Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep...
Ugh... How annoying... The thought of a young male laying on a hospital bed awoke to. His gaze moved from side to side. It happened again I see... Siiiiiiigh... Lifting his right hand up slowly, rubbed against the bridge of his nose. "Ah, I see you are awake. How are you feeling?"
Oh you know, like shit. I just had a fucking seizure... "Throat is dry..." The young male sighed, chuckling slightly the doctor grabbed a paper cup and filled it with water giving it to him. The male, a very thin, very paled individual. His once bright red hair now dulled and falling out once again. His eyes that were so full of life, glazed over, paled in color and life. The kanji for 'love' tattooed on his forehead, the only bright thing about him besides his pale skin that the lights just bounced off of. "It was a minor seizure... It seems your body is to weak to go through with the treatments at the moment... We are trying our best to get you back to normal."
The young male nodded sadly. "Don't worry Gaara, you beat this once, I'm sure you can do it again." The doctor smiled patting the top of his head. "Your family and friends are waiting in the wating room, would you like for me to go get them?"
Nodding weakly, Gaara laid back down on the slightly comfortable bed and sighed as the doctor made his exit with a be right back.
Resting his arm on his forehead, was fighting off the tears that threatened to fall. He had just won the battle... But after only half a year later it returned full force.
Gaara had cancer.
He knew, he knew it would come and bite him in the ass once again. Something he thought he had beaten... had terminated, came back to try once again to take his life. As a tear was about to slip from his eye, the door opened distracting his wandering mind. "Gaara!" The cry of his one and only calmed his body and mind instantly. "Naruto." He sighed out smiling and stretching out his hands for the blonde fool he came to love and cherish. Said blonde was tanned from head to toe, three whisker marks framed his face, bringing your attention more focused on his bright blue eyes, as if the ocean was seal beyond their depths. "Are you alright Gaara?" He asked, voice low and worried. Forcing a smile Gaara chuckled. "I'm fine. I'm alright, really."
Naruto wrapped his arms awkwardly around Gaara, tightly hugging him close as if he were going to float off and never return. "Gaara oh Kami are you ok?" The worried hushed voices of my siblings, Kankuro a slightly built, purple face painted, black kitty hat wearing big brother rushed just to my left. Temari, my demandingly hot headed, angry face looking with a big chestedness, four pigtailed woman, rushed next to Kankuro. She too, was a blonde. Although not as bright nor appealing as his lovers.
"I'm fine, just a little tired is all." Gaara forced another smile on his face, one that only his lover was able to figure out. "Where's mom?"
"She's coming, she was working on a cut when she got the call. She said she got stuck in traffic but will be here shortly."
Hn... Damn traffic... Always a douche. His eyes were drooping. All that were in the room could easily see the beginnings of the dark circles. "Go to sleep baby... Your mom and us will be here when you re-wake." Naruto's soft whisper was lulling him to sleep, the soft kiss Naruto gave to Gaara's forehead allowed him to pass the doors to the land of slumber.
Gaara's soft snores were the only indication he still lived.
"I'm here! I made it! Is he ok?!" A short young woman with light blond hair, much like Temari's almost busted into the room. "Shhh!" Everyone hushed the small female catching her off guard. "Gaara just fell asleep." Naruto commented, holding his hand lovingly. "Oh.. Well is he alright?"
"Gaara said he was fine... But he doesn't look it." They all frowned at Temari's comment. Just then the doctor came in with a few other people. "Since Gaara is more stable, we're going to go ahead and transfer him to a room where he can... Feel more at peace." The doctor smiled as they followed the nurses that were transferring their precious person.
"Gaara, are you sure you're alright to be leaving?" Naruto frowned worried about his lovers well being. "Naruto... It's only once I get to see my children's graduation to first grade... I want to go." Smiling, up at Naruto, Naruto couldn't help but feel a pang of pain at seeing his beautiful Gaara in such a state. His once already pale skin was even more pale, the veins more noticeable than before. His hair fell out again, now he wore but a beanie to warm his bald head. His slender body became skin and bones due to his lack of eating. "I'm just worried."
"I didn't get to go to my babies first day of school, I want to be here for them for their last moments of kindergarten. I am going whether you like it or not." Gaara's stern face ended the conversation.
