A/N: Wow, a review on the first chapter :-) Thank you very much ShikaTem719 took your advice and am seeking a beta reader. Also I thank you for the input. Yes in fact he is an OC, and he will seem strange and a bit mysterious at times which is a large part of the story. In a later chapter it is revealed why. Sorry Shikamaru and Temari won't work out, but this story will tie in with all my other stories so and I have plans of a pairing for Shikamaru so when I write that story you will understand. Once again I really appreciate the input.

Death Wish

Chapter 2

Dinner

Temari sat at the large formal dinner table twiddling her thumbs more or less. The table was long and rectangular. Draped over the table was an elegant white table cloth made of silk and embroidered onto the table cloth was the sand emblem in blood red. Above the table hung two ostentatious chandeliers coated in gold. The table seated approximately twelve guests. Ten on each side of the table and two at each end of the table. The room itself was very ornate. The walls were littered with portraits of Kazekage's past, and some were depictions of great battles that Sunagakure had participated in. The frames were made of gold and had sand dunes engraved into them. Gaara sat at the head of the table and at the other end sat the Daimyo's son. Kankuro sat to Gaara's left and to Gaara's right was an empty seat for Uchiki. Sitting next to Uchiki's seat was Temari. The rest of the table was filled with nobles from Suna and two of the Daimyo's son's friends.

Kankuro was taking up the scene at the moment telling some elaborate story about some crazy adventure Temari assumed he had never even had. Kankuro was wearing a standard black tuxedo as were most of the attending members of the dinner save the females, Gaara, and the Daimyo's son. Gaara wore a lavish red tuxedo that matched his hair and brought out his tattoo. The Daimyo's son wore the white robes of nobility that were embroidered with gold and made of silk. Temari herself was wearing a black strapless dress that ended just above her knees. It was a somewhat tight fitting dress. She had a servant help her with her make up and she was wearing red lipstick. The table was filled with food and yet everyone's plate was empty as they all awaited the guest of honor, Uchiki.

"Where is your friend Temari?" the Daimyo's son insisted for the third time that evening once again cutting off another of Kankuro's stories.

"My apologies, Jimmu-san. He will be here shortly I assure you," Temari said nervously. Where the hell is he! Temari was getting impatient herself. Jimmu being on the rather large side loved his food and hated when it was delayed and Uchiki was practically forty minutes late already. Temari glanced nervously as one of her servants entered and walked her way. The look on her servant's face was one of frustration and exasperation. The servant leaned down and whispered into Temari's ear.

"Temari-san, Uchiki is being very abrasive, and absolutely refuses to put on the outfit we had set out. Also he is being an absolute-"

The door burst open as Uchiki stepped in and looked around the room for a few moments noting the scarlet rug on his way in and walking straight to his seat. Uchiki was wearing his normal attire, cowboy hat and all. When he made it to his seat he removed his cowboy hat and hung it on the chandelier above him and took his seat at the table.

"Sorry for the delay y'all. These damn servants don't know when to leave when they are told," Uchiki explained scooting up to the table. Gaara had remained quiet throughout the whole time and only now spoke up.

"Very well," Gaara began in his usual monotone voice not the least bit irritated by Uchiki's appearance or absence and merely looked to the servant, "Bring in the food." The servant who had been filling Temari's ears nodded and quickly exited the room to alert the others to bring in the food. Uchiki shifted in his seat uncomfortably and looked over to Temari. His mouth was open as if he was about to say something but stopped as he took in the sight. Temari was wearing her hair down and has it curled slightly. Uchiki took note of the make up she was wearing and how it accented her lips, as well as making her teal eyes all the more captivating. The strapless dress hugged her body and showed a good deal of her bust. Uchiki's eyes slowly fell from her face to the necklace she wore around her neck. It was a simple silver chain with a beautiful ruby hanging on it that further brought out her lips. Uchiki's eyes dropped even further to Temari's bust.

Temari noticed Uchiki's immediate response to her and blushed slightly under his gaze before his eyes began slowly dropping to her chest. Then she grew a little angry and cleared her throat. Uchiki's eyes immediately shot up to her face and he blushed a little.

