Gaahina fanfic. Oneshot.

Don't own Naruto - enjoy nevertheless.

||..HEROES..||

The first time he saw her, all he could see was a weakling. Someone stuttering, a stupid crush, fidgeting, not standing straight. He remembered thinking, how she could have probably become a konoichi.

***

The second time he saw her, it was by accident, his eyes almost bulged out. She was hitting a tree – the jacket discarded, her hands bleeding, her back blue of bruises. He took a closer look of the bruises, and realized with shock that he knew these kinds of bruises – the witnesses of abuse. She was being abused. Dammit why hadn't he realized it earlier, her entire behavior screamed out this one freaking word. He decided to watch her … long and intensely. Her knuckled were bleeding but her face was determined and she just kept on hitting the tree.

Two days long – without a pause. Her punches were always in the same pace, the same strength, the same point. She pushed herself through two nights and two days, before she finally broke down. He jumped down from his hideout in a tree and picked her up. She was light, too light and fragile. Taking her jacket he went to her training grounds, covering her in her jacket before exposing her and taking cover in the trees again. He watched over her until she woke up.

These two days changed his opinion. He realized that she didn't want to be the small konoichi; that she wanted to be strong. On his way back home his thought turned around her all the time and the fear and determination in her eyes.

She haunted him in his restless nights. He would find no comfort in the moon, which reminded him of her eyes. Not in the desert, reminding him of the distance that separated them. He wanted her to be close. Wanted to help her – never in his life had he wanted to help somebody. He wanted to protect his village, his country … but never had he felt the … rather persisting urge to help someone.

***

The third time he saw her, she was fighting against an Akatsuki member, in midst of the desert. He had been going on patrol, still being a shinobi after all. Her teammates both were lying in the sand, severely injured. She had a scroll on her back and after seeing the insignia of the sand country, he immediately concluded that it had been their mission, to bring the scroll to him. He wanted to interfere when she made an unexpected move. Her fingertips were moving and in the next moment he saw her swirling water strings around her. Where the heck did she get the water from? He looked at the Akatsuki member. She … !

As soon as the member was lying dead on the ground she knelt down beside her teammates and healed them the best she could, blacking out after a time, due to depleted chakra.

***

The fourth time he saw her, she was bandaged but handed him the scroll nevertheless, not showing her hurt – but he could see it in her eyes. He was astonished as she spoke out to him, in a clear – and probably the most beautiful – voice, without stuttering. He insisted that the team would stay a week … to recover of course. And maybe so he could find out how she had done it …

He got his chance to ask her when he saw her the fifth time, as she was meditating in the moonlight on the rooftop. Without looking up she greeted him. He had never seen someone reacting so casually to him. But he liked it when people didn't scurry up to bow low and stutter of fright of him.

"How did you extract the water from the man?"

He took a seat next to her and was looking at the glistening stars. She looked at him and smiled.

"I could say it's a secret … which it is and this is why I'd ask you not to tell another one."

She told him a secret just like … that? Just because he had asked? Eh? She smiled softly at the confusion in his eyes, so he only quietly nodded.

"The human body consists of 65% out of water. I can control the water with very fine chakra strings. When you sweat your pores open wider than usual and give me ultimate access to the water in your body. It's the first step to my jutsu : I dehydrate my opponent. With the water I fight. Like you do with the sand."

"It's incredible! Why do you want no body to know?! You could be one of the leading ANBU with this!" Wow … she actually got him frantic …

"It's my personal jutsu and I don't want anyone to know … mostly because I'm sure they would get away from me. Also … my father would want me to marry ever more. I want my freedom as long as possible."

He understood that and promised once again, not to tell anyone. They agreed on meditating together, finding relaxation in each other's presence.

***

Unfortunately she couldn't keep her secret for a long time, as the Akatsuki attacked Konoha. He was with her … with his friends, fighting on their side. But their opponent was too strong – too the determined to get what they came for.

"Gaara! Cover my back!"

She had been one of the first to come down from the 'Kazekage-sama' and he gladly did as she asked. Byakuagan activated she could easily make out all of the members.

"They are too many!" he tried to tell her … stop her, but she didn't listen.

Swirls of water already surrounded her and he could feel her pulling the other members closer to her, so she wouldn't have to fight on a wide range. Soon he saw them, standing vis-à-vis to the most dangerous ninjas of the whole effing world and they were all bowing to the will of a single young woman.

Other ninja were attracted to the show, following their opponents and seeing Hinata and him. He could see how she was fighting to keep everything up, but she stubbornly stood her ground. Fighting for her everything.

When her fingers started swirling in the familiar pattern, he realized that it was too late to stop her from killing every member. And she did. Moving gracefully through the rows she turned the water into weapons and as a single woman she took down a whole army. Hinata Hyuuga, the sunshine of Konoha, the girl no one would have ever thought to see kill … she killed heartlessly, not crying one tear, giving her weakened opponents a swift death and moving to the next one. Konoha's nin couldn't help but stare … as did he.

