BB: Wish I owned, but I don't. Inspired by my one year anniversary with my aniki. Hope he enjoys.

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Let me be selfish for a little while. Please? It's all I can do not to let these words escape my lips, to get on my knees and implore you to let me stay, to let me have you, to let me touch you. It's all I can do not to let these things happen, because I don't want to scare you away. If I scare you away, I have nothing.

"Are you okay?" You ask of me, tilting your head a bit. "You seem a bit off."

I am off. I am completely insane today, and I cannot tell you why. If I told you, you would run from me. I can't let you run from me. I won't let you run from me. I need you. You are my life, you are what makes the sun rise. You are my love.

"Your face is red."

Dammit! My emotions betray me: they rise up on my pale face, so easy for you to see. You're so observant, but you always are with me; it's like we are the same person, and you can always tell when I'm upset or depressed. It's like you know me.

"Are you getting a fever?" One of your hands reaches out and touches my forehead, then my cheek, bringing on another round of blood. "You feel a little warm..."

I try to make myself speak to you, but I can't: my throat is too dry, and no words would ever be enough. There aren't words to tell you how I feel for you. There's so much, so many ways, and I wish I could show them to you, share them with you, but I can't. You would reject me. You would always reject me, because you are perfect and I am a monster. I've killed people and felt no remorse; I've used the Dog-Racoon demon within me to harm others. Though you, too, have a beast within you, you use yours to help people; you're so beautiful and perfect...

"Hel-looo? Gaara? Snap out of it, dammit! You're giving me the creeps!" You snap your tanned fingers in front of my face and I focus on you, my sea-green eyes staring into your cerulean. I say that my eyes are the color of the sea, but that's a lie: yours are the ocean, pure and simple. You have depths no one can imagine. I would say that my eyes are more like the bottom of the ocean: cold, uncaring, unfeeling, uninhabitable. When you see that you have my attention, you smile and put your arms behind your head in a gesture of what seems to be...perhaps embarrassment? "Thought you were lost for a second, there! Anyway, what'd you bring me out here to tell me?"

That's right: I brought you out here to say something, but now I have no idea what. I can't remember in the slightest, though I was thinking about it just moments ago...the sight of you, the thought of you, it drowned out what I wanted to ask.

"...hn." I grunt out, turning my head away from you. Hopefully, this will clear my thoughts, allow my mind to focus on something other than how beautiful you look atop this, the Hokage monument, the sun setting just behind you and showing off how amazing you really are. "...I wanted to ask you if you would like to come to Suna with me. Only for a visit: one week, no more and no less, unless you wish it."

You won't wish it, though, because you probably won't even accept my offer. Why would you go to the land of sand and wind when everything you could ever want is here? Good friends, ramen - though we have that back in Suna, I doubt you'd want to leave your beloved Ichiraku's, family...what do I have to offer you besides myself, my company? I'm a selfish creature for even extending this offer, but I can't resist this...

"...sure!" My head shoots up - when did I bow it? - at your exclaimation. You mean this? You'll really go with me? From the look in your eyes, I know the answer is truly yes. I feel like smiling, I'm so ecstatic, because you said yes! You said you would go, that you would care to come with me to my beloved Suna... "...Sakura and Sasuke would definitely like it, too. Oh, and Kakashi-sensei, too!"

My dreams crash around me when I realize what this means: you don't understand at all. You don't get that I don't want that pink haired one there; she just steals your attention away from me. The Uchiha does the same: I've seen how he looks at you, those lustful glares, that needy smirk. He desires you. A lot of people do. Rock Lee, that Hyuuga boy, the dog-lover, the bug-lover, even the one my sister seems to be falling for. All of them love you, yet none of them have any guts to say it. Just like me. And as for your teacher...I suppose he could come, if you brought the other teacher with him - Iruka, isn't it? They would undoubtedly distract one another...

"You can bring your teachers," I murmur, emphasizing the word teachers just slightly, "but I would rather your team mates stay here. I don't want your Hokage to think that I'm stealing away her most powerful nin."

You smile at that, finding yourself happy with my words. You enjoy being called the most powerful nin, or one of them, and its joy is enough to almost eclipse that I said I would rather your friends not join us.

Almost.

"Aww, Granny won't mind. She loves you, y'know, so it's no big problem. I'll get the others...when're we leaving?"

Drat. I hate when you say the things I don't want you to. But I know you're right, and you'll fight against me if I don't say yes now. So I hold back all of the emotions raging within me and I look at you. You're standing there, expectant, and I can't find it in my black heart to deny you. "Tomorrow. We're leaving tomorrow."

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BB: That's it for this chapter! I actually thought it'd be a one-shot, but I'm thinking a three-shot, perhaps. I'll make sure to put up the next chapter in just a couple of days...again, this is a happy anniversary fic for my aniki (sorry it's so depressing, but it gets better). He'll understand what it's about, and why I'm writing it like this.

Hope you enjoyed!

P.S. Original title, no? -Smiles- Sorry, but I couldn't think of anything else. If anyone has any ideas, please tell me!