XxX
Sasuke lowered Sakura into a seat at the dinning room slowly. He stared at her a little after that, thinking about vengeance.
'No! Do not go there…you've learned before.'
"Tch," Sasuke sneered, thinking about his brother. He suddenly stopped and looked up, hearing Temari's faint footsteps down the dark hall. When she opened the door to the dinning room, the room was empty besides Sakura leaning against the table for support. The wind mistress didn't hear Sakura whisper a 'thank-you'.
"Hey, you okay? I heard…" The blonde shifted uneasily "…a struggle in Gaara's room." She finished.
"I'm fine," Sakura replied her voice weak and scratched. "I'll have to be fine for another few days…tolerating him…" She gave a stressed sigh in closing.
Temari stayed silent until she remembered what she came here for.
"Listen," she started excitedly. "I've got a movie we can see until bed-time tonight." She glanced at the clock. "Exactly two hours long, we can hit the sack at 10ish!"
"Isn't that a bit late?" Sakura inquired, looking up.
"Nah," Temari waved it off. "Unless you don't have the motivation to get up on time," she grinned.
"It's not motivation I'm worried about, it's how tired I'll be…"
Nonetheless, Sakura let Temari drag her off, listening to a small strength lecture on the way.
XxX
"Her reluctance is beyond aching for. I just…lust her warm blood splattered across my body." A demon growled, voice rumbling deeply in its throat.
'You will die.'
"If I die, you go WITH me! Got that?!" Shukaku threatened balefully.
Gaara stayed silent.
"I hope you understand your situation, boy." He threatened again. "Let me tell you my plan. Tomorrow, she'll come in at 12 noon, as she always does. I'll be waiting…to take her."
'…that's it? I expected a full-throttle plan from a demon that's been lurking this earth for hundreds of years to go farther that that.' Gaara stated in monotone.
"DID YOU HEAR ME?! What do you want, for your body to be even MORE BROKEN?" Shukaku roared, sounding more and more animalistic with every word.
'Cheh,' Gaara thought angrily to himself. He had sensed Shukaku become increasingly unstable during his exposure. It was only a matter of time before his control of Shukaku will become ineffective, leaving the demon out of control and free.
'Sakura, please hurry.'
XxX
"Naruto."
Sasuke stood outside Naruto's room, the tip of his fingers lingering softly on the door. The halls to either of his sides were dark and empty, silent- save for the low rumble of the air-conditioning shafts. The young man felt alone in this village, and he didn't want to train. Well, he did want to train-in general- but not in these conditions. The sand kept getting in his eyes and shoes. Not a preferable fight area if you were not a desert native. Suna did have a large, public dojo, but Sasuke didn't like training indoors. There was no air circulation to cool his body, and he couldn't test his senses in a room full of other training shinobi. He needed to be outside, examine his surroundings. Detect small aspects better. That was another thing about the barren region. It was all dunes, you could see for miles. But in the leaf village, there were endless trees, where you had to be constantly alert for approaching enemies from the giant shadows.
Sasuke missed Naruto. If the boy were recovered, they could train on the roof together, where Sasuke wouldn't have to worry about his surroundings. Naruto was there, consuming the danger. But Sasuke would never admit to any of these things.
"Sasuke? Is that you?" Naruto asked roughly from the other side of the door.
Sasuke could have sworn he felt Naruto's hand resting against the opposite side of the thin wood.
"Hn."
The door clicked and creaked open a bit, letting Sasuke in. He pushed lightly against the door, stepping in to see Naruto once again sitting on the bed on the far side of the room. Sasuke stood in the doorway, letting the door slowly creak open, banging lightly against the wall.
Silence.
The one thing Sasuke was unfamiliar with in Naruto's presence.
"You alright?" Sasuke asked. A wave of nausea overcame him as Naruto gave him sincere look.
"Don't look at me like that, please." Sasuke said, barley able to keep himself from stuttering. Why is he feeling like this?
He
leaned against the wall, crossing him arms.
