Naruto Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stains of the Heart ❯ Chapter Thirteen ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter Thirteen

 

He sat silently, watching the glittering stars above his head as the wind picked up just a bit. His senses told him instantly when she touched the rooftop, her chakra signal clear as day. For a moment he wondered if she simply could not sleep again, but decided that it did not matter. As interesting as she was, there was truly no reason for him to be concerned for her health—even if it would stop him from observing her as he wished to. Besides, if she was forced to remain in bed because of an illness then he could easily watch over her, ignoring the questions that others would shoot at him for doing so, and gain something to cure him of his curiosity. She did not need to be well and he certainly did not care if she was.

 

Sand rattled in his gourd as she came closer, her presence pressing down upon him as it had when she'd first crossed the path of him and his siblings. The feeling that something was suddenly going to spring out of nowhere and take his life—it was unnerving, and he knew now that she was the cause. He had ignored it for the most part until now, but the way her chakra flared for a moment caused the sand within his gourd to rattle a bit more. Still, he pushed down the feeling more, knowing that if she did decide to attack him that he would be able to defend himself using the sand and crush her soon afterward within its golden depths.

 

However, the attack that part of him almost anticipated—whether it was because he felt she would be a worthy opponent or something else, he did not know—never came, and he relaxed just a bit. Not much, his guard was still up, but he did give her a small glance before she finally slid down next to him on the tiles, her left leg propped up for her hand to settle on. For a brief moment he once again wondered if she simply could not sleep, but decided that he should not wish to know, so he would not—

 

“The Uchiha woke me from a nightmare,” she stated, almost like she had known what he was thinking. Gaara sent her another small glance, noticing instantly that she was gazing out across the land with a small hint of sadness in her eyes. He told himself not to care that she was sad, but he had to wonder what exactly she was dreaming of that had caught the Uchiha's attention. Especially one so bad that he woke her from it, since it did not seem like the thing the Uchiha would willingly do, no matter the circumstances.

 

Turning his eyes toward the direction she was gazing, he took note that she was staring off toward Lightning Country. Though there may be nothing to the fact that she chose that direction to stare in, he still took it into account. After all, the most he knew of her was that she was obsessed with blood, had a very deadly jutsu at her disposal, and her real features seemed to be hidden beneath a powerful Genjutsu. That and she had a quick tongue that she used on almost everyone that she thought did not deserve to be treated with respect.

 

Kagome turned her eyes and met his for a brief moment. “It was nothing, but it appears that I speak during my sleep,” she smirked a bit. “But you already know that, don't you, Gaara-sama?”

 

“Hn,” he replied.

 

Her eyes slid closed for a brief moment, before she opened them again, continuing to gaze in the same direction she had before. “He did not need to wake me,” she said after a few moments of silence, “but it seems that my distress was too much for him to handle.”

 

Turning his eyes just a bit when he recognized the Uchiha's chakra signal, he noticed that he had concealed himself in the shadows not far away, but far enough that he would not be able to hear what was said between them. It did not really matter to him, but some small piece of him tightened at the thought of Uchiha Sasuke following her day and night, even if it was under orders. Taking another brief glance at the woman at his side, he decided to direct her senses to the fact that the Uchiha was still continuing to follow her. “Are you aware that he has followed you here?” he asked softly.

 

She blinked, before turning her eyes up toward the stars. A small smirk tugged at her lips, as she finally moved her eyes to the Kazekage sitting beside her. He gave her an emotionless stare, but she could tell that he was curious as to what she would say. At last, after allowing him to sit long enough that he was probably sure she would say nothing, she allowed her tongue to drat out between her lips, her smirk growing a bit more. However, not wanting to yell in his ear, she turned her attention back to the moon overhead, loudly saying, “Yes, I am quite aware that Uchiha-san has followed me up here, Gaara-sama.”

 

A smirk appeared on Gaara's lips, and he wondered what the Uchiha thought of her words. The slight amount of anger and annoyance he felt from the Uchiha was obvious, since the man did nothing to conceal it. However, it was amusing that she still tried to get under the skin of others, even when it was this late and the only people she had to direct her words at were himself or her lapdog, as she'd so kindly called him. The amusement that she continued to give him was the main reason that he allowed her to continue to enjoy his presence, so he was slightly happy that she continued to amuse him in some way.

