Book 1: Dancing With Lightning [Naruto]

Sasuke vs Gaara

Sasuke and Gaara were staring each other down, the redhead's arms were still wrapped around Hoshino, and his warm breath was washing over his skin where Gaara had kissed him. There was a dark smirk playing at his lips as he watched Sasuke's fingers twitch.

Hoshino hated this feeling. The feeling of being helpless. The feeling of not being able to do anything but watch. And most of all, the way his body was reacting to Gaara's touch.

With each touch, butterflies would erupt in his stomach and his heart would flutter. Hoshino shouldn't like this. He really shouldn't. But it's not like he could just order his body to stop reacting—that's not how it worked. He didn't want to feel like this. He was flustered, scared, confused, and angry all at the same time.

The sakura petals fell all around them, the wind ruffled through his blue hair softly and cut through the cold and bitter silence.

Sasuke was standing on the other side, a piercing glare seared holes into Gaara's own teal colored eyes. Anger burned off him in waves. The way his eyes squinted when he glared at Gaara reminded Hoshino of a pit viper's slit-like pupils.

"Let go." Sasuke's angry voice sliced through the silence. The Uchiha was standing with his back stiff and straight, his hands clenched into fists. His dark eyes were gleaming with hatred and anger. "I said, let go." He repeated.

Gaara, however, only tightened his grip around Hoshino's body, pressing his chest against his own. A smirk played at his lips and dark amusement danced in his eyes.

Fires of fury and hatred were smoldering in his onyx, narrowed eyes as Sasuke weighed the pros and cons of the various and creative means available to him for exacting revenge.

Hate. Like a volcano, pressure created from hot, boiling magma, that contained enough heat to make mud boil. Hate expands, like anything that gains heat. It grows, as it expands, it explodes. And just like a volcanic eruption, hate kills.

Who the hell does he think he is?! Sasuke's eyes burned holes into Gaara. "Let. Him. Go." He bit out angrily. "Before I make you!"

Gaara's shoulders began to shake. Then, he threw his head back and laughed. It was a cruel mocking laugh; a laugh that no teenager should have.

Sasuke couldn't help but be a bit shocked and even a bit nervous as Gaara's cold, humorless laughter rang through the trees. But his eyes flickered back to Hoshino, and his fear was quickly and easily replaced by hate and rage.

"I'd like to see you try." Gaara taunted, his evil smirk still in place. Behind him, Hoshino had restarted his struggle against the sand pinning him in place. "Oh no, darling. You just stay right there..." Gaara cooed at him once he noticed.

That was it.

With a roar, Sasuke charged forward, drawing three kunai from his pouch. He let them fly from his fingers, right on target towards Gaara's face. More sand from the gourd on his back flooded to his aid and caught the kunai easily, without Gaara moving at all.

"Please! No! Stop!" Hoshino cried desperately. He shouted for them to stop fighting, desperation shining in his voice. His pleading words fell deaf on both of them as they continued to attack, both with burning determination and one goal in mind.

Kill.

Normally, Sasuke would have been more cautious about getting too close, but his rage far surpassed all other thought and his rational emotions. He launched himself on his hands, twisting in the air and bringing his foot down once he was right on top of Gaara. The sand morphed into a giant hand and stretched into the sky, shooting right towards him. He wasn't fast enough.