Walking Together
Theme 2: Meeting an Ex

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It was almost midnight when the Kazekage finally decided to return home.

It was most upsetting, he reflected as he walked briskly towards the sprawling apartment building. A few days ago, Gaara received a message from his sister saying that she and Kankurou were having lunch with his wife. In that same message, Temari asked if he wished to join them.

He didn't leave his office until two in the morning.

Truly, it wasn't that he wished to be spiteful toward his wife. He just didn't know how to handle her.

Granted, Haruno Sakura was the best choice – he inwardly agreed to Ebizo's suggestion as soon as he heard it, because the other woman Konoha offered was...well, let's say that he knew that that particular kunoichi would die if she was forced to leave her precious and always admired blond nin – and because Gaara knew how strong the pink-haired medic-nin was.

After all, she had saved his brother, and that was worth a lot of points in his book.

However, her fiery spirit was something that baffled him. Someone that wore her emotions on a sleeve for all to see wasn't really a common thing in Sunagakure, especially under the ruling of the Fourth Kazekage. His father had been the epitome of stern leadership in his time, and once he believed in the principles he'd been taught, but after he met Naruto and his friends, those principles crumbled like a sand castle beaten by a strong desert breeze.

Remembering those genin years, he realized that his emotionless eyes had fixed for a moment on that pink head for more than one reason. Her eyes were clear jade, just like his. Her skin was unblemished with the care of a loving, happy childhood.

But the Sakura he encountered when he woke up from that death dream – thanks to Chiyo's sacrifice – was exponentially different that the little crying girl he had met before. For instance, her eyes had changed to the most arresting shade of emeralds, as if attesting the changes she had enduring during those years. Her skin had scars, marks that told the observer that she had fought with everything she had to make her way to the accomplishment of her goals.

Her smile, however... that was something that remained unchanged.

Back then, Gaara had noticed her smiling as she exited the flower shop with that blonde friend of hers, before the odds pitched them against each other. His eyes had detailed how her eyes had squinted a little as she directed an exasperated glance at her friend, but soon that smile changed to a full blossomed one as she turned her head and saw someone walking down the streets.

It had been the Uchiha, the one that triggered his demon to come out to play during their fight.

Deep inside, Gaara found out that he was less than amused at that the sight of that smile. He felt cheated, back then, to see such happy devotion in those sunny features.

Especially when he learned that said Uchiha had defected the village, leaving her unconscious on a stone bench.

He concluded it was a good thing he wasn't the one chasing the dark-haired fugitive directly, or he might have crippled him, to say the least, in retribution. To betray such trust, and so blatantly, was unforgivable.

The Sakura he knew back then was weak and emotional; nonetheless, the Sakura he met after his rescue was... still weak and emotional, but with an aura of confidence her younger self did not had.

And what was most baffling to him was, that among her weaknesses, she had found her strength.

It was impressive, to say the least, when he watched Sakura reduce that boulder to dust to make room for the assembly that carried Chiyo's body back to the village. She looked terrible, clothes torn and dirty, gashes and scratches everywhere, but even so...

She had been a sight to behold.

This is what confused Gaara greatly, much to his irritation.

The Wind's Shadow sighed softly as he entered the abode he shared with his family. Kankurou wasn't home, probably out drinking. A look in the living room told him that Temari was also absent – the place where she put her fan was vacant – so he figured his siblings were getting drunk together.

A muffled noise stopped him in his way towards his room. It was something he had never heard... and it was something that came from inside Sakura's room.

Forehead wrinkling in impatience, he stepped towards his room when another sound broke the silence of the apartment.

It was a whimper.

For the life of him, he didn't know what possessed him to reach for the doorknob and open her door, but he did. The wooden panel opened soundlessly, revealing the alcove to his dark-accustomed eyes.

