((I swear I'm alive… I didn't mean to let everyone hang. I've been writing and then I lost the notebook I was writing this story in and recently found it again. Then work's been attacking me with a lack of days off. But I'm back and with Chapter 6 ready to be panned out! But first! A quick word from the people who were kind enough to review after chapter 5 was dished about… forever and a day ago!))
SammPaglia: AHHHH, i hope kaya ends up with konkoru. they would be perfect. its good. update soon
heartlessRayne: dun dun dun! that should happen actually, kankuro should take up kaya,
hopefully forgive mishka after realizing that she would be happier with him
instead and save the day! then all the other ** can go ** themselves and die
^^
InTheClosetPoet: yay! i didn't die, because my fanfic author saved mee:D lol i very much enoyed. gaara's date fail and how he was thinking about how much more fun it would
have been with the girl he actually liked:)double yay! A girl FINALLY gave up
on the absolutly delicious kazekage to be! The sucker didn't have very much of
a chance to begin with, now did she? Mishka's just...BETTER. Well, this review
is getting a little long and off topic, so please keep writing!
DidiTwitches: This is such a great story! Gaara is a tad bit of a perv though...But then
again, at least he's not acting all KILL, KILL, DIE, KILL! Yeah...PLEASE
UPDATE! *throws cookies and cupcakes and eggnog at author* PLEASE!
LostSocks11: I love this series. PLease don't stop writing it. It's so interesting and I
want to see how it ends! I really love your writing style, great job.
Wolf and Leopard: This story is really good! Please update soon!
((To everyone who reviewed, I thank you! And too everyone who is reading this and not shaking their head in shame for how long it's been—I LOVE YOU ALL! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! And now, before I die from making you all wait much longer than is necessary which I totally should have been attacked by my own raccoon mafia, ENJOY THE CHAPTER!))
Chapter 6: Evil Has Come To Roost
Gaara stood on one of the many rooftops of Suna, glaring at the skies above. So many things have happened in the span of two days. He saw a naked girl, kissed her, fell in love with her. And received an angry kiss from another girl who gave him up. In front of the one he loved.
Love. What a strange word. Shukaku, his father... Hell, practically everyone he ever came across called him a monster. And monsters simply didn't love anybody but themselves. Maybe what he felt for Mishka wasn't love but the emotion a demon felt when given a sacrifice?
He shook his head. No, demons usually ate their offerings. He was hungry for Mishka but not like that. He just... wanted her. So bad that it ached.
Sighing, Gaara went back to star-watching. In his lonely days of youth, he watched the clouds during the days and the stars at night when he wasn't out killing. And he noticed that different things happened depending on the shapes he saw. At this point in time, he was pretty good at interpreting how the day would pan out.
'Today's forcast...' he thought silently. '... doesn't look nice. Something evil is going to happen.'
"Hello, citizens of Suna! I am here to spread youth and joy for all and court a vibrant young woman!"
Temari and Kankuro groaned as they stared at a pumped-up Rock Lee in all his green spandex glory. A pack on his back the size of Naruto told them that he planned to stay for a while.
"Lee, what are you doing here?" the kunoichi asked, exhausted just looking at him. Technically, she was on vacation until Gaara's bride was chosen but she'd been up studying scrolls and practicing some of her less destructive techniques. She wanted to go to bed.
"You do realize that it's five o' clock in the morning, right?" Kankuro added, not at all impressed with Lee's hyper arrival.
The bushy-browed 19 year old didn't seem to take the hint. "Of course! Early morning is the best time to search for a wonderful lady to share your life with! Incidentally, I heard of Gaara-san's courting contest and knew that one of his rejected would come flying into my arms for comfort! In fact, I was tipped off about one such maiden in need of my support and love! A lovely white-haired vixen with eyes like golden rings of unity and marital trust!"
'Could he be-' Temari thought, looking at Kankuro.
He returned the look. '- thinking about-'
"Not available!" they both declared.
Lee jumped at the volume. "Wh-why not? I received the message just yesterday!"
"From who?" Temari asked.
"A youthful beauty with a heart of gold!"
The sand siblings sighed. "Just go find a room and go to sleep. I think being awake at this hour's melted your brain."
Lee ran off in his search, leaving the two to discuss matters.
"He's after Gaara's girl! Can't we just let the fool die?" Kankuro asked.
Temari shook her head. Her hair was down, showing off the length. "I want to know exactly who directed his sights to Mishka. And for that, Lee has to be alive. So all w have to do is figure out a way to keep him alive after Gaara finds out."
