Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The last thing she remembered was exploring the sandy ruins, but now she was on the dark ground holding her head in agony. Her ears had started to ring right as she touched a strange stone tomb, and the world began to turn sending her to the sandstone floor in an aching heap.

Sakura could hear voices calling out to her, and she felt so incredibly far away. Her eyes tried to open but it felt as if her skin was burning, like a type of intense wind burn had appeared on her flesh.

Suddenly everything seemed so loud, yet there was no sound at all--

"Are you alright, ma'am?"

Why was he calling her 'ma'am'? Didn't he know her name? He had called out to her just a few moments ago...

"My body... it hurts..." The pinkette tried opening her eyes, but they still smarted something awful.

Warm hands held her cold ones, and suddenly it felt like the pain was washed away. Did Gaara learn some sort of healing jutsu behind her back?

"I've seen you around with the other settlers, what are you doing in this cave?" The redhead asked her gently, and began attempting to get her to sit up. She gladly allowed him to get her into an upright position, and to also get her arm around his shoulders.

But the question made her wonder. What did he mean by settlers?

"When was the last time you had a good meal? I know the lack of rain has made the crop poor, and the animals thin. We should get you to town, and get something in your stomach." His words had confused her so much that she had to open her eyes then just to make sure she was actually speaking with Gaara, and not someone who sounded like him.

There was no doubt it was him, but some things were very different. The way he spoke to her was odd, but other than that his outfit was completely different from before.

Yes he wore a maroon duster, but the collar hid the lower half of his face. He wore brown leather gloves, a wide brimmed leather hat, and instead of a gourd on his hip it instead held something she had only seen in the movies--

"You have a gun?" Sakura furrowed her brows at what seemed to be a large revolver on his leather belt, and his hand instinctively went to it just at the mention of its existence.

"A sheriff always keeps a firearm on him, ma'am." The redhead tipped up his hat to get a better view of her, and in that moment she was able to see his eyes a bit better.

This couldn't be real, it was just too strange.

In an effort to make the dream a lucid one she knocked back his hat until it fell off his head. As he blinked in surprise her hands reached up to the collar of his coat to yank on the buttons until they revealed his disbelieving mouth.

"Uh... ma'am--?"

"Stop it, Gaara! You know my name!" The pinkette shook him by the shoulders, making the poor guy get whiplash.

He quickly grabbed her back by her waist and shoulder, holding her firmly to keep her from continuing her rough treatment on him.

"There is no need for hysterics, ma'--- uh... 'miss'..." Gaara nodded to himself over his newest correction to his speech, even though 'miss' was certainly not her name either.

"My name is Sakura! Don't you remember me?" Sakura was desperate to get some sort of answers from this encounter, but judging by his confused expression she wasn't going to get any comforting information any time soon.

"Forgive me, miss Sakura, but I'm afraid not." The redhead looked a bit guilty, and her panic truly began to set in.

"No... no no no. You're the Kazekage of Suna, we've been to war together, I was here on a mission to help you find a cure to an mysterious illness that was causing people to go into comatose states--!"

"Miss Sakura, I believe you must have hit your head." Suddenly he seemed very concerned, and started trying to get her to her feet. "I'll help you get to the town doctor, maybe get you a place to stay for the time being--"

"No!!" The pinkette started to fight him, although the wrestling only led to him getting frustrated.

"I really don't want to have to do this, but I suppose I have to." The redhead scooped her up like she were a willowy bride, and she ended up clinging to him out of shock over the bold action.

"What are you doing!?!" Sakura shrieked, her face growing red from the embarassment of the situation.

This time he ignored her, and began walking out with a clicking gate. She heard metal clacking softly against the sandy ground, and as she maneuvered awkwardly in his arms she was finally able to see his feet.

Knee high leather boots complete with spurs, along with a rope on his opposite hip...

"You're a cowboy?!" The pinkette blinked in utter confusion and disbelief, but he gave a small huff before responding.

"No ma'am. Like I told you, I'm the sheriff. You already know my name, surely you can remember far back enough to know that I'm the law around here--"

"This is a dream! This is just a really weird dream!!" Sakura almost wailed, she hid her face in his coat, and started chanting to herself to wake up.

Once again he seemed to ignore her, and in seconds she found herself roughly hoisted onto a high leather seat. As she looked around herself in bewilderment she realized she was on top of a reddish brown horse with a creamy mane.

As she gaped at the animal she felt him grab hard at the saddle, and swing a leg over to mount the beast. He adjusted himself to comfortably sit behind her, and as his arm rested over her hip to grab at the saddle horn her entire body went stiff.

Her clothes were different. As she peered down at the arm touching her hip she realized she was wearing a cotton dress. The top was was white and blousey, the waist had a black sash while her skirt was a crimson red color. While the outfit was flattering she didn't understand how she could have been dressed like this so quickly. It made her wonder how much time had really passed, or whether or not this was still just a dream.

His free gloved hand readjusted his maroon collar, and then replaced his brown leather hat to encase him thoroughly in shadow before reaching for the reins. A firm kick from his spurred boots had the animal going from zero to thirty in seconds.

Sitting side saddle was awkward, but the ride was surprisingly smooth as the horse went into a full gallop. The warm wind brushed past her face as she watched her surroundings go by.

Sand, just like Suna only there was more sage brush than usual. Her eyes searched the cactus littered desert, and found no other signs of life--

Just then she saw a town in the swirling heat making her believe it was a mirage, but as they came closer it proved to be real. A wave of anxiety filled her as she realized she was no longer in her original world, and she knew as they came closer to the western town that she would probably have to start blending in less they find her to be an absolute lunatic.

She knew she wasn't crazy, but this dream really was.

They went into a trot as they approached the town gateway, and as she studied the people around her carefully her eyes went wide in shock.

There were a lot of people she knew here. Already she had seen Hinata sweeping the porch of a general store, Rock Lee working in the smithy pounding out some red hot horse shoes, Naruto walking down the street in classic cowboy gear with a tan horse in tow, and Shikamaru walking into the local bar with a lit cigarette hanging off his lips.

This was insane. This had to be the most realistic yet strangest dream or hallucination she ever had.

The horse she was on finally stopped right outside of the apothecary, and it was obvious that the local doctor lived upstairs. She couldn't be drugged in this place, especially when it was so foreign to her.

"Um... Sheriff... I'm feeling much better now." Sakura turned in her seat to face him, but it was difficult to tell what his expression was under all the layers. "I apologize, sir... I think there was gas in that cave. My mind is much clearer now."

He seemed to be emotionless, but then again all she could see was his smokey eyes between his hat and high collar. He seemed to sigh, and the horse began trotting off to a different location making her give an inward sigh of relief.

"Well I can't justify letting you go just yet, so if you don't mind I would like to get you something to eat back at the jail house." Gaara spoke clearly so that he could be heard from under his coat, and surprisingly avoided his eyes from her in favor of looking forward.

The pinkette dug through her memories of different cowboy movies she had seen, and tried to get a feel for how a western lady would react to how he treated her.

"You're far too kind, Sheriff." Sakura placed her hand on his arm gripping the saddle horn, and felt him tense under her touch.

'Huh... that's weird. Shouldn't he be used to this kind of stuff?' The pinkette studied his leather gloves, wondering even further about his odd dress as well as his behavior. It was strange even by western standards.

As they made their stop at the jailhouse towards the end of town he swung his leg behind him to dismount from the horse. Without even thinking he raised his arms up to motion her to slide off, and as she did he caught her with ease, but he was also quick to let go.

"Why do you wear so many layers? Aren't you hot?" Sakura asked as she followed him into the building, but as soon as they entered he immediately took off his hat to hang up on the rack.

"I have a fair complexion that doesn't really appreciate sunlight, so I need the extra protection." The redhead pulled off his gloves, and placed them on his desk. With a shake of his sweaty hair he began removing his maroon duster to reveal the more normal attire of a white long sleeved shirt complete with a charcoal grey fitted vest and matching pants. "And yes, it is quite warm, but it's necessary."

He finally turned towards her, and for some odd reason he looked rather dashing in his foreign attire. The pants were fitted too, and she wondered just who his tailor was that got them to fit so nicely.

"Something wrong?" Gaara asked suspiciously, and she snapped out of her daydream.

"Oh nothing! I just... um... I like you better without all the layers. You seem a bit more human now." The pinkette laughed, and thankfully he gave a soft smile in return.

"My sister should have lunch ready, and she always makes too much so you're more than welcome to eat your fill." The redhead gave her a curt nod before walking past, stripping himself of his rope and gun to place in a well made cabinet by his desk.

Once again she followed him around, and into a back room which eventually turned into a kitchen area. She realized quickly that his house was connected to the jail, which she found odd, but it must have been convenient for him.

As she suspected Temari was in the kitchen cooking over a large metal stove, and barely even acknowledged them as they entered.

"Good afternoon, Temari--" Gaara began but was quickly waved off.

"Lunch will be done in five minutes, so go take a seat." The blonde bustled about with her sleeves rolled up, looking stern as she pulled out a tray of what Sakura could only guess by the smell was corn bread.

The redhead motioned the pinkette to follow him to the wooden kitchen table, and she did so without question. He pulled out a chair, waiting patiently for her to sit in the chair he had provided.

For some odd reason Sakura felt a warmth in her cheeks over the gesture, but then she remembered that this was a time when women were treated very differently. She sat down in the chair he provided, and thanked him as he pushed her in.

'I kind of feel like a child...' The pinkette slightly huffed, but tried thinking of it as someone catering to her 'feminine' needs rather than demeaning her.

"So, miss Sakura, you're part of the Haruno family, yes? I remember the name now. I heard your family didn't make it through the winter." Gaara broke the ice with a terrible topic, and she almost gaped at him just for bringing it up in such a way. "That must be difficult on you, I've also heard your farm hasn't been faring well either due to the drought--"

"Is there a point to you bringing up my poor circumstances, or are we just chatting about the weather?" Sakura couldn't stop herself from blurting out that one, but since this news was fresh to her she really didn't appreciate how casual he was about it.

There was a snicker that came from the kitchen, and they both looked over to see the blonde shaking her head as she turned away from them. When the pinkette looked back she saw a light blush dust the redhead's porcelain cheeks.

"Forgive me... I'm not used to having guests. My tact in conversation is lackluster to say the least." Gaara tried making eye contact with her, but soon brought his eyes to the water jug to distract himself by pouring a cup. "I was simply wondering if you planned on staying on that farm, or if you have decided to move to town."

'Ah, I get it now.' Sakura smiled weakly to herself, but felt more comforted than she had before. 'He's worried about me.'

"I'm not really sure what to do at this point. Things are not going well, obviously, and I clearly have no way to pay for lodging anywhere in town. My best bet is to just wait for the end, I suppose." The pinkette shrugged it off, and poured herself her own cup of water.

Soon she began to wonder why no one was speaking, and looked up from her task to see his cyan eyes wide and in shock over her aloof attitude towards death.

