Hi, everyone!
So I wanted to publish something for Valentine's day and this was the result. I published it in my AO3 acount (Whispers_of_the_wind), but right now this is as far as I can go today, haha.
Disclaimer: "Naruto" belongs to Kishimoto. I'm just using his characters to put them together.
Warnings: TONS of OoC, yaoi, and I'd state this is not an underage thing, but I want to play it safe just because Gaara is a demon and he is older than Neji (but this is not any kind of R18 fic).
As white as a lie
℘ { }
See I'm afraid to love, but afraid to be alone
Still wonder why my heart is always broke
—Nathan Wagner, Lonely
℘ { }
Everyone knew it: demons never lose in a contract.
Gaara could listen to the shaky breaths of the good-looking teenager he had just a few steps away from him. His silky as velvet hair was scattered over the pillow as if it were made of liquid chocolate. Oh, malicious serpent of the original sin! The demon craved to memorize its texture between his fingers and kiss it to drown in its perfume.
Sabaku turned his gaze towards the old man who remained behind and thought about the— unspoken— despair Hiashi must have been dealing with. His turquoise eyes slowly returned to the broken body of the Hyuuga's protégé. Gaara sighed, feeling like he would take the most beautiful flower in Earth's garden to see it wither.
"I did everything wrong with my brother's son," Hiashi mumbled, tightening his fist until the redhead could easily smell the blood springing up from his newly open wounds. The words sounded ashamed, outraged. "He sacrificed himself to save me as Neji did it for my daughter."
The green-eyed creature kept an apparently indifferent expression, though he could barely resist the idea of taking the brunette with him before his summoner started to plead for a deal.
Neji, Gaara repeated in his mind's privacy, savoring the music that name brought to his rotten heart. What a tragedy your life was. A bittersweet soul that I will claim for myself.
"I'll give you everything if you can save him." Hiashi continued with what seemed like a rock in his throat. His voice was hoarse due to grief.
The demon smiled. Then, Sabaku's right eye became golden and his sclerotica turned black as coal. Despite the preposterous novels that plagued human's minds, family was an amazing prey for demons— even more than lovers!
He still remembered the Uchiha's fall. The way Itachi went to the Red Sand demon and received a magic sword: 'Kill your kind. Bring it to me and I would provide your brother with a very long, long life.'
The long-haired, such a hero forged by pain, asked to be taken in exchange of his brother instead. Gaara's race did not bargain. However, they usually had a weak spot for that kind of souls: the ones that are ready to face Hell in order to protect their beloved with a last smile. They are so entertaining to watch, and keep for yourself until they inevitably end up tainted.
Sasori enjoyed it. He deeply drank Itachi's love and— felt something.
People who sacrificed others were just means to an end. Gathering them was plain boring. BUT souls as white as a lie made them weak on the knees.
Hiashi stepped back. He appeared to know about Gaara's insights, and felt a chill running through his spine. The man suddenly plucked up his courage and looked the demon in the eyes.
Sabaku's thin grin was not that terrible nor sadistic.
"I'll let him know you were willing to die in his place." The redhead said, turning around.
Gaara came closer to the bed where the young man lay at the death's door. His heart was probably about to quit its feeble music. You're all mine now. The creature placed both hands under the brunette and lifted him, pressing the— almost cold— body against his.
Neji choked and opened his eyes. Two roses made of his crimson blood grew through the bandages that embraced the Hyuuga's torso. The long-haired gasped Gaara's name.
'Demons never lose in a contract,' Sasori said once. 'If only anyone had ever told me that that was such a lie I would have insisted on the massacre.'
'Why do you say so?' Gaara wondered.
Neji's uncle made an infuriated noise that forced the redhead to return. "What are you doing?!"
"You were late. Too many years later." Sabaku answered and disappeared in a sand whirlwind of sand together with the Hyuuga.
℘ { }
Both snow-white eyes slowly opened, his owner tired and half-stunned yet. The demon almost purred happily as he finally had the chance to swim in those orbs' opal light. He extended a hand and cleaned Neji's forehead of his locks. The teenager had not changed a bit since they made their deal.
The Hyuuga placed a hand over the places he should have his wounds.
"I'm alive." He whispered, frowning. "You deceived me. You said I was the one to choose my fate, a different one from my father."
"But you did choose it on your own." Gaara replied, standing up and walking through the shadows. He had gotten some supplies for his host: water and herring soba. "I brought your favorite. I made sure it has nothing spicy this time."
Neji turned the other way around, ignoring the demon with unequal eyes.
"Why did you save me, then?" He demanded with a husky voice. Gaara hummed.
"I thought you said you wanted nothing alike to your father."
"I believed you told me you wouldn't do as your former teacher."
Gaara remembered Akasuna's faults and placed the food next to the bed.
"They are a work in progress . Both of them are doing better now." He said, reaching for Neji's loose hair. He played with it for a few— precious— seconds. "Besides, I have never considered Sasori did wrong at saving the person he loves the most, you know. Even if that made Itachi mad for centuries."
Silence.
"I'm not mad, Gaara." The Hyuuga replied without turning back. "I was in pain, scared until you appeared. I thought you had faded away after what happened last time."
Sabaku looked down. He did not want to recall that.
"I had fulfilled my part of our deal." The redhead said. Neji let out a heavy sigh.
"So— what's next?" The opal-eyed asked coldly. "Do you drink my life from my lips or do you rip my heart out?"
That's so not us. The redhead almost rolled his eyes, amused. Neji had never been one to go assuming anything about other people— well, not since he was beaten to a pulp by someone who he considered a loser.
"Can I have a last kiss?" Gaara asked, blushing hard. He probably was a damn embarrassment to his kind. "Then you're free to go."
The Hyuuga stopped breathing. He suddenly sat up and looked at Gaara.
"Is that what you really want?"
"There is nothing I would care most about except for whatever you want, Neji."
"Can I stay longer?"
Demons don't bargain.
"You're welcome to do so. Forever." He said, bending towards the brunette, "and ever."
His lips touched so slightly before they deepened it and embraced each other under the cover of the demon's chambers.
The end
Well, to whoever got to finish this thing, I hope you like it. Comments, kudos and bookmarks are rather appreciate them, since I worked hard to write in English during my weekend (thank God, because work has been so hard these days) (xD)
This fic might or might not get more drabbles if I feel like it or if you would also like it.