Part 5 – Snow

I had been wandering in a daze when he found me. To see him crying gave me such great heartache I could die, and it was even worse to know he was crying for me. Selfishly, a small part of me felt glad that he was worried about me, that he cared. It was like all my dreams and all my nightmares rolled into one.

Standing there, with his arms holding me tightly against him, I felt safer than I ever had before. I always knew that I could not be wounded, because of the sand; but now I felt like I was safe from being hurt.

Naruto was sobbing freely, clinging to me, as I clung back, like we were the only people in the world. I didn't want to lose that moment, not ever. It was like a taste of heaven, and the pain of only a few moments before made it all the sweeter.

After a long while, Naruto pulled away slightly, leaving his arms loosely circling my waist. I almost started to protest, but something in his eyes kept me quiet. He was no longer crying. He sniffled a little, taking in my appearance with worried eyes.

"Gaara," he said, in the most fragile voice I could ever have imagined, "I love you."

For a moment I could not even respond. My heart was overflowing. I thought it would almost break my chest with the way it was beating. I was so happy it almost hurt. All my fears, all my doubts, all my insecurities were swept away in that single moment. I could scarcely believe what was happening to me.

"Naruto…" I started, but the emotion overcame me and I started to cry again. Instantly, Naruto began to look terrified. I choked on the tears as I struggled to assure him that everything was fine. "I… I… Naruto, I l-love you t-too…" I gasped, feeling almost like I was someone else, or dreaming, or this was all a joke. It was so hard to understand that just a day ago I had been the most alone person in the entire world. Now I had him. Yesterday I was a monster. Today, I was beautiful.

I shook my head in wonder, and he instantly took it as dismissal. He was so afraid, so insecure in his love, just as I was, that he seemed uncertain I was really in love with him. Every tiny gesture that either of us made was examined and analyzed by the other, to see if there was a hidden rejection inside it.

I gathered my courage and kissed him full on the lips, the first time I had ever dared to make the first move. Eventually we broke away from each other, and began to walk down the road, arms still around each others' waists. The ground was wet, the rainwater trickling down the hill as we walked up it. Once he slipped, and I held onto him tightly, scared he would fall and get hurt. He regained his balance and we carried on, until we reached the main street.

The village was just beginning to stir again after the storm, and a few people were coming out to check their homes for damage. Most of them hardly looked at us; the few who really noticed us stared in open wonder as we went by. Most of the villagers knew Naruto because of the way he was always so loud and public; but few of them knew me, and fewer still would have expected to see us so close.

Eventually we came to his house, and I thought we were to go in; but instead he took hold of my hand and pulled me along the side of the building. At the back was a ladder leading to the roof. He was about to climb it when I stopped him. With a smile I wrapped an arm around his waist and summoned my sand. We floated gracefully up to the roof, and then sat down on the edge to look over everything.

Hand in hand, my head on his shoulder, his body leaning in to mine, we sat in a paradise of togetherness. It was still only the afternoon, and we had all the time in the world to enjoy each other's company. There was no need for words, not between us; we understood each other so perfectly that even silence was communication.

Eventually, the sun began to go down. Neither of us were tired of the view yet, so we stayed, and watched the village going to sleep. I felt as though I could fly away, free and happy, with him by my side. I lifted my head to look at him as he stared up at the sky. He was so perfect, so beautiful. He was like my fallen angel, my other half, my soul.

"Look up, Gaara." He said softly, and I saw soft white flakes beginning to fall from the sky. When they fell upon me they were cold and wet. I had never experienced anything like it.

"Naruto… what is it?" I asked, slightly alarmed at this new sensation. He looked round at me with wide eyes.

"You've never felt snow before?" he asked, astonished.

"No… we never have this in Suna…" I replied, confused. He nodded, and leaned over slightly to look at the street below.

"It's a shame… the streets are too wet for it to settle. It's so beautiful when it settles, Gaara. You'd love it."

I smiled at him, bemused by the strange storms that I had seen in Konoha.

"Naruto," I said happily, "The weather here is almost as crazy as you."

Ahhh... that's the end, then :) I really couldn't let them end in misery, and this was so much nicer!

What did you think? There's more GaaNaru coming up, but there's some of other pairings too, so there's plenty for you to sink your teeth in if you liked this one ;)