Hi. Here's a theme for this chapter, because I was bored, and it's perfect. It's an insert from the song:
"Weak and Powerless" by A Perfect Circle
Little angel go away
Come again some other day
The devil has my ear today
I'll never hear a word you say
He promised I would find a little solace
And some piece of mind
Whatever just as long as I don't feel so
Desperate and Ravenous
I'm so weak and powerless over you
Desperate and Ravenous
I'm so weak and powerless
over you
XxX
"Whoa,"
"I know, right?"
"I would call him jealous, but he has Naruto."
"I don't think that's jealousy. But defiantly something else…like a mixture of anger and protection. But negative."
"You talk like an expert."
"Ha, don't sound so cross! I am a master at early detection."
"Oh."
"'Oh.'" Tsukiko mocked her cousin Temari stupidly.
"Is he really okay?" Tsuki added with concern.
"Yes." Temari replied instantly. "Definitely yes."
XxX
Sasuke couldn't believe Sakura didn't listen to him. He gave her a good enough reason to stay away from Gaara. Sasuke could feel him becoming more and more unstable. Mostly when Shukaku was released, but it's still coming. He knew the demon's game. While he was in control of Gaara's body, Sasuke noticed the way he was observing the actions of the shinobi, and how he was sizing up the villages' movements. And he was always murmuring under his breath, his eyes looking transfixed.
"Uchiha."
The door opened, and Sasuke didn't move as Gaara acknowledged him. He just kept watching Naruto breathing.
"I know what you've been saying to Sakura, and what you've noticed."
Sasuke stopped lightly playing with the blondes hair and looked up in the darkness.
"What you've concluded is probably correct."
Sasuke watched Gaara, and Gaara stared back.
"So tell me, Gaara," Sasuke started, looking back down to Naruto. "What is your demon planning?"
Gaara's eye narrowed, watching as Sasuke closed his eyes and placed a hand on Naruto's broad shoulder.
"Unfortunately, nothing just the sand ninja can handle. I am glad that leaf shinobi are here, or else we would all die," Gaara said, leaning against the wall. "This is all I can say for now. I'm afraid this demon will put me to death if I say more. Sakura is working on an extracting jutsu before it's too la-!" Gaara was suddenly cut off by a sudden sharp pain that radiated throughout his head.
Sasuke merely watched as he cringed over and gripped his head in pain.
"Ah, I got it." He said.
Gaara then fell hard against the floor, yelling in pain. Sasuke looked down on him apathetically from the bed. A few more pants, and Gaara was unconscious.
With a sigh, the raven boy called for Sakura.
"Sasuke! I can't believe you didn't do anything!" Sakura yelled as she gathered up Gaara.
"…Sakura? What's wrong?" Naruto asked in a low grumble as he slowly rose.
"Che…Good job, you woke him up." Sasuke scoffed.
"Well, excuse me. I'm glad you at least care for one person in this room. Oh god, he's hurt…"
Sasuke face hardened as she said that. 'I care for you too, idiot.'
Sasuke looked away as Sakura muttered more to him, and told Naruto not to worry about it.
"What was that?" Naruto asked after she left with a limping Gaara.
"…Nothing. Go back to sleep."
XxX
Sakura stood at the foot of Gaara's bed. She had attempted to leave, but even with all her strength, she couldn't get past the door. So she decided to keep standing, because when she sat down, she found herself getting back up.
She heard what Sasuke had said. She had to resist jumping in right away when Gaara collapsed, even though it was reckless. She would never expose her distrust like that to Sasuke. She knew she was lying to Sasuke, even if she wasn't saying anything. She knew exactly what was on the demon's mind. Sakura had always been the keenest in the village, and even if Sasuke was far beyond her when it came to agility, she was smarter than him. She was always the first to realize.
"Sakura…,"
Sakura looked up, and attempted not to look as tired as she was.
"Gaara, are you feeling any better?"
Gaara sighed and rubbed the side of his head and grunted "Hn."
With a frown, Sakura looked out the window. "I finished the extracting jutsu."
Gaara didn't say anything, just watched her from the bed. "Unfortunately, the chance of your survival is 25 percent."
Gaara made no movement to acknowledge what she just said. He knew she wasn't finished.
"But, it's me operating, so those numbers go up to 40. And I am requesting Tsunade-sama, since it is the Kazekage, to also join me. So, all together, everything adds up to about 65 percent."
Gaara snorted. Sakura sounded proud. "There should be nothing to worry about."
"I see." Gaara pulled the covers off of his body, stood up, and stretched. Making a confused face, he said "I feel better."
"Well, I sort of forgot that demons speed the healing process, so your recovery is complete."
"I see."
Sakura frowned again, and turned away.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
Sakura walked to the door, deciding not to say anything else.
'Men don't get anything.'
"What's wrong?" He asked again.
Silence.
"You're tired, how long have you been up working on the jutsu?"
"…About 3 days."
"Without sleep?"
"Yes," Sakura snapped. "I need some sleep."
Gaara stopped her from traveling any further. He pointed at his bed, and stared into her eyes. Sakura glared at him before going over to lie down. Gaara waited until she settled in completely to leave the room.
XxX
Tilling my own grave to keep me level,
This was it. Gaara stood half a mile outside his village. The tall wall was facing him, and all of his shinobi stared down at him in anticipation. If they knew what he was going to do, they wouldn't have left his leave the village.
Jam another dragon down the hole.
'I told Sakura how I felt, and Sasuke knows what I'm going to do. Sakura, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you won't get a chance to use your extraction jutsu on me.'
Letting out a sigh, Gaara made the seal's to begin the sacrificial jutsu.
XxX I know this was short, but the next chapter is the last, so it's gonna be longer than the rest. Yes, this story will not have a happy ending.
Digging to the rhythm and the echo of a solitary siren
One that pushes me along and leaves me so…