It's been almost a year since he had his seizure and was re-hospitalized. Since Naruto and Gaara were both male, they decided to put their sperm into what you would call a 'baby momma' or segregate mother. Unknown to all that their segregate mother had a leaniage with having twins, and naturally Naruto's gene's also had twins since he himself is a twin with his sister. They got twins, one a male and the other a female much like Naruto. The male took after Naruto, bright blond hair with a mix of sea foam and blue eyes giving him a pretty color of turquoise that flashed bright blue like lightening. Much like her brother, they shared the same eyes, however her hair matched Gaara's natural color with the bright blood red tint. Both were of tanned skin, however the female's lighter than her brother due to the mother being of lighter skin tone. Small things were noticeable that both shared some features with their seragate mother.
"I know... But you seem so weak today." Frowning as Naruto wrapped his arm around Gaara for support. "I know, but I am just fine. I want to be here for them..." Smiling lovingly, they were seated near the front. Gaara's dark red cap a little to big on his head, the same shade of red blanket wrapped around his thin shoulders. Naruto keeping his arm wrapped around Gaara, watched as their friends came up to talk to the red head. Giving him words of encouragement and small talk about numerous things.
"Please take your seats parents! We will now call out the graduates names. Hearing their names, they will come up on the stage and get their certificate. After the whole line is done you are able to take your children home, or stay a while for a small party for the graduates." The principle smiled, Naruto's God Father, Iruka was the principle as well as a teacher at times. The blonds bright smile shone brighter when his child's name was finally called. "Gekko Uzumaki." The crowd clapped as the little Naruto walked up the small platform, grabbing a little rolled up piece of paper from one of his teachers. Hugging Iruka he walked down from the other side and waited with the other children that already had their certificates. "Nikko Uzumaki." Iruka smiled as Nikko ran up the stairs, excitedly grabbing her certificate, hugging the woman that gave them out and then hugging Iruka with a big Naruto grin. "They grow up so fast..." Gaara mumbled under his breath smiling at the personalities of his two children. If you were to just look at them, you would wonder why the prince with bright blond hair was named after the moonlight, and why the young dark haired princess was named after the sunlight. Only when you got to know them, would you understand.
"They do grow up fast... I wish they were little forever." Naruto smiled rubbing his thumb softly against Gaara's bony shoulder. Their children were the last, with a soft melody with the piano, the children sang the song of their pre-school, throwing their mock graduation hats in the air at the end. Naruto frowned as he heard Gaara softly gasping for air, obviously trying to hide the fact he was very exhausted. Nikko and Gekko ran toward us with smiles, hugging Naruto with a tackle like force, and Gaara with such care. "Mommy!" Nikko shouted happily, "You came to see us!"
"Yes, I did. I'm so proud of you two. My beautiful darlings." Gaara spoke so soft you had to strain to hear him. Kissing the top of both his childrens foreheads hugged them tightly, as tightly as he could at least. "Thank you for comming mommy." Gekko whispered into the older red heads ear, making Gaara choke slightly on the sob that was about to break loose. "Hey Naruto, Gaara. How have you guys been?" Iruka trotted up next to the two adults he considers his own children. "Ah, hey Iruka." Naruto smiled softly at the older male. "Are you alright?" The scarred man whispered to his blond child. "Oh yeah, we're fine... Gaara insisted he come. I think it would be best to go back to the hospital though Gaara..."
"Oh, you worry to much." Gaara forced a smile on his face. "I haven't been out of that room in ages! We should get some... Ice cream!"
"Oh! Ice cream!" Nikko shouted softly at the thought. "But... Mommy, you don't look to well.." Gekko commented, holding onto Gaara's thin hand with his own small one. "You feel cold... Are you ok?"
Glancing to his son, Gaara chuckled. "I'm fine son. It feels like it's been ages since I was able to fele the sunlight like this... I just don't want to go back to the hospital yet... Though..." He sighed looking to his husband. "I think we better go back... I am getting tired."
Naruto nodded his head, glancing to his former teacher, said his goodbyes and to come see him and Gaara at the hospital anytime before they were heading to their car. Passing many of their friends as they said their goodbyes and see you laters. Naruto helped Gaara into the front seat, his red blanket wrapped tightly around him. However, Naruto knew he was still freezing, by watching the shivers his red head felt. Helping his own children into the car, sat in the drivers seat and immediately put the heat on, and pulling out of the parking lot.