"Sorry. By the way you look completely gorgeous miss," Uchiki couldn't help but saying being one who speaks his mind quite often.

"Thank you, Uchiki," Temari said still blushing a little. As a ninja she didn't have much time for romance, and was not use to bluntness very often. "Was it too much to ask to just wear the damn outfit?" Temari asked. Uchiki looked around the room for a few seconds before looking back to her.

"I ain't once for fancy suits. Those things are damned insufferable and I bet not one person at this table even wants to wear one of those damn things," Uchiki replied quietly keeping the conversation between the two.

"Yeah, but they all are for you," Temari shot back wishing her fan was nearby to beat Uchiki senseless. Soon the table was being filled with food as the servants brought it tons of platters full of food native to Suna. Uchiki was greedily reaching for some food when Temari smacked his hand.

"Not yet," She practically hissed. Uchiki simply sat their rubbing his hand staring hungrily at the food. His stomach grumbled. Once all the food was finally present Gaara stood causing the light chatter surrounding the table to die out as he looked among the patrons.

"I would like to commemorate our guest of honor Uchiki," Gaara began still in his monotone ever quiet voice, "If it weren't for you Uchiki, my sister would not have returned to Sunagakure and we may have never known the identity of the assassin's who killed her. I thank you and would like to extend my village's gratitude for safe guarding one of it's shinobi even when you did not know her." Gaara bowed towards Uchiki.

"Aw, it was nothin," Uchiki replied feeling a little embarrassed at the situation. Suddenly he wished he was wearing that damn outfit.

"I would like you to know you will always be welcome here in Suna. Now let's eat," Gaara said calmly taking his seat and slowly filling his plate with food. Uchiki looked to Temari and then at the food before looking back to Temari and throwing her a questioning look. Temari nodded and Uchiki began filling his plate with massive amounts of food. In truth he was starving having only eaten hostpital mush for the past couple days after a big fight. He was quite exhausted but his main focus was turned to Gaara. Uchiki was quite interested in Gaara. He had been traveling through many lands just to meet him in fact and now was his chance.

Light chatter filled the table once more and everyone began eating heartily. Kankuro was back to telling his stories and every time he said a joke Jimmu would laugh outrageously as was his style. At random intervals Jimmu would throw a compliment Temari's way. The beverage of choice was wine and Jimmu had was consuming glass after glass of it. Way more than someone should at a social event anyways. Of course so was Uchiki.

"Slow down drunk," Temari said kicking him under the table.

"This is alcoholic?" Uchiki replied. In fact Uchiki enjoyed drinking but had never had wine before. Uchiki drank stronger alcohol such as whiskey, vodka, and scotch. Temari rolled her eyes, but noted Uchiki was hardly affected by the alcoholic beverage. The same could not be said for Jimmu who was being and was getting rather unsettling and rowdy. The compliments slowly began shifting from Temari's appearance to comments about her breasts and butt. The Daimyo's son clearly knew no shame and despite being told by several times that it was inappropriate persisted.

"Look you fat piece of shit. The lady said stop so why don't you do us all a favor and get the fuck on your way," Uchiki said having enough. Temari had been trying to be polite because the Jimmu was an influential man being the Daimyo's son and all. The Daimyo's son grew red in the face and stormed out along with his two friends. Uchiki sat back down.

"Now isn't that better," He commented. Surprisingly the general consensus seemed to be yes and even Gaara gave a little nod. Temari frowned a little as she slowly began noticing Uchiki's attention to Gaara. Uchiki seemed to practically be studying her little brother and it was unnerving her. While they had a great conversation and Uchiki seemed to be an upstanding sort of guy there was still a lot about him she didn't know. Hell for all she knew he could be an assassin from another village here to kill Gaara. No, she could tell that was definitely not his intention. How would they know she would bring him back to her village anyways? Temari was sure about this Uchiki. There was just something about him that made her want to help him. She couldn't explain it but it was there. It was part of the reason she wanted to impress him so much and why she dressed up so much tonight. It sure as hell wasn't for the Daimyo's disgusting son.

