Title: Snowflakes and Cotton

Author: lotus-bugxm9

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Still T^T

A/N: This story/if that's what it is??!! Is based off of the newest Naruto manga, Chapter 474! This is a Gaara/ female Naruto-ish, if you will there is no romance in it really but maybe/ a pinch of it to maybe possibly be enough to kick off with in the future. Anyways I felt very strongly for this new chapter as I can't wait to see what happends next!!XD

Song/band lyrics: (In bold) by the White stripes/Seven nation Army

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Enjoy

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I'm gonna fight 'em

off

A seven nation army couldn't

Hold me back

They're gonna rip it

Off

Taking their time right

Behind my back

And I'm talkin' to myself at night

Back and fourth through my mind

With a cigarette

And the message comin' from my eyes says leave it alone......

~*~

It was to much to hard.

Just to much to take in all at once.

Clear blue eyes, lowered down to her feet.

Dilated.

Wavering.

Searching the snow at her feet, for some kind of sign, to what she should do or say

next?

But she on mute.

Because all Naruko Uzumaki was getting.

Was empty words and more quite.

For having enough of it feeling now.

More then a little....

Suffocated, smothered

By all that had happened; was happening now

before her.

Raising a shaky hand to her face, bags heavily shadowed underneath, her tired eyes

did she

bury her face in her palm.

For she had to think think?

Dammit all!

~*~

She wanted to cry right now.

She really did.

As her tears would fall and fall freezing solidly.

Before they could ever hit the ground in this endless rainfall

of

snowflakes and cotton.

Yet

she couldn't somehow.

It feeling wrong too want to.

But the more her mind raced with all that had been said.

Did she want too more

and

more.

Her eyes already beginning to sting.

Painfully

Swollenly

Unshut.

~*~

All because.....

How did this happen?

It wasn't right.

Since when had Konoha become so heartless?

So completely misunderstanding?

How?

Why?

Dark and light secrets.

Insanity.

But then again she thought briefly to herself in these half seconds of stolen time.

All the rests breaths shallow heavy all around her.

Them waiting for her next words.

She feeling suddenly

chocked up.

For maybe it was her after all who was the one who truly did not see.

Did not see what was happening

after all.

~*~

A

large part of her was still disbelieving though at what she had just

heard.

What Sai had just told her along with Kakashi- sensei

and

Captain Yamato.

As it was again just, bullshit!

For the honest truth was he was so, indisputably confusingly/begin an idiot.

Trying to figure it all out anymore by herself.

She'd failed at it.

But still.....

For what did it all mean!?

~*~

More.

What the hell was Sakura-chan thinking!?

Stupid.

Foolish.

Unthinkable.

How could she have thought about hiding something like that?

So crucial.

So important very from her?

She hated it!

Hated herself.

For not seeing it till now.

Her mistake.

At

having pushed herself away from the truth for so long.

Being selfish.

So utterly unbearably, selfish had she lost, track.

Of Sakura's own love.

As she to loved Sasuke so very much.

That it caused her pain every second

Pain enough that she was now willing to possibly risk it.

Even her own life in order to stop him.

From sinking, sinking, further into nothingness.

And what had she been doing all of this time?

Feeling sad for herself!

"...."

Unbelievable!

~*~

Because

yes

she had known.

What Sakura's true feelings were for him.

What her own feelings were for him even now, here amongst, the cold.

It all not unknown that she to bleed and cared to deeply.

To deeply for that of the the runaway Uchiha.

More then she could.

That he was still her best friend her first.

Her first real crush.

The boy she still unmistakably

hatefully

caringly.

Loved so dearly.

Fought battles for.

Even now.

~*~

But,....

what Sai had said,.....?

All was turning out to be a freaking nightmare.

For she wouldn't let Sakura do it!!

As it should be her burden to bear, or should it?

It beings hers alone for so very long.

It felt right.

Because the underlining fact was; both were Juliet's, and he their sole

Gone away, Romeo.

A likely story.

And

she still didn't know who should hold back to further kill themselves.

And who shouldn't any longer?!

It was a nasty tie.

Of

Jealously

Nerve

War

Love tringles.

As all was divided.

Sasuke-kun?

Sasuke!

Her!?

Sakura.

Forever.

Help!!??

She screamed inwardly beyond frustrated.

For

what should she do?!

