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Epilogue: At Home	By : starapple Category: Naruto > General Views: 919 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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- 1-Epilogue: At Home
- 1
Epilogue: at home.
Disclaimer: Not mine, alas! Not for profit either, woe!
WARNING:
Most likely, you will NOT like this chapter, particularly if you
wanted everything to end at least semi-happy at the end of The Little Things. It�s all going
pear-shaped for one person.
PS:
I�m
writing this to satisfy those people who wanted to know what happened
to Gaara at the end of The Little Things. This is what has always been
in my mind as the 'end' of Gaara in that particular storyline. I fought
with myself for a long time before writing this little chapter up, as I
really liked the note the other one ended on.
For it to make sense, you'd probably need to read that first. A
quick summary, with spoilers: Gaara was in love with Naruto, but Naruto
loved Sasuke instead. The night before Gaara nearly entombed them both
using his sand, it was only through Naruto's tendency to burst into
flames that he managed to escape. Gaara fled into the mountains on the
island (Konoha moved). Naruto went to Sasuke's and they finally got all
hot and sweaty... Next day Naruto leaves with promises to return.
R & R always welcome!

Naruto
exited the village, calm, knowing that what he would have to do would
never leave him. His past years had been building up to this point,
this eventuality.
He needed
to find Gaara in order to finish this.
The guards
nodded to him as he left, alone but fully prepared.
His flat
had been nothing but a small blackened shell. It didn�t matter. It
was a signal of the end, it was fitting that it had been burnt. Burnt
like his home when he was born, this was merely a new chapter, the
conclusion of everything he had been working towards.
The air
hummed, lightly, a fragrant song lingered on the back of fresh green
leaves that smiled at the dawn-sun. It could have been any other day
to the rest of the world, but to Naruto it was� something else. It
was the end, the beginning, the phase that met the two conditions. He
was ready, had been for a while now. He had merely required
confirmation.
It
would�ve appeared to anyone else that he was wandering aimlessly,
without a fixed path, towards an unknown destination. They were not
too wrong, he had a path, though he would know it when he stumbled
upon it. The trees would tell him. He had a destination, though it
was yet to be found � the earth would tell him.
He knew
what would happen at the end though, and this was without dispute,

Gaara.
He hummed
to himself, in tune, out of tune with the world, but at peace with
himself. Naruto was at peace. And so he stepped, without water, for
the sky would provide, without food, for the earth would provide,
fresh fecund earth and the heavy tang of autumn rains in the air
prepared him.
He found
himself walking, running, searching and waiting for the signs that
would lead him to the path he searched, unfettered by any chains he
lost his tongue, it seemed stuck to the bottom of his jaw bone, heavy
and unable to move. Tails danced in the wind, a complicated spiel
that spelled his moods out to the rest of the animals.
Danger,
peace, kindness, grace, mercy, fear and boldly � WARNING.
He was not
meant to be, and yet he was, and yet he was home.
He would
learn its limits. Taste them, feel along the edges, then break them
down and establish them anew further a-field.
He was
water, gliding along rich red-black earth, against the tug of gravity
upwards towards the mountains. He was drawn to it, and he went, the
day falling into noon while he was shaded by the canopy of the
forest.
He was at
the foot of the mountain now, trekking upwards at a rapid rate �
the trees led him onwards, the wind upwards, the earth into the bosom
of the cave hidden behind a grove of trees. Gaara.
He was
here. He could tell. He couldn�t see him, he would�ve retreated
to the very back of the cave. Licking wounds. Perhaps � and Naruto
felt the surface calm bubble and break slightly � perhaps
Gaara would no longer be himself.
Naruto
knew. He feared. He feared what he�d always feared for himself, and
it had only been a matter of time before it happened to one of them.
He was just lucky. Not lucky enough for Gaara, the one who�d kept
him sane by the value of his own insanity, and he could only thank
him for releasing him from the loneliness of carrying this demonic
weight.
He nearly
felt guilty for not� for not� he almost couldn�t articulate it,
and he didn�t want to use the same words he�d use for Sasuke�
but he didn�t love him. Not as Gaara wished. And he�d known this.
The cave
hummed with this knowledge, and as he came upon Gaara, the slumbering
ancient awareness darkened the cave. Breath halted and reversed in
his lungs as his eyes, now adjusted to the darkness, took in Gaara.
His entire left side had been burnt, he was a light pink down his
arm, he smelt singed. He was surprised it hadn�t healed better by
now.
�Go
away.� Gaara spoke in a rough voice. Naruto said nothing, coming
closer slowly. Gaara had a dark pair of slacks on that collided
harshly with the pale white of his skin, the pink burnt areas and the
shock of red hair that hadn�t been burnt away. And in it all, eyes
dark green looked at him with hate � but Naruto didn�t step away.
This was his fault, it was his fault he�d hurt him. He should have
known better.
�No.�
he said, finally, a small step away from Gaara. �Come back?� he
asked, simply, although he knew the answer to that � he was merely
playing a game he was too good at. Pretending he wouldn�t do what
he had come to do. He liked to think himself too human.
The tails
danced behind him, exultant in mourning.
�No.�
�Please?�
he wheedled lightly, attempting a light tone that died the very
moment it hit the dead stillness of the air.
�No!�
and this time the ancient burst forwards, darkness seeping out, sand
beginning its slow dance around him because Gaara was ready to die
but the demon wasn�t.
He stepped
up to Gaara, touching foreheads, noses then briefly, chaste lips,
ignoring the sand that swaddled him.
Gaara had
never meant to hurt him. He was possessive, just like he was. Once
upon a time he could squash fire, but he�d weakened himself, and
his fire had grown stronger.
The sand
stilled. The rumble of their chests could be heard on their lips.
They heard nothing but each other in that brief moment.
Gaara
opened his eyes, and behind the brilliant green the suppressed yellow
demon lurked.
�I
thought you were mine.� He said. Naruto slowly shook his head.
�Were
you mine?� Naruto asked. Gaara looked at him, confused.
�I
brought everything to you.�
�I�m
sorry.� Naruto apologised unreservedly, and Gaara had to take it as
the final answer to any of his questions.
They stood
for an endless moment, lying in wait for the end. Naruto imprinted
this on his mind, to examine it later for flaws. Gaara experienced it
in the fullest, unable to muster any defences other than those that
were his by birthright.
�I
know.� He said, finally. He brought a hand up to Naruto�s jaw
line, caressing it tenderly. What else could Naruto do but let him.
Let him slide his lips across his. This was, after all, the end for
him. �Remember me.�
�I�ll
never forget.� Naruto choked out his promise, even though he was
still calm, still in control.
�Go on.�
He nearly urged, sick of this.
�I�m
sorry.� Naruto said again, seeing just the close of Gaara�s eyes
as he acknowledged before he was behind him, hands firm on his head.
Then; the
crack of a neck in the stillness.
The body
crumbled even as the darkness attempted to hold it firm, to resurrect
itself. Naruto stepped back, heart clenched as he tried not to break
down at what he�d done, at what he had to do. It�d been
inevitable. He would mourn, because no one else would do so truly, he
would mourn and then he�d be free, even if guarded soft green eyes
would haunt him forever.
He was
ready. He would keep his promises.
- 1
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Epilogue: At Home