Sins of the Brother

What was it about her? Gaara couldn't stop the thought from repeating over and over in his mind as he watched the object of his...consternation. He hated everyone, especially females, but there was something about this particular female that he, almost, liked. For the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was. She was pretty, but he couldn't care less about how anyone appeared. She was intelligent, but so were others such as Kakashi and Sasuke from Konoha, but he tolerated them at best. So what the hell was it? As if sensing his gaze, she looked over at him to meet his eyes. A small shiver of awareness slithered down his spine as he felt her from across the room.
'Maybe that's it,' he thought to himself.
Maybe it was just an attraction, an intense awareness of her as a woman. But still, why her? She didn't seem to be any different from anyone else really. Except for these slight whispers of power he would pick up from her. He would admit though, he'd been intrigued by her since he first saw her. It had been during the first test. His "team" had just finished gathering both the Heaven and Earth scrolls and wer moving towards the tower at the center of the Forest of Death. When they stopped so that Temari and that other one could rest, she stepped out of the trees. She had only looked at him, and smirked. That's when he first felt it. A slight tendril of concentrated, controlled, power brush against his chakra. His eyes widened at the sensation, and he studied the woman as Temari demanded her name and what she wanted.
"I am Naori. I am a ninja from Kirigakure. I have been following the three of you for the last twenty minutes."
Temari moved to attack the strange woman, but he stopped her just by saying her name. She stared at him, confused.
"But Gaara,"
Again he silenced her, and turned to the woman, Naori.
"Why?"
She shrugged, but smirked as she watched him.
"I sensed someone's chakra."
She paused, and almost seemed to sniff the air.
"Your chakra, and I wanted to come see what you would be like."
He almost smiled at her blunt response.
"And?"
She snorted a laugh and moved back towards the line of trees.
"Exactly as I believed."
At that she disappeared, leaving him frustrated at the lack of a direct answer. Plus, he realized as he and his team finished approaching the tower for the second test, he hadn't found out how she's follwed him without him sensing her. He shrugged it off as they entered the testing site and glanced around. No one else was there of course, and it was boring with there being nothing to do. As he sat there, waiting, he couldn't help but think of the girl, Naori. He'd never thought of anyone twice after leaving them, but he couldn't help it with her.

Half an hour later, the object of his thoughts came walking into the tower along with two other Mist ninjas. Temari spotted her as well. She pointedat Naori.
"You! Still following us?" she demanded
Naori grinned mockingly, until one of her teammates stepped forward.
What is she talking about Naori? When were you followng them?" he demanded, jerking her back by her arm.
Gaara saw her pale and glance at the floor, but he felt it again. Power. tightly reigned in, but filled with rage. He couldn't help the shiver that went through him at the sensation. The rage coming from her was burning hot, yet it never showed-not once. He was confused by this, especially as he witnessed the clearly abusive treatment she received at the hands of her team member. He hauled her away, and he felt Temari glance at him.
"Was that really the same girl? She seemed completely different."
He nodded in agreement, but said nothing. He would think about the situation, but honestly what did he care?