"Why?" Naruto
pleaded. "I need help, to get through this."
Sasuke couldn't take his eyes off the tears budding on the sides of Naruto's eyes.
"If you make me cry, neither of us will ever live it down."
Sasuke knew what it was like to see the ones he loved hurt better than anyone in the world.
Naruto gave a small chuckle.
"I hope you're feeling better than before," Sasuke said, pushing himself off the wall and walking over to where Naruto sat. When he sat down, the bed depressed slightly, causing the weakened Naruto to fall onto Sasuke's shoulder. He watched as the boy turned a bit red, amused that Naruto would let such a thing happen. Then Naruto gave into his weight completely, sinking into Sasuke. Sasuke lay back, letting Naruto's head slide onto his stomach. He pulled Naruto fully on the bed, and sat up against the wall as Naruto sat between his legs, his back resting on Sasuke's chest.
"You know," Sasuke bent over, whispering into Naruto's ear. "I was never comfortable with the feeling of this 'brotherly love' you rambled about in the Valley of End. There's always been…something more."
He looked down at Naruto, raising an eyebrow. "You agree, yes?"
Naruto was silent for a few moments before whispering; "I haven't realized it till just now."
Sasuke turned his head, letting his lips brush against Naruto's ear. "Then I've been suffering for far longer than you have."
XxX
"Temari, you've watched this before, right?"
"Yeah."
"Why doesn't he just kill her?"
"Because he's in love with her."
"But…he's dead if she's not dead when the mob comes."
"So? He still loves her. It's a basic storyline. They either get away, or he dies saving her, and then she gets killed anyway. Either way, they end up together. Unless he does kill her. Which he doesn't."
Sakura frowned, turning her attention back at the movie. Why sacrifice himself, his life of being able to live a normal being for love? All things eventually die, even love. They would be the type that would lose interest anyways…
The movie ended with them both being killed. Temari was right. They did end up together. Sakura sighed, annoyed with the movie. She'd rather watch a mystery, no matter how hard, she always managed to figure that out.
"That was…slightly ridiculous." Sakura stated, rubbing her forehead.
"Why? Never been in love?" Temari teased.
"I used to think," the medic-nin replied.
"But you and Gaara…!" Temari stopped. Sakura looked at her.
"Excuse me?"
"W-well, you know…you and him seem really close. I mean, I walked in on you two…hugging...and all…"
"…Gaara is…"
Sakura froze. What was Gaara to her? He had been there when she needed him the most, almost killing herself many times. This is the first time Sakura really thought about it. It may have crossed her mind, when they had their moments.
'Falling in love…with…Gaara?' She blushed at the timid thought.
"Sakura?" Temari stared into Sakura bright green eyes, watching the emotion play out. She gave a slight smirk before turning down the hall, leaving a certain pink-hair girl alone with her thoughts of love.
Sakura soon found herself outside Gaara's room. She stared at the crack parallel to the tip of her boots. She knew exactly who was on the other side of that dark door. Someone- something she could never love. A creature bred to hate, to kill, to suffer. The fact that it's probably the most obnoxious thing in the world made the whole situation even worse. She snorted.
"Sakura?"
Sakura froze, instinctively twitching back, eyes widening. 'Oh, no, he heard me!'
Sakura
turned hastily and was about to run, but the voice called out again,
and as far as Sakura was concerned, it was not
Shukaku's voice. She reacted swiftly and silently. Making her way
to Gaara's bedside, she searched frantically for the bed stand and
a lamp.
"Gaara, Gaara, Gaara, Gaara!" She whispered
anxiously. "Hold on, you're coming through!" She turned on the
lamp, hands already cloaked in its green healing glow. But the
instant it came into contact with Gaara's skin, he flew up, sweaty
and panting.
"SAKURAA!" He roared. Sakura let out a cry of pain as he grabbed her shoulder and squeezed very hard.
"Hurry!" He rasped out before falling on the bed again. She whimpered as she moved her hand to hover above his torso. Her shoulder popped suddenly and she cried out again.
