‘The Monster’s Weakness’
A Gaara/Sakura Fan Story
Chapter Eight: Suna Again

   ‘Let me get this straight.’ said Tsunade again, swirling around her sake bottle, listening to the sound of emptiness. Sakura shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, suddenly anxious of the conversation. ‘The Kazekage wants you to go to Suna to do their work?’
   ‘Not exactly.’ said Sakura. ‘He asked if I wanted to come to Suna to help with the medical issues.’
   ‘That’s sounds exactly the way I put it.’ pointed out Tsunade with a smirk, placing her empty bottle of sake on her desk. She stood up from her Hokage’s chair and sighed. ‘Are you really intending of giving up missions here for awhile to help Suna?’
   Sakura scowled, but quickly hid it. Which missions was Tsunade-Sama talking about? She had only gotten two missions the entire week she had been away from the Sand Village, and both of them had been horrible! She needed a way to convince Tsunade that she wasn’t just wasting her time with this. She had promised the Kazekage. No, she had promised Gaara-Kun that she would be there. She couldn’t just back out like that. She didn’t want to betray his trust.
   ‘Tsunade-Sama, I promised to help.’ explained Sakura despairingly. ‘If I don’t show, it will look bad on Konoha’s record.’
   ‘Then maybe you shouldn’t be making promises without talking to me first!’ snapped Tsunade. ‘Sakura, you’re the best medical ninja Konoha has. What if something were to happen while you were gone? I can’t just leave the village to go help someone miles away.’
   Sakura bit her lip. Her master had a point. She would have to convince her some other way than pleading.
   ‘The Kazekage thinks that Konoha is far more superior than Suna.’ said Sakura, examining her nails.
   Tsunade glanced from the floor to Sakura, and then crossed her arms.
   ‘Go on.’ she said.
   Sakura smiled. Hook, line, and sinker.
   ‘He says that we have better ninjas, and that our healers are much more skilful.’ she continued. She sighed. ‘If you really think that I shouldn’t go over and show off my amazing medical abilities that the great Hokage, that the Kazekage respects so much, taught me, then I guess -’
   ‘Alright!’ growled Tsunade, sitting back down. Her scowl disappeared and she smiled slyly. ‘You really are good at that, aren’t you?’
   Sakura smirked.
   ‘I learn from the best.’ she replied.
   ‘You had better send a message when you arrive.’ said Tsunade. ‘And you had better be back in no less than two weeks!’
   ‘Two weeks!’ exclaimed Sakura, a gasp emerging. ‘Whatever will I be doing there for two weeks!’
   Tsunade shrugged.
   ‘Anything could happen.’ she said teasingly. ‘Some of the greatest Leaf ninja have gone to the Wind Country and never returned because they fell in love with the desert beauty.’
   Sakura scowled and folded her arms across her chest. As if she would ever become accustomed to all of that sand and wind. She loved the warmth, but too much was exceedingly unbearable to endure. Besides, the trees and flowers of Konoha would always draw her back here.
   ‘I’ll be back in much less than two weeks.’ promised Sakura.
   ‘That’s good.’ said Tsunade, and pointed to the door. ‘Now hurry up and go! I’m expecting ninjas from the Wave Country any minute now!’
   Sakura scampered out of the Hokage’s office and almost slammed the door in her hurry. She could almost hear Tsunade’s laughter building up against the walls. Sakura scowled to herself and headed back home.

