Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Together With You: A Gaara Story ❯ Remembering Back Then and My Mistakes ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: Nope...don't own Naruto. If I did, Gaara would smile a heck of a lot more. And Sasuke and Naruto would be lovers *drools*

 

Recap:

Gaara looked down at her and put his arm around her, holding her hand on his chest. They fell asleep for the first time since they can remember.

 

 

Chapter 9: Remembering Back Then and My Mistakes

 

“Hey, Temari? What do you think those two are up to? They've been gone for at least eight hours now,” Kankuro asked, sitting on the couch, removing his purple face paint and `kitty' hood. He was worried but he'd never admit it. He was too proud.

 

Temari sighed in aggravation. “Will you can it already? Stop asking! They're fine. I'm sure they just want to be alone. And besides...why would you have to worry anyways? Gaara's with her. So it's not like she's in any immediate danger.” Temari looked at Kankuro and saw a slight annoyance on his face. It was all clear to her now. She grinned. “I see...you're jealous!” she laughed.

 

Kankuro glared at her. He grinned arrogantly. Again, his pride showing through. “Hardly.” He got up and left the room to go to his and Gaara's. He laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking back to his childhood and when he first met Shiruki. It was a wonderful day for him but kind of odd.

 

-Memory-

A boy with brown spikey hari walked through the park, dressed in black. He suddenly stopped and stared when he saw a beautiful littl girl, a little younger than him, sitting under the jungle gym, curled into herself, sniffling silently. This brought a damper on the boy's mood. Why was a pretty girl sitting all by herself, crying? It didn't make sense to him. The boy tilted his head in confusion. He walked over to her and knelt in front of her, careful as to not startle her. “Hey. Why are you crying?” he asked softly.

 

The girl gasped and jumped a little. She looked at him with her teary ice blue eyes. Her face was flawless. Beautiful. But there was a striking resemblance to someone he knew. “You're not running from me...why?” she asked, wiping her eyes, curious as to why he wasn't running like all the others.

 

Th boy blushed at her beauty. `So pretty!' he thought to himself. He smiled at her and it brought an unknown comfort to her. “Because you're not scary,” he shrugged. The girl smiled and hugged him tightly, throwing her arms around his neck. “Hey, hey, hey! What're ya doin'?!” he asked, his blush redder than before. He didn't mind the contact, in fact, he wanted to hug her back. But his pride got in the way just as it would years later.

 

The girl smiled at him and leg go. “I'm sorry. It's just...you're the second person that's not afraid of me,” she explained with the most beautiful smile the boy'd ever seen.

 

The boy tilted his head. “Second?” he inquired.

 

The girl nodded happily before standing up. “Uh huh! The first is my best friend. His name is Gaara,” she smiled with a cute blush. “He's the best thing that's ever happened to me!”

 

The boy stood and shoved his hands in his pockets. He remembered where he had seen that striking resemblance before. And the name fit to a T. It was clear now. “That's my brother,” he said, grinning at her. “I'm his older brother, Kankuro.” It was obvious who this girl was now. The one that put Gaara in a daze everytime he came home from seeing her. The only one that lit emotions in his eyes.

 

“Oh!” the girl said, bowing to him. “I-I'm Shiruki. N-nice to meet you.” And modest too.

 

Kankuro laughed. “Why aren't you hanging out with Gaara now? He's at home, ya know?” he asked innocently. He had no clue what had made her and him not be together like they were every single day. It confused him.

 

Shiruki blushed and scratched her cheek. “Well...um...I kinda think I scared him away...” she said quietly with a sadness in her voice.

 

Kankuro raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

 

**Shiruki's Flashback**

“Oh! Gaara! Doesn't that apple look tastey?” Shiruki giggled.

Gaara looked up at the tree. “Isn't it a little too high?” he asked warily.

Shiruki giggled and let go of Gaara's hand. “Nonsense! I have a cat demon in me, remember?” she winked, earning a blush from Gaara. She smiled and leapt onto the tree. She scurried upwards onto a branch.

“B-be careful!” Gaara called from below her.

