Chapter Text
It happened as soon as they locked eyes for the first time in the arena.
His world became insanely bright and, for a moment, Gaara had to squint his own eyes. He couldn’t see, blinded by the vibrant sights all around him; a sight he’s never seen before. He was used to a dull world, not…this. And it, whatever it was, was bright…too bright. Too blinding. Too much.
His eyes began to hurt. It didn’t help that the person who stood in front of him wore a ridiculously blinding outfit: some type of bright jumpsuit. That only made his eyes more irritated.
He wanted to close them but thought better of it. This was a match, after all, he couldn’t close his eyes. It didn’t matter to him that his sand would protect him from everything, that wasn’t why he refused to close his eyes. He just didn’t want to miss his sand tearing apart this boy, especially with how they were making him see things. They had to be, considering they didn’t seem to notice anything off about their world like he did. As if they couldn’t see it, only he could. That meant they had to have used some type of genjutsu.
Not that it would matter in the end. Not when he knew they would die like all the others. Then, the genjutsu would disappear and he would stop seeing the world in…this weird, bright way.
He eyed the boy, debating how he wanted to kill them. Should he rip off their arms first or their legs? Should he pulverize them all at once? Suffocate them? Crush their throat so he wouldn’t have to listen to their inevitable, annoying pleas for mercy?
He wasn’t sure, there were too many options. All of which were fine. As long as he wiped that smile off their face, anything would do. That smile that grew when they said, “To be able to face you this early…I could not be happier.”
He scoffed.
Anything would do, indeed.
.
.
.
Except, the bright sights never did leave; not even after the boy was taken away by the medi-nins. Not even when he had stumbled his way back to their temporary home - after the preliminaries finished - and somehow made it to his bed to collapse onto. Not even when the day had passed and it was night.
The brightness remained, making his head hurt. It had been hard to remain concentrated during the battle when he got blinded everywhere he looked. He wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to live when he could barely see without squinting.
He groaned at the thought, sitting up. He ignored the way his head pulsed in pain, squinting his eyes more when his vision became blurry. He couldn’t see, could barely see the sheets he sat on. He closed his eyes, softly hissing when that only made his eyes burn more. He pressed his palms against them, trying to ease the pain. All the while, he wondered how long it would take for his world to go back to the dull world he was so used to.
Before he could ponder more on the time it would take, there was a sudden knock on his door and a familiar voice calling out to him. “Gaara? Can…can I come in?”
He recognized it to be Temari. He scowled at the realization, not wanting to see or talk to anyone at the moment. Least of all his siblings. His head hurt too much to listen to them idiotically squabble about who knew what.
So, imagine his surprise when - at the next moment - he could feel the bed dip in front of him as she sat down. He could tell it was her, could feel her familiar presence. He wasn’t sure why she was so close to him, though. He wasn’t even sure why she was in here at all. He couldn’t recall inviting her in but knew he had to have. She wouldn’t come in without permission.
Why did he invite her in?
Whatever the answer, she was here now. And, for some reason, he couldn’t find it in himself to make her leave. His mind was too scrambled, his headache making it hard for him to focus. Eyes remaining closed, he massaged his temples to try to get rid of it as she spoke.
“Is everything okay, Gaara?” She asked. Her voice was hard to hear even if the room was quiet. He couldn’t tell if it was because she spoke that quietly or because he was having trouble concentrating. “We’ve all noticed that you’ve been acting…strange all day. And…and Baki-sensei wants you to…not be since the mission-”
“My eyes hurt,” he interrupted. He could feel her flinch and wondered if he had spoken loudly. He couldn’t tell so he didn’t know. He didn’t even know why he was answering her. He didn’t need to, it wasn’t her business. “You’re too bright.”
She made a small noise of confusion. “I’m…too bright?”
“Yes.”
“...what does that mean?”
He couldn't explain it, he wasn’t entirely sure himself. All he knew was that she really was too bright. Her hair and outfit were now shades that he had never seen before, shades they hadn't been this morning. They were infinitely more blinding too, which is why his vision blurred whenever he looked at her. It was hard for him to concentrate on her appearance…it was much easier to stare at Kankuro. For the most part, he remained the same. The only difference was the slight change of shade of his skin, the design on his shirt, and the face paint he wore. But Temari and Baki…
“Leave,” Gaara growled, knowing not to open his eyes. The only thing keeping him sane was the near familiar black behind his eyelids. “You’re too bright.”