*************************************************************

   The second trip to Suna wasn’t so bad as the first. She had a heavier load to carry in her backpack this time, but her leg had healed almost all the way now. When she got back to Konoha, Tsunade-Sama would have to give her a field mission for sure. Sakura wanted to be out there with Naruto, Sai, and Kakashi again. They were saving lives, she was delivering packages to old ladies at teashops.
   Sakura received the same welcome at the Sand Village’s entrance as the last time. She had to give a different explanation, though, when they had asked why she was here. At first they had not believed her, until she proposed for one of them to fetch the Kazekage. That had convinced them to let her pass inside. The wind was low today, so the sand didn’t swirl as much as it had the last time. Though, tiny particles always seemed to fly around her as she walked.
   She was taken straight to the Kazekage’s house, pass the large doors and inside the large entrance room, where Temari and Kankuro were both going over papers at a small desk in one corner. They looked over at her, surprised that she was here again so soon, and joined her at the door.
   ‘What’s this?’ questioned Temari, nudging Sakura in the side. ‘Couldn’t stay away from us?’
   Kankuro smirked.
   ‘I bet it was me she couldn’t stay away from.’ he said mischievously. ‘She probably got annoyed of you the moment she walked in.’
   Temari glared at her younger brother and he glared back. Sakura sighed.
   ‘I came to help Suna’s medical ninjas with their medicine and such.’ explained Sakura briefly. ‘Is Gaara-Kun here? He was the one who asked me to come.’
   The two Sand siblings gaped at her with traumatized expressions on their faces. Sakura stared back at them, her eyes shifting from one to the other.
   ‘What?’ she finally asked.
   ‘Gaara asked you to come?’ said Temari. ‘He actually asked you?’
   ‘When in this lifetime has he ever spoken to anyone before?’ Kankuro asked his sister. She shook her head in response. Sakura rolled her eyes.
   Their entire discussion was interrupted when they all heard footsteps coming down the hallway towards them. Sakura knew who it was. Only one person walked like shifting sand, and that was the Kazekage. He had his robes on today, with the blue stripe running down the centre. He gave that almost-smile when he saw Sakura, stopping a metre away from her, and without evening considering of greeting his siblings.
   ‘Good evening, Sakura-San.’ he welcomed.
   ‘Hello, Gaara-Kun.’ she said. She saw Temari and Kankuro exchange shifty glances towards each other, and her heart fluttered nervously, knowing what they were thinking.
   ‘Well, we’ll just leave you two alone.’ said Kankuro with a crafty smile, putting extra emphasis on the last word. Sakura wished she had Temari’s fan right about now so that she could beat the puppet-user across the head.
   The brother and sister left the entrance room, whispering quietly to themselves and throwing looks at their younger sibling from over their shoulders. Gaara could have cared less about their suspicious behaviour. He wasn’t even focusing on them. Sakura was, though, and became greatly annoyed in the fact that the Kazekage could just tone it all out as though they just weren’t there. Kankuro had said alone, but they were still surrounded by guards.
   ‘Shall I show you to the greenhouses?’ offered Gaara, his green eyes searching her face.
   ‘Yes, please.’ replied Sakura, and dropped her jade eyes to the floor.
   They exited the house, Gaara leading her down across the pathway towards the back. It appeared to be a shortcut into the centre of the village. Sakura was happy. Whatever shortened the distance that she had to walk with him was fine with her. They passed through town, curious eyes on Sakura’s unfamiliar face. She flushed uneasily under their observant stares, and kept her gaze on her feet. At least she knew she wouldn’t trip.
   Gaara followed the main road a little longer, until they turned off towards a more green area, where trees were growing around a cluster of houses made entirely of windows and doors. The Kazekage glanced towards Sakura to see if she was following. She was, obviously, but he checked anyway. Sakura had been here before. She had visited the greenhouses to come up with a cure to Sasori’s poison to cure the dying Kankuro. She had evidently succeeded, and all the medical ninjas there that night had admired her for her work.
   ‘This way.’ said Gaara, walking towards the third greenhouse in the row. He pushed open the transparent door and stepped inside. An alarmed group of expressions greeted him, mixed in with shock and confusion. All the medical ninjas in the glasshouse had stopped what they were doing, and were now focusing on the Kazekage standing by the doorway. Sakura felt completely ignored and, for once, did not mind it at all.
   ‘Sakura-San is here to help with the medical studies of Suna.’ explained Gaara to the other ninjas. He looked them carefully over. ‘She’ll be in charge for awhile, so pay great attention to her. She’s going to teach you what she has learned while studying under the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. Show respect.’
   Sakura doubted that after that speech a single person would have show her any resentment at all. The fear was clearly showing on their faces, and it made Gaara uneasy. She could tell by just looking at him that he was tense and uncomfortable by simply standing there. To save them all from their trepidation, he vanished outside, but not before giving Sakura a farewell.
   The young kunoichi looked anxiously between the medical ninjas. They were waiting for her to say something, to do something. She really didn’t know what to do. When Kankuro’s life was in danger, she didn’t have time to be worried, she had acted without thinking. Now she had to think, and she didn’t like the authority that had been given to her. After a few awkward minutes, Sakura walked over to one of the tables and started sifting through papers and herb lists. When she was finished, the first lesson of the day was fresh in her mind.

