Captive Brethren
Chapter Three
By sundown Gaara and Kankuro had landed in the Land of Fire. There, they knew that they'd needed to stop and rest for the night, but Gaara had insisted to continue on for Konoha. But Kankuro countered noting that Gaara was shaking and his eyes were heavily for sleep. It'd been true, Gaara needed to rest, he hadn't for two days. I'm guessing insomnia is proving not to work for me anymore. Gaara thought fatigued. He attempted to shake it off, but proved futile instantaneously when he descend to his knees. Damn. Kankuro rushed to his side disturbed.
He's never been like this before. Kankuro thought dazed staring down at his younger brother with his gloomy eyes. The ex-demon carrier grasped at his chest where his heart was located. I-It feels empty inside…like nothing was there before now. Gaara cried out in his mind unnerved and felt in torture. The bleak, darkness that he had rid of for so many years, was now persistent inside his soul.
"Gaara…" Kankuro garbled out quietly to him with vigilance and reassurance. Gaara heard him, but didn't bother to counter.
"Alright, we'll stop for the night here, then" Gaara spat out coldly and in defeat. He was drowsy and determined to plummeted into sleep. He closed his green eyes before Kankuro had a chance to reply.
Kankuro sighed and set his puppet aside from him. He laid against the grass and tree behind him. For awhile he lie awake staring at the shining moon. His thoughts wondered to the letters Uzumaki had sent his little brother as of late. The last one he had read before handing it over to Gaara was kinda discouraged.
'Dear Gaara,
It's me again. My missions have been small so far and I've been bored out of my skull lately. According to Kakashi-sensei and Granny Tsunade becoming restless and very miserable, which isn't true thought. I feel fine right now, but…their thinking I'm losing it. I know I killed Sasuke, but can't admit when it was the Kyuubi's fifth tail that helped me do that. God… I just wish this damn demon was gone! Two Akatsuki members had attacked us earlier this week and murdered Asuma-sensei, but one was killed by Shikamaru out of revenge. They…were after me. I think Shikamaru blames me for that to happen to his beloved sensei and…I sense the resentment the village's eyes now.
I feel…terrible now. I'm not really sure what to do now. Is life worth living now? I don't know if that's a good question anyway. If you were here as I write that question, you'd probably slap me then for thinking that. But, I get this… bizarre intuition…that this will be my last letter. If it is then…Gaara…I want you to know…you're my most precious person, I'm relieved I'd got to know you. For we are like brethren, you and I. We've endured pain no one else has known; Isolation, detestation, and misery. Goodbye…
Love,
Uzumaki Naruto'
This letter had left Kankuro speculating if Naruto knew he'd be abducted by the Akatsuki members Itachi and Kisame. It been eccentric undeniably, that he somehow knew it'd be '…his last letter…' there, Kankuro realized was uncanny. The blond idiot couldn't have possibly known that…unless the demon inside of him had told him. From what Tsunade said he'd fought back hard in order to not be captured, but…was he really trying his best? But…something else in Naruto's letter left him curious; why would he not be sleeping at all? He shook those thoughts off and glanced at his brother.
Gaara was grunting in his sleep. Sweat fell down his cheeks, but they looked like tears. Kankuro was now anxious about his little brother and sleep he was getting. From what he had often heard his brother say in his sleep, most of it was about Naruto. It was frequently that he called out for him or Temari or himself, the Akatsuki was trying to slay him again or that it was one of them in jeopardy. Kankuro was up half the night because of these cries, but he understood it well enough to fall asleep at some one point. It was before dawn when the ex-demon carrier had finally awoken.
Sweat dripped down his face rapidly, his throat was perched without water. He stood up staggering a little bit, but he caught his poise tenderly and glanced around the area. If I remembered correctly Naruto had shown me once where a small creek was. A fresh water creek. He reminded himself. Without waking his elder brother, he walked towards the creek for a drink. He then found the creel and dipped his hands into it. He first splashed some water into his face to wash away the sweat and wake him up. Then he finally picked up some water and drank some gradually. He hadn't had any water since yesterday afternoon.
This creek had brought back memoirs for him. The first Naruto showed it to him was a long time ago. He could remember it clearly.
