The sun rose over the distant mountains. The land was covered in frost, along with Gaara. A thin layer of frost was over him. He leaned off of Kakashi finally and shook himself, sneezing lightly, coughing. He wasn't really cold, a little but only on the surface. His icy skin was a shade of blue. But he didn't seem affected at all by it. His breath came out in a fog and he blinked.
Kakashi awoke at a sneezing nearby, opening one eye to find the couple shivering in sleep beneath their blankets, and Gaara also looking rather cold nearby. Waking himself up a bit more, the Jounin leaned forwards, looking up at the sky. They had a few days of traveling left, and now a snowstorm? They would have to seek out shelter until the wintry weather would pass. Getting to his feet, Kakashi looked over at Gaara once more. "Don't be so blue." he joked in his calm voice, walking over to wake the couple up. They would have to move fast if they were to escape the worst part of the coming snowstorm.
Gaara felt a smile snuggling up his throat but it was forced down before his face even hinted at it. Standing up he put his sand casket back on and leaned against the tree. Once the couple was ready, he walked off down the road. His eyes narrowed and he shifted uncomfortably. He'd never really been... uncomfortable before. He fell behind the couple, not wanting Kakashi to be able to see him at the moment.
Leading the way once more, Kakashi walked at a rather quick pace. After a few minutes, the lady started to complain about the speed at which they were forced to walk. Kakashi stopped, turning around. He was irritated right now; the lady was grinding his last nerve. "Look, Miss, we have to walk fast. Unless you decide that you would rather turn into a plump snowman. In that case, you can dig yourself out, because that is not under our mission description." Twirling back around, he continued at the fast pace down the path, keeping an eye out for some shelter still. White snowflakes began to fall as the lady shut up finally.
Gaara's eyes narrowed. His casket rattled. His eyes narrowed and the sand shot out, making the lady scream horrified as it flew around them and in front of Kakashi, there was a noise and the sound of something metal hitting the hardened sand around Kakashi and the couple. The sand fell and slithered back to Gaara, revealing at least fifty kunai. But it was only a trap. Gaara sighed and ignored the thanks the couple gave him. He didn't do it... for them at least. His eyes wandered to Kakashi.
Surprised at the sudden attack that he had not detected, Kakashi looked back at Gaara. He would thank him later, but for now his thoughts returned to finding a shelter. This time, he kept a wider view and sharper hearing to see if there were any still nearby. There were, but as long as they stayed quiet, it was fine by him.
As they walked, he glanced at the broken string. It was very old, so it was obviously an old unused trap for no one really. As the snow started to fell, Gaara closed his eyes and the demon with in shivered and moved about, causing his eyes to widen in pain as it raked claws along the inner organs. He shivered violently then relaxed. He was glad he was behind everyone.
Then, the snow began to pick up. But they were in the middle of nowhere, it wasn't like a magical shelter would just- Kakashi stopped, allowing the couple and Gaara to catch up to him. He looked at the small cottage before him, wondering what luck brought them this. He went over to the broken window, peering inside. Seeing no one and hearing nothing, he opened the door as everyone went inside. Besides the broken window, it was in pretty good condition, with a small bed in one corner and a couch. There was even a fireplace, filled with dust from not being used in so long. Kakashi walked over, starting up the fire immediately, warming the room up as it crackled with heat. The small broken window was a problem, however. It was letting out some heat, so the Jounin simply stuffed an old rag and ended that problem.
Gaara blinked and shook his head. He sat in the corner out of the fire's light's reach and in the shadows. His face and shoulders hidden by the black depths. All that was visible was his eyes and shoulders down. He glared at the couple with a murderous intent then his gaze went to the fire.
The couple had situated themselves upon the bed, sitting there and huddling beneath some blankets. Kakashi walked over to the couch, making himself comfortable as well. The wind howled around the corners of the house as time passed. Hours went by, and the silence was still thick. Kakashi was glad for it, if the lady had made one more complaint he was going to leave them both here to finish the journey themselves. He looked over with one eye, seeing as the two were both fast asleep. Returning his gaze to the fireplace, he sighed. Normally, he would have begun to read his book again, but he just did not feel like it.
He left his sand casket and opened the door and closed it behind him. He was greeted by icy cold. He got up onto the roof of the small cottage and stared up at the sky, the wind stabbing his skin, snow falling down rapidly. The roof was kind of cold and warm at the same time. He held his stomach painfully and he opened his mouth, blood spilling like a river. He coughed and closed his eyes. He wiped the blood from his chin and winced. Trying to relax he crossed his arms and leaned against the chimney.
Kakashi listened as Gaara left, closing the door behind him. He heard a slight tap upon the roof, and knew that the younger boy had not gone too far. After sitting there for a few minutes, he smelled some blood. Checking to make sure the couple were still fast asleep, he snuck outside, closing the door lightly and leaping up to the roof. Seeing a rather large amount of blood, Kakashi grew worried. Spotting Gaara, he went over there quickly, squatting down right in front of him. "Gaara? Gaara, are you okay?" he asked. His mind was not full of the usual thoughts of whether or not he liked Gaara. Instead, he was more concerned for the boy sitting hurt in front of him. "Gaara?" he questioned once more, trying to prod a response from the boy.
He stared through Kakashi, and then finally saw him. "Yes," he replied calmly, his eyes flashed and seemed to betray his true intentions. Of course he wasn't okay, but he didn't like making Kakashi worry. And he didn't feel like explaining everything. "Don't worry," he added, surprising himself. "Thank... you..." he added after a few minutes of silence. Why was he suddenly thanking him? Because... because Kakashi acted like he cared.