"So Gaara," Uchiki began, "I heard you have changed from your serial killer ways?"

"Yes," Gaara simply replied not hardly looking up from his food.

"Why?" Uchiki asked suddenly looking at Gaara intently.

"Naruto Uzimaki changed me," Gaara replied just as simply.

"I bet you still got it in you though," Uchiki said speculating. Gaara stopped eating his food and merely looked right at Uchiki.

"Why are you asking me this?" Gaara was just staring at Uchiki with an expressionless face.

"It's why I came here..." Uchiki was now giving off a sinister aura as he stared at Gaara. The whole table fell silent. No one dared ask Gaara about the killings afraid of what he might do to them. Gaara himself was nothing but interested. Almost everyone who was in his presence sat in front of him with fear except for Naruto. Even his own siblings were uncomfortable around him still despite his effort yet Uchiki stared him in the eye showing absolutely no fear. Hell Uchiki was even giving him a challenging look.

"I devote myself to my village now," Gaara explained holding his gaze on Uchiki, "I have taken much from them thinking that caring about someone or protecting someone would make me weaker but Naruto proved me wrong in this and defeated me. Now I gain power through my people and protecting them is my life."

"Sure, it might make you stronger but, if alls you do is protect everyone else you may get stronger but they get weaker," Uchiki replied, "You aren't helping your village at all, you are hurting it." Uchiki was bold in his statements and his aggressive posture was making everyone uncomfortable. He had already crossed more boundaries than anyone in the Suna had dared since Gaara's return. "Quitting your lifestyle since you were beat by one little brat, I think that is weak." Gaara's eye twitched a little at the comment towards Naruto and Uchiki had found the point to pick at.

"Naruto is pathetic. All the stories I have heard of him is a weak little bitch always running to his comrades for protection. He would be nothing without them," Uchiki said albeit partially true since Naruto gained his real might protecting his friends although Uchiki having met Naruto only once in his travels knew the kid to be strong in his own right. Gaara grew a little angry towards the ill comments. Kankuro was getting real pissed at the attitude towards his little brother though and Temari was downright confused.

"You're pathetic, Naruto is pathetic, and this whole damned village is gonna burn to the ground because it is even more pathetic," Uchiki finished still staring right into the eyes of Gaara.

"I'm sorry you think that..." Gaara said still remaining somewhat neutral.

"Why don't you prove me wrong? Let's play for blood," Uchiki demanded suddenly slamming his fists into the table causing his plate to flip and fling food across the table causing everyone present to practically jump from their seats. The tension in the air could be cut with a kunai.

Sand started seeping into the room summoned by Gaara. Uchiki simply stood up, took his hat from the chandelier and put it on his head. The sand picked Gaara up and Uchiki and began taking them outside. Uchiki still stared Gaara down the whole time as Gaara stared right back still expressionless. Everyone at the table stood up and rushed outside to see what was about to happen. The sand transported the two to a large open training ground only a stones throw away from the mansion and other shinobi sensing the disturbance converged on the scene.

The sand set them down on the ground gently. The two stood maybe twenty five meters apart simply staring. After almost five minutes Gaara's sand slowly made it's way forward snaking through the air. Uchiki had heard much about Gaara's sand techniques and was intrigued to see it following his commands. Now was to see how much of it was true and not much rumor.

Uchiki began running to the side and the sane still followed him. Uchiki formed a chakra ball in his hand and threw it at Gaara. The ball exploded just before reaching Gaara and sent a buchshot of chakra straight at Gaara. Sand suddenly formed a wall and the chakra harmlessly pelted the sand barrier. So that was true. The sand beneath Uchiki's feet moved a little and Uchiki jumped into the air forming another ball in his hand and throwing it at Gaara. The ball exploded when it his the sand this time leaving a small impact crater where it had blown but still not breaching the sand. Gaara still had not moved and it agitated Uchiki a little. Uchiki began running towards Gaara forming a chakra orb in each hand. The orbs grew as he raced towards Gaara keeping just ahead of the sand snake that slithered through the air towards him. Just before Uchiki reached Gaara he threw one and then shortly there after threw another at the same spot. The first orb struck the sand barrier and exploded with much more force than before leaving a larger crater followed quickly by the second which was encompassed by the sand trying to close the breach. The second ball exploded sending sand everywhere clouding the area momentarily. The sand had stopped chasing Uchiki and he stood maybe ten meters away from Gaara and waited for the sand to settle. When it had Gaara stood unscathed. The sand barrier had held the explosions back.

