Uzumaki Twins

Chapter 32

~ Chika's pov ~

I slowly opened my eyes. Panic washed through my body as I stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling. Then the events started rushing up to me. My brother's voice and the voices of many people from the village. Even the Hokage was there. They had come for me. They had figured I was missing and had come to get me. I closed my eyes as relief washed over me, chasing away the panic and the cold it had left in its wake. I was home and far away from those creeps.

'I know you're awake,' a voice said, startling me.

Opening my eyes, I turned my head, regretting the decision as pain washed over me. I stared at Gaara who leaned against the wall at my bedside. His sea green eyes were watching me in that intensive way known only to him. There was a mixture of emotions in his eyes; I couldn't begin to even name a single one of them. Exhaustion still held a tight hold on me, but his presence alone forced me to remain awake and alert. Although I was relaxed in his presence, my guard remained up. With an unpredictable guy like him, there's no telling what he's going to try.

'Gaara…'

'What did he want with you?' he suddenly asked.

I stared at him with wide eyes before I turned my head away, looking elsewhere. 'Nothing…'

'Don't lie,' he snapped. I felt the weight shift as he sat on the bed. He grabbed my chin and forced me to face him. 'He was going on about your business with him is destiny. What the hell did he mean?'

I couldn't even knock his hand away. That was how weak I was. 'As if I'd know,' I growled.

But I did, I just didn't want anyone else knowing Juuku's business with that bastard of a demon. Like hell I'd let this guy know anything that happens to me. After all it is my business. He shouldn't have interfered. He wasn't even part of my village, so why did he bother to even come after me? Surely he can't have been worried about me. A top class murderer, an emotionless one at that, worried about a complete stranger? Okay I'm not a total stranger to him, but he barely knows me so that makes me some form of acquaintance he doesn't even like. The only thing he likes about me is that I can prove that he lives if he manages to kill me.

'You're completely at my mercy, girl, so you best start talking.'

I glared at him. It was all I could do. There was nothing he could do that would make me tell him anything. He hasn't seemed to grasp that I'm one stubborn person. Nothing would ever make me talk, not even about the most stupid of things. Even at the edge of death would not make me say anything in relation to what he was asking. If he wanted to know about what was going on between me and that boy – although nothing was really happening – he would just have to wait to find out. Although I knew a bit about what was between the two of us, I didn't understand all of it. There were things even I don't know.

'Stop being stubborn!' he snapped. He pushed away from me with anger. 'I don't have time to deal with this shit.' He turned on me, anger blazing in his eyes. 'No one takes my prey away from me! No one! Now who the fuck was that?'

I attempted a shrug, but my body refused to move. I guess I had no choice but to communicate with him. 'I don't know who he was. All I know is that we're tied together until either one of us is dead.' Didn't I decide that I wouldn't reveal anything to him? So why the hell did I just go and decide to do the exact opposite? I sighed and looked away. Couldn't someone save me from talking to this guy?

'What do you want from me, Gaara?' I ask him, surprising him to stillness.

He turned to me, his eyes blank and his face expressionless. He always did manage to pull that off very well. 'You're my prey, no one else messes with you but me.'

'You're obsessed,' I say, struggling to hold back my laughter.

'I am not…'

'Seriously, you're obsessed with wanting to kill me, way obsessed.'

He glared at me but even that didn't manage to reduce my laughter. I was seriously holding it in so he doesn't blow his top. When does that normally make me sensible? It doesn't, it hadn't before. So why have I suddenly managed to mature? Was it because of when I was fighting with that boy and Jyukubi? Could it be that I'm still in shock from when I fought him? I could have died if he had intended to kill me. If the others hadn't appeared when they did, I would have woken up to my prison rather than back in the Leaf Village.

My amusement fled as quickly as Gaara had managed to mask his emotions. I turned away and looked out the window. I'm grateful, more than grateful to all of those that came after me, even Gaara, although I am very grudging to admit that to him.

Outside the weather looked warm and very inviting. But I'm to remain here to recover from that battle that had done more damage to my insides than I had anticipated. I had known that he was one powerful son of a bitch, but I hadn't expected him to be that powerful. Juuku and I are an excellent team but we have our differences. We don't even work at a hundred percent. How can a human and a demon do that? But it seems that our little 'friends' are more connected that we are, meaning they are much more powerful until we've accomplished our unity much like they have.

Can't do a thing lying in the hospital though.

