This song cracks me up – but I think its kinda how Gaara would be, I'm not too sure i like how i've written it (by the way the song is Growing on me, by the darkness and yess i know its about STD's but i like to think it's about becomming attached to someone and not being able to deal with it :P)
I can't get rid of you
"She's what?!" He glared at his brother
To his credit Kankuro just grinned "The medic Nins apparently Tsunade's apprentice – we couldn't let her stay anywhere else…"
Temari wondered by just as Gaara dropped into his seat with a groan "Why her?" he muttered
"What was that Gaara? Hey Kankuro" She asked cheerfully, arms laden with clean weapons "You look down in the dumps?"
"Sakura Haruno will be staying with us Tem" Kankuro began
Temari almost dropped her weapons "The overly girlie pink haired medic-girl? What a bother….she's so…"
Gaara scowled "You've been spending too much time with Naara"
She scowled and he thought he heard the word 'troublesome' muttered as she walked away.
I don't know what to do
"Um…Hello?" A voice called from the open front door
Gaara didn't look up, after all Temari and Kankuro were in somewhere.
"Hello?" The voice, female, sounded tired and Gaara could almost smell the dust and sweat from where he was. "Kazekage-sama?"
With a sigh Gaara ported to the front door, appearing nose to nose with a pink haired woman, just as she took a step forward.
Their lips touched just for the briefest moment before each shot back, Gaara far more gracefully then the woman who stepped back outside, missing the front step.
Sighing inwardly and choosing to ignore his tingling skin Gaara sent out a cushion of sand, but it was un-needed. The woman, Gaara now dredged the name Haruno to mind, gave an almost acrobatic back flip and landed perfectly on the sandy ground.
Gaara felt himself nodding – not all shinobi adjusted to the sands movement as easily, it was then she looked up and caught him with her emerald green eyes.
"Kazekage-sama" she said with a bow, and held out a roll of parchment "My name is Sakura Haruno"
I don't even know who is growing on who, (yeah, yeah)
"Ano…Kazekage-sama" Sakura stood at the door to his study looking nervous
"Yes?" He said, almost gently – why was his skin tingling just being near her?
"Would you mind if I cooked? I mean I don't want to be disrespectful to Temari, but the stuff she's feeding me, am I being punished for something? Or does she hate me? I don't know what I've done…"
Sakura's rambling was cut off by Gaara's laughter
When it continued for a few minutes Sakura slowly began to back away…that was until she met a wall of sand
"Haruno-san, I think, all three of us would appreciate it if you cooked – Temari tries, -very- hard…but, she fails"
Sakura nodded and bowed backing out of the room
"Sakura…" Gaara said carefully
Emerald eyes widened at him using her first name and a blush showed in her cheeks
"I look forward very much to dinner"
Sakura nodded quickly and practically ran from the room.
Gaara put his head on his arms with a groan what am I DOING?!
'Cos everywhere I go you're there
I can't get you out of my hair
Sakura seemed to be everywhere all of a sudden, her smile in the morning, evening and if she ran into him on the street, her laughter echoing through the house and training grounds, her scent on the laundry.
That was the part that drove him mad, she smelt delicious. And, he could just remember, how she tasted.
I can't pretend that I don't care - it's not fair
"Where's Sakura?" Gaara asked after not seeing her now for 3 days, it grated on his nerves, her scent was fading
Temari blinked "I didn't realise you would notice her gone?"
"I didn't realise you two were that close" Kankuro said with a raised eyebrow
Gaara took a deep breath "She's a guest in this house, I am merely enquiring to her whereabouts so I don't attack her when she returns"
Temari and Kankuro shared a look, and a mental battle began, clearly a 'you do it' 'no you do it' kind of staring match. It was finally won when Temari waggled her eyebrows at the unwashed dinner plates and hit Kankuro over the head with her fan.
"Well…Gaara –see, it's like this…" Kankuro began and Temari made a quick retreat to the kitchen.
I'm being punished for all my offences
Someone was going to die. Gaara had taken to spending a few minutes in Sakura's office every day, her scent was strongest there.
A scream in the entrance to the hospital followed by loud babbling voices had caught his attention nothing to worry about, just an injured shinobi team Gaara had thought then he caught the scent of Sakura, mingled with blood.
The members of the team that had brought her in were babbling as they lay her down on a trolley.
"…He just appeared out of nowhere..." One babbled
Another woman ripped off her mask taking deep breaths; she had many scars, shiny and new looking "As soon as he saw her healing us…." She shook her head and was supported by her colleague "…The Kazekage….We need to go."
With that they poofed out of existence
Finally he got a good look between the medics crowded around her. Gaara almost choked. Sakura looked crushed. Everything looked broken and bleeding, he didn't know how she could be alive.
This looks so familiar a nasty inner voice told him I'm surprised we aren't lapping her blood.
At that moment Sakura began to choke, blood bubbling out of her mouth and nose, wide green eyes opened desperately as her lips parted to draw in air.
