The Phantom of the Desert

(I don't own anything from Naruto or The Phantom of the Opera)

6. The Phantom's Desert

He stared at Hinata who was speechless beneath him.

"I can feel it. You don't feel the same way about me. Once you realized your angel was a monster, all love for him disappeared. You also love someone else…"

He was right. Hinata did love someone else. She loved Naruto. But her love for her angel had temporarily covered that up.

Butshe didn't feel the same way about Gaara.

"You're not a m-monster, Gaara."

He put his face closer to hers. His lips almost touched hers. She could feel his warm… hungry breath.

"Hinata, I want you so badly. But I don't want to hurt you. I thought I could share my world with you…"

He got off of her.

"I'm sorry I fooled you, Hinata."

In a whirlwind of sand, Gaara disappeared.

Hinata was left alone, under the night sky. She felt ashamed of herself and the tears that built up in her eyes were finally let go.

"I hurt him…"

---

Yes, she did hurt him. Just by feeling love for her, Gaara was put in a lot of pain.

Gaara had changed once again. This love he felt had changed his outlook on everything.

Hinata, Hinata, Hinata, Hinata, Hinata, Hinata...

Her name kept repeating itself in his head.

"But she doesn't love me…"

It hurt just thinking that and anger stirred in his eyes. He never did like being refused something. He clenched his fist so hard that his palms started to bleed.

"Gaara-kun? You're bleeding."

It was Lee.

"Ah, yes. It's this guy. I beat him at those chuunin exams and rescued him from that sick bone guy." Gaara thought.

Lee: "You haven't been acting like yourself ever since you got here."

"He always says things with a big stupid grin…" Gaara thought.

Gaara: "Hn."

Lee had seated himself beside Gaara on a bench that faced the 4 great hokages of the past.

Gaara: "Does love really make people so great?"

Lee was surprised by his question.

Lee: "Uh, well, yeah. That's what I think. Gai-sensei would agree on that too."

Gaara: "These people did great things for the people they loved and they were loved back. They even died out of love for their people."

Lee: "It was the Hokages' inspiration."

Gaara: "How can you work so hard for something that hurts?"

Lee was silent for awhile.

Lee: "That's how you know it's all worth it."

Lee said that with his good guy pose.

And Gaara gave him a small smile back.

Gai-sensei, Neji, and Tenten walked over to them.

Gaara: "I guess it'll have to seep in a bit more before I fully understand… Thank you, Lee."

Gaara disappeared in a whirlwind of sand.

Neji: "What did he want, Lee?"

Lee: "Nothing. Just talking to a friend."

Gai-sensei smiled at his pupil.

---

Hinata woke up late for training. But she didn't care.

"I have to find Gaara."

---

The Hokage's office was full of ninjas again. This time they were reporting annoying things such as leaks in the pipes, bug infestations, and complaints on Naruto's big mouth.

All the genins, chuunins, and jounins were there making petty complaints.

Gaara and his siblings just watched. But Gaara had an amused smile on his face. In the back of his mind, he wondered where Hinata was.

Seeing the smile on their brother's face, Temari and Kankuro had to both agree: He has definitely changed.

BAM!

Hinata barged into the Hokage's office.

Kiba and Shino: "Hinata?"

She was still wearing her nightgown. (She had jumped straight out of bed and ran towards the Hokage's office.)

Hinata: "Gaara…"

Gaara backed away.

Gaara: "Uh…."

Tears started to fall from Hinata's eyes.

Everyone was giving Gaara strange looks.

Kiba: "WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU, HINATA?"

Akamaru: "GRRR…"

Shino also looked mad.

Gaara: "Please, Hinata… don't…"

He ran towards an open window but Hinata cut him off and wrapped her arms around his chest.

Hinata: "Gaara!"

She sobbed even harder.

Temari: "Gaara… what did you do to this girl?"

Kankuro was smirking in a corner.

Gaara: "I-I-I-I…"

Nobody had ever seen him panic.

Gaara looked towards Lee for a little help. But he just gave him the good guy pose with a wink.

Gaara: "DON'T GIVE ME THAT NOW! THAT'S NOT HELPING!"

Neji stepped forward.

Neji: "Hinata, let him go."

But Hinata ignored him and looked at Gaara.

Hinata: "I-I-I'm sorry, Gaara. I never meant to hurt you…"

Gaara wrapped his arms around her and talked gently to her.

Gaara: "Don't be. It's not your fault. It's mine. I was the one who fell in love with you-"

He turned to face the other ninjas in the room. All eyes stared at him with surprised expressions. Gaare couldn't be any more red.

Gaara: "Damn…"

He held onto Hinata tightly and a whirlwind of sand carried them out of the room together.

---

Hinata opened her eyes. The sun was setting over the desert's endless sand. She was lying on the cool sand next to Gaara who anxiously waited for the night sky.

Hinata: "Did I faint again?"

Gaara turned to look at her. He took in the beauty of her sweet face before nodding.

They both stared at the night sky silently for half an hour.

Hinata looked at Gaara's bare hand that gently laid on the white sand. Her fingers slowly inched closer to his hand.

Gaara saw this and took her hand in his.

Hinata blushed.

Gaara looked inventively at her.

"I wish you were mine…" he said silently to her.

She stared back in confusion. He just smiled at her.

"G-Gaara… I was w-wondering… you know… m-maybe… if y-you want to… we can b-b-be-"

"friends?"

Hinata nodded.

Gaara nodded back with a smile. But his eyes had a sad twinkle in them.

Gaara moved closer to her and sang the last part of the song. Hinata drifted into a world of dreams.

Floating, falling,
sweet intoxication!
Touch me, trust me
savor each sensation!
Let the dream begin,
let your darker side give in
to the power of the music that I write -
the power of the music of the night . . .

Hinata slept comfortably beside Gaara who stroked a strand of hair off her face.

He still had so much to tell her… so he sang to her in her dreams.

Say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
Lead me, save me
from my solitude . . .
Say you want me
with you,
here beside you . . .
Anywhere you go
let me go too -

He kissed her gently on the cheek.

Hinata,
that's all I ask of you. . .