Suna the Neko (Gaara)

1

I stood in the shadows all my life. It was forbidden to see him, talk to him, even come near him. I once was his father's ace in the hole but now I'm not needed. So I watch as he grew up hating everyone, loving only himself, murdering people to prove his own existence. I loved him, and I still do, but I am a prisoner and my cage is the dark. I watch as the demon in side him takes over, lusting for blood. My love is not able to sleep, the demon would devour his soul. I've watched him grow up before my eyes and become a great ninja.

My name is Suna, I am a neko, and I love Gaara.

Before Gaara, I was the only perfect match for the Shukaku, and for that the Fourth Kazekage stole me away from my family, bringing me to live in the Sand village, even taking away my old name, giving me the name of sand. I lived with his family for a few months, Temari and Kankuro became real siblings to me, Karura, a real mother. Then he found that Gaara was compatible with the beast and saw a better and brighter future if his own son had the demon. He had Chiyo seal the Shukaku within Gaara, causing momma Karura to have Gaara too early and die.

Seeing no other purpose for me, the Fourth hid me away from public eye, tying a charm around my neck to keep me from talking, attaching a bell so he would know if I was around, and making me unable to take it off. But I always watched Gaara, I grew up with him in a way. I was there every time the other children turned away, every time he hurt someone, though he never saw me. I saw when he killed uncle Yashamaru, etching his forehead with love, vowing to love only himself. Later that night I put the same symbol in my arm with ink on a needle, but I vowed to always love Gaara, even if he never knew it.

Now I sit outside a window as the siblings make plans to go to Konaha for the Chunin Exams. I think of ways that I could follow after them without them knowing, and I find none. After thirteen years I think of finally showing myself to them. But what would they think if I don't speak? And I was never taught to write, so I can't communicate that way. I make my way to the roof of their home to clear my mind. I feel my eyes prick as think of being away from Gaara for so long. What if he did something drastic... what if he got hurt? He's never been hurt physically before, at these exams it is definitely a possibility with all the different ninja attending. My noiseless cries rocked my body as I wrapped my arms around my knees, holding myself together. I stayed like this for what seemed like hours.

The sun as setting and it was getting cold. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up and saw it was momma Karura. My eyes widened.

"Hello, Suna." She said to me, kind look in her eyes. "I know you've been watching my son, Gaara, for years now. And I know you love him, and have loved him when no one else would."

I nodded vigorously.

"I do everything I can to protect him, but now I don't think his sand will be enough to keep him safe at these exams."

'So where do I come in?' I asked her mentally.

"You, my dear Suna. You will protect him, more than I ever could." She stroked my cheek and I caught her hand and held it there, purring.

'But what does that mean, momma?' I asked.

"Hey! What are you doing up here?" A voice sounded from the other side of the roof.

I stood up quickly, jumping off the roof, my feet hitting the sand below then I took off running. I only stopped when I knew I wasn't being followed. I walked to my place of residency. Literally a hole in the wall. Down a dim, murky alley, a wall to a small abandoned building has crumbled with time, giving me an opening to get in. I've spruced up the space with a nice down mattress, and a box with all my belongings in it.

I sprawled out on my mattress, thinking about what momma Karura said. 'Protect him... more than she ever could?' But what can I do? I'm just a useless, worthless neko. Nobody knows I exist, except Fourth, and he has done all he can to keep me away from everyone. Temari and Kankuro have long forgotten about me, only being one and two years old when I first came into their lives. Nobody cares for me, everyone who ever did is gone now. I find myself close to tears again, I clenched my eyes shut. My stuffed cat made it's way into my arms, I absentmindedly held it to my chest tightly. After a few seconds I opened my eyes wide, questioning the cat that once sat in the box across the room from me. I dropped it from my arms and found that sand brought it back up to me. I gasped, so this is what she meant. She gave me control over sand just like Gaara.

The first thing someone does when they get new abilities? They test them out! I didn't have to concentrate hard or anything, it was like breathing, I hardly thought about it and it moved. I danced with the sand, moving all around my small room; for the finale I made a small tornado, blowing my hair different ways. When the sand settled it was shaped like the kanji for love. I sat on my bed once again. Maybe this was my chance to finally meet Gaara, even if I can't talk to him my new powers should be enough explanation right? I grinned and ran out of my little room, surfing on the sand to Gaara's home.

I arrived in quick time. I looked up at his balcony, and sure enough like every night, he stood there, looking at the sky. I raised myself on the sand to make myself level with him. My heart beat in my chest and my tail twitched like crazy. I had never been this close to him.

He saw me but he didn't look twice before the threats came on. "Leave me before I kill you." His jaw clenched.

I grinned even wider, his voice was even better in person. My ears flattened against my skull as I heard his sand creep up towards me. I stepped off of my sand pillar and onto the balcony with him. He narrowed his eyes and so did I as I went to hug him. He pushed me back, I almost fell off the balcony but my sand kept me upright. He took a step back in surprise.

"But how...!"He gasped when my sand wrapped around his wrist, pulling him closer, and out of shock he didn't move when I hugged him.

After a few moments I pulled away and looked at him. His eyes were wide, his mouth gaping. I pat his head to try and snap him out of it. I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted when he didn't move. My eyes fall on his forehead, his tattoo, love, then I remember the same kanji I had on my arm. I rolled up my sleeve and pointed to the kanji, then I pointed to him, smiling.

His right eye twitched. "Don't tell me... you love me?" He fell to his knees on the ground, tugging at the roots of his hair. "I must be dead. So my father finally succeeded in assassinating me." He looked up at me, mad, insane expression on his face. "Is this really my hell? Cat-girls who come out of nowhere, able to control sand as I do. Telling they love me. Maybe I'll kill her, will she still love me then....." He started ranting, talking about nothing in particular.

My eyes started to water. Did I break him? He stood, blank look in his eyes. His arm raised and his hand wrapped around my neck, pressing the leather collar and metal bell against my throat. "She wont even speak to me so I'll make her scream, who cares if I'm dead..." His hand closed tighter cutting off my air, I flattened my ears, pleading with my eyes. "Yet she pleads for her life, maybe she could be of use, maybe I'm not dead." I saw he wasn't talking with me, but with the demon inside him. One of my hands wrapped around his wrist, the other stroked his cheek. "Her touch does seem real enough, maybe I should kill her for touching me, no one has ever touched me and lived." His hand loosened. "No, I wont kill her, not now, I don't need any blood tonight." His hand dropped to his side. he turned to walk into his bedroom. I stood there until his sand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me along with him.

We sat on his floor a few feet across from each other, just looking at one another. A few hours later I found it harder and harder to keep my eyes open, until I finally gave up and just let them stay closed. I felt myself falling sideways to be met with the hard floor but I didn't care. But I wasn't met with the solid cold floor, instead a soft pillow broke my fall. I didn't pay attention to see if it were mine or Gaara's sand that helped me, I just curled up against the pillow, falling deeply asleep.