Shiruki giggled. “You worry too much!” she smiled. She laid on the branch and scooted closer out onto it to reach the two apples at the end. As she got further out, the branch started to bend downwards. Shiruki outstretched her arm to get the apples. Her fingertips nudged them and she struggled. “Almost...come on...” she grunted as she leaned closer.

The branch snapped just as Shiruki grabbed the apples. Below her, Gaara's eyes widened. He quickly ran under her and caught her before she hit the ground. “Ouch...” Gaara said quietly, rubbing his head.

Shiruki looked at him and blushed. “Oh, my gosh! Gaara, I'm so sorry!” she whimpered. She noticed how she was laying. She was in between Gaara's legs with her hands on either side of his head, her face inches away from his. His arms were around her waist with his knees bent. “Are you alrigt?” Shiruki asked shyly, getting up.

Gaara stayed there, not knowing what happened. “Uh...y-yes.” He got up slowly and saw Shiruki shyly offer him an apple. He reached out to grab it and suddenly ran off.

“Gaara?! Where are you going?! Don't-“ He was out of sight. “Leave...” Shiruki slumped against the tree and cried.

**End Flashback**

 

Kankuro's eyes widened. “Wow...I see...” He chuckled before grabbing Shiruki's hand and dragging her after him. “He was just embarrassed. He was confused and didn't know how to react...so, he did what he knew how to do. He ran.”

 

Shiruki whimpered. “Hey! Stop! Where are you taking me?” she asked, fear eminent in her voice.

 

Kankuro grinned back at her. “Home. To see Gaara.”

 

Shiruki's eyes widened and she ripped away from his hold. “No!” she ran off and Kankuro sighed.

-End Memory-

 

Kankuro sighed. “That girl is still as stubborn as ever,” he said, shaking his head. “No wonder her and Gaara go so good together. I bet they have fights over who's more stubborn!” he laughed. As he walked, he wound up at the park. He just stared at the familiar sight in front of him. He walked over to the monkey bars. Behind it was a tree with holes in it. He grinned and stood twenty feet away fromit, just staring. “Gaara...”

 

-Memory-

“Yay! Go, Gaara!” Shiruki cheered. She had aged nicely. She was now nine. Gaara was ten and Kankuro was eleven.

 

Gaara grinned back at the enthusiastic Shiruki. He took the kunai from Kankuro and glared at the target. It was a simple game Kankuro and Gaara were playing. Whoever threw the kunai closer to the red dot that Shiruki put on the tree, got to take Shiruki out. Shiruki had wished Gaara would win, as always. Gaara focused and threw the kunai at the tree. It hit its mark and Shiruki cheered happily. Gaara won! Gaara turned to Shiruki and grinned. “Where-“

 

“Roof, roof, roof!” she giggled and clapped. Gaara gave her a crooked grin and nodded. Shiruki smiled and took his hand after sticking her tongue out at Kankuro. They disappeared and Kankuro stood there.

 

He grinned and sighed. “Have fun...”

-End Memory-

 

Kankuro grinned. He moved on to the lake. He stood on the shore staring out over the crystal blue water. This was an awful memory. One that made Kankuro feel like he wasn't the good person Shiruki and Temari hyped him up to be. He had almost committed a crime he'd never be able to forgive himself for. And that was reason enough for Gaara and Shiruki to hate him.

 

-Memory-

“Hurry up, Gaara!” Shiruki giggled in the water.

 

Gaara grinned and ran over to the water. He stared at it curiously and hesitated. “I'm not sure about this,” he mumbled. He was scared. He couldn't swim and he didn't really care to learn how to.

 

Shiruki frowned and swam over to the shore. “Aww...why not?” Gaara was silent, but Shiruki could see the fear in his eyes. She smiled. “I get it.” She took his hand and he looked at her. “Come on. Well go in together and I won't let go,” she said, turning to return to the water. Gaara stayed put.

 

Kankuro rolled his eyes and sighed. “Come on, scaredy cat! Ya ain't gonna fall apart or turn to mud!” he said, pushing him into the water.

