*Gaara’s POV*

“Oy, do we have a problem here?” I heard the ANBU ask.

“Yeah, your village’s Shinobi are weak,” laughed Kankuro.

“WE ARE NOT!” the annoying yellow haired kid shouted.

“Ah! Shut up, baka!” The ANBU shouted back, covering her ears.

“S-Saika?!” he shrieked “When did you- How did you?”

The one named Saika pulled off her mask, her dark brown hair falling to her waist. I was hiding in the foliage of a nearby tree, watching as my oblivious prey picked up a pebble from the ground, crawling up on the branch of the tree I was sitting quietly in. He threw the pebble at Kankuro’s forehead, nailing him. Kankuro dropped the kid, rubbing his head.

Hm, interesting.

I vote we kill him mother’s voice rang in my head.

Everyone suddenly looked up at my prey as he tossed a pebble in his palm. He smirked.

“Don’t get cocky up there, Uchiha,” Saika said, smirking as she threw a kunai at me, my sand shield protecting me from it.

Uchiha, huh? I thought they were all destroyed.

“Missed me, loser,” The Uchiha snapped.

“I wasn’t aiming for you, I was aiming for your friend,” she replied coolly, turning to face me in a relaxed sort of fighting stance.

Hm, very interesting. She knew I was here the entire time.

“What?” He asked, confused.

“You know, the Shukaku host that’s sitting there next to you,” she said, smirking “I suggest moving down here before he tries to kill you. It’s a full moon tonight, and Shukaku’s get especially blood thirsty.”

He jumped down from the tree just in time to see my cold eyes glaring at him upside down from the branch of the tree. I was hanging upside down, my arms crossed over my chest. I jumped from the tree, turning to Temari and Kankuro.

“Hn, you must be the Kazekage of the Sand’s kids.” Saika spoke, turning to face us. “Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara.”

“Now you know my name, what’s yours, pretty lady?” Kankuro asked, taking her hand.

“Back off, ,” she retorted, pulling her hand back.

Temari started laughing.

“It doesn’t work here either, Kankuro,” Temari chuckled.

“Temari, Kankuro, let’s go,” I said in a cold voice, beginning to walk away. I was interested in the Uchiha and the Saika girl, my heart was racing.

“Why are you so jumpy, Gaara?” Saika asked, appearing in front of me.

“Move,” I commanded “or I’ll kill you.”

She stayed still for a moment, taunting me, until she let us pass. We walked to our hotel, Kankuro and Temari talked.

“I wonder how see knew you were there, Gaara,” Temari pondered

“Why doesn’t she like me?!” Kankuro shouted.

“I, too, wonder how she knew where I was hiding.” I grumbled, trying to find an explanation.

 

*Sasuke’s POV*

 

“When did you become an ANBU?” Naruto asked.

“That’s where I was today, I had training with them.” Saika replied.

“How did you know that the Gaara kid was hiding in the tree?” he asked.

“Demon hosts have two heartbeats. Shukaku’s generally are always racing because of their bloodlust. They get excited around people, but their host’s heartbeat is usually slower because of exhaustion. Shukaku hosts can’t sleep or the Shukaku takes over,” she explained “But you, for instance, also have two heartbeats. They sound almost the same, except that your demon’s is deeper and faster, like an animal’s heartbeat compared to a human’s.

“I have learned how to distinguish everyone I know by the sound of their heartbeat so I know friend from foe in battle. Heartbeats are kind of like fingerprints to me. Everybody has them, but they’re all different in the smallest of ways.”

“Oy, Naruto!” I heard someone shout. It was Kiba.

“Konnichiwa, Kiba.” Saika said.

“Saika?! You’re an ANBU now?!”

“Hai,” she answered, flinching from the volume.

“Well, I’m having this party, and it would be cool if you all could come,” He said.

“I’m there! Believe it!” Naruto said, standing up next to Kiba.

“Uh, I don’t know…” Saika replied.

“Oh! Come on! It’ll be fun!” Naruto laughed.

“Okay, okay! I’ll come if you stop shouting!” she yelled, covering her ears.

“Sasuke, are you coming?” she asked, a pleading look on her face.

“I guess,” I mumbled. She mouthed a thank you.

We headed to Kiba’s house for the party, Saika holding Akamaru the entire way. He barked happily. When we reached Kiba’s front door, he held it out for Saika. She walked through and he smirked at me.

Ugh, does Saika like him or something?! Wait…what do I care?

