Beta'd by MindTrash
Chapter Sixty-five
Sakura's return home is a quiet one even when accompanied by Kankuro, Temari, and Matsuri. The group says nothing to one another, instead all eyes look up towards the top level of where Gaara had been taken by the medics. For the rosette, her lips remained shut as questions swam around her mind.
"Gaara-sama," Matsuri breathes before making an attempt towards the stairs that led to Gaara's room.
The brunette's movement causes Sakura to suddenly speak up, and she does so with a bitter sounding snap.
"Who tried to kill Gaara?!"
Sakura's cry stops Matsuri in her tracks, but the woman's answer is a distasteful hiss while clenching her fists. The rosette does not move or flinch when Matsuri rounds on her spot while her menacing eyes flash in Sakura's direction.
"You..." She growls before approaching Sakura.
The roseate simply narrows her eyes in turn, but it doesn't stop Kankuro and Temari from stepping forward to shield Sakura.
"Show some respect to the one who just saved Gaara's life," Kankuro speaks up towards Matsuri. "You know?" He adds mockingly.
Temari adds her two-cents in as well.
"Go cool off, Matsuri." The blonde advises. "There is a lot we need to discuss later. Don't bother Gaara or the medics right now."
Even if Matsuri feels she owes nothing to Sakura, she does owe an explanation to at least his siblings. No doubt their concern matches Sakura's own; questioning as to where Gaara was, why he was attacked, and by who. Probably through exhaustion of her own, Matsuri deflates instantly; and she merely scowls in Sakura's direction before trudging away.
Matsuri's exit is forgotten once Kankuro and Temari look at one another with an identical thought.
"One of us should go check up on him," Temari speaks up. "Who knows if it's Gaara up there, or..."
Temari can't even finish her sentence, and her face pales as she trembles in place.
"The medics should have it under control, you know," Kankuro speaks up. "They, uh, he... Gaara, we should probably just... let him rest for the night."
Silence follows, but it is clear to Sakura and Kankuro that emotions run high when Temari is suddenly fighting to hold back frightened tears.
"Oi..." Kankuro groans, and he grows disheveled at the distraught demeanor that his sister is carrying suddenly. "Don't be scared. Everything will be alright, you know?"
Sakura's heart sinks as she watches Temari's tears fall harder, and the young woman frantically bubbles at her brother with a whine.
"What if it's quiet up there... because they are all dead?" Temari asks quietly through her tears.
It's a sick, dark thought, but sad in the eyes of the rosette for she knows how true those words can be. Worst yet, if Temari's first thoughts are that of the deceased caused by Gaara, just how many times has the blonde witnessed such an act for it to be the norm in her mind? It dawns on Sakura then that Temari's emotions grow rampant, like a building wave, because of the stress and worry of Gaara's capability.
'Gaara's power may scare her,' Sakura reminds herself of Temari. 'But the death of one her brothers would destroy her.'
"Gaara will be alright," Sakura speaks calmly to Temari. "I'll speak to a medic later to make sure Gaara is behaving and resting."
Sakura even offers her a faint smile, if only to reassure a broken, emotional woman who still puts the care of others before her. Sakura can respect that of Temari, and even adds more when she sees the blonde struggling to hold back her tears.
"You should rest, Temari. I'm sure Naruko is waiting for you."
Temari agrees to Sakura's suggestion with a feverish nod, embarrassed to be seen with wet eyes. The blonde does not leave until she straightens herself, and stands tall in front of Sakura. She gives the rosette a low bow, surprising Sakura before speaking.
"Sakura-sama, thank you... for saving my lord- my brother, Gaara!"
Temari doesn't look Sakura in the eyes, nor does she wait for a reply before realigning herself properly, and rushes her steps towards the direction of her room where she can hide her tears in peace. She leaves behind Sakura and Kankuro in a pair, and the two are silent; making sure Temari is out of earshot before the two round on each other.
"You have to know something!" Sakura suddenly snaps at Kankuro. "Where did Gaara go?"
She hisses that last word, and even though her eyes stare accusingly at Kankuro, he reflects back the same agitated look before Sakura is caught off-guard by his next accusation.
"Oi..." He uses his tone as a warning. "You know, it seems like you're the one hiding something here."