*************************************************************

   When the sun had set, the medical team of Suna all congratulated and thanked her for a good day of learning. Sakura smiled at each one as they left the greenhouse, her excited expression slowly sinking into wariness. The light bulb overhead was flickering, shadows jumping across the windows in a creepy manner. She saw her reflection, and grimaced at her tired face. Taking off her gloves, she pushed them through her belt and headed back towards the desk to tidy up. It wasn’t long before she heard the glass door opening again.
   Gaara came in with a glass of water in his hand, carefully shutting the door behind him and joining Sakura near the desk. He placed the glass on the table and then turned his attention to the weary kunoichi.
   ‘Have something to drink.’ he encouraged gently, pushing the cup towards her. She couldn’t refuse it. She was too thirsty. She took the glass between her shaky hands, with Gaara’s fingers pressed to the bottom of the cup for support, and lifted it towards her parched lips. The water felt good against the roof and back of her mouth after the long day of working in the hot greenhouse. Her skin was damp from the heat concealed within the glass room.
   ‘You should have taken a water bottle with you.’ said Gaara painfully, placing the glass back onto the desk. ‘You’re not used to the desert heat, and it’s even more treacherous when you’re in an enclosed room like this. It’s my fault, I should have warned you about it.’
   ‘No, it’s quite alright.’ said Sakura with a yawn.
   ‘I guess I should have told you not to work too late either.’ continued the Kazekage, the skin between his eyes crushed. ‘That was my fault too. Now you’re probably too tired to walk back up to the house.’
   ‘Gaara-Kun, I said it’s alright.’ Sakura told him. ‘I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me so much.’
   Gaara flushed and lowered his head. Sakura became bemused at his constant distressing.
   ‘I just thought … this is how a friend is supposed to behave.’ said Gaara quietly.
   He had said something else heart-wrenching in front of her. Sakura couldn’t bear too much of it. He was trying so hard for her to accept him as a companion to talk to and be with, but had he not understood that she had already acknowledged him?
   ‘Gaara-Kun,’ she tried again. ‘You don’t need to be worrying about me and bringing glasses of water and such to prove that you are my friend. I’m right here in Suna, just as you asked. Isn’t that enough proof already?’
   Gaara met her gaze, his brows still frowned in wretchedness.
   ‘I didn’t know if it was because of pity, or if you were just too afraid to say no.’ he admitted sheepishly.
   Sakura gaped at him, unsure of what to say to that. His level of trust with people was not very good, it seemed.
   ‘I came because you are my friend, and because you wanted me to come.’ explained Sakura. ‘Nothing else. Now please, don’t doubt me like that again. I promise that I’m not trying to deceive you.’
   Gaara gave his almost-smile, only stretching it a little this time. His eyes softened a tiny bit.
   ‘It’s hard because … you remind me of the one person who said they loved me, and then they tried to kill me.’
   Sakura cringed, her heart racing. So that’s why he didn’t fully trust her, that’s why he hadn’t killed her during the Chuunin exams in the forest. She reminded him of the one person he had loved, and the one person he had hated. How could one boy’s past be so messed up like this? Sakura didn’t have a great life growing up either, but no one had tried to kill her. She couldn’t even begin to understand how that felt - to be loved and then betrayed. Her brow crumpled. Of course, there was always the exception. Sasuke was hers. He hadn’t loved her, but she had loved him, and he had left, betrayed her. Though not on the same emotional level as Gaara’s past, she had some comprehension of what the pain of treachery meant.
   ‘Are you ready to go back?’ asked Gaara, interrupting her train of thoughts.
   Sakura nodded.
   ‘Yes, I think so.’ she replied.
   They left the glass on the table and flicked off the light. Sakura followed Gaara towards the Kazekage house, slightly trailing his swift steps. Sleep was hitting her fast. Her feet dragged along behind her as though solid, heavy chains were attached to her sandals. It wasn’t long before she stopped and yawned, wondering if Gaara would allow her to take a break, but just a short one.
   ‘Sakura-San …’ murmured Gaara, looking over his shoulder when he realized she had stopped. ‘You can’t stay outside. The desert is cold at night. You remember that.’
   Sakura mumbled something illegible and looked for a place to sit down. Her head was spinning from her drowsiness. She needed to sit, or else she would simply collapse where she was. She didn’t need something else bothering Gaara’s already worried mind.
   ‘I’ll just take a short nap.’ said Sakura with another yawn. ‘You go back to the house and I’ll catch up later.’
   Gaara frowned at her, his irritated expression clearly showing even in the dark. He walked over beside her so that his voice wouldn’t disturb the nearby neighbours, who were probably already asleep by now.
   ‘Sakura-San.’ he said coaxingly. ‘Please come back to the house with me.’
   Sakura was aware of his nearness, and the pleading in his voice for her to follow, but she was too tired to really grasp the concept of pursuing him to the Kazekage house. She took a step away from him, her balance uneven as she swayed forwards. She stopped, not wanting to take another pace, afraid that she might fall from her exhaustion. She sighed and just stood there. What would she do now?
   The answer came almost instantly, as she felt Gaara’s robe brush her shoulders. His tense arms slid around her waist and the curve of her knees, daintily picking her up and cradling her against his perfectly structured chest, which could be felt even through the Kazekage’s robes. His torso heaved unintentionally from her body contact, trembling even more intensely when her head fell against his shoulder. She couldn’t remember much about the trip back up to the house, only that it was long. She felt almost relaxed in his arms, if he had not been so rigid as stone. She distinctly recalled her door being opened, and the darkness from within enshrouding her weak vision. She was released from his arms onto her bed, the covers being pulled up across her, and then the door shut again.