Demon blessed [GaaSaku]
Title: Demon blessed
Fandom: Naruto
Prompt: #15 - Hands 100_prompts
Character/Pairing: Sabaku no Gaara/Haruno Sakura
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1520
Summary: The redhead suddenly understood. The bane of his existence was the only one who could save him.
Disclaimer: Don't own any of these characters.
Authors Notes: AU yet within some kind of ninja verse. Continuation of Life Bound.
~~xxx~~
15. Hands
“Sa...ku...ra”, he managed to croak out through the pain in his throat.
“Tomcat,” she said, her voiced strained with worked up emotions, before pressing her lips to his cheek for a fleeting kiss. “I need you to hold on for me for a while longer. I need you to stay with me.”
Gaara could only answer her plea with an anguished groan as the shock of seeing her alive was overcome by his body’s battered condition. The excruciating pain threatened to rob him of his consciousness once more but Sakura wouldn’t allow it.
“Stay with me!” she said, kissing his blood-splattered lips as firmly as she dared. “You have injuries all over but we’re going to save you.”
“Sakura, cut to the chase!” Tsunade shouted from somewhere to Gaara’s right. “I can’t hold the chakra flow for much longer.”
“Baby Brother, don’t you dare leave us!” Temari exclaimed angrily; from the source of her voice she was standing somewhere beyond his head. “If you do, I’ll come chasing after you so I can kick your ass!” Despite the threat, her voice sounded strained, as if she were under great exertion.
“She’s right,” Kankurou supplied from somewhere near their sister. “We aren’t giving you our chakra for nothing!”
“Naruto,” Tsunade barked, “get ready!”
“I’ve been ready for ages!” the blond retorted testily. “Gaara, no worries, I’ve got you.”
“Tomcat, I need you to listen to me,” Sakura said, her face coming in and out of focus before his gaze. “Your body can’t take much longer and we need to act fast.”
Gaara forced his eyes to look at her. Her hair was bloody as was her face but she was alive. Alive and breathing and speaking to him. For the first time, he noticed she was gripping his hand forcefully, her fingers interlaced with his. He could feel a warm liquid between their palms and without having to look, he knew what it was.
“Everyone is giving you their chakra but it won’t be enough,” she continued, “your injuries are too great and your own flow too erratic. There’s only one who can save you but you have to accede first.”
“Sakura, hurry!” Tsunade cried out urgently.
“He has to accept out of his own free will!” Sakura exclaimed in reply. “He won’t be forced into this, not this time around. It’s his choice.”
Gaara didn’t understand. His consciousness was slipping away even though he was using all his willpower to remain awake. His body was burning, every pore of his skin stinging with pain.
Only one could save him? Who?
His vision focused sharply and with great effort, he turned his head to look at Sakura. She looked beautiful, battered and bloodied as she was, gripping his hand and fighting to preserve his life. But as his eyes took in the full picture, he realized she was holding something in her other hand.
There was blood dripping from it, just like the hand gripping his, and on top of her outstretched palm she was holding a transparent egg-like cocoon made of chakra.
And within it Gaara caught a glimpse of a diminished Shukaku, tossing and turning within the confines of the energy barrier in Sakura’s hand. The demon was clearly in anguish, unable to survive without a human vessel to carry it. It had managed to hold out for so long solely because it was feeding on Sakura’s blood. Just like Gaara, the sand fiend wouldn’t last much longer.
The redhead suddenly understood. The bane of his existence was the only one who could save him. Only with Shukaku’s chakra supply would Gaara’s body be able to heal.
“His essence was extinguishing when we found the two of you. He was covering you, trying to convey his chakra to you, even though he was fading away in a cloud of smoke,” Sakura said, her voice strained with emotion. “I instantly knew he was the only one who could save you, even though he was just trying to save himself. So I made a deal with him: I would bring you back from the brink of death but it would be your choice to accept his help.”
The redhead suddenly remembered the vacant hole within him; the endless void filled with nothing that had made him cringe in loneliness.
Within the egg-like cocoon, the demon met Gaara’s gaze.
Only what you’ve taught me.
He couldn’t avoid chuckling in irony despite himself.
But it proved too much for him and he started choking.
“Do it,” he managed in a croaked whisper once he was able to breathe somewhat.
With a solemn nod, Sakura closed her eyes. Her chakra exploded and Gaara felt it flow into him through their linked hands.
“Naruto, now!” Tsunade exclaimed.
“Yosh!” the blond replied just before Gaara felt himself being covered with an immense chakra that drowned out the world. It was eerily familiar for it was the combination of Naruto and the other entity that rode within him. It acted as an anchor for the channel Sakura was opening and by using Kyuubi’s similar chakra, she was pushing Shukaku into Gaara through the conduit of blood she had created.
With cuts in both her hands, holding on to the human vessel with one and to the demon with the other, she worked to rejoin them once more.
Despite his decrepit condition, Gaara couldn’t help but marvel at the skill and determination of the woman who life had chosen to be his companion.