Still....

~*~

She was aware she was nearing the breaking point.

Her bare legs feeling tingly.

Hyperventilation, kicking in.

Her skin feeling chapped by the continuing falling flacks of ice.

Her body weakening as it continued to stand here curling in on itself out of need of, what?.

She didn't know.

But thinking all the same of what she could ultimately do with herself?

And all the others around her

So unfair.

For she hadn't expect it.

Still she was not going to kill, Sasuke. And neither was anyone else!

Period.

PERIOD.

Never.

But like asked so many times before this could she not help but ask herself

"What should I do?"

~*~

The petite girl of sixteen, was so entombed in her own thoughts.

That she failed miserably seconds later to properly hear that of the the new sounds.

Of

crunching snow, and thudding downs, of many feet.

As before long pulling her hand down to let it drop by her side.

Her

Gaze now startling locked.

On that of the three figures now standing only a few feet before her.

Were blue eyes widening.

Speechless.

Word vomit lay at her frozen tongue.

~*~

Um.

Where had they come from?

Bizzare!!

As

everyone now a days, just kept popping, in and out of know where.

For it was kinda getting annoying.

Surprisingly so.

Bu now this,....?

Tamari and Konkaro?

&%#$&*!!

And

Gaara-San? Too!

She hadn't seen them three in mouths.

And now come to think of it she had missed them.

A-lot.

She however had no time to ask such retarded questions.

Because the sand-ninja, just as quickly were they, delivering their shocking

news.

There was more?

Hell.

Panic

Stillness.

W-what....?!!?

It can't be.

~*~

Danzo had Escaped!?

The Kage summit destroyed

What!?

What.

What!?

And him.

That evil bastard Madara Uchiha, now declaring a forth Ninja war, on the world.

With Akatsuki, and Sasu-....!?

Sigh.

Gasp

Burning throat.

With Sasuke by their side.

And worse Sasuke still having attacked the Kage's in the first place in a ambush to Kill Danzo himself?

It just didn't make sense!

Now too Kakashi-sensei: Talking about becoming the next Hokage!?

Shit!

Shit !

Shit!

What was happening

NO.

~*~

Eyes resuming to look down to her sunken down boots in the white snow.

Her fists balled up while her nose, now a color of chilly bright pink

Sniffed

sniffled.

Was Naruku stuffy.

Her many unshed tears clinging to long lashes continuing to be stubbernly blinked away.

But for how long?

Thinking some more was her brain really starting to hurt!

Mind grain anyone!?

Sheesh.

Though there was now no time to waste bitching and fussing.

Was that what she was doing?

No. No.

She was planing.

~*~

The rest were wanting to leave now to investigate further.

But she?

She was stuck in the mud.

Figuratively speaking.

Sorta.

Unmoving just staring on at nothing in particular she was lost.

And then there was when it all came together.

Were the words were finally spoken to her.

By him, from him.

Gaara....?

Because she was suddenly finding herself listening with in with everything she had.

Wanting to hear possibly?

Something other, then her own frantic, wild thoughts, once again.

Hmm.

~*~

"Naruko...just so we're clear, this is a war to protect the eight and the nine tails"

He, spoke evenly to her.

Duh! She knew that much already

As she was hunted, stalked, like a animal.

Like he had been.

For what was inside of her.

It all the fox's damn fault.

How well she already new this all to perfectly.

Bitterly so.

Yet

was she still listening to him?

Maybe.

Maybe not so much.

But still,....

"In other words, a war too protect you and in doing so the whole Shin-obi world"

Shin-obi world?

That's right.

How could she have forgotten.

Though all she felt now was the Numb and the cold.

Orange and black still standing forever more transfixed in bleeding in chaos.

Her fingertips twitched.

Was she moving again?

For what was all this?

More

Shit to be shoved into her face!?

For she didn't want it.

Didn't

didn't

Didn't!!!

None of i ....!!

He stopped her cold turkey.

"I, as Kazekage am putting my life and everything else on the line for you"

"....."

Things could change.

Don't wanna hear about it

Every single ones got a story to tell

everyone knows about it

from the Queen of England to the hounds of hell

and if I catch it comin' back my way

I'm gonna serve it to you

and that ain't what you want to hear

But that's what I'll do

And the feeling coming from my bones says find a home......

She heard the words she did them sounding truthful.