"You make it sound so easy..."
"What sounds easy?"
The two sand siblings turned to find their younger bother glaring at them. "G-Gaara..."
"There's something evil in town. I can tell you know something..."
"W-well... you see... a visitor showed up today a-and-"
A scream pierced through the stammering. So they all ran towards it and one door was open.
"Mishka!" Temari and Kankuro cried out, Gaara running at top speed and passing his siblings easily. They arrived in time to view a strange sight.
Lee on bended knee. Mishka in bed. A ring box open in the spandex-clad young man's hand.
The situation was obvious. And the youngest sand sibling wasn't happy. Golden waves of blood-drenched sand surrounded Lee and in the blink of an eye, he was pinned against the wall with no means of escape.
"Take... it... back..." the red-haired ex-demon carrier ordered. His glare was as deadly as poison.
"But she... I was told she was rejected. The contest is not over?"
"No... put the fuckin' box in your pocket now..." The sand moved and allowed Lee to do just that.
"But Gaara-san, it sounds like you've already chosen your bride. And while it certainly seems like the beautiful girl I am courting-"
"You are NOT courting her."
"- then how can the contest not be over?" the Konoha ninja asked.
Gaara froze just then. Could that be why that black-haired girl was so mad before? He gave Lee a tight squeeze and retracted his sand. "I have to follow the council's rules. What I want is irrelevant if they won't accept her."
"So I could still marry her? Oh, joyous day!"
"It's not day! It's morning! Very, very early in the Goddamn morning!" Temari shouted. "Sleep!"
Gaara glared in her direction so she added, "... except you, Gaara."
"Lee, come on. I'll show you to an empty room... as far away from Mishka as possible," Kankuro grumbled, dragging the love-struck Lee out of the room. Temari bustled off, leaving Gaara and a much-too-silent Mishka alone.
"Um..."
Gaara looked her way. He felt a little awkward about yesterday. But he couldn't let that stop him. "Yes?"
"Would you stay here? Just in case that guy comes back?" She asked.
It was then that he noticed she was wearing the T-shirt he'd given her. She saw where his eyes were directed and blushed. "... you did let me borrow it... and it would be rude to refuse your kindness."
Mishka had never been so embarrassed. There were little tiffs now and then but since coming to Suna, those tiffs of embarrassment seemed so small. They couldn't hold a candle to Gaara.
Looking at him shyly, she saw a phenominal sight. The Kazekage-to-be had a smile on his face that seemed to make the whole world just a little kinder. He moved to her bedside and lifted the covers, sliding into the bed.
She had to know. "Gaara? Why did you pick me?"
Silence followed her question. For a moment, she was certain he wasn't going to answer. But then arms wrapped around her waist and she was pulled into a firm chest. "Because you weren't afraid."
"Neither are the others. They all want to marry you."
"They want to be married to the Kazekage. I want to marry you. you don't care about who I'm going to be."
"I didn't want to marry you, Gaara. The Cloud just didn't have any girls to offer you. I was the only one that was allowed to go. The perks of having no family, I suppose."
Gaara didn't want to hear this. She hadn't felt the connection? How could she kiss him back if she didn't? "Now that you're here... and that you've gotten to know me... do you regret it? That I chose you?"
He felt her turn around in his arms and she hugged him back. "Of course not. I don't know why anybody would fear you... even if you are a little... focused. But I can't make you happy. Not the way you may want. I need to find my place in this world and you have already found yours. Please don't take it personally..."
He stayed silent. So there was a connection. A spark that he planned to turn into an eternal flame. "You know... you could always make Suna your place in this world... I'll always be here to welcome you home."
Mishka sighed softly and snuggled into his chest. "That's a nice thought. But life isn't so simple. At least for now... I'll pretend that it is..." And she faded off to slumber-land.
Gaara smiled and gently held her to him, trying to sleep but knowing that he'd be unable to.
Lee sat in a huff on his bed. He wasn't tired; he'd found the girl of his dreams. And when the beauty woke, he planned to woo her to the altar. Gaara or not Gaara, she would be his. And he would have his long-time crush on his side, helping him win her over... with youth and vitality!
((So Lee has arrived and he's got his eye on Mishka, whether Gaara likes it or not. How will this pan out? … no offense but I think we all know, right? Poor Lee doesn't stand a chance… but still, keep reading and reviewing. I have more chapters written down but work too much to put them all down right now. But they're still coming! Please… don't give up hope…))