A.N.- Hello everyone! It has been so long hasn't it? So much has happened... Most of it crazy! XD Anyway, long story short I got really sick (like almost a year of sick-it was terrible!) and then my mom got really sick (she still is technically but things have gotten slower despite this) so I was busy for a very long time. I forgot many things, my fanfics being one of those things.
Anyway, I thought about my unfinished stories one day and went to check on them and I saw all these lovely sweet wonderful people asking me to please update them and I felt terrible for completely forgetting them.
So I dusted off my fanfic folder (Cyber dust naturally lol) and I went searching for my tidbits I'd left behind to tell myself where I was going next with them. XD Granted my bread crumb system was usually just for like having a week in between not a year (maybe more...heh...) so it took me a day or two but I got back on track.
So now, here it is! My attempt at reclaiming what I lost. I have updated my big three. If Anybody regularly follows Sakura's College Adventure, House of Second Chances, or Judge and Jury I have new chapters for all of them! I am going to get my butt back in gear and finish them. So even if it isn't quite regular I intend to update these more often and finish these stories for my readers who have been incredibly loyal and patient (and my characters who have sat frozen in time for far too long).
I worry that my writing style may have changed... so please let me know if these came out alright! I can honestly say that you amazing people out there are the reason I came back to fanfiction writing (I've started my own book!) and I genuinely adore hearing what everyone thinks!
So read! Smile! Tell me if you did! Tell me what you think!
I love you guys! Sorry for the long (really long) wait but now I happily present to you chapter 59 (so many!) of Sakura's College Adventure! The end to this tale is in sight guys!
Disclaimer- Naruto isn't mine :(
Temari glared at her phone and then sighed and rolled over, moving gingerly still; her body was a little less stiff but still quite sore.
"Hey, that was Kankuro. Seems his kitty has run off."
Sasuke grumbled from underneath his pillow, "Set some milk out then. She's a cat, they tend to venture."
Nodding, she wrapped an arm around his narrow hips, hips that were still bare from their unnecessarily long bath time. The recent memory made her smile and she snuggled into him, breathing in his fresh soapy male scent.
"I know. But Kankuro really sounded upset." she muttered.
The raven haired man sighed, "So you want to go check on him? Fine. Go ahead."
The soft agitated growl at the end of his words made a chill go through her and she shoved him a little, "You're going with me, shit for brains."
He lifted his head and glared at her, "And why would I do such a thing?"
Temari's own glare intensified and would have melted a lesser man, but Sasuke stood his ground. He was still in a foul mood after these past few days and he was in no mood to go coddle her dimwitted brother.
"What's with you? You were so attentive in the bathroom and now you are like this? Morphed back into a raging asshole." she snapped, sitting upright.
Sasuke shrugged, "Sex is different. If you're not pleased you don't have to deal with it again."
Temari rolled her eyes, "I never said that, you moron. I just want to know what has gotten into you. You were sulking over something earlier when we saw Gaara and Sakura and so help me if this little tantrum has to do with Pinky I will destroy you."
Sasuke glared up at Temari, "Shut up, you couldn't do a thing to me that I didn't allow."
She raised her eyebrows, "Oh really?"
His onyx eyes flared with red and he growled angrily, "Yeah, really, make a move, bitch. It will be your last."
Temari's fire vanished and her fight left her. This wasn't a play fight or some weird sex game, he was truly threatening her. For no reason other than she'd tried to find out what was bothering him.
Granted...she could have tried doing it a little sweeter...she huffed and shook her head but then looked back at the young man staring her down with bright blood red Uchiha eyes, she supposed for once she could swallow her pride if it meant he'd talk to her, "Sasuke, I just want to know what's up with you, no need to bring blood and death threats into this. Just talk to me."
"The only thing bothering me is a haughty little sand rat who thinks she can boss me around and I'm not in the mood to play nice with her about it."
Tears threatened to spill but she blinked against the stinging water and forced herself to calm down. She didn't know what exactly he was playing at or why he had suddenly changed from the sweet guy who worried about her to this bitter brat but she too was in no mood to play nicely with him.
Her gaze was stone cold, voice like steel, as she glared down her nose at him and replied, "Playing nice, huh? So you were just playing before."
She got up from the bed and quickly gathered her clothes she'd dumped by the door. She was dressed and ready to leave in a matter of seconds.