Instantly, he heard her stand up, her footsteps walking over to his door. It was at a calm pace, though, one not normally used by anyone when Sabaku no Gaara was snarling at them to get out of his sight. If his head didn’t hurt so much, he would have been surprised and maybe even impressed that she was so calm. But his head did hurt so he didn’t give her odd tranquility a second thought, expecting to hear the door close to signal her departure. He was in for a surprise, however, when he didn’t hear that but rather a small click.
“There,” she announced, her voice somewhere near the door and still in his room. Her tone was different from before…more soft and patient. “Maybe that will help?”
He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to make his headache worse if he opened his eyes and became blinded. Perhaps, she was tricking him. Using this small moment of weakness against him to try to finally get rid of her monster of a brother. Many people wanted to get rid of him, even his own father. Why should he trust her?
He shouldn’t…and yet, he still found himself slowly opening his eyes. He ignored the twinge of confusion and disapproving remarks from Shukaku as he took in his surroundings to see if anything had changed. He was relieved to find the room dark, almost how it should be. It relieved some of his headache, allowing him to have more coherent thoughts..
“The lights were on,” Temari explained, still in that gentle tone, “I figured turning them off would…well? Is that better?”
His eyes flicked over to her. He was happy to note that she was dull, not making his eyes hurt as much as before. He nodded at her, remarking, “It’s not as bright but it’s still different.”
“Is that so…”
She was looking at him weirdly, a look he’s never seen her direct at him before. He was used to her staring at him in fear, never anything more. Now, however, it was like she was debating something as she stared at him. She almost looked curious, a small light sparking in her eyes as she tilted her head. Her voice going even softer - almost affectionate - she asked, “Gaara, is the world different shades that you’ve never seen before? No longer just black and white?”
“Yes,” he replied, not understanding why she cared. Or why she was still here.
“I see.” Suddenly, a small smile graced her face as she leaned back against the wall near the light switch, her arms crossing over her chest. “Gaara…have you ever heard of soulmates?”
His eyes narrowed, feeling cautious about her question. It was more the way she asked rather than what she actually asked. Like she was talking to a toddler. Like she knew something he didn’t. “Yes.”
Her smile grew at his curtness rather than her flinching in fear. That was a first. “And do you know how a pair of soulmates are able to identify each other?”
He didn’t know, no. He never asked, was never interested. All he knew about soulmates was that they were your other half and that they existed. But that was all. “No.”
“Well, everyone is born without the ability to see color. We can only see in black and white… until, of course, we meet our soulmates. It’s different for every pair but when you touch them or make eye contact, color is returned to the both of you. You’re able to see it until you or your soulmate dies.”
He thought that was idiotic: to need someone to complete himself. He didn’t like it. He also didn’t see why or how this was relevant to him. “So?”
Amusement flashed through her eyes. She softly laughed, that light in her eyes brightening. She almost looked… happy. For him. “Gaara, I think it’s safe to say that you can see colors now…which means it’s also safe to say that you’ve met your soulmate.”
He stared at her, unblinking. She didn’t falter, not like she would’ve before. She looked too ecstatic for him. Too confident that that’s what was happening to him.
Soulmates, he thought, shifting his eyes around his room. He took in all the different shad- no, colors in it. You can see colors because of soulmates. You can see color when you make eye contact with or touch your soulmate…eye contact? He frowned. He had only started seeing the world like this when his eyes met that boy’s. Did that mean…? No, it can’t be…
“Get out,” he hissed, snapping his gaze to her. He waved a hand in her direction. Immediately, his sand burst out of his gourd and dove at her. He ignored the way terror consumed her face as she bolted out of the room, his eyes on his sand.
As it retracted back to his gourd, his eyes followed it. He switched his attention from it when the sand passed over his bed and he caught sight of sheets he sat on. He stared at them, his mind flashing with images of a bright blur disappearing around him, too fast for him to hit or dodge. He frowned as he realized the sheets were the same shad- color as that boy, albeit not as bright.
And I can tell because I can see colors, he thought, tearing his gaze away as he figured the sight was the reason more images of that boy kept popping into his mind. He moved his gaze to the ceiling, lying back on his bed. He scowled when the new scenery didn’t help, he still saw images of a wide smile and obsidian eyes dancing with glee. I can see colors…and colors mean soulmates. He closed his eyes, uncomfortably shifting when that only made the images increase. Him and I…soulmates?
Shukaku rumbled his displeasure.
He agreed.