And

Determined. Convinced.

Had a double-meaning.

Was that possible? Or was she delusional!?

Yep.

She was Crazy.

Everyone seemed to want to protect her now.

But they didn't want to do the same for Sasuke in return but instead hunt him down.

Just like how she had been.

Though somehow could find int in herself to want to hate them all.

Stupid. Stupid

Ugg!!

This was all just not happening.

Love fights.

Sidings.

"Sakura! Don't be stupid come back!!"

She cried this all out loud in her brain.

To cowardly to do it outside.

Still to numb.

Her mind just about ready for a good malfunctioning.

A

maga meltdown.

It sounding like fun just about now.

~*~

Yet..?

"And if Sasuke, a member of Akatsuki, stands against me, he'll be shown no mercy"

The Suna leader continued to say.

No mercy?

Of course not.

Wow.

She was a damsel in distress after all remember.

Well a Demon's vessel anyways.

But.

How could she have thought otherwise that it would be any different?

Kidding herself really.

Squeezed her eyes tightly shut then did she considerate.

Or more.

She didn't want to see anything

anymore.

Feeling still the many pairs of different eyes on her.

Wondering perhaps what was up with her?

She was having a freak out!!

Okay.

As

She wish she could just somehow disappear.

No longer on the stage.

Wished she was instead in all of this mess.

In the war? Already long Dea-!!

"............"

"Sasuke has stopped looking at you" He said, tonelessly.

S-say,....what?

Her mind struggled to keep up.

Er.

Wait! Yeah

Painfully. Did she already know that too.

Brutally so.

Daggers to her gut.

Hearing the redhead say it to her though now was,...was?

Unreal.

Concrete.

Finalized somehow.

"He seeks the darkness of his own free will"

She listen on.

Crap

Dammit

Count too ten

What was this feeling!?

Omg.

~*~

Suddenly

was

her vision blurring.

"Naruko-chan....?"

.....9, 10!.....

Shooting her eyes back open did she blink.

Then again.

Looking back now to that person before her.

Still.

Towards the young Kazekage as she now just really stared back at him.

Trying to understand.

Though her wet eyes were glaring.

Confustion taking over her finally.

Iron cladly.

Thankfully.

Yet all she could see.

Was how very vulnerable he had suddenly become.

Right in front of her as she was suddenly seeing it all as if for the first time.

His complete understanding.

His patience.

His suffering for her?

His

Anger.

Because it was all there hidden away yet captured.

In those darkly-coal lined.

Beautiful turquoise-green eyes of his.

It was so odd!!

But real.

~*~

G-g-Gaara.....?

He cared about her.

In friendship, loyalty, thanks.

For having saved his life.

It still no biggy, according to her.

But the way he was still silently staring back at her now.

Could she possibly see something else?

For what was that new look?

She

Pondered it.

Clueless.

~*~

"..."

"You......once said to me, "I'm the future Hokage!"

He quoted her.

"......"

Static.

Blond long pigtails, cached up in the chill at this.

Whiles she gritted her teeth.

Bitting quickly into her lip.

Her fingers unclenching and reclentching.

She let him continue though.

Not upset.

Just listening

Possibly.

"Well, I became Kazekage"

Braggary didn't suit him she thought quickly to herself.

Shivering without noticing it.

As then there is were the first tear fell.

And then another.

Embarrassing.

Unstoppable.

Why?

She never quit got the chance to suffer over it.

His unexpected touch on her shoulder breaking her out of her own personal reserve.

Tottaly.

Shockingly.

Pale fingers grabbing hold of it gently with care.

Yet

with a hardened discount.

As she didn't know what to make of it!?

The truth.

"For if your truly prepared to take up the mantle of Kage....."

He paused then.

Kage?

Was she?

She though about it.

"Then as Sasuke's friend, you know what you have to do now"

He concluded.

~*~

She was struck dumb.

Dummier.

Rigged.

For what did they all want from her?

To say, yes?

That she would agree too find and kill

Sasuke!?

That she would take finally her Hokage moto and get the job properly done?

End it all!

No.

Nada.

Screw it all!

She wouldn't for she wasn't ready.

Not like how she had previously thought she was.

Just wasn't.

Sasuke,.....?

Her heart hurt.

For was it breaking?

It was already broken though to begin with.

As that was the problem.

