When Emerald Eyes Met Icy Ones

Chapter two: Do You Really Think You Know Everything About Me?

O.O OMG, I have never had so many reviews in my life!! Thank you for enjoying my insanity! And what's with the favorite alerts? I'm not that good. (blush) Anyway, I appreciate your interest in this fic, it makes me more willing to write. However, there are some important events in my life right now, so I don't know when I will be able to update. I am sorry…T.T (I see Kacey coming towards me with an amazing speed .) Well, this is all, people. Gotta run for my life!

There's nothing but dark and silence surrounding you. All you can hear is the almost non-existing beat of your heart and your heavy breath. The dizziness which weighs your head, the numbness of your body, the incapacity of moving any part but your pale lips in an uncontrollable trembling, all these sensations make you feel like drowning in a pitch-dark sea, sinking in its frightening depths. You try to look for a light, for a ray of hope, but such things do not exist in this kingdom of darkness. As a matter of fact, you don't even know if you open your eyes or you have them closed. Black engulfs you and you let yourself drowned in the marine abyss, borne by the dark waves.

You hear whispers in the shadows and slowly the obscurity in which you were thrown earlier changes its color, turning grey, white, then light blue as you lazily open your eyes and look at the room in which you lay. You have the first impression that it is your living room, but you realize that this one is more luxurious than yours. Much more luxurious.

The impeccable white fluffy pillows and cushions, the immaculate mattress, the king-sized bed invited you to a heavenly sleep and you were more than willing to welcome it. There wasn't much light in the room since the purple curtains were covering the French window. Lots of pictures were decorating the wall in front of you and you could tell by the outfit the people wore that they were ninjas. There was a leather black couch near 'The Wall Of Memories' as you could scarcely read above the photos and in the middle of the room was a round glass table with a rather big tray on it. You didn't know what it was, but the alluring smell of the hot coffee and the fresh-baked croissants sure gave you the answer. 'FOOD!' You mentally scream of happiness, drooling like a person who has been on a hunger strike for weeks.

'Good morning, sunshine!' A happy voice calls you and you groan as a streak of light hits you in the face. The girl who opened the curtains takes a seat near you on the edge of the bed. Your hazy vision turns clear as your eyes widen once you recognize her. A fine black kimono tied with a purple thin piece of silk and what appeared to be purple leaves at the bottom of the left side, black mittens, coal eyes, four medium tails of spiky hair and an encouraging countenance…

'It can't be...' You say in your mind although you have to admit that it is highly possible for you to have been brought to a place where you surely didn't want to come. Many thoughts fill your mind and for a moment you feel so dizzy that you think you are about to faint once again. If you weren't at home, and neither at the hospital, then you were in the spiky-haired kunoichi's chamber. And if it was so, then you were now…in none other than the Lord Kazekage's mansion. You close your eyes and begin to prey whispering: 'Please, may this not be his house, not his house, not his house!'

The ninja looks at you with confusion and puts her right hand on your forehead, then says in a curious voice: 'Strange, you don't seem to have fever. Do you feel alright? Does anything hurt?'

You open your eyes and look at her worried face, realizing that this isn't the time or the place for your childish acts, so you decide to get up as quickly possible, apologize for disturbing them and run far away from here and as fast as your legs allow it. Although you are aware of the fact that you don't feel capable of staying on your legs right now.

Suddenly, the door opens widely, blatantly hitting the wall that you instinctively rise on your butt and stare at the Jounin who comes near you and places a tray with green tea on the night table aside you. Black outfit, but with the hood down so you can see his unruly brown hair,a painted and upset face…To your despair, you become more and more certain that this truly is the Lord's mansion. And as the fear of looking like a ninny takes control over you, Temari gets really pissed off and starts yelling at her elder brother:

'Kankuro, you dimpwit! This is what you understand by 'silent'?'

'I'd like to see you, Mrs. I-Know-All, doing everything with only one hand.' Kankuro replies as angry as her, if not more.

'You still didn't have to hit the door so hard as to wake up the entire neighbourhood!'Temari yells and approaches him, menacingly pointing her fist towards the boy.

'I didn't! I merely pushed it, OK?'

'Well, of course you just pushed it! But have you seen your mammoth size? You're like the damn Suna observing tower! That's it! Starting today, you are officially on a diet.'

