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Love's Misconstruities	By : Idleflame Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1431 -:- 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.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Love�s Misconstruities

Chapter 1

�� For as long as he
could remember, Gaara�s favorite place to relax was high above the rest of the
populace.� He�d often contemplated
why.� Was it because of the tactical
advantage it gave him?� No, he�d enjoyed
the heights long before the assassination attempts on his life began.� Was it because he looked down on the rest of
the villagers, perching himself atop a pedestal on which to judge them?� No, that wasn�t quite it, either.� Perhaps he just liked to watch those below
enjoying that which he had never experienced: a normal, simple life.

�� Of course, being a
ninja, his life was doomed from the start to be nothing close to that of a
typical child�s.� Being a son of Kazekage
only made matters worse, piling some of the highest expectations upon him.� But he was detached even further from sharing
any common bonds with others, even those with his own siblings.� Gaara was the only one in the village who had
been given Suna�s ultimate weapon: the curse of the one-tailed demon raccoon
Shukaku.� No one else who understood
him.� No one could.� Indeed, his entire life he�d been hated and
feared by everyone, even those who he knew were supposed to love him.

�� Love.� He�d only recently begun to contemplate that
emotion again.� It was long ago that his
understanding of love had been warped into the concept that was tattooed onto
his forehead.� He would love only
himself, live only for himself; this he decided early on.� The demon inside loved him enough, he used to
believe, to compensate for all the rest who hated and betrayed him, and it was
Shukaku who would protect him like the mother he never had, forever swaddling
him in a heavy blanket of sand.� All it
asked in return was his sanity and the blood of those who would dare cross them.

�� But now he�d been
shown that love for others and wanting to protect those that one holds dear can
bring about a strength that had defeated him for the first time in his
life.� He�d been surprised by his
opponent, a boy his own age; a ninja of the Hidden Leaf who, previously, Gaara
had been completely uninterested in even knowing the name of.� Now, he would never forget it: Uzumaki
Naruto.

�� Since that day, he�d
learned that even simple acts of kindness on his part, along with much
patience, went a long way in helping to overcome the fears and malice of his
fellow villagers.� Since his father�s
death, Suna�s high council had still not chosen a new kazekage, but word was
that their own Sabaku no Gaara was in consideration.� It had caused quite an outrage amongst the
elders, but he did have a few who supported him; who realized that he�d begun
to change.� There were no more incidents
of villagers turning up missing, children didn�t cling to their parents or
burst into tears when passing him on the street... �He was one of their top shinobi who could be
relied upon to complete some of the highest ranked assignments and, above all,
protect their village.

�� Sometimes he didn�t
even know why he went to such lengths for these people, the same ones who had
either made his childhood miserable or stood by and done nothing but watch it
happen.�

�� *They should all suffer the pain
that we felt.� We should make them pay in
blood,* Shukaku told him.� Yet,
deep inside, he knew that if he led a life of destruction, the pain in his
heart would never be healed.� By working
together with the same people who had shunned him, starting to earn their trust
and learning to forgive them, he found himself wanting to protect them - to
ensure that the warmth which had started to grow in his heart would not fade.

�� He had begun to love
his village and all who resided in it, and though it was a slow process, more
and more they were learning to accept and respect him.

�� It was strange, he
thought, that such a feeling was almost contagious. �Sometimes he felt as though if he cared too
much he would stretch himself too thin and risk losing everything.� But then he would swear to become that much
stronger so that he would never let those who needed him down.

�� Even now, as he sat
upon the Hokage monument in Konoha, he felt the same blossoming love for these
people, most of whom he had never met.�
But they were all important to Naruto who�d pledged to someday become
etched into the great stone mountain on which he perched, and that was all it
took to make these people precious to him as well.

�� Gaara,� came a
familiar voice from behind him.� He�d sensed
her presence moments ago so he was not startled by his sister and teammate
Temari.� �The meeting�s starting
soon.� Have you eaten anything yet?�

�� No,� he replied, continuing
to stare off into the distance.

�� Gaara, you need to
take better care of yourself.�

�� Though his sister
often nagged him, he knew it was because she cared.� It wasn�t long ago when no one told Gaara
what to do, lest they feared for their lives.�
It was a welcomed change, despite the minor annoyance.