He hadn't even sat up, or tried saying something to correct this ghastly misunderstanding that she had hoped it all was. He made no move at all to stop her and fix what was happening, and it was crystal clear what was happening. If she walked out right now, she would not be coming back.
But apparently she had just been part of some twisted game for the Uchiha and mortifyingly enough she'd fallen hook line and sinker for it all, dammit. No one made a fool of her! She wanted to go back over there and chop off his head, or his dick, or his damned hair or something but...Kankuro had truly sounded distraught. For whatever reason he'd actually called her for help, which was rare enough on its own, for her brother to actually sound upset about something... he really needed help so she had to go. Family always came first.
Gripping the door knob so tightly her knuckles were white as a sheet, she said softly yet in a strong clear voice, tapping into her training, refusing to let him know she trembled down to her toes. "Next time you feel like playing, find someone else. I've never been one to fancy games."
With her back straight and her head held up high she left to find her brother.
Sakura was stretched out, laying on her tummy sprawling all over her and Gaara's bed watching as he paced and spoke on the phone with some important hoo-ha back in Suna. She flipped a page of the book she was pretending to read, she was captivated by how in control Gaara was. He was clearly angry, she could feel it through their mate bond that he was furious about something, and yet he wasn't tense and there was no sign of his simmering rage sans the fact that he was pacing a tight path between the door and the wall. Even his voice held no clues as to how he felt. Clear and commanding, Gaara spoke in a soft voice, never raising his voice, making them work to hear him instead working to be heard he was surprisingly well worded when dealing with these Suna uppity types.
He halted his pacing abruptly and pulled his phone away from his ear, checked his screen and returned the phone to his ear. Sakura guessed he had another call coming in.
Seconds later she felt her own cell phone vibrate in her pocket, she dug it out. Temari was calling. She wanted to answer but she was worried her voice would be heard by the guy Gaara was on the phone with, which would cause unnecessary drama for Gaara before it had to happen. She'd promised to stay near him while he dealt with this irritating chore. He hadn't wanted to answer when his phone had rung about an hour or so ago, she'd had to make the promise of not going anywhere on top of remaining naked, just so he'd agree to answer. She hadn't wanted him to have trouble later. So leaving the room wasn't an option either...
She quickly rejected Temari's call and typed her a message hoping she didn't try calling again before she was finished.
What's up? He's on the phone with some big wig.
Sakura hoped that made the situation clear enough.
It must have because seconds later she got a response.
Ah. That explains it. Kankuro needs us. Come to the courtyard asap.
Sakura promised that they would be there as quickly as they could be and then shoved her phone back in her pocket.
Gaara had stopped pacing. Though he was saying some sort of curt diplomatic stuff he was gazing at her, curiosity in his aqua jade eyes. Sakura smiled at him, Don't worry about it, love, I handled it. Now you finish handling this so I can kiss you.
It was incredible to be privy to the boil of emotions Gaara kept locked up inside, she felt the huge swirl of desire as he nodded slightly and she shivered at the now familiar feeling of lust pooling up within her, tightening her abdomen with anticipation.
Given the right incentive, Gaara quickly finished the droning conversation about a matter that truly could have waited until his first break came and he was able to return home for a week or so.
He pocketed his cell phone and turned to face Sakura, a soft warmth filling him at the sight of her laying so comfortably on his bed, where he claimed her and marked her as his over and over again. The look in her emerald eyes filled him with an entirely different sensation and he strode quickly to the bed, closing the gap between himself and her in a few long strides.
Taking her lips as his he lunged his tongue into her eager mouth, devouring her essence as he kissed away his frustrations.
Her gentle hands soothed his shoulders and back, massaging away the tension. She knew exactly what he needed, a fact that still marveled him. For someone to pay such attention to him to know what he needed or wanted… it was exhilarating.
Once he was more like himself and less a tight ball of frustration Sakura pulled away, placing one last soft kiss to his lip as she drew back. "Temari wants us to meet her in the courtyard as soon as possible. She said Kankuro needed us."
Gaara was overcome with a different type of frustration as he realized the situation forming in his pants was going to have to wait. He released a soft sigh and dropped his forehead onto Sakura's smooth satin shoulder. Rolling his head he tucked his face into the crook of her neck and breathed in her scent, trying to relax himself so that he could once again go handle an issue that could probably wait.