"Certainly there must be other ways... I mean... you are clearly young and healthy as well as resourceful. I think it would be very simple for a woman like you to find a good husband--"

As he said it she felt a vein nearly pop on her forehead. She didn't need a husband to survive anything. Period.

"Oh? And what will you do when your sister marries off, Hmm? Shouldn't you be out finding a wife less you starve??" The amount of venom in her voice was palpable, and once again she caught him off guard, but in that same instance she made the blonde behind her laugh.

"I can cook--" He began, but she wasn't going to have it.

"And I can fight, hunt, and kill a man in five seconds flat. I think I'll be fine without a 'husband'." Sakura rolled her eyes as she took a long swig of her water, downing it greedily out of discomfort from the summer heat.

Gaara said nothing, but continued to watch her in complete awe over her boldness. She realized then that she was really pushing it as far as blending in went, and she would have to backtrack if she wanted to remain convincing; even though she honestly hated the idea of it.

"Forgive me, I've been on edge lately. It's been difficult living by myself, and my short temper has made it difficult to find a husband." Sakura faked a pitiful smile before looking at the metal cup in her hands. Thankfully he was receptive to it.

"I understand somewhat. I am also undesirable to others, so finding a wife has been difficult. Although I haven't been trying as of late because of my condition." The redhead nodded emotionlessly to himself, but his last words caught her off guard.

'Condition? Is he sick--?'

"Alright! Eat up!" Temari was suddenly there putting out plates of chicken stew and corn bread. Her smile was large, and overly friendly unlike her demeanor from earlier.

'Something odd is going on...' The pinkette looked between the two, and as the blonde began walking away she watched her smile fade into a pained frown.

It painted a picture for her, but not enough to know exactly what was going on. However, she knew what grief looked like, and it was plain as day on Temari's face.

She didn't press it any further out of respect.

--- ... --- ... --- ... ---

"I'll take you to the saloon, they should have an extra room for you to stay in tonight." Gaara said with confidence as they trekked across the dusty street to get to the very place he spoke of.

Even though the sun was setting he still had his coat, hat, and gloves on. It made her wonder whether or not he was trying to hide from the world. Everyone seemed to know who he was, and it didn't make sense as to why he would hide under all those layers.

They pushed through the swinging gates while the essence of liquor, smoke, and tobacco assaulted her senses. Sakura coughed a few times, but eventually caught her breath as she followed him up to the bar. Perhaps this was why he wore such high layers, to keep the smoke out of his lungs.

She was surprised to find Shikamaru working behind the counter, polishing up some glasses looking like a classic bartender. He looked up from his task with a curious expression, and his eyes studied her thoroughly.

"I need a room for the lady." The redhead placed some coins on the counter, leading the brunette to raise a suspicious brow towards him.

"Does she know that you're--?" Shikamaru started, and for some reason Gaara became instantly flustered.

"Ah--- no. No, it'll just be her by herself. I won't be accompanying her." The redhead interjected nervously, and she realized then that he was being accused of trying to sleep with her.

The pinkette would have been embarassed by it too had she not been so focused on what Shikamaru had almost said. Something was clearly wrong with Gaara, and she was dying to find out what it actually was.

Judging by the fact that he couldn't get a wife had her wondering if he was perhaps sterile, or impotent. Maybe he was gay, and just didn't want anyone to know. The possibilities were endless.

"Hey, Sugar!" A familiar voice called out before a blonde woman clung to the awkward sheriff. He went ramrod straight, and tried putting her back at arms length.

"Good evening, Ino. I hope your day has been pleasant." The redhead tried staying detached while Sakura gawked at the fact that it was Ino who was all over him.

"Awe, don't be like that! It's been so long since I've seen you in my saloon... You must have been busy protecting us as usual." The blonde, dressed clearly in clothes suiting someone working in a brothel, was trying desperately to press herself closer to Gaara who was as equally desperate to back away. "Stop that, you're making me feel ugly!"

At that comment the redhead sat still, and with a sigh he allowed her to fawn over him. It was an odd display, and for some reason it was beginning to piss the pinkette off.

Shikamaru started reaching for the whiskey, and began pouring a drink while also taking his handkerchief out of his pocket. As if he knew something that no one else did, and was preparing himself.

"All these layers..." Ino took off Gaara's hat, and as his naked brows furrowed she started to pluck at the buttons of his jacket. "I know you're handsome, so you don't have to hide from lil' old me--"

Just as his coat opened he turned away to cough. Shikamaru instantly held out his handkerchief, and without hardly looking the redhead took it to desperately cover his mouth.

"Oh no, are you sick--?" Ino went to comfort him, and right as Sakura was about to step in the brunette did it for her.

"Yes, he's got a cold. Get away from him before you catch it." Shikamaru barked, and the blonde instantly backed off looking guilty. As she scurried away the pinkette noticed that the redhead hadn't stopped coughing.

He was coughing hard, and nearly wheezing for air.

Whether it was true concern or just instinct she couldn't say, but she had grabbed him roughly by the arm regardless and guided him outside of the saloon into the fresh air. She had heard Shikamaru calling after them, warning her not to get too close, but she couldn't just leave a sick man to suffer especially in front of so many people.

His hacking had turned violent, and it began to sound wet. In a panic she started guiding him around to the back of the building just in case he might vomit or gag, but when she finally helped him lean against a wall she realized very quickly just what was wrong with him.

Blood was dripping down his hand despite the handkerchief covering his mouth.

"Oh... oh my god, Gaara--!" Sakura started shaking as she watched him pull away the handkerchief, blood thick on his lips and in his teeth.

"... Go... Leave me..." Gaara rasped, and with short breaths he quickly slid down the wall into a seated position. His eyes were glossy, his cheeks red, and his mouth was horrifyingly bloodied.

'I've never seen this in person...' The pinkette kneeled before him in both pity and wonder. As her fingers went to touch the blood his breathing quickened.

"Don't... it's... consumption--"

"I know what it is, and it doesn't scare me." Sakura rubbed the chunks of blood and tissue between her index finger and thumb, then looked back into his eyes with a grimace. "If you don't get antibiotics you'll die. You know that, don't you?"

When he just continued to stare into her eyes in a daze she felt she had to reach out to grab his shoulder. He didn't seem to understand just how dangerous this truly was.

"Gaara, tuberculosis of this scale doesn't leave any survivors without treatment. You will die without medicine--"

"We... don't have it..." The redhead tried to breathe, but it was strained. "...Can't... afford it..."

The pinkette stared in disbelief. He was going to die, and he knew it too. Yet he had already accepted that fact knowing how horrifying his oncoming death would be. This illness was ruthless, and when death came it was not peaceful.

Despite this Gaara not being real she couldn't bring herself to allow him to die. She had to help him, she had to save him no matter what.

Sakura tested whether or not her chakra could eliminate the bacteria on her fingertips. When she felt the blood evaporate she knew she had succeeded in her task, but now it left her with the new problem of trying to apply it to his lungs.

'It might take several treatments, if I do it all in one go the mass scale cell regeneration could kill him. He doesn't have the physical energy to withstand something like that, and even with my help the only way his body will heal is if it has enough power and resources to do so.' She frowned outwardly, but she knew what she had to do.

"...I can heal you." The pinkette murmured gently, and watched as his eyes narrowed in confusion. "I... I have a gift for healing the sick, and wounded. If you let me I can heal your lungs, and take the infection away."

Gaara continued to stare at her, but it was plain to see that any strange emotions he felt were melting away under the weight of his fatigue. He was in a harsh sweat, and he wasn't looking great. In fact his skin was beginning to look almost blue.

'He's dying.' Her heart leapt in her chest, and without asking him any further she placed her hands onto his chest. His eyes widened slightly as they began to glow, but then he started to wince in pain while sputtering out dry coughs that only resulted in a red vapor escaping him.

The redhead started writhing under her touch, groaning out in agony as she continued to plow through the destructive bacteria and wounded flesh. She tried knitting the lacerations in his lungs, but could only do so much with what physical strength he currently had.

"Damnit... I can only do about ten percent..." Sakura growled out before taking her hands away.

Gaara hunched forward to cough and heave, holding a gloved hand desperately over his chest as he caught his breath. When he realized he could breathe easier, and less blood was escaping when he coughed his widened eyes came up to stare at her in shock, and she tried to ignore the way he looked at her.

"It'll take some time, but it can be healed. Although it might take a week or two." The pinkette nodded to herself, and wiped her crimson dusted hands on her long red skirt.

He continued to sit there with his mouth agape, staring at her in absolute wonder.

"A-are... you a witch?" The redhead murmured softly, as if saying it any louder would open up the earth to let hell loose upon them.

It was an odd term, one that she had never been called before. She had heard of witches in folklore, but never considered chakra control to be witchcraft. There was no prayer to some strange earth diety, the devil, or fae goddess, it was simply a manifestation of ones own strength.

"No, I am not a witch. I simply have a gift." Sakura finally answered him, avoiding his penetrating gaze as she looked around for something to clean him up with.

Soon she discovered a small wash pail that had been collecting rainwater, and quickly went about fetching it for him. She sat next to him on her knees, reaching into the bucket, and wiping away the mixture of blood and red dust with wet hands. His eyes never left her as she went about her task, even as she attempted to pour some of the water into his mouth those cyan orbs still stared.

"Swish and spit." The pinkette ordered, and he did so without question; rinsing the left over blood and dust from his mouth before spitting the now red liquid on the ground.

She rinsed her hands, and then allowed them to glow so as to sterilize any remaining bacteria. She did this to his clothing, face, and hands as well just to be safe. He seemed to grow still in fascination as her glowing hands cleansed his once bloodied mouth of infection, and he blinked slowly in a daze.

"Let's get you home." Sakura finally let out a heavy breath that she had been holding for a long time, and started gathering his arms in an attempt to hoist him up. "I'll stay with you until the illness is cleared up, that can be your payment."

He hardly nodded as he was quickly growing weak, but she took his arm over her shoulders regardless, and began their trek back to his home.

She wondered if she would wake up soon, or whether she was stuck in a coma dream like the rest of those shinobi.

Chapter Text

Sakura made herself useful, in fact she had cleaned all of the bedding in that small home just out of necessity for cleanliness. Apparently blood on the sheets and pillow cases was a normal thing for Gaara, and she had thoroughly scolded him for it too.

Temari never said anything about the pinkette's presence in the home, in fact she simply smirked here and there while the younger woman bustled about. She had no qualms in the least, in fact it seemed like she was happy to have the help.

Bedding, clothes, towels, napkins, handkerchiefs, aprons; any type of fabric she got her hands on she washed vigorously with a bar of soap and a metal washboard. All the items were hung up to dry on a long line, and they were protected from sandy winds due to the large sage brush and juniper bushes. When she was finally done with her work she breathed a sigh of relief, noting how the sun had already reached into the late afternoon.

Dinner time was right around the corner, and despite all of her hard work she was slightly dissatisfied over the fact that she didn't do more.

Sakura trekked away from her hanging sheets and other fabrics to go back into the house, but then stopped as she heard water splashing from around the corner. As she peered around into the shadow of the house she found a familiar head of red hair, and pure porcelain skin standing up in a large metal water basin amongst three wooden walls. The open wall was clearly visible to her, as was the person washing up inside.