�� Where would you
recommend?�

�� Shikamaru took me to
Ichiraku the other day.� It was the best
ramen I�ve ever had.�

�� Ramen, huh?� he
contemplated, standing and glancing over his shoulder toward the young woman.� �Are you hungry?�

�� No, Shikamaru invited
me to have Korean BBQ with his team earlier.�

�� Has he introduced you
to his parents yet?�

�� What?!� Gaara, stop that!� I only spend so much time with him because he
amuses me.� That�s all!� Gosh, you�re getting as bad as Kankurou!� she
shouted, yet her blush betrayed her.�
Gaara was well aware of how Temari always volunteered for any mission
that took her near Konoha, near her amusing
friend Nara Shikamaru.� Both he and their
brother Kankurou could see that, despite their constant bickering, they liked
each other, but neither one would admit it.�
If anyone was amused, it was Temari�s two brothers.

�� Where is Kankurou?�
Gaara idly asked.

�� He said he�d be
helping the little Academy runts with shuriken practice.� Don�t worry; I�ll go over there soon to make
sure he�s on time.� You know how
distracted he gets when he�s with them.�

�� Mm.��

�� Despite Kankurou�s
serious and brash demeanor, there lurked a kind-hearted young man with a soft
spot for kids.� It had only developed
recently, and even he denied that it existed.�
Back home, he spent much of his free-time tutoring the aspiring
Sand-nin.� He claimed it was his duty to
ensure that each of Suna�s shinobi reached their full potential, thereby
ensuring a stronger nation.�

�� If that were true,
why waste time helping the young Leaf-nin?� Gaara thought, though aloud
he said, �Which way is that ramen shop?�

�� Just beyond those
buildings,� Temari explained, pointing a finger in the general direction.� Without so much as a goodbye, Gaara dispersed
himself in a whirlpool of sand and was gone.

* * *

�� Irasshai!� greeted
the shop�s gruff owner as the young shinobi entered.� �What can I get ya?�

�� Beef ramen...please,�
he ordered, remembering to add his last word, one that Temari had long-since
suggested he adapt to saying.� He�d found
that it had a somewhat positive effect and tried to use it when it occurred to
him, though it did not yet come naturally.

�� It certainly was a
small shop.� There were only six stools
on which to sit and two were already taken.�
Sitting dead-center were a boy with blonde spiked hair and a pale girl
wearing a thick grey coat.

�� Gaara took the gourd
from his back, setting it in the corner before taking a seat to the right of
the boy who was so involved in eating his meal that he was oblivious to all
else, including the blushing girl to his left who kept sneaking embarrassed
glances at him between bites.

�� Naruto,� Gaara said
after a moment.� The boy continued to
finish his bowl by drinking the last of the broth, then setting it atop the
five others stacked in front of him with a loud satisfied sigh.� Only after that did he glance over.

�� Gaara�?� the blonde
asked in a stunned stupor.� It didn�t
take long for it to pass, however, and his face lit up with excitement.� �Gaara! �Hey!� What
are you doing in Konoha?�

�� You don�t know?� he
asked.� After a solemn shake of the
blonde�s head, Gaara explained.� �The
countries of Wind and Fire are modifying their treaty.� My team was sent to ensure that Sunagakure�s
best interests are met.�

�� Oh�?� Eh, sounds boring, if you ask me.� So that�s why there have been so many
strangers around��

�� The path to becoming
a kage involves training in politics as well as jutsu.�

�� Ehh??!� shouted the
surprised boy.�

�� H-He�s right,
Naruto-kun,� chimed the soft-spoken girl.

�� Mm�� I guess Oba-san is always doing lots
of paperwork and having lots of meetings�� he contemplated aloud.

�� Oba-san?� Gaara
asked.

�� N-Naruto-kun calls
Hokage-sama �Oba-san�,� the meek girl explained.

�� Mm!� Naruto
confirmed.� �She may look young, but
she�s really an old lady!� Naruto whispered into his ear.� After chuckling to himself for a moment, his
eyes shot wide.� �Oh!� I forgot!�
Hinata-chan!� This is Sabaku no
Gaara.� Gaara, this is Hyuuga
Hinata.� We just got back from a mission
today with Shino-san!� I invited him too,
but he said he didn�t like ramen!� Can
you believe that?� I always said that guy
was weird.�

�� Gaara leaned forward
to meet the young girl�s gaze, bowing slightly.�
�I�ve seen her before...� During the Chuunin Exams, wasn�t it?��

The girl�s eyes, which held the unique paleness of the Hyuuga clan,
regarded him nervously upon first glance. �Gaara caught himself staring deep into those
eyes, perhaps longer than was polite, until there surfaced a look he knew quite
well�fear.� She quickly tried to mask it,
smiling politely, but he had already seen what her true feelings toward him
were in that brief second.� It was a look
he�d seen often, but this time he felt his heart sink just a little bit in his
chest.�

�� Here you are!� said
the owner, placing a steaming bowl in front of Gaara, distracting him from his
thoughts.� Turning his attention to the
food, he took a pair of wooden chopsticks from the holder on the counter, broke
them apart, and lifted a few strands of the limp noodles into the air.� After a moment of letting them cool, he carefully
sucked them into his mouth.�

�� Ichiraku ramen is the
best, isn�t it?!� Naruto stated more than asked.