Sakura giggled softly, his hot breath tickled her skin. He seemed so much taller like this, with him leaning over her now sitting form on the bed. His strong defined arms that hid underneath his loose hoodie sleeves resting on either side of her, balancing himself on one knee too eager to be near her to even fully climb on to the bed.
She ducked her head and allowed him a moment to compose himself, that phone call must have really upset him. Those stupid Suna officials were always picking needless fights with him.
She would rub his back if she could but now with him resting on her so fully, which that fact alone thrilled her considering he hardly trusted anyone enough to normally do such a thing, but it kept her from being able to move much. She had the tiny tent that was formed by his body draping over hers.
Her gaze landed on what lay directly in front of her and she blushed.
The tell tale bulge showing just why Gaara needed to compose himself.
She was glad his phone call hadn't upset him and happier she was what was. In her mind it was possibly the highest compliment he could give. Words, faces, eyes, while wonderful they could all lie, especially from someone like Gaara who had over a decade of practice holding his feelings in and showing what was expected.
The thought had briefly crossed her mind while watching him handle the phone call so un-Gaara-like. She worried first that she didn't really know the real Gaara, but she quickly shoved that fear away.
Surely it was the mask that he showed to the people he hated and not her. However, a mask he did show, and quite well…which brought about her second much stronger insecurity. Would Gaara ever pretend to like her or something she did or said simply to keep her happy, to avoid conflict? He was quite often very aggressive and fairly opinionated. So was she…
Sakura knew it was a dumb thing to fret over but it seemed to always be the dumbest worries that she couldn't fight away. Yet here he was, all of his feelings open to her. It was wonderful!
So overcome with relief Sakura wanted to make him feel as great as she did. She'd feel terrible if he had to deal with work and then family all the while in discomfort. She had no idea how long it took for something like this to go away but she was sure it couldn't be pleasant for him while it didn't.
Reaching out she cupped the warmth between his legs and felt the growing hardness under the fabric of his pants. He jumped at her touch, and tensed, waiting, uncertain of what exactly she was doing. He stayed where he was on her shoulder, holding his breath, not even daring to breathe in fear he'd make her take her hand away. Her touch was all he craved, her soft silk hands, her lips, her heat. He felt himself twitch with anticipation and he blushed, suddenly he had a new reason to keep his face buried, his hot, red face.
Massaging him softly she leaned a bit, trying not to move him from his place of rest, and kissed his throat.
Ignoring the danger signs going off in his predator trained mind, the throat was not a place he let people near, Gaara remained rigidly still. He trusted Sakura. She wouldn't do anything to hurt him. In fact, her hand was doing the exact opposite of hurting him…
His erection grew and pressed tighter against the lap of his pants and Gaara bit back a moan. After finally having sexual intercourse, his body was much more…willing. Now that he'd felt the joys of being with her, even if his mind wondered and worried, his body didn't waste time with such nonsense, it knew without help from him what it wanted.
Bringing her other hand to his lap she worked his erection, gently enticing him to forget the rest of the world and think only of her, of her hands.
Gaara could think of no reason why he should fight her wishes.
She slid his zipper down and slipped her cool fingers inside, winding through the fabric to his aching erection.
If he'd thought himself tense before, now he was so tightly strung he felt his muscles would explode. Her hands on him were so wonderful he just didn't know what to do with himself. He knew if he moved they'd change and he had no guarantee that once they moved and changed that her hands would find their way back to where they were now…and where they were now was precisely where he wanted them and had wanted them all day.
Gripping him loosely she pumped her hand, tightening rhythmically as she slid it up and down his length.
He was so hot and hard she found herself mesmerized by what she did to him. This was a response Gaara couldn't fake, there was no way, right? This meant she made him as happy as he made her. He deserved to be happy, she loved making him happy. Whether it was a simple hug or doing something like this, she just wanted to feel that soft warm reassuring glow inside that meant he was happy, happy with her.
She tried to move but his stone still body held her in place. He didn't want her to stop? She just wanted to move so she could get a better angle, to make it better for him. Maybe she could get him to lay back and she could use her mouth. She was pretty sure he liked that even better, if memory served right. These past few days sometimes felt surreal and she had to stop and reconsider what really happened and what she'd fantasized.