Gaara's breath was coming in gasps, and he clutched his head, grinding his teeth madly.
He let out a scream that seemed to shake the house. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
Sakura was pouring all the chakra she had into his chest, straight into his blood stream. "Gaara! You have to hold on!"
After several more violent thrashes and twitches, he finally collapsed complete on the bed. They were both gasping and sweating, Gaaras more extreme.
"Are you ok?" Sakura wheezed out.
"No," Gaara moaned. "My body hurts…a lot."
"Are you here to stay?" Sakura inquired frantically, afraid she might lose him again.
"Yeah, no matter how painful it may be."
Sakura sighed amidst her breath catching.
She inhaled quickly as she mover her shoulder back into its socket. "Can I lay on you?" she asked.
"Uh, I don't think-?!" Too late. Gaara felt a weight cave on him, and he leaned back against the headboard with a hiss of pain.
"Oh, deal with it, you dislocated my shoulder," came Sakura's muffles voice.
"Payback's a bitch," Gaara replied. He stared at the ceiling, wondering why his sand had not kept her from him. He averted his gaze back down to Sakura's soft pink hair. Stroking her head, he felt her chest press against his legs in a rhythmic pattern.
"You asleep?"
"I'd die before falling asleep so soon. I'm with you again."
She turned her head and looked up at him, smiling. She pushed herself up and crawled to the other side of Gaara, making the bed bounce excessively. Gaara watch her the whole time, slightly amused by her clumsiness as she tripped on her hand and fell next to him. After pulling herself up again, she wrapped her hands around Gaara and sunk into him. He smiled and brought an arm across her back, rubbing it. He felt her slowly shaking, and then heard her break out into sobs.
"You-you've meant so much to me, for so long! I d-don't think I would be alive if it weren't for you, and I can't thank you enough for giving me my life b-back!"
The room stayed silent save for Sakura's quieted sobbing. "Gaara, I want you to know…I…I lo-,"
"What's going on?! I Heard Gaara scream and…oh…well, Gaara?"
"Yes?" Gaara replied to his shirtless brother.
"Oh, thank god. Guys?! It's okay!" He yelled out into the hall. He then slammed the door behind him.
"U-uhm," Sakura started
"GAARA! Oh, thank god!" Temari burst through the door, with nothing but a silk robe on. Shikamaru leaned against the door with a very unhappy look on his face. He was woken up too late. Sakura then noticed Sasuke and Naruto's figures in the dark hall, Naruto leaning on Sasuke for support.
"Sakura. Can I talk to you?" Sasuke called softly. Sakura barley heard it through Temari's frantic speaking and checking Gaara. Sakura slipped away, her fingers tracing over Gaara's hand. She turned to see him staring at her, begging her not to leave. She mouthed 'sorry', whipped her eyes and stepped into the hall. She closed the door behind her, making the silent hall filled with muffled voices.
Sasuke put away his gripped kunai and told Naruto to go back to bed. They waited until Naruto was gone until he spoke.
"What's the deal?" he asked.
Sakura hugged herself to keep warm. "He came back, had a slight attack, complications with keeping Shukaku inside as I healed the rest of the significant damage. He will be resting for about another 2 weeks before he can move again."
"Ok, now tell me what that was about." Sasuke stated, glancing at the door.
Sakura blushed. "Oh, um, you see…"
"You need to understand that Gaara was not raised to love. Ever."
Sakura looked up, startled. "What-?"
"He isn't built for such strong emotions," Sasuke continued, pushing against the wall and standing up straight. "Don't think he is. Something bad could happen."
"You don't know anything!" Sakura exclaimed defensively, not believing what was coming from Sasuke's mouth. "You haven't even been with him-!"
"I'm ANBU, Sakura." He countered coldly. "It's my job to know what people can and can't handle."
With that, he left her alone in the dark, cold hall with the only Temari's muffled voice to comfort her.
XxX
