Romancing the Kazekage- A Gaara Love Story

Not a Single Moon has Passed

"The tailed beasts," Naruto breathed, "they will listen to you, right, Ai? The same way Kurama was drawn to you on the beach- they cannot disobey you." Ai looked at Naruto, his blue eyes, bright and determined, just like hers, were locked onto the girl's ethereal form.

Ai's gaze swept across the caged beasts, their ancient eyes glowing with recognition and longing. She felt the pull of their chakra, a familial bond as though a part of her soul was somehow outside of her being. The bijū, sensing her attention and affection, shifted in their cages. Shukaku's golden eyes gleamed with a mixture of reverence and mischief, while Matatabi's blue flames flickered with anticipation. Son Gokū rumbled low in his throat, a sound that reverberated through the stone walls like distant thunder. Each beast, in its own way, acknowledged the presence of their creator's incarnation.

"Yes, they will follow me," Ai nodded.

The Kazekage looked around at Ai, Sasuke and Naruto and made up all of their minds. "Then we must break the reanimation jutsu," he declared, his eyes never leaving Ai's face. "Restore full control to those who have been resurrected. Let them join our side. It's our best chance to turn the tide of this war." The Kazekage's words seemed to hang in the air, heavy with implication.

"Madara wants the Ten Tails," Sasuke said, his voice calming like cool water, but Ai could hear the ripples of hurt there, "his first goal will be to kill Ai, to sever her connection to the Bijū."

"We'll protect her!" Naruto exclaimed confidently, throwing his hands together to cast signs and summon a small army of shadow clones.

"We'll protect her!" The clones shouted in unison as they ran forwards, looking like balls of orange and white flames darting around the cave, spreading out to put distance between Ai and the approaching enemy.

As if in response to Naruto's words, a shift in the air sent a shiver through the assembled group. Sasuke and Gaara's eyes darted around the cave, seeing something Ai could not, their bodies tensing as they sensed the approach of friend and foe alike. There was a vibration in the air and in the ground, something that whispered warnings of the impending pandemonium. The air grew thick with the scent of death and the metallic tang of blood, harbingers of the battle to come. In the distance, they could hear the faint echoes of clashing steel and shouted jutsu, a grim reminder of the war raging beyond these stone walls.

"We need to hurry," Sasuke whispered, his hand instinctively moving to the handle of his katana. "They're coming." The urgency in his voice was a stark contrast to his usual cool demeanour. Even the last Uchiha, hardened by years of isolation and vengeance, seemed to call out, lost and alone, for Love.

Her face a mask of ethereal calm despite the storm raging within, Ai nodded almost imperceptibly. "I'll need cover," she murmured.

Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke turned to her and nodded. They all noticed that in the moments before incantation, Ai looked every inch the goddess she was meant to be. Her long dark hair flowed around her like a river of midnight, her blue eyes shimmered with an otherworldly light. The white dress she wore, now stained with the grime and blood of battle, seemed to glow softly in the dim light of the cave. Even her gold jewellery, now dulled and rusted by war, tried to shine in the soft light of the cave. She felt to her knees and removed a sealing tag from her robes.

In an instant, Naruto and his clones moved to flank her, their bodies forming a protective barrier against the encroaching darkness. His golden chakra flared, an aura of power that pushed back against the oppressive atmosphere of the cave. The original Naruto turned, expecting to see Gaara and Sasuke beside him but the two had turned towards Ai before almost bumping into each other.

They had both turned with the same intention to ask Ai what she needed, what they had not thought about, was who she needed. The Kazekage took only a moment to think about it; Sasuke was in love with Ai and Ai returned that affection. The last time she had looked at Gaara that way...it had been years ago, hadn't it? She no longer slept in his arms, did she? She belonged to another man. Silently, the Kazekage nodded to the Uchiha and turned around. He went to join Naruto in keeping guard of Ai, his sand already swirling around them, ready to defend her until some bloody end.