She whispered, "Trust me."
Slowly he relaxed and allowed her to roll him over on to his back, his legs still not on the bed, his feet resting on the floor.
Sakura climbed onto the bed beside him and his hazy lust filled gaze watched her, his breathing heavy and labored as he waited patiently to see what exactly he was trusting her to do.
She smiled at him, I love you, she whispered through their mate bond.
The soft almost invisible smile that touched his lips gave her chills and she thrilled at how just her words could make him smile in this state he was in.
Returning her hand to his throbbing member she glided her silk palm over him cupping it beneath, adventuring with the new weight in her hands she massaged it gently, before letting go and returning to his erection.
Rolling his head from one side to the other, Gaara's body remained tight and tense and his back arched so that he was even closer to her, so that she could possibly touch even more of him. He coudn't get enough. This was better than that time on the roof. Before he'd been nearly scared to death, but now…all he felt was need. No fear. No uncertainty. Just Sakura and the comforting knowledge that she wanted to do this for him. Because she loved him.
His groin tingled and the tickle grew as her attentions to him picked up in speed. The overwhelming feeling in the bottom of his belly would surely stop his heart it was beating so fast, it would explode any second he supposed. He could die like this though…that'd be okay.
He felt her shift her weight on the bed but he couldn't force his eyes to open or his head to lift and see.
Then a slick heat enveloped the tip of him and he bit his tongue in surprise. Her mouth. Those lips he loved…on him again. No…he couldn't die like this. He wanted to live forever so he could feel this every chance he got. Every chance she gave him.
Sucking at the top she swirled her tongue around the mushroom tip and slid her mouth down taking the better part of half of him into her mouth letting the hot wet cavern close around him and tighten. Gaara groaned softly and raised his hips, desperate for more of this feeling. She moved faster, bobbing her head in a quick rhythm and Gaara's eyes rolled back in his head. The tightness, the heat, the movement, his entire body would surely implode with this powerfully great feeling.
Her hand continued its ministrations to the bottom of his shaft, the part she couldn't take in her inexperienced mouth.
She drove him further and further into bliss, pumping rougher, moving faster, sucking harder she guided him quickly to the edge of heaven and without warning pushed him over into it. Gaara gasped as his body rocked and shook, trembling and twitching in sweet agonizing euphoria. When he was through shaking she lay down at his side and cuddled close, kissing him softly on his cheek. He was intoxicated by the scent on her, his scent on her.
She didn't say anything, but he felt it; the complete surrender of her love was so sweet he could have cried, yet he didn't…he was too happy to cry. Sakura loved him more than words could express, more than actions could show, and yet she tried so hard to tell him and show him. For that, Gaara could manage to handle the day to day frustrations being with her caused, and any other messes life tried to sling at him. He sighed and relaxed into the mattress, for once in his life completely at rest, totally at ease. He just wanted one last peaceful moment alone with her before they left to find out what Kankuro needed help with. So much had happened, things had barely been given chance to slow down and already they were needed elsewhere.
Holding her close to his body, Gaara closed his eyes and imprinted this peace on his mind, cherishing it. Yes, just a moment longer.
Within the hour the group had gradually all come to the courtyard, all except Sasuke. Temari could see Gaara and his pink fiancee approaching in the distance meaning they were the last, not counting the asshole Uchiha. Temari bit back her boiling rage and swallowed it down, she'd deal with it later after she'd helped Kankuro calm down. She had yet to get the full story out of him. He just kept pacing, cursing to himself, freaking out.
As Gaara and Sakura strolled up to the small gathering Naruto waved at them in greeting. Sakura noticed with hidden joy how happy he looked now. Hinata wasn't with him, but he had probably tucked her back into bed and ordered her to not move again. Which really was for the best, new tissue was a lot thinner and more fragile for a good long while. Even lifting something with just a bit of strain or falling or stretching too far and she'd cause a serious tear.
Gaara stepped away from Sakura, coming to stand in Kankuro's path.
"Brother."
His word came as an order, quiet but firm.
Kankuro froze, his angry gaze lifting slowly to meet Gaara's steady stare.
There were moments when, as brothers, they needed no speaking to communicate. Gaara and Kankuro had fought side by side, back to back for so many years, against so many foes they held an understanding of each other.