Later, he finally managed to find a quiet space where he could be alone to actually think. He almost sighed with the pleasure of a quiet moment as he adjusted his gourd to a more comfortable position. He rarely had the time alone, and he relished every second. His eyes were closed, just listening to the sounds all around him, yet he failed to notice her presence once again until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Instead of immediately lashing out at her for touching him, he felt oddly calm as she satnext to him. She smiled at him, and her smile didn't fade even when he only stared at her. She looked out from their resting place to the trees and setting sun. She took a deep breath, and seemed to relax completely. Then she turned back to him.
"You found my favorite spot Gaara-san. Why did you come all the way up here?"
For a moment he just looked at her. Usually he wouldn't bother explaining himself, but with her he didn't really mind.
"Same reason as you I believe...Naori."
Her eyes widened and she blushed as she jumped up.
"I'm sorry Gaara-san. I should have realized that you came here to be alone. I'll go."
As she turned to leave, Gaara suddenly didn't want to be alone. He could only watch as his hand reached out and grabbed her arm gently, not like her teammate had earlier.
"You don't have to leave." He said, tugging her to sit back down next to him.
He actually liked how her blush deepened as she sat quietly next to him. It was strange, he decided. They didn't speak, but the silence was so comfortable that it felt almost like sacrilege to break it. He surprisingly felt relaxed with Naori, he actually wanted to know things about her. Which is what finally made him ask:
"Why did you let him treat you like that?"
"Like what?" she asked, looking away from him.
Gaara frowned. He could tell that she looked away because she was embarassed he had seen, but he didn't like it. He found a basic, almost primal, pleasure in making her blush with embarassment. This, this embarassment out of shame, was just unacceptable. He grabbed her chin, and turned her to face him.
"You know what I'm asking woman."
There is was again, that whisper of power and rage that was quickly, tightly reigned in. That was when he first felt it...attraction, lust with an intensity that he'd never experienced before. He almost forgot his own question as he looked into her anger filled eyes.
"It's part of an 'agreement' that we have."
His eyes narrowed.
"What kind of agreement?" he demanded
She snorted, and placed her hand over his that was still holding her chin.
"Not the kind you are thinking of."
He jerked his hand away and frowned at her. How dare she presume to know what he was thinking. Before he could voice his disdain, she sighed.
"He has someone that has looked out for me in the past. If I let him treat me however he wants, she will be left alone."
His anger seemed to drain away as he watched her. What was she doing to him? But he needed to ask,
"I know you have power, why don't you fight to free her?"
She smiled and reached down to take his hand. He barely restrained a shiver as she trailed her fingertips across his palm. What was wrong with him? He had just met this girl, didn't even know her last name, and he wanted her like nothing else in his life. His heart beat faster as she looked up into his eyes.
"Have these hands ever fought for anyone else?"
"What do you mean?" he frowned.
She leaned towards him, and before he could react, he felt her lips against his cheek. He stared with wide eyes as she stood.
"That's what I use my power for Gaara. I fight for others...not myself."
She smiled at him gently before walking away. Once she was gone, Gaara lifted his hand to brush his fingers over his cheek, He could feel the imprint of her lips emblazoned on his skin. He felt a grin slowly spread across his face. This mission would definitely be more interesting than he had thought.

She didn't know why she'd kissed him. She did know that it really hadn't been a good idea, especially when she licked her lips. She could taste him, Gaara. She could become addicted to him if she wasn't careful. The Suna nin was intrigued by her, that was it. He inspired something else in her though. Naori actually wanted him. She had first sensed his chakra when Matsuo and that bastard Natsuri were looking for the Heaven and Earth scrolls. His chakra had been a tantalizing temptation. She hadn't been able to resist tracking him. Then, when she'd seen him...he'd looked almost as addictive as his chakra had felt. She had even liked the arrogance in his stance and mannerisms. Before she could really begin to figure him out, she'd felt Natsuri returning. If the situation had been different, and he hadn't had control over the one friend she'd managed to gain in Kirigakure, she would never have had anything to do with the corrupt ninja. However, he did, so she left Gaara and his companions to rejoin her own. Once they reached the tower where the second test was to be held, she felt him again. She felt a shudder rip through her body in anticipation of meeting him again. His loud teammate had outed her, but Naori relished the recognition of both her and the effect they were having on each other in his eyes. It wasn't until Natsuri jerked her arm that she began to feel a familiar anger. He was telling her that he hadn't given her permission to follow the sand ninjas and that she better remember her place. Then he'd threatened her. Not with bodily harm, because he knew that she didn't care. No, he threatened the life of the only friend she had left. She was livid by the time she was finally alone. Which is why she sought out her favorite resting place. To her surprise, it was already occupied

A/N: Sorry this chapter is a little short, but I'm just trying to decide how to break up what I have. This story starts out as a Naori/Gaara pairing, but there will be others as they story progresses. Oh and for anyone who read my other story "Path to Freedom," this is the story that it is a side to.