Just as she started to panic his head turned back to see her standing there like a complete idiot. He seemed to blink his coal rimmed eyes at her a few times, but that was the only expression she had seen before she frantically ran away from the embarassing situation.

Luckily she hadn't seen the front side of him, but unfortunately she couldn't stop seeing the burned image of his toned, unblemished backside in her retinas.

The pinkette rushed through the kitchen, and up a flight of creaky stairs until she got to the upper level. She made her way into the bedroom they had spared for her which had apparently been Kankuro's, however he was away on business.

She flopped onto the hard mattress, and wondered just what they stuffed in these things. It wasn't terribly uncomfortable, but that wasn't to say it was the opposite either. At any rate she groaned against it, and covered her head with her arms.

Well, this was a dream, it wasn't reality. What was wrong with possibly seeing a bit of Gaara's skin? It wasn't like it was his actual body or anything. Although, it was strange that her mind would be cooking him up in such a way. She never really paid attention to him before.

He was never 'unattractive' per say. Crazy, yes, but he wasn't hard on the eyes. In fact he had a bit of an exotic look to him, and his slightly feminine features were quite pleasing.

His eyes were intense as well, and despite going for boys with dark eyes she still found Gaara's to be entrancing. In her youth she found them to be frightening and animalistic, but as he calmed over the years she began to really appreciate them.

"Oh, this is so stupid!!" Sakura snapped out of her reverie and barked at herself.

It was shameful to think of him in such a way.

--- ... --- ... ---

Sitting at the dinner table that night was difficult.

The pinkette would desperately try to avoid looking at the redhead, but occasionally conversation would come up, and her manners would beat her into submission. Those cyan eyes seemed to be deeper, and far more knowing than she had ever witnessed them to be.

It had only been a two days, and yet already there was a strange feeling between them.

"So, Gaara, you're actually looking better today." Temari murmured as she nibbled at her food, and he nodded with a small smile.

"Miss Sakura has inspired me to keep trying." Gaara answered gently, avoiding everyone's eyes. "She's also quite good with home remedies--"

"That's wonderful! I just knew you'd be able to find something that works!" The blonde cheered, and started picking up empty plates before excusing herself from the table.

Gaara went to the stand with her, and even gathered his own items to hand to her. She walked over to the washbin with the dishes in tow, and a smile on her face.

The redhead sat back down with a soft sigh, although his breathing did sound a bit strained. It made the pinkette wonder just how he got sick in the first place.

"Gaara... how did you contract this illness--?"

Suddenly a metal plate clattered onto the ground, alerting Sakura to Temari's suddenly shaking demeanor. Although, Gaara seemed to ignore it.

"It was an accident." He murmured, and reached for the jug of water to pour himself a drink. "There was a girl who came to town who was sick--"

"I am not going to listen to this filth again." Suddenly the blonde practically tossed all the rest of the dishes into the wash bin, and began storming past the table eager to leave.

The redhead simply looked at the table, and then sighed as he rested his face in one hand. The pinkette had never felt so guilty for bringing up a topic.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset anyone." Sakura nearly whispered, and thankfully Gaara gave a soft laugh.

"She doesn't believe my story, and I don't blame her." The redhead took a greedy breath that was far too shallow, and she wondered if she could heal him at all tonight. "It's more common to catch this infection due to sinful acts... however such a sin never took place. I simply helped a dying girl... and that same dying girl gave me a kiss. That's all it took."

The pinkette felt her heart drop slightly. She knew that it was common to receive tuberculosis from prostitutes, and so she too thought that he might have caught it from one. It slightly saddened her to know that he had caught it from doing the right thing rather than the wrong thing.

"Your sister knows you better though. Why wouldn't she believe you?" Sakura asked, and he gave a small but sad laugh.

"Because men out here are different than they are in the cities. The need for women is dire as there are so very few of them, so it is only natural to assume that I would follow down a path that is considered 'second nature' despite my good mother's upbringing." Gaara sighed, and looked the pinkette in the eye knowingly. "And nearly no woman or man has retained their honor here, my sister included."

The pinkette blinked in astonishment, piecing together that he essentially just called out Temari for sleeping around.

"Well, I guess you and I are the odd ones out, huh?" Sakura tried to make light of the conversation, but instead got his almost unnerving attention on her.

His cyan eyes studied her for a moment, taking in all of the features he could see. It was a bit stripping, and she moved her arms to cover her chest before he remembered his manners.

"Odd. I mean no offense when I say this, but I would have assumed such a beautiful woman like you to have lost their virtue long ago. However, you did say you have a temper..." The redhead chuckled to himself, but all the pinkette could do was stare in disbelief.

'He just called me beautiful... Gaara just called me beautiful!?' Sakura shook her head back into reality, desperately telling herself that this was just a strange dream.

"Ah... forgive me. I did not mean it to insult you." He mistook her staring as offense, and gently placed his hand on top of her own. "Once again I have failed in good conversation, if ever do have a wife I am certain she will loathe my company."

The pinkette felt warmth race to her cheeks from the gentle contact from his hand, but she didn't bother to remove it.

"You're not so bad. I'm sure she will love you even at your most unpolished moments." Sakura tried for a smile, but when her eyes met his she saw a curious look in them.

"I see, you're a romantic. How intriguing." The redhead smiled genuinely then, but she couldn't understand why. "I understand it's been a popular topic lately, especially in the city. However, most people here marry out of necessity."

She didn't know why, but her face flushed even further.

"Wouldn't you like to marry for love?" The pinkette shyly asked, and watched as his smiling features lessened.

He took his hand away, and she felt a bit empty from the absence.

"I can't be choosy. I'd be happy if even a stranger would be willing to take my hand in marriage." Gaara nodded to himself before looking away with a sad expression. "I am not very desirable..."

The way he talked about himself in comparison to how he carried his stature was completely at odds. All this time she merely viewed him as a strong, albeit slightly deadpan man when in reality he was just as selfconcious as anyone else. He was a strong man, but he had a delicate heart, and for some reason that made him shine in her eyes. Like he was just that much more real.

"I don't think you're undesirable, at least not in the visual sense. Your social skills could use a bit of work." Sakura snickered slightly, but then had to avoid his doe-eyed stare. "You're handsome, you have an honorable occupation, and an even kinder heart. You would be an incredible catch."

The silence was deafening, and seemed to go on forever.

She was starting to notice just how similar this Gaara was to the one in her reality, and she wondered if he was just as self conscious and cautious in real life. He always carried himself so well, she couldn't dream of him being anything but stoic and confident--

The chair made a loud noise as he moved back from the table, forcing her to turn her gaze on him right as he went to stand.

His clothes always fit him so well here, and she kind of wished he would dress like that in her world.

"I believe I have... worn myself a bit thin tonight. I shall be retiring for the evening, please excuse me." He gave a slight bow before walking around to push in his chair, and with a long stride he hurried himself up the tall wooden stairs.

She didn't know if she had said something wrong, but the pained face that he had made had her thinking she did.

Sakura sat in silence at the now lonely table, wondering if she would ever wake up from this strange dreamworld.

--- ... --- ... ---

To have a dream within a dream was an odd thing, but to have a nightmare within a dream was worse.

She dreamed that she had been chasing Sasuke, and that he had turned evil once more. Something in the dream told her that this pain would never end, and she woke up in a cold sweat believing for a moment that it might be true.

All that work, all those tears... for nothing--

A hacking sound started coming from the room next to her own, and as she listened closely she heard wheezing and gurgling coming with it.

"Gaara..." She said his name to herself, and in an instant she was out of the bed.

Her feet ran across the floor, and her borrowed night gown billowed in the breeze she had made while getting to his door. She opened it without question, watching him in the dark room hunched over in his bed coughing and sputtering red liquid out of his lungs.

She quickly found the oil lamp on his dresser along with some flint. She struck it a few times to light the wick, and then turned the knob on the side to increase the flames illumination.

Turning around to see him looking up at her with a bloodied expression was horrifying, but she had seen just as bad in the war from internal bleeding.

Without even worrying herself over it she quickly moved over to his bed, crawling up onto it in able to get a good grip on his ribcage. His bloodied hands gripped her shoulders firmly, and his gaze had turned weary and tired. He tried speaking, but it was just too garbled with blood to make any sense of it.

Without waiting any longer her hands glowed, and every bit of blood on her hands as well as his shirt started to turn into a fine red dust. He coughed viciously, spewing out more blood along with the powder.

This was more aggressive than she had thought, already it was almost back to the state of what it had been before. She had to push harder tonight less he never get better.

Sakura gritted her teeth, and channeled a strong pulse of chakra hoping she could alleviate the bacteria by at least twenty percent. She knew she could do it, but she didn't know if he could do it.

There wasn't any other choice, she had to try.

Gaara writhed in pain under her hands, now dry coughing up red powder. It was getting everywhere, but there wasn't anything she could really do about it.

More coughing, wheezing breaths, his hands gripping her wrists hard before going soft. When his eyes started to roll back she finally stopped, and held onto his torso to keep him from tipping over.

He was out cold, but he was just barely breathing. It was too close for her comfort though, had she gone any longer she probably would have killed him.

With a few harsh pats to his back he unconsciously coughed, and his breathing got a bit better. All that was left was to wait for him to gain consciousness. In the mean time she figured that changing him out of his bloodied pajamas would be best.

She slightly snickered at the long johns, finding them to look almost like what babies would wear even though she knew it was standard for the times. The red blood splattered all over them, however, made her feel horrible.

Choking on one's blood, never getting in a breath, not being able to scream for help... what a terrifying way to go.

Her nimble fingers thumbed through the many buttons of his bloodied pajamas, eager to rid him of them as if they were the problem all along. As she got towards his groin, however, she quickly realized that undergarments did not come with the sleeping gear.

"Shit..." The pinkette knew she would have to strip him of them completely, and would just have to pray that he didn't wake up to find them halfway down his legs.

Sakura could push all feeling aside if need be, and dealing with stripping an unconscious body was second nature to her. Her mental state would change to almost a scientific level, nothing could be felt except the blaring rules and procedures going through her head.

'Remove garments from the patient, clean and prep the body...' The pinkette didn't even realized she had fully stripped him until she had the pajamas in her hands. She wrapped them up with the flat sheet to his bed, and put them in the corner of the room to tend to later. Out of modesty she dug through his drawers to find some proper undergarments for him, and quickly went about redressing his lower half. Funnily enough undergarments for men back then were an entire pant and shirt set.

"God, they must be burning all the time..." Sakura laughed a bit as she dressed only his lower half in the white button up pants. She knew she would have to clean them later, but if he needed to move throughout the house she wasn't about to transport him completely naked.

He gave some slight coughing, and she knew he was beginning to come to. She made sure all the blood that had been on her had been sterilized into a fine powder, and brushed it off herself before he could fully open his eyes.

"Sa...kura... " His voice sounded hoarse, and he went right into another coughing fit as he sat up. She patted his back roughly for a moment, and he eventually got a breath in.

