Disclaimer: dun own Naruto!
Gaara's POV... a little OOC
***Shakaku and Gaara***
What am I doing? This is the last thing for the Kazekage's son to be doing, let alone me! Explain to me, why are you making me do this, Shakaku? I knew that Shakaku wouldn't answer but it was worth a try. It was midnight. I was on the roof as usual. Temari and Kankuro were fast asleep, like I would be if I wasn't insomniac from the fear of Shakaku killing every person that I was close to. I wish I could just let you free, and not risk my life to get you out. I know you need a bit of blood but I would like to work on my homework. It's due tomorrow! Kakashi Sensei will kill me if it's late, again! But as normal, the demon didn't listen, forcing me to jump.
I knew he was free from the moment I felt the air rushing by. Damn, now I was stuck inside my own body. At least I try and share the space I can with the demon. I was cramped in a little corner, unable to move. This isn't a normal fourteen-year-old's night but I wasn't normal... not in the least.
I knew Shakaku was craving a certain person's blood, a person whose blood was inaccessible. The person I speak of was the only person in the world that I've met that hasn't trembled or screamed at the sight of me. I was rather scary; I knew it like I knew I hated my father. With my sleep-shadowed blue eyes and eerie aura I knew I was a goddamned beast from hell. No one wanted to be near me when Shakaku burst out, but that was normal. It was a sign to go when my eyes changed from their normal aqua-blue to the yellow-gold of sand, with a diamond pupil that had four black spots circling it. I was a demon, or rather, a demon's container. I wasn't even close to being in control... a thought I hated.
I liked to be in control, it was a good feeling when you needed to be comforted. Whenever I managed to shut Shakaku up (or bring him out in some cases) I felt so happy, I'd achieved control, if only for the time being. I was a demon's puppet and that was what annoyed me most about myself. And what was worse... my demon was dragging me out here, at midnight, to train for nothing! I had been upgraded to a Chunin yesterday, and I was pumped for my first mission in two days... and Shakaku was too, thus he was dragging me out to my training ground to train. It was insane.
It was hot and windy as I walked with Temari and Kankuro to take a gift to the Hokage as a sorry gift. I didn't look forward to seeing the village hidden in the leaves again. I hoped to see Naruto again; the hyperactive blonde that had allowed me to see that some demons can love. Naruto also showed me that it was possible to control Shakaku in some ways.
I owed the boy more than he knew. I'd let him know a bit when I'd muttered thank-you but it wasn't enough so I'd decided to be a proper human and I grabbed him a gift. I'd noticed the lack of kunai and shuriken so I'd bought the guy a new set of the weapons. I'd packed them at the bottom of my bag, not wanting my family to see the weakness.
The hidden village was rather strangled, Naruto and Sasuke were both out, and so we were taken to the Hokage's office, the new Hokage, by the pink-haired girl, Sakura. She started to shake as soon as she saw me, not at all a shock to me after what I did to her. Even I was slightly shocked at the anger and pain that both Shakaku and I felt. Sakura risked her life for the boy, Sasuke, and she ended up regretting the amount she did. I wonder if she actually knew who she owed her life to. Did she know that Kyuubi was who saved her?
I don't think Kyuubi would let the Uchiha take all of the credit. Hell, I don't think he'd let the Uchiha take any credit. Come on, it's obvious the girls deluded into the illusion of 'love' by that cockatoo head but Naruto is better for her. Shakaku was obviously unimpressed by my thoughts, my musings, but I knew he was thinking over it too.
The Hokage was a woman (a WOMAN! Much to mine and Shakaku's disgust) of about fifty and I recognised her as one of the sannins. Tsunade sat at her desk, cool and collected like Temari is, well, most of the time. She looked up as we entered and grinned.
"You must be the Kazekage's messengers... welcome back. Oh, and Lord Gaara? Naruto and Sasuke would like to see you before you leave." The woman's voice was girly and high-pitched. Shakaku got annoyed just listening. He had a low tolerance to females.
"The gift we bring is the sign of our deepest apologies after our uncalled for attack on Kohona during the Chuunin exams. I especially apologise for the death of the third Hokage at Orochimaru's hand. I express the sincerest grief for the man and hope that he rests in peace." Temari and Kankuro stood at the front as I sulked in the back.
What's the point of fighting them if all we do is apologise afterwards. It makes no sense! Gah, it's pointless! Shakaku's anger pounced on me with a viciousness I'd never seen with the demon before. It's worse than surrendering your heart! Stupid things have dangerous results!
