Suna the Neko (Gaara)

6

I followed his scent all the way back to the room in the inn we were staying. I opened the door slowly and cautiously.  He wasn't inside but he definitely had been. The room was in pieces, furniture overturned, clothes everywhere, the curtains were shredded. The window was open, I climbed out of it and up to the roof. I saw him there, his back was to me. His breathing was ragged. I walked over to him slowly but before I could get to him, his sand was wrapped around me and it slammed me down on my back. I winced and clenched my jaw.

He turned around to look at me. His eyes were wild and his teeth were bared. "Why are you here?!" he growled. "You told me to leave and I did, I should have killed you, I guess you're back to give me a second chance!"

I shook my head and stared into his eyes. I didn't want to die, but my whole existence is based on the boy in front of me and the demon inside of him. If he didn't want me then I didn't need to exist. I closed my eyes and smiled softly.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked hysterically. I shrugged but kept smiling. "Why? Why do you love me? If you really love me, why would you betray me?" I opened my eyes at the b word. His face had a pained expression. I flattened my ears against my skull. "You tell me you love me but you left me for Kankuro! Why?" His sand pressed harder on my body.

I shook my head, tears coming to my eyes. I didn't realize at the time what choosing to stay Kankuro would do to him. I thought back to his uncle, Yashamaru, the only other person who said they loved him. He practically raised Gaara, only to stab him in the back (almost literally) in the end. My tears fell and I looked into Gaara's eyes.

"Crying? Are you finally scared of me?" he asked and there was a familiar glint in his eye, he likes people being afraid of him, that's what he was used to, he knew how to react to that. Sadly I had to shake my head no. I wasn't afraid of him, and I never would be. "Not afraid? Then what? Your eyes.... Sad?" he tried he wasn't used to trying to read people's emotions, they were usually very clear. I nodded. "Sad!? Why are you sad? I don't understand you!" I don't know if it was intentional or not but his sand retreated from its tight hold on me.

I sat up as he dropped down to his hands and knees. He was shaking and his eyes were wild as he looked at me. I took a deep breath and pointed to the symbol on my arm and then to him. I loved him, I always would. "You love me?! Are you sure?!" he yelled. I nodded, I pointed to the symbol again and then out in the distance where I left Kankuro behind. He sneered. "You love Kankuro too?" I nodded again. "And Temari?" I nodded. "Baki?" I shook my head. "My father?" he growled and I shook my head deeply. He looked down. "I don't love anyone but myself." he said. I nodded, I understood that and I was okay with it. "Kankuro would be able to love you, you should just stay with him." he didn't make eye contact with me.

I bit my lip and reached out for him, my hand on top of his. I waited for him to move out of my touch but he didn't. Slowly, my arms wrapped around him. I nuzzled my nose into his neck and breathed in his scent. He didn't move a muscle. I pulled away only to kiss his cheek. I kissed every inch of his face, starting with both cheeks, his nose, his forehead and where the symbol was, his temples, up and down his jawline, his chin and finally his lips. He still didn't move but he was holding his breath and his face was red. I returned to nuzzling his neck and I rubbed his back, trying to get him to breath again.

He moved carefully. His arms rose slowly, giving me time to run away if I chose to do so. I wouldn't run. Never. His arms wrapped around me awkwardly and lightly. I couldn't help my heart from skipping beats. I sighed. My dream come true. I tightened my grasp on him and I put a hand on his head, stroking his hair. He mirrored me, not exactly knowing what to do. I gave an inaudible purr.

I wished we could have stayed like that forever but I knew he was growing more and more uncomfortable, so I released him. His arms dropped to his sides and he looked down at the roof. I ran my hand from the top of his head to his chin softly then kissed his forehead. I stepped away silently, walking off the roof and back into our destroyed room, giving him some alone time.

I pouted at the sprinkles of sand everywhere but then I remembered my control over it and face palmed. I gathered all the sand in a pile then threw it out the window, then went to work on the furniture. I was almost finished when I heard him enter the room, I focused on cleaning. I heard him walk over to me and my tail twitched in anticipation. I looked up at him as he glared at me, he backed me against a wall. He placed his hands on the wall above my shoulders. I looked into his sea foam eyes as he did mine.

"I don't love you." he finally spoke and I nodded, I knew that already. "I will never love you. I feel nothing for you. But," I raised my eyebrows. "one day I will kill you. And then you will have contributed to my purpose, because I love only myself, I kill for myself; when I take someones life, I feel alive." he explained.

I shrugged. I already accepted that. He deserved it. He deserved to kill me. I looked down at my feet. If I had passed the Kazekage's evaluation sooner I would have been the one with the demon. I would be the one in pain. If I had just passed the stupid evaluation. I owed him my life. Literally. I took away his.

But maybe the Kazekage never wanted me to pass, he was just waiting for one of his children to come along to be compatible anyway. I was just plan B. I looked back into his eyes. Who was I kidding? It was totally my fault. I shrugged again. I pointed to the mark on my arm then to the one on his forehead. I wouldn't want anyone else taking my life anyway.

He nodded and leaned in, his mouth close to my ear. "I'll make it special, I promise." he whispered in my ear and I shuddered and bit my lip. I had to clasp my hands together behind my back to keep from jumping him. I took a deep breath to calm myself as he leaned back to look at me. I'm sure he was tired of being confused over my backwards reactions.