The Flower Shop [A Gaara Love Story]

42: Lavender and Ash

A/N: Here it is!! The moment you've all been waiting for! **Violence and Gore**

There was no ambush, no weapons flying his way or attacks from every side. The only thing Gaara was aware of when he finally stepped into the opening of the large cave was the crippling silence in the air. The tents that had littered the shore had been cleared and in their place stood the shinobi responsible for all of this, their glares and hateful sneers the worst he could remember seeing in his life. Yoshio Suzuki stood a little more in front of them, his kimono clean and eyes cold, and at his feet Momoko lay struggling for breath.

The sight of the blood that caked on her skin, the scars and cuts and wounds that littered her body had his heart throbbing painfully. It was unexplainable, the anguish he felt seeing her dull eyes looking up at him so tiredly, and he used that feeling to fuel the anger that brewed inside of him. He came to a stop just before them, his arms crossed and eyes as cold as they had been in his youth.

There was no need for introductions or explanations; they knew all of that already. Gaara had memorized each name and face before him, and they had never forgotten his after all these years. They wanted revenge for the lives he had taken and in turn, they would take hers if he wasn't careful enough. There was an odd understanding between them, one that forwent the witty foreplay so many battles had.

"Let me take her to Suna to be healed, and I will return for you to do as you wish." Gaara offered, the anger barely concealed in his words as they bounced off the cave walls.

"Come on," Yoshio almost teased, a dangerous gleam in his eyes, "You know that won't happen."

Gaara hated his taunting and would have told him so, had it not been for him trying his very hardest not to lash out and kill every one who stood before him. Sand began to seep from his gourd and spill onto the cave floor beneath him, but at the first sight of it Yoshio slammed his foot down hard into Momoko's bruised side, drawing a coarse yelp from the beaten girl. The sound of it grated against Gaara's ears and it took everything in him not to rush to her side.

"Keep the sand away," Yoshio said, and pressed his heel down a little further into the whimpering girl, "I see even one grain move and she's dead."

Gaara watched the shinobi behind him snicker and sneer, and nearly ignored his demand so that he could get the whole thing over with right then. He had waited too long to have her back and now that those responsible stood lined up before him, he could hardly hold himself back. Gaara nearly threw caution to the wind and began his attack, but then his eyes met Momoko's and he paused.

She looked so small right then, curled up in chains against the cold stone floor. Momoko didn't even try to change her gaze to anything other than pain and desolation, despite how hard Gaara tried to reassure her with his own tender eyes. He could make out words carved into her arms and legs, cruel names that would stay on her marred skin for the rest of her life. Momoko bared the same kanji scar he did, carved cruelly into her forehead, and the idea of her having to go through such pain made Gaara's nerves nearly give out. All of this, every bit of blood that stained her skin or wound that tore it open had been his fault. His guilt outweighed his anger in that moment, and the years he had spent hating himself for what he had done finally came to fruition as he shouldered off his gourd and let it fall to the ground with a heavy thud that echoed in the space around them.

"Get him."

Two grinning shinobi stepped forward to close the space between them, and Gaara willed his shield to stay down as they grabbed him roughly and forced him to his knees. Their grips were too tight, nearly cutting off circulation in his arms, but he didn't much care in that moment. Once he was completely restrained and at their mercy, Yoshio finally took his foot off of Momoko and stepped forward.