I agree but please calm down. We are here to apologise but if I explode the mission would be a fail! Don't try to get out. You got lots of blood last night so calm the hell down. I can't afford to anger Kazekage this time. I'd never called my father dad or father before and I wasn't about to start. I need to win this time. Not after all of the failures I've had lately.
The demon cooled down and I stood in the back, my arms crossed and my eyes closed. I was tired, I hadn't slept for so long... I was slowly losing awareness as I drifted into a disturbed sense of security. I sat on the chair that a person had offered me, drifting in and out of a resting state. I suddenly blacked out, no pain, no sleep drugs. Everything went dark as I tried to open my eyes. Oh shit.
A ghostly figure walked towards me, her see-through hands drifting over the trees as the sun set over the desert's horizon. What was I even doing in the desert anyway? I was supposed to be in Kohona. It looked so much like... Mother. She put her ghostly hand on my shoulder and she smiled.
"Son... my baby boy!" I hadn't seen her for ages and she starts all of that? Shame job! "I would sacrifice myself again just to see that demon out of you. You must understand. I wasn't forced. I chose to sacrifice myself for you. I couldn't let my baby boy die by the hands of the demon so I sealed him in you, letting my blood blend with the sand in your gourd so that you could live! I did it all for you and it hurts to think that your father is trying to kill what I tried to save."
"Why would you save a person you'd know for a little more than a few months? Gaara was a newborn and you just died to save him?" I recognised the raspy voice as soon as he spoke. Why wasn't he sealed in me? I looked over at the sand demon and grinned. So, in dreams I could be separate from the prison that was being the demon's container. "You've only known him through me and all of a sudden you are appearing in his dreams? Who are you?"
I could answer that for the ghostly woman but she'd already opened her mouth. What was her response going to be? I felt myself grow even more eager as she took a deep breath.
"He's my son! I'm his mother! I can only appear to him because he was growing restless about his mother being killed for him to live. Why? Why did I save my baby boy? For the same reason I'd do the same for Temari or Kankuro. I love my children with all my heart! No one could steal them away from their lives so young. Not even a blood-covered demon!" My mother sure knew how to shut Shakaku up because the demon was speechless for the first time ever.
"L-love? But that's only an illusion! It doesn't exist! It's a trick the mind plays on us! That's what Shakaku told me!" I was too shocked to remember all of the courtesies that Shakaku and Mother had ignored. I was shaking, I could sense the love pent up in her, her belief in the emotion that I held no interest in.
"The demon isn't always right. Love exists, most just pin it on the mind but I know differently. Gaara, love is a gift, a gift that Shakaku never got the honour of being given. It comes from the heart, a word or touch that drives the body to react in the most delightful way imaginable. I hope you understand that now. Love is real. Love is all around! Temari and Kankuro are standing by the hospital bed right now, hoping that you'll wake up! That's a type of love, its family love. There is other loves too. Go, they want you back." Mother was very big on the example. Reaching up to my eyes and closing them, with a whispered sentence. "I love you, Gaara."
When I reopened my eyes, it wasn't Mother I was looking at, it was a frantic Temari. She was fussing with her blond hair, her eyes darting from side to side, showing her worry. Kankuro had a cup of hot coffee in his hands, his eyes staring straight at me as he sipped the steaming liquid.
"Hey Gaara. You okay?" My brother was lazy today. He looked at me with half-lidded eyes, his face paint peeling slightly. I grinned; it was true that he did care. "Whatcha smiling at?"
"Nothing... nothing. I'm fine. How long was I out?" I stretched like a cat, my back arching and my muscles stinging. "I'm sorry... brother." I added the last word as an afterthought, my eyes darting to his as I spoke. I'd never called him that before, so I'm sure it was a shock. Sure enough his eyes widened. He turned to the doctor and started to shake in a bit of shock.
"Hey, doc? How much painkillers did you give him? Is he overdosed?" Kankuro looked very threatening as the doctor shook her head. "Are you sure? He's a little out of it." I laughed and the feeling of fuzziness slashed through my body and I turned to my sister, who was looking at me with the widest eyes I'd ever seen.
"Hey sis. Sorry about causing you the stress. I didn't mean to." Temari sobbed and grabbed me, pulling me into a huge hug. "Hey, hey. It's okay." I rubbed soothing circles on her back, glancing at Kankuro, desperate for a bit of help. He just shrugged. "I'm here, its okay. Love you sis." It felt weird coming out of my mouth but I saw Temari stiffen with surprise.
"Wha-what did you say? I swear you just said love. Who are you and what did you do to my brother? Oh god, I thought Gaara was sick! he's probably at home." Temari and Kankuro grabbed me.
"Where's Gaara?" Kankuro pressed a kunai to my throat.