The last one fell to the ground and she only stood there – breathing heavy. His sand carefully swirled around her – ready to catch her if she fell. There was a silence and everyone looked at the worn out konoichi – even Naruto. Damn, it was time her noticed her. Turning around to him she smiled as a single tear slipped down her face and lost consciousness. His sand caught her and one minute later he held her in his arms. She still was light and he was wondering how a konoichi that light could have that much strength. She didn't see the way that was made for her and heads that bowed in respect, the whispers that spread her incredible victory.

***

One week – one week he was sitting at her bed. Naruto and Sakura visited sometimes. He already thought of a way to tell her that they were a couple now … without her having a heart attack. The most frequent visitors however were her teammates and her cousin. And every day they would get more accustomed to him, until they even brought him up a cup of coffee. Not as if he needed it anyways. He could sleep … if he wanted, but he was no good at it and at times like these not at all.

After ten more days she finally woke up – and he was the only one to witness it. He was holding her hand. Her eyes captured his immediately and she smiled at him. He didn't even know why, but he smiled back at her – then he scowled.

"Never do something as stupid and … reckless EVER again."

She looked with big eyes at him and then cast her eyes down. "I … succeeded?"

"You are a freaking legend! The woman that took down Akatsuki. Hell, they were all staring at you. But … please … don't do it too soon again I … was worried."

Oh. Neither she nor he knew what to say next. Both knew what this meant. Gaara was never worried about someone. He would worry about politics … but not even once had he worried for a person before.

"Thank you."

She squeezed his hand gently. He sat down beside her on the bed and they just kept talking, forgetting about the things said, but always keeping them in mind.

***

The first day she was allowed to get out, he held her arm, steadying her every step. But she fought, she fought like he knew she always would. The city made way for her, smiling faces welcomed her. Her teammates found her and Gaara gave her away for some moments, letting them hug her and the dog run around her legs, licking her hands and letting her cousin briefly talk to her. When he got her back, she looked crestfallen and wanted to go back – he complied.

Back in the hospital room, she finally broke down, leaning on him full weight – which wasn't much anyways – and crying into his chest. All he could do was pick her up and sit down on the bed, pulling her on his lap and letting her cry in to his chest. He was a bit helpless – he had no idea what to do. He just held her shaking body close to him and consoled her.

"You remember when I said I wanted to keep it a secret?"

"Because your father would arrange a marriage for you."

"He did it … I am engaged. I know nothing. Not his name, not what he looks like … nothing. I only know that I have a fiancé now and that I am a bride-to-be."

He held her closer. He didn't want her to go – not now … not ever. He didn't want her to be with another man.

"I don't want you to go." He admitted hoarsely.

"I don't want to."

She had stopped crying, still sitting on his lap, her head resting on one of his shoulders and his head buried in the crook of her neck. They sat like this for some time, and when she looked up at him, she saw the loneliness in his teal eyes. Slowly coming forward she placed a soft kiss on his lips. She was pulling a way, when he kissed her back and pulled her closer to him again.

***

He stayed at her side that night, watching over her sleeping form and cursing his luck. Once in a time he finally found someone that he trusted; that took him the way he was … and now he would lose her to another man.

***

The day of her wedding she looked gorgeous, but her eyes prevented him to tell her – she was broken. When he came to her to wish her luck and courage, she placed a small object in his palms – not letting him look at it, until she was out.

When she had vanished through the doors, accompanied by her teammates who didn't look happy either, he opened his palms and looked at the red dyed heart of glass in it. He looked at it and then at the doors. Gripping it tightly he took a deep breath and followed her.

The ceremony was beautiful, but he couldn't see it. Sending her an apologetic glance he discreetly stole himself away and into the woods, where he finally broke down. Tears. He hadn't felt them sting in his eyes or even trickle down his cheeks for years. He was 22 and the last time had had cried was when he had been four – far too long ago. He was crying out of frustration, hurt, anger and he cried because he had lost his love. When he had calmed down – halfway – he looked at the glass heart again … her heart. He sat there for long hours, staring at a tree. Darn … it had all started in this damming wood.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts about her that he didn't hear her kimono as it grazed over the dry leaves and so he was caught by surprise when he felt her arms wrap around him.

"What are you …?"

"They say I'm a hero … but heroes don't get married away … they chose their own way. And I don't want him … I want you … please."

Turning around he stood up and kissed her fiercely, making her his by only a kiss, before looking at her and then the heart.

"Mine?"

"All yours."

She smiled at him and he realized that her name fitted exactly: Sunshine. He was seeing light again, when she smiled at him like that.

Tada^^

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Peace and love,

*~chuppa-chupsz~*