"C'mon, let's get you some water, and wash the sickness off of you." Sakura helped him get to the edge of the bed and up to standing. He was terribly weak, so she threw his arm over her shoulder and helped walk him over to the stairs.

She would have brought up a bowl of water and a wash cloth, but the amount of blood was so immense that she knew he wouldn't get clean from her scrubbing him with that alone. Unfortunately he would need to get in a tub, or have water poured over him in able to get clean.

They managed to make it down the stairs, and out into the fresh night air. She sat him down on a turned over crate, and leaned him up against the wall.

"Alright, you just sit tight, I'm going to fetch a pail of water." The pinkette moved quickly into the house, leaving him to sit by himself for a moment while she went about her task.

She retrieved some towels, a clean rag, and a large pail of water before coming back out into the yard. As he stared off in front of him she got to work dipping the rag into the water, and scrubbed gently at his face and neck. She wrung out the excess onto the ground, and re-dipped the rag every so often.

Gaara seemed out of it, and woozy, but he was staying concious enough to sit up well enough. She continued scrubbing, and eventually all the blood had loosened to a point that it could be simply rinsed away. Being careful, she delicately poured the remainder of the water over his head and shoulders to rinse his face and body. He didn't have the strength to gasp from the chill, but he did end up shivering in the end.

Sakura toweled off his hair, and wrapped his shoulders before rubbing over the material vigorously to get him warm. He seemed to relax a bit under her touch, and the sound of his breath seemed much better than before.

"I'm going to go get you some fresh pajamas, I'll be right back." She assured him, and he nodded spacily.

The pinkette hurried, knowing he was going to be very cold, but upon returning to his room she realized that his mattress was unfortunately soaked in coagulated blood.

"Shit." Sakura cursed to herself, but quickly thought up the solution of letting him simply take her bed instead of going back to his soiled one.

She gathered the fresh pajamas and rushed back downstairs. Once outside she realized he had leaned back against the wall, and had closed his eyes out of weariness.

'I really took every ounce of energy out of him...' The pinkette winced, but there was nothing else she could have done. The infection had become aggressive, so her treatment would have to be just as feisty.

Without asking she went about taking off his pants once more, only this time he was just barely awake. She knew he was staring at her, but she chose to ignore it as she got the wet undergarment off and the dry long johns on. She had to maneuver him here and there, but once she got them up past his backside the rest was quite easy.

His eyes were on her, but she avoided them as she buttoned up the pajamas to his collar.

"Let's get you some water, and a bit of bread and cheese." It was then that Sakura looked up to smile at him, and didn't fail to notice how fatigued he really looked. "You need to eat and drink before going back to bed. I'm sorry, but if you don't do this your body wont have anything to run off of to continue fighting the infection."

Was bread and sharp cheese the greatest nourishment? No, but since they were the only things that really kept without refrigeration that was the only food she had at her disposal. That and jerky, but they didn't seem to have any at the moment.

She hoisted him up, and with his arm over her shoulder she nearly carried him back into the kitchen. She sat him down at the table, and went about grabbing the food she had spoke of, but had prepared them both into very small bite sizes so that he could easily chew them.

"Ah, this cheddar is well aged." The pinkette smiled as she tried handing him a piece, when it became too difficult for him to bring it to his mouth she simply took over almost like an impatient mother with her toddler. "Actually, this is going to be really good for you now that I think about it. Rich in protein, calcium, 'b' vitamins and 'k' vitamins, tyrosine--"

"Are you... a doctor...?" His naked brow furrowed as he struggled to speak, clearly confused by what she was talking about.

She gave a small laugh at him while shaking her head.

'Well... he's not wrong... but I know that's not common in this time period...' Sakura sighed to herself, feeling a bit tired from having to conform to the sexism of the current day and age she was in, but it was necessary.

"Not really, just a healer. In short what the cheese will do is help the blood clot, and give your whole body the strength to mend. That's all." The pinkette sighed once more, and tapped on his jaw so that he knew to open his mouth.

He opened his mouth cautiously, and she plopped the cheese onto his tongue before reaching for his cup of water. She waited for him to chew it completely before holding up the cup to his lips. He drank it a bit more greedily than she expected, and when she pulled away she noticed half the cup had been drained.

'I don't really blame him... his throat must feel so raw and dry now.' She refilled the cup, and continued going back and forth between feeding him food or giving him a sip of water.

Time passed slowly, but eventually everything on his plate disappeared. She lightly cleaned up his mouth with her thumb, then went over to wash her hands and the dishes in the sink.

When she came back to him again he looked like he might be ready to pass out, so she quickly went under his arm again and hoisted him out of the chair to help him walk back up the stairs.

As they went past his bedroom his head turned to look at it in confusion, but he didn't say anything as she forced him to walk over to her room instead. He stayed silent as she got him into the bed, and even as she covered him up with the blanket. She even placed a quilt over him just to make sure he kept warm for the night.

"Alright, I'm going to go clean up a bit. I'll be back in a little while to check on you, but feel free to just go to sleep." Sakura brushed some strands of red hair away from his face in show of nurturing, and with a smile she left him with the peace of mind that everything would be taken care of.

And she did. She cleaned the bedding, and remade it so that when he wanted to rest he would have fresh sheets to sleep on. She cleaned his clothes, and washed out anything else she had used in assisting him.

By the time she was finished she had gotten to be so exhausted that she curled up in his freshly made bed, and fell fast asleep.

It was rather funny when she thought about it. They had switched rooms.

Chapter Text

"Miss Sakura?" A warm voice called out to her, and she opened her weary eyes to find him staring down at her with a shocked expression. 

"Hmm?" She hummed in response, stretching her arms out after a long slumber. 

"I've seemed to have taken your bed, and you mine..." Gaara almost whispered the fact, as if it were the most taboo thing in the world. 

She peered around, and maneuvered herself into a sitting position while he quickly looked away. His reaction had her curious. 

"Forgive my intrusion, I shall leave you be." The redhead turned to leave, making her even more confused. 

"You don't need to leave, it's your room--"

"Yes, but you are not decent..." Gaara interjected, and she looked down at her nightgown as a result. 

There was honestly nothing wrong with it, the tie at the center had loosened a bit but it only showed a bit more collarbone than usual. 

"What are you talking about? It's not like I'm naked." Sakura snorted, and threw back the covers right as he turned back to say something, but stopped upon seeing her bare legs. 

The nightgown had ridden up in the night just barely over her knees, but that seemed to be enough for him to blush. 

"Forgive me, I shouldn't have turned--"

"What the heck is wrong with you? I'm not even showing my thighs..." The pinkette scoffed at him, and scooted to the edge of the bed to stretch once more.

His eyes were trained on her then, and were quite openly looking at the areas of bare skin that were hardly scandalous to her. 

"It's wrong for a man to see a lady in such a state of dress." Gaara straightened a bit, and carried a stern expression while she withered. 

"Well, I'm not upset about it, and neither should you. You're apparently getting a 'free show' out of it, so why are you complaining?" Sakura teased him, and stood up to approach his mirror. She finger combed her hair, and watched his reflection fumble for words. 

"I was raised to be polite... I'm not a barbarian..." The redhead huffed, and she couldn't stifle her next giggle. 

"No, but you're not an angel either, Mr. Gunslinger. Stop getting so uptight about seeing my ankles." The pinkette laughed then before turning around with sly smirk. "I've already seen all of you, I'm no stranger to nudity--"

"You said that you have kept your virtue..." Gaara blushed rather hard, clearly uncomfortable that she was openly talking about seeing him in the buff, but she wasn't bothered by it as much as she thought she would have been. 

"I have, but I've treated more than a few sick people, and just like in your case they tend to get dirty, and need to have their clothes removed for cleaning. Cleanliness prevents spreading disease and infection, and I'd rather risk seeing the whole world naked than having anyone else get sick." Sakura laughed once more before waltzing past him to get back to her room, and surprisingly he followed her with a storm to his step. 

"So you would rather encase yourself in sin in able to heal the sick? That sounds like a double edged sword." The redhead huffed in her doorway, clearly this little fact was beginning to bother him, but he was getting less shy around her the more she pressed his buttons. 

"Nudity is not a 'sin'. It's natural, no human baby is born 'clothed'." She searched about for her clothes, finding her red skirt along with her white blouse, and black sash. 

"Do you feel no shame?" Gaara asked with a bit of bite to his tone, and it bothered her enough to turn around with a glare. 

"The next time you practically vomit blood all over yourself I'll just leave you to wallow in it if you're so worried about my 'feminine fragility'. No need to thank me for cleaning your bedding, washing you up, clothing you, feeding you, and putting you to sleep in MY clean bed. Really, don't thank me." The pinkette didn't mean to hiss at him, but it just came out that way naturally due to frustration. 

He seemed to shrink down from it though, and he looked to the floor in shame. 

"Forgive me... I didn't mean to come off as unappreciative." The redhead turned his body away from her once more, and sighed to himself. "Clearly I am in the wrong for saying such things to you. You have been very kind, and open with me... you have my gratitude." 

There was silence for a moment, as she really didn't know what to say back to him, but eventually he left; closing the door quietly behind him. 

--- ... --- ...--- 

Night came fast with all the chores she had done. Once again she had gone about scrubbing everything down as she had really nothing else to do. 

Temari had made dinner once more, and they had sat at the table with very little chatter. He could barely look at her after what was said between them that morning. 

'Clearly he's embarassed... but I'm already over it...' Sakura sighed to herself, and stood up with her empty plate. 

It was odd, but any time she would stand up from a seated position Gaara would follow, unless he was already standing. It bothered her enough to look at him pointedly. 

"Why do you do that?" The pinkette asked him, and he blinked in response. 

"Do what--?"

"Stand up whenever I do?" Sakura pushed her question further, and a surprised look washed over his pale features. 

"It's... polite." He furrowed his naked brow in astonishment, and then laughed in an insulting way. "You're vexed with me over all of my polite behaviors... I truly don't understand it--"

"It's sexist." The pinkette crossed her arms, and Temari looked between the two curiously. 

"What on earth does that mean--?"

"It means you think I'm lesser than you, that I'm a baby that needs to be coddled all the time!" Sakura raised her voice, and slammed her hands out on the table. "My body is offensive, my thoughts and feelings are offensive, you have to hold my arm in the streets less god forbid something happens in a town a mile long!" 

"I have no clue where you got these ideas from. It is common place to escort a lady to her destination, and it is commonplace for a man to treat a lady with care, and gentleness, and respect--!"

"You're not respecting me!! I don't need to hold your hand every time I get up to grab a glass of damn water!!" She shrieked, and he stared at her in complete disbelief. 

There was a steady silence between the two, but it was then disrupted by the soft muffled giggles of Temari. The pinkette stared at the woman incredulously while the redhead clenched his jaw in bottled frustration. 

"First off, you two are fighting like a married couple." The blonde snickered, making Sakura take a step back. "Second, Gaara, just treat her like a man if that's how she wants to be treated. And Sakura, he's not trying to insult you. If anything he's trying to flatter you; it's plainly obvious that he finds you a to be marriageable woman." 

