Chapter Five: I will confess my love to you


Naruto found himself walking past Sakura’s house on the way to his apartment. He saw the back of her head through her bathroom window. She was stretching out her limbs. He smiled goofily as a blush rose to his cheeks. He walked to her porch and held the box. “I’ll just leave it here,” he smiled.

Naruto pulled back, “I forgot to write a letter!” He tucked the box carefully under his arm, “That would have been stupid: leaving a gift without a name.” He chuckled to himself, “Even I’m not that stupid.”

Naruto jauntily walked to his apartment. He was very proud of himself for not forgetting such an important detail and he pitied the fool who would.

“Oomph!”

Naruto collided with a slight figure with both parties going at full force. The crash had sent both flying to the ground and left both boys sprawled on the dirty ground. Naruto was the first to sit up, “Did anyone catch the license plate for the cart that just hit me?”

“No,” said a familiar voice.

Naruto rubbed the dirt from his face and opened his watering eyes. “Gaara!”

Gaara half-smiled at Naruto, “It’s been a while.” Gaara dusted off his leather vest and sat up, filling the air with cracking sounds. He winced and held his back, “Ow.” Naruto sprung up to aid his friend, “Are you alright? How’s your back?”

Gaara’s eyes teared up as he was lifted up, “It was this damn gourd.” Gaara whimpered as Naruto straightened him out. “Should you take that thing off, buddy; I don’t think it’s helping any.”

Gaara nodded and unbuckled his leather vest. The gourd fell with a sickening thud. Gaara sighed with some relief. He suddenly felt naked. He covered himself. Naruto leered at Gaara, “You sure you okay? You look kinda funny acting like that? Did you get smashed down th-”

“No!” said Gaara. The tops of his cheeks turned a bright red. “I just feel… vulnerable without my sand gourd.” Naruto smiled, “It’s okay. You’re Kazekage; no one in their right mind would mess with you.”

Gaara nodded, “Yeah.” He shivered, “But many of the strongest ninja aren’t what I would call ‘sane’.” Naruto nodded, “Point taken, how’s your back?” Gaara laughed, “It’s fine now.” He took a step only to hear his back crack ominously as he crumpled to the ground. “Shit!” he muttered.

Naruto picked up his disabled friend, “We better get you to Grandma right away!” Gaara watched Sakura’s house and his precious sand gourd vanish into the distance. “WAIT! NARUTO WAIT!” Naruto came to a grinding halt, “What is it?”

“I,” he stammered, “I don’t want to leave my gourd out like that! That’s right! Doesn’t Sakura live there? Isn’t it closer than the Hokage’s Tower?” Gaara swallowed hard. There was no way he would be denied. Not now. No way. He had come all the way from Suna to deliver a message of utmost importance. Gaara would not be delayed by a backache. He doubted Naruto would buy such a story.

“That’s right,” Naruto said calmly. “You and that gourd are never apart,” Naruto mused. “And Sakura’s house is close and-” he paused. “Oh shit,” he yelled, “We have to go back! I forgot Sa-my box. Yeah, my box. Oh shit! I hope it’s okay!”

Gaara breathed a soft sigh of relief. He felt his back spasm. He whimpered. He was in more and more pain as each second passed. The jostling of his body in Naruto’s arms exacerbated the pain. Gaara closed his eyes tightly and bit his lip. Naruto was a good friend.

It made Gaara feel guilty about the letter in his pocket.

Naruto was pounding on Sakura’s door now. Gaara heard each knock as if a sledgehammer were being slammed against the side of his head. He heard Sakura’s angry answer as the door swung open and nailed Gaara in the side. Gaara winced and whimpered. He heard Sakura gasp and apologize. Gaara tasted blood and he felt that this may just turn out to be the worst, most embarrassing day of his life. He felt his sore tongue.

Naruto set Gaara down on his back with a gut wrenching jerk. Gaara whimpered. He heard Sakura gasp and ask him if he was alright. He mumbled. She told Naruto to hurry up. He felt dexterous hands unbutton and unzip his long coat. He felt cool hands run across his chest. “Naruto,” she said, “Please, turn Kazekage onto his back carefully.”

Naruto turned Gaara over quickly. He felt light touches and warm air run along his back now as Sakura’s voice loomed over him. Gaara shivered and was grateful that he was laying on his stomach now. He knew those hands. He remembered them well even after all these years. “Are you okay, Kazekage?” she asked tentatively. He moaned instead of answering with a suave, ‘Now I am thanks to you.’ She ran her fingers through his hair. He shivered at the contact. “I’ll get you a blanket,” she said.

“Gaara,” came Naruto’s disembodied voice, “are you sure you’re going to be okay?” He added, “Do you want me to stay with you?”

Gaara felt the world grow a little darker as his mouth refused to cooperate with his higher functions. Sakura came back and asked Naruto where Gaara’s gourd was. Naruto asked if it was okay for Gaara to rest here. She said it was alright. She then said it was okay if Naruto left to get some rest. Naruto said he hoped to see her later at the ramen shop with Kakashi. She shooed him out and shut the door.

“Kazekage,” she whispered as she draped a blanket over him, “I’m going to heal you as soon as I get out of this towel.” Gaara felt his face flush. She continued, “I’m going to go put some clothes on, so, please wait a moment.” He whimpered, “Just Gaara.” She looked at him quizzically, “Huh?”

