WHEN THE SAND CRUMBLES
Redcloudangel
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or its characters (applied to all chapters)
GENRE: Romance, Adventure/Action, Light Humor, Light Angst
WARNING: Spoilers, Shounen Ai, perverted jutsus and cursed seals.
Bold italics: letter (this chapter)
Italics: flashback, emphasis
'Single quotation italics': thought
"Double quotation": speech
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PROLOGUE
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Dear Gaara Sama,
The rescue was a failure. He has become inhumanly strong.
Time is running out. The Elders are disturbingly concerned. In about three months, Orochimaru will take over his body. Everyone worries that after this 'take over', the Snake Nin will lead another attack on Konoha. The merge represents a serious threat to our village, menacing international peace. It is unconceivable what will happen if the last Sharingan falls into the hands of Orochimaru.
Konoha is determined to prevent the merge at whatever costs, including killing him. He's now officially declared a missing nin and in unprecedented danger. Tsunade will not let me go after him anymore. They are not giving him another chance. They are not giving me another chance.
I feel like such a loser, like what he used to call me. I cannot protect the person who is most precious to me. He is the one from whom his acknowledgement I am seeking. He is the one I admire most. I trained so hard. Yet I have not been able to convince him or take him back. The thoughts of losing him is like being stabbed by a thousand kunais, with each cut leaving a deeper scar of desperation.
I am not giving up on him. Never. I will save him with or without Konoha's support.
The only support I need is you.
Since Akatsuki extracted out Shukaku, you have trained hard and become so powerful. I believe if my new techniques are backed by your formidable sand jutsus, we will be unstoppable.
I know I am asking a lot. You are the only one I can trust. You are my only chance.
Gaara, will you join me to retrieve him?
Uzumaki Naruto
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Gaara wrinkled the letter in his hand.
'Him him him him him. Is Naruto insane? NO! Why should I save that little unappreciative bastard who really deserves to die? He's selfish, ego centric, arrogant, hateful, blind and full of bull. He betrayed his own village and voluntarily sold his soul to the devil for power. And, he almost killed Naruto!'
Gaara let out a "Hnrh."
'If I could, I would tear him into pieces, suck up his blood and rape him a thousand times.'
Gaara let out another "Hnrh."
It was quite a few years ago when Gaara first met 'him' at the Chunin Exam. The raven haired boy was aloofly sitting on a tree branch, half bored half entertained with a confrontation between Naruto and Kankuro a short distance away. His slender fingers were playing with a couple small rocks. Suddenly, a deadly glare was shot at Gaara's direction. Gaara's heart skipped a beat. He did not expect meeting such beautiful bloodthirsty eyes. The charcoal orbs were as deep as the galaxy, sparkled with immersed murderous intent resembling Gaara's own.
"You, what's your name?"
"Me?" Temari turned around, face flushing with a light shade of red.
"No. The one with the gourd."
"Gaara of the Desert." Gaara said. "I am curious of yours."
"Uchiha Sasuke."
A gust of wind current emerged in, encircled the young ninjas with strange aurora. Leaves and sand were mingling and kissing in the air. It was like time rolling back to the formation of the universe where they knew each other. Where basic instincts equaled survival.
Their bloodthirsty eyes shamelessly assaulted each other, scrutinized each other and caressed each other. Gaara's blood was boiling, drowning in its intensity. Instantly, he became obsessed with the dark haired avenger. He achingly desired the Uchiha blood to confirm his existence. He wanted so much to spill it, smear it, and bathe in it.
He wanted to kill. He lived to kill.
"Uchiha Sasuke…" Gaara shattered the letter into tiny particles.
To a certain extent, Gaara envied the Uchiha heir. Everyone in Konoha looked up to him, loved him, and admired him. And, the Sharingan prodigy was his Naruto's most precious person. Gaara wanted to be Naruto's most precious person.
Gaara threw the shattered letter into the air, which self-destructed with sparkling flames.
Emerald eyes were dazed with amusement. The extinguishing letter was just like Sasuke burning off his life, self destructive, sparkling and evaporating.
Why? Gaara could not understand. Sasuke got the whole world on top of him, well loved and admired by all. Why would he forgo love and seek hatred?
He raised his hand in front of his chest, molding chakra towards the diminishing flames. The faded flames were revived and once again daringly blinking in the air.
He could save him, or he could let him evaporate.
If he saved him, he would be desperate. If he let him evaporate, Naruto would be desperate.
He is the one I admire most. The thought of losing him is like being stabbed by a thousand kunais, with each cut leaving a deeper scar of desperation.
Uzumaki Naruto…
Gaara first met Naruto at the Chunin exam as well. The hyper ninja got lovely blue eyes like the clear sky and golden hair like the sunshine. Somehow Naruto was transparent during Gaara's earlier encounters.
"You must be dying to learn my name." Said Naruto.
"I could have care less." Said Gaara.
Naruto turned out to be Gaara's guardian angel. Despite being a demon vessel and living a lonely childhood like Gaara, Naruto always radiated the brightest energy of life. The red hair Kazekage recalled how Naruto interrupted his fight with Sasuke when he was launching a fatal strike, changing forever his life. Naruto showed Gaara one could become strong because he had important people to protect.
