A/N: Tadaa! This is the much awaited (I hope) continuation to the brief prologue of The Desert Rose. Oh before I forgot there was a bit of confusion on my part when I hastily wrote that the leader of the hidden sand village was also called hokage. Hountoni Gomenasai minna-san. I'll try to be better at it because to tell you the truth I'm still a new fan of The Naruto series he he. Yup, Just watched last year and I don't have any manga of it so I'm kind of feeling in the dark. So please forgive me. I'll try to be better. I promise. Please R n R. ; )
Chapter 1: Knowing You
Gaara and Sakura left the hidden sand village at the brink of dawn. The Forest of Fate is at the distant south so they have a two day journey ahead. In reality the last person Sakura thought of that would be her partner was Gaara, she had no idea how to let's say socialize with him and the fact still remains that aside from the time the mission was to be completed, they had a two-day journey. What I am I going to do? I can't stand not talking when I'm with someone especially for two-days. Huh, I wish my partner didn't have to be him. But he looks different from the way he looked before, didn't he?
The pink-haired kunoichi stared at Gaara as they travel from tree to tree with the average speed. Yeah, he looks different. He seems to be more umm…relaxed compared from before maybe it was his lack of sleep that made him cranky. Now, he gets all the sleep he needs because their Kazekage had found a way to somehow tame the monster inside of him. In fact, the fifth did tell me that he too is training to control his inner demon. Compared to before he's kinda cute. Sakura unconsciously stared at him long and hard. Gaara felt her stare ever since they left the village. He tried to ignore it but his patience is wearing off. It had been a five hour travel and all those time Sakura kept staring at him.
What's with this girl? Why is she staring at me like that? I would have been more at ease if the stare she gave me was the everyone in the village had but hers was different I can't read through it? What is she thinking? Oh hell, it's ticking me off. With that thought, the red-haired shinobi stopped dead in his tracks. Meanwhile Sakura kept her gaze at Gaara and was still absentmindedly jumping from tree to tree even though he had stopped. It was only when he called for her when she mentally hit herself so that she could wake to reality from her deep trail of thoughts.
"Oi, Haruno," Gaara called shortly. Immediately, Sakura stopped her staring at him and realized he had stopped. "Haruno?" shed said as she returned to the place where he stopped. "Yeah, that name is yours right?" He said coldly. "Well yeah, but no one calls me by me that name everybody call me "Sakura" so you can call me that." She answered. "Well, I'm not everybody I'm hardly anybody so I'll call you by the way I want." Gaara proclaimed. "Fine, have it your way," Sakura replied. Urgh, a five hour journey and were at it already. I wonder what will happen in the next couple of days. Imagining the next couple of days arguing to no end with him. Wah! I can't do this. It's like Naruto being my partner but worse. NOOO! Sakura mentally slapped herself. Easy there remember you must complete this mission no matter what. Her inner self talked. That's right, need to continue with this mission. "Oi," Gaara said. Facing Gaara with new reformed confidence. "What is it Gaara?" Whoah her expression changed. What's with this girl? She's creeping me out. "You froze looking like an idiot," he continued. "What did I?" Sakura replied holding her temper. "Well, if you're done staring at me and daydreaming, follow me." Gaara ordered as he continued with their journey. What the? Who died and made you boss? Urgh! Sakura had no choice but to follow him.
Darkness slowly drifted in the forest, so the pair stopped to spend the night. "Okay, we'll have dinner then we can decide who will stand guard we'll do it by…" Sakura was cut-off by Gaara. "I'll stand guard." He decided. "What? Are you sure you don't mind?" Sakura inquired. Silence was the only thing that answered her. Well, silence means "Yes" I suppose. I really had to be thankful, my body's been protesting. I haven't had a decent rest since I left Konoha. "Okay, since you're standing guard I'm in charge of dinner." Sakura said cheerfully. It wasn't anything fancy, she just tried to make the canned food and packed lunch look decent but something felt different as Gaara ate his meal.
Okay, what's wrong with this food? I've been having it ever since I had my first mission but what did she do to make it more… appetizing? Sakura eyed him as he had his first bite and watched the reaction he had upon tasting it. "Did you like?" Sakura questioned. Answered again by silence "I put my home-made seasoning to it. It helps us rejuvenate our strength faster." She continued. No words were exchanged after that. After dinner, Sakura took out her sleeping bag but before doing so. "Are you sure, its okay for you to stand guard?" "You haven't had your rest ever since you left your village, am I right?" Sakura was surprised with his reply. That was the last thing she expected to hear. He…cares? She was in a complete state of shock. Gaara thought she was already sleeping but when he turned to check, she was still awake staring at him, a serene smile across her face and with an expression he never once encountered. "Thank you." Those were Sakura's as she turned her back and entered her sleeping bag.
Now, it was Gaara's turn stare. Her words kept echoing into his mind. She was thankful for a little thing like that? But what is with that stare again? I don't get her. She's probably the only person that I can't read? But… no one has ever thanked me with that kind of stare before. Even if I saved their lives they would thank me but I know they did that because they were obliged to do so. Their stares were still the same. Cursing me for the demon that was inside of me. With that thought, a blond, whiskered shinobi entered his thoughts. "By the way, how is Naruto?" Gaara inquired knowing that she was still awake. "He's…fine. I guess." She answered sleepily. "And Sasuke?" Gaara continued. "He's…" she fell asleep before she could finish her answer.