In normal circumstances, this scene would have made you laugh till death, but you become even sadder when you realize that they are arguing because of you. You surreptitiously take a look at Kankuro's right hand. The few leather material of which consisted his mitten now showed remnants of flesh and a lot of blood. As a reward for taking care of you, you decide to heal him, seeing that every moment which passes by brings him more pain. 'He's lucky for being so powerful and physically resistant. Others in his condition would have cut their hand just to get rid of the immense amount of pain. No doubt a Fire Jutsu hit him full force. I'm surprised that he still has some flesh covering the broken bone.'

'Maybe it's time to use that damn wind of yours to aerate your brain, have you ever considered this?' Kankuro continues their screaming fight, their eyes looking daggers at each other.

'Maybe it's time for you to use your damn puppets to cut you to slices. It'll be a memorable sacrifice for the well-being of humanity!' Temari gets closer to her brother, their eyes merely inches away, sending death glares.

'Yamette.'

Your mouth opens a little in shock and excitement as you hear his solemn voice once again. You pledge yourself to look in the direction of the sound's source and you find yourself starring at the amazing Kazekage, whose cold look ceaselessly travels upon your body as if checking for any signs of pain or bruise. You slightly tremble, his intense gaze sending icy thrills on your skin and making your blood boil inside your veins. Two opposite sensations…and only one person who can make you feel this way.

'Hey, Gaara,aa…aa…it was Kankuro's fault.' Temari quickly looks for an explanation and points at the painted-face ninja.

'WHAT?' Kankuro screams in annoyance, so loud and powerful that the windows threaten to break and that you bring your hands to your ears in order to minimize the impact.

Temari opens her mouth to respond to his yell with another scream, but the brothers are instantly calmed down by Gaara's ominous look. Temari and Kankuro's faces seem etched in stone, neither of them dares to make the tinniest gesture. The flame-haired ninja not once moved from the doorstep and he already had the situation under control. 'Such power…Kami-sama, how can his enemies stand against him? I feel my whole body turning to jelly only at the sight of that look.' You say in your mind.

'Who?' He asks not once putting an end to his intense cold gaze with his siblings. Temari and Kankuro look at each other as if trying to devise a plan for both of them to escape unharmed and, luckily for them, you interfere.

'I was already awoke. They…didn't disturb me.' You inhale sharply and look at the two brothers. 'As a matter of fact, I would like to thank all of you for taking care of me and I am sorry for interfering in your plans.' Then you turn your look to the younger member of the royal family. And as you do so, you start regretting it. Gaara's sea gaze is directed to you and you feel like drowning in his blue orbs. The silence persists for a while, no one moving or opening their mouth. But this still doesn't interrupt the look connections between Temari and Kankuro, Gaara and you.

'There's no need to apologize. It was my pleasure…' Temari adds happy.

'…and my duty.' Gaara's rough voice reaches your ears and your heart starts beating faster and faster. How can he have such an unbreakable control over you?

'Nevertheless, I was a burden and I disturbed you. Sumimasen.' You remain in bed, but you bend your head down as an apology.

'You didn't disturb anything, don't worry. Me and Temari just arrived an hour ago from a mission and Gaara-' Kankuro looks at his brother who immediately sends him another glare, but not as cold as before. '-let's just say that he took an earlier lunch break so he could come and see how you're doing.'

You can't believe what you just heard and you jump out of bed, not showing the pain you feel in your legs. Gaara, however, instantly notices your slight trembling. 'Demo, Kazekage-sama, this wasn't a wise thing to do. There are more important things to do then stay and watch over me.'

'Maybe.' He closes his eyes and leans on the door frame with folded arms. Kankuro smiles with Temari.

'You don't know him. He hates leaving unfinished business. And you were a serious one.' Everyone looks at you with worry on their faces. Even Gaara opens his eyes to stare at you once again. You laugh nervously and wave them off:

'Oh, there's nothing to worry about. I just fainted, that's all.'

'JUST?'Temari yells, but immediately calms herself down when she feels Gaara's icy gaze on her back. 'Nobody just faints. And if it happens, it is serious. The medic ninja who came and checked you out said that the cause was undoubtedly the lack of sleep.'