The look his older brother wore was one of frustration and desperation, surely a look Gaara rarely saw on his older sibling's face.
"She's gone." Kankuro said through grit teeth.
Temari shrugged, stepping up to join the intense stare off between her brothers, glad Gaara had calmed him enough to speak.
"So? This is Yura we're talking about, Kankuro. She is a cat girl, you know. Cats tend to wander." Temari said evenly, attempting to settle Kankuro's tension.
He spun around, snarling as he stalked towards her, closing the small gap, "No! You don't understand!"
Temari held her ground, she would not back down to her idiot brother; folding her arms over an ample chest she scowled at him, fearlessly holding his crazed glare with a fierce glare of her own.
"Then why don't you enlighten me instead of pacing like a lunatic mumbling to yourself!" she snapped at him, turning her nose up at him. She was already pissed, she didn't feel like dealing with his tantrums right now on top of the shit between her and Sasuke.
With a soft growl in his voice Kankuro said, "She left. She said some crazy shit and then just left."
Turning back to meet Gaara's eyes, silently begging his brother to understand, "I think she's in danger." Kankuro then shook his head, frowning to himself, amending his words, "No, I know she is."
Sakura stepped up, "Okay, what did she say? Let's start with that. Did she mention where she was going?"
Kankuro huffed, "Don't you think I'd already be there if I knew that, you dumb bitch?!"
A pale hand whipped out as soon as those words left Kankuro's mouth, Gaara held his brother's throat in a tight vice like grip, "Speak to her like that again and your lost cat will be the least of your worries."
His wide dark eyes stared at Gaara, Kankuro nodded, a grim line set to his mouth, sweat beading on his brow.
Placing a gentle hand on Gaara's shoulder, Sakura gave him a reassuring squeeze, "It's alright, Gaara, he's just really stressed out."
The young man shook his head, red hair ruffling with the movement, "No excuses. You are mine, it won't happen again."
Temari huffed, "Are we done? Or is our missing friend not important here?"
Looking up, Sakura met Temari's eyes and nodded, "You're right, we need to focus on Yura."
Gaara released Kankuro's throat. The older brother doubled over, coughing, clutching his throat as air invaded his lungs once more.
Kankuro stood back up, hands balled tightly at his sides, "She didn't mention where she was going before she knocked me out."
Naruto's handsome face twisted in confusion, "She knocked you out? But why?"
Kankuro's voice came out strained, "I guess so I woldn't stop her."
Looking back and forth from her brothers to Sakura and then Naruto, Temari tried to piece things together. None of it was adding up. What was Yura doing?
Granted, she hadn't known the girl for long but this was strange even for a person like her.
"All I can remember is her asking me not to go to the dance tonight." Kankuro grumbled, fidgeting with anxious energy.
"That won't start for about another hour." Sakura said informing the small group. "Do you think she'll be there?"
The boy shrugged, sighing, suddenly sounding weary, "I don't know." He shook his head, "I really don't. She just said not to go because she wanted me to be safe."
He cursed, kicking the ground angrily, "She left hours ago, she could already be-be..." his voice broke and his shoulders shook with a silent sob. He'd been trying so hard to keep it together. But what could he do? He didn't even know where to start looking for her.
Without hesitation, Sakura wrapped him in a hug and patted his back soothingly, "Don't lose hope. We'll find her."
Turning her steady gaze to Gaara Sakura said, "Do you know where Yura's room is?"
The redhead nodded.
"Will you go and see if that smaller girl is there? I don't remember her name this moment, but she had cat ears too, and short black hair." Sakura smiled, the action not reaching her eyes, "Maybe she knows places Yura goes."
"Where she does business." Kankuro added, scrubbing a sleeve over his damp eyes, "She'd said something about finishing some business."
With a quick nod, Gaara vanished in a swirl of sand.
Thank you. I love you, Sakura whispered through their mate bond, hoping he'd heard her before disappearing.
She felt the reassuring warmth from him, she smiled softly to herself, he'd heard her.
Turning to Naruto Sakura said, "I need you to find Yura's scent. You found Hinata's earlier with no problem. I know it's been a few hours since she was in this area but I know you can do it. Find her scent, find which way she went. Hell, if you can find her all the better."