�� Gaara contemplated the
taste in his mouth.� The broth certainly
was rich and flavorful, and the noodles were cooked perfectly, being neither
too soggy nor hard.� Indeed, it was the
best ramen he�d ever had, though the food was not his favorite.� He gave a simple nod of his head to Naruto as
he dug in for another bite.

�� Owner-san!� This is for the check.� I�ll get both of my friends� too!�

�� N-Naruto-kun!� Hinata
protested.

�� It�s okay!� My treat!�

�� Doumo,� Gaara said
between bites.

�� Naruto-kun, arigatou
gozaimasu!� Hinata squeaked, bowing much deeper than was necessary as Gaara
noticed, regarding her out of the corner of his eye.

�� Gaara!� Good luck with your meeting!� Don�t fall asleep!� Naruto shouted, waving as
he ducked out of the shop, leaving Gaara and the blushing girl alone with their
free bowls of ramen.

�� Only you would
fall asleep, Naruto,� Gaara
thought to himself.� Turning back to his
bowl, he continued to eat while a silence engulfed the restaurant.� Normally, silence did not bother Gaara.� In fact, he preferred it.� But for some unknown reason, this time it
did.� It began to sit like a heavy weight
all around him, yet he was not sure of how to relieve it, why it was bothering
him.

�� Gaara�san?� the girl
began after several moments, releasing the tension between them.� Immediately, Gaara felt better, though he
could not explain why.�

�� He turned his full
attention to the dark-haired girl, now able to fully see her without Naruto�s
obstruction.� Her complexion was lighter even
than his, he noticed�not that she let much of her skin show.� Her indigo hair was a stark contrast to the
rest of her, but her clothes were dark as well, complimenting it.� She sat on the stool, her legs pressed firmly
together, her arms tightly to her sides, as if she were trying to appear as
small as possible.� As soon as his eyes
met hers, hers wandered anywhere else.

�� Yes?�

�� Um�I-I didn�t know that
you knew Naruto-kun.� He really does make
friends wherever he goes.�� She seemed to
take comfort in that fact, he noticed.

�� Yes.� His simplicity is contagious,� Gaara
remarked, turning his attention away from the shy girl and taking another bite
of ramen, but not before seeing a small smile grace her pink lips.

�� I suppose I should
get ready.� I�ll see you at the
conference, it looks like,� Hinata said, standing.� It was the first thing she�d calmly and
confidently said all lunch.

�� Why would you be
there?� Gaara asked.� Hinata blinked and
suddenly seemed unsure of herself once again.�
Gaara had been told that he sometimes came off as too harsh and decided
to reword his question upon seeing her reaction.� �I�m just curious.� I was under the impression that the
conference was limited to representatives from the Hidden Villages of Sand and
Leaf and select lords from our respective countries.�

�� Um,� Hinata began,
glancing to the floor, her eyes darting across the dusty floor boards as she
answered.� �My father, who was invited to
attend, is the head of the Hyuuga clan, and since I am his successor he wants
me present�� she softly explained.� �I�m
sorry; I know I don�t really belong there.�
It�s not like I have anything to contribute, but I couldn�t say no to my
father, and-�

�� Somehow it was painful
to hear the girl berate herself.� �It�s
good that you�re going,� Gaara interrupted, earning him the startled young
girl�s eye contact again.� �If you will
be the head of your family, it will be good experience for you.�

�� Yes, I suppose you�re
right,� she said, giving him a weak smile and lowering her gaze once again.

�� Besides,� Gaara
began.� �It will be nice to not be the
only one there who is new to this,� he said, though after he did, he was unsure
of why.� He rarely divulged his
insecurities, even to his closest comrades.�
This girl was practically a stranger.

�� Eh?� This is your first time attending a big
conference like this?�

�� Yes.� �Yes, this was the first time that his village
had ever counted on him to do something other than be a trump card or a weapon
when sending him abroad.� Temari and Kankurou
had often been allowed to attend meetings with their father, Yondaime Kazekage,
but never him.� Too dangerous,
they would say.� Volatile, he�d
heard them call him once.� And, sadly, it
had been true.� But now, it looked like they
were finally starting to see him in a new light.