Sakura's eyes widen when Kankuro mimics Gaara's maddening stare while he begins circling her. His real eye grows ever darker the more his focus remains on the rosette.
"I don't understand what you mean," Sakura innocently tells him.
Yet, it dawns on her what the brunette is suggesting right before he explains it.
"You told me your chakra was draining. That the seal on your back was killing you..." Kankuro's words are spat and hissed affliction.
The rosette only begins to worry when Kankuro's circling ends with him toe to toe in front of her. He takes a threatening step towards Sakura, and the rosette finds herself being backed into a corner. Where she worried Gaara was the only one capable of doing this, Sakura is now experiencing what an enemy of Kankuro's could garner.
"I did not lie," Sakura retaliates. "I can't explain why it came back when it did, but I had no control over it. It just came when I needed it, and left once Gaara woke up."
Her words do not stop Kankuro's slow, dark advance.
"So, you're telling me you're powerless right now?" Kankuro asks with twist of his neck, cracking it as it bent.
Sakura says nothing, but the brunette's ominous tone does not ease his eyes or hinder his steps. It's bad enough to experience these moments with Gaara, and she doesn't know how long she can last if Kankuro can do the same. So, she tries a different approach.
"Don't call me powerless, when if I called to him right now he would be here before you could lay a hand on me."
This stops Kankuro in his steps, and where he once leered down at Sakura in revulsion his face now just looks mildly taken aback. They both know Sakura speaks the truth when it comes to her calling out to Gaara. If only Kankuro could recognize the truth behind her words then surely he should be more understanding of her reasoning. Alas, Kankuro remains silent until Sakura speaks again.
"Be grateful I had my power in that moment to resuscitate, and help Gaara," Sakura spits back.
She is the one often cornered in this home, but she fights back the most when others would see it as no way out. She is beginning to understand the power of her voice. Sakura's eyes widen when the hand of Kankuro slowly reaches for her. She keeps her agitated eyes firm on Kankuro, but the brunette stares only in the direction of his hand.
'Is he testing me?' Sakura wonders as Kankuro's touch draws ever closer.
Menacing as he can be, Sakura's lips are sealed even when the brunette's hand touches her face, and cups her cheek. When Kankuro's eyes meet back with Sakura, his hand still warm on her cheek, the pair are silent. Kankuro's thumb strokes Sakura's skin gently before the brunette pulls away.
"Sakura," He whispers before walking past her.
As he does so he gives the back of her shoulder a small pat.
"I forget I shouldn't doubt you," He whispers at her. "Only the real Sakura would have saved Gaara."
Sakura's eyes stay narrow to Kankuro's claim. She knows the assassins that had used her appearance would have celebrated Gaara's death, but she is still partially struggling; wondering if she has done the world good with her decision tonight.
"We can talk more about it later," He adds before the sound of steps signal his departure.
Sakura doesn't turn or speak, but she does listen when Kankuro's steps stop.
"You know..." The puppeteer's voice sliced through the silence. "It would probably be best if you left Gaara alone for now."
Sakura is slightly confused by this. Surely, the siblings would want the one person with some medical knowledge in the household to check in on the damaged redhead.
"You know how he is," Kankuro mutters. "When a full moon comes around."
Sakura's eyes widen as Kankuro basically mimics Shukaku's warning. In her mind the vision of a young Gaara fighting with Sakura for a vial of blood plays out. Is she being hinted to now that Gaara's erratic emotions, and bewildering actions during a full moon have grown uncontrollable since his childhood?
'I shouldn't be surprised,' Sakura glumly thinks.
Yet, the foreboding feeling grows stronger as Kankuro makes a suggestion.
"I'll speak to Gaara, but maybe we can take you with us when that time comes. He usually orders us to leave the home."
Those words should scare her. The suggestions should frighten her. She should be agreeing with Kankuro, and yet her silence is not out of caution, but rather her own curiosity over what exactly happens to Gaara during a full moon.
"I'll keep my distance for now," Sakura assures Kankuro. "His medical team should be better help than I can be at this point."
With Sakura's chakra gone, once again, the rosette is able to admit her shortcomings. Not to mention, Shukaku should be using his own prowess to heal Gaara.
Kankuro nods, acknowledging the rosette before his steps start their trek.