 

“I told him that as Kazekage you would be more than enough to watch my every move, to stop me from destroying anything,” she snorted. “It appears that he did not take my words to heart, but it does not matter. He may follow my every move if he so wishes, even without his precious Hokage's orders, and never will he find something to place against me.”

 

“What human in their right would take anything you say to heart?” echoed into her head. “Within a matter of moments you could have their heads on a silver platter and not blink an eye. They're quite smart to not trust you.”

 

I do not wish for this village to constantly come for my head, she growled. I will not kill these people simply because you wish me to.

 

“Did I say I wished you to, stupid girl? I don't remember stating that.”

 

Then you obviously cannot remember anything, since you cannot remember the time that you told me there was people in this village; people and blood. I believe those words were enough to tell me exactly what it was that you wished for me to do, she replied. But unluckily for you, I will not kill the people of this village. If I need to feed once more, I will leave this village as I did before.

 

“Then you're even stupider than I first thought,” the voice laughed. “Eventually you will not be able to control the killer intent you house, and you will not be able to find someone outside of this village to kill, and you will kill them. There is no way you can stop it.”

 

I won't let you or anyone else control me, she hissed.

 

“We will see stupid little girl; we will see,” the voice continued to chuckle.

 

“Perhaps,” he muttered. “Temari appears to be unlocking secrets behind the scrolls that you carried, though.”

 

“The scrolls that I carried?” she repeated softly. “One, the largest was a summoning scroll, no matter how hard she tries she will not be able to summon the creatures that it allows me to. The second largest was a scroll that helps with healing; the third is also meant for medical purposes. The fourth scroll, no matter how hard she tries, Temari will never unlock the secrets behind. The last was blank, I have yet to find a purpose for it.”

 

“What creature can you summon?” he asked. Not only was he curious, but he also knew that it was not a contract like the one that Jiraiya carried from looking at it with Tsunade; by asking, he would also be able to gain information on her. Perhaps then he would find what it was about her that amused him so, and finally he could move on with his life as he had since he'd battled with Naruto so many years ago. After all, she was a woman, and women by right were weaker than men, so he knew that it was not her physical skills that drew him to her—especially since he had never seen her fight. So, he was still curious as to what did draw him to her, and he was determined to find the reason.

 

She laughed lightly, her eyes hardening just a bit. “You will not fool me with your words, Gaara-sama. I will not leak that information simply because you wish to know it, or maybe because you wish to pass it on to the Hokage here. Whatever your reasons, I will not be fooled into giving away that information. Especially since I do not plan on staying here for the rest of my life—I plan to only stay until Hokage-sama deems it safe for me to have my items returned to me, then I shall leave.”

 

“Your time here would most likely be shortened if you willingly gave the information Tsunade-sama wishes to know,” he said. He did not completely understand her wish to keep such things secret. Perhaps it was because it had something to do with the Clan that she was no longer allowed to say she was apart of, or perhaps it was merely because of what it represented to her. Either way, the quickest way for her to have her items returned would be to give Tsunade the information she wished for, instead of holding onto the stubborn side she showed.

 

“That may be so,” Kagome replied, “but then they would wish for me to prove my words true. I have no wish to waste chakra for their amusement, especially when I do not know whether I should look at this village as my ally or my enemy. The Hokage may wish to know that information all she wants, but I will not give it away when there is a slight possibility that this village would decide I am something that I am not, but they would believe so even if I gave them my word. I do not wish to try and test fate, nor do I wish to see how quickly the Hokage can give me a death sentence. I merely wish for my things returned and then I shall be on my way.”

 

Her words were understandable from where she stood; an unknown that could possibly be viewed as some type of spy or enemy from a distant village, even if she'd cut all ties to them. True, the quickest way for her to have her things returned to her would be to give Tsunade the information she wanted, but there was truth behind her words. Not only would she have to waste chakra to prove her words true, Tsunade would most likely believe she could be lying, but then she could be seen as an enemy to the village. Giving away such information could end with her in the same position that not giving the information away could.

 

“I see no reason in giving away the information when the information itself might get my face plastered onto a poster that demands any shinobi of this village who sees my face to strike me dead,” she muttered quietly. “Personally, at the moment, I like being alive.”

