warnings: character death, depression, loneliness, one-sided yaoi, neko!Harry(Haru), au, serious angst and drama, abuse
disclaimer: sadly, I don't own naruto because then sasori would be human and all mine! -cackles-
beta: none, so forgive me for any stupid mistakes.
updates are every mondays and fridays.
Prelude: The Sweeter Side of Death
In the sweeter side of nothingness,
there is nothing that I wouldn't do
to keep you alive.
"Gaara!" The cry echoed out, revertabrating off the trees around them. His green eyes remained on the unmoving figure. It was now or never. He stepped away from Sakura, feeling the girl's eyes on him. The question burned on the back of his chest, but she would understand. He stood beside Naruto, resting a hand on the taller boy's shoulder, leaning forward.
"All will be fine, Naruto," he said. Kneeling, his hand sliding from Naruto's shoulder, he crawled the last few inches to Gaara's body. The cuts across his body stung heavily as he hovered over the still body of the Kazekage. With unabridged certainty of what he was going to do, what he had to do, he placed his hands on the unmoving chest of Gaara, breathing deeply. The others watched on behind him, unsure of what he was doing. It is better this way. The voice of his past self whispered in his mind. It is better for everyone this way.
Slowly, he closed his eyes, blocking out all other senses, except for touch. His body vibrated minutely, too quick for the regular eye to catch. He felt the telltale burn in his stomach, the rush as chakra came to the surface, bursting out of his hands into the unmoving body beneath him. His body stiffened as he forced the chakra from his life's energy into Gaara's body. He heard the faint noise of gasping, felt the rush of someone trying to reach out to him, but being stopped short.
"What is he doing?" the rustic baritone of Naruto rang out.
"He's saving Gaara," Sakura intoned solemnly.
Somewhere within him, he felt gratitude towards the girl. She truly was a strong ninja, and would only grow stronger with time. Silence overtook once more, as he pushed more and more chakra into the body underneath him. Already he was beginning to feel the pain of fatigue. The chakra was spewing out at a fast rate, good for Gaara, a warning sign for him. He wondered for a moment what would happen when he was gone. As a whole, the Fire Country would be grateful he was gone. There would be no one to miss him, to mourn his death as anything short but a long awaited miracle. He opened his eyes again, to stare down at the face of his Kazekage, of the seventeen year old man he had grown to love, despite everyone telling him that a monster like him would never know true love.
They were wrong. All of them. He did know such a feeling, and it was that feeling that allowed him to continue down this path of suicide he was setting himself on.
"Naruto," he said abruptly, gesturing with his head for the boy to come closer.
"Hai," Naruto answered, kneeling in front of him.
Staring directly into sharp blue eyes, Haru spoke his green eyes watering slightly, as his breathing came in rapid spurts. "You are a good man in possession of a strange power, hmph." He paused, smiling slightly, "It was an honor to have met you, though I doubt you would say the same for me." He bowed his head, unsure of how to continue, but knowing for his own peace of mind he must.
Even if it means I give myself.
Everything and utterly.
"Love and friendship, those are the strongest thing in a shinobi's arsenal, though many would say differently. But they don't understand the true nature of a shinobi," Haru choked. A tear streaked down his face. "Gaara...Gaara, he doesn't know it, but he taught me both, and in this short time you have taught me the same. Growing up hated, never to be looked upon with anything but disgust...I had never known such a thing."
Another tear fell unchecked onto Gaara's chest, "You will be a great Hokage, Naruto-senpai." He heard the boy gasped, as he revealed the not-so-secret desire the seventeen year old held. "There is no doubt in my mind of what you and Gaara can, will," he corrected himself, "achieve."
Haru tilted his head, looking behind him, to see that some of the other shinobi had bowed their heads in shame. He shook his head, "I hold no grudges. I never had. Hell, I even told myself that I hated me too."
"Haru-kun-"
"Sakura-chan," Haru addressed, blinking slowly. The chakra flow was still going strong; the fatigue and slowness beginning to settle in. It would be time soon. The thought, one that would have inspired a spurt of fear at one point, only brought along a sense of peace, of relief. Soon everything would be over.
"Hai," Sakura said sadly. He nodded. She knew what was happening, what he was doing.
"You will grow stronger than the female ninja who taught you," he smirked, chuckling lightly at the widening of eyes. "In less than two hours you have saved my life more than anyone ever dared, and for that I thank you."
He grunted, losing his balance for a moment.
As the last of the chakra left him, he whispered his last words.
"And so, the monster was killed. Dead at his own hands, his last requiem playing in the soul of the one he loved."
His lips curved into a sad smile, as he fainted, his green eyes closing to the image of an awakening Gaara.
As Haru's body crumpled into itself, Sakura rushed forward to catch it, huddling close as she did so. Behind her, the others were silent, unable to speak as the shock of what happened sunk in.
"Haru," Sakura spoke shakily. She caressed the black hair, gripping the strands tightly, as she pressed the sixteen year old's face into her chest, her tears wetting him. "You're not a monster." And how she wished that others could see it.
She stared forward, observing how Naruto steadied Gaara, whose eyes hadn't left the unmoving body in her arms. The sand jinchuuriki's eyes flickered for a moment between emotions, confusion, shock, and settling finally on understanding.
"Is he..." the Kazekage struggled to voice his question, his mouth hanging open.
Sakura pressed her face into Haru's hair, a silent answer. She turned away from the narrowed gaze. Gaara reached out, as if to touch Haru, before thinking better of it, and facing the crowd of sand nin who had come to rescue him.