The Phantom of the Desert

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

7. The Phantom's Friend

"You did it again, you perverted idiot!" he yelled inside himself.

Yes, after taking Hinata back to her room, he changed her into her nightgown… again. Even though she was already wearing her nightgown, it had sand and dirt on it. So he put another one on her.

He knew he deserved a billion slaps for repeating the same action but he didn't really regret it at all.

Inside, he knew that Hinata belonged to him in a way that nobody else could have her. After all, he was her angel.

They were friends… but they both knew there would always be something more between them.

That made Gaara smile.

Before leaving his room, he put his mask on.

The sun was rising over the buildings of Konoha. Gaara was on his way to the public Hot Springs. When he arrived there, he found a spring that was far away from the others so he could be alone.

He leaned his head against a rock and let all the warm water soak his body.

Gaara did look evil most of the time. But there at the hot springs, he looked like a heavenly god. Wearing only a towel around his waist and his mask on his face, his bare body was very attractive. His red hair was moist and hung around his dark eyes. The night sky still twinkled in his eyes during that early morning.

He was so relaxed. The calm noise of the waterfall, the warm water on his skin, Hinata on his mind…

So he sang to himself in a powerful voice. It was incomparable to any other. So much emotion and strength… deep inside he was a true phantom…

Down once more
to the dungeon
of my black despair!
Down we plunge
to the prison
of my mind!
Down that path
into darkness
deep as hell!
Why, you ask,
was I bound and chained
in this cold and dismal place?
Not for any
mortal sin, but the
wickedness of
my abhorrent f-

He had lifted his head had saw Naruto and some other male ninjas around his age staring at him.

Lee was clapping.

Gaara: "Thank you… I guess."

The boys joined Gaara in the same hot spring but kept a little distance… well except for Lee. He went over to Gaara with starry eyes.

Lee: "I never knew you could sing! You were incredible, Gaara-kun!"

Gaara had to smile at the compliment. But he was still uncomfortable knowing these people knew his feelings for Hinata.

And he knew they were all thinking about it. They didn't trust him.

Gaara: "If you have anything to say to me… say it."

He said the last two words with a death glare.

Neji just gave him a death glare back.

Neji: "I don't want you messing around with the Hyuuga heiress."

He kind of hissed at Gaara when he said "heiress."

Shino: "If you ever hurt Hinata…we'll take our chances and come after you."

Kiba was growling under his breath.

None of the other ninjas liked the idea of "helpless little Hinata" being around Gaara.

Lee: "Guys, Gaara is a good guy. He would nev-"

Gaara's insane anger was boiling inside him but he still had a calm grinning face on accenting his mask. But he had to say something.

Gaara: "None of you will ever see what I see in Hinata. She needs me…………. like I need her…"

Gaara's face wasn't grinning anymore. The sad lonely part of the phantom showed through.

Gaara: "You have nothing to worry about. She doesn't love me anyways."

He took a glimpse of Naruto who was carefully listening.

Gaara was tired of talking to them. He laid his head back on the rock. There was a long silence between the boys.

Then Gaara lifted his head all of a sudden.

The other ninjas were surprised to see a gentle smiling Gaara looking at them.

Gaara: "Good morning, Hinata."

Behind a bamboo wall adjacent the boys' hot spring, there was a hot spring for girls. Hinata had just entered.

Hinata: "G-Gaara-kun?" She blushed. "G-Good morning to you as well."

Hinata remembered that she was wearing a different nightgown when she woke up that morning. She followed the place of his voice and sat next to the bamboo wall to be closer to him.

It was the only thing separating Gaara from Hinata.

Gaara saw Hinata's hand under the water. He touched her hand. She didn't even know that she had slipped her hand under the bamboo wall.

Gaara: "Your friends are here as well…"

All the other ninjas said good morning to Hinata. She blushed and said good morning to them all.

Hinata: "I hope they're all being nice to you, Gaara-kun."

Gaara: "Don't worry. We're just getting to know one another."

Everyone noticed the way he spoke to her in a calm, assuring tone.

Gaara: "So, Hinata, what did you dream about last night?"

Hinata: "How d-did you know I was dreaming last night?"

Gaara: "You were twitching the whole time I was…"

"Wait I can't tell them I changed her clothes for her." Gaara thought quickly.

Gaara: "…bringing you home."

Hinata: "I had a dream about the P-Phantom."

Kiba: "What Phantom?"

Hinata told the others about the story of the Phantom of the Opera through the bamboo mat. When she was done telling the story, all eyes were on Gaara and his mask.

Shikamaru: "I guess it suits Gaara in a way…"

Neji: "Where did the two of you go yesterday anyways?"

Gaara: "Somewhere dark where we could be all alone…" he grinned.

Hinata: "Gaara-kun! Stop fooling them. We just went to the d-desert."

Naruto: "That's far!"

Hinata chuckled."Yes."

Gaara noticed something at that moment. Hinata didn't stutter when Naruto spoke to her.

Gaara: "Interesting…"

Lee: "What's interesting?"

Gaara: "Oh nothing. I just thought maybe I should come to the hot springs more often."

---

All the young ninjas left the hot spring together. Hinata walked beside Gaara who led the way. All the other young boys were interested in their business.

Gaara turned around to face them.

Gaara: "Don't you guys have some training or something?"

Kiba: "Hinata is our friend. We can't leave her alone with you."

Gaara: "Oh you mean like for the past four nights?"

He grinned with an evil smile and put his arms around Hinata.

SMACK!

Temari's fan had just hit Gaara's head.

Temari and Kankuro stood beside Gaara who held Hinata.

Temari: "You get your grimy hands off that poor innocent girl now!"

Gaara: "Temari, I-"

Kankuro was smirking once again.

Kankuro: "What did you mean by "past four nights", little bro?"

It was Gaara's turn to hit someone. He piled a ton of sand on his older brother.

Gaara: "Hinata is my friend. Nothing more, nothing less… right, Hinata?"

Hinata nodded and smiled.

Gaara: "I guess… since you're all Hinata's friends and you two are my siblings… I'll treat you guys to breakfast at a restaurant. But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

Everyone was amazed, even Hinata. All their moods lifted in the positive direction and they all started to talk about where to eat.

Hinata was standing beside Gaara.

"I love you, Hinata. I always will." He whispered in her ear.

She looked at Gaara who smiled gently.

Hinata: "Gaara-"

Chouji: "Barbeque it is!"

Everyone started to walk to the restaurant.

Gaara still stared back at Hinata for awhile before tugging her hand to come along.

"Angel…"