 

“By keeping the information to yourself, however, you are stating that the information will end up with your death,” Gaara replied. “That, in every right, gives Tsunade-sama more reason to search for the answers she seeks.”

 

“She can look all she likes, she won't find it,” Kagome told him, turning her face so that the shadows hid it completely from view.

 

“Why is that?” he asked softly.

 

“I am from far away,” she smirked, returning her eyes to him. “I believe I've already told you that, though, haven't I?” Before he could speak again, she continued, “I truly am from far away, I lived within a village on the farthest edge of Lightning Country. I traveled this far because I had nothing else within that village that held my interest, and I doubt that anyone knows I am gone,” a small secretive smirk pulled at her lips, “they most likely think I'm dead by now.”

 

His eyes narrowed, happy with himself for being right on the significance of her glance earlier, but having noticed the slight tug of her lips. “Why would they believe you dead?” he asked, his voice demanding the answer even though the tone was rather emotionless.

 

“As I stated many times to the Hokage,” she replied, “I am no longer able to hold my surname. I am no longer able to associate myself with him, nor am I truly allowed to let others know that I once was. They do not care, nor do believe the village does, what happens to me. By now, with how long it has been since I left that dreadful place, they have probably written me off as dead and would like to believe me as such.” The hatred that leaked into her voice was easily noticed, even with her lie, for she could not hold in the contempt she felt for the fools she killed. She'd hated them for so long, every once in a while cutting one down, but it had never been enough. Then she'd decided that she had had enough, she would no longer allow them to breath, and so she killed them—she killed them all no matter the age, the rank, or how much they cried for her to spare them.

 

“Hn,” passed his slightly parted lips. He could see the anger burning in her eyes; feel the rage that boiled within her body; the very hatred that leaked from her skin. For a brief moment in time he pondered what it was that caused her to hate them so much, but he decided that it was probably caused simply because they'd cut all ties with her. The hatred was most likely brought on by that fact, and the other emotions were most likely brought on by the fact that they did not care what happened to her, but he did not rule out the possibility that she was lying. He'd discussed it with Tsunade not long ago, and they both knew that though she seemed very sincere that she could just be very good at lying, thus pulling them away from the trail that she did not wish for them to tread upon.

 

What frustrated him, however, was the fact that she could be lying. She could be, which meant that she was putting up walls in order to drive them away from the truth, thus making her even more of a mystery than he'd originally thought possible. If she was lying, she was telling them something that though they might seem likely to believe, it was not the truth—therefore, he was not finding the answers that he wanted to cure him of his curiosity. Worse, she seemed—if she was lying—to be very determined to keep him away from the answers that he sought, which made him spend more time trying to figure out the puzzle she created. Time, which he knew he would eventually run out of, since he knew that Sunagakure would eventually need him. Plus the paperwork that he'd left behind would call for his attention sooner or later—not to mention the new paperwork that he was positive was beginning to pile up with his absence.

 

Finally, she sighed and stated very venomously, “Not that I care.” The image of her foolish father, the man that had thought he could control her forever, flashed behind her eyes. She almost wished that she was not in this village at the moment, she almost wished that she was very far away, because then she could call upon the souls that she had trapped and she could kill them again. They deserved to die again, even if they would not feel it nor would they care. Though they were dead, the hatred that she still felt for them was very strong, and to her it seemed that the death she'd dealt them—the bloody, gruesome death—was too good for them.

 

They deserved a second one.

 

He decided not to point out the fact that she seemed to care quite a bit from her tone. She sounded much like she wanted to kill them, a tone that had rang in his ears from his vocals when he was younger. No longer did he feel the extreme killing intent, but that did not mean that he did not know what it felt like, or what another sounded like when they were close to doing such things. Once again, however, he merely `hn'ed and allowed her to silently seethe anger, waiting to see whether she would give in to her emotions or calm herself on her own. He would stop her if she went on a rampage, but a part of him almost knew that he would not have to, and soon after he got that feeling she relaxed.

 

“I told you,” the voice in her head droned. “You cannot escape what will eventually happen. Especially not if you keep thinking that way, stupid girl.”