"HEAL HER!" He practically screamed at the stunned looking medics.
Startled into action by his scream several medics created hand signs and placed their hands on her. Others settled their hands on the shoulders of their colleagues, lending them their chakra.
A few moments later they began to waver.
I wanna touch you but I'm afraid of the consequences
Gaara flicked his eyes frantically between the medics and Sakura. They were loosing chakra fast, but they didn't seem to be changing Sakura's condition much.
I know some medical jutsu, I should help, what If I loose control? What if I……
His decision was made up for him as several medic-Nins choose that moment to faint.
I can't loose her. Without a word Gaara formed the hand signs and began pumping chakra into Sakura' battered body.
I wanna banish you from whence you came
When Sakura awoke she wasn't in the hospital. She was slightly surprised to find herself in a bed, in what appeared to be a corner of a room, surrounded by calm blue and green screens.
A low voice woke her up a little more "…and that's what happened Kazekage-sama"
"I see. He is defiantly dead?" Gaara's gravely voice made Sakura realise where she was I'm in his office? Why?
"Hai, My nin-lions ripped him apart while he was…distracted"
There was a low growl followed by Gaara practically snarling "dismissed!"
When she sensed the others had gone and Gaara had begun to make a scratching noise she could only assume was a quill Sakura let out a little sigh.
There had been a man on her mission, a missing Nin who had injured the other two Nin she had been sent to find. He trapped me her breathing came more quickly as she remembered the sand sucking her down, the intense pain.
She flinched with a whimper when a hand landed on her shoulder.
Gaara frowned, slightly hurt when Sakura flinched from his touch. "Sakura"
She looked up at him from the corner of the bed he had put in his office to keep an eye on her condition. "Ano…I'm sorry" She said, not meeting his gaze.
She…she can't look at me? Why? Why is she being like this? Gaara turned away so she wouldn't see the hurt on his face. "Tsunade's slug will be here to pick you up in a few hours. Sleep." With that he closed the screens.
Sakura hung her head even more with shame He can't even stand to look at me. I failed a simple mission, and now he's sending me away in disgrace. She bit back tears and lay down, her mind a whirl of emotions and painkillers.
But you're part of me now
Nothing was said as Gaara carried the unconscious woman down the stairs of his tower.
Temari and Kankuro looked at one another briefly, sharing thoughts about their brothers set face, and the fact he was touching Sakura, he, who never let anyone close to him.
Katsuyu was sat in the shade as some more vigilant villagers sprayed him with water, luckily he hadn't been there long enough to de-hydrate, but no-one wanted Tsunade's wrath, she was apparently annoyed enough at the injury of one of her apprentices.
Sakura woke as the approached the suddenly happier looking slug. "Sakura!" the creature bellowed bending an eye stalk to get a closer look.
"Hey Katsuyu-sama" Sakura said quietly, not looking him in the eye "Is Tsunade-baa-chan angry?"
"She's livid" Katsuyu replied cheerfully.
Gaara raised an eyebrow as Sakura covered her face with her free hand. Without warning she turned her head into his chest sobbing so quietly that he could only feel the movements. He froze as he felt her tears absorbed into his clothing and smelt her tears on the warm breeze.
Suddenly Sakura struggled out of his arms and bowed. "I am sorry I have shamed myself so much whilst under your care Kazekage-sama" She said, not meeting his eyes still. "I am a failure and dishonour to my village and you. I will leave now if you permit." She turned and placed her hand on Katsuyu's lowered eye stalk.
Gaara didn't answer. How can she think she has shamed herself? How can she think she has shamed me?
He almost missed what she said in a low voice, and she took his silence for affirmation and permission "I understand you can't even bring yourself to speak to me…I'll miss you…Gaara of the Desert" Before he could move she had swung up onto Katsuyu and the slug had gone.
It wasn't until Temari took his arm that Gaara realised it was outstretched, towards the direction she had gone.
And I've only got myself to blame
Why didn't I say ANYTHING The thought tormented Gaara as he woke to a fresh new day of duties and demands.
Why? He greeted his siblings absentmindedly and wandered to his office sighing at the large piles of paperwork. The view behind the paperwork was of the village spread out below, cast in the light of the rising sun. In the distance he could see the slight haze that marked the land of grass' boarder and sighed. I should have said something.
You're really growing on me
(Or am I growing on you?)
You're really growing on me
(Or am I growing on you?)
Any fool can see
Tsunade hadn't been mad at Sakura, just worried about her condition. However after several days back, she was more worried about her mental state.
Kankuro and Temari shared a look over breakfast as Gaara tramped out of the house with only a brief wave in their direction.
"Something's up with him"
"I reckon it's Sakura"
"Nani!?"