Once they made it to the hospital, Naruto helped his children out, and then Gaara. An air tank rolled behind him, connecting it to his nose when he was short of breathe in the car. Once in the huge building, a wheel chair was rolled out for Gaara to use. He, being well known in the hospital, along with Naruto and their children. Naruto took Gaara to his room, the red head out of breathe, Naruto having to carry him to his bed. "Are you alright?" Naruto asked pulling the covers back around his lover. Shaking from the cold, Gaara nodded with a weak smile. "Mommy..." Nikko whimpered. "Oh I'm fine Nikko, your daddy is just a worry-wort." Gaara chuckled again, running his fingers softly through her red locks. "I love you all, so... So much." He sighed before his eyes closed, chest rising softly as he slumbered.
"Come on guys, we should probably let mommy sleep. He's had a long day." Naruto smiled, guiding his kids out the door.
A few hours later, a big busted woman entered Gaara's room, her dark blonde hair pulled into pigtails at either side of her frame. The soft clicks of her black heels echoed through the room. "Hello Tsunade." Gaara stirred in his sleep. "Hey... How are you feeling?" She whispered slightly surprised for she thought he was still asleep. "Tired and crappy... But other than that, good I suppose..."
"Well that's good to hear." She smiled, but Gaara just frowned after the words were muttered after, "Now, tell me how you really feel."
If there was one other person that could see through Gaara's lies, other than Naruto and his own mother, would have to be Tsunade. Narutos adopted grandmother.
Sighing with a deep set frown, Gaara confessed. "I'm not feeling to well Tsunade... I know, the treatments aren't working... It's already spread this much... I'm..." He choked a little looking to the right of himself. Tsunade rose her hand to her mouth, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I'm not to sure... If I'll be able to live another month Tsunade... But I don't want to leave... I want to stay with my children... With N-Naruto." Gaara sobbed. Tears falling quickly from his pale eyes, that lost all the hope of his survival. "I... Don't know what to do... I don't want them to be here when I go, but I know that will just make them angry... I... I just..." Gaara covered his face with his hands, tiny droplets were heard as they escaped his barricade of flesh, and fell to his comforter.
Wrapping her arms around Gaara's shrinking frame, whispered into his ear, "You do what you think is right Gaara... Please, hang on as much as you can. We'll all hate to see you go. I love you Gaara, like my own grandson. I will miss you, more than you can know..."
And with those sweet words, she was gone, telling him she would contact the make a wish foundation, and keep it hush hush.
The next day they came to his room, Naruto was not there today, at the request of Tsunade, a small white lie that he was still sleeping, but to come back in the evening when he was more likely to be awake.
"Gaara Uzumaki?" A tall male with silver hair that defied gravity poked his head into the room. Gaara gasped unnoticed. "Kakashi." He breathed out as the silver hared man entered the room. A navy blue long sleeved shirt fit snug to his frame, black jeans just the same. "So what Tsunade said was true..." He frowned through the medical mask that was over his mouth. Nodding his head, Gaara rubbed at his eyes. "Well, Tsunade said you wanted your wish to be kept secret, thus the foundation allowed me to come, knowing I knew you from home and that I would be able to keep a secret, and come in unnoticed."
"Thank you for this Kakashi... I don't know what I would do if Naruto found out..."
"Don't worry about it Gaara... Now, what's your wish?"
Kakashi left after a while, Tsunade coming in when she saw Naruto exit his car. "Naruto's coming, Kakashi you should probably go now."
"Right. Well, don't worry Gaara. We have it all planned out." With a curve of his one good eye, the other being hidden by a cloth, left with a wave. After five more minutes Naruto entered the room. Tsunade checking my chart and vitals to try and seem like she wasn't just hiding a secret. "Hey Granny." Naruto smiled, Tsunade getting angry and hitting him playfully, telling him to stop with his nickname like she always does. Gaara smiled and appriciated all she had done for her.
Naruto stayed until late in the night, Temari and Kankuro watching Nikko and Gekko at their home. "Naruto.." Gaara whispered just as the blond was getting his messenger back around his neck. "Yeah babe?" He smiled, causing the red head to smile back. "I love you."