"I guess brute force ain't gonna cut it is it?" Uchiki called to Gaara. Gaara did not respond and just stared at Uchiki. Suddenly sand shot up from the ground around Uchiki and he tried to jump out of it. The sand managed to catch Uchiki's leg and held on firmly.

Gaara held out his hand, "Sand coffin." The sand compressed on Uchiki's legs crushing it. Uchiki roared in pain as the sand let go. Uchiki collapsed to the ground momentarily.

"Oh I'll fix that shit!" Uchiki growled suddenly Uchiki floated into the air on a small disk of chakra. Uchiki simply sat on the disk as standing was nearly impossible. His eyes were tight from the pain burning in his leg but Uchiki hungered for more. Uchiki's held one arm straight out in front of him and a small ball of dense chakra began forming in his hand. Gaara's sand snaked into the sky after Uchiki but the disk merely circled Gaara staying away from the sand as Uchiki summoned his chakra. Finally Uchiki grunted and the chakra formed a small cylinder and flew at Gaara with intense speed. The sand barely formed in front of Gaara in time but the chakra disappeared in the sand digging through the barrier with sheer force. Uchiki sat there analyzing his work. Soon the sand dropped but Gaara still stood there unharmed.

"Damn that sand must be nifty. Haven't you just wanted to get hurt though? Have you ever even broken a bone? Have you felt the pain I now feel in my leg?" Uchiki taunted. Gaara's expression flinched again before returning to normal. Must be another sore spot for him. This whole time Uchiki had once hand behind his back. The hand not behind his back began forming another ball of chakra. Gaara's sand shot up in all directions around Uchiki. The disk carried Uchiki far into the air trying to outrace the sand. The sand proved quicker than Uchiki had anticipated and instead Uchiki decided to stop outracing it and drop down to the ground. As he did he punched a hole on the sand with the ball of chakra he was forming and the disk shot through the hole. The sand spire toppled down towards Uchiki but Uchiki's desk managed to outrace it before it reached him. At the end of the sand spire a wall of sand began forming. Uchiki put both of his hands together forming another ball and threw it at the wall blowing it to dust narrowly escaping the sand spire at the same time.

Uchiki once more charged Gaara hurling little orbs of chakra at Gaara which each harmlessly exploded off of Gaara's sand walls time and time again. Uchiki shot by Gaara and began forming a massive ball of chakra with both of his hands. The ball surged and cackled spassing between Uchiki's hands like barely contained raw power. Uchiki rotated and threw the ball at Gaara. The sand wall began forming again and when the ball collided it burrowed in a little. Sand compressed the ball on all sides and Uchiki began charging at Gaara forming another in his hands. The first exploded blowing a gap in the sand wall. Uchiki flew into the hole and threw another at pointblank range at Gaara. The ball exploded instantly sending Gaara flying to where the sand spire had formed. When Gaara hit the point he triggered another hidden ball of massive proportions that Uchiki had been forming behind his back during the fight. The sand spire offered an amazing but, dangerous opportunity to cloak the ball. Gaara's sand not having sensed the ball was too late to protect him and it exploded with tremendous force sending Gaara flying into the sky. Uchiki summoned more balls and hurled them at Gaara's flying form. Three out of the five struck Gaara and exploded before Gaara's sand once more protected him from the last two. Gaara fell to the sand. A large crowd had formed and stood awed by Uchiki's ability that caused devastating explosions from chakra. The crater Gaara had fallen into was twenty-five meters wide and ten meters deep, created by the hidden ball.