I walked inside to see a small circle of people. As soon as I walked through the door, I regretted it. Ino and Sakura were clambering all over me. Saika was chuckling quietly to herself.

“Okay, so this is my team, Hyuuga Hinata and Aburame Shino. That’s Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akimichi Chouji. That’s Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten.” Kiba said to Saika, pointing to each one as he said their names. “Everyone, this is Hikawa Saika.”

“Saika, truth or dare?” Tenten asked, a broad smile on her face.

“Truth,” Saika replied.

“What is something that nobody here knows about you?” she asked.

“I am an Olympic level gymnast,” she stated.

I was surprised; she hadn’t struck me as a gymnast. There were some murmurs from the circle. I went to lean against the wall, crossing my arms and shutting my eyes. They continued to play truth or dare, and I only paid attention to Saika’s questions and answers.

“Saika, truth or dare?” Kiba asked.

“Truth,” she replied.

“Do you like anyone in this room?” he asked.

She stayed quiet for a couple of minutes before answering.

“No,” she said almost coldly, to cover her wavering voice. “I had my heart broken once, and I refuse to let it happen again.”

Everyone was quiet as she got up, walking outside. Neji, Kiba, Lee, Shikamaru, Naruto, and even Chouji and Shino struggled not to go after her. I got up, walking out after her. I found her sitting in a ball in the grass. She was crying into her knees. I had never even thought of her crying, but seeing her like this made me angry.

“Go away…please,” she mumbled, her words muffled.

“No,” I said defiantly, walking closer to her.

She turned to look at me, tears flowing freely from her glassy blue eyes. She looked away, hugging her knees to her chest, her breathing uneven as she cried. I approached her, sitting down in front of her. She looked away, but I pulled her face back to face mine. Our lips were inches apart. She suddenly leaned forward, her lips gracing mine. I leaned forward, kissing her back gently. Saika pulled away quickly, looking at the ground.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, wondering why she had stopped.

“I’m sorry, it’s just…like I said in there, my heart was broken, and I just…I can’t let it happen again.” She replied, still looking at the ground. “I really did love Shiro; with all my heart and soul…but he hurt me, and left me alone in this world.”

“Oy! What’s going on out here?” Naruto shouted, looking at us. I was still sitting in front of Saika, looking deep into her teary eyes.

“Go away, loser,” I said, turning my attention to him.

When I looked back to Saika, she was getting up and walking back towards the house. I quickly got up, following her. She entered the room, Sakura and Ino glaring daggers.

“Hah, you missed it; Kiba just got his kicked by Tenten!” Naruto giggled.

“Shut up, baka!” Kiba snapped, hitting Naruto on the head.

“I am glad to see that you are okay,” Lee said as Saika sat next to him.

“Arigato, Lee,” she replied.

“Okay, Saika, truth or dare?” Naruto asked, still giggling like the idiot he was.

“Dare,” she said, smirking.

“I dare you to take off your bandages,” he said, her smirk fading into a cold glare.

“No,” she said, in an it-isn’t-going-to-happen tone.

“Come on, you chicken?” he taunted, making chicken noises. What an idiot.

“I said no,” she growled.

“Do it!” he shouted. She had had enough, her eyes turning red.

She raised her arms, with her hands looking like she was praying. She pulled just the palms apart and he was sent flying back into a wall. She pulled her hands apart completely, holding her right one in a fist. She brought it to her waist, and Naruto came flying back, sputtering as her fist collided with his rib cage.

Her eyes turned blue as she blinked, pushing him off of her. Naruto was laying on the ground, coughing up blood.

“What was that for?!” he shouted, trying to get up.

“I told you no, but you just had to push it.” She said simply, sighing as she bent over his body, laying him down to heal his cracked ribs.

She then got up, leaving the party. I followed after her, much to the dismay of Sakura and Ino. I caught up with her, walking with her to her house. She opened her front door, letting me in.

She walked through the small house quietly. She picked up her guitar, sitting down on the bed.

She began to play, and in a high voice started to sing.

“Telling Layla’s story spoken,

About how all her bones are broken.

Hammers fall on all the pieces,

Two months in the cover creases.

 

“Fully Alive,

More than most.

Ready to smile and love life.

Fully Alive,

Now she knows how to believe in futures.

 

“All my complaints shrink to nothing.

I’m ashamed of all my somethings.

She’s glad for one day of comfort,

Only because she has suffered.

 

“Fully Alive,

More than most.

Ready to smile and love life.

Fully Alive,

And she knows how to believe in futures.

 

 

“Here she stands today,

In her brilliant shining way.