 

Shiruki gasped as she fell in underneath Gaara. Shiruki resurfaced and held her head. She looked around. “Gaara?” She saw bubbles besider her. “Gaara!” she screamed, diving underwater. She resurfaced holding an unconscious Gaara. She dragged him to shore and sat next to him. She pressed her ear to his chest and tears filled her eyes. She glared at Kankuro wanting to kill him. “He's not breathing! It's all your fault!” she cried. She looked back at Gaara and blushed, knowing what she had to do.

 

Kankuro knelt by Gaara, worry visible on his face, and cursed under his breath. “You know CPR?” he asked quietly.

 

Shiruki glared at him and smacked him in the face. “Lucky for Gaara, I do!” she spat. She titlted Gaara's head backwards and sighed. She pinched his nose and breathed into him, pressing on his chest a couple of times afterwards. She listened and felt tears coming. “Come on, Gaara,” she whispered. She repeated the pinching of hise nose and the rest of the procedure. Gaara coughed and Shiruki's eyes lit up. “Gaara!”

 

Gaara looked at Shiruki and noticed tears. A tear fell on his cheek and he touched it. He looked at his fingers and then at Shiruki. “What's wrong?” he asked, somewhat alarmed.

 

Shiruki hugged him tightly and cried. “You almost left me!” she sobbed, hugging him tighter. “You almost left me all alone!” she cried desperately.

 

Gaara's eyes widened. He looked at Kankuro, then remembered what happened. He glared at him. Kankuro grinned and Gaara saw apology in his eyes. Gaara's glare faded and he hugged Shiruki, the only thing he cared about at the moment.

-End Memory-

 

Kankuro snickered. “Temari would have killed me,” he smirked. He turned on his heels and headed back home, passing by the spot Shiruki was ripped away at. He stopped and his face turned serious and upset. “Gaara didn't do so well for a while...” he said with regret.

 

-Memory-

“Come on, Gaara! You have to eat! Stop being so stubborn!” Temari yelled through the locked door that was held by sand. She had been trying to get Gaara to eat for the past couple of days. No success, unfortunately. Temari felt tears coming. “Gaara...please eat something...” she pleaded.

 

“No!” he growled from the other side of the door. He sat on his bed with his knees to his chest. It had been nearly five days since Shiruki left. Since then, Gaara kept himself locked in his room all day until the sun set where he ventured out to the roof where he sat and cried. How he missed her so much. She was his life. His everything. And now...she was gone.

 

“Gaara! Open the door right now!” Kankuro yelled from the other side of the door. Silence. “Damn it, Gaara! Now!” he growled.

 

“No!” Gaara growled, on the brink of tears.

 

“Gaara! If you don't eat anything, you'll die! Is that what you want?!” Kankuro raged, beating the door mercilessly.

 

“I don't care! She's gone!” Gaara growled back.

 

“Damn it, Gaara! Use your head for once! She's not gone for good! She promised to return! Now damn it, open up this fucking door!” Kankuro raged. Hearing silence and a pleading Temari stop, Gaara looked at the door. “DAMN IT GAARA! NOW!!!!” Kankuro yelled, forcing his body against the door in a futile effort to get in. “Don't you see?! If you don't eat, you die! If you die, Shiruki will be highly upset! She can't live without you! Just as you can't live without her!” Gaara's face lit up in surprise. “Don't you understand?” Kankuro asked with a quieter voice with pent up tears. “She loves you...” he said, tears falling.

 

Minutes passed by and the door clicked open. Little Gaara stood there with tears in his eyes. He hugged Temari and cried. Temari hugged him back and cried with him. “It's alright...she'll be back...she promised...and you know she doesn't break her promises....we...just have to wait,” Temari reassured him. Gaara nodded and clutched her tightly.

 

Kankuro picked him up on his shoulders and smiled up at his little brother. “Now come on. Food time.” Gaara sighed and nodded in defeat.

-End Memory-

 

Kankuro smiled. “We could have lost him...One more day and...” he sighed with a tear falling. He quickly wiped it away and sighed. He replaced the sad expression he had for a grin and headed home to Temari.

 

 

TBC...

 

 

 

A/N: well now....there's a bit of a blast from the past for ya ^^ now ya know what happened when shiruki left