"Temari." Gaara's once kind eyes narrowed into a leer, never breaking their burning contact with the pinkette's. "I wouldn't marry this woman even if someone paid me to do it." 

The insult hit her hard, but she wasn't about to break down and cry about it. 

Out of frustration she threw back her chair, and stormed away from the dinner table. Much to her displeasure he seemed to follow every step she took. 

"Where do you think you are going--?!"

"OUT." Sakura spat as she threw open the door, walked past the empty jail cells before storming through the front door, and stomped out into the streets. 

"Fine!! Do not bother coming back--!!" As Gaara shouted after her she felt her temper rise beyond her control, and she turned with a look of utter contempt before spewing her venom. 

"Who would ever want to come home to someone like you?" Her voice was low, almost guttural when she said it, and unfortunately his anger seemed to dissolve instantly. 

He looked... hurt. As if she had just stabbed him in the heart with a white hot blade. He looked to the ground, swallowing hard with a careful expression before turning away from her. In a pained rush he stormed back inside letting the door swing shut loudly behind him. 

Such a stupid fight. She knew how stupid it was, and yet she had said such horrible things to him. Yes, she was irritated by the 'polite' way he went about things, but in this time and age it was as he said; commonplace. How could she expect him just to wash away years of cultural conditioning just to suit herself? 

Despicable was how she felt now, and in her sadness she decided to wander the streets not having the strength yet to go back and apologize to him. Her ego was just too fragile for it at the moment.

Her feet dragged through the reddish dust, and she oddly thought about his lungs. The coughing, squelching, wheezing man too weak to hold himself up...

He would definitely regress if she left him now, he would die. 

Just as she was about to turn back she heard a familiar name be squealed out in a nearby building. 

"Oh, Sasuke!! I knew you'd come back!!" 

The pinkette looked up at the saloon, hearing what could only be Ino gushing over the man that also held Sakura's affections. 

'Sasuke... here?' Her thoughts fumbled, and then her instincts kicked in.

She was running up those stairs faster than she thought possible, bursting through the swinging door to see him sitting there at the bar with a drink in his hand and Ino walking off with another customer. He looked like a dark cowboy, as all of his getup was black leather with the exception of his blood red bandanna around his neck. 

His dark eyes turned to her, as did the rest of the patrons, staring as if she were a dog walking on it's hind legs. 

"Hey lil' lady, where's your husband?" An older fellow hollered at her, and with her chin held high she walked up to the bar while ignoring him. 

"May I have some water please?" She asked Shikamaru, and with an awkward nod he went about getting her a glass. 

She could feel Sasuke's eyes on her, and she snuck a glance at him only to meet those dark orbs. 

"Would you like some whiskey with your water?" Shikamaru's voice interjected, and she turned to him with a laugh. 

"I have no money, so it'll just have to be water--"

"Whiskey is on me." The brunette took the liberty of pouring from his own bottle of whiskey into her water cup. 

She actually didn't want to drink, but perhaps this was normal here. 

"Thank you." She took a sip, and shivered from the taste. 

"The more you drink it the easier it goes down." Sasuke turned himself towards her with a smirk, and surprisingly his eyes seemed to examine her. "You're that farm girl, aren't you? Just looking for some fun in town?" 

There was something... off about him. 

"I'm wandering at the moment, my family passed away so I'm a bit lost on what to do." The pinkette took another sip, cringing a bit, but tried to stomach the flavor. 

"Well, you could get a job here I'm sure. It makes good money. Hell, Ino has the entire town in her pocket. They go to her for loans more than they do the bank." The brunette gave a dashing smile despite the disgusting suggestion, and it left her with many mixed feelings. 

"Sounds more like an uncomfortable job to me--"

"Work is work, you get money where you can." He poured more whiskey into her cup despite her not asking for any more, and she soon realized that he was trying to get somewhere with her. "You're a pretty little thing, so I bet you could take all of Ino's callers an instant--" 

"Are you one of Ino's customers?" Sakura started to hiss, but he merely laughed in response. 

"What if I am? I'd still pay good money for you--" As his hand went to touch her chin she quickly slapped it away, and gave him a dangerous glare. 

She couldn't believe the audacity he had to treat her in such a demeaning way. 

"I did not give you permission to touch me. So don't touch me." The pinkette snapped at him, and he raised a brow curiously. 

"Well now, we have a little spitfire who thinks she's a woman of class. Darling, you've got nothing to offer but the flesh on your bones, so stop holding that pretty chin of yours so high." Sasuke got off his stool to approach her while she backed away in disbelief. 

"Sasuke, leave her alone, will you? She doesn't want the job." Shikamaru spoke through his cigarette as the Uchiha continued to approach, clearly not listening to a word he was saying. 

"I think I ought to teach you some manners, girl." Suddenly he reached out to grab her arm, and out of reflex she punched him hard in the face. 

His head whiplashed from the strike, and he almost lost his balance for a moment while holding his nose. The entire bar went painfully silent, and the local pianist stopped playing his jaunty tune. 

"You stubborn little bitch." Sasuke spat some blood out of his mouth, and gave her a frightening expression she had only seen a few times in her life. 

"I told you not to touch me--!"

He grabbed her arm again, threw off her next punch, and surprisingly got a good backhand to her cheekbone forcing her to go to one knee from the impact while he kept her wrist in his painful grasp.

BANG.

The sound of a gunshot rang out, and Sasuke's bottle of whiskey on the bar exploded into a thousand pieces. She was in too much shock to turn around, especially since her arm was still caught up in his burning grip. He yanked her to her feet, and held her steady as he glared past her.

"Alright, Mr. Uchiha, that's enough for tonight." The familiar voice wandered in, his shoes clacking against the dusty wooden floorboards with a slow and calculating gate. 

The dark cowboy laughed as if it were a funny joke, then gave a sarcastic smile that made her want to punch him again.

"Heh, how about you put the gun down sheriff--?"

"Release her, and I will gladly put my firearm away." His voice was right behind her then, and it sounded so crystal clear.

A warm hand smoothed itself out on her shoulder, and she started to relax knowing it had to be his. The brunette's eyes darted between her and the hand on her shoulder, his eyes narrowing with bitterness.

"You're a tough man to bargain with. What she needs a lesson in manners." Sasuke tried pulling her closer, and she heard the cock of a hammer pull back. "The girl needs to be put in her place--"

"So do you, apparently." Gaara murmured gently, and then she saw the barrel of the gun get pressed to Sasuke's forehead.

"I am not afraid to paint this fine establishment with your blood. You know this to be true. So go back to your dancing girls, and leave this one alone--" 

"What, you got a claim on her, or something?" There was a long pause, and his grip twitched on her arm while he swallowed almost anxiously. "Never seen you so invested in a woman, sheriff. Don't tell me you're courting now. Isn't it a bit late for you to be looking for a wife?"

"You have five seconds." The redhead threatened, and as soon as he did Sasuke practically shoved her into the sheriff's arms. 

"Fine, take your stubborn ass of a woman. More trouble than she's worth." The brunette spat on the ground, making him seem much too barbaric for her liking. "She's an ornery one, a perfect woman for you. By the way, how is it getting sick from your first whore? I've heard you haven't been feeling so good, sheriff." 

Snickers, heckling, and fox whistles errupted throughout the room, and she turned back to see the redhead looking apathetic. She wondered if any of them knew the truth, or if they all just came up with their own assumptions. At any rate she made it a point to reach for his hand, and held it confidently as he stared down the man in front of him.

"How about those lungs of yours? Finding it a bit difficult to catch your breath--?"

"Clearly I can breathe just fine." Gaara took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly for show. But she could see his throat twitching just the slightest. 

He wasn't wearing his coat today to block the salon's smoke, and yet he seemed to be baring the burden flawlessly. He had been healing nicely.

"Yeah, you're a dead man walking. I can smell the sick on you. Consumption. " Sasuke grinned wickedly, and she felt she couldn't take it any longer. 

She officially hated this Sasuke, he was a brash, and selfish monster. An utter barbarian, and nothing like the Sasuke she knew back home. The Sasuke she knew had a lot more honor than this bastard. 

At that moment she wanted nothing more than to shove whatever she could in his arrogant face. 

The pinkette took Gaara's cheek, and turned his head to face her so that she could place a kiss on the corner of his lips. The redhead blinked, and had to do a double take in able to ingest what had happened, but as his searching eyes found hers she gave him a cheerful, and coy smile. She could practically hear the brunette's jaw drop as he gave a scoff. 

"You just dug your own grave! Do you not understand that he's got sick on him?!" Sasuke barked up a storm, but she payed his pointless yipping no mind. "He has consumption, and now you're going to catch it--!"

"I don't care." Sakura glared at him, then turned back to the shocked redhead with a warm smile. "I'll take whatever he has over what I would be provided here." 

His cyan eyes blinked a few times, but then a knowing smile appeared before he looked back at the man harassing them. He narrowed his eyes smartly, but said nothing as he guided Sakura gently by the hand. They walked together in silence while Sasuke spat out a few more insults that went on deaf ears. They walked confidently past the other stunned patrons, and exited the bar without issue. 

As soon as they were halfway down the dirt road she started to laugh, then she was nearly skipping next to him. 

"Did you see his face!! He almost peed his pants!! He was so pissed, but that's what he gets for being a gross pervert like that--!!"

A sudden tug on her arm had her halting in her glee, and the smile on her face quickly turned to concern as he began to cough and sputter for air. 

Thankfully no one was around, and once again she was able to pull him aside over by one of the horse stables. He continued to hack, and gurgle as blood started to come out again. 

The red splattered against his hand, dripping past his fist while her heart sunk.

"Gaara, it's okay. You're going to be okay..." Sakura hushed him, and sat him down on a hay bale while she put her now glowing hands to his chest. 

He had been holding it back the entire time he was in there, how he was able to control the coughing was beyond her, but he had managed to keep it contained while in the smokey saloon. All because he wanted to appear stronger than what he was, and she couldn't help but think that he could have avoided all of that had she just been more understanding with him. More accepting. 

Now he was starving for fresh air, and couldn't get a breath in. 

She burned through the bacteria and lacerations once more, and watched as more red dust was hacked out of his mouth. It was a lot, and she was able to get quite a bit more than she usually could due to his renewed strength. But eventually he got to a point where he started to grow fatigued, so she stopped the process for him to catch his breath. 

This time he tipped forward, and rested his head against her shoulder. A few small coughs sputtered out of him, but thankfully it wasn't too much to cause him any more problems. She could feel a sheen of sweat form over his skin, and knew that he was burnt out. She would have to be more careful with him, and try to keep him from exerting himself. 

Sakura allowed him to rest against her, she even went so far as to rub his back, and placed a gentle hand to his now sweaty hair. 

"You're going to be alright, I won't let you die like this." The pinkette murmured softly, and soothed him as if he were a frightened child. Rocking him gently into a calmer state. 

"I'm... sorry for insulting you... I never meant to..." Gaara spoke breathlessly, and she hushed him in response. 

