Frozen Past (A Naruto FanFic/Gaara Love Story)

Haku and Zabuza

TEMARI

"That was... an intense match," Kankuro says from beside me. I nod in agreement. Akari fighting her brother... I could tell it was hard for her. But whatever her teammate, that Inuzuka boy, said to her seemed to give her what she needed to face Masaki.

I envy her, having such supportive teammates. And good-looking ones at that. I'm not surprised she decided to give Dog Boy a kiss, though it surprised Kankuro a whole lot.

He really doesn't understand girls very well.

"What was that jutsu she was using anyway?" Kankuro asks. I shake my head, unable to answer. I've never seen jutsu like that before. Honestly though, Akari seemed just as unsure while she was performing them. It almost looked like... like it wasn't really her.

"Kekkei genkai."

Baki steps forward, resting his hands on the railing. I follow his gaze and see that he's eyeing Akari, who's currently talking with the silver-haired Kakashi, leader of that arrogant Uchiha's team.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, turning and resting my hip against the railing. "She was using a kekkei genkai," Baki repeats, his visible eye still trained on my friend. "I've only heard stories about it, the Ice Release kekkei genkai. It, supposedly, was only known to the Yuki Clan in the Land of Water. Years ago, there was unease in their country, and a war broke out, with one side having members of the Yuki Clan on it. After the war, people in the Land of Waves treated the Clan differently, with distaste and hatred. They called, and still call, them cursed. Many of them were killed off, others' whereabouts are unknown. But they possessed this kekkei genkai, and apparently so does this girl. What's her name? Akari?"

"It's Akari Kita," I say. "She's from the Kita Clan."

"Are you sure about that, Temari?"

I'm distracted from answering by Sasuke's outraged cry of, "Hey! She's interrupting our match!"

My head snaps around to see Akari falling over the railing of the opposite balcony, seeming to be only half-conscious.

I jump up onto our railing, whipping out my fan, prepared to go after her. But I won't make it in time! "AKARI!!!" I shout, when she's only feet from the ground.

And then, he's got her.

I blink, turning my head. But my eyes aren't playing tricks on me. Gaara is no longer on Kankuro's other side. He's down on the first floor, sand still swirling around him, an unconscious Akari in his arms.

Sasuke and the other Leaf Genin he's been fighting pause, staring at my brother in annoyance. So they would've rather had Akari smash into the ground and possibly crack her head open? I scowl down at the fighters, wanting nothing more than to swipe the nasty looks off their faces with one of my Wind Style jutsu. It would be so satisfying to see something other than a smirk on that damn Uchiha's annoyingly good-looking face.

"Gaara?" Baki says, as confused as the rest of us. Kankuro leans half-way over the railing, staring at our brother with bug eyes, his jaw dropped completely. I shake my head at the two of them before hopping onto my fan and gliding down to the ground. I sling my fan back onto my back, running towards Gaara and Akari.

"Akari!" I say, my voice high with worry. Beside Gaara now, I feel for a pulse on the small girl's neck. I sigh. "She's just out cold," I say, relieved. This is too soon after the scare in the forest; was she not fully healed when she went to fight Masaki? She did look really tired when she was standing among the rest of us before her match began. I must have mistook it as nerves.

I look up down at Gaara, a frown pulling the corners of my lips down. "Gaara, why... why did you save her?" I ask nervously. He glances up at me, blinking in confusion. I'm startled. I've never seen this look in Gaara's eyes before... at least, not for a very long time. Before I can ask him another question, two of the Leaf Village Jonin appear beside us.