Love Me Until You Die

“Shikamaru.” The blond girl whispered, her head tilting slightly towards the sky. It had been two weeks since their last visit, and though at least three more had been scheduled before she was supposed to see him again, the added pressure of danger weighed down on her heavily. She was anxious to see his face again, to confirm his safety.

 Gaara glanced at his sister, his face remained blank and composed, but down farther to places where neither Temari nor Kankuro could see, he was just as fidgety. The final of the siblings was not as attached to the Hidden Leaf, but he did feel a strong sense of gratitude toward them, Naruto Uzumaki had returned his brother to life and for that, he was more then happy to aid them.
 

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Kankuro sighed as he adjusted the puppet on his back, “Gaara, perhaps we should pick up the pace, Konoha will not be so open to ninja come nightfall.” The eccentrically redheaded boy did not answer but he was in the air and bounding from tree limb to tree limb at a blinding speed in response, his siblings not far behind.

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 Iruka was wandering the village streets, Kakashi, Gai, and several ANBU members with him. Something had spawned the infection, they were charged with find the source. This was easier said then done, how do you find, capture, and contain on odorless, invisible, airborne assailant that neither kunai nor Sharingan could detect?

 More and more shinobi were falling out of commission, but to those that were aware of the very core of the village’s latest crisis, this was more personal then not. The recent attack on Konoha had not only crippled their ninja military power, but also their hearts, spirits, and courage. The Genin of the village were under lock and key, they could not afford to lose nor risk any more ninja. Chunin and Jounin, even the Tokubetsu Jounin were sent out on missions or placed under strict patrol duty and new uniforms were implemented. Anyone entering or leaving Konohagakure that possessed an accelerated use of their chakra was required to don the same.

 A curfew had even fallen across the village, in place for the safety of it’s own people that might become riled and brawl, exposing their chakra lines to infection. No one could escape the feeling of ‘dark-days-ahead’; even the Hokage was seen with a serious look in her eye when she visited the local bars.

 They remained in this state before so many Chunin and Jounin became contaminated that Konoha faced the very real possibility that a neighboring country vying for power could strike, and they would have naught but Genin to resist. Hardly a resistance force to brag upon. In response to their crises, fifth Hokage Tsunade had issued a plea for aid to their closest allies, the Sand.

 Her request was for a task force of any Chunin or Jounin that could be spared, but her request had been denied. The Kazekage had sent a return slip formally stating the Sand could not spare any of it’s military in case a ninja war erupted, it was obvious Konoha was under attack and the Sand could not jump in until they were certain their ninja were not striking a counter-offence against one of their own allies.

 Tsunade was angered at first, but upon closer inspection of the envelope containing the Kazekage’s formal response, she spied a secondary slip. Hastily scribbled upon, the note state the Kazekage was taking an immediate vacation, his siblings and a small personal guard that were specifically numbered for her benefit, twelve Chunin and Jounin. They were hoping Tsunade would allow them stay in her village.

 She’d realized then just how much Naruto had affected Gaara, and even more so how much the psycho redhead had grown to become a true politician. A Kage left their village for only the most important of events, and though the Kazekage had not done so openly, she received his message loud and clear through several clues she was certain Gaara had left for her.

 The first was his writing, the boy had flawless penmanship, and the gashed and clawed highly informative but short collection of kanji left no doubt in her mind that he had departed Suna shortly after his return letter. Secondly, he had not signed the informal notification of a vacation, his aid was being offered purely under the table and only something that truly interested one in his position would incite such risk. Finally, Tsunade knew for a fact Gaara did not give two rats asses about the allies of his country, well, all except one.

 The other countries were scared of the Wind’s leader, a former demon container was bad news, and if he was killed in an attempt to aid the Fire, all the better for them. She had smiled, and this small bit of reassurance lifted her spirits a tiny fraction. Gaara of the Desert, Temari, and Kankuro would be there shortly, the three alone were a force to be reckoned.

 What kept her courage so low was the lone shack positioned on the outskirts of Konoha. The villagers knew well to stay clear of the looming little hut that contained what they already feared; now he had met their expectations, now he was uncontrollable. Naruto Uzumaki was one of the first people struck by the strange infection that was filtering through Hidden Leaf, and by all accounts and measurements, the hardest hit.

 This information Tsunade had kept from Gaara, but she was steadily beginning to realize as the wait for Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro drug on, perhaps she should not of.