Naruto nodded, his usually jovial face serious, "Right. But if she made it to the city her scent might get lost in all the other smells."
Running her fingers through her pink hair, Sakura let out a long breath, "Yeah, but she could still be on campus. Just do your best."
"You got it!" Naruto shouted as he took off running, already sniffing for Yura's scent.
Temari turned, about to leave when Sakura called her name.
She glanced at her over the shoulder, "What? Got an order for me too, General Pinky?"
Nodding, Sakura answered, "Actually, yeah. Get to the building where the dance will be. See if anybody has seen her there. But be careful, if she worried it was dangerous there could be anything going on there."
A confident smirk curled the corners of her full lips as Temari laughed humorlessly, "Like any of these dumb normal college brats are any threat to a Sunan ninja."
Sakura shook her head, "Just grab your fan on the off chance it's not just college brats at the dance. The warning was aimed at a Sunan ninja, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah." Temari muttered before jumping up to the rooftop of a nearby education building, then off to the next rooftop as she dashed out of sight.
Sakura stared after her, what was up with Temari? She'd been uncharacteristically mean. She wasn't usually like that when it came to her family having problems.
"Thanks."
Setting that thought aside, she turned her head at the sound of his weary voice, offering Kankuro the best smile she could at the moment.
"We'll find her, Kankuro." she assured him, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.
Sadly, they knew so very little about Yura, it was going to be difficult tracing her steps.
"So what are we going to do? What are my orders, General Pinky?" Kankuro asked, awaiting his assignment from their self appointed ring leader.
Grinning at him, Sakura answered, "You're going to tell me everything you can about Yura. Out of us all you know her best. So any little bit you know you're going to tell. At this point anything can help seeing as we have practically nothing to go on."
She took a few steps toward the nearest bench, pausing when she heard Kankuro clear his throat, coughing nervously.
"You're not a bitch." he mumbled, refusing to meet her gaze.
Sakura laughed. "Thanks."
Kankuro glanced up, surprised by her reaction. Sakura made a silly face at him, "No hard feelings."
Feeling a little relieved, glad she hadn't taken his aggression personally, Kankuro nodded.
Taking the last steps, she plopped on the bench and patted the wooden seat beside her, "Right then, so while we wait for Gaara to return with Yura's little friend, tell me as much as you can."
He obediently came to join her, already wracking his brain for anything that could be a clue to where Yura might be.
Gaara appeared in front of the building that Yura's room was in and strode for the door with long powerful strides.
Normally, he wouldn't take orders but for this one instance, because it was Sakura, and for the sake of his idiot brother he would peacefully comply. But Heaven help her if she thought she could order him anytime she pleased.
An image on her beautiful face smiling as she kissed down the length of his body flashed in his mind and a soft pink stain colored his pale cheeks. Then again, if that were his reward...pride be damned. Perhaps having a happy Sakura meant more of those sorts of things happening.
Gaara shook his head, briefly mesmerized with the fact that after such a very short time he may already be quite addicted to her touch.
He felt the demon within him chuckle. Choosing to ignore Shukaku at this time, he pounded a fist on the door to Yura's room.
A few startled sounds of someone followed by moving quickly and quietly-just not quietly enough- reached his ears and Gaara waited two seconds before kicking the door in.
Sand rushed forward, wrapping itself around the small body of the girl just as she was about to hop out of the dorm room window.
Dragging her over to meet his face, a wicked, slightly twisted grin spread over his once stoic face, "You have answers I need."
Oh, it felt sooooo good to have a body in the clutches of his sand once more. He could feel just how fragile she was, how frail. With just a thought he could crush her, end her.
That knowledge, the sheer power of such a fact filled him with an unbridled thrill.
Shaking his head, Gaara hurried to rid himself of such thoughts. He'd changed.
He just had to remind himself sometimes, especially when he had such easy prey in his grasp.
The girl was trembling and terrified. Her wide glacier blue eyes watched him, waiting for her inevitable end.
"At ease, girl. If I were going to kill you, you'd already be paint on these walls." Gaara sighed, rubbing his temple as he focused, ignoring the intense headache coming on. When he denied Shukaku an easy kill like this the demon liked to make him pay for it.
Yes, punish me like the brat you are, Gaara growled in his mind, Would you like to be the one to explain to Sakura why the only person with information is dead?