'"Ah, come one Gaara! It'll be fun!" Naruto insisted to him pulling him by the arm.
Gaara stared at him then shrugged his shoulders and gave up. He let him drag him to the creek. On the bank was green grass that was soft on Gaara's foot. The trees hid the sun's rays from the two demon carrier nins' eyes. The water actually smelt good and refreshing to the sand nin. He stared into the water, it was clear enough to see their own reflections in it. Gaara heard birds tweeting from somewhere near them. Naruto sat on the bank of the little creek and motioned for Gaara to do the same.
Gaara placed his gourd on the grass against a tree. He stared into the water and smiled at it lightly. He had to admit, it was nice to anyway from danger and just sit down and unwind one in awhile.
"How'd you fine this place?" Gaara inquired slightly nosy glancing back at his fellow demon carrier.
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck with his trademark fox grin. "Well, ya see, I when I was seven I was wondering around the area and I was pretty thirsty." Gaara snickered at thought of Naruto being lost. He didn't acknowledge that thought. He continued his rant. "…this is gonna sound weird but…a bird led me here. It's like it knew I was lost and thirty or somethin'. Anyway, it brought me here and well, yeah."
"What kind of bird?" Naruto thought for a second.
"I think it was a raven. I really don't remember." Gaara smiled slightly at that comment. "You knucklehead. That's just like you to forget."
Naruto chuckled brightly. "Heh, I'll remember soon, cause remember. I'm gonna be Hokage soon!" He threw a thumbs up and Gaara smiled brightly at this. He knew his best friend's dream the most. Besides Naruto believing that, Gaara did as well.'
That memory was entrenched in his mind forever. It was something he had always replayed in his mind over and over again during their two and half year separation. His sea foam emerald eyes stared miserably into the cool fresh water. He saw younger Naruto and him smiling and laughing while sitting next to the water bank. They were delighted and inseparable then, but now. Being Kazekage now changed the space between them, all they could do was write letters and sometimes hope for missions together. Narrowing his eyes on his own reflection vacantly, he then saw a change in it.
Instead of sea foam green eyes staring back blankly, a pair of dark eyes glowered at him in loathing. They shared the same dark crimson locks. His eyes were now full of hatred towards the new manifestation. Father…He grunted in his mind in dislike at the sight of this man.
"Father…" He mouthed bitterly. His eyes glaring at him with rage. Gaara saw the sand pouring slowly at out his gourd. He didn't acknowledge his brother's shouts or movements towards him.
Gaara, not wanting to see that horrible reflection, tossed a rock at it. It splashed into the water erasing any trace of that manifestation that was shown to him. Then he finally heard his brother's foot steps advancing to him in haste. He swung his gourd back onto his back and began to catch up with Kankuro. He and Kankuro caught up at the gate. The older brother turned to him.
"Where were you little bro?" Kankuro asked as he came up behind him. "I was about to call in a missing persons report."
"Sorry, I just wondered off to visit some place." Gaara answered frankly. His eyes peering at the gate.
"Hmm…'Mazing sight, eh, Gaara?" The Kazekage nodded in agreement. Kankuro grinned wicked at the ground, but Gaara caught his look.
"What…?" Kankuro shook his head and Gaara couldn't really consider that. They walked into the village. It was unsettlingly hushed.
When Gaara normally visited Konoha, the streets were filled with people and loud with happiness. Merchants shouting at people to buy stuff and kids laughing. Their faces lit up with contentment and no sign of doubt. But now they held faces of sorrow and uncertainty. Some of the children were crying along the avenue or even sobbing as the parents held their offspring against them. Shops were closed and a set from the sobbing everywhere else was silent. They didn't even notice the two sand siblings pass by down the street.
"Where do we wanna head?" Kankuro asked him.
"The hospital." Gaara's response was immediate with no expression. "Kakashi probably is there after fighting two Akatsuki members."
They turned a left down the avenue and walked silently past many people. They didn't seem to acknowledge him in any way and kept to themselves. But then Gaara felt a familiar charka presence nearby. Then he spotted a girl on the other side of the street. Her short, wild light pink hair gave it away effortlessly. Sakura.