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“Gaara please.” Kankuro huffed, doubled over and clutching his side. They’d been running along the treetops for hours now, and though Konoha was only a few more away, the stitch in his side forced him to stop and rest.

 “I said pick up the pace, not fly! Why are you in such a rush anyway?”

 Gaara did not answer for a long moment, and when he did, both Temari and Kankuro felt the gravity of his words press down on them.

 “Something is wrong with the request the Hokage sent. She omitted something of minor but great detail, and it worries me. It’s not the ninja of Konoha that make me want to arrive before night falls, something else is amiss amongst our friends.” He rolled his shoulders and turned towards his two older siblings, “Be on your guard.”

 They both nodded and adjusted their weapons, combat was always a possibility in their life, always it lurked on the horizon, but when something worried their brother, a chill crept down their spines without fail. Nothing ever bothered Gaara unless it was truly frightening, and one did not want to be caught off guard by something that was a threat to even him.

 Slightly rested now, the three of them took off at full speed once again. Konoha was in danger and with the Leaf; two of their precious people were as well. The Sand did not like it when their friends were threatened, and they fully intended to correct the situation. It had been quite a while since Gaara was able to genuinely flex a little muscle, and to be completely honest both Temari and Kankuro were eager to see what their brother was capable of now that he his dramatic eye-opening scene had occurred, now that he had someone to care for.

 Would anyone be able to stand up to the Sand Village’s Kazekage once he was pushed to the edge? Temari’s eyes gleamed and her lips twisted into a feral grin. Kami forbid anyone who was stupid enough to intervene where Uzumaki was concerned. She was more then sure Gaara would make them scream for their own death before granting them their reprieve.

 Kankuro’s thoughts were similar, but a little bloodier. He was looking forward to beating their adversaries senseless without having to watch out for Gaara’s temper and mood-swings. His puppet clanked against him roughly as if in agreement. Gaara himself however, was musing over far less adrenaline-pumping thoughts. Normally when Tsunade wrote a briefing or other correspondence to update the Sand on the on-goings of the Leaf, she would always attach a small note that simply stated, “Nine tails is well, he talks about you often.” Or “Nine tails is sick, too much ramen.”

 He was then reassured until the following week when the next update came in. It was entirely possible of course that Tsunade had simply forgotten or deemed this small pleasantry a hassle in such a time of crises, but Gaara knew differently. His gut instinct told him the fifth Hokage had intentionally left out all mention of Naruto, and this sent off red alarm bells in his young mind.

 Uzumaki was involved with Konoha’s most recent predicament, but the question that plagued the youthful Kazekage was very simply, ‘Is Naruto a victim, or an instigator?’

 The latter did not faze him, but Kami help the bastard that set his eyes on Naruto Uzumaki while Gaara’s heart still beat. It was thanks to him after all, that his heart was still beating. Having people to protect was more hazardous to the world’s health then serving as confinement to a demon, Gaara concluded as he bounded away; Temari and Kankuro fast on his heels.

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 Kakashi was leaning against a wall, his right foot settled just below his rear behind him. The night sky flashed with energy and the oncoming stormed unsettled the silver-haired shinobi that stood lonesome in its path. He had been told along with his fellow patrolmen to be on the lookout for the Sand, and though he was still leery of their newest Kazekage, Kakashi had felt a surge of relief flood through him when the Hokage had said, “Gaara is personally coming.”

 Iruka was at his side at the time, and had later bolstered Kakashi’s sense of security by telling him a similar notion, “No one will be able to harm him while the Kazekage is here.” Kakashi had only nodded in agreement, but inside, Iruka’s words cleared the fog of hopelessness that had settled across his heart. They all feared for the former troublemaker, but none would have guessed the true depths of Kakashi’s emotions for the boy. He and Naruto had never been outwardly close, hell, he wasn’t even sure Naruto himself was aware of how much his teacher had come to care for his two remaining students.

 The Jounin’s thoughts were rerouted and hastily switched to a more serious and direct path of the now as an explosion rocked the tiny guarded and sealed hut, but his impatience and anger towards the mysterious force behind their newest problem was replaced with a thin sliver of relief as a familiar band of chakra broke the outskirts of his senses.

 “Ah…and so the Sand arrives.”

 He murmured as he took off down the dark street ahead of him, rushing towards the entrance of Konoha. He was personally carrying seven uniforms, Iruka held the others to disperse amongst the Sand as they arrived. After all, killing off their allies was not the best option for them at the moment, they needed all the help they could get.

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