�� Um�I�well, uh�� the
girl stuttered.� Normally, Gaara would
have been annoyed with her stammering, but for some reason, with her it didn�t
bother him.� �Good bye!�

�� I will see you
there.�

�� The heiress to the
Hyuuga clan�such a flustered girl.��
As Gaara recalled from the Chuunin Exam preliminary matches, she had
fought her cousin.� Those were the days
that Gaara regretted the most.� He had
allowed his demon to have great control over him, and Hyuuga Neji had excited
Shukaku with his powerful display.� Gaara
hadn�t shown any concern for Neji�s opponent; the girl who he watched intently
as she left now.� In fact, he remembered
wishing that Neji had killed her instead of just sending her into emergency
care.�

�� She had been weak back
then, not deserving of life, as he used to think.� Now he thought much differently.� However, it was obvious to Gaara, as it was
to Neji then, that Hinata was not the best suited to lead her clan.�

�� How suited is a
demon to be Kazekage?� he idly thought.�
�Perhaps we�re somewhat alike, her and I, both of us working toward
goals which others deem us unfit for,� he began to wonder.� �Maybe I could help her�� But, she was afraid of me.� I want to show her that she doesn�t have to
be.� Then maybe she�ll accept my
help.� But how can I show her?�� Gaara soon found himself looking for another
excuse to meet with Hinata again.� But
how?� The conference was no good�they
weren�t there to talk.� Maybe�yes.� Maybe something like that might work�

�� Remembering to thank the Ichiraku
owner for the meal, Gaara secured his gourd across his back and headed for the
conference hall, all the while formulating his plan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Translations/Term Definitions...in no
particular order:

- Shukaku:� The name of the
one-tailed demon which is sealed inside of Gaara in the Japanese version.� Not sure if they kept it the same for the
dub.

- Ichiraku:� Naruto�s favorite restaurant
in Konoha, a small ramen shop which is said to have the best ramen ever.

- Konoha:� In English, Leaf Village.

- Suna:� In English, Sand Village.�

- Sunagakure:� In English,
Hidden Village in the Sand.

- Kage: Literally, I think it translates into �shade� or �shadow,�
but in Naruto it is the head ninja of the entire village.

- Hokage:� The leader of
Konoha.

- Kazekage:� The leader of
Suna.

- Countries of Wind & Fire:�
Sunagakure is located in the Country of Wind, Konohagakure (Hidden Village
of the Leaf) in the Country of Fire.�
Most large countries have a hidden ninja village.

- Oba-san:� In English, it
would be the equivalent of �old lady� or �old hag.�� The fact that Naruto uses it to address his
village�s leader like this is quite an insult, but that�s Naruto for you.� In his defense, Tsunade does use an
age-concealing technique, and though she is in her fifties she makes herself
look like she�s in her early thirties.�
Naruto knows this and has since given her the nickname.

- Irasshai:� In English, it
means �welcome,� a shortened version of irasshaimase
which means �how may I help you� or �welcome to the establishment.�� It is said by an employee of a shop to
welcome its customers in Japan.

- Jutsu:� Literally translated
as �art� or �means;� in Naruto they are ninja techniques.

- -san:� A suffix attached to
names in Japan, somewhat casual but still denoting respect for the person whose
name it is attached to.� Similar to �Mr.�
or �Mrs./Ms./Miss.�

- -kun:� Same as above, except
it is much more casual and usually addressed to younger boys.

- -sama:� Denotes much respect,
moreso than �Mr.� or �Mrs./Ms./Miss.�

- -chan:� Similar to �-kun� but
usually addressed toward girls.

- I should also like to note that the elimination of a suffix and just
using one�s name also shows closeness between the two people using it...either
that, or it is an insult, as if you had no respect for the person.� In Naruto, the emphasis on suffixes tends to
not have as great an emphasis as in other animes, or Japan itself, �however.

- Sabaku no Gaara:� Gaara of
the Desert/Sand.

- Doumo:� �Thanks.�

- Arigatou Gozaimasu:� �Thank
you very much.�

- Chuunin Exams:� Exams held in
Konoha, hosting Genin (the lowest
rank of ninjas) from all allied countries who wish to try and attain the higher
rank of Chuunin, which would be the
equivalent of squad leader.

- Names in Japanese are said family name first, given name second.� This is opposite of the American and Western
European way, given name first and family name last.� Since Naruto is made in Japan (and
because the Japanese version is, in my opinion, better) I kept it the Japanese
way.
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Love's Misconstruities