"I overreacted... so no, I should be the one apologizing." Sakura gave a few careful pets to his head, and sighed. "And... what I said when I left... I didn't mean it. I swear I didn't mean it." 

He said nothing back, but the action of his arms coming up to hold her waist told her the he had already forgiven her for it. She blushed at the action, but allowed it regardless of the butterflies it gave her.

They stayed that way for a while, but then the soft rumble of thunder interrupted their sweet moment. 

"The spring rain is going to start soon... it's about time." The redhead sighed, and pushed himself away from her to right his posture. "In a couple days we'll go out, and check on your farm. Surely you should have a few animals left alive that will need help with the oncoming monsoon." 

Sakura blinked at the thought, not knowing whether or not her 'farm' actually had any living animals, but she knew it would be nice to have help in caring for them if she did. 

With a nod she agreed, and helped him stand when he tried to do it by himself. He gave a pitiful laugh, but accepted her assistance nonetheless. 

It was funny, he didn't once say anything against her hoisting him back home, despite the fact that it was 'unladylike'. 

It made her smile.

Chapter Text

They were drenched, and caked in mud by the time they returned home. Sakura had helped walk him up the porch steps when she noticed that they would be tracking in a substantial amount of water and mud if they continued further.

She thought hard on it, and with a sigh she guided him back down the steps.

"What's wrong?" Gaara asked, his eyes squinting from the downpour.

"We can't track in all that mud, we'll go around back." The pinkette began guiding him around the building, and luckily there was a basket of laundry that she had taken down before dinner right inside the back door. "Perfect! Alright, let's strip down--"

"What?" The redhead blinked incredulously at her, but she simply laughed it off.

"It's fine! I've already seen you naked, it's no big deal." Sakura opened the door, and pulled out the basket of clean undergarments. She filed through them until she came across his particular set, and shook them out.

"We're not clean, and those are clean." Instead of arguing with her over the matter of modesty he instead chose a more logical approach.

It made sense, and she had to think for a moment on a solution.

"I've got it!" Leaving the basket under the protection of the overhang that shielded the back porch she hurried back out into the rain.

She found the wash buckets she had used earlier for washing clothes, and found that they had been refilled with rain water. Taking one pail in each hand she quickly made her way back to the porch, and handed him a bucket.

"Strip down, rinse off, and then get dressed. Problem solved." Sakura smiled at him as she went about doing the task herself.

The pinkette didn't care if he could see the undergarments that came with her dress, they were just white cotton pants that came to her knees anyways. She started untying her blouse when two pale hands stopped her, and she flicked her jade eyes up to see his cyan ones looking at her with a pleading expression.

A million thoughts seemed to go through his head, at first it seemed as if he was dreading the thought of her changing in front of him, but as his hands held hers right above her soaked chest his heart seemed to change. He stared at where their hands met with a far away look to his eyes, as if he had entered a dream.

Why she felt like pushing him she couldn't say, but her hand started to continue its pull of the strings until the blouse opened to show her sternum. At first he blinked curiously at the action, and she wondered if he had now convinced himself that looking at her was something he now desired--

Suddenly he snapped out of the daze, and quickly turned away from her with a tight breath.

"I-I'm going for a walk." Gaara tried walking down the steps, but was clearly too fatigued to do even that, and on the last step he went down to one knee in the mud.

With a roll of her eyes she stomped down those same steps, then circled around in front of him. She put her hands on her hips in a display that clearly meant she was not happy with what he was doing.

"Stop getting shy about this--"

"I'm not!!" The redhead snapped back at her with a bitter expression, but it was clear that he was embarassed.

She didn't have time for this, it was cold now and they were going to catch death if they both didn't get inside soon. With a huff she squatted down in front of him, and reached for the buttons of his shirt without asking.

"What are you doing-?!"

"Getting you into some dry clothes!" Sakura growled as she worked her way swiftly through the buttons.

The redhead blinked owlishly, but didn't move to stop her as she started roughly pulling at the tucked in shirt once it was open. He even bent his body however she needed in able to get the garment off. She gave the same treatment to his boots, roughly tugging them off before throwing them up onto the porch.

When she looked up to gauge how he was feeling she noticed him staring at her far more intently than he ever had before. His eyes traced over her face, neck, shoulders, and chest repeatedly; even as she forced him to move up the stairs to sit on the porch he continued to look her over.

Her hands messed with the fastenings to his high waisted pants, opening them up to reveal the soaked white cotton underneath. She started tugging the charcoal pants down, not failing to notice how the underwear he wore seemed to cling to his skin in a way where she could see everything.

Something about this was different from before. This time he was truly awake, and he could clearly undress himself yet she was impatient and did the task for him. Now that his pants where being pulled off his ankles she realized her mistake, and she understood now why he was staring at her so hard.

Perhaps she would have been better off at the saloon, at least there this task wouldn't have felt so strange.

"Um... I'll let you do the rest." Sakura felt an intense heat go to her cheeks, and she tried walking past only for him to stop her with a firm grip to her delicate wrist.

"You need to change as well, don't you?" Gaara gave a light tug, and for some odd reason she allowed him to pull her down onto the step with him.

Her eyes couldn't make contact with his intense ones, and her breath hitched as he reached for the knot of her red sash. A few careful tugs, and the fabric released; slipping away the red as if pulling the string from a spinning top.

Her gaze flicked up only for a moment to find his concentrated sights on her waist. His fingers traced the line of her skirt, searching for the strings that kept the fabric tight to her frame. Porcelain hands pulled gently on a bow, loosening the fabric enough to peel it away from the damp body underneath.

Leaving her in only her soaked blouse, and cotton pantaloons, the pinkette felt incredibly bare in front of him. She knew that they clung to her frame giving him a view of her entire form underneath, so she crossed her arms around herself to try to bring back some of her modesty. In that moment he seemed to awaken again from his dream, and guilt washed over his features as he looked away.

There was an awkwardness between them now, and yet she also wished that there wasn't.

"My apologies, I... have been too forward with you, and my behavior has been egregious." The redhead closed his eyes with a sigh, and then turned to carefully walk up the stairs. "I'll finish up... then you can follow without having to deal with any eyes watching you."

Sakura didn't respond, all she could do was look out in front of her as the rain came crashing down around her. She trembled from the cold and wet, and breathed heatedly through her mouth as she pulled her knees to her chest.

She listened to a splash of water, and the soft scratching of the wicker basket against the wooden floorboards. There was a pause, and then a creaking noise as he entered the home; letting the door clack lightly behind him as it hit the frame.

"What am I doing?" The pinkette blurted out, her eyes blinking away the cool water that attempted to fill them.

She never could find an answer.

--- ... --- ... ---

Sakura had gotten into her nightgown once she had retreated to her room. She knew she had to talk this over with him, and took the big step of going to his room to apologize. When he was not there she felt a bit lost, then wandered her way through the dark and stormy home.

She padded her way to the living room, finding that there was a warm light she could follow. Upon entering she found him on a settee, reading a book by the light of a bright fire in the fireplace. It was warm, and her skin still felt frozen so she came up to the sofa while wringing her clammy hands.

"...Hi." She murmured quietly, and he looked up from his book with a vacant expression.

"Good evening, miss Sakura." He aimed for the ultra polite, and it somewhat hurt her.

"I feel like we're closer than that. You don't have to put 'miss' in front of my name." The pinkette looked into the fire then, unable to handle the way he stared at her now.

With a sigh he sat up straight, and placed his book on a side table.

"It would be inappropriate for me to not put that honorific in front of your name. We are not family, or anything of the like." Gaara spoke sternly, but gently all the same.

With a huff she took a seat next to him, and didn't fail to notice the way he clenched up by her proximity.

"What do you mean by 'anything of the like'?" Sakura grumbled, and from the corner of her eye she saw him smile a bit.

"Meaning you are not my wife, nor my fiance." When he said that her eyes met with his, and found a bit of mirth to their depths. "Even if we were say... courting, I would still refer to you as 'miss' Sakura."

The pinkette gave a groan of frustration, slumping further into her seat while he gave a small chuckle.

"Manners really do bother you..." He shook his head with a smile, but also let himself relax.

She locked eyes with him once more, and focused on how the flames from the fire danced in their depths.

"I hate it." She smirked while he gave an honest laugh, and enjoyed a true smile gracing his features. "Do you think you can... 'relax' the whole politeness thing? Or is that impossible?"

The brilliant smile faded into a small smirk of the lips, and his eyes narrowed before looking away towards the fire.

"Are you asking me if I can be rude--?"

"No, I'm asking if you can be normal. Just... not worry about who we are as people, but instead just focus on enjoying our time together." Sakura also looked towards the fire, and didn't catch his sideways glance at her.

There was a long pause, allowing them to listen to the popping of wood, and hissing of the flames.

"I already do enjoy our time together." The redhead murmured, and as the words hit her ears she felt a blush working it's way across her cheeks. "In all honesty, miss Sakura, you're the only woman I have openly fought with... and the only woman outside of my family that I've been afraid to lose."

The pinkette felt her heart start to race, and she didn't even know if this was a confession or not. However, his next words helped her understand him completely.

"Miss Sakura, have you thought seriously about marriage?"

Sakura's eyes widened as they stared at the fire, and as the silence between them continued she finally felt the urge to look at him. His eyes were on her, but in a way that she was not used to. She had never seen the Gaara from her world make eyes at anyone, and yet here he was throwing that admiring gaze her way.

"... I...." She tried to speak, but found the words stuck in her throat. When they wouldn't release she found him forming a small smile.

"Perhaps your parents never pressed you for it. However, I highly recommend you look into possible suitors. Especially with you being the only living owner of that land, taking care of it by yourself could be nearly impossible. You would be best either finding a husband, and starting a family there to care for the farm; or perhaps even selling the land, and moving into town."

The redhead made the conversation as professional as possible, but all she could do was stare at him with owlish eyes.

"Also, if you plan on selling the land before moving here, finding a husband may still be a good option. If he has any business experience he could help double your money, or provide you with a comfortable life regardless of your own assets. I suggest investing in mines. There is a great number of ores in this area, ready and waiting to be discovered." Gaara nodded to himself, and looked back at the fire.

She was both intrigued, and weirded out by the conversation. It were as if no love was going through his mind in relation to marriage.

"I want to marry for love, not for money or anything else." Sakura blurted out, and watched as he slowly turned his head towards her again with a curious expression.

"Whose to say you won't fall in love after marriage--?"

"Yes, Gaara. Whose to say I won't fall in love after marriage, with a different person?" The pinkette argued, and watched him give a soft laugh.

"Point taken. However, you should really try to keep your adulterous ways a secret. Contrary to how we live around here, it's still a sin." The redhead pointed upwards towards the ceiling, and she realized he was pointing up in the religious sense.

"You're a religious man?" Sakura scoffed while a smirk formed on his lips.

"If I were religious I know where my place would be, and I like to not ponder too long over hellfire." Gaara chuckled to himself.

"So you're a 'sinner', yet you try to act all proper. Telling me I need a husband--"

"I never said you need a husband. I merely recommended it." He interjected, and she felt herself beginning to once again steam over.

