Not sure if i like the way i set this out...oh well
"Maybe I care" The words that left his lips were so quiet that she almost didn't hear him.
She did though, eyes shimmering from tears held there she turned unable to comprehend what he had just said, not daring to believe the words that had just left the awkward red-heads mouth.
"You……you…" she stammered unable to put the words she so desperately wanted to say out of her mouth.
Gaara slowly stood up. Behind his desk he looked powerful, every inch the Kazekage his people knew. Sakura could see the stress around his eyes and the way his hands tightened, like when he was making an important decision.
"You can't love me Gaara…." Sakura finally said closing her eyes and allowing one tear to escape.
Now it was Gaara's turn to close his eyes in pain "I thought you would understand Sakura…….But…you're just like the others….."He fell backwards into his chair the crash making Sakura open her eyes "Does the thought of me having emotions, needs, love...is it so repulsive you cry at the very thought?"
"Oh Gaara" Sakura shook her head vehemently, it caused the man to look at her again, her back turned as she grabbed the door handle "You're too wonderful to love me" she whispered as she ran out of the room.
Instantly Gaara was up and after her. Ripping doors from their hinges; trying to catch her scent on the hot wind. He ran to her room, it was empty. Looking around her noticed her blanket was missing and immediately knew where she was.
When several retired Nins, teachers and ninja had been transferred to Suna as part of an exchange programme. Sakura, Shikamaru, Neji and Tenten had been four of the ones EUFN (exchanged until further notice) The Kanoha Nins had missed their green of home, and so slowly had turned an abandoned park into a green paradise. Using their money they had made it so a small stream which ran between water supplies has been moved to run through the site.
Gaara could smell the water as he approached, and also noticed the drop in temperature, and the sound of trees. As he got closer cherry blossom began to rain around him bringing a smile to his usual set features.
This was where he first cared.
He jumped up into the trees and made his way over to where he knew she would be. She was there, curled up in her blanket, hidden from casual observers by the roots of the biggest tree. Gaara watched her for a moment until he was sure she wasn't asleep, her breathing was too irregular for that she's crying he thought frowning unhappily.
He shook his head another wave of memories hitting him, just like the first time
--Flashback--
Gaara had decided to visit the 'garden' he'd heard people talking about, so late in the afternoon when most sensible people would be taking a siesta he went to see it. Beneath the biggest tree he had noticed a green blanket covering a crying woman. One of the Kanoha Nin he had thought edging closer.
-Sniffle-
Frozen he had recognized a shock of pink hair.
"Haruno-san…..what is troubling you" he heard himself asking what…why did I just ask that? He mentally kicked himself if I remember correctly she cries over everything…probably Uchiha last I heard
"A little girl just died from blood poisoning" Sakura said quietly "She caught herself on some barbed wire and the cut got infected….."She put her head in her arms "I couldn't…couldn't save her!"
Gaara frowned "It's her parents responsibility not yours" he said disliking the was she blamed herself
She twisted the blanket in her hands "They aren't the medics….I mean most people don't even know basic first…aid" she had suddenly stopped crying and was staring at Gaara was a strange expression
He later learnt this was her 'ideas' expression
He'd walked past the sign a few times before he properly read it. The only reason he had was because Temari had ripped one down and showed it to him.
"Sakura is giving First aid classes?" Temari had asked "That's a great idea! We should go tonight…"
"You have a date with Shikamaru" Gaara had pointed out
"Fine, you go…you need to learn some first aid anyway"
"Pft, fine" he replied pocketing the paper and walking away
Temari watched him suspiciously that was too easy
"How was class?" She asked when he came home later that night
"You wore that on your date?" he asked indicating her jeans and large scruffy jumper
"Don't change the subject"
"It was good" Gaara replied pausing on the stairs "I will go again"
Eventually she noticed he was attending her classes, even if he was sitting right at the back.
'Why?" he asked after the class, they were walking down a street together
'Why? She asked shifting books "why what?"
"Why are you teaching instead of resting?" he knew she worked long and hard shifts at the hospital, he knew she was tired
Sakura looked thoughtful "Helping your villagers learn something….its…restful for my spirit"
He paused "I…I think I understand" he said after a moment, helping his village eased him, he shook his head "come eat with me"
"Pardon?" She had asked looking surprised "you've known me a year and never invited me to eat with you before….why the sudden..?" She was at the door to her house now, none of them had noticed.