"If you need anything, Sakura," Kankuro adds. "You know where I'll be."
Sakura shudders when she recalls the cages near Kankuro's room, and of Naruko's claim that he holds prisoners to experiment on. However, something else strikes Sakura as odd.
'He did not thank me for saving Gaara,' Sakura thinks.
The roseate twists her lips in wonder, but in the end she tries not to dwell on such a thing. Everyone is tired, and anxious over the night's events. Matsuri even passed her without any gratitude for saving the man she vows to love after all.
"I suppose I should rest too," Sakura admits to herself.
Yet, as she slowly treads her way towards her room, her mind is bombarded with questions.
How did her chakra return when she needed it most, only to disappear once again? Who hurt Gaara this badly, and why? She was led to believe Gaara was a powerful person in this world, and yet he returned home with a gaping hole in his chest. Also, for a creature whose existence is solely to destroy, why did Shukaku warn her about the full moon?
Sakura grasps the railing leading up the stairs with a tight grip. She does this because she feels her legs turn sluggish, and her mind grow foggy. Then her biggest question comes to her-
'What will happen now?'
At the top of the stairs, Sakura freezes as she catches sight of someone standing in front of Gaara's door. Her heart drops once she recognizes the familiar blonde girl, and Sakura remains quiet studying the figure.
Naruko waits in front of Gaara's door adjacent to Sakura's room, and simply stands there in silence while staring at the wooden threshold with a blank look. It's only when the blonde woman takes notice of Sakura does she move, and with a smile spreading across her face. At the sight of the bubbly blonde, Sakura's heart drops and then races.
'You saved Gaara,' Sakura thinks to herself. 'but at what cost? Naruto's life?'
Sakura saved the little friend she hopes is still inside Gaara, but now recalls that same person threatens the livelihood of the person who approaches her. It makes Sakura the first to speak once Naruko is close enough.
"You need to leave or hide with Temari," Sakura hisses quietly towards Naruko. "If he were to find out who you are..."
Sakura can't even bring herself to say it aloud, and it troubles her more when Naruko simply looks on at Sakura with a reassuring smile.
"It's fine," Naruko nonchalantly waves at the roseate. "I was just wondering what's going on in there."
So much to be spoken and said, yet speaking sounds more like a burden at the moment. Not to mention, the hallway that leads to Gaara's room is not ideal for secretive chatter.
"I think if you hadn't done what you did, he would have died," Naruko suddenly speaks up.
Sakura's eyes widen at this information, honestly surprised.
"You saw?" Sakura questions in disbelief. "How?"
The blonde says nothing, and only keeps her smile on Sakura before passing the rosette to make way down the stairs.
"Let's talk later, Sakura-chan," Naruko laughs at the roseate.
Naruko pauses for a moment, dwelling in a light thought before she tells Sakura in a quiet but weighty tone.
"I... might have a favor to ask of you."
Before Sakura can ask, Naruko's grin returns, and she holds her smile at the rosette even while racing down the stairs.
"But, let's save it for another day. You look exhausted right now."
Sakura can't disagree, she is dying woman after all, but her curiosities always spark something in her. Her drive to solve and fix the issues at hand are what keep her going strong. She wants to know what her blonde friend needs of her, no doubt it revolves around Gaara and Naruto's own well-being, but the blonde scurries away before Sakura can protest for Naruto to elaborate.
'What could he need me for?' Sakura wonders as her eyes turn towards Gaara's door.
Sakura takes a few steps, and plants herself in the same spot Naruko was just moments ago. Sakura stares blankly at the door leading to Gaara's room. She stays quiet; listening and trying to sense what activity is going on in there, but all she hears is the pattering of rain hitting the roof and windows.
'Gaara,' Sakura thinks.
The image of the redhead brings worry and concern for Sakura, and once she recognizes this she takes a cautionary step away from the door. While she can justify worrying for the little boy Gaara once was, what troubles her heart now is that it's the image of Gaara in his current form that swims through her thoughts. She is not ready to admit that she was frightened at the thought of losing this twisted version of the redhead.
'He is an awful man now,' Sakura reminds herself.
Yet, she is taking cautious steps away from his room, because it scares her that she wants nothing more than to run in and check on him. Eventually Sakura rushes into her own room before she can act on impulse, and convinces herself to-
'Go to bed,' The roseate demands this of herself as she settles and drags her own back against her locked door. 'His medical team has it under control.'