"I reckon we need to do something drastic." Temari said with a serious look pulling her brother closer
Sleeping in an empty bed
Gaara tossed in his bed, unusually restless, after many years of no sleep he tended to drop off like a rock. For some reason Sakura was on his mind accept it, she'll never come back, and you cannot go get her Frustrated Gaara punched his pillow causing it to explode.
Can't get you off my head
I won't have a life until you're dead
Yeah, you heard what I said
"Say again?" Kankuro asked flabbergasted
"I wish I'd never met her" Gaara said with a growl "I wish she wasn't on my mind and that I didn't keep thinking she might come back!"
"Who?" Kankuro asked again shocked at his usually calm little brother who had wondered in muttering about someone's death.
Gaara snarled "It doesn't matter!" before slamming his office door
Kankuro shook his head and walked away bemused "He's got it quite bad…"
I wanna shake you off but you just won't go, ohh
"They're sending another one?" Gaara raised his eyebrows as the messenger-nin stood before him with a note from Kanoha. "Wait…I didn't request another medic Nin..." But there on black and white parchment was his signature
The Nin looked at him strangely as the Kazekage seemed to battle with himself for a few moments before writing a very short note back.
When the messenger was gone Gaara put his head on the desk why am I doing this again?
And you're all over me but I don't want anyone to know
"Well, well" Tsunade said quietly reading the note from Gaara, "that's how it is…"
"Shizune! Get me Sakura!"
That you're attached to me, that's how you've grown
"Turns out the Kazekage has requested you for this particular mission" Tsunade said swirling her sake around
"Me?" Sakura spluttered before regaining her composure "But, he thinks I'm a failure!"
Tsunade sighed "I'm sure he doesn't, and even if he does, he has given you another chance – will you disappoint him again?"
The pink haired woman shook her head "no…I'll go"
The Hokage grinned wickedly "I think something's going on between you two…anything you want to share?"
"There's nothing going on!" Sakura practically yelled shaking her head how can she think that? I'm nothing compared to him
"Really, Katsuyu tells me the Kazekage carried you to him and then held you when you started crying"
Sakura sighed angrily, she did NOT want to be reminded of that "Yes, I let him see me at my most Weak, I'm sure that really impressed him" She grabbed the mission scroll from Tsunade's desk and stormed out of the room, trying to ignore her sensei's laughter as she slammed the door.
Won't you leave me, leave me alone
Argh, why is he making me go back? Sakura whirled and threw a kunai into her already encrusted target board before turning back to packing if he thinks he's going to see me that weak, and that pathetic again he's wrong!
You go girl! Inner Sakura cheered as Sakura began the long run to the village hidden in the sand.
You're really growing on me
"Sakura", the gravely voice stopped her in her tracks. Gaara was leaning on a pillar of stone a few miles away from his village.
Sakura came to a respectable distance before bowing "Kazekage-sama" She said smoothly from behind her cat mask. She had to concentrate on what she was saying because suddenly her heart was doing a strange beat in her chest at the sight of the red-headed man.
(Or am I growing on you?)
Gaara didn't know how he knew she would come this way, there were many routes to his village from Kanoha, but he had sensed her chakra, and spent a good few minutes trying to figure out what to say.
It was surprisingly hard. Especially when she had slowed and approached him so cautiously and …politely. The sight of her and the smell made a strange longing pull him towards her.
You're really growing on me
Without another word Gaara suddenly strode towards her, he seemed to pause a moment before wrapping the surprised kunochi in his arms.
"Temari once told me," Gaara said carefully not releasing his hold even though Sakura had stiffened in his arms "that when you cannot say the words you mean, you should show how you feel"
(Or am I growing on you?)
Tentatively Sakura eased her arms around Gaara's waist.
"W…What are you trying to say Gaara?" She refused to admit what she suspected; even though he had his arms wrapped around her, and was resting his head on hers
Any fool can see, ahhhhhhhhhhh
Gently he flipped the mask off from her face, dropping it lightly to the floor. Lightly he tilted her head up, so that her green eyes were facing him and shaded from the harsh sun.
"I, I am trying to tell you that you are not a failure." He said quietly
Sakura closed her eyes "You could have told me that without all this" she said trying to move away, feeling slightly crushed inside.
Gaara's grip tightened "please…don't move" he asked
You're really growing on me
Sakura's eyes opened at the appeal in his voice. Gaara was desperately scanning her face, his green-blue eyes seeking something in her features. "Am…am I making you uncomfortable?" he said softly
"No, I'm just trying to work out what you're trying to tell me."
There was a look of pure dissatisfaction on his face and in that moment Sakura understood.
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she freed one of her arms and placed it on his pale cheek. "You could just kiss me you know"
(Or am I growing on you?)
Gaara felt his eyes widening as she said that. Then she wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him down to her level, and her lips.
You're really growing on me
(Or am I growing on you?)
Oohhhhh
There I hope you liked it, I haven't written any fanfics for a while (for those who have read/are waiting for my other stuff, appologies, middle of exams/life etc) As always reviews are welcome :)