"Sakura." Gaara called out gently to her.
Her head shot up at the sound of her name and turned gradually to his soft voice. Sakura's own sea foam green eyes met his immediately and she dashed over to him. The female medic nin threw her arms around his neck embracing him. Her grip on him a little tight though, but he didn't mind, he felt he needed that anyway. He was sorely reminded of when she threw herself infront of Sasuke to protect him from half-transformed Gaara. Since that day her expression burned in his mind. After awhile she released him and stared into his eyes hard.
It was silent now. The village people paid no heed to the three teenagers as they walked by them.
"Sorry. I-I just…" Sakura's voice trailed off, breaking the silence between them.
"Its okay." Gaara responded gently putting his hand on her shoulder attempting to comfort her, but it failed. "We need to find Kakashi."
"You're lucky." She said with a faint frown and smile. She knew Gaara was trying to reassure her atleast. "Temari-san brought him back in yesterday afternoon. I've already saw them though."
That's right, Gaara thought forgetting Temari was in Konoha too. He wanted to mental slap his forehead for that little mistake. She motioned them to follow her to the hospital and she told them the status of the situation. Gaara was silent and barely acknowledged her words. His mind was filled with thoughts and vivid memories of the past. Unfortunately, he caught the part of Naruto engraving his initials and calling for assistance on a kunai knives. His eyes were struck with horror but shook it off.
Sakura and Kankuro noticed this, but didn't say anything to him at all. They finally stopped inside the hospital room twelve and everyone turned to them. Temari twisted to face her brothers and Sakura running to them and hugged Gaara first. She held Gaara close to her as she hugged her little brother tightly. Then to Kankuro she revealed Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Hinata Hyuga. Kakashi stared down at him with his one dark eye.
"Gaara-kun, Kankuro-kun. You're here." Kakashi pointed out. Gaara winced at the authority figure stuff added to his name. Then walked over to the bed and sat down.
"Tell me how this happened." The sensei sighed profoundly.
"Naruto hasn't been himself lately. He'd been miserable and isolated, always spacing out a lot. He's not been sleeping on missions he'd disappear in the night and come back before dawn. Whenever we'd try to talk to him, he'd dismiss it and say he was fine. But that got everyone anxious." The sensei explained staring down at the bed sheets.
"His…last letter was strange. It was like he knew he was getting kidnapped and…it got a me uneasy." Gaara furthered on. His best friend in the whole world now being tortured out of his own life.
Gaara's heart was now empty to bleak despair and no love. Evil filled his eyes causing them to change to a forlorn and livid expression. Temari and Kankuro's bodies flinched and grew abruptly terrified. He saw this and the look vanished from his face. Gaara couldn't stand to lose another precious person like Naruto. He staggered to the door without glancing at anyone and stopped at the doorway gazing at everyone in the room.
"I'm going alone." He declared mutely.
"No…" A voice countered coldly. Gaara turned to Sakura's voice. Her sea foam green eyes stare into his own darkly. That look…the same look she gave me before.
Her body leaping infront of him thrusting her kunai knife to him. Her expression was hard and fierce, meaning she was ready to protect her comrades. Gaara sighed and brushed the sweat off his forehead, which reflected the sign of apprehension. Temari stepped towards him, but he walked out fast a little alarmed by any actions he could cause. After taking five steps, he collapsed against the wall and hid his face in his knees. His own misery was causing his actions.
"Gaara. What's wrong with you?" Temari mused anxious. He didn't look up and felt her hand on his shoulder.
"Naruto…" He whispered thinking Temari's touch was the demon fox's touch. Her eyes gazed at him gently.
Gaara began to sob in his knees and Temari hugged him again trying to comfort him. Temari knew her little brother's heart was growing darker and breaking without the blond demon Konoha nin. If he were to find out that the Akatsuki had slaughtered Naruto, he'd lose it immediately, turning back into a homicidal insane again. The two siblings sat there. Temari rocked Gaara in her arms and sang in his ear gently.
"Darkness fades into light…the lovely crimson roses bloom in the darkness…gazing up at the blue sky. The earth and sky fell in love…Dark and Light…Green and Blue…Red and Yellow." She sand to him melodiously to soothe him.