Sakura makes her way to her bed; it's inviting, dusty cushions beckon her to sink in. Before she indulges on rest, Sakura does stop to stare out her dark and rainy window. Her eyes dance about to catch sight of light within the sky as Shukaku's warning rings in her mind.
"A full moon is coming," Sakura sighs, unsure what it implies.
Something she would disapprove of, she assumes without doubt. Yet, she does recall Kankuro mentioning that they leave Gaara to his own devices at that time, so she may not even be a witness to it. Sakura crawls into her bed, and buries herself under a weighty blanket. As she lays her head on her pillow, more thoughts come to her.
'Why would Shukaku warn me?' She wonders. 'Doesn't he hate humans? He is probably relishing over what Gaara has become.'
Maybe she had mistaken the Ichibi's tone. Perhaps, the sand demon was gloating in her face while he had the opportunity. As Sakura's eyes grow heavy, one more thought comes to her before she succumbs to her comfortable bed's charm. A question that constantly comes to her.
'How did this future happen?'
It's always the sound of crying that haunts her when she sleeps. Wailing tears echo around her as she stands in complete darkness. She wants to stop them. Sakura wants to help whoever it is. She wants to ease that troubled heart.
Yet…
The familiarity of the situation leads her to believe that…
'I've stopped these tears before,' She thinks as the crying continues around her.
Her eyes scour the darkness around her, but she sees no one, and nothing. She winces when the tears turn into screams,
'A child,' Sakura recognizes.
The silent language of grief rings louder, and Sakura just swallows hard as her eyes continue to look and search. It's all so familiar to her, even this darkness. Suddenly, the tears stop, and instead a child's voice speaks out. Quiet, shy, as it speaks a familiar question that Sakura knows she has answered before.
"Why are monsters always the bad guys?"
Sakura awakes in shock, and with beads of cold sweat damping her skin. Eyes wide, the room is still dark even with sunlight peeking through the curtains. Her senses tell her it's morning, and in turn she'd be reassured she had slept decently to this point. If taking a moment, she may be able to recall her dream and place a scenario to it. A reason as to why she visited a moment in the past.
Instead, something else steals her awareness.
There is extra weight on the other side of her bed, and Sakura is pretty sure she knows who the culprit is. Still, she has to be sure, and slowly rolls to her other side to come face to face with the other occupant of the bed. She blinks at his closed, dark-skinned eyes. His red hair is messy on a pillow, leading her to believe he has been here for quite some time.
'How did I not notice him until now?' Sakura wonders, but again places the blame to her tired body.
His place next to her doesn't shock or surprise her, and she continues to lay there next to him while studying him. She does grow mildly surprised once she realizes that his breathing is coming out long and evenly.
'He's…. asleep?' Sakura wonders.
There's a rush in her heart suddenly. Gaara isn't suppose to fall asleep, yet he does so now peacefully, and looks undisturbed. Sakura does eventually relax herself, noting that Shukaku has not taken over Gaara's sleeping form. But then, there's another question suddenly scratching at Sakura's mind.
'Did Shukaku even give Gaara back his body?'
If Sakura were to stir him awake, she isn't sure whose eyes she'd meet. The rosette lifts herself up and out of her bed, and watches Gaara in hopes that her small commotion will wake him. When it doesn't, and the redhead lays perfectly still, Sakura slowly makes her way around to his side of the bed, and stops just short of where he lays. Sakura stands there, silently studying him. As a weight sags her shoulders, Sakura looks at Gaara dismally.
'Did I do the right thing?' She wonders to herself while staring at the young man she helped save. 'I did what a friend would do for a friend.'
She justifies her own reasoning, because Sakura knows any awful outcome to happen from this point on will place her in a partially blamed position. She is letting the guilt consume her too much, all because she has refused to give up one of the biggest rules they are taught as ninja.
Cast aside your emotions.
Sakura brings her solemn face closer to Gaara's, studying him silently in wonder of who is in control of his body. Her eyes traced downwards to his abdomen, mildly surprised to see it bandaged with some red that had soaked through the layers of white.
'He isn't healed?' She wonders before her eyes return to his face.