"Yeah? Well you need a wife to keep your stubborn ass in line!" The pinkette snapped at him, but deflated once she heard him give a hearty laugh instead of getting riled up like he usually did.

"Perhaps you're right. Unfortunately I have no talent in the romantic sense. I've never tried to win anyone's affections before, and I find myself at a loss over how to even begin." The redhead sighed, and looked back at the fire.

She watched him instead of the flames, and noticed then just how nice his facial features were. He was terribly handsome, and it felt strange that it took her so long to realize that.

"Start by telling them what you like about them. That's always nice." Sakura sighed as she watched the light dance off the high points of his face. "I like the dark circles around your eyes. They make me think of pretty clouds of smoke."

He turned towards her then, raising a naked eyebrow at the compliment.

"I also like how pale your skin is, it always looks really polished and clean. You have a nice sounding voice, too. It's deep, but it's also not too deep... kind of breathy." The pinkette felt heat hit her cheeks the longer his intense eyes stared at her, and she felt she had to turn away from him to hide.

"Your hair is a really bright red color, like maple leaves. A-And even though you're not too much taller than me your body is still proportional. In fact, I like that you're not super tall... it makes me feel a little less intimidated by you. Although, your appearance is striking enough to make up for it--"

"Miss Sakura," He began, and she felt herself holding in a breath. She felt something warm cover her hand, then grasp it gently. "Thank you. I appreciate your gracious compliments."

As he squeezed her hand she let out a small squeak, and nodded quickly in acknowledgement.

Then his mouth clicked open, as if he had just noticed something.

"Turn towards me, please." Gaara murmured.

Sakura swallowed hard, nearly trembling as she turned to face him, but then her trembling stopped as he leaned towards her with a concerned expression.

"Your eye..." The redhead frowned as he gingerly touched her face, and right as his fingers barely dusted over her skin she felt a tinge of pain. "I should have come after you sooner. I apologize... it must be smarting by now."

She remembered earlier in the evening, Sasuke had struck her with the back of his hand. She hadn't really thought anything of it until now, and she felt slightly embarrassed that she hadn't healed it sooner.

"Ah, it's okay! I'll fix it." The pinkette gave him a winning smile, then brought her fingers up to the wound. She concentrated on speeding up the cell turnover, and successfully rid the area of the bruise. "See? All better!"

Gaara blinked at her wildly at first, but then gave her a relieved smile. He shook his head at her, but chuckled all the same.

"You're truly a remarkable woman, miss Sakura--"

"It's just Sakura, I told you to chill out with the 'miss' stuff." Sakura huffed, but then noticed his eyes narrow with a knowing expression.

"You already know the terms of which a first name only basis is made. So unless you plan on accepting a marriage proposal from me you will remain 'Miss Sakura'." The redhead teased, forcing her to blush and pout. "So, what will it be then?"

At that she straightened, not realizing that he was actually throwing out the option.

'No, he's just joking.' She thought to herself.

"You're not actually asking me to marry you... are you?" The pinkette laughed at first, but when he said nothing she felt that laugh wilt away.

His eyes were so hypnotic, and his features were incredibly striking when lit up by the light of a dying fire. The room was growing darker, and his body was leaning towards her.

He kissed the corner of her mouth, then pulled away with a shy smile.

"Good night, miss Sakura."

Gaara stood up then, and walked off towards the stairs to retire for the evening

Sakura held her hand over her racing heart, and let out a breath she had been holding for a while.

"He's joking. He's just kidding..."

'....'

'Isn't he...?'

Chapter Text

"Do I have to wear this?" Sakura held onto the open door frame for balance as Temari pulled on the strings of her corset. 

"If you're going to be wearing a nice dress for church then you'll have to wear a corset. Did your mother not have a corset to pass down to you?" The blonde sighed as she adjusted the strings with rough tugs. 

"No. I've never worn one in my entire life!" The pinkette gritted her teeth, and tried to get a breath in only to feel her lungs fill only halfway. "Loosen it--!!" 

"Fine, but don't blame me if the dress doesn't fit right." Temari huffed. 

At first Sakura was looking at the door frame, but out of the corner of her eye down the hall she saw something appear. As her eyes darted to the movement she saw him come out of his room, adjusting his black tie instead of studying his surroundings. 

"Temari, I can't seem to get this right." He approached them, still looking at the tie rather than looking upwards. 

The pinkette studied his Sunday outfit, enjoying the array of jewel tones he sported. Brown pants, a burgundy vest with black trim over a white dress shirt, and a beautiful evergreen jacket; he had never looked so... stunning. He reminded her almost of stained glass, if one could think of anything to compare it to. 

"Gaara, you'll have to wait your turn. I'm busy at the moment." The blonde huffed behind Sakura as she readjusted the strings. 

Cyan eyes looked up, and his entire body froze a mere two feet away. His gaze flittered around her body for a while, and while the pinkette allowed for it his sister didn't seem to approve. 

"Gaara!" Temari snapped at him, and he flinched as if he had awoken from a dream. 

Sakura didn't know what the problem was, he had seen her wearing just her undergarments before. The only difference now was that she was sporting a corset. 

"I-it's fine, Temari." The pinkette turned around, taking the strings away from the blonde to quickly tie in a knot. "I'll finish up. You two just go downstairs, I'll meet you in a bit." 

Sakura gave Temari a gentle push out of her room, and her eyes met with the redhead's. He was blinking at her still a bit stunned, and it was enough to make her snicker before closing the door. 

She could hear Temari giving him an earful, probably dragging him away by the coat sleeve no doubt. 

The pinkette went about putting on the different layers of the elaborate deep red dress with black trim. The sleeves were long, and no part of her collar bone would show with the high neck. It felt heavy, and there were so many buttons her fingers were aching by the end of it all.

She looked at herself in the mirror, noticing the way Temari had made an elaborate braided bun to pull up her hair. Sakura didn't know how she felt about the whole getup, but she had to try to blend in. 

The pinkette put on her black dress boots, and with a sigh she made her way out the door. She passed the windows, still noticing how wet, and rainy it was outside. Lost in her thoughts she traveled down the staircase, and the sounds of the two siblings bickering filled her ears. 

"Mother did not raise you in a barn! I have never seen you eye a woman that way, not even the dancing girls at the saloon! You should feel ashamed of yourself!" Temari continued to scold her younger brother as she stormed about the living room gathering their coats and hats. 

"Forgive me, dear sister. I don't know what I was thinking--" 

"It was clear what you were thinking!" The blonde snapped, shoving an umbrella into his arms. "At least find the decency to propose to her before you start foaming at the mouth!" 

Sakura waited on the staircase, not wanting to interrupt their argument. She could tell that Gaara felt guilty, and in all honesty she wanted to comfort him. Temari didn't need to give him that much grief over it. 

"I'm going on ahead, you can wait here to escort Sakura to the chapel, and apologize again while you are at it." The blonde straightened proudly, and walked out the front door with her parasol at the ready. 

Sakura watched through the windows as she stormed away from the house, leaving just her and Gaara alone. With a deep exhale she stepped out from the stairwell, the clacking of her boots alerting the redhead as she closed the distance to him. He turned around with a stony expression, but then once again seemed to be shocked by her appearance. 

"She had you wear... red?" Gaara murmured in what she assumed was supposed to be an inner thought. "I mean-- you look lovely today, miss Sakura." 

Suddenly he took her hand, and kissed the top of her bent fingers before handing it back to her. She gave an anxious giggle from the action, and started swaying on her feet. 

"You look nice too. I like the colors." Sakura motioned up and down towards his outfit, and he gave a soft chuckle. 

"I'm glad you approve." The redhead gave a warm smile, but it didn't take long for it to fall. "I apologize for earlier. What I did was terribly rude--"

"Gaara, it's fine. Really." The pinkette took his hands before he could turn away from her in shame. Their eyes met, and he blinked incredulously at her. "You're a young man, I'm not going to expect you to keep your eyes off me all the time." 

At that he had to look away, but a gentle blush dusted his cheeks. She gently touched the flushing skin, and watched curiously as the shade deepened. 

"We've seen a lot of each other too, so I wouldn't listen so much to what Temari said. If I'm fine with you looking at me then that should be it. I'm fine with it, you may look to your hearts content. You have my permission." Sakura smiled brightly for him, but it didn't seem to make the situation any better. 

If anything he only seemed to get worse. 

"Shall we go then?" Gaara held out his arm without looking at her, and she took it hesitantly. 

'Did I say something wrong?' The pinkette's brows furrowed in dissapointment, but she said nothing. 

He guided them to the church, all under the safety of an umbrella. She made sure to lift her skirt to keep it from getting muddy.

When they got to the chapel it was all very strange. Sit, stand, sing, pray, sing, read from the bible, wash and repeat. It was all very elaborate, and the last time they sat she gave a small tired huff finding it hard to breathe. 

She heard him give a whispery laugh, and turned her head to see him smiling. It was infectious, and she couldn't help herself from reaching for his hand to communicate how much that little laugh meant to her. 

His head turned to look at the sudden touch, then his eyes rose up to look into her own. Curious at first, but the expression slowly shifted to something she couldn't read. However, his fingers laced with hers before his eyes turned forwards once again. 

His hands were soft, and throughout the remainder of the sermon she found herself stroking the marble smooth skin with her thumb. Her eyes would dart to his face now and again, sometimes catching him looking at their hands. 

When the sermon ended she almost asked him to stay seated, but instead she kept quiet, and took his arm like she was expected to. As they walked he would be occasionally stopped, and asked how he was doing or how his work was by other locals. She didn't know these people, so she simply zoned out during the conversations. 

"And who might this lovely woman be, Gaara?" The familiar voice of Naruto chimed in her ears, and she instantly perked up at the sound. "I didn't think I'd ever see the day that such a beauty would be on your arm." 

He approached in a standard black suit with a grey vest, Hinata at his side wearing a soft white and purple dress. The redhead instantly warmed, clearly he liked Naruto here just as much as he did back home. 

"This is miss Sakura, she owns a farm about three miles out, but has come into town due to unfortunate circumstances." Gaara answered for her, and while she knew it was normal for that to happen here she still felt a bit miffed over it. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Sakura stuck out her hand roughly for a handshake, making the blonde in front of her blink in surprise. 

"Uh... yes! It's a pleasure to meet you, too." Naruto shook her hand with a careful grip, so she made sure to tighten hers, and make the handshake her own before pulling away. "You have a surprisingly strong grip there, miss Sakura."

"If you think my handshake is strong, wait till you see how hard I punch." The pinkette gave a slightly forced laugh, and didn't fail to notice Gaara pinching the bridge of his nose. 

The blonde, on the otherhand, thought this was hysterical; and made it thoroughly known through his haws that he was amused. 

"You sure are a delight!" Naruto laughed it up, then gave a reassuring pat to Gaara's shoulder. "Perhaps we should all get together to play cards soon. I have this terrific bottle of absinthe imported from France, should make for a great evening--"

"You know I don't care for the drink." The redhead sighed, and recieved an even harder smack in the shoulder.