"I love you too." A flicker of unease flashed across his eyes. "Give a big kiss to Nikko and Gekko for me when you get back."
"Sure love." Nodding his head, Naruto leaned over Gaara, giving him a lingering kiss. Once he was out the door, Gaara broke down into tears. "I love you so much Naruto... I love you.." He continued to sob and mutter those sweet words he knew his lover would no longer be able to hear as he was submerged into darkness.
It was the next morning, Naruto was about to leave for the hospital when Kakashi showed up. "Hey Kakashi, what's up?" Smiling slightly annoyed, noticed the slight mischievous grin just from his visible eye. "What?"
"Wanna go to Disneyland?" Kakashi asked holding up plane tickets.
"Disneyland? What? Why? When?"
"Yes, Disneyland, because I got a promotion and want to take everyone out for a vacation, and now."
"I'm going to the hospital right now, I can't."
Oh yes you can, I already have Gaaras permission to force you to come. He's making sure you go to have fun, you've been stressing out to much. Do you want Gaara to stress out from making you stressed? Besides, he has chemo today and won't be able to see anyone."
Naruto frowned but realized he was right, the blond did seem to be stressing out, and an out with his children and family would do all of them some good. "Yeah sure alright. I'll go wake up Nikko and Gekko and get packed. When does the flight leave?"
"It leaves in two hours, enough time to pack your bags." Kakashi chuckled watching Naru's eyes turn huge and run into the house. "I have to call everyone!"
After an hour of rushing clothes into three suitcase, on the phone with just about everyone Naruto, Nikko, Gekko were ready to meet everyone at the airport. The children excited to be out and to go to Disneyland.
"Thank you for doing this Kakashi. It means a lot..."
"Don't worry about it, we needed a time off to de-stress." Parking next to the other cars, Kakashi, Naruko, Naruto, Nikko, Gekko, Temari, Shikamaru, Asuma, Yakkai, Kankuro, Iruka, and Karura left on the plane.
Staying in the princess castle, the children were having a blast, the adults having their own grand time, drinking and talking with each other about Gaara, and when he was younger, about Temari and Kankuro, Naruto and their own kids' small quirks. Waiting in lines to ride many rides that both freaked most of them out, and amazed. They spent a lot of time in the shops, we at least the females did. Looking around for things everyone would like, and friends would like back at home. Naruto looked at a necklace he thought would be perfect for Gaara when he returned. Buying it with a huge smile on his face, couldn't wait to see the face he made when he got to look at it. It was a customized necklace that had three other parts that went perfect.
Their trip lasted for a whole week, Kakashi paid for the stay and most of everything, the trip being his treat from the promotion he had in his line of work that no one knew about, but never asked.
Once they were home, Naruto, with Nikko and Gekko made their way to the hospital to see their loved one.
Entering the building, he said a cheerful hello to Sakura, a nurse that was at the desk tonight. Her pink hair slightly an eyesore at the brightness of it, her jade eyes reminded him of Gaara, making his smile widen at the thought of seeing his lover. Sakura said hello back, with a small wave. Walking to the elevators of the building, entered, Nikko hit the button that would bring them to Gaara's floor. "Are you guys excited to tell Gaara all that you did this week?"
"Yeah!" Nikko and Gekko excitedly agreed, hopping up and down on their toes for the slow elevator to hurry the ride along. Naruto was also very excited to hear his voice again, he was unable to talk on the phone with Gaara the whole week they were out. Gaara being in kimo and sleeping through the whole days, Tsunade had always conversed with him instead, telling him how things were and he in return telling her how the kids were and things of the like.
Before you knew it, they were in front of Gaara's door, Nikko opening the door to find... Nothing. "Mommy?" Nikko and Gekko's eyes widened, the room was bare, everything that was Gaara... Gone. Naruto couldn't even begin to explain the amount of emotions that went through his mind. Maybe he was transferred to another room, maybe another hospital! Maybe he's in chemo, or they sent him home because he was fine! Maybe Tsunade has him at her house! Maybe- Maybe!
