"I Owe a Debt to Konoha" - Gaara and Naruto

[snaphappy_fma]

Title:  “I Owe a Debt to Konoha” - Gaara and Naruto - Naruto

Author:  snaphappy_fma

E-mail:  snaphappy[underscore]fma[at]yahoo[dot]com

Fandom:  Naruto

Pairing:  Gaara and Naruto

Disclaimer:  Naruto was created by Masashi Kishimoto; I am not making any money from this.

Warnings:  Spoilers for the anime up to Naruto Shippuuden Episode 32, and the manga up

Comments

[shayheyred]

I am thrilled to find this essay - and what timing! I just finished writing a Gaara-centric story for remixredux08 that is all about Naruto's effect on Gaara (though it's told from the, um, unique perspective of the sand Gaara carries with him).

Gaara is one of the most fascinating characters in anime, and one of the most heartbreaking. I agree that his attachment to Naruto is romantic, in the strictest meaning of the word - it's not necessarily a sexual love (though a good writer could certainly create a yaoi story about them) but it's an intrinsic love that is more like the love found in medieval chivalric romances. It becomes rather like an obsession. And during the rescue arc in Shippuuden I'd say Naruto's feeling for Gaara result in a fair amount of obsession from him, too; there is such empathy for Gaara coming from Naruto, I was left in tears as I watched it.

If you don't mind, I'll add a link here to my story (which is more gen than anything else):

Mortality (the "Days of Our Lives" Remix. The original story by lovediamond is linked from my

[snaphappy_fma]

Thanks for reading! And I don't mind at all that you added the link - in fact, I'd welcome more Gaara/Naruto fanfic recs and links. I look forward to reading your story!

[illianaka]

I don't really care for this pairing, to be honest. I love both characters. I adore the dynamic and story between the two. But I never saw it as love.

... however, when you describe it as one-sided, I can see it a little more. Sort of a silent, sad thing.

Thank you for the essay. :)

[snaphappy_fma]

Yes, silent and sad - that's exactly it. I'm not sure even Gaara would know what to call it - but there it is. Thank you for reading. :)

[eg06]

i have to confess to being a total Gaara-fangirl. I did the same thing when Gaara showed up to save Lee (fangirl screech...-_-;) I think you're right, if Naruto's going to have romantic feelings for someone, it'll be Sasuke, but Gaara can still love him anyway. ^_^

very nicely done!

[snaphappy_fma]

Thank you! And it's nice to know I wasn't the only one who screamed at that moment. ;)

[erisabesu]

This is beautiful!!! Waaaah!!!! ♥♥♥

I think you're absolutely right. The beauty of their relationship is in the weight of knowing how much Naruto has done for Gaara, but that Naruto is oblivious. He'd never expect that anyone could benefit so greatly from contact with him b/c for all his bluster he really is rather humble. And the Victorian novel sense of bittersweet romance is exactly right--Gaara has the maturity, from being "further around the circle" than Naruto at this point, to see that Naruto's fixated on someone else, and also Naruto's not ready. (Kind of how Sasuke doesn't understand how his actions have so greatly impacted Naruto, b/c he can't see anyone but Itachi. ;__; But that's a totally different topic, lol.)

This is brilliant, and well done. I commend you!!! *massive glomp*

-E

[snaphappy_fma]

Thank you! Gaara's maturity IS remarkable - he seems to go from raging/hurting child to wise adult in a single moment - the moment when he tells Temari and Kankuro that the fight against Naruto is finished and to take him away. He could've continued to act out his rage and pain for years, but instead he chooses a different path (unlike Sasuke - grrr - the end of Ch. 402 has left me very frustrated with Sasuke-kun - I'll stop now, but... agghhh!). It's easy to see why many fans love Gaara. If Gaara with his horrendously painful past can change his life for the better - well, really, anybody can. Thanks for reading! *glomps you back!*

[ladyassassin]

>:

If Gaara ends up alone at the end of the manga, I will be so depressed. ;_;

I really, really like Naruto and Gaara's friendship, but I don't ship them. XD; Still, I enjoyed reading this essay. ^_^ I certainly won't deny that if Naruto hadn't changed Gaara, I probably would still hate him because his psychotic days kinda freaked me out. >_>; Yay for Naruto's Magical Punch of Awakening! \o/

(I only like one pairing with Gaara, teehee. :3)