 

She twitched, but ignored the voice, determined that this time she would not respond to its stupid banter. After all, what reason did she have to listen to it? Besides, once she found the one messing with her head she'd kill them and that would be the end of it, there would be no loose ends, she would make sure of that. So, ignoring the voice completely, she turned to the man at her side, and asked, “Do you ever sleep?”

 

“I told you I have not slept in years unless forced to,” he replied.

 

“But surely you sleep once in a while,” she pressed. “I once knew someone who had insomnia, as you so obviously do, but though they constantly tried to make others believe they were fine, sleep normally helped them. So, I will ask once again. Do you ever sleep, Gaara-sama?”

 

“Is there a reason for the sudden interest?” he asked.

 

“I do not like silence very much,” she said. She did not add that it was because when she was silent the stupid voice that had plagued her for years spoke up. It was normally silent during the times that she was listening to someone, or speaking, almost like it was listening to her conversation, waiting for a moment that it could easily butt in or degrade her in some way. She truly wished that she could find the idiot who had decided to fuck with her; she'd slit their throat faster than they could say good-bye. “And at the moment I cannot think of anything to ask, since I have already figured out how you always have sand on hand.”

 

“Oh?” he almost chuckled a bit. However, knowing that the Uchiha was such a distance away, watching them silently, he forced down the urge to do so. Though it was not hard to figure out how he carried the sand, he had only trapped her with it once; thus he'd only showed her the sand he used once. Since he did not believe it was truly hard to figure out, it was rather easy to force down the urge to chuckle a bit.

 

“Yes, I doubt that you're trying to make a fashion statement by carrying that gourd around day and night,” she scowled. “Though, you very well could be.”

 

He scowled back at her. “I believe you're beginning to forget the question you originally presented,” he said.

 

She smirked, staring straight into his eyes at this point in great stubbornness when she noticed he was beginning to glare at her. “I have not forgotten my original question. You do not need to bother yourself with that, Gaara-sama, since I can assure you that I have not nor will I forget that question,” she smirked a little more. “However, I am beginning to believe that you're not very appreciative of my observation. Perhaps you are trying to make a fashion statement.”

 

“Woman,” he said, his voice beginning to gain a very nice edge. He could feel the sand react to his change of emotions, but pushed down the feeling, knowing that killing her would not solve anything. True, he might be able to completely ignore the fact that he was ever curious about her if she was dead, thus moving on and never thinking of her again. However, he did not think that Tsunade would like the fact that the woman had been killed at this moment, since it was clear she held suspicion, but a bit of curiosity about the woman's secrets as well. Not only that, but he knew nothing of her fighting abilities, and there may be a slight chance that she held something up her sleeve that could end in his death.

 

Her words, even though he'd known them, were very true. He should not underestimate his opponent, no matter the gender, which was why he would not underestimate her. He knew that the possibility of her having some type of special bloodline was slim, and he knew that her holding some type of jutsu that would easily counter his sand was slim, but there was a possibility that she might. Underestimating her could get him killed, and like her, he rather liked his life at the moment.

 

“I could react by calling you by gender as well, but I do not see the point behind such childish actions,” she replied. Watching his eyes narrow a bit more, she said, “Fine, I will not bring attention to your clothing, though I do rather like it.” She tilted her head slightly to the side, “I want not mind having something similar, though I believe I would make mine black, white, and red.”

 

“I sleep when I feel the need for such,” he said at last, trying to take her attention away from his clothing. She was staring at it with a rather fascinated look in her eye, proving to him that she was indeed female with the words she'd just spoken. It was something that he was more accustomed to hearing women speak of, no matter how dedicated they were to being a kunoichi. However, it was a little strange to have her possibility visioning herself in his clothing, and for a brief moment he could picture her standing in it as she beckoned him for a closer look. Not only that, but the image he saw included the black eyes and black rings he knew were hidden from everyone, making it a bit more… hauntingly beautiful.

 

“I see,” she said. “That was the answer I expected, I do not see why you did not wish to answer the question in the first place. Perhaps,” she said after a moment of thought, “you did not wish to answer because of the same reason I do not wish to answer the Hokage's questions?”

 

“No, I merely did not see the point behind answering,” Gaara told her.

 

“Oh, so now you see the point?” she asked.

 

“No,” he replied.

 

“Then why did you answer?” she growled a bit.

 

He said nothing.