It's then that the rosette takes a deep breath, and steadies herself. She may be prodding at a beast now, but that doesn't scare Sakura from lightly calling out a name.
"Gaara," She whispers while continuing to look at the redhead's face.
Gaara's eyes open instantaneously to Sakura's call, as if he wasn't even really asleep. Sakura doesn't pull back when she recognizes the teal in Gaara's gaze, and their eyes stay connected with each other.
"Sakura," Gaara croaks lightly.
His voice sounds drained, and Sakura can now see a fatigue darkening his eyes further. She is, however, grateful that it is Gaara's voice and eyes that she is greeted with rather than Shukaku's.
As Sakura puts distance between them, Gaara begins to claw at the blankets to slowly pull himself out of bed.
"Don't go," He begs Sakura drowsily. "Stay with me."
It's only when he attempts to actually stand from the bed does Sakura take a seat next to him on the mattress.
"Where would I even go?" The rosette reminds him with an apathetic look.
Gaara takes in Sakura's expression, he understands her message well enough, but her reply has him sinking back down onto Sakura's pillows and blankets.
"From here," He rephrases. "I do not want you to leave my side."
A selfish request, but Sakura remembers that Gaara was nearly in death's hold. The rosette understands what sort of dependency will probably consume the redhead now knowing how close he was to loosing everything. So Sakura remains quiet as Gaara closes his eyes once again.
There is so much the rosette wants to ask, but she waits on the redhead. She is curious to see if Gaara will bring up the topic himself. Will he reveal to her where he went, why, and who he had been attacked by. Or does she, once again, need to pester and pry Gaara into revealing more than he ever chooses to do with her?
"I thought I was going to die," Gaara eventually whispers while reopening his eyes.
His stare finds the ceiling this time while Sakura keeps her sight trained on him.
"The last thing I remember," He begins to say. "is knowing I just had to get back to you."
Sakura blinks rapidly to this.
"Because you knew I practice medicine?" She questions. "You are a fool for not adding a medic-nin on your team. No matter how untouchable you think you are you should always-"
"No," Gaara speaks up while shaking his head.
He stops Sakura's lecture so he can clarify to her.
"No, you are wrong," He rephrases.
The redhead swallows before turning his head slightly so that his eyes could remain steady on Sakura's own.
"In the moment of my death, if the last thing I saw was you... then I know I'd be content," Gaara whispers to Sakura.
Sakura pulls her gaze away from him fast after such a declaration. She can't explain why, but she can't continuously stare into his teal eyes while hearing him say such things. There is flattery to what he says, there is that underlying message of how much adoration and love this man has for Sakura. For the rosette though, it's a reminder of how his infatuation with her is not a healthy one.
Regardless of her feelings, she does speak the truth with her next words.
"I'm glad your time didn't end last night, Gaara."
She looks back at the redhead just in time to see a light, arrogant smirk pick up his lips some.
"You worried about me?" He asks. "I'm touched."
As his smile falls, he looks back at Sakura in all seriousness.
"This experience is a reminder, to both of us..." Gaara speaks before pausing.
He continues to look at Sakura, almost expectantly as if she should understand what he will say next.
"Time is sometimes short," He lightly finishes.
Their eyes remain on one another, but for each there is different meaning to that phrase. There should be a change in the dynamic, is what the redhead suggests, but for the pair that dynamic is drastically different. There is one who pushes for love while Sakura fights for change in Gaara's heart. Even as the rosette remains silent, Gaara speaks up, already implementing that change in short time.
"I love you, Sakura," He says in all seriousness. "You are my precious blossom that I want all to myself."
Sakura sighs as Gaara's tiresome infatuation begins, but she merely tries to drive the topic of conversation back to what has transpired.
"How could you if you had died yesterday? What were you doing where you put yourself in this position?" Sakura presses for instead.
She knows something is amiss when Gaara's eyes trail away from hers, and he looks troubled. There is definitely something he is keeping from her.
"Tell me," She presses when his lips remain immobile.
Still, time moves on in silence, and Sakura scoffs at Gaara before picking another topic.
"Shukaku's eyes were what I saw when I saved you," Sakura elaborates.
Teal eyes widen some, but Gaara keeps his gaze away while listening to Sakura.