Stronger than her pain,

In her brilliant shining way.

 

“Fully Alive,

More than most.

Ready to smile and love life.

Fully Alive,

And she knows how to believe in futures.

 

“Fully Alive,

More than most.

Ready to smile and love life.

Fully Alive,

And she knows how to believe in futures.”

 

She suddenly broke into tears when she ending her song. I went to comfort her, but she pushed me away.

“Don’t you realize, Sasuke?” she asked, looking at me with watering eyes.

“Realize what?” I whispered.

“I can’t do it again, I can’t love someone again. I only end up getting hurt.”

“You really did love him, didn’t you?” I asked, touching her face lightly.

She nodded, falling forward to cry into my chest. I held her close, wanting to protect her. I lifted her chin so she would look at me. I looked deep into her teary eyes.

“I’ll never leave you,” I promised, pulling her lips to mine. Her pink lips pushed against mine timidly. I kissed her back, my lips hard on hers, in meaning. She wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer.

She pulled away, a tinge of pink on her cheeks. She was unashamed of it though, looking into my eyes. She turned around in my arms, resting her head on my chest. I pulled her into my lap, happy to have her close to me.

“Let’s go train,” she said, turning to look at me with a smile on her face.

“Let’s just talk,” I said, not wanting her to leave me, even if it was something that I did all the time and spent all my time and energy doing.

“Fine,” she said, still smiling.

“Tell me your story,” I said.

“I was born into the family of the Hikawa clan, in the Village Hidden in the Moonlight. I developed my Chishiogan at age five when the first of many invasions on my Village began. They came into our village, searching for children like me, ones carrying the Chishiogan, but unable to use it yet, saying they would teach us if we helped them.” She said, looking at me “A young boy came into my house with a creepy man. The man said his name was Orochimaru. He tried to take me, but I refused. When he came near me, my Chishiogan activated, and I pushed him away from me, throwing him through the walls of my home. The young boy with him stared at me with wonder, but walked out, calling for his master.

“Orochimaru continued the attacks on my Village, the same kid with him every time. I was on the front lines of the battle, doing all in my power to keep them away from the Village. You may not know this, but the Chishiogan is powered partly by emotions. When Shiro left me, I was emotionally and physically hurt. I was an emotional wreck, and I lost control of my Chishiogan.

“I was brought here by one of your village’s ANBU and have lived here since,” she finished, obviously editing.

*Saika’s POV*

 

I finished my sad story, gazing at him as he stared at me in wonder. He leaned forward, pressing our foreheads together and looking deep into my eyes. I giggled a little as he smirked.

He sat up, pulling me onto his lap. I leaned against his chest, loving the supporting warmth and closeness. It reminded me of Shiro, and how much I still loved him.

 

-Flashback-

 

“Saika, try and catch me!” A five year old Shiro playfully shouted to me.

“Ah, Shiro-kun, stop shouting, you’re hurting my ears!” I yelled back, kneeling to the ground, covering my ears.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Saika-Chan,” he replied, rubbing my back gently.

“It’s fine, by the way,” I said, smirking as I tagged him. “Got you!”

“Hey! No fair, I thought you were in pain!” He shrieked dramatically, his mouth open.

“I was, but if you want to be a good ninja, you have to be prepared for traps!” I said, a broad smile pasted to my face.

He smirked back, but his face changed abruptly in my mind. Instead of the smirking young Shiro, it turned into his face when he was torturing me, a sadistic grin, his cold charcoal eyes looking at me.

 

-End of flashback-

A tear made its way from my watering eyes to my cheek.

“Saika, are you okay?” Sasuke asked, suddenly concerned.

I didn’t respond, his words not registering in my mind, just blowing past.

“Saika! Saika!” He shouted, shaking me gently.

“Ouch! Please don’t shout at me! Please!” I shouted back, my ears throbbing and my eyes burning with tears.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, looking deep into my eyes.

“Y-yeah, just, you remind me of Shiro when we’re like this,” I replied, trying to smile.

“He hurt you really bad, didn’t he?” Sasuke asked, kissing my forehead gently.

I nodded, not wanting to speak, my lip quivering. He pulled me close to him, holding my hand in his. I took comfort in this, nuzzling my face into his chest. He kissed the top of my head, rubbing my back carefully.

“I’m so sorry for whatever he did to you,” Sasuke mumbled into my hair “Remember, I’ll never, never hurt you.”

I nodded into his chest, smiling. I fell asleep quickly as Sasuke held me close.