Naruto saved Gaara the second time when Akatsuki captured him, extracted Shukaku and sucked out his life force. Naruto refused to give up on him. Gaara was one of Naruto's precious persons, maybe just not as precious as Sasuke. Gaara gave out a small sigh.
The gratitude that Gaara harbored for Naruto overtime turned into admiration. Gaara never had the courage to confess his feelings. It was quite obvious that his crush had this apparent obsession over a certain raven haired avenger.
'Damn Uchiha. I should have killed you at the chunin exam.' Gaara pinched the shattered flames of the letter with his fingers.
Since the raven haired beauty left Honoha to seek ultimate power, Gaara had been visiting Konoha on occasions, to strengthen diplomatic relations, and to enjoy Naruto's companionship. The subjects of their conversations were unfortunately limited. All Naruto could talk about was Sasuke. All he wanted was Sasuke.
'I wish Itachi didn't leave a survivor.' He extinguished the last sparkle from the letter, slightly taken back by his own dark thoughts.
Gaara's lips graced up slightly. Naruto acknowledged him. Since Akatsuki extracted out Shukaku, you have trained hard and become so powerful. Gaara indeed had become quite powerful, as what one could expect from a kazekage. He even helped Naruto with the Hydro Chamber Jutsu, which was precisely calculated to defeat the Sharingan prodogy.
Although the Uchiha was not one of his precious persons, he definitely was one of the most precious opponents. With his speed, power, grace, intensity and fame (or flame), defeating the mighty Sasuke would be wholly gratifying.
Gaara had the image of a beautiful raven haired boy trapped in his new sand jutsus, crying to be set free.
"Shit!" That thought turned him on. Kazekage was not into bondage stuff!
"Damn Uchiha!" His pants were getting tight. 'Think think... Think.'
You are the only one I can trust. You are my only chance.
Gaara was all melted. How could he decline Naruto's request? How could he pass the opportunity to trounce Sasuke? Gaara knew Naruto was determined to revisit Otogakure, with or without Konoha's support, with or without his support.
'I will do anything for Naruto, including saving the fucking bastard, although,' Gaara's smirk turned malicious, 'I cannot guarantee absence of accidental fatal assaults.'
Another hand sign, the letter that was once evaporated in the air reappeared in his hand. Gaara read it one more time as he walked towards his desk.
Gaara, will you join me to retrieve him?
After gently setting the letter on his desk, Gaara picked up a pen to write out his response.
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To Be Continued
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A/N: Next chapter we should see Sasuke and have the fateful confrontation. Any constructive criticisms or suggestions?
Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and reviewing.
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REVIEW COMMENTS: I'm thinking this is a good place for it since future readers may have similar questions. Thank you for taking the time to review this story. "It is readers that create the writer." I really appreciate it.
Kita.Ky0ko – Wow, my first reviewer. Thank you for giving this story a chance and saying that you will read the story regardless of the pairing. Thank you so very much.
Sabaku no Emi – I'm glad you like it so far. Thanks for your kind words and I'll do my best.
ching1 – Yes GaaraSasu. Thanks for your review. ItaSasu is one of my all time favorites. You'll enjoy the star guest in chapter two. Smiles.
Kawaii-Aikurushii-Kitsune – Thank you for being the first one to put this story in a C2. Gaara Sasu Naru all have a dominant role in this story. They are my top five anime characters in Naruto.
demonreflections – Thank you so much for your elaborate comments. Gaara rules in this story, most of the time. Smiles.
CherryStar – I'm glad you like this story. Thanks for the review.
BlackChaosMelvin –I'm glad you like the story and put it in your faves list. Thanks you for the review.
xxkunoichixx – Thanks. Another confrontation is coming up. Hope you like it.
Red.C.Demon – There will be GaaNaru moments too. Thanks.
hernameisnobody – I like to experiment on things and glad that you like the set up. Thanks for your compliment.
DeViLBOY – Very interesting review. Okay, challenge accepted. I'll do my best to balance romance and action. Thanks for the review and the challenge.
Fading Fantasies – I'm glad you enjoyed reading this chapter. I hope you enjoy future chapters as well.
dorogon – Thanks for your review. It got cut off so I did not get what it meant to say.
Midnight Fallacy – Thanks for the kind comments. It made me blush.
blisblop – I certainly will take your suggestion to keep Gaara's pants tight. It may take a couple more chapters to get the to the actions. Thanks for the review. smiles
SasukeReflection – My grammar and spellings are not that great. Every time I review my work I usually find something not quite right. Please do let me know and I'll go back to correct the mistakes. Thank you for your constructive criticism and saying it in such a nice way.
Aveda – You wanted bondage? Let me see if will fit into this story or not, maybe in the later chapters. That little bit of tension was intentional. Smiles.
Mirandaylau – About Sasuke's cursed seal info, I have taken it out from my profile. That might give away the story too much. Thanks for your input and the review.
silent.thunders – Writing is an artistic form of expression for me. I'm glad you liked the subtle messages I tried to incorporate through the letter. Thanks for the review.