She had done a satisfactory job in arranging her personal effects in the room, he mused absently as he ran his eyes through the stuff lying on the vanity and the desk. Everything was organized, and some photos were taped on the mirror. One was a picture with her and her blonde kunoichi friend in Konoha; another one was of her with Naruto and a dark-haired pale guy that had a horrible smile; another one with her new team, this time including the Copy Ninja and another jounin he didn't know.

There were two more pictures, but these ones were framed. One of them was of her in her younger years, with the Uchiha and Uzumaki glaring at each other and the Copy Ninja with his hands on each boy's head as she illuminated the entire photo with her happy smile. The other one was of her and him, taken after the wedding ceremony.

It was the only picture she had that her smile seemed to be forced. He looked as cold and arrogant as ever, but she looked uncomfortable, standing next to him in that beautiful pearly kimono.

Something within him twinged, recalling how meek she had behaved during the ceremony. Skittish, almost. It was as if she didn't know how to address him.

Gaara was suddenly pulled out of his reverie when he heard another sound. He turned toward the bed, where Sakura lay. She was covered demurely with the blanket, but he didn't notice.

Her face was gleaming with perspiration, and the rapid movements behind her closed eyes made him realize that she was having a nightmare. He had seen this phenomenon a few times, when Temari and Kankurou were younger. They hadn't explained this to him, but he learned to identify the signs.

"Stop..." he heard her whispering in despair, "stop it, Sasuke... you're hurting him!"

Her frantic calling elicited the weirdest reaction in him. His blood started to boil in utter anger.

"Sasuke, no... don't hurt him! Naruto!"

Gaara froze on the spot, his anger stilling.

Sakura shook her head, but the nightmare refused to release her. She started to cry in her sleep, silent tears shining under the moonlight as she tried to reach out to her former teammates.

"No! Don't kill my brother!"

Gaara's anger deflated entirely. It seemed that her fear for Naruto's safety ran deep within her subconscious, otherwise she wouldn't be dreaming about...

"Damn it, stupid bastard! I'll kill you if you touch him!"

The red-haired Kazekage relaxed, realizing that the Uchiha's hold on her feelings had been severed. He realized that Sakura had matured as much on the inside as she did on the outside.

Truly, she had been a good choice.

He froze next to the vanity when she moved her head suddenly without waking, eyebrows pinched in anger at the happenings of her bad dream.

Something snapped inside the former Shukaku vessel then. He made is way towards her slowly, his sharp eyes noting that her tears had stopped and her features were settled in irritation.

His hand rose slowly, as if it had life on its own, reaching out to touch her face as she started to breathe shortly, signaling another psychological fight against her nightmare.

As soon as his fingertips touched her cheek, he noticed that her skin was soft under his rough fingers, damp with her tears and the cold sweat. He also noticed that his touch had a soothing effect on her. Sakura breathed deeply at the contact, eyes still closed to him and to the world, finally released from the dreadful dream and falling into a deep, restful slumber.

To say that Gaara was surprised and fascinated with this unconscious reaction was an understatement. No one, no one had relaxed under his touch, ever.

What a strange, and... intriguing phenomenon.

He did not stay. As he closed the door softly behind him, he felt that his confusion towards his Kazehime had been quelled for the time being... but new questions were being asked inside his analytical mind.

Perhaps it was time to observe her more closely, he concluded as he entered his room.

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- Tenna' ento lye omenta -

-XxX-

AN: Gaara, you're an adorable dork. -hides from his annoyed sand-

No, seriously, this is really fun to write, haha. My apologies in advance if you feel Gaara was OOC, but I have my reasons to make him act like this. Let's say that this collection is set years after his rescue mission -no Akatsuki nuke in Konoha though- and this time had allowed Gaara to grow up and mature, giving him the insight he needs to observe and analyze emotions when he sees them. He's not as social-retarded as Sai, however, but being Kazekage for several years allowed him to get used to people, somehow.

As always, much love to my overworked beta, Rapturesrevenge! XD Thanks for reading!