Disclaimer: Naruto (characters Gaara and Hinata) are Copywrited by Masashi Kishimoto
Words of sorrow...and warning – I'm not Japanese, and I won't pretend that I 'know' everything. I don't. Feel free to correct my mistakes!
P.o.V. switches from Gaara and Hinata. Hope you enjoy!
Umm...random things hit me and I had to get this out of my chest. It was hard to do, I'm a fan of Gaara and Hinata. but the ending stinks. R&R, or I'll send Pansk after you!
-curses-
.:Gaara:.
The redhead watched her through his green eyes. His cold, and nearly dead green eyes. The emerald eyes were outlined with a slightly thick black line; he appeared more of a creature of the night than a simple genin he was. He could watch her all day it seemed, her hair, the way if fell over her head like a flipped bowl covered in black satin, the way that her white eyes sparkled when she worked, the way she walked, the way she talked, even the method in which she took oxygen from the air to keep her living.
Of course, she never knew he watched her, so solemnly from the shadows. She should never know.
He sighed briefly, closing his eyes against the glare of the light as it filtered in from the sun. He looked at Hinata again and sighed, why did he only notice her now? After this battle of the genin, each striving to become a chunin? Why did he notice this girl now? Why him, why her? Was it because she was a bearer of the byakugan? Was that it? Or was it because of the way she fought against Neji? Her own blood she fought against.
Even near her he felt at peace, there was no emptiness in him, no hallow love he tried to hold onto. Even the love of his demon-processor was weakened; he was less cold, less harsh. He knew he should return to his village to finish his training for the exam, but he always came here, to watch her work, to watch her train and grow strong as she struggled to become something Naruto could be proud of. Huh, he thought dejectedly, I know she likes Naruto. And I know she has no notion as to why I watch her, if she even knows I'm here that is, which she shouldn't. He sighed softly. Red hair moved when a breeze gently picked it up.
Standing under a tree was easy work, he simple grasped at the trunk with the bottom of his feet, chakra carefully placed down. a grain of sand snug near his face. He closed his eye in pleasure, imagining it to be her touch, his eye opened again. He sighed and rubbed the mark on his head ruefully, why did he feel this way? Was it her personality? Was it her looks?
Gaara of the Desert would never know. He'd never talk to her. Ever. He could never let her know how he felt about her, not since his foster-parent had tried to kill him. He thought he knew love. The truth was, there was no love here or anywhere else. There never could be, so why bother?
He gently allowed himself to move downwards, off the tree as the sand wrapped about him. He turned to go, wanting to leave before she spotted him on his way back to the Sand Village. His foot hovered over the ground as he started to walk,
"Wait!"
A lone voice called. Her voice, turning, his eyes widened in slight shock, but it was quickly doused, his tone was cold when he spoke, he winced inwardly. Mother, why do I act so? He thought to the demon who lived in him, as he usually did when he was confused. Why did he act so? He looked at Hinata Hyuga.
"Yes?"
"What are you doing here? I mean, sorry, is this your training spot? I'll leave if I need to--"
He surprised himself by answering,
"No, it's alright."
.:Hinata:.
Punch, kick, kick, punch, block, kick...It was an endless dance, she maneuvered her way through the lapells, smacking at them with her fists and her legs, dodging when she needed to, she danced around, her eyes white, a pleasant contrast from the dark black of her hair. she smiled, brushing a lock back, she winced as she failed to block, how was she to get better? To impress Naruto? Especially after she'd failed in the second half of the chunin exam.
She sighed, resting for a moment, her byakugan eyes became normal again, the veins retreated from her face. She sighed and sat on her bum. She looked about, suddenly nervous, what if someone was there, watching her from the trees?
Quickly gaining hold of her emotions, she heaved a sigh and stood up. But then a flicker of the same chakra she'd felt at the chunin exams came back, in the back of her mind. She turned, looking for some sign of that mysterious chakra she always felt when she started to train. Her hand idly grazed over the sand near he foot. She smiled and felt the softness of it.
