YAY! Chapter ten! We have entered the double digit stage of The Violet Rose!!! I can't believe I've typed so much in one weekend…
Gaara: You're not dead yet?
Ah….no….
Gaara: -growls-
Ok…now I'm kind of scared. Gaara's getting grumpy!!!...ergh….I'll just start the chapter now…
"Wake up Lazy pants!" Kankuro yelled in Gaara's ear.
The redhead acted on instinct, and sat up, swinging his fist up as well. As a result, Kankuro got punched in the face and staggered backwards.
"Damn it Kankuro!" Gaara snapped, "I said not to do that, especially not today!"
Temari shook her head, walking into the room, "I told him not to," She said shrugging, "But at least your awake now. Hinata came by earlier."
He looked at her, "really?"
"Yeah," She nodded, and ignored Kankuro's whining about how his nose was bleeding.
"Hm…" Gaara got up, brushing his hair back from his eyes. He shoved his siblings out of the room, and slammed the door shut in their faces.
"Meany…" Growled Kankuro, pinching his nose to stop the bleeding.
"Well I doubt he wants us to watch him get dressed idiot," Said Temari, walking away, "Then again…I dressed both of you when you were younger."
"Oh shut up."
"Hehe!"
Gaara came out a few minutes later, adjusting the sash he always wore over his shoulder, even if he didn't have his gourd with him. He pulled on a long red overcoat and headed to the door, "I'm going for a walk," He informed his siblings, slipping on his sandals and opening the door.
"Kay, by Gaara!"
"Little jerk…"
Gaara shook his head and walked out of the apartment, shutting the door behind him. They were on the fourth floor…he didn't really feel like walking down all those steps…so…
"I can ask Temari-san more about him!" Hinata said to herself, running back towards the sand sibling's apartment. After Neji had agreed with her plan, Hinata had felt so happy, she wanted to put it in motion right away.
She stopped, sensing oddly familiar chakra. She looked around, not really sure of where it was coming from. Then…she looked around in time to see Gaara leaping form the fourth floor of the apartment, and landing right in front of her.
They stared at each other for a moment, before Hinata noticed that Gaara's face was only an inch or so from hers…he had landed TO close.
Hinata shrieked and fell backwards away from him. "Ow…"
Gaara stared down at her, his eyes narrowed. He sighed, and held out a hand, "Can you get up?" He asked dully.
"Uh…yeah…" Said Hinata. She lifted her own hand and allowed him to grasp it, and pull her back onto her feet.
They stood in silence for a moment.
"Hey," Both said at the same time.
Hinata frowned, "Uh…you first." She gave a small wave of her hand.
Gaara shrugged, "Why were you running to my apartment?" He asked, "Did you want something?"
"Uh…no, n-not really," Said Hinata, her silver eyes focusing on the bruise for a second. He blinked, and looked away.
Gaara studied her for a moment, before turning away, "Fine then. I'm going on a walk so, I'll see you."
"Uh…G-Gaara?"
He glanced over his shoulder at her, "What?"
Hinata took a breath, "M-mind if I join you on your walk?" She asked, "I m-mean, I have nothing else to do…and…and…uh…."
"Whatever, just come on."
"Uh…right…"
They walked in silence for a bit, neither looking at the other. Hinata noticed that Gaara kept narrowing his eyes, flexing his hands, or grinding his teeth. Something was definitely bothering him, she could tell just by looking at him. And that bruise…that bruise worried her. Did he get into a fight or something last night? Is that what Kankuro meant when he said, doing stuff?
She took a breath and looked at him, "G-Gaara?"
"What?"
She shuffled her feet, "Um…how'd you get that bruise?" She asked.
His eyes widened slightly, and snapped in her direction. Hinata flinched at the cold, distant look in them. "It's nothing," He muttered, "I just…fell."
Liar...Thought Hinata. Sabaku no Gaara, just randomly falling and getting a bruise. She didn't believe it one bit, but she couldn't say that in fear he'd snap at her. "Oh," was all the managed to say.