As they were all a bunch of broken,bleeding, hearts

And it sucked!

Body trembling, through the next lingering seconds however.

Was the teenager feeling suddenly submerged.

Not in coolness but in warmth.

~*~

Huh.

What was he doing?

She was about to protest her cheeks already a delicate red from frost bite.

But in the end the longing for comfort.

The one she so desperately had without realize till now did she

cave.

As letting out a sharp puff of icy breath.

Did she accept.

The offered hug from the, Kazekage.

A big part of her still in shock because of it.

Just as clearly, as were all of the rest around them.

Although

the other part of her was in fits of silent giggles.

For who knew?

Gaara-Kun was a hugger!!

For recalled briefly the past awkward on her part handshake.

And to how he had used his amazing sand to lift up her limp to seal the deal.

Because she now knew.

Figures.

Though this time around no awkwardness was in site.

For it kinda feel nice.

More then nice it felt natural.

~*~

So without further a do.

Even with her slow brain feeling spent.

With strong arms in crimson, wrapping themselves around her slummed back.

Was she embraced.

As the wonderful heat was just as unexpected as much as it was welcomed.

Sigh.

Quiet.

Suddenly though was the blond

Curious.

For what was that....smell?

Mmm.

Sugar and spice and everything nice.

Ha ha.

The noises of his billowing cloak.

Were soothing.

~*~

Anyways.

No, it was...?

Earthy, spicy, with something of the smell, of old parchment.

For he smelt heavily if she didn't no any better.

Fresh.

For when had this happened?

Was Gaara always this attractive?

Um.

For had she been totally blind all this time!?

Either way.

It was surprisingly okay with her.

For maybe she had always noticed it after all.

A little

L-ier!!

But here now regardless, feeling her racing heart begin to slow, against his armed chest.

Could she let herself bask way.

Only of course for a little bit.

It being something touchable.

Something she could touch without it like so many things of late.

Breaking apart.

For things were changing fast.

Far too fast.

And she was wasted while left still trying to keep up.

~*~

Clenching hold of him tightly with both raw hands.

Her knees, wobbly like dare she remind herself, Ramen noodles!

Did she begin to tumble.

For face planted in the crock of his neck.

Whisps, of red, soft hair.

Brushing across her wet, sticky, dry, cheeks.

Was she falling backwards and he somehow magically went down with her.

To

land in a large spray of white sea-foam the next second.

Into the powdery

crisp

untainted snowflakes below.

Was it just that.

Just laying there though, time passing by, against the blinding white.

With him.

With everyone else watching did it not matter.

Thinking.

Thinking!

Exhausted.

Sleepy.

Hoping

Hoping!

~*~

For a better future.

Gaara.

He would take care of her right?

He had said so.

Out of purely duty?

Because of the demon?

As a Kage.

For the benefit of the war?

No.

Things would get figured out though.

Because he, was her friend for he could do that, as everything would be alight.

Although did she want taking care of?

Why not.

It couldn't be that bad.

She might even enjoy it.

For if he tried to get in her way?

She'd think about that latter.

But for now.

Bad Love tringles, be shot to hell!

For looking up then for one last time in a halo of blond hair.

And continuing floating, cotton swabs, in the cloudy air.

Seeing his impassive, yet somehow gentle face, peering back down at her.

His eyes jewel like eyes searching hers.

Did it all just like that come together.

As

tuggingly,possibly,asured.

for now.

Did Naruko soon find herself.

"..."

Smiling.

I'm going to Wichita

Far from this opera forevermore

I'm gonna work the

straw

Make the sweat drip out of every pore

And I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding

Right before the

Lord

All the words are gonna bleed from me

And I will sing no more

And the stains coming from my blood say "Go back home....."

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Reviews would be awesome!!:3 I know the song was a odd choice, but I have always loved it and whatever its meaning means to you be that its a very tricky song to figure out already. Everyone is acredited to their on thoughts. I find the idea though of Gaara protecting naruto/Naruko to be very touching as at last maybe Naruto will let the young/sexy Kazekage pay up finally!! Hmm. I will always have a war going on in my head who I like more with Naruko. As she is such a tough chick already by herself she needs a strong man by her side. And well lately to be honest even though I love him to death 3! Sasuke is greatly upsetting me. So for now Gaara,.....wins!! lol.