Healing Demons [Gaara x Reader/OC x Sasuke]

Chapter 21 | So Much for Staying Away

Within seconds Gaara's hand was around Kankuro's throat as he shoved him up against a tree. Kankuro's eyes widened in fear as he began to choke and gasp for air.

"Gaara please stop!" Temari cried out in worry as her hands flew up to try to grab Gaara's arms to pull them off of Kankuro. However, as always, sand easily deflected her away, causing her to stumble back.

"Please! He's your brother! He doesn't mean anything by it! We just want to know who she is and why she can touch you like that. We've seen no one be able to touch you like that and it's not every day someone so fondly calls your name. Don't think we didn't see her calling for you and motioning you over. You've been alone all your life so how would we know how you know each other? A stranger doesn't call for you like that –" Temari began to shout as she attempted to reason with Gaara.

Gaara huffed in annoyance as his grip tightened around Kankuro's neck. He enjoyed the sick feeling growing in the pit of his stomache as his brother began to struggle to stay conscious. He deserved it. "I wasn't always alone. If either of you had paid any attention, you'd know that," He responded flatly as he finally let go of Kankuro and tossed him aside to the ground.

Kankuro rolled to his side as he began to choke and gasp in the fresh air he could finally taste again. "Kami Gaara! You could've killed me!" Kankuro shouted with a shaky voice.

"Pity, I really should have." Gaara said as he began to stalk forward again down the road.

"Gaara why is this all such a secret? You know we love you and we just want to know more about this girl," Temari said as she reached out to help Kankuro up.

"You don't love me, nobody does. If you insist on pestering me the whole way then her name is Miku Takahashi. We met when we were kids. That's the end of it. Now stop talking or I'll kill you both for real next time," Gaara said ominously as he continued to emotionlessly head toward their apartment.

Temari and Kankuro exchanged uneasy looks as they gulped and hurriedly walked to catch up to Gaara. They didn't dare speak the rest of the way back to their apartments or even the rest of the night.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You had spent most of the next week recovering more in the hospital before you were finally able to discharge back home. During that time you hadn't seen much of your friends since they had to be training for the final rounds of the Chunin exams. Despite so much good coming out of the situation that happened on that ANBU mission up until now, it was hard not to feel depressed about not being able to participate in the Chunin exams. You always felt like you would have made it through but now you felt like that would be awhile before you would be able to enter again. As you slowly began changing into the clothes Tsunade brought you, you stared around the hospital room sadly. It felt like a place away from reality that you could stay safe and take a break from everything. However, today being the day you had to depart, it felt like the day you finally had to confront your real life again. Like now you had to be the person your family and Sakura wanted you to be, that you deserved to be. And it began to feel a bit overwhelming.

You bit your lip apprehensively for a moment as you tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear. You felt a firm hand placed on your shoulder which caused you to jump in surprise as you turned to see Tsunade.

"We won't leave Konoha just yet, baby steps Miku-san. We will stay until the Chunin exams are over, that way you can get reacclimated in a familiar place before we move on to train together." Tsunade said with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama. I appreciate you choosing me to train with you as well, I would have felt so lost without this opportunity," You said with gratitude as you bowed deeply to her.