kazekage almost looked taken back, his eyes opening wider ever so slightly. The head cocked gently to one side, curiosity replacing any other emotion that may have been brewing. Other than that, no move was made besides the gentle parting of his lips as he spoke,

"My own business," the sand ninja replied cryptically. At this answer, Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. The lips formed a frown, and the orbs flickered over the other form.

A cock of the head, "You're quite the mysterious one," The fact was pointed out as the black-haired boy closed his eyes briefly, before opening them again, only to see that Gaara had now crossed his arms.

"I could say the same about you," The statement was cold, face blank, but Sasuke couldn't miss that small hint of amusement, almost, in the young boy's voice. It was so slight that probably only Sasuke, an expert emotionless, could have detected it. It was then he was able to relax his guard ever so slightly. It was apparent that Gaara stumbling upon him really was by accident—he obviously had no intent on capturing him. His moronic blonde teammate had put him up to nothing.

The redhead closed his black-rimmed eyes, breaking the silence of each other's thoughts, "Do you stare at everyone like that, now?"

"I can do whatever I please," the Uchiha heir muttered coldly, one eyebrow delicately raising as he spoke. Gaara simply opened his nameless coloured orbs, and stared at him. Again, the boy looked amused—it shone through his eyes. "What?" the older male muttered bitterly at seeing the other's entertainment. Was he laughing at him inside of that demonic soul?

"You haven't seemed to change," the redhead replied honestly, head cocking slightly to the side again. At the remark, Sasuke's eyes hardened—it had been taken as an insult. The Kazekage knew how it had been taken, and spoke again, but for the benefit of clarifying himself rather than correcting the Uchiha. "Last time we met and spoke was … perhaps the Chuunin Exams."

"I'd like to forget that," was the cold reply, eyes hard. Gaara's eyes simply kept that shine of amusement—whether he was intentionally ruffling his feathers or not, the younger boy was starting to get on his nerves. Fast. "You're bothering me," Sasuke suddenly stated, bringing his tired form up to stand, staring the smaller boy down.

To the shock of the cold rogue, the Kazekage simply smiled at him. The Uchiha's eyes widened, caught off-guard— did that stoic child just smile at him? It wasn't a grin, no, just a simple upward twitch of the lips. What surprised the missing ninja more than anything was the fact that the smile wasn't evil… but warm.

"Am I?" The other replied innocently, that small, barely visible smile still on his face. "Perhaps I am not bothering you as much as you are getting annoyed by me simply being here."

Now, the smile suddenly seemed so hollow, forced, fake, just like the other's smile so often was.

But it wasn't like he had smiled. He couldn't even remember the last time he had— it all seemed so distant and forgotten now. All his memories and actions from his days within Konoha were, except for, of course, the events of Itachi… and Team 7.

Sasuke now felt himself delving into his memories, struggling to remember: Just what IwasI the last time he smiled? A true, warm smile, not a hollow or fake one, forced simply because of the idea of obligation?

After a moment, Sasuke realized he couldn't really remember—he also became aware he had been silent for well over two minutes. The entire time, the younger boy in front of him had not moved, so much a twitch.

Instead of questioning why Gaara wasn't leaving already, another question slipped out before he could really stop it, or comprehend it, "Why are you smiling?"

It wasn't cold. It wasn't said with malice … but curiosity.

That said smile fell from Gaara's face gently, slowly, and the eyes blinked a few times. "Why am I smiling?" He repeated, blinking again. Innocence somehow radiated from him, curiosity and confusion eminent in his quiet, raspy voice. "I suppose I don't have too much of a reason. It bothers you, I assume?"

"Hn, I never said that your smile bothered me," The Uchiha replied, without thinking, causing the redhead to look surprised. After a pause, and upon realizing what he had just said, the Uchiha boy just looked away, a gentle pink suddenly becoming evident on his cheeks. The sand wielder simply let out a small breath of air—a chuckle. Or, perhaps, a more accurate word would have been an amused scoff… Was there such a thing?