Now everything makes sense. Of course you weren't at the hospital because the building was on renovation since Gaara's last fight and all the medic nins were sent home, even you, remaining to come at the pacient's house in case of an accident. So that meant… You look at the room, checking to see if you were right and you find it. The sand gourd is laying on the floor, in a corner of the room. So, it was true. You weren't drowning in a dark sea earlier, you were unconsciously carried by the sand. Gaara had taken you from the desert and brought you to his house.

'You're not getting enough sleep, are you? Why?' Temari continues, her worried expression making you bend your head in shame. Who were you to ruin their relaxation day after what seemed to be a hard mission?

'It must have been because of the stress and exhaustion. More missions, less leisure time, insomnia…I believe they all had a certain impact upon me.' You state. 'Not to mention the overwhelming presence of Kazekage-sama.'

Gaara opens his eyes and looks at you, but you don't want to make the same mistake, so you direct your gaze towards his siblings. Indeed, he knew better than anyone what insomnia and exhaustion could bring. Fortunately, since the removal of Shukaku from his body, he has managed to sleep and live a normal life like everyone else. However, this change hasn't put an end to his midnight walks through the desert since he was an admirer of the peaceful nights in Suna, letting his steps take the moon and the stars as a guide.

'You should take better care of you. Medic nins are known to be very important in missions since they can repair the physsical damages caused by the enemy's attack.' Kankuro replies.

You gape at his statement and look for an explanation although you find none. There is nothing to justify why he knows your job, nothing at all. And still, he is aware of your status in Suna. How? Temari's voice brings you back from your trail of thoughts. 'We know all about you, Yume Totsubashi.'

That's it! They know you, this is a fact. But how? You haven't been on dangerous missions so your name would be called with pride in front of the villagers. You haven't rescued anyone so you would be congratulated for it. You haven't done anything memorable for the village. Obediently following your superiors' orders, not once doing something which would bring you in the highlights, you were an enigma for the others. Beside your group of friends and your superiors, no one else knew you. And it's not because you were wearing a mask like every other ANBU member, you just liked being an anonymous and watching things from the shadows, without anyone really noticing you. You were like a phantom, a traveller in the dark, a child of the night. And you didn't want to emerge from obscurity.

'Gomen nasai, Temari-san, Kankuro-san, demo how-'

'Do we know who you are?' Kankuro cuts you off with a smirk. 'The medic nin who came here happened to know you and he spoke very high of you.'

You rise your left eyebrow. 'Yeah right…Like someone would ever say good things about me.'

'It appears that you are good at healing people such as this crybaby.' Temari says, laughing at her brother who snarls at her, then closes his eyes with indifference and unconsciously puts all his weight in the burnt hand as he leans against the night table. His eyes widen with pain and a scream of suffering escapes his lips. Temari and Gaara look at him, the girl immediately soothing him while the redhead remains on the door frame, refusing to move or to speak.

Never being the type of person who likes to be flaterred, you respond:

'I believe I am good enough to heal your arm, Kankuro-san.' You throw him a confident smile and his face instantly lightens up, obviously at the thought of getting rid of the pain.

'Later.'

Your happiness vanishes together with the elder brothers' when Gaara's commanding voice interrupts Kankuro from his mental victory dance.

'No, I insist. I can do it, I am perfectly fi-' You hastily try to convince the Lord of your potential, but in vain because he doesn't even let you finish your sentence.

'Later.'

You don't want to show him disrespect, but neither can you leave without properly thanking them. So you rise up and look him straight in the eyes, amazed that you can finally do it without fainting or blushing.

'Sorry to say this, but sooner is always better than later. Kankuro-san must have spent hours in agony, why don't we seize the opportunity of me being here and allow me to-'

'Iie.' But this doesn't stop you, it makes you more decided to help. You make a few painful steps in Kankuro's direction and…stop. Not that you want to, you just discover that you can't. You look down and see your barefoot legs trapped in sand. Sand? Your eyes immediately turn to the flame-haired ninja who stares back with determination and an unshakable will. Somehow you know you cannot do as you please and give up. The sand slowly releases you from its prison and you yelp surprised to feel more sand lifting you in the air and carrying you to bed. Then it returns to the gourd now present on the Lord's back.

'You are free the next three days.' He says and leaves the room. You remain flummoxed. Did he just offered you three days of relaxation? At how good you knew Wakamaru, you doubted that even the Kazekage himself would manage to order him something like this. Your superior fought many years ago for the title of Kazekage which Gaara obtained. So it was well-known that he was arrogant and Gaara's worst enemy, refusing to obey him.