"If you just wanted to walk with me…to ask stupid questions," Said Gaara quietly, "I'd prefer it if you DIDN'T walk with me at all." He looked at her, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
Hinata stared at him, her mouth open, "I uh…"
Gaara turned his back on her, closing his eyes. "Whatever…" He muttered. He walked away from her, his head bowed in thought. Gaara turned a corner into a dark ally and sighed. He leaned on a wall, staring at the ground. The anniversary was today…
He had snapped at Hinata…but he didn't want to be with other people right now.
"So he just walked away?" Asked Temari, walking alongside Hinata through the village, her hands behind her back.
Hinata nodded, "I'm trying…so hard to get to know him…"
"It must be because…"
Hinata looked at the blonde, "Because of what?"
Temari sighed, brushing her bangs back from her forest green eyes, "The anniversary," She said quietly, "it's today…"
"The anniversary of what?" Asked Hinata.
"The anniversary of…of when out Uncle Yashamaru died," Said Temari, "Gaara always shuts himself even more on this day. He gets all quiet, and stays away from other people." She sighed, "He'll just sit on the roof all day, and stare at the moon when night comes…."
"How did your uncle die?"
Temari stiffened, "I…I don't know," She said hurriedly, "Uh, murdered or something. I have to go find Kankuro. See you Hinata!" She walked of quickly, and broke into a run half way down the street.
Hinata sighed and crossed her arms. Every time she asked about this Yashamaru guy, Temari or Kankuro would start acting weird. She hadn't thought to ask Gaara…maybe she should ask him…
No, that wouldn't work…hm…Maybe she should wait for tonight, then try to talk to Gaara. If he was silent the whole time, but listened to her, that might work.
As night fell, the full moon rose into the ebony sky. The bright stars glittered around it like diamonds, winking at the people who smiled up at them. The perfectly round moon illuminated the whole village, making it an eerie whitish color.
Hinata ran as fast as she could toward the apartment the sand siblings were staying at. If what Temari told her was true, Gaara would be sitting on the roof, staring at the moon. She turned a corner, and looked up. Sure enough, there he was. His green eyes shone like emerald in the reflection of the moonlight. Hinata took a deep breath, and leapt onto a pile of crates, and up onto the rooftop.
The redhead didn't even seem to take notice of her.
"G-Gaara?" Said Hinata, taking a few steps forward.
Nothing.
She plucked up her courage, and walked over to him. She sat down on the roof beside him, and looked up at the moon, "It's…it's a nice night, don't you think?"
"Hn…."
Hinata sighed and brushed her long hair from her face. "Uh…T-Temari-san told me…about tonight, and…about your uncle…"
He glanced at her, "Did she tell you how he died?"
"Uh…no."
He looked away from her, frowning.
"S-she and Kankuro-san both said that…that they didn't know how he died, and-"
"That's a lie," Gaara said suddenly. He closed his eyes.
"What?" Hinata looked at him, her silver eyes tracing the expression on his pale face. It was one she had never seen him wear before. A mixture of pain and regret.
"The truth is…" Gaara opened his eyes, which had a seemingly distant look in them, "I killed my uncle, Yashamaru."
Hinata stared at him, her eyes wide, her mouth open in a gape, "Y-you…w-what?" She whispered.
"Are you deaf?" He muttered, "I said…I killed him."
"B-but…" Hinata shook her head, "Y-you…c-couldn't of…h-he was your uncle and…" She just couldn't believe what she had just herd. "Y-you're joking, right?"
"I told you before, I don't joke around," He turned to face her, "I killed him, that's that, got it? Temari and Kankuro both know it, but they didn't want to tell you. I was six years old when it happened…" He looked away, "My father had ordered Yashamaru to kill me, because I was growing to powerful with Shukaku inside of me. Soon, I would become a threat to the very village I was made to protect. I had failed…so my father saw it appropriate that I be killed. Yashamaru tried to kill me, and I used Dessert Burial on him. I didn't know it was him…he told me before he died, that my mother didn't love me, and that he hated me," He lifted his hand and placed it over his heart, "he asked me to please die, and blew himself up, by use of exploding tags."
