Gaara's POV:
I sat on my bed glaring back and forth between my clock and the ceiling. I sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time. There was no way I wanted to go down stairs, but I had to. Miyako had already been by twice to see if I was awake. I had rolled over each time and said I needed five more minutes. Each time she had glanced at the empty space next to me before mumbling okay and hurrying away, a faint blush on her face.
I knew she was remembering. Almost two weeks had passed since the night I'd over heard her and Emi. The conversation had given me a small glimmer of hope.
Sadly her promise of "I'll take the chance" was fading in my mind along with the hope.
I sighed yet again and climbed out of bed. I glanced at the mirror on my closet door. My hair was messy from my post shower nap and I tried futilely to flatten it. Annoyance crept into me. I grasped the can of black spray paint I kept on my dresser and crossed out my reflection. Finally satisfied I opened the closet door to fetch my clothes.
My eyes roamed over to where the plain black boxes in the very back of my closet where and smiled to myself. I changed into my Kazekage uniform while humming 'jingle bells the Manson version' under my breath. Tonight that chance was going to be taken, even if I had to be the one to take it.
Miyako's POV:
I felt so rushed! Christmas day and I didn't have most of the presents. On top of that I hadn't fulfilled my promise to Emi. I hadn't had a chance, either I was too busy or people were in the way.
I glanced at the clock still unable to believe Gaara never got off early, even on holidays. I shifted my eyes to the almost comatose red-head. "At least I've got part of his gift." I pulled my shopping list out of the pocked on my bright green Tripp pants. Four lines were written with only Gaara's marked out.
A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. "Sir? We're closing the building now." the person said. [Blah like we care who they are!]
I glanced at my list once more while Gaara gathered his things. I already had the mixed CD for him, all I lacked was the of Poe's work. (Edgar Allen Poe is Gaara's favorite poet/writer and mine too!) So I needed to head by the book store soon.
"Hey, Gaara?" If I'm not mistaken he looked well expectant, like he knew what I was going to say. "Do you mind going home alone? I need to head to the store." Did his face fall a fraction?
"…yeah, no problem." I smiled thanks and pondered his disappointed tone. I turned back to the window, after all it was the quickest way out, and jumped down. Halfway down Tanya woke up.
"'He knows'" Surprised, I landed a little less than gracefully.
"Tanya?!"
"'The one and only.'"
"But-how-when- Hi?" My mind spun slightly. Ever since that day Tanya had been silent and unable to help me. I shook my head to dislodge some of the pressure. "What do you mean 'he knows'?" By then I was in Barns and Nobles picking up the book so I had to control my reactions.
"'Gaara knows that you have feelings for him.'" She put it in such an old fashioned manor that I actually laughed and gained a few odd looks.
"And just how does he know this?" She paused.
"'He over heard you and Emi talking.'"
"Wait a second you JUST woke up. How the hell do you know?"
"'Oh I've been awake for awhile, I've just been recovering.'"
So we spent the remainder of the afternoon catching up and gathering the other's gifts.
It was a tradition in the Sabaku house to unwrap gifts on Christmas night after supper so I only had a little time to wrap mine. And it was not easy! The four of them tried to peak! Emi and Kankuro attempted to break the door in, and then when that didn't work they asked Temari to climb in the window. I had Tanya-who was getting better by the second- to cover the window with a thick layer of ice and closed the curtains. As a last resort the two managed to get Gaara to use his sand jutsu to make an eye.
By that time, however, I'd already wrapped everyone's. I sat them under the tree in the living room and went to cook.
After supper we gathered in the living room. I had changed into my Christmas night gown and tights. (Emi had gotten it for me the year before so it was kinda short.) Emi was nowhere to be seen and so were the presents. Temari and Kankuro were staring open mouthed at the bare tree.
"What happened to-" Temari's whine was interrupted.
"Ho, ho, ho, merry Christmas!" Emi bounded in wearing a costume that, I'm sure, Santa could never pull off. (Or on for that matter.)
"Emi? Did you steal and elf's skirt?" I asked.
"Nah, it was a gift from Ten-ten. Apparently she'd bought it for herself and Neji didn't approve."
"Who in their right mind wouldn't approve of that?" Kankuro wondered to himself. Emi didn't seem to hear him. She had started handing out everyone's gifts, setting her own to one side. She fumbled with a large black box. She checked the card then, with a smile, placed it in my pile along with a thin rectangle. Finally everyone had their presents.
I chanced a glance at Gaara. My gifts for him were at the bottom of his stack. My eyes moved back to my own gifts.
On top was a square from Emi. Half afraid of what it might be, I pulled the paper back and…squealed with glee. In side was a copy of Repo: The Genetic Opera sound track. Emi laughed. "If you like mine then you'll love what Kankuro got you." She pointed to the green and red box.
With more exuberance I opened the gift. I nearly passed out. Obviously Emi had helped him pick it out. There's no way Kankuro would have thought to get me a DVD of Daybreakers on his own.
I sat the first two, very thoughtful, gifts aside and reached for a small bright green box. I slid the lid off and laughed under my breath.
"Great minds think alike." Temari joked holding up the fan earrings I had gotten her. I put the turtle threads in my ears and sat the box aside.
As I reached for the thin gift on top, Gaara froze. In his hand was the CD I'd mad. He read down the list on the back, his face lightly colored. I looked back down at the oddly blue box in my hands. I slid the lid off carefully. A black envelope sat on top of a blank piece of paper.
I opened the envelope.
Miya--
I couldn't think of a gift that you would love more. I know it won't make up for all that he put you through, but it's a start.