Kakashi looked at Gaara. He had stood up for enough of the lies, something was happening to Gaara, hurting him. "Gaara... what is really wrong?" he insisted, trying to get the truth, or at least some of it. He sat there upon the roof in front of Gaara, seeing the pain and loneliness in his eyes.
"I'm just not feeling okay," he said which was half the truth. He looked away from Kakashi. "It doesn't matter though." he said shrugging and then looked anxiously at Kakashi then looked off into the white nothingness.
"It does too matter. Why didn't you just tell me you were not feeling well in the first place?" he questioned. He knew that he had only received some of the truth, but it was something. The snow began to blow even harder around them; whirling around the wet snow and making it stick to that pretty red hair of Gaara's.
Gaara blushed under his stare and leaned forwards. "Cause, my pain is no concern of anyone else." he growled and stood up slowly, rocking back and fourth on his feet, and crossed his arms.
"No concern, huh?" Kakashi got to his feet as well, the ice-cold air making him shiver a bit. "Then how come you always seem to be concerned about others when they are about to be hurt?" He was referring to the time earlier when Gaara had protected Kakashi and the couple from the Kunai trap.
Gaara sneered at him. "I could care less if everyone was slaughtered. And I would personally like to be the one slaughtering everyone," he growled. "My sand protects me and me only, I can command it. I wasn't protecting them," he said stiffly. But I was protecting you, he added inside of his head. He avoided his gaze and moved next to him, but had his to his face side.
"Oh," Kakashi said, keeping his calm voice but was somewhat disappointed. He wasn't protecting them; he was doing it to complete the mission. Sighing softly, Kakashi turned to face the way he had leapt onto the roof. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I smelled blood." He waited a second, and then slipped off the side of the roof. He opened the door, going back inside of the cottage and then shut it softly.
Gaara closed his eyes. He jumped down and stood. A deer approached him; at first it looked terrified, but then nudged his hip with its small head. Perking its ears, hearing something soft and distant, it bolted. Gaara sighed and vanished and reappeared behind Kakashi. "But I was protecting you," he said in an utterly quiet voice. He moved back to his corner in the shadows quickly.
Kakashi listened intently; did he just hear what he had thought he had heard? Or was it his imagination? Gaara, actually admitting he was protecting him from those kunai? The thought seemed rather strange, but Kakashi was sure he had heard those words come from Gaara's mouth. He was suddenly reminded that he had not thanked Gaara yet for that incident. Walking over to the shadows that Gaara hid in, he faced outwards, looking at the fire flicker unusual shadows upon the wall. "Thank you, for doing that earlier. You know, with the kunai trap we almost walked into." He stood there, and then slowly walked back over to the couch where he sat down and watched the fireplace some more.
He said nothing. He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. He coughed a little and looked at the blood that came out onto his hands. Like tear drops. He wiped it on his pants and hugged his knees to his chest. The storm howled outside and the couple was entwined together asleep.
Soon, the warmth from the fire made Kakashi dozy, and he nodded slowly. He leaned his head back, resting it upon the back of the couch. He closed his one eye, and slipped into sleep. For the first time in a very long time, he dreamt.
-Dream Sequence-
Kakashi was simply walking through a filed when- Bam! Fire rose up around him, engulfing him in the flames. He turned around, seeing the couple shiver and screech for help. Gaara remained silent, even as his clothes went up in flames. What could he do? Silently he watched in horror, unable to choose. Hokage suddenly appeared, demanding Kakashi to leave Gaara, he could take care of himself. Kakashi shook his head, and left the couple to die. He ran as fast as he could to Gaara, who simply watched him as he felt himself fall... fall into a black abyss...
-Dream Sequence Complete-
Kakashi turned his head, slightly shifting in uncomfortable sleep.
Gaara watched him. He seemed uncomfortable. Standing up, he walked over and sat next to him, he rested a hand on his lap, realizing where his hand was he blushed and shook his leg a little, before putting his hand back on his own lap.
Kakashi woke up with a start as soon as he felt his leg shake. Dripping in sweat around his forehead protector and eye, he leaned forwards, grasping the side of the couch with a fist. Breathing heavily for a few seconds, he slowly realized that it wasn't real. It had been a long time since he had dreamed, it had seemed so incredibly real to him. He leaned back against the couch, moving his hand and placing it on his head as he closed his eye. His breathing soon slowed to normal, the sweat disappearing as well.
"Are you okay?" he asked, looking into the smoldering fire. He half closed his eyes, but the light aquamarine eyes watched Kakashi from the corner of his eyes. He kept his arms over one another and waited.
"I... I'm fine now." Kakashi muttered, his voice slightly hinted with emotion. Why had he chosen to go after Gaara in the dream? Why did he not do as Hokage ordered, and complete the mission? For being a simple dream, it sure clouded his thoughts.
"Are you sure?" he asked, sounding like he didn't really care, but he did. He really did. For some odd reason he wanted to get close to Kakashi and comfort him. He could sense his uneasiness.
Kakashi hesitated. Well, he was not okay just yet, but no need to- wait. Did Gaara just ask him if he was sure he was all right? This was the first time Kakashi had actually heard the younger boy sound concerned. "I'll be fine," he replied softly, keeping his hand upon his forehead as he was absorbed once more by thoughts.
Gaara huffed and stood up. He walked back over to his corner and stared at the ground. Why did he even care? He shrugged the thought off and listened to the wind outside. He felt a strange sensation but ignored it.
It was quite a while longer before Kakashi's hand finally slid off of his head, revealing his closed eye. He fell asleep not too much after, now entering the dreamless sleep he was used to.