Hello my beloved fans ! I decided to write a chapter before the holidays - my Christmas/Hannakuh/Kwanza gift to you !
Disclaimer: Nottt owning Naruto ... ever ... sadly
Chapter Ten: The Man Who Sold the World PART ONE.
Gaara glanced over at the alarm clock, waiting for the red glowing numbers to change to 5:00 AM. Gaara had done this every night since he could remember, he never slept. He was too afriad of Shukaku taking over him. So, he continued waiting in silence. That is, until he heard a noise from downstairs. Creeping up from his black bed, he slowly walked over to the door, being careful of not waking anyone up.
Gaara walked towards the stairs, prepared to instantly move into a fighting position. Nothing was going to come close to hurting his cherry blossom, especially not that Tai creep.
Gaara remembered when he had first met him. Black rimmed eyes met Tai's blue ones in search of cowardice. He wanted to see if Tai feared him, Gaara loved it when people feared him, he would just keep feeding on their fear until they cracked. He was surprised when Tai barely showed any emotion at all, except for hate and annoyance. Tai was probably surprised that Sakura would be interested in this rebel, but somehow he had stolen her heart.
The red-head began walking slowly down the stairs, until he heard footsteps coming from the first floor. Patiently waiting for the person who disturbed him at at such an hour, Gaara continued walking down the stairs as quietly as a mouse, he seemed almost cat-like at this early hour. Then, he saw the approaching man.
We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when (A/N: This is song lyrics !)
Gaara saw Tai, begining to climb up the stairs, and walked right up to him. When Tai suddenly noticed the red headed demon, he gave him a friendly smile.
What the hell is that for ?
"Hello, Gaara. Sorry about being in such a bad mood yesterday, I was just tired and cranky from the long ride coming down to here." Tai said, still smiling.
"It's... okay..." Gaara replied, a little confused about the man's strange mood swing.
"So... how long have you been dating Sakura ?" He asked curiously.
"About a day..." Gaara replied, flushing a little when he realized the short time he had been in love with Sakura, and here was a man who had loved her for probably a few years.
"That's nice. I hope you two last long, you do look good together." Tai said, chuckling a little at his own comment.
Gaara let out a very fake laugh, and was still confused. Why was Tai being so nice all of a sudden ? Was it a plan ? Is he trying to lure me somewhere ? Does he just have girly mood swings ? Or was he trying to be nice to him to impress Sakura ?
"I remember when Sakura and I started dating..." Tai said, rethinking a near and dear memory.
Although I wasn't there, he said I was his friend
Which came as some surprise I spoke into his eyes
I thought you died alone, a long long time ago
"It was so akward... but we stayed together through the hard times. Sasuke was always telling me not to bother, to just get what I wanted out of Sakura, but I never listened to him. Back then, Sakura was the only one for me. And I was the only one for her. I was so protective about her... I remember one time Kiba was talking to her, and I nearly tackled him... How is Kiba doing ? He was always a good friend to me..."
"Kiba's good. Yeah, he was one of my first friends here. He's a good guy..." Gaara said, more interested in Tai's story than his questions.
"That's good... Well, in the end, Sakura and I had to be separated. It was a shame... such a silly thing like a job could tear two people in love apart. I was forced to move in a snowy region, very far away from here... A few hours. It must have been fate, though. Whatever happens, happens for a reason... I do hope you two last for a long time. Keep that Sasuke bastard away from her, my friend, please." Tai said, walking the rest of his way back up the stairs.
"I will... and thank you." Gaara whispered.
Still thinking, Gaara finished walking the rest of the stairs. Trudging into Sakura's kitchen, he saw the pink-haired beauty sitting at her kitchen table, sobbing.
"What's wrong ?" Gaara shouted, worried. He turned her face towards his with his hand, tears quickly splashing on him.
"I... just ... wanted... you... two to be... friends..." Sakura said in between sobs. Gaara pulled her closer to him and gave her a giant bear hug.
"Sakura, we are friends. We were just talking to each other on the stairs ! We're better now, we just started off on the wrong foot." Gaara said, combing through Sakura's tangled pink hair. She looked like a ghost, her fair skin bone-white, her hair flowing dully from her scalp, her lips a very light shade of pink, nearly white. Her mascara was dripping down her face. The image of the girl cracked Gaara's heart in half.
Gaara whiped away her mascara which stained her lovely complextion. Sakura began stopping her loud sobs.
"R-really ?" She asked, smiling. Gaara smiled back.
"Yes. Why don't I make you something to eat ?" He asked.
"Okay." She replied.
Shukaku frowned at Gaara's actions.
She should be cooking for you.
'Shut up. I'm being nice.'
You shouldn't be doing this to yourself. Your ruining your image, kid.
'Whatever.'
Whatever. Psh. That's all you ever say. You need to be a man. Tell her what to do.
'Hn. Go die.'
Am I died ? Am I alive ? Or am I just stuck in suspended animation ? Hmm... that is the question.
'What the hell are you talking about ?'
Nothing...
Gaara sighed and heated up some left over pancakes.
Shukaku growled, trying to take control of Gaara, trying to persuade him into his malicious ways.
Oh no, not me
I never lost control
You're face to face
With The Man Who Sold The World
Gaara stopped dead in his tracks, taking a few deep breathes. He had learned that as long as he stayed calm and kept control of himself, he would be fine. He had aquired a few new breathing and relaxing techniques to stay calm. For example, deep breathing, and reading really calmed him. Whenever he got into one of his moods, however, he would feriously search for someone to fight or kill. Luckily for Gaara, he hadn't been in one of his moods for awhile now, and he planned to keep it that way.
Sakura stood up and walked over to Gaara from behind. Warmly wrapping her arms around him, she leaned her head on his shoulder, whsipering in his ear.
"Thanks for all that your doing. You're really a sweet guy. But you don't need to do all of this for me."
Gaara's ear tickled from her warm, sweet breathe lingering near his ear.
"But I do." Gaara replied, turning to face her eye to eye, although Gaara was a bit taller.
Sakura smiled luminously, giving Gaara a warm embrace.
In a way, Gaara had sold the world to keep cool, and stay with Sakura. Everything he did was for Sakura. He selled his emotions, barely showing any, no matter how funny or sad the matter was. He kept Shukaku confided inside himself so Sakura wouldn't see the other side of him, the side that made an old love if his turn away from him.
His old love, Keiko, was a bit like Sakura. She was popular, but not too peppy or annoying. Just cool, going with the flow and all. It was just when she had started to find an interest in Gaara, when he decided to tell her something he had kept even from his best friends. He told her that there was a demon inside him. First, she laughed, but then, she realized it was true. Keiko, who was scared as hell, ran away from his as fast as she could, leaving Gaara heart broken.
So, Gaara had learned from his mistakes. He was never going to tell Sakura about Shukaku, or at least he was not planning on it. But, a girl has her ways...
NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTEEEE: THIS IS A TWO PART CHAPTER. I didn't want to cram all my ideas into one and make it reallyyy long, so I decided to cut it in half. Sorry, but it's easier for me, and I hope it's easier for you.
Anyways, that was part one of chapter ten, I hope you enjoyed ! I kindah liked this chapter... idk not one of my favorites. Maybe just because I don't like reading my own writing...
anyways, pleaaaseee R&R ! that's all I want for Christmas, at least 10 reviews on this chapter !
-thnx
