Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Time to Love ❯ Imperfections ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four: Imperfections

 

 

Yueri clung to the lioness' tan fur. She could feel the creature's muscles move beneath her weight. The lioness' muscles rippled and flexed as Yueri watched the moon rise. The trees had long since disappeared. All that was in sight was sand. Moonlight spilled over the sands before them, silver in the light. Before them, Hidden in the Sand grew from a speck; a flaw upon the perfection of the silver sand that was the desert.

 

Almost there, Yueri thought to herself as she leaned closer to the lioness' body. The warmth soothed Yueri as they entered the village.

 

The lioness stopped and allowed Yueri to clamber off of her back. Yueri placed her left hand flat in front of her and balled her right fist into it before bowing in thanks to the lioness. The beautiful creature before her nodded before bounding off into the night.

 

The streets were all but busy. Nothing stirred as Yueri maneuvered her way through the village. Had the nights always been so silent, so eerie? No, not that Yueri could remember. A night wind blew through the alleyways, moaning and groaning in the silence. Shivers trickled down her spine as she began to run through the streets. Nothing moved except for her. Yueri's heart leapt into her throat as she came upon a familiar sight.

 

Standing upon a balcony of a large, almost palace-like, building stood Gaara. A crowd of villagers had gathered around to hear their Kazekage speak. How could she have forgotten? The silence of the village was always a sign of respect in Gaara's opinion. Yueri slipped into the crowd, trying to be invisible, at least until the speech ended.

 

Gaara stood on the balcony, gripping the railing with his tan hands. Red hair fell across his face, shadowing his pale green eyes and hiding the cursed tattoo on his forehead. He turned his head curtly and the crowd dissipated slowly, leaving Yueri alone, looking up at Gaara.

 

“Gaara-sama!” she cried as he began to turn away. Yueri noticed Temari looking down on her. Kankuro stood near his younger brother. Gaara stopped in his tracks.

 

“What do you want, woman? State your name and purpose.” Gaara didn't look back at Yueri or even turn around.

 

“Atiska Yueri. Profession, Medical Nin. I come for shelter and retreat,” she called up to him. “Gaara-sama! My old friend! Allow me into your home for a few days until my heart returns to me.”

 

“Come in, Yueri-san.”

 

“Thank you, Gaara-san.”

 

The doors of the building opened and Yueri entered them without a second thought. Her bare feet made no sound as she entered. The main hall was large enough to fit her home in it a few times. In a flourish of sand, the young Kazekage appeared. Yueri smiled and stepped closer towards Gaara. She noticed Gaara had allowed a small, almost inconspicuous, smile grace his features.

 

“It's been a while.” Gaara crossed his arms over his chest.

 

“It has been, I apologize for not visiting more often.” Yueri's voice was softened by realization of her mistake. “I've just been busy, with work and such.”

 

“Understandable. And sickness has been quarantined lately, thanks to your ideas.”

 

“Good to hear.”

 

“Allow me to show you to your room, while you're staying here.” Gaara bowed and began to walk down on the labyrinth based halls.

 

Yueri followed Gaara in silence. It was true. It had been a while since they had last seen each other. Sure, a few weeks, but still, it was a long time for them.

 

“It's amazing, how perfect this one building is,” Yueri mentioned. Her eyes gazed over the marble and tile. She saw no flaws. “Not one flaw.”

 

“There are several. You just don't see them,” Gaara said softly. “They're all about. Just concealed cleverly with pretty objects. There is no such thing as perfection.”

 

“Sure there is,” Yueri argued. “It's just hard to find. One has to look with the heart to find the perfection in everything.”

 

“Have you found someone perfect?”

 

Yueri opened her mouth to answer yes, but she closed it, knowing she had left that person behind. She folded her hands over her stomach as a knot twisted itself there. She sighed.

 

“I thought I had,” Yueri answered, her voice barely above a whisper. “But, I don't know anymore.”

 

“It's natural to doubt perfection. There's no such thing as perfection.”

 

Yueri sighed and ran her right hand through her hair several times, rumpling her black curls. She nearly groaned when she heard Gaara's reply.

 

“It's all in your point of view,” Yueri told him as she walked up next to him. She punched his shoulder playfully and smiled. “This sounds like one of our arguments.”

 

Gaara's lips twitched into a smile and nodded. “It does.”

 

Yueri could have laughed, but she only allowed her diminutive smile to grow. She looked about her surroundings.

 

The abode's hallways were larger than she remembered and she suddenly felt dwarfed by the height of the ceilings. They seemed to reach up into the heavens. As Yueri looked up, dizziness descended upon her. She felt the floor plummet as darkness overtook her vision. She recognized two warm arms warm around her waist as the cold marble stroked her cheek. She felt soft fingertips touch her face, but she couldn't see. She tired to struggle, but her limbs felt like blocks of lead. Her throat closed around itself as she tried to speak to Gaara, but not a sound was made.

 

“Yueri!” she heard Gaara call. “Wake up! Yueri!” Was he worried? She couldn't tell. She could only hear his voice calling to her.

 

“Yueri! Don't do this!”

 

Where her flaws and imperfections finally showing Gaara who she really was? What was wrong? Her flaws…

 

“Yueri!”

 

 

~*~

 

Gaara sat on the ground, holding Yueri in his arms. Her black curls fell away her moonlight kissed face. He didn't understand. He replayed the moment in his head and noticed that Yueri had looked up before passing out.

 

Gaara gathered Yueri in his arms before disappearing in a fanfare of sand. In a blink of an eye, he was in a grand sleeping quarters. The only source of light was a small candle near a futon. He placed Yueri on the futon and pulled the covers over her lithe body. He watched her for a moment and sighed, realizing that she would be fine.

 

“Perfection lies within the heart,” Gaara whispered as he blew out the candle and dissolved into the shadows.

 

~*~

 

 

 

A taste of imperfection

Upon sweet, merlot lips.

A time to purify the flaws,

That will never leave.

 

Indignity sparkles in the morning light,

A beautiful flaw of the perfection.

Sweet innocence staining the imperfection,

Spilling the wine over the vestige.

 

Stained jade, a dark russet.

An imperfection laid across in front.

Pale fingers reach for the glass,

Reaching for the spilt wine.

 

The flawed spring dances,

The faeries and nymphs,

All in a ring,

Creating an element they don't know.

 

Wine springs forth from the grass,

Spilling over the love that once was.

sandy times falling through the pit,

illumination streaming through the starry eyes.

 

Amethyst eyes sparkling within the mirror,

An imperfection upon the smooth surface.

Tastes of flaws,

Sweet and bitter upon taste buds.

 

Ripples spread across the surface,

Telling time throughout the ice.

Frost covers the deficiencies

As the snow falls about the glass.

 

Sweet wine freezes in the glass,

As the failings stop in place,

A time to love and die has come,

Love falling through.

 

Failing throughout the times

As the starry eyes fade away.

Imperfections fading away,

Leaving only cursed perfections.

 

 

~*~

 

TBC….