The softness she felt when she thought of Naruto, and that other boy. Who was he again? He beat Lee pretty badly, but that wasn't why Hinata was worried about him, she liked him. She knew he had to have a soft side to him, a side that never knew fighting, that wanted to love. Though his – Siblings was it? - seemed to be afraid of him at all times. She knew there must be a softer side, but she just couldn't find it! Nor could she see it, which annoyed her to now end.
She thought about his cold and distant stare, that stare that chilled and warmed her like a plunge into a cold lake and when you got out, the sun warmed you. She sighed and lifted a hand, shielding the light from her eyes, working outside was tiresome!
She felt, and saw a figure move from a tree, ashamedly, she'd thought it was a branch and had dismissed it with a casual glance. She looked at the training field. She gasped slightly, what if this was there field? Where they practiced! Where they mad with her! she hated to be in trouble with anyone.
Hurrying to get up, she wore only a tank-top, a deep navy in color, with beige shorts and sandals. She sigh and hurried after the figure, and knowing that they would disappear soon, she called out, her arms reaching to grasp the fabric,
"Wait!"
She saw him, she felt his gaze go over her, she shivered despite herself and saw him darken with a deeper scowl. Her eyes lowered to the ground, eying the sandals carefully. She sighed and looked at his feet harder, a more intent stare. Gaara. She heard him answer her, she looked up,
"Yes?"
His voice was so cold! She nearly shivered again with sadness, was he mad at her? She didn't know why and wanted to know, voicing a question and a statement;
"What are you doing here? I mean, sorry, is this your training spot? I'll leave if I need to--"
"No, it's alright."
Hinata was taken aback. What did he mean, it was alright! She'd taken his training area from him! The Hyuga main-house member sighed and bowed her head slightly, staring at his sandals. What was with this guy? Why did she like him? She blushed suddenly, thinking those thoughts, so different, they produced a reaction that was rare and was only given to Naruto,
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm quite sure."
She glanced up at him and gave a small smile. She was shocked when it was returned. she bowed her head again in a hurry. Looking at the floor again, she sighed and shook her head slightly,
"No no no! I shouldn't have taken it. Please, I'll leave."
Hinata was suddenly feeling very shy and self-conscious. Had he seen her practicing? Was that why he didn't care? Was it because she was so much weaker than he was? She turned and hurried away from him. But soon she was stopped. Her arm was grabbed by a soft and grainy grip, looking down at the caught limb, she saw the sand.
Looking back over her shoulder, the genin shook with fear, was he so mad at her he'd kill her right now? Her heart pounded as the sand turned her around, she looked at the ground, a blush covering most of her face. A tendril of sand lifted her pale face and directed her white eyes at the boy. He stood there, one hand outstretched, the sand reaching from his grasp. He looked sad and scared. Why was that? He was so powerful, why was he scared? She watched him and waited for him to speak. She was scared and felt warm inside of her. she shook as the sand let go of her, the boy infront some distance away to to the ground, ashamed,
"I'm sorry."
Startled, she looked at him, what was he sorry for? Wasn't that her line? She bowed her head and walked over to him. her heart thumping in her chest as she walked closure to the boy. Her hands raised, a wall of sand separated them. she looked at him, the boy's green gaze was still on the ground,
"No, Gaara, I'm sorry. I didn't know you wanted to train here, I'll go."
.:Gaara:.
She seemed so insecure, standing there, looking at his sandals as if she was scared she was going to die. Why would he kill her? He liked her, the way she moved, hell, even her personality attracted him. But the way she acted so scared of him was making him feel as though he was a criminal. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair slightly, he paused over his tattoo for a moment, then lowered the hand and closed his eyes. He looked at her and found a soft smile on his face, he surprised himself, and apparently her as well, when he smiled back, it was a weak smile, but he smile, true and pure. His smile faded as she shook her head.
"No no no! I shouldn't have taken it. Please, I'll leave."
