Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Way We Were ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and honestly I would probably never have the creative capacity to think of something even close. Kudos to Masashi Kishimoto!

 

 

The Way We Were

Chapter 2

[Revised: 11-20-05]

By: Forgetmenow

 

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Temari shot upright reaching for a kunai concealed within the folds of her clothing.

 

It was gone.

 

“Wh-Where…How…”.

 

Looking to and fro, she instantly accustomed herself to her surrounding, adapting to deal with any situation. It was dark. There was a window open to her side. A breeze was blowing. It was night and she was in her room. Her window was open, and she was back in her room in one of the towering structures of Suna. She had been lying upon the covers of the bed.

 

“I carried you back,” came a monotone voice from across the room. She knew who it was before she turned her head. After all, she knew that voice so well. How could she not… Her night vision slowly came into focus and she could see him.

 

He had disarmed her.

 

He had removed the weapons from her body and was now sitting in the shadows of the confines to her room.

 

There in the shadowed corner, she could just about make out his outline as he sat on the floor, reclined against the wall. The moonbeams barely illuminated that portion of the room. She relaxed a bit. Just a bit. This was Gaara after all.

 

Why is he in my room? ... watching me sleep. Surely, he has Kazekage duties more pressing than watching me snore...

 

Temari shivered. Goosebumps ran up her arms. Whether it was from the opened window situated beside her bed or the thought of Gaara watching over her while she lay unconscious, she didn't know. However, she suspected the latter. Despite her familiarity with him, Gaara's presence always unnerved her.

 

Temari squinted. I need to eat more carrots.

 

He had situated himself on the far side of her room.

 

His hair had gotten longer. It still appeared rather unkempt and chaotic, but it fit Gaara. The edges of his crimson locks reached just past his nape. The sinews and muscles along the clavicle were concealed beneath cloth and crimson. Temari's wouldn't describe him as muscular, but he had said he carried her back. Where Kankurou was broad shouldered and solid, a boulder of strength, his skill displayed in the way he carried himself. Gaara was almost compact, an explosion of force waiting to combust. His body was lean and firm. Temari knew Gaara was strong, but somehow always equated him with mental will and drive. His skills required little physical exertion. After all, the sand and charka acted as Gaara's muscle.

 

His skin was pale. The armor of sand had worked as a second skin, protecting the alabaster surface from the harsh desert rays. Temari once considered Gaara's lightness a deathly pale, but now that she gave it more thought, she considered him quite fair skinned, a complexion any girl would kill for. Now there's a thought, to kill for the perfect complexion. Temari amused herself with thoughts of kunouchi accosting Gaara. To the victor: creamy, unblemished skin.

 

Temari suppressed a laugh and managed to stutter out her gratitude

 

“Th-th-thank you Gaara.”

 

The room was silent, as if she hadn't just voiced her gratitude. Oddly enough, Temari was content in this silence, just her and Gaara sitting in the shadows. The tinkling of wind chimes could be heard in the distance as a small breeze rustled the window drapes. Temari looked out the window. The moon was high but not concealed behind the clouds. There were too few. They inched slowly across the night sky.

 

“You sleep like the dead,” the impassive voice called from the corner. Temari slowly turned back around. How was she supposed to response to a statement such as that?

 

“No sound…no movement…barely. Even your breathing is quiet,” he continued. Words such as those would make others uneasy, but Temari found them comforting. She missed it, his deep, steady voice. She missed him.

 

“There is a chair in here, help yourself.” Temari gave a quick glance to the opposite side of the room where a chair sat beside her dresser. Her fan was leaning against the other side. Gaara must've set it there. And, on top of her dresser, rested the weapons he had removed from her person. She counted. All were accounted for. Gaara was thorough.

 

Again a long silence, broken only by the distant wind chimes which filled the night air. Gaara slowly rose from the floor, but did not make his way toward the chair. Instead, he slowly made his way over to stand at the edge of her bed.

 

He's gotten taller. Was he this tall last time I was here?

 

Gaara's brows furrowed. He stared directly at her with an intensity that felt like it bore holes through her. “What happened?”

 

“What do you mean?” She looked back at him, but avoided direct eye contact, instead focusing on something just to the right of his temple.

 

“Don't lie to me. I'll know,” His voice held a dangerous edge. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The warning lights flashing and signaling in her head. Danger!

 

She was silent.

 

“Tell me,” he pressed

 

“Nothing…everything's fine,” shrugging off his earlier threat.

 

Gaara eyes narrowed, his eyes piercing in their intensity.

“Everything's fine now… after I dug you out of the sand.”

 

Temari silently told herself not to squirm under his scrutiny.

 

It's true. Gaara had dragged her out of a sandy tomb. If he didn't show up, that spot would've become her unmarked grave.

 

“How long were you in the desert?”

 

“Not long; I just came back from Leaf. I was almost home. By the way, mission accomplished”

 

Gaara did not seem to hear the latter part. That, or he didn't seem to care enough to acknowledge.

 

“Again, what happened? Did someone attack you?”

This was feeling like an interrogation. Her patience was waning thin. Temari could feel her anger rising.

 

“No, no…nothing like that. I must've gotten light headed from the heat and passed out.” She could not meet his gaze.

 

Gaara just looked down at her. “That's not like you, Temari…” She raised her head, the hard look on his face was gone…so was her anger. She couldn't quite read the expression on his face. However, she knew for certain he was unconvinced. If Temari was in his place, she'd be unconvinced too. But he seemed to be satisfied with her answer. After all, it was the only answer she was willing to give.

 

“Please just leave,” as she gave frustrated sigh.

 

Gaara said nothing more. He slowly turned on his heels, heading towards the door.

 

“Goodnight Gaara.”

 

Gaara stopped just before the door. His back stiffened and he raised his head a bit. He did not turn around.

 

“Did you know I rehydrated you? “

 

Temari blinked. They widened as she vaguely remembered seeing Gaara's face looking down at her. The blazing sky was too bright behind him; she had barely been able to pry open her eyes. She had thought it had been a dream, one of those rare, wispy fantasies that you are able to recall after waking. It was a vision so featherlike and fragile that if you tried hard to concentrate, you'd end up forgetting. She recalled the gentle pressure against her lips and a cool moistness alleviating her parched throat. The excess liquid had run down the side of her mouth to trickle down her dry skin before the nothingness had enveloped her once more.

 

Gaara had sipped from a canteen and pressed his lips to her, his tongue coaxing her lips open so her body would accept the life giving fluid. Her body obediently accepted the cool fluid, too weak to refuse and hack it up. He had repeated a few times for good measure.

 

The click of the door, as it shut, brought her back. He was gone. She had been the aloof one; cold and unapproachable. Gaara had attempted to reach out to her but she shrugged him off. Could she blame him for his abrupt exit? After all, it was what she wanted. Wasn't it? She was a better person than that… or she thought she used to be that is. Temari hugged herself, trying to prevent the cold loneliness she felt inside from spreading.

 

TO BE CONTINUED...

 

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s'alright? o.o