Hinata stared at him, and her eyes softened, "So it really wasn't your fault…"
He looked at her.
Hinata sighed, "You didn't choose to have Shukaku put inside of you, so it wasn't your decision. You didn't mean to hurt your uncle, you just had to protect yourself…"
"…..I guess so…." He shrugged, "I never really talk to people on this day, so…"
He blinked in surprise when Hinata lifted her hand to his face, and gently touched the bruise left by Naruto. He looked at her in shock.
"You should really get Sakura to make sure this bruise doesn't get infected," She said quietly, "it looks pretty bad."
He lifted his hand and slowly pushed hers away, "I'll remember to do that…" He said in a low voice. It was barely a movement of lips and throat, so Hinata barley even herd him say it.
"Oh, that's good," She replied, nodding slowly, "Well…it's kind of late. I think I'll head home and get some sleep." She stood and walked past him, but stopped at feeling Gaara grasp her wrist. She looked around at him.
"Don't let Temari, Kankuro, or Naruto know what I just told you…" He said quietly, "Especially Naruto."
Hinata stared at him, but nodded, "I won't tell a soul."
He released her wrist, but continued to stare at her.
"I'll…see you then."
"Yah."
Gaara watched her go, then turned back to look up at the moon. I revealed your secret, Yashamaru…your dark secrete...I'm sorry...
Hinata walked silently toward her home, head down, eyes closed. So that's how Gaara's uncle died…he had tried to kill Gaara. Well then, he got what he deserved! That was just plain evil what he did to Gaara, and it couldn't be forgiven!
Then she realized…her plan had worked! She had gotten Gaara to open up to her more! Hinata grinned, and broke into a run towards her home.
Tsunada took a sip of tea, her desk illuminated by a small candle. Shizune was fast asleep in a chair near her desk, Tonton in her lap, asleep at well. She smiled at them as she sorted through the mountains of paper at her desk. She stopped, and looked up. "Jiraya, I know you're there. Just come in already."
A chuckle came from the window, and Jiraya entered the office.
"If you want me to show you something, to bad!" She snapped, pulling her jacket over her chest protectively.
"Nah, I'm not here for that!" Said Jiraya smiling, "Although…"
"Just get to the point you pervert…"
"Uh, right," Jiraya smirked, and crossed his arms. "Baki and Kakashi have figured out a way to get those two to fall in love."
Tsunada looked up curiously, "Really?"
He nodded, and put a piece of paper down on her desk, "Give them this mission," he said, crossing his arms over his chest, "It's a mission to these amazing hills, with plenty of waterfalls."
"What's the mission part?"
"That's the part YOU make up Tsunada!"
Tsunada stared at him for a moment, before understanding sparked inside of her head, "Ah, I get you," She smirked, "So we make up a reason fro them to go…"
"Then we let love take its course!" He said nodding.
"Brilliant…" She whispered, "Absolutely brilliant…I'll have to compliment Kakashi and Baki tomorrow."
"It was all their idea," Said Jiraya, "They're a good team."
She nodded.
Jiraya leaned on her desk, looking through some of the papers. "Do you really think it'll work though? The Kazekage isn't the sort of person to fall in love."
"And Naruto isn't the sort of person who would attack Gaara," Said Tsunada quietly, "Jiraya…they're changing a lot. Gaara's opening up more, and Naruto's coming to terms with so many things all at once."
"I guess you're right."
Tsunada snapped shut one of her books and let out a heavy sigh, "All of this is so bothersome…" She muttered.
Jiraya nodded, smiling, "Yeah….it may be bothersome but…"
"But?"
He smirked, "But it sure is fun!"
So, sorry for the short chapter. The next one will be better, I promise. So there's some more Gaahina stuff thrown in there, some Tsunada talking to Jiraya, Hinata finds out a little more about Gaara's past. Next chapter will be better, I promise!
Lee: I want to come in!!
Shikamaru: Yeah, what about me?
Ino and Sakura: Put us in the damn story!
NOOOOOO!!!! It's not about you guys!!! Yeesh!