Merry Christmas
--Gaara
PS: flip the paper over.
I grabbed the piece of paper and turned it over. For some odd reason, I felt like laughing and crying. It was the most thoughtful gift I'd ever received.
Gaara had given me Sasuke's death certificate…for Christmas.
"Huni?" Emi interrupted my amazed thoughts. "You still have a gift to open." She placed the large box in my lap and returned the certificate to its box.
I examined the new box. On top was a red card with black writing. In calligraphy was "Merry Christmas, from Sandy Clause." I bit my lip to keep from laughing. I refrained from looking at Gaara.
I removed the lid and looked inside, there sat a giant panda. It filled the box. I pulled the fluffy thing out and straightened out its appendages. I hugged it tightly and thought up a name.
"Kiln" I proclaimed to the stuffed animal. The others turned, giving me the strangest looks. I hid behind the bear and peaked around its side. Emi laughed as the others shook their heads sadly.
Later that night Temari left to go see Shikamaru in Konoha, Gaara was…somewhere, and Emi and Kankuro were trying out their gifts from each other. I curled up on the couch to watch Daybreakers. (There was no way I was going to go back upstairs. Just way too creepy!)
I had Kiln in my lap and was singing along with on of the background songs when Gaara walked downstairs. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked mentally scared. "Kankuro and Emi?" I questioned. He nodded weakly.
"What are you doing?"
"Watching Daybreakers. If you wonna watch it, I could always restart the movie." He shook his head no.
"I think I'll just take some painkillers and go lay down." He had disappeared into the kitchen, presumably to get a glass of water for his meds, so I went back to watching the movie.
By the end of the movie, Gaara still hadn't come back from the kitchen. I got up holding Kiln and started for the kitchen. I was staring at my feet so I didn't notice him in the door way. "Ouch." I said flatly as my ass hit the floor. Gaara chuckled and helped me up.
"You're like a little kid." He laughed. Feeling immature I stuck out my tongue out which only made him laugh harder.
Gaara's POV:
I started laughing and for once it wasn't because of a psychotic fit. Miyako stuck her tongue out then started looking around for her bear. When she found it she held it close to her chest. "You have a nice laugh." she said quietly.
"'Aww she's blushing.'" Shukaku mocked.
"Hey, Sandy Clause?" Miyako said, pulling me away from Shukaku's thoughts. I looked down at the tiny person in front of me. She blushed and pointed up. I glanced up. Directly above my head was a strand of mistletoe that Temari had set up. My face reddened, I looked back down. "Merry Christmas." She pressed her lips lightly to mine.
It lasted just a moment then we wrenched away in shock. In that second, even though it was brief, I had heard nothing. Mentally that is, Shukaku- who had been in mid-babble when Miyako had kissed me- cut off suddenly then picked back up like nothing had happened. From the look on Miyako's face I'm guessing that the same thing had happened to her and Tanya. (Miya had mentioned that Tanya was awake during dinner.)
"What the fu-" she started to say. I crushed my lips to hers, wanting to test this new phenomenon.
"Shukaku." I called. I sighed in relief when no response was given. It was like someone had turned the volume down on a stereo.
I softly wrapped my arms around her waist and relaxed into the kiss. Miyako's arms looped around my neck.
She broke away abruptly and pouted. "I'm going to throw you in the dryer."
"Uh why?"
"You're too tall." I chuckled but then frowned. The noise was back.
"'Don't you dare refer to me as 'the noise'!'"
Miyako pulled her hands back. "Stop frowning." She tried to manually make me smile. I leaned down to rest my forehead on hers.
"It was quiet." I stated simply. She nodded in understanding.
"It was, wasn't it?" She buried her face in my neck.
Miyako's POV:
I nuzzled against Gaara's neck thinking about our little discovery. Suddenly, quietly, he moaned. I scarcely heard him. I pulled back some to look at him. His eyes were closed, his face lightly pink. "So cute." I thought.
"What?" His eyes popped open to stare at me.
"Opps! Guess I said that out loud." I laughed in embarrassment. We stayed like that for a moment, just watching each other and thinking.
Unexpectedly Gaara picked me (and Kiln!) up and placed me (and Kiln!) on the couch.
I sat up and was going to ask him what he was doing when he took control of my mouth. He forced me back down. His tongue slid across my lower lip, begging for entrance which I of course gave. We had a battle of tongues which he won, mostly because his hand wandered up my thigh.
"FINALLY!" Kankuro and Emi yelled from the stairwell. We straightened up and glared at them. "Temari owes us ten bucks." They did a happy dance and grinned at our lethal looks.
Well I did it, I updated. Yay me! :) I actually have finished the story on paper so I'll finish updating ASAP. It would help if I could get more reviews. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me this long. I don't mean to be obnoxious but I'd say this is pretty good for a first fic. The next chapter is Gaara's birthday and the lemon. ;) For you more innocent people you can just read till a certain point then tell yourself that they had a tea party. I wrote a lot of this story during my art class (which I love because the teachers is crazy in a funny way and I sit next to one of my crushes- and no Krystal he does not look like Harry Potter when he wears glasses) You can probably guess how I got the bears name… (At least I didn't name it porn like I named my bear from Fallenone667) The book that Miyako gave Gaara was a reference to Fallenone667. She gave me the exact same book for Christmas plus she mentions it in her totally amazing story. If you guys haven't read it you need to. It's called "More than a high school crush." and it's a Gaara fic so Yay! PLEASE REVIEW MORE! Until next chappy goodbye :) *heartz*