I Won't Let You Bury It
Gaara was already in the arena waiting for Rock to figure out he was called in. "Get down here," he demanded. Sakura's affection had worn off him, and all there was standing there was pure murderous rage. But the look on his face only appeared bored and annoyed. "Alright, lets do this!" Rock shouted and jumped over the balcony railing and into the arena. The fight was the biggest entertainment and stressful view to everyone there. Gaara worked so much differently then everyone. He show no emotion and hardly spoke while fighting. Rock was all over the place with shouted words of heroism. People saw that his speed was intense to watch. Faster and faster he broke through Gaara's defenses catching him off-guard. Sakura clutched her hands together to press against her chest. Gaara please hold yourself back. She was completely stressed for the two of them. Rock had been so kind to stand up for her in front of the sound ninja back in the forest. He was trying so hard to prove his worth.
She felt like breaking down crying as she watched the two of them fight. The ground and balconies were shuttering from the sands Gaara controlled. The fight paused for only a minute, everyone had watched Rock take off the weights on his legs and then power himself back into the fight with so much speed, it was hard to see him.
As the walls shook and Gaara was attacked, the fight almost seemed over. "GAARA!" Sakura shrieked when she saw him fly in the air with his sand armor falling in pieces. Gaara glanced over at Sakura and turned the fight around by nearly killed Rock with his chukra sand. Before long, Sakura couldn't take it, her body felt weak and her stress level was leaving her hyperventilating. She was falling apart and nearly past out. Finally the fight had ended with Rock on the ground with a broken leg and arm. The medic took him on a stretcher, and Gaara returned to the balcony next to Sakura. He didn't say one word, only malice was in favor of his actions.
After the third exam, everyone was instructed there would be a month to train and recover for the next exam and final exam. Gaara and the sand siblings stayed for a few days in Konoha. To heal some of their wounds. Sakura met up with the rest of her group, and felt deeply afraid of Gaara. Kakashi examined her wounds, as Naruto remained in the hospital. Sakura was uneasy and flinched from everyone around her. "Sakura, are you alright?" Kakashi questioned. Sakura nodded her head in a lie, Gaara turned into a monster back there. What if he attacked me like that because of something I said wrong?
That same night the exam ended, Sakura hadn't seen Gaara since. She showed up at the flower shop to find Ino smiling back at her. "I'm getting a daffodil for Rock, he fought so bravely and I want to show him he was appreciated." she explained to Ino. "Well tell him hi for me then." Ino smiled. When Sakura reached the hospital, she was unaware that she was followed by Gaara. By handing Rock a flower in his room, then seeing he wouldn't wake for while. She left the room to suddenly feel a presence nearby. "Hello?" she asked in the empty hallway. There was nothing but silence. She left the hospital feeling empty and scared.
What she didn't realize, was Gaara had entered Rock's bedroom and saw the flower sitting on the nightstand next to his bed. "She's not yours." he snarled to a sleeping Rock. He walked towards the nightstand, and clenched the bud into his hand. The pedals felt like Sakura's skin, and soothed his own with goosebumps. His rage and anger was nearly taking over, "I'll kill YOU!" He stated through clenched teeth. He was trying so hard to control himself. His past memories clouded his mind over and over. But the one that kept sticking, was the first time he shared his cocoon with Sakura. She had been lying under him with her legs hooked around his waist. "I love you." she breathed as he took her in, and shared his soul with her. She had given him her secrets and her gift was love and passion. He held her long hair through his fingers while she giggled from the touch. "You're beautiful" he breathed and leaned towards her for a sensual kiss he felt tingle through his skin. Gaara stood frozen. She had said she loved him. Him and only him. His heart began to beat slowly, and he felt butterflies in his stomach for the first time. Love..this was love. Gaara released the bud in his hand and let it's beauty come back into it's original shape. But it didn't. The pedals broke from his fists, and all there was left was the core.
Sakura, I have hurt you more than anyone else. I won't bury it. I won't bury what you have shown me.