Gaara lay still for several moments before slowly making it to his feet. Gaara stood dazed with blood coming from his ears. The explosions had shocked his brain but no real physical damage showed. The sand caked on his skin slowly fell to the ground. Uchiki seized Gaara's dazed moment and used the time to form a massive ball of chakra in front of him. The ball grew to the size of Uchiki and Uchiki's disk flickered and disappeared causing Uchiki to fall. Before Uchiki fell he released the massive ball at Gaara. Uchiki fell on the ground his already broken leg cracking and causing him to scream in agony. The massive ball lurched towards Gaara at a moderate pace. Suddenly Gaara snapped from his daze and summoned his massive sand shield in front of him. At the same time sand shot up from the ground around Uchiki encompassing everything but his head. The ball exploded as it collided with Gaara's shield and blew the whole shield to pieces but left Gaara unaffected.

Uchiki struggled trapped in the sand. Gaara slowly walked towards Uchiki. His eyes held the horrible sinister look that he had when he wanted to kill. Something the village knew all too well and everyone shuddered.

"Such power," Gaara said as he approached Uchiki one hand held towards Uchiki. Gaara stood on the Uchiki's chest buried beneath the sand looking down at Uchiki. Gaara stared deeply into Uchiki's gray eyes. "Still I can find no fear in you..." Gaara was amazed. Even the ones who didn't fear him did when their death was merely two words away. Temari began running towards her little brother tears in her eyes.

"Sand Cata," Gaara was cut off by Temari.

"DON'T!" Temari screamed at Gaara still running towards him. Gaara glanced over to Temari and the killer intent faded from his eyes.

"Why?" Gaara simply asked.

"Come on! Do it bitch! Fucking end me I dare you!" Uchiki roared from beneath the sand. The sand tightened a little pushing hard on Uchiki's chest squeezing the air from him.

"Gaara, please don't. I don't know why he is doing this but, please don't kill him," Temari begged her brother. Suddenly the sand beneath Gaara's feet started glowing and exploded freeing Uchiki and knocking Gaara away and on his back. Uchiki manage to get to his feet limping towards Gaara slowly forming another ball of death but this one wasn't blue like the others. It was pure black. Uchiki held it out in front of him summoning all the chakra he had left, every ounce of it and pouring it into that ball. Uchiki roared in pain and fury as he prepared to unleash his ball of death on Gaara. Another sand shield formed but it was no matter. Temari suddenly ran between them.

"STOP!" Temari screamed at the top of her lungs but Uchiki had already released his ball. Uchiki thrust his hands out trying to pull his ball back. Uchiki clapped his hands together causing the ball to implode sucking the sand around it inwards before disappearing entirely.

"Aw, hell. Why did you go and do that woman?" Uchiki began coughing violently and collapsed to the ground unconscious. Gaara stood there for several moments staring at Uchiki, then back to his sister. Temari looked her brother up and down seeing there had been no damage done to him then ran to Uchiki's side. Uchiki was on the ground completely unconscious with his eyes still open but devoid of life. Temari checked his pulse. There was still a weak beating.

"We need to get him to the hospital. He is dying!" Temari said picking up Uchiki's broken form. Gaara summoned sand beneath them and picked the trio from the ground and hoisted them towards the hospital.

"What do you see in the Uchiki?" Gaara asked Temari.

"I don't know... There is just something about him... I can't really explain it but, he's different," Temari tried to explain.

"I think I understand. I can feel it in him too. He has no fear..." Gaara said pondering. For once Gaara had a confused look on his face, "Temari. everyone I have ever faced, even Naruto was frightened by my but, this Uchiki shows no fear even in the face of death. I have killed lots of people and even if they didn't fear me until the last second of their life they at least showed fear then. That man is completely fearless..."

"It's like he has a Death Wish," Temari whispered.

A/N: So, the chapter was going to be way longer but I injured it grappling with some other Marines and although I am sure it is just a real bad jam I still don't feel like making this chapter as long. Besides this isn't a bad spot to end it with the catch name drop and all. Well I hope that chapter was as exciting to read as it was to write. I know I enjoyed it and I hope you all did as well. I was happy to see I had a review after only one chapter. That is a first to me and I hope I did not disappoint with this chapter.