The demon didn't utter a single word, but Gaara noticed as the stabbing headache lessened to an easily ignored throb.
As I thought, Gaara huffed.
Turning his cold aqua jade eyes on the girl, tightening his sand the slightest bit he said, "You're going to tell me where I can find Yura."
She gasped, and struggled against his sand, trying to break out.
"I said I won't kill you." Gaara growled. Why was she struggling? He'd already said he wouldn't crush her. So why was she reacting in such a way?
"Go ahead!" she hissed quietly, her voice hoarse from rarely being used. "I'm not telling you anything!"
Refusing to play this moronic game, Gaara withdrew his sand, letting the cat girl land on her floor with a soft thud.
"Fine. Her blood is on your hands." he huffed, turning to leave.
If she didn't want to talk after he'd been so nice as to not hurt her, then she deserved to lose her friend.
But does Kankuro deserve to lose his girlfriend?
Gaara paused mid-stride. Why did his conscience sound like Sakura all of a sudden? Had she truly invaded every aspect of his life so thoroughly that she was what guided his moral decisions now?
Hearing the hesitant movement behind him, Gaara turned to face the petite cat girl who had followed him.
"W-what did you mean?" she asked, her thin black tail hanging between her legs, twitching slowly at her ankles.
"I'm Kankuro's brother." Gaara stated, hoping maybe she at least knew Kankuro.
She nodded, clasping his shaking hands at her chest, "And Sakura's boyfriend."
"So you knew?" he growled, more irritated than before now that he knew she had known who he was all along. Why treat him like an enemy then?
"Yes..." she whispered, bowing her head, "But I thought maybe it was a trick. Sometimes people can look like other people."
Ah, she'd thought him a shape-shifter. He supposed, if Yura dealt with dangerous people often, that would be an adequate concern to hold.
"I am me." he said quietly, feeling awkward talking to a person he knew so little.
"Yeah..." she nodded, "I d-don't think they could c-copy your sand trick."
She was still nervous? Even now that she knew who he was? Anger burned in his gut. How dare she fear him. He'd given her no reason to. Yet.
"Yet you fought my hold." He huffed. He may just have to resign himself to never understanding other people.
The young girl shrugged, "Well you attacked me. I thought maybe you were a mole or maybe just a bad guy. Other people act afraid of you."
A heavy weight dropped in his gut. Gaara scowled at the floor. He hadn't really done anything to make people fear him. Not here. Not in this city so different from the ninja villages.
"But then I remembered how nice Sakura was. Yura liked her, after all, and Yura has great instincts. And she wasn't afraid of you. And since Yura wasn't afraid, and Sakura wasn't afraid. I remembered you must be a good guy." The black triangle ears nestled atop her black bob cut bent backwards as she pouted, her lower lip sticking out as she added, "So if you're not bad, why'd you attack me?"
"I heard you escaping." Gaara stated, his tone reflecting how he was beginning to feel: bored. Why had Sakura sent him to do this? Was this not something she was more qualified to do?
Despite his displeasure with the length of this verbal transaction, Gaara noticed the blush warming the girl's cheeks. "I thought you were those bad men looking for Yura. She warned me to be alert today. Made me promise to be extra careful."
She looked up to him with big blue eyes, tears gathering in them as she silently implored him.
"What?" He grunted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Did they get her? I thought she'd be back now." She whimpered.
Gaara perked up, as much as possible for the master of straight faces. "You know where she went?"
The girl nodded, but then frowned, "But I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone. Especially, Kankuro."
"Breaking promises to save people is forgivable." Gaara said, trying his damndest to sound reasonable. Really, he should have at least brought Sakura with him.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"Tell me where she is."
Her small ears bent down, disappearing into her hair, "Well, I don't know for certain..."
Gaara sighed. "Just tell me what you do know."
She studied him, ice blue eyes scrutinizing his face as she waged some inner war over the matter.
"Are you going to help her?" She whispered.
Sighing, exhausted of this interaction, Gaara grumbled, "If you hurry."
"Alright." The younger girl nodded.
Gaara nodded as well. Before she had a chance to change her mind he whipped up his sand and teleported them away, back to Sakura. She could deal with this cat brat. He had a headache, and it was hardly his demon's fault.