"You're as cryptic as ever," Gaara replied, shaking his head—but he wasn't annoyed, rather intrigued that the boy was still his same old self. Somehow he hadn't changed.

Still avoiding looking towards the younger boy, Sasuke noticed out of the corner of his eye that the other was now walking away.

"I need to take my leave, now," The Kazekage replied quietly, as always, as he silently made his way towards the other end of the clearing.

The black-haired boy looked up and towards the departing figure, bangs messily hanging in his face. Idly brushing them away from his black orbs, he started to walk after him, "Hold on."

The Kazekage stopped, but otherwise made no move. He didn't turn around, or even flinch as for the first time in years, the two boys, bitter by rivalry, alike by pasts, made contact.

Sasuke had set his hand over Gaara's wrist.

Whether the younger had registered the act or not, both boys made no move of motion. They stood there, lost in time, for seemingly minutes. The seconds ticked by, the trees rustled in a gentle abruptness of peace, and then, nothing. Only the sound of the gentle breaths of the two supposed enemies sounded seemingly throughout the entire forest.

The red haired boy finally craned his head back to the other, mysterious ocean-like eyes clashing with the deep abysmal black. Blank eyes reflected nothing within either boy, even as Sasuke slowly moved his face closer to Gaara's.

The cold, soft lips brushed the other's, but then made no move to close the gap, "You're pretty cryptic yourself," he breathed against the other, lips brushing the others at every word spoken.

"I'd like to keep it that way," The other responded, "I know you do, as well." The younger felt the hand that was on his wrist tighten for a brief moment, before gently letting go and falling away as the fingers brushed against the other's. The Uchiha's hand touched the younger's fingertips, and brought his own lips to the pale cheek.

There was a pause, and each stood in the other's presence for a moment longer, "I won't tell Naruto that I saw you," Gaara responded quietly, whispering near the other boy's ear. Sasuke just nodded, his head moving to set itself on top of Gaara's.

The two finally drew apart from each other, and without further words, started to walk away from the other boys' presence.

Each were about to exit the clearing, when suddenly, Sasuke stopped. Sensing this, the other form did as well, mimicking him, before craning his head to look back at the other.

"What is it?" Gaara spoke, softly, as he watched the Uchiha boy quietly. There was a long pause, and for a moment, it seemed like Sasuke wasn't going to responded … until the lips parted and a single phrase spilled from them,

"Thank you."

The words stunned the redhead slightly, causing just enough shock for the boy to turn around to be able to stare at the other's back.

"For not speaking of your presence to Naruto?" The boy whispered, eyes soft and curious. The other simply shook his head, still not turning around to look at the younger boy he was speaking to.

"No," was the quiet response that was spoken. "No, not for that."

There was a long moment of silence, the only sound being the breathes they took and returned, before the redhead finally spoke again, voice meek, "Then what for?"

"Simply being there," the Uchiha muttered, shrugging absentmindedly. The action caused the cloak around his shoulders to droop. Idly, he grabbed it and pulled it back up, re-positioning it onto his form, "Thank you, my weakness."

Gaara just nodded, feeling his eyes grow soft as his lips twitched into that barely noticeable smile. The eyes of name-less colour closed, and the boy let out a small breath of air—amusement, perhaps. Sasuke heard the small action, and turned around.

Somehow, he caught that small twitch of the lips that was gracing the pale boy's face. While the other had already turned away, Sasuke stared at the boy's back for a moment as the red-haired male walked away, eventually disappearing into the brush. The black orbs continued to stare, long after the ninja of sand had left.

It was then that Sasuke noticed he was smiling himself. The Uchiha let out a small breath of amusement at the discovery.

Funny …

They only ever smiled for each other.

M-D13: I really procrastinated in putting this up. Oh well. I know this sucked, so please don't be too hard on me ... actually, if you want to be a total asshole, go for it! I'm in a bad mood, I can take ya!!

Naruto: ... Er ...

M-D13: ... ... .... ... R&R Please! Thank you for reading!! ^^''