Just then, Tsunade's shoes were heard clicking softly against the hospital floors. "Naruto..." She whispered solemnly... "I'm so sorry." She sobbed, The blond turned his head slowly to face her, his eyes wide and disbelief clear in them. "No... It... It can't be."
Gekko, understanding what was going on, held onto his sister, who also felt the connection. She began to sob into her brothers arms, Gekko sobbing internally, was to great as silent tears fell from his eyes. Naruto himself trying to hold back the waterworks, glared to his grandmother. "What the hell!" He shouted anger flaring in his being. "What happened! Where is Gaara! Where is my husband!" He choked on the last part, his walls crumbling one by one.
"Naruto... His... Wish was... To allow his family happiness on the day he left... He had make a wish foundation take you out on a trip, Kakashi got all this in the mail anonymously." She lied for his own sake. "Wha... I..." Naruto couldn't make any noises, he couldn't feel a thing. He was empty. Gaara had left, Gaara was no longer in this world... And there was nothing he could do about it. "Can I at least.. See the body?"
"Sure." Tsunade nodded going back to the main floor. Naruto left Nikko and Gekko with Sakura to look after, seeing their dead mother was not what Naruto wanted their last memory of him to be. Tsunade leading the way, stopped in front of a tall box like thing, a freezer of sorts that held bodies. Naruto already leaking tears bursted out with a heart tearing sob at seeing his darling red head laying there on that metal bed of death.
His eyes were closed, rimmed with the darkest of blacks. "He... Didn't get much sleep." Tsunade commented with a sob. Gaara's pale skin was basically translucent, his veins showing no life, his chest didn't rise... His mouth didn't twitch to show the teasing. They were blue, instead of the plump pink they used to be. "Stop... I can't take this anymore." Naruto sobbed, hiding his eyes from such a sight. "I don't want this to be the last time I see him..."
"I understand Naruto... I'm sorry." Tsunade nodded, closing the metal door and the red head within. Unable to take anymore, Naruto left. Taking his kids back home he sobbed for three straight days.
Afterwards, his family members were finally able to get in touch with him, after a week they had the funeral for Gaara.
It was a nice funeral, everyone they knew came. Speeches of the good times, and sweet memories of their stubborn red head were told, tears were shed and hearts were torn to pieces. Naruto, Nikko, Gekko, and Karura's being the most heart clenching.
It was an open casket, people touched, sobbed, and even kissed the body trying to keep him in their hearts as he was before. Many of his family members left small trinkets in the casket with him. Naruto being the last to go up, sobbed over his lovers body. His hand softly trailing against Gaara's cold cheek, his thumb rubbing softly against his lips, remembering the last lingering kiss they shared. A tear drop fell into the crevices of Gaara's own eye, it building up and falling as well, as if he cried for not being able to be alive any longer. For leaving his loved ones behind.
"I'm going to miss you so much Gaara... I love you... So much... Gaara my darling husband... I love you." He sobbed, and kissed his cheek, sliding on the necklace he bought for his lover at Disneyland. It being a locket that had an orange spiral as the base and the kanji for love in red to match his tattoo, when you pull the two sides apart you have a picture of the whole family on one side, and Naruto on the other.
After the ceremony of throwing dirt on the casket, he was covered... Submerged six feet under the ground, an hourglass shaped headstone the only indication of where his body lay. People left, to mourn their own ways. Naruto and his children stayed, staring at the headstone, Naruto wore his own necklace, the clasp open, staring at a smiling Gaara.
After a few days of the ceremony, Naruto got a package in the mail, of course addressed to him.. However it was in Gaara's handwriting. Tearing the package open, found a DVD hidden inside, and instructions to get the family together and watch it. Naruto, about to cry again, called his family to request they come over and watch whatever his lover sent to him.
So, I tried out a one shot, I am thinking of making it either a two shot, or getting another story of whats on the DVD. I'm sorry it's so broken up and awkward, but I'm not very good with details like that. I feel like the readers would get boring if I stretched it out more.
I hope that one day we can find a cure for all types of Cancer. I made this story, because I've experienced the effects of cancer as a family member. My aunt was unable to survive breast cancer (however my other aunt was, for they got it in time and was able to cut it out).
Tell me what you think.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and I know you're suppose to put that at the beginning, but I thought it wouldn't flow right, and it would be awkward.