Title: From Winter To Spring
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from the anime, Naruto, but they are superb story fodder, aren't they now?
Summary: After the first time Sakura took part in the chuunin selection exams and failed, she tried once more before undergoing intensive training to better herself, while Naruto and Sasuke both passed and moved on. Their team split, but now that Sakura's all alone an unlikely antihero steps up to make her exam taking team complete: Gaara of the Desert. (GaaraSakura as best as I am able, which may not be very promising, because it is my first fanfiction piece ever.)
Chapter Five: Sparring Partners
The air was heavy with the tension between Gaara and Sakura as they stood only a few feet apart, Sakura crouching in a low defensive position and Gaara standing slightly hunched but eyes gleaming with excitement. The thoughts of pain and the mental image of her blood on his hands sent waves of urgency coursing through his entire being as he fought for control over himself. The inner turmoil he experienced manifested as a bloodthirsty grin that spread across his face, almost a baring of the teeth.
Why the hell did Kakashi-sensei think this would be a good idea? Sakura demanded of herself within her mind, refusing to show an ounce of fear at the current situation. As soon as the all-too-familiar toothy grin burst forth from his lips, she knew she was in trouble. Shit.
They were facing each other as sparring partners for a round or two of warm ups. It had been Kakashi's idea. Of course, he was not going to stay and watch them to make sure they did what he ordered. And now, Sakura was alone and facing Gaara in a fighting stance.
Before another worry could pass through her brain, her body leapt into action. Her fist, aimed directly at Gaara's head, met only a thick barrier of sand. A roundhouse kick toward his stomach brought her heel down on the same sand.
She bit her lip to keep from crying out and flinched back in pain to regroup her thoughts. Gaara snorted at her pathetic attempt to harm him. "Please. That blonde girl could do better."
Ino? Sakura paused, though she had taken a step forward to attack again. "What about Ino?"
"The one you faced in a duel at the exam years ago. The one that almost beat you. She could do better, I'm sure," he stated, grin still in its frightening stretch across his face.
Eyes widening in angry response, Sakura clenched her hands into tight fists and threw wild punches and kicks at Gaara only to have him easily step aside. Scoffing at her loss of control, he muttered, "A tantrum. Aren't you a little old for this behavior?"
"Shut up!" she leapt back to put distance between them swiftly forming seals with her hands. When she finished, her hands were a glow with the acidic, green light of a medical ninja technique. As Sakura glared at him, bringing her hands up as fists as if a promise of pain that was to come.
Gaara apparently considered the gesture amusing, and he snickered under his breath at her. Taking a deep breath to steady her barely perceptible shaking, Sakura willed the chakra around her feet to propel her body high up into the sky.
Without even glancing up at her, Gaara knew her trick. I'm not that stupid. Looking up straight into the sun to blind myself in combat. Feh.
Sakura plunged back down toward him and he side stepped to avoid the blow. She whipped her hands around him, palms flat and fingers pressed flat together like the blade of a knife. The energy that pulsed steady and constant around her hands remained strong and there was no sign of chakra straining on her face.
The intricate dance of her offensive, cutting motions with her hands as the blade and his dismissive, easy avoidance of her attacks continued for a few minutes. They parried and dodged in a hypnotic state, seeming to completely forget their purpose.
Until suddenly the sand from Gaara's gourd seeped out and slithered around Sakura. She saw the sand, but that was all. It caught her ankles, spread to her calves and thighs, and before she knew it, she was engulfed to her neck in the sand that reeked of blood.
"Damn," she hissed, struggling against the unnatural strength the sand possessed, momentarily taking her eyes off Gaara in her attempt to free herself. Realizing her error, she quickly looked back up only to find the space he had stood completely empty except for a slight swirling of sand as it settled on the ground.
Suddenly, warm air rushed against her ear as a quiet voice rasped close to her face, "Struggling suits you."
The layer of sand fell away from her body revealing two strong arms wrapped around her waist underneath. Surprised, Sakura craned her neck to look back at him. He stood pressed up behind her, arms around her either to confine or comfort. Though his height was short when compared to most men, it still allowed him at least a few inches above her.
"Gaara..." she demanded, indignant and perplexed by his actions. Sensing her rising temper and not quite understanding his own reasons for bridging the space between them, he roughly pushed away from her. Turning to face him, Sakura witnessed the emotional barrier as he rebuilt it to hide his own confusion.
His face was passive, uncaring, before she could get a good look at the bewildered expression. "What did you do that for?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Gaara muttered, slowly crossing his arms. The sand that had fallen limp to the ground writhed anxiously as he spoke. "People come into contact during sparring all the time. It's not a big deal."
"No," Sakura shook her head resolutely, "That was a big deal. I've seen you fight. You don't allow yourself to get into close contact in a fight. Very close combat is your weakness."
"Drop it already!" he snapped, eyes narrowing to a glower. "What I want to know is why are you relying on those pathetic hand-to-hand skills of yours! Your talent lies in chakra manipulation: so do us all a favor and learn some chakra moves."
Anger building up inside her, Sakura forced a false smile on her face. Gaara saw her masked irritation and smirked callously as she fought to quell her rage. Something within her mind broke under the heat of the anger and Sakura returned the sneaky smile as she said, "If you want to hug me, you don't need to be tricky about it. Here."
In a bluff, she took one step forward and stretched out her arms expectantly, the mocking grin still on her face. Gaara stood frozen in place, a caged expression on his face waiting just beneath his look of cool indifference. "Don't be shy."
Before anything violent could erupt, Lee's voice broke the guarded atmosphere between them. "Sakura-chan! I've bought you some lunch!"
Seeing the scene before him, Lee frowned and placed the bag full of food on the grassy ground, readying himself for a scuffle if necessary. Gaara never once took his suspicious gaze away from Sakura, even as Lee neared them. He was more afraid of Sakura's embrace than Lee's fists.
Finally, after a few more moments of tense silence, the sand whirled and twisted itself back into the gourd on his back and Gaara stared tersely at Lee. "Don't let me interrupt your picnic. I'm taking my break now."
With that, he strode away from the training grounds and out of sight. Sakura finally let her arms drop to her sides and exhaled a breath she did not remember holding. She rubbed at the spot of skin between her eyes that was furrowed with worry before Lee's kindness brought her back from the stupor Gaara had left her in. Turning to him with a tone of fake cheerfulness, she smiled, "Let's eat."