50 Reasons Why

Chapter Eighteen

Blue eyes faced the crowd of varying eye colors from onyx to teal. My orbs watched as her blonde hair swayed with her step. A smile crept on her lips as she neared her destination. Her sensei and friend smiled back at the blonde. Their reunion was short as I heard her voice flow through the cave. I broke my eyes from the beauty to stare at the pair in front of me. Brown eyes bore into mine with humor and pride. Beautiful teal eyes held a depth of relief and content with a smile to match it.

"Gaara," she whispered. The smile faded but her voice still held her emotion.

"Temari, it's good to see you are alright." I responded to her and a smirk rested on her lips in response.

"So we kind of discussed a plan on our way here, Gaara. If that's alright with you?" Kankuro muttered and I nodded in appreciation. I wasn't focused enough to begin strategizing.

"Proceed," I mumbled back. I stared at my brother's face paint a moment longer before letting my eyes linger. I locked instantly with cerulean eyes. She looked away quickly and I couldn't help the smile pulling at my lips. She was staring at me.

"Well, the way I was heading towards was leading to where the two ninja were hiding. I ran into them when they came through in another direction. They said it also led the way towards their hiding place. So what if you, Temari and I head towards the main way to attack them and Asuma, Zuko, and Ino can be a back-up team?" Kankuro suggested while motioning towards the group. A familiar sound of disgust escaped the leaf kunoichi's lips.

"I'm not going to be back-up," she hissed the term as if it was taboo to her. Asuma and Zuko placed twin hands on her shoulders.

"I think that's the best idea," Asuma stated. Ino stared at her sensei with anger and hurt.

"We will attack, and while they are distracted, Ino you retrieve Zenma and tend to any wounds he may have. Understood?" I stated to the blonde. Hopefully she would agree. It was the safest way to place her in the situation.

"Okay," she muttered with a weak smile.

"Great. So Gaara, I think its best we head the main way, and they take the other way towards the spot." Kankuro stated. Sounds reasonable.

"Wouldn't it be best if you guys head the other way? I think it could be faster. Plus they will be expecting us to stumble along the main way first. You may get an advantage a bit by heading the different route," Zuko added. He made a clear point. I usually don't chose options over my brother's, but...

"Alright. Your team is to not move into the location until we are present. Is that understood?" I stated keeping my eyes on the kunoichi. I knew her rambunctious behavior way too well by this point. She rolled her eyes and I felt myself freeze for a moment. The small gesture made me want to hurt her. It was a mockery in those beautiful sky orbs.

"I will make sure she stays in line," Asuma-san stated. A small reassuring smile rested on his lips. I hesitated for some odd reason. I wasn't sure why, but it took me a moment before I nodded towards him.

"Let's go," I muttered to the group before turning to head into the cave.

As we walked further, my mind was filled with endless thoughts. I wanted to get this over with and out of this cave, to have her leave so things could return to the normal life I was living before she came into it. Another part of me, a bigger part, wanted this to last longer so she could stay. I wanted to get to know her further, to understand her better than I do now. She had many flaws she tried to cover with her beauty, but she showed them in times of weakness. My wanting to dissect each flaw and imperfection of hers grew and I couldn't understand the reasoning behind it. Maybe it was because I saw her as a prize too great for me. She rested on top of a pedestal that I could not reach on my own. Finding each flaw and imperfection, brought her a step down and closer to my grasp.

"That's the other way in." Zuko's voice broke my thoughts as I stared at the opening to our right.

Without looking at the second group, I made my way towards the other opening with my siblings behind me. Soon it was just the three of us and for a moment, things felt normal.

"To think this is almost over with," Temari muttered aloud and I grunted in response.

"Yeah, it's been almost what? Two weeks?" Kankuro question as he counted his fingers. "Soon Nara and Choji will be awake, the threat will be gone, and the leaf team will depart." He trailed off.

"The sooner things are back to normal," I responded a beat later.

"Normal." Kankuro repeated. "If only things were that simple, bro."

I looked towards my brother with question. What does he mean by that? Shouldn't everything just fall back into place?

"Gaara, people can make impressions on others. Sure, we can try to forget what happened here, but some things, or people, can make that nearly impossible." He stated coolly before locking eyes with mine. "You know exactly why I'm saying this."

I looked away from his stare to the teal eyes to my left. Hers held that same stare and I could feel my throat go dry. Could I possibly forget about the blonde beauty after everything that happened here? Surely, I can. I came up with forty-eight reasons to why I should.

"Gaara," I looked towards my sister at her acknowledgment. "This isn't something you are going to forget." She muttered before looking down at the ground. "I know because she is in a separate village and country that you could think this would be easier, but Kankuro is right. No matter how much time passes, if someone changes you... in a good way... you will never forget them or the things they have done."

"Naruto," I muttered aloud as his carefree smile crossed my mind.

"Exactly, it's been a while since you've seen him but you remember him and his actions. You remember him just like you will remember her too." She finished and my eyes widened at her statement. She was speaking a truth I didn't want to think of.

"Temari-"

"Gaara, I tried to forget too." She interrupted me. Her eyes locked with mine and she held a stern look. "I thought maybe it was a phase or some small crush that will go away after months of not seeing him. But, it didn't. There's a phrase that states: absence makes the heart grow fonder. I thought it was bullshit, until now. You're going to learn that phrase too. Whether you like it or not." She finished stating and I frowned at the realization.

"I don't know how I will do without her he-"

"Gaara!" Kankuro shouted and I looked away from my sister to stare at a giant wall that blocked our path. It was a dead end. It was a lie.

"Fuck," Temari cursed under her breath.

"It was a fucking lie!" Kankuro shouted before punching the wall.

I couldn't bring my mouth to move to make a vocal response. Ino was in trouble now too. I turned to begin running down the cave with my siblings following behind me.

"I thought there was something wrong with them." Temari hissed as we sprinted down the cave.

I only grunted in a response while mentally punishing myself. How could I let her fall into hands of danger? I should have known.

We made a quick right that now placed us on the right path to the hideout.

If they lay a hand on her. If they touch her. If she's hurt...

"Ino," I whispered aloud as we neared a bright light.