In a surge of triumphant glee, Gaara felt Shukaku fasten itself to him. The redhead couldn’t help but join in the victory, for as he allowed his spirit to open and welcomed the demon back in, he felt the awful void that had been plaguing him fill. Shukaku wasted no time and fed its chakra to Gaara body. The unbearable pain disappeared and was replaced only by a vague ache. The redhead felt his vision clear, his hearing sharpen and his breath calm. It seemed that, against all odds, he was going to survive.
But then he felt Sakura take over, her chakra coming through the channel she had opened. With Naruto’s help, she guided Shukaku’s chakra through Gaara’s body, flowing down his limbs as she focused on the places it was needed the most. She worked her way thoroughly, repairing bone, muscle and skin. It was an excruciating task and one that took every single ounce of her skill to complete.
As she worked, the realization of how dreadfully he had been injured fell fully upon Gaara. His body hadn’t been meant to survive the transformation triggered by the merging of human vessel and demon, much less it’s destructive separation. He really had no clue of how Sakura had managed to pull him back from death’s edge. It was something he would have to discuss with her at some point, though he didn’t care how she’d pulled it off. All that mattered was that it had worked and here he was, breathing again and with the woman he cherished close by. Commonplace queries could wait. For the time being, he’d lost count of the bones Sakura had repaired and of the wounds she had closed. It had been a really close call for them this time around... the closest they’d ever been.
Shukaku, passive as it allowed Sakura to use its chakra as was needed, emanated total agreement through Gaara’s consciousness.
Connected as they were, demon and vessel were utterly surprised when they felt a wave of annoyance and reprimand coming from Sakura in response to their exchange. Gaara turned his eyes to look at her but she was focusing on repairing his severed hamstring. Nonetheless, it was clear they were in for a serious lecture once they came out of this.
But just before they responded in defence of their actions, Sakura sent a wave of loving affection and deep relief their way, letting them know in no small terms how much they had scared her. Gaara sighed, knowing very well what it was to believe that the one you loved with all you had was dead. He responded by flooding Sakura with everything his tired being could manage at the moment, holding none of his love back. She smiled and turned to look at him then. But her green eyes widened along with Gaara’s when they felt Shukaku respond in kind. The demon, though it had no knowledge of what soft emotions were, was emanating a kind of understanding and sending it their way.
It was akin to the sand fiend making a love confession.
The redhead couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief. Sakura was forced to stop in her work just to offer a perplexed smile, not knowing exactly of how she should react. In the end, she shrugged her shoulders and leaned down to kiss Gaara softly on the lips. She slipped her fingers between Gaara’s once more and felt Shukaku focus its chakra on their joined palms, flooding them with warmth.
It was a strange benediction from the unlikeliest of sources but a blessing all the same.
~~xxx~~
Fandom: Naruto
Prompt: #15 - Hands 100_prompts
Character/Pairing: Sabaku no Gaara/Haruno Sakura
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1520
Summary: The redhead suddenly understood. The bane of his existence was the only one who could save him.
Disclaimer: Don't own any of these characters.
Authors Notes: AU yet within some kind of ninja verse. Continuation of Life Bound.
~~xxx~~
15. Hands
“Sa...ku...ra”, he managed to croak out through the pain in his throat.
“Tomcat,” she said, her voiced strained with worked up emotions, before pressing her lips to his cheek for a fleeting kiss. “I need you to hold on for me for a while longer. I need you to stay with me.”
Gaara could only answer her plea with an anguished groan as the shock of seeing her alive was overcome by his body’s battered condition. The excruciating pain threatened to rob him of his consciousness once more but Sakura wouldn’t allow it.
“Stay with me!” she said, kissing his blood-splattered lips as firmly as she dared. “You have injuries all over but we’re going to save you.”
“Sakura, cut to the chase!” Tsunade shouted from somewhere to Gaara’s right. “I can’t hold the chakra flow for much longer.”
“Baby Brother, don’t you dare leave us!” Temari exclaimed angrily; from the source of her voice she was standing somewhere beyond his head. “If you do, I’ll come chasing after you so I can kick your ass!” Despite the threat, her voice sounded strained, as if she were under great exertion.
“She’s right,” Kankurou supplied from somewhere near their sister. “We aren’t giving you our chakra for nothing!”
“Naruto,” Tsunade barked, “get ready!”
“I’ve been ready for ages!” the blond retorted testily. “Gaara, no worries, I’ve got you.”
“Tomcat, I need you to listen to me,” Sakura said, her face coming in and out of focus before his gaze. “Your body can’t take much longer and we need to act fast.”
Gaara forced his eyes to look at her. Her hair was bloody as was her face but she was alive. Alive and breathing and speaking to him. For the first time, he noticed she was gripping his hand forcefully, her fingers interlaced with his. He could feel a warm liquid between their palms and without having to look, he knew what it was.
“Everyone is giving you their chakra but it won’t be enough,” she continued, “your injuries are too great and your own flow too erratic. There’s only one who can save you but you have to accede first.”
“Sakura, hurry!” Tsunade cried out urgently.
“He has to accept out of his own free will!” Sakura exclaimed in reply. “He won’t be forced into this, not this time around. It’s his choice.”
Gaara didn’t understand. His consciousness was slipping away even though he was using all his willpower to remain awake. His body was burning, every pore of his skin stinging with pain.
