"Shadow and Sand"

(A/N): By the way, to those who think Gaara is OOC, I know… no need to remind me. DO YOU KNOW HOW FREAKIN HARD IT IS TO DO A ROMANCE WITH HIM???? It's… hard.

Disclaimer: Who? Me? Own Naruto?... should I lie?

…Enjoy…

Chapter 3

"Thanking Ice"

It hurt. It hurt so much. But I was not about to show my weakness to some one I hated. Not in this lifetime. So I tried my best to hold in my voice, making only slight whimpers here and there.

What had gotten into him? He never used to talk to me, let alone get mad to this extent. Now, he was carrying me harshly to wherever he was going, after he had broken some of my bones, and let some pieces of the mug pierce my skin. I just wanted to ask him, not rudely of course… "What's wrong Gaara?"

The sun was already half way through its daily rotation, making the time around noon I think. The sun was out and clouds were barely seen outside. But I did not see any of this. I just thought so since the house was full of light and not a single shadow loomed over the sun-lit windows.

Gaara quickly placed me on his sister's bed, not caring whether or not my head could just hit something hard. I closed my eyes in pain as tears started to gather around my brown eyes. He was being too harsh and I didn't even do anything… I hate you, Sabaku no Gaara.

She was such a weakling, eyes closing shut just because I placed her on the bed. If she really was a kunoichi she would be grateful that I was actually trying to help. But all I saw in her eyes was confusion and hurt, two things I did not like seeing in anyone.

I sighed as I quickly thought up of a plan. This was all a waste of my time. The mission, the reasoning with the Nara girl, and this… trying to see what could help her. Of course, I have my reasons.

As an idea quickly flashed through my mind, I shot the brown haired girl an angry glare, telling her with my green eyes to stay where she was and to wait. And from the looks of it, she understood since all she did was bite her bottom lip and nod weakly, pain written all over her face.

I disappeared from the girl's sight to end up in front of my house. I was going to call one of the elders. Of course, she would be a medic-nin.

Ten minutes after my disappearance, I was standing next to the window in my sister's room with the medic-nin aiding Nara. I had to lie though. All I said was that on my way back to Suna from my mission, I happened to stumble onto a fainted girl, and because I was curious and because the sight was just too much for me to ignore, I brought her here for her wounds to heal. Guess what the medic-nin told me? "That's great, Gaara-san! You're beginning to act like a wise and kind Kazekage already!" I wanted to barf right there and then.

I did not feel any guilt, but the mere imagination of me being kind was just horrifying. Even my siblings would agree.

I took a quick glance at the sleeping girl whose bones needed a whole month to reconnect. I hated the idea, but it looked like she would be staying here for another four weeks. Joy.

At least she'll be here when I become Kazekage. I want her to be afraid from me, to show her that if she ever wants to enter this village, she will have to go through me first. And if she gets scared enough, maybe THAT will keep her away from Suna… forever.

I opened my eyes painfully, knowing that as soon as I gained my conscious, my bones were far from being healed. As I let the sun's rays enter my view, I already knew that it was afternoon, making it around three hours since that medic-nin came to heal me.

I felt awful. My eyes felt heavy, I felt like half of my blood supply had just been sucked out of me, and I also felt jumbled inside, meaning that I felt like my organs and bones were in places they were not supposed to be. But it was all just my imagination; I guess it was from all the pain.

I turned around slowly, hoping to find the boy that had caused this somewhere in the room I was in. And sure enough, he was there… reading some book about Kami knows what. I was so mad at him, but I still had a heart. I was glad that he did not just kick me out of Suna and leave me to find somewhere else for the inhabitants of that place to take care of me. I was almost certain that the Gaara I knew would do that. But it looks like that once again, I was fooled. Or maybe he did this for some reason I have yet to find out. Either way, I still had to do my part…

"Arigato."

I whispered out pathetically, my voice coming out like croaks. I didn't add anything else to that word of gratitude but a small smile, one I used when I didn't mean all of what I just said.

All Gaara did was look my way coldly and smirk evilly as my smile faded away. I knew that he'd do this if I tried to pay him any respect.

"I was the cause of all of this, and you thank me?"

The question did not hit me hard. Instead, it made me smile to myself; of course he wouldn't accept any gratitude from me. What was I thinking?

"You didn't leave me to die outside. Isn't that a good reason for me to thank you?" I asked confidently, trying to hide the pain at the back of my throat.

He again shot me a cold glare and smirked evilly yet again.

"I have my reasons."

And with that, he disappeared with a puff of smoke dust, making me both confused and a bit angry.

That was… unexpected. Her? Thanking me? I just wanted to laugh. But as you all should already know, Gaara does not laugh freely… ever.

She never even looked at me before this and she was even better then me at pretending I wasn't there every time she visited. But after I had almost killed her, she thanks me for not leaving her to die. What does she think I am? Stupid? I have a reputation to keep, even though I barely had one to start with but yeah…

To me, that girl was just so mysterious. I never wanted to know her nor did I ever think about her, but I just realize these things. And her coming almost every week to visit my brother and sister definitely leaves an impression.

She was not bright like that cotton candy haired kunoichi over in Konoha, nor was she shy like the Hyuuga heiress. She had her own personality like every one else. Hey, don't get the wrong idea. Like I said, I just see these things. I do not think about her until something comes up. I would never do such a ridiculous thing.

Anyways, she was cunning like Temari, but she wasn't as talkative. She could be cold at times, but she only did so to her rivals. Who I have yet to find out… She also cares about her looks, never coming over to Suna unless her hair was brushed and washed properly. She also likes to put a thin layer of black eyeliner almost all the time.

She was quite funny if I do recall my brother's words clearly, she seemed to be able to make the house full of my sister's and my brother's laughs every time she came, which was ALSO one of the annoying traits in her. You know what? A lot of the things in that Nara girl were annoying. Don't ask why.

But the strange thing is that I knew all these things about her from before, but now, they were all hitting my brain at the same time.

Please don't tell me that I'm starting to feel something for her either than hatred. I don't want to think anything about her except that. Not "dislike", not "whatever", not "Anger", not "Trust", "not "like"… NOTHING except hatred.

M ay: NEXT!!!!

Reviews are accepted, not all appreciated.

Take care