"He even spoke to me using your body," Sakura elaborates.
"Aa," Gaara musters a tired answer, and shuts his eyes before continuing. "I vaguely recall."
It's interesting to learn the consciousness of another being are awake within Gaara, and vice versa. Their topics of conversation, their private discussions, are all heard by the beast within Gaara's head. She half wonders if his is a constant voice inside Gaara's mind.
'How maddening,' Sakura thinks to herself.
She is fortunate that other voice inside her mind does not agree, or does so silently.
"Should I worry?" Sakura asks after a moment of silence. "When the full moon comes, should I hide along with the others?"
She earns Gaara's eyes then, and he stares at her for a moment before resting his head back onto the pillow. A heavy sigh escapes him.
"No," he answers, but there is doubt in his voice. "I cannot bare being apart from you again. Not after what has come from last night."
Sakura figured as much, but with the Ichibi even warning her, Gaara's unsure voice and lack-luster reasoning worry her some. The redhead must notice Sakura's apprehension, for he speaks again.
"I have more control than Shukaku has led you to believe."
Yet, Gaara's eyes shift once he speaks this, as if an argument inside his mind has begun. Sakura, meanwhile, stares at the wrappings around Gaara's body before she questions.
"Why does the Ichibi not heal you completely?"
Surprisingly, Gaara cackles lightly on his bed, teeth barring at what he shows to be a ridiculous question.
"Defiance," Gaara breathes with a madness in his eyes. "Shukaku is a power I will tame one day."
Sakura merely blinks at Gaara's words.
'The Ichibi and him don't get along still,' Sakura concludes. 'Yet, his power is still used by Gaara.'
Another, even bigger problem to that situation, is spoken by the roseate.
"If you die, Shukaku will die as well."
Sakura remains silent, waiting on Gaara to recognize the dire situation and the message she is conveying. Again, she speaks when Gaara doesn't acknowledge the obvious.
"Shukaku was willing to die with you last night. Even now he jeopardizes his own safety."
When Gaara continues to remain silent to Sakura's words does the rosette become more irritated and her next words come out harsher.
"Why is Shukaku refusing to heal you?!" Sakura demands.
She stills herself when Gaara rests his eyes.
"Why?" He croaks lightly to himself. "Why..."
He seems to begin his roundabout of tired words. But then, he says something more.
"He has grown tired as to what we do," Gaara whispers with closed eyes. "...Even I'm ready for this to end."
Sakura's eyes widen. She can't help but fall back to Naruto's words that Gaara has killed the hosts of other tailed-beasts. Is it possible, this is what Gaara speaks of. She suddenly watches as Gaara begins to pick himself up, with a groan and a sigh he manages to sit up before his eyes trail to Sakura.
"Don't push yourself," Sakura warns him. "You don't want to open your wound again."
Despite it being only a flesh wound, Sakura sees something different in Gaara. There's a tiredness in his eyes he never had before... also, something she has only seen in one other person before. A madness in his eyes that looks out in rashness. Whatever it is Gaara is doing, planning, fighting for, it's taking a toll on his mind, body, and emotions.
He looks at Sakura with a lift of his chin and a tint in his eyes that is hypnotic and abnormal.
"My only love," He suddenly coos. "Let us go lock ourselves away in my room. Just the two of us."
Sakura scowls that his mentality falls back to that, but she realizes quickly that the way Gaara looks at her is almost threatened with his strongest element; darkness. This isn't an offer, Sakura realizes. This is a sick, possibly desperate man, looking at Sakura as his world.
And if she refuses, if she breaks his world, she isn't sure what new madness he will fall into.
She scoots back when she spots Gaara's arms reaching out for her slowly, even when she shakes her head at him he continues to slowly advance on her. This may possibly be what Shukaku was warning Sakura about, and as the rosette recounts his younger self, and his up and down emotions during a full moon, it makes all the more sense to the young woman.
"Sakura," Gaara continues to breath while his hands and fidgeting fingers reach for her. "You are mine."
He says all this with a twisted grin, and Sakura realizes then that there is no running away now when she doesn't have the power to fight back or the knowledge to his plans.
'Gaara loves you,' a voice in Sakura's mind rings as she stares into the eyes of a desperate being.
She shakes when his hands grip her arms.
