Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Demon of Sleep ❯ Demon of Sleep ( Chapter 1 )

Author: Shikoshi

Rating: PG-13 for some graphic images—to be on the safe side

Warning: Some weirdness, angst, graphic images.

Summary: Naruto has some problems with his dreams.

Thanks to: My extra special beta- Lauren Amberkelp. Luvvers, hon!

AN: I couldn't' stand to see that angsty moment so…un-angsty. Hehe.

Feedback: What's wrong, right, hey, didja' like it?

 

 

 

“There's a demon, a playful creature, who sits on your chest while you sleep. He will not harm you, but he loves to torture those with uneasy hearts, or people who cannot forgive themselves for a sin they have committed. He sits on the person, and when they awake, they cannot move underneath his heavy body. If they struggle for a while, he becomes delighted, and his nails will scratch you if he is not careful.” -- Gui Shu

 

 

Demon of Sleep

 

 

He remembered the leaves. For some reason, Leaf shinobi were attuned to trees and forest more than any other landscape. The crisp green rustled as he whizzed past, jumping from branch to branch. Each jump was more frantic than the last, his foot streaked a fiery trail through the forest, blazing on each tree until the ball of his foot burned. But nothing mattered. It didn't matter if his feet really did burn, he would crawl, hell, sprout wings and tail feathers to catch up to the Akatsuki.

 

Kakashi was a reliable source behind him, watching his back, muttering jutsus under is breath. Naruto could feel the anxiety coming from the man. It bothered him, if his sensei was going to doubt him, he'd be in for a nasty shock. But Kakashi was the foundation in which he built his courage from, and when the man finally finished muttering, the same confidence was back up. Naruto growled approval and the fury propelled him forward.

 

There was hatred pouring through Naruto's body, touching all his chakra points and sending his flesh quivering. The icy wrath shivered up his spine and all he could think of were those cold, green eyes, the green fire that blazed during battle, lust for pain that bore upon him more than once. That wicked, wicked grin of insanity that sent tremors of terror and excitement coursing through Naruto's veins- all tempered the last time they met until there was just a calm storm of strained control and frightening power.

 

Naruto shivered, looking up at the bird thing, and felt an urge to snap its neck between his fangs and crush it's skull with his paws. He wanted nothing more than to mangle that carcass until it was unidentifiable. Strip it until it was just shreds hanging from the trees, dirty his sharp claws with redness like no comparable war paint.

 

He snarled in rage when the silver haired man took the first attack. How dare he approach his kill?! His hackles rose as he felt the doujutsu flare in the barrier field. It sizzled past his own chakra, large and powerfully obtrusive. He bared his fangs in delight when he sniffed out the agony and horror from the blond man. Yes! Yes! The kill was faltering! Those bones would crunch between his jaws!

 

“Naruto-” Kakashi's voice was strained but still threatening.

 

His ears flattened against his head at the tone. Who was this mere mortal to command him? But a trickle of rationality entered his mind. No, stick to the plan. The plan that would save Shukaku-kun. He licked his chops and growled in agreement, tails lashing back and forth.

 

Naruto and his clone put their hands together and created the warm ball of chakra. It spun on his skin, fast and deadly. His eyes widened and a pleased purring came from deep within him as he watched the blond man fall onto the leaf swept dirt with a sickening thud.

 

Go! Rip it up! Tear it to shreds! What happened to maiming, crushing, mutilating-

 

He found his hands tearing into the bird doll. Something was growling in his ear, furious that there was no tender muscle to rip into. But the growling was reduced to silence when the dirt caved and revealed a hole. A boy his age slouched, head twisted, as if he had fallen prey to his own sandy coffin. He failed to look up, or gasp for breath, or glare, or try to kill him or…or anything. Naruto's hands trembled as they touched the silky red locks and smoothed dirt from the cold forehead, his thumb brushed against the word `love'.

 

He could distantly hear a high keening sound, a mournful howl that shook the leaves.

 

A rushing sound entered his mind, growing louder, more persistent. It rang in his ears, like waves crashing into his brow. Surge after surge of pain racked his body, his neck and spine were cracking and he could feel it, hear it, he felt as if someone was trying to drum lightning into his head through his ears.

 

“Auuuuugh!”

 

Naruto bodily snapped up from his bed. He heaved for breath, gasping in the cool air. His eyes roved wildly, searching for something, something, anything. Anyone.

 

“…Naruto…” a voice came from the darkness, “What're you doing?”

 

“G-Gaara?”

 

There was silence. Naruto gulped for air and he released his clench on the sheets. He was still trembling, quakes running up and down his spine. Gaara apparently heard the panic in his friend's voice, because he shuffled out of his bed and sat next to Naruto. Naruto fell slightly towards him as Gaara dipped the mattress.

 

“What's wrong?” Gaara asked quietly. Naruto blinked back moisture from his eyes. He sniffed, and shook his head, remnants of the dream still flashing through his mind. He shivered and clutched his knees to his chest.

 

“S'nothing, don' worry,” Naruto's voice was slightly muffled, “Just a stupid dream, nothing to worry about.”

 

Gaara frowned in the darkness. He sat there for a while, listening to Naruto try to control his heavy breathing. When the soft pants and hiccups quieted, Gaara got up from the bed silently. Naruto bit his lip from calling out.

 

On the other side of the room, Gaara struck a match and lighted one of their emergency candles. His face was illuminated. The sharp, pale features were wraith-like in the light, longish hair tickling his neck, and the sunken, darkened eyes were as familiar as Naruto's own. Naruto felt assurance at the sight of his partner, alive and well. Gaara walked back to his bed and sat beside him, long legs dangling off the bed. The pale eyes swept across his face.