Only one could save him? Who?
His vision focused sharply and with great effort, he turned his head to look at Sakura. She looked beautiful, battered and bloodied as she was, gripping his hand and fighting to preserve his life. But as his eyes took in the full picture, he realized she was holding something in her other hand.
There was blood dripping from it, just like the hand gripping his, and on top of her outstretched palm she was holding a transparent egg-like cocoon made of chakra.
And within it Gaara caught a glimpse of a diminished Shukaku, tossing and turning within the confines of the energy barrier in Sakura’s hand. The demon was clearly in anguish, unable to survive without a human vessel to carry it. It had managed to hold out for so long solely because it was feeding on Sakura’s blood. Just like Gaara, the sand fiend wouldn’t last much longer.
The redhead suddenly understood. The bane of his existence was the only one who could save him. Only with Shukaku’s chakra supply would Gaara’s body be able to heal.
“His essence was extinguishing when we found the two of you. He was covering you, trying to convey his chakra to you, even though he was fading away in a cloud of smoke,” Sakura said, her voice strained with emotion. “I instantly knew he was the only one who could save you, even though he was just trying to save himself. So I made a deal with him: I would bring you back from the brink of death but it would be your choice to accept his help.”
The redhead suddenly remembered the vacant hole within him; the endless void filled with nothing that had made him cringe in loneliness.
Within the egg-like cocoon, the demon met Gaara’s gaze.
Only what you’ve taught me.
He couldn’t avoid chuckling in irony despite himself.
But it proved too much for him and he started choking.
“Do it,” he managed in a croaked whisper once he was able to breathe somewhat.
With a solemn nod, Sakura closed her eyes. Her chakra exploded and Gaara felt it flow into him through their linked hands.
“Naruto, now!” Tsunade exclaimed.
“Yosh!” the blond replied just before Gaara felt himself being covered with an immense chakra that drowned out the world. It was eerily familiar for it was the combination of Naruto and the other entity that rode within him. It acted as an anchor for the channel Sakura was opening and by using Kyuubi’s similar chakra, she was pushing Shukaku into Gaara through the conduit of blood she had created.
With cuts in both her hands, holding on to the human vessel with one and to the demon with the other, she worked to rejoin them once more.
Despite his decrepit condition, Gaara couldn’t help but marvel at the skill and determination of the woman who life had chosen to be his companion.
In a surge of triumphant glee, Gaara felt Shukaku fasten itself to him. The redhead couldn’t help but join in the victory, for as he allowed his spirit to open and welcomed the demon back in, he felt the awful void that had been plaguing him fill. Shukaku wasted no time and fed its chakra to Gaara body. The unbearable pain disappeared and was replaced only by a vague ache. The redhead felt his vision clear, his hearing sharpen and his breath calm. It seemed that, against all odds, he was going to survive.
But then he felt Sakura take over, her chakra coming through the channel she had opened. With Naruto’s help, she guided Shukaku’s chakra through Gaara’s body, flowing down his limbs as she focused on the places it was needed the most. She worked her way thoroughly, repairing bone, muscle and skin. It was an excruciating task and one that took every single ounce of her skill to complete.
As she worked, the realization of how dreadfully he had been injured fell fully upon Gaara. His body hadn’t been meant to survive the transformation triggered by the merging of human vessel and demon, much less it’s destructive separation. He really had no clue of how Sakura had managed to pull him back from death’s edge. It was something he would have to discuss with her at some point, though he didn’t care how she’d pulled it off. All that mattered was that it had worked and here he was, breathing again and with the woman he cherished close by. Commonplace queries could wait. For the time being, he’d lost count of the bones Sakura had repaired and of the wounds she had closed. It had been a really close call for them this time around... the closest they’d ever been.
Shukaku, passive as it allowed Sakura to use its chakra as was needed, emanated total agreement through Gaara’s consciousness.
Connected as they were, demon and vessel were utterly surprised when they felt a wave of annoyance and reprimand coming from Sakura in response to their exchange. Gaara turned his eyes to look at her but she was focusing on repairing his severed hamstring. Nonetheless, it was clear they were in for a serious lecture once they came out of this.
But just before they responded in defence of their actions, Sakura sent a wave of loving affection and deep relief their way, letting them know in no small terms how much they had scared her. Gaara sighed, knowing very well what it was to believe that the one you loved with all you had was dead. He responded by flooding Sakura with everything his tired being could manage at the moment, holding none of his love back. She smiled and turned to look at him then. But her green eyes widened along with Gaara’s when they felt Shukaku respond in kind. The demon, though it had no knowledge of what soft emotions were, was emanating a kind of understanding and sending it their way.
It was akin to the sand fiend making a love confession.
The redhead couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief. Sakura was forced to stop in her work just to offer a perplexed smile, not knowing exactly of how she should react. In the end, she shrugged her shoulders and leaned down to kiss Gaara softly on the lips. She slipped her fingers between Gaara’s once more and felt Shukaku focus its chakra on their joined palms, flooding them with warmth.
It was a strange benediction from the unlikeliest of sources but a blessing all the same.
~~xxx~~