Story Dedicated to my cousin Anai:

我愛羅 砂瀑の我愛羅, Sabaku no Gaara; English "Gaara of the Desert"

愛, ai = love

Kurami Mayonaka was Gaara's childhood friend until an unfortunate event forced her to leave her best friend and move to the Leaf Village. What will happen when she sees Gaara again?

我愛羅愛Monster:

Prologue:

It was a beautiful spring afternoon for the Sand Village. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue. The air wasn't as hot, the wind blowing felt cool.

A little girl was outside on this lovely day, humming to herself as she sat on a large sand rock in front of her home. She kicked her feet in the air, as she was much too little to touch the ground. The cool breeze whizzed through her ebony hair, cooling her tan skin.

"Kurami!"

The little girl whipped her head around, looking towards the entrance of her home. She smiled as she saw her father, tall and dark-haired just like her. His deep set brown eyes smiled as he saw his little girl.

"Otousan!" The young girl cried with joy.

"Now what are you doing out here sitting around, Ojousan? We could be practicing!" His voice was light and friendly, as he wasn't being serious.

"I'm waiting for my friend!"

"Oh, are you now." He smiled. "Well, I guess you don't want to be a ninja then."

Kurami's eyes went big as she leaped off the rock, standing in front of her father. "No! I do want to be a ninja! We can practice!" The little girl was about to run inside to get her 'gear' but her father stopped her.

"I'm just joking Ojousan. You practice too much, you need a break." Kurami looked up at her father curiously, but before she could say anything else, she heard her name being called.

"Rami-chan!"

Kurami instantly knew the voice that called out her nickname. She beamed as she turned to the source of the voice, looking upon a small, red-haired boy, his eyes looking friendly as ever.

"Gaara-san! You took so long!"

His face fell a little, but he still smiled. "Gomen. There was an accident, but Yashamaru helped me."

Kurami hated seeing her friend so sad, she could tell by the look in his eyes. "Oh, well let's go play!"

Behind her, her father said something under his breath, but she didn't understand.

"KURAMI!" A voice from the house shrieked.

Gaara's eyes went just as wide as Kurami's did at that moment.

Kurami turned to her mother, who was running to where they were, the most scared look upon her face.

"Okasan? What's –" Kurami began, but her mother yanked her to her side, shielding her, but from what?

"What's he doing here? Shujin?" Kurami's mother was so panicked, she pleaded to her husband.

He remained calm, "What's the matter? Who are you talking about? Gaara?"

Gaara looked frightened; he looked to Kurami who was struggling to get out of her mother's grasp.

"You know perfectly well who I'm talking about!" She snapped, looking to Gaara in disgust. "The Shukaku! What's he doing here?"

Kurami looked up at her mother wide eyed and confused. "What are you talking about?" Her voice barely came out as a whisper, her father dismissed her question.

"He's just Kurami's friend. And there's no need to say that word." Kurami's father reached an arm out to calm his wife, but she pulled back hard.

"No! My daughter will not be hanging around a-a monster!"

A single tear slipped from Gaara's face. He didn't expect this from his best friend. Not from family of Kurami's.

Kurami's mother began pulling Kurami away, Kurami just made doing so difficult for her.

"No mommy! Gaara! Gaara, I'm sorry!" Kurami couldn't say anymore as she was pulled into her home.

Kurami's father looked down, shaking his head. "Gomenasai Gaara. I'm so very sorry."

The boy looked down at his feet. "Everyone." He whispered, "Hates me." His blue eyes grew dark. He closed them, anger consuming him, he crouched down, unable to stand the feeling. "And now Kurami hates me!"

Kurami's father shook his head, he was about to say she doesn't but something happened. Too fast to see, to hear, he was consumed into a grainy sandy tornado.

'A sand storm? It can't be!'

And it wasn't.

His lungs were giving out. He was blinded by scarlet. He gasped for air, for help. But was consumed into eternal darkness.

No one had seen what happened. Not even Gaara. But the mistake of his father, of putting the Shukaku into him, consumed him. He killed his best friends' father.

I'm terrible at summaries but hopefully reading this prologue will give you a better understanding of what this story is about! It's my first Gaara FF, hope you enjoy!