Gaara shrugged "You are not being paid for this service….you should be rewarded"
Instantly her face had clouded over "I don't want a reward" she almost spat "I'm doing this for me, not what I can gain from it"
He was taken aback, I must have used the wrong phrasing and now she is mad
Seeing the look of confusion on his face Sakura paused "I….would like to go to eat with you as friends though"
"Friends?" he had asked she wants to be friends?
Her smile crinkled the corners of her tired eyes "yes, Gaara-chan, I want to be friends with you, give me a moment to grab a new short and drop there off" she entered her house and leaving the door open ran up the stairs.
It took him a moment to process what she'd said Gaara-chan?
Over three years their friendship had built and expanded. When Sasuke was reported dead she'd beat the pulp out of the training dummies until her knuckles bled and her chakra reserves were almost nil.
It was him who'd caught her as she collapsed.
Him who'd worried about her whilst she recovered at hospital
Him who'd visited her every moment he could
Him who'd been at her bedside when she woke up and rewarded him with a radiant smile
If people choose to comment on what a good friend Gaara was to the pink haired woman, or how good he was at diplomacy, maintaining ties with Tsunade's apprentice therefore strengthening the bonds between villages. Gaara ignored it. He didn't want to know what they'd think if they'd known, a few months later that he'd stayed in her bed.
It was Kakashi. He was gone, apparently he and Itachi had killed each other in a grueling toe to toe sharingen death match.
He'd found her under the tree.
He'd held her as she cried
He'd taken her home when it got dark
He'd put her in her bed
He'd stayed because she asked him to.
As he had lain with her that night, dried trails from the tears showing on her face. He had gently moved a strand of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. She had moved, snuggling up closer to him whispering his name. He'd frozen until she settled down again, breathing soft and even, one hand curled over his heart.
It was then Gaara had felt a little something break inside, and he knew; he fully realized that over the last 3 years, this woman had become almost everything to him.
Then he had seen her shopping with Neji. Laughing, and touching his arm, going in and out of shops with the damn white eyed man. She even made him blush.
Gaara cursed the fates that had decided the Kazekage tower had to be on market square.
When she pecked the other man on the cheek and waved him off he had felt something inside break. It felt like his heart.
He avoided her for three days
He hid
He pretended to be out
He couldn't take it
So when she ported into his office and came face to face with him he almost growled.
"Whoa Gaara" Sakura had said sitting down "sorry"
"Sorry for what" he'd snapped mentally slapping himself for being so childish
'Erm…making you jump…I just came to tell you..."
"That you and Neji-san are going out…" Gaara finished using his stapler a little too violently
Sakura laughed "Me and Neji??? Come on! He's like a brother!" She winked
Feeling irritated by her laughter he'd snapped again "Like I care, you can do what the hell you like"
Gaara realized her mistake the moment the words left his mouth, her laugher was cut off and her face fell "You're right Gaara" Sakura said quietly standing "Why would anyone care about me" she smiled crookedly "its not as if I'm as good as most of the people I know…..so why would anyone care…I won't bother you anymore"
--End flashback--
Warmth appeared on one side "Sakura"
She didn't reply huddling deeper into her blanket and trying to hold back the sobs
"Sakura….I'm sorry"
Now she looked at him moving the blanket off her head to see Gaara sat beside her back against the tree trunk. "W, why are you sorry?" she asked swallowing "I'm a baka…not you"
He shook his head effortlessly reaching over and pulling her onto his lap. To Sakura's surprise Gaara then buried his head in her neck "I'm sorry if I've ever made you feel unworthy of me…..you're perfect, and I waited a long time to tell you that"
She shook her head cupping his face with her hands so she could look into his eyes "I would have been so very lonely without you…"
Before Gaara could think his body reacted his arm reaching up and tangling in Sakura's hair, pulling her forward the few inches that separated them.
When they paused for breath Gaara spoke "But what were you doing with Neji??"
Sakura rolled her eyes standing and holding out her hand to haul the red-head to his feet "I was helping him buy Tenten something"
Gaara rubbed the back of his head 'I really should retract that assassination order"
-Crash- He landed back on the floor
"WHAT!?"
Gaara actually chuckled at the look on Sakura's face, before picking himself up of the floor and sweeping her into his arms