When she turned to go, Gaara was feeling sad, but he couldn't let her go because she thought he was mad at her for training here. He watched her walk away, the agony in his heart wouldn't let her go though, his arm reached out, as if to grab her arm and pull her back to him.
Gaara had forgotten about the sand, a beam shot out and gently grasped her arm, he watched her stop, fear raced through his blood, thew him. He sighed, breathing heavily, he watched her turned around and look at him, fear was main in her eyes. He was shamed, she was scared, like those kids he'd known so long ago. They had hated him. He was an outcast. A tendril of sand, without command, lifted her face and she looked at him. His head fell into shadows, he whispered softly,
"I'm sorry."
He stared at the ground, fists bunched at his sides, he was shaking with sadness and fear, he couldn't force others to like him. He hated that, he wanted friends, by they always ran away. Not like one of genin, with his yellow hair and bold blue eyes, Gaara just wanted to ignore them, but they all kept coming back and surfacing on his mind. He sighed softly and a few tears trickled down his face.
He felt the sand barrier come up around him. he hated the being that lived with him, the mutualism with the beast inside of him, the reason they ran in fear from him. He sighed, then his ears caught something, the feel of her hands on the sand barrier, the tenderness. Her voice came to him, slightly muffled, he still looked at the ground,
"No, Gaara, I'm sorry. I didn't know you wanted to train here, I'll go."
He looked up at last, meeting the white eyes of the girl. he shook his head slightly, a hand reaching up and raking through his air as he sighed and laughed softly,
"Hinata, you don't get it. I'm training."
He glanced at her, she was puzzled, looking at her, he felt braver than he had before. He lifted a hand, the sand barrier fell away, before she could pull away, or pull back, he grabbed her hands with both of his. Her soft hands still unmarred by the work she did. He met her eyes with his own, his lips moved with words,
"Hinata. I'm here for only one reason."
.:Hinata:.
She looked at him, startled, he wasn't mad at her like she'd thought? She felt his hands in her own, softly, like grains of sand polished. She smiled and stepped forwards, the sand enclosed around them, her heart pounded as she took her hands out of the genin's firm grip. He looked pained, but she only wrapped her arms around him. He face pressed against the soft folds of his shirt. She smiled,
"Gaara, I think I liked you from the moment I saw you."
She felt Gaara stiffen, obviously, the boy wasn't used to love, but then again, Hinata was never really good with relationships, she felt his voice echo in his chest, she looked at him, feeling his arms wrap securely around her,
"Hinata, I think I liked you since the battle with Neji. You shocked me."
He bent down towards Hinata's face, she flushed with joy and met his lips with her own. She fell into the passion of it. Even though they'd only met a few moments ago, it felt like they'd been friends for ages. She relaxed against his grip and looked at him, his eyes were closed. If there was a bliss, she knew what it was now. She fell into the kiss and kept her arms wrapped about him.
.:Gaara:.
It was all happening too fast for him, one moment, she was holding his hands, the next she was hugging him. The boy was paralyzed with fear, then happiness, then wonderment. why had he started to like her? Was it because of the way she carried herself? He heard her talk, which had brought about the questions, after a moment, he wrapped his arms around her securely. She wasn't to escape now that she'd made the first advance, not that Gaara knew anything bout it of course. He spoke softly,
"Hinata, I think I liked you since the battle with Neji. You shocked me."
He looked at her white eyes, those soft eyes that held no judgment, and if they did, he knew it'd be only good things in her eyes. He suddenly bent down and his lips met hers. His eyes closed as he felt the love, the passion. He felt as though they'd been together for more than their years. As if they were made to be. Perhaps they were.
He smiled dreamily as the kiss ended, he hugged her and relaxed against her warm side. They both sat down suddenly, Hinata's head on Gaara's lap, they both enjoyed the sunset together. He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled gently, a smile only for her. Only for them. She looked up at him, he smiled and lifted the hand to brush her cheek gently with his fingers. Then he bent down for another kiss, which she rose to meet.
Their hands intertwined, that was how it was supposed to be. Nothing more perfect in the world. That's what they loved about the other, they were perfect together.