 

“Well?” she asked.

 

He remained silent, turning his eyes up toward the moon that shone down upon them. Its new positioning told him that quite some time had passed since she'd arrived on the rooftop. However, that did not interest him nearly as much as the growl that echoed from her throat a moment later, sounding a lot like an angry dog. At that moment he realized that she did sort of remind him slightly of a dog, though not to the point that he'd call her such, but subtly. She often growled and snarled, she lifted her lip to show off her slightly longer canines, she sometimes sniffed lightly at the air, and she seemed to hear things coming before she saw them.

 

“If I insult you at this moment,” she asked suddenly, “would I soon end up with a bounty for my head?”

 

“Perhaps,” he stated.

 

She growled, “Damn you.”

 

“Was that meant as an insult?” he asked.

 

Scowling, and not liking the fact that he continued to bait her, she turned completely from him. Her eyes sought out the one watching them and within the darkness she could make out his shape as he stared at her. Glaring at him, almost wishing that he would suddenly burst into flame spontaneously, she decided that she was beginning to feel a bit tired. There was a chance that if she returned to sleep she would once again return to the nightmare she'd had earlier, but at least within that nightmare she would not have to have a kage tug at the strings that made her tick. She did not wish to hurt him, but she did not wish to get to the point that she did wish to hurt him.

 

“You know…”

 

I do not wish to hear it, she instantly growled.

 

“You did not even—” the voice sounded rather offended, but she did not give it a chance to continue.

 

I am not in the mood, she hissed back.

 

The voice chuckled a bit, but the growl underneath it was quite clear to her ears. “So, the former vessel of Shukaku is beginning to penetrate your walls?” it asked. “It is simply amusing, since you do not seem to realize it yourself. Then again, all these years you have been seen as something not worth touching and now you have a former vessel, which is interested in you. It is not surprising that you're beginning to wish to—”

 

I told you, you were disgusting, she replied.

 

“It will become clear to you sooner or later, stupid little girl,” the voice said. “Then, it will be as obvious as the fact that you cannot deny your urges. After all, I doubt that on your deathbed you would be able to stop thinking about the one thing that has always caused your blood to pump.”

 

B-blood, she hissed softly, her eyes flashing a bit. She hatred herself for thinking of it once again, but could not help the fact that she stuttered as soon as she thought of it. Of the feel it gave her whenever she allowed her need to take over and finally slaughtered those who did not deserved what she so wanted for herself—what she needed in order to make the craving go away.

 

Noticing her breathing had changed for some reason, Gaara said, “Perhaps you should try to sleep once more this night?”

 

Kagome nodded, lowering her head until the shadows covered her face once more. Then, softly, she replied, “Yes, I should try to sleep once more this night.” Silently she rose from her position beside him and like a ghost she seemed to drift away, the thought that past through her head still clear as day. She felt like she was being pushed at; almost as if something was pulling at her need, but she was determined to either ignore it or push it down to the point that she did not know it was there. She would not allow it to control her; she wouldn't.

 

Gaara narrowed his eyes from the slight breathlessness he'd heard in her voice, along with the slight longing. He did not know what had caused such to enter her voice, but he was not able to think on it for long before he felt the Uchiha's chakra signal distance itself once more, no doubt returning to her room. His eyes narrowed more, knowing that she'd turned her attention toward the Uchiha before the change had come into her voice. However, as he finally shut his eyes, he told himself that it was most likely nothing. There were a lot of things that could cause her voice to change like that; it was not necessarily the Uchiha who'd done it.

 

Still, even as he told himself that, he felt his chest twist a bit at the mere thought.

 

OoO

 

KibaSin: Well, that wasn't originally how I planned for that to happen, but it will work for the moment. I had to rewrite the ending a couple of times, since I was originally going to have Gaara be a bit more responsive to what he's currently feeling, but then I was like, no. I forcefully stopped myself from making that decision, and I'm willing to bet that I will have to stop myself in the future as well, time and time again.

 

Anyway, here's the new chapter, hoped you enjoyed it, I have to get to typing some of my Sesshoumaru/Kagome stories now, since I promised myself after I updated Such a Small World and this story that I would work on those—I haven't all summer so far. So, until then I'm not sure if I'll update this story, but I'll try.

 

Kiba