He clung to her arm and buried his face in her sleeve to continue to sob. Shikamaru peeked out from the door and smiled lightly, it was a are smile. S So, that hardass lady is soft sometimes. I find that attractive. He thought brightly. Gaara was only sixteen as was Naruto, but young and smart kids. Temari helped her little brother up and guided him into the room. He took a subterranean breath and exhaled forcefully.
Everyone gazed at the dazed ex-demon carrier and he sighed. "We'll have two teams: Sakura, Hinata, and Kankuro. Then me, Temari, and Shikamaru as a team. From what happened last time, two Akatsuki members attack Team Kakashi and Gai."
They all nodded. "We'll leave today. In thirty minutes."
The three Konoha ninja walked out the door in a rush. But Shikamaru stopped to catch Temari's eye and he smiled sweetly back at her. Once he left, her face lit up with crimson as dark as Gaara's dark red hair. Kankuro smirked lightly, only seen by the youngest sand sibling, who grinned lightly too. They turned to Kakashi then.
"Do you know if they mentioned where they'd hold Naruto?" Kankuro asked.
Kakashi shook his head sharply. "No. It they rebuilt the place then you'd find it easily in river country."
Gaara nodded and sniffed. Kakashi's eyes met Gaara's isolated green eyes. "Don't blame yourself Gaara-kun. It isn't your fault that Naruto was kidnapped. You're love for him is great."
"Th-Thank you." Gaara stuttered traumatized. He staggered towards the door wit his siblings.
They left the hospital room and headed out for the front gate to leave Konoha. Gaara didn't acknowledge anyone, he was trapped in his own mind with memories and thoughts. They walked past the school building and Gaara saw a swing. It was lonely and empty.
'Gaara spotted the swing, Naruto then saw it too. It moved slowly against the wind and it was lonely. A leave crushed to the ground. It was autumn and the wind was steady. The sun was nearly covered by dark clouds. His expression changed. He stared at it sadly. Gaara then placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Gaara asked concern in his voice.
He was quiet now. Naruto's desolation was frightening to the sand demon nin. He couldn't stand his best friend being sad. The Konoha demon nin sighed and tired to return his fox like smile, but failed instantly.
"Here, I often sat watching the other kids play and get picked up by their parents. I-I remember sitting…being jealous…of them having someone to care for them." Naruto described, but his eyes looked down forlornly.
"Naruto…" Gaara whispered soothingly. Naruto gazed at him. Gaara grabbed his hand. "That's all in the past now." Gaara smiled and Naruto was surprised by this. "You've got me now though. As long as I'm around, you're never gonna be happy, not lonely or sad, happy."
Naruto smiled at him and hugged him tightly. His gourd was of course back at Naruto's house. Gaara felt his cheeks redden and he returned it though without hesitation. It was their first real physical contact they'd ever had and it was like feeling the love they never received as children. It made Gaara feel the place in his chest fill with feeling. They then heard school children calling from inside the school and they instantaneously let go.'
He smiled pleasantly at that memory. Then the words Naruto had told him so along time ago. '"The pain of being alone…isn't an easy one to bear…your feelings…why is it…that I can understand your pain."'
He closed his eyes tightly. His despair seeped into his muscles giving him back the hate he threw so long ago. The small dim hole in his heart grew rapidly, but thoughts of Naruto held it back. He pictured his best friend, those sparkling cerulean eyes smiling at him and the fox like grin stained his mind. They all stopped and stood by the gate all silent. Gaara leaps up to the top of a tree and sat there gazing far out away from the village.
The sun was starting to set over the hills. Bright pink and yellow rays hit the clouds from over the horizon. He didn't dare stare at the sun and then heard someone's voice call to him from below. He saw the Konoha nin below and soared swiftly to the ground approaching them with his arms folded. Strangely enough Hinata Hyuga wasn't acting anxious as always, but she was serious and had self-assurance in her eyes.
"Gaara-kun, lets head out then." Hinata said. He nodded and their groups spilt into their teams.
Hinata, Sakura, and Kankuro went east while Gaara's group went searching west.