'Kuro!' Naruto's voice called, startling me out of my thoughts.

I shifted my head and looked down to Naruto who stood at the end of my bed with a big massive grin. I could feel his emotions swirling inside of him though. He had been scared for me. He thought for sure that I wouldn't wake up from that fight. I smiled at him although I felt like scolding him for thinking I was so easily beaten. It seems that our connection between us has finally connected since I can now feel his feelings and almost obtain what he was thinking. Although his thoughts are a little fuzzy and unclear since he seems to be wondering on what he should be thinking of more. Ramen or his sister lying in the hospital…

'So glad you're worried about your twin sister, Naruto,' I said with a glare.

'Eh?' he said, eyes gone wide as he looked at me. 'Can you... err... hear my thoughts?'

I lifted an eyebrow up at him. 'Oh, since our twin connection has finally established, I can more than just hear your thoughts, I can feel your feelings you moron. Why the hell are you thinking about your stomach at a time like this?'

His stomach growled right on cue before he could say anything to deny my accusation. 'Well… you see…'

'Naruto's been by your side ever since you were placed in the hospital five days ago,' Kakashi-sensei said walking into the room.

'It's amazing how he didn't step out once, until now, to get something to eat,' Sakura said, stepping around her sensei to speak to me.

'You're recovering quickly,' Sasuke said, standing beside Naruto with his hands in his pockets. 'I'm sure others would still be sleeping for a couple more days before they woke up from that damage.'

'Yeah, I'm sure you would still be sleeping it off,' I said to him, my aim was to annoy him.

Red crept up his face as he glared at me. Oh-ho, success at its finest. I didn't expect the hot-head to actually rise to my provocation. Then again, I always did know how to bring out Sasuke's competitive side.

Teasing felt nice, such warmness from my friends and from people that care about me was nice. I liked feeling like this. It was the very reason why this feeling couldn't last that dampened my enjoyment. Sooner or later Juuku and I are going to have to face up to those two again. If we don't he'll come after us and we'll be easily beaten like last time. We can't be beaten, not like that and not to those people. Those retched plans of theirs can't be accomplished.

~ Gaara's pov~

It's impossible to understand girls. One minute they can make sense and then another they don't. Chika was much more complicated than that. It seems that no matter what part of her life I witness it's always complicated and messed up. There're only half truths or no truths at all. Pieces of the puzzle are always missing and it's highly problematic to see what piece fits where. If only she didn't keep things to herself it would all work out better.

No one messes with my prey and expects to get away with it.

I jump onto the balcony of the hotel we were given in the Leaf Village. It was high enough for me to overlook most buildings and see the long wall that surrounds the village in a protective embrace from the outside world. The village was decorated with trees that grew between buildings and in green areas meant for some peaceful events. The village was definitely brighter, more colourful and had more joy, prosperity and more emotions than the Sand Village does. This village didn't bother to blend in with its surroundings, rather it was oddly coloured and made to stand out as if wanting to be attacked.

Chika Uzumaki, why do you live in such a place?

More importantly, who was that guy and why did he want you so badly? Either she didn't tell me because she didn't want me involved in what was happening between the two or might not even know who he was. The only thing she managed to tell me was that he was involved with her until either one of them was dead. The one that was going to die was him. Chika will die by my hand and it will be after this Chunin exam is over and that boy is properly taken care of. I'm going to show him what happens to those who mess with someone else's prey.

~ Naruto's pov ~

I watched Kuro stare outside. She hadn't really talked about what happened since she woke up. She remained completely silent as if there was no one else in the room with her. She could be embarrassed and ashamed that she got beaten so badly, she didn't want to talk about it or she was conversing with her demon, Juuku. I wasn't sure which one of the three it was. The connection between us couldn't help me determine what my sister was thinking or feeling. It was as if she was blocking me from being able to understand what she's going through.

I had hoped that she would open up to me, let me know what was on her mind.

'I'm okay, Naruto,' she said without looking at me. 'Really, Juuku and I will be able to fix this somehow.' She looked at me then, the decision made up in her eyes. 'I won't let him do what he wants to me. I'll make sure he understands that I'm not his to control or to have as his own.'

I hadn't realised that what she was telling me was actually what the enemies' plans were. I didn't even begin to understand the double meaning behind her words. I should have paid more attention, but I was oblivious and believed in my sister that she would do what she felt was right, even if she had to do it alone.