'Don't worry, Gaara talked to that old bastard and yes, you now have some spare time.' Kankuro says. 'If it concerns you, your boss was more than happy to help you.' He continues as a flashback of what happened two hours ago comes in his mind.

'I refuse to give her leisure time just because she's too weak and she faints.' Wakamaru said with a look full of hatred directed to the Lord. Gaara's eyes were saying just one thing: thirst for blood. Kankuro was having problems controlling the urge of killing the old man, as well. But he managed to stay behind his brother knowing that if there was someone who would kill Wakamaru for his cruelty and inobedience, that someone would be Gaara.

'She will be free and there is nothing you can do about it.' Gaara says, remaining in the same calm position(with folded arms), many ways of killing him being reflected in his cold gaze.

'I don't follow orders from you.' Wakamaru replies angry, disdainfully looking at the Kazekage from head to toes.

'I doubt that.' Gaara says and in the blink of an eye, sand jumps out of the gourd just like the lava erupts from a volcano, pinning the enemy to the wall and covering every inch of his body but his face. Gaara wanted to see his eyes begging him for mercy. Wakamaru's gaze turns from hatred to terror as he sees the Lord rising his right hand , ready to say 'Sabaku Kyuu' from moment to moment. The sand compressed his body and the crunching sound of broken bones reached their ears. The old man screamed in agony much to Gaara's delight although he never smirked with pride or smiled at his opponent's weakness. He wasn't the type of person who would make fun of someone no matter how ridiculous the person was.

'She…has…my…per-…mision.' Wakamaru managed to say through his screams and heavy breath. But when he thinks that his pain has ended, Gaara's fist slowly closes and blood appears through the fine sand as Wakamaru's entire left side is broken.

'Aren't you forgetting something?' Gaara asks looking at his so-called soldier straight in the eyes.

'Gomen…nasai…Kaze…kage…sama.' The man whispers before fainting of pain. The sand returns to the gourd while Gaara and Kankuro leave the office and the almost dead person laying on the floor.

'I wonder if he has now accepted the fact that you are stronger than him and that this is his end.' Kankuro states seriously.

'This isn't the end.' Gaara's calm voice responds him. 'This is just the beginning.' He says with a dangerous look and clenched fists.

'Yeah, Wakamaru sure is a good boss. You're lucky to have him.' Kankuro adds while you are looking at him dumbfounded. 'He must be joking…'

'Yume…' Your gaze moves from Kankuro to Temari. 'Can I ask you something?' She adds so seriously that you feel panic settling inside you. 'Do you fear Gaara?'

Your eyes narrow in confusion and you instantly respond: 'Of course not. Why would you think such a thing?'

But your response doesn't erase the mistrustful look on their faces. 'Are you sure?'

'Yes. Why would I lie to you? And why do you ask me this?'

'Well, it's just that when I came back with Kankuro from our mission, you were in my bed while Gaara was leaning against the wall attentively looking at you. And beside worry, we saw something else in his eyes. We noticed the hurtful expression from when he was a child and everyone refused to talk to him because he was in their eyes a monster. The same lost and painful gaze we saw today. And we know for sure that Gaara believes that you have fainted because you were afraid of him.'

Your eyes widen at their confession and you are soon lost in thoughts. How could he believe that you would hate the one who saved you? The one who fights every day for you and for the other residents of Suna? The one you…love.

'Domo arigato gozaimasu for everything you did for me.' You say as you get off the bed and head towards the door.

'Wait, are you leaving?' They both say in one voice, but you don't respond them. You open the door and before you close it you turn your head a little to the siblings and say: 'If it isn't too much to ask, please tell Kazekage-sama that I'd give my life for him.' Afterwards, you leave the room and soon the mansion.

Many thoughts fill your mind as you head to your apartment. Both sadness and happiness invade your soul and you smile, thinking that you are no longer a no one since Gaara knows who you are. And if he does, you don't even care about the others. You sigh realizing that there still is something you have lost. 'Eh, so much for mystery girl…'

'We know all about you, Yume Totsubashi.'

You stop from your walk, rise a little your right hand and stare at it with a lost look.

'I doubt you know everything about me. At least, there is a thing you surely don't know. Nobody does.' You say as you continue walking on the abandoned street, a strange violet sparkle in your eyes.