 

“What was it about?” he asked softly.

 

“You.” Naruto blurted. He was treated to an odd look. Gaara looked at the flame.

 

“I'm glad to know that dreams of me make you sit up and shriek,” he said dryly.

 

Naruto smiled a little, “Anyone who dreams about Sabaku no Gaara is going to wake up screaming.”

 

“I'm going back to bed,” Gaara made to stand, but was immediately pulled back down by strong arms on his chest. There was a face buried in his thick mane of hair, the grip was desperate, possessive.

 

“Don' leave, please,” was mumbled behind him.

 

The light was extinguished; the faint smell of burning filled the air. Gaara untangled himself from the muscled arms and slid under the covers beside Naruto's warm body. A tentative arm slid around him and a body followed, coming to nestle close to him. Gaara threw all restrain to the wind, and pulled his partner close.

 

Warm breath tickled Naruto's hair, and the presence around him was comforting. Sakura was the one who told him, a long time ago when he was still in Konoha, that every shinobi- regardless of power and strength- needed their defenses breached, needed someone to enter their safety zone, needed to be held and loved. He scoffed, but knew exactly what she was talking about. He loved all his fellow shinobi friends, but held his partner very dear.

 

“I…I had a dream that…you died.”

 

Naruto strained his ears, but Gaara was silent.

 

“A-and you were captured by Akatsuki, they were trying to extract Shukaku from you, and all I wanted was to kill them. I was so angry and scared and I think…I missed you a lot.” Naruto said, “I knew that I wanted you back. It was like, something…something was missing from my own…my own body.”

 

Gaara was silent.

 

“It sounds stupid I know. Sorry-”

 

“Where was I?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Where was I in the dream? How'd I die?”

 

Naruto looked up and vaguely saw closed eyes, a glimmer of green played under thick lashes, “You were trapped in a bird thing…made out of dirt. Some guy was sitting on you. He-he looked like a girl.”

 

Gaara muffled a snort. Naruto hit his chest.

 

“I'm being serious! What, you kill people with sand, why can't a guy with clay-“

 

“Okay, okay, Naruto. I get it.”

 

“No! You don't get it!”

 

There was silence. Naruto's hand stilled on Gaara's neck.

 

“I really missed you, raccoon.”

 

Gaara drew a sharp intake of breath, rustling Naruto's hair.

 

Naruto was pulled into a tighter embrace; he stiffened at the unexpected response, but relaxed, smiled, and buried his face in Gaara's musky, very alive smell. His hand wound its way deeper into Gaara's hair, the other twitched against a strong heartbeat.

 

“Wait, Naruto.”

 

Someone was talkative at night, “Hm?”

 

“You said I was trapped…suffocated to death…helpless, even…in dirt.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“As in…dirt. Earth. I was killed by dirt. Kind of like…sand.”

 

“…yes.”

 

“Hmph. You know that's ridiculous, right?” he sounded disdainful, as if insulted that Naruto's dreams could create such cruel irony. Naruto knew, just knew, that Gaara had been mentally playing out that scene and looking for a way to escape Naruto's version of his death. That explained the talkative-ness.

 

“I know! That's what I said! Can I get some rest now?” Naruto huffed. Gaara smirked and blew on the blond spikes.

 

After playing with the rough- contrary to his stupid dream- hair some more, Naruto finally fell asleep again, surrounded by all evidence that Gaara was here, and he was here to stay with him. It was all he needed for a peaceful sleep.

 

When Naruto woke up again, his eyes were blurry and heavy. There was pattering coming from the window; good, it was raining. Gaara always loved the rain, especially in the desert. He loved the way it cooled the parched earth and created puddles for the village children to play in. Maybe they'd—

 

Naruto opened his eyes. They fell on the whirling fan, slowly stirring air in the room. There was nobody next to him. He knew exactly where everything was in this room. His large bed, his table, the mirror, the stand for his hat, the stand for his ceremonial robe, his vase of special water, his wardrobe…

 

No Gaara.

 

Naruto closed his eyes.

 

Right.

 

Naruto lay there, watching the ceiling fan make its lazy rotations. There was something beating against his chest, perhaps sitting there, not letting him get up. Sasuke, when they were still very young, told him a story about a demon who teased sleepers or something. There was a gruesome story about gouging eyes out and stretching tongues involved, but Naruto was sure that Sasuke was trying to sicken him and steal his onigiri. Still, Naruto sighed, he didn't think Kyuubi had a fighting chance against this demon.

 

Naruto finally stood and donned his white and blue robe, pulled on his slippers, and cleaned himself up. By the time he was done, the guards outside the door heard him. A soft knock interrupted his slower than usual movements.

 

His captain, looking awkward in his own ceremonial black, bowed, “Na -er- Kazekage-sama, good morning.”

 

“Good morning, Kankuro-kun.”

 

“Ahh, are you ready?”

 

Naruto nodded slowly, “Let me get my cloak.” He moved slowly to the other side of the room and his hands fell on the black cloth hanging from the stand. He hesitated, eyes unfocused, but slipped the cloak on. His captain, a master at noticing small, insignificant movements, immediately noticed his leader's awkward movements.

 

“Kazekage-sama, are you feeling alright? Should I call for Saku--”

 

Naruto smiled brightly, “Oh no, Kankuro-kun. I'm feeling alright, don't worry about me.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

The crystal blue eyes turned inward for a moment and darkened to the colour of stormy seas. But a brilliant, genuine smile replaced it quickly.

 

“No, Kankuro-kun. Please don't worry.” the bright eyes turned to the rain, his hands knotted in the black cotton, “In fact, I slept very well last night.”