“Just. Call. Me.” he whimpered as his back spasmed again, “Gaara.” He finished.

“Gaara,” she said, testing it out. She liked the way it flowed off her tongue. He blushed as she said his name so sweetly. “Gaara,” she said more seriously, “Just forget it. I’ll change when I’m done.” She drew the blanket to her body and off his back, exposing it to the cool air. She bent down and settled onto her knees beside the couch. She whispered something he couldn’t quite understand.

He felt her warm chakra flow into his pained muscles and bones. “It seems,” she diagnosed, “that you bruised some bones and severely strained some muscles.” She poured more warmth into his back, “It’s painful, but its nothing I can’t fix, so don’t worry.”

“I’ll patch you up and you can rest here if you want to,” she offered. Gaara’s ears started to burn. “I have a guest room if you want to stay here.”

He thought his cheeks would burn off. “It’s cheaper than a hotel and I don’t want you to exert yourself.” He crooked his neck to look at her. She still had her glowing hands over his back. He felt her warmth radiate through his body into the tips of his fingers and down to his toes. He put his face into the soft sofa beneath him and smiled more widely than ever thought possible.

In the beginning, when they were children, he never thought much about her. She was a pretty face, certainly, but that was all he saw. She followed Sasuke Uchiha around like a puppy dog. She appeared to be trying too hard. He never thought much about her until she had stood up to him. No one ever had before. It was the depth and ferocity in her beautiful eyes that captured him. He didn’t know what it was then. He only knew he could never hurt her; so, he pinned her to a tree and knocked her unconscious. He didn’t want her jumping into the fray and getting herself hurt.

Now he knew what it was: he was in love.

He was in love with the sweetest, cutest, and most frightening girl to ever walk the Earth. Her sudden changes in mood reminded him of the desert. You never knew when a sandstorm would come and bury you alive. She also had a right uppercut that even he envied. He loved watching her decimate the surrounding countryside with one fierce punch.

But she was also a perfect lady. Beneath it all, she was just a sad girl that was beautiful every time she smiled or shed a tear. She was lovely when she laughed, and even more so when she focused and narrowed her eyes. He could see her face now in his eyelids: brows slightly furrowed, lips pursed, and breathing deep and determined.

He felt his skin cool as she drew her hands away. He sighed at the lost contact. He felt her lean over him and her fingers ghost over his red hair. “I’ll be right back,” she whispered, “so try not to move.”

Gaara smiled. He could smell the scent of her skin and some foreign flowers. He grew faint. He felt so overwhelmed by her very presence. He just wanted to jump up, grab her, and whisk her off into the Suna sunset on the back of his black stallion. But his body was so loose he could barely string two thoughts together.

He heard her bare feet pit-patter back to the living room. She crouched down next to him. “So,” she said, “Gaara, what brings you all the way out here? If it’s for Lady Tsunade, I can take you out there. I don’t mind. So, don’t hesitate to ask.”

He smiled, “Well,” he said, “I didn’t come out on business.” He tried to prop himself up but dropped as soon as his back popped. Gaara winced and smiled. He showed each of his shiny, white teeth and he felt calm. She smiled back at him, a blush rising to her high cheeks. “I came out to see you,” he said. He felt his ears begin to burn. “That was sweet of you,” she said, “We hardly ever get to hang out.”

Gaara’s smile broadened. He cleared his throat, “It was very kind of you to offer your guest room to me; but I don’t want to impose on you.” He locked his pale blue eyes with hers. “But I’d like to take you out tomorrow night.” He watched her eyes grow wide. He added, “But if you don’t want to, I understand. I would just enjoy the pleasure of repaying your kindness.” She chuckled, “No,” she giggled, “that’s not it at all!”

She looked down at her polished floor, “It’s just no one has ever asked me out before on a real date.” She blushed, “Oh, it’s not an actual date.” Gaara leapt up, “It can be a date! I’d love for it to be a date!” He plopped back down onto the couch with a wince. “I’d like for you to allow me to take you on a date,” he confessed.

She giggled, “I can’t wait.” She looked at him, “But it would have to wait until tomorrow.” She sighed, “I promised Kakashi that I would meet him and Naruto at the ramen shop. It would be nice if you could wait until then.” He smiled at her.

“I’ll be on my way,” he said. “You need time to get ready,” he sat up and picked up his long coat. He wrapped it around his slight body and buckled it quickly. She looked at him and grinned, “Thank you, Gaara,” she said, “if your back bothers you: don’t be afraid to send for me.”  He nodded. “What time should I pick you up tomorrow?” he asked.

She put her index finger to her chin and looked up at the ceiling, “At noon would be good.” She smiled at him. He stood up and winced with each movement. Gaara waved goodbye and walked to the front door. He was about to twist the knob when he looked back at her. He reached into his pocket. He withdrew a red envelope and set it on the raised table next to the door. He set it down. He waved goodbye to her.

She saw him set down the envelope. She could see the finessed handwriting and recognized it as his. She had seen it countless times in Lady Tsunade’s office. She could also tell it was his because of his wide smile as he walked out. She was reminded of Lee’s toothy grin as the door closed. But Gaara’s smile was different. It had a sincerity and maturity she had never seen before.

She felt a blush rise to her cheeks.