"And you know I wont take no for an answer! You are going to have to show this lovely lady all of your flaws before asking for her hand." The blonde winked, then gave a light bow in Sakura's direction. "May you have a pleasant day!" 

The pinkette didn't know how to respond, so she gave a light bow back which apparently made Naruto laugh further before taking Hinata with him on his merry way. 

Gaara said nothing as they made their way outside, and she thought that he might be angry with her--

"Well well, don't you clean up real nice?" 

He stopped before she did, but they both felt the same amount of revulsion go through them at the sound of Sasuke's voice. 

"Good afternoon, Mr. Uchiha." The redhead started out polite, and turned both of them to face the brunette head on. "Wonderful sermon we had today--"

"I know that dress isn't yours." Sasuke rudely reached out to touch one of the spoofed sleeves. "Guess sleeping with the sheriff has it's perks." 

Suddenly his hand was smacked away from her, by Gaara no less. The redhead was sporting a truly livid expression, and it would have had any normal person scared out of their wits. 

But Sasuke merely smiled. 

"Did I strike nerve, Sheriff--?"

"You will apologize to her this instant." Gaara growled out lowly. 

Sakura looked around, and saw a few people stop and stare at the two. Then a few more stopped to watch the show. 

"I don't apologize to whores." Sasuke purred as he looked her way. 

His smug face didn't last long, as he was swiftly punched right in the mouth; taking them both straight to the ground. The pinkette blinked as she watched the redhead go wild, throwing punches like a madman while the brunette gave a crazed laugh with each strike. 

It wasn't until she heard the people around her start shrieking did she finally kneel down to get him to stop. 

He was covered in dirt, and blood, but she knew it wasn't his own. He looked at her with his naked brows furrowed, as if asking her why she stopped him, but then he quickly became aware of all the frightened people surrounding them. 

"I'm only going to say this once, Uchiha. If you ever insult her that way again I will personally put you in a jail cell for a week." Gaara rose up to his feet, and took a few breaths while glaring at the barely conscious man on the ground. 

With a few tugs of his arm she managed to pull him away from the scene, and no one seemed to follow them as they hurried back to his house.

When they entered she saw Temari serving Shikamaru tea in the living room, and they both looked up curiously from their individual tasks. She gasped in horror, reminding the pinkette that they were covered in mud. 

"What in God's name--!?!" 

"I'll clean them, Temari." Sakura urged first, and watched as the woman withered before her. "I swear they will look like new when I am done. I apologize for the inconvenience." 

Sakura bowed her head quickly, and guided Gaara with her to the stairs. He trekked up behind her in a daze, and the others said nothing more about it. 

"Alright... go ahead and change. I'll meet you out here once we're both done." The pinkette tried forming a smile for him, but it didn't seem to ease him at all. 

They went their separate ways, and once in her room she gave a frustrated groan. She spacily went about changing her clothes, and she managed to get down to her corset when she noticed something crucial. 

She had tied it in a ridiculous knot, and with her hands behind her back she found she couldn't untie it. 

There was a soft knock at her door, and with a sigh of relief she opened it. He stood there looking awkward at first, but then as his shock set in he simply blinked at her wide eyed. 

"I need help getting out of this thing." Sakura didn't ask him to come in, she simply pulled him in by his fresh dress shirt before closing the door behind them. "I have a knot in this damn corset, can you get it out for me?" 

She turned around to present her back to him, and was surprised to hear him swallow hard. 

"I can grab Temari..." Gaara started to say, and as he tried walking past she quickly grabbed hold of him. 

"No, she's with Shikamaru right now. Just help me out of this thing!" She presented her back to him again, but this time she actually felt him touch at the strings. 

She felt some light tugging, and then a firm tightening tug that pushed out some of her breath. Sakura put her hands out to catch herself on the wall, and gasped for air. 

"I can't... breathe..." The pinkette huffed, and started to feel a bit faint. There was more tugging behind her, and suddenly the corset was free. 

She took a deep breath of air, but when the oxygen hit her lungs she felt an intense head rush. Her body started to slump backwards, but luckily he caught her. 

"Miss Sakura, are you alright?" Gaara held her upright, but when she couldn't get a proper word in he quickly scooped her into his arms. 

Her head rolled against his collar, the room spinning as he laid her out on the bed before sitting on it's edge. He brushed her bangs from her eyes gently, and with a feather soft touch he stroked her cheek. 

"I've never seen any woman react to a corset like that. It's as if you have never worn one--"

"I... haven't..." Sakura puffed her breaths as the spinning room started to slow. 

She focused on the gentle touches to her face, and closed her eyes to focus on them and her breathing. He was always so careful with her. 

The touch dragged down to her throat, forcing her to open her eyes to look at him. He seemed to be entranced by her skin, and thoughtlessly touched at her neck and collarbone. 

"It's a shame you can't properly wear it. I've never seen a woman look as beautiful as you do while wearing one." The redhead's fingers traced over her sternum, just barely touching the ties to her undershirt with an almost innocent curiosity. 

The pinkette blushed hard, realizing that what he had said was a rather forward compliment. As his fingers danced along the tie holding the neckline of her top together she anxiously shifted beneath the touch, but he didn't snap out of it like he usually did. 

No, instead his hairless brows furrowed, and he pulled at the tie with more determination than she had ever seen from him before. 

"Gaara--" She gasped at his boldness, and quickly covered her chest to keep the fabric from loosening any further. 

Towards that reaction he looked up, and locked eyes with hers. He seemed serious, and so focused on her that she had to look away. 

"Sakura..." His voice was soft, but it was still intimidating. "If you don't want this from me, please say so." 

The pinkette tucked her legs up to guard herself more, and shivered as he went to reach further for the opening of her blouse.

"Please, stop." Sakura whispered fearfully, but immediately felt guilt as he pulled away with a disheartened expression. 

She didn't want him to feel bad about approaching her when she knew that it took a great deal of courage just for him to act so boldly. 

"Gaara..." Before he could fully pull his hand away she grabbed hold of it, and held it lovingly in her palms. "I'm not upset... it's just too much right now..." 

His brows furrowed as he ingested the comment, and when she went to let go of his hands she noticed him wince. She looked down to see that his knuckles were still bloody from earlier, and she realized with horror that he had injured them in the fight. 

"I'm so sorry..." The pinkette whispered, and began healing the torn skin around his bleeding knuckles. 

She didn't know what she was apologizing for, but it didn't seem to matter. He merely nodded in return, and examined his healed hand as she reached for the other injured one. The skin healed up nicely, as if the fight had never happened. Sakura sighed with relief, but then frowned as he stood up without a word. 

The pinkette tried to open her mouth to say something, but he in left in a rush. She frowned at the door that closed behind him, and with a tired sigh she went to find her normal attire to wear for the rest of the day. 

She wished things could just be easier between them. 

--- ... --- ... ---

The clothes were easier to wash than she thought, that and she was eager to have a distraction. Although, it could only do so much. 

'What are my feelings for him?' Sakura asked herself as she made a clothes line underneath the safety of the porch roof. She hung up all the garments she had washed, and sighed. 'I get butterflies around him... but I know I shouldn't. What is this feeling? Do I actually like him?' 

The pinkette looked off into the darkness and rain, just barely seeing the lit up town due to their poor lighting. 

'Does he... does he actually like me?' Sakura thought of him walking straight towards her from the distance, and she sighed again. 'Could he... love me--?' 

The pinkette blinked her eyes, finding that there actually was someone walking towards her in the dark. As they came closer she realized it was Gaara, but he seemed off.

"Eh? I thought he was inside..." Sakura stood up, and brushed off her skirt right as he came storming up the wooden steps. "Uh... Gaara?" 

The redhead ignored her, and charged into the house sopping wet. She was hot on his heals now, ready to give him a lecture as he made his way to the jail in the front of the home. Most of the time they went through the side or back, but clearly something bad was happening now. 

"Gaara, what are you...?" The pinkette watched as he grabbed his pistol off the desk, and began loading it with six rather large bullets. "What are you doing?" 

"I'm going to kill that sidewinding bastard, Shikamaru." Gaara hissed venomously. 

Sakura felt all the blood drain from her face, and as he turned towards the door with the gun loaded she nearly shrieked in protest. 

"GAARA, NO!!" The pinkette clung to his wet shirt, no longer caring about whatever had been going on between them. "You can't do that!! Temari will--"

"Temari is the whole reason why I am going to kill him!" He shrugged off her hold, and walked out confidently into the pouring rain. 

Sakura ran out after him. 

"Gaara, I'm begging you! Please stop!" The pinkette stood in front of him with her arms outstretched, her entire form getting drenched from the downpour. 

"Sakura, get out of my way." Gaara spoke low, and threateningly, but she shook her head regardless. "If you do not move, I will make you move!" 

"She loves him, Gaara!!" Sakura argued, but watched him snear. 

"That makes her even more of a fool--!"

"If she's an fool for being in love, then I guess I'm included in that as well!!!" The pinkette screamed, and watched him breathe sharp breaths.

He took a step to get past her, but she quickly embraced him while frantic sobs left her throat. 

"Gaara... I'm begging you.... please stop... please, do it for me." Sakura cried desperately, holding him so tightly she figured it probably hurt him. 

She couldn't hear him breathing, but she could definitely hear the rain. As thunder struck in the sky she felt the drops grow larger and more dense. The sound was loud around her, and yet it was the most peaceful sound in the world. 

When two strong arms closed around her she decided to cry even harder. As her fingers dug into his vest she felt him also gripping firmly along her frame. She could hear him breathing shallow in her ear, then felt his hand tangle in her hair. 

"I'll do it... but only because you asked it of me..." Gaara croaked into her soaked hair, gripping further at her smaller body. 

"Thank you..." The pinkette relaxed in his grip, breathing in the scent of fresh rain air while she continued to embrace him. 

It was over, everyone was safe. Thank goodness. 

The redhead pulled back slightly, and her eyes blinked out the water attempting to fill them. She could just barely see his eyes in the dark, and yet she felt as if she couldn't. 

She needed him closer, she needed to see him more clearly--

Soft pillows pressed against her lips, startling her. Her breath was caught in her lungs as he softly hummed against her, deepening the kiss as much as she would allow. She closed her eyes without fear or discomfort.

'He's... kissing me.' Sakura dreamily thought, and allowed all of the sensations of the storm to penetrate her while he complimented it all with his gentle kiss. When the shock wore off her muscles relaxed, and she melted into the loving gesture naturally. 

Gaara broke away to just barely breathe, and as her eyes opened to look at him she noticed his frantic expression when his eyes searched hers for answers. Clearly he was confused that she wasn't stopping him. 

It confused her too, but in all honesty she felt comfortable in his arms. Kissing him felt so natural, and yet also invigorating.

The redhead leaned in again, and she didn't pull away like she thought she might, instead she allowed him to do as he wished. One of his porcelain hands came up to cup her jaw, tilting her head however he liked just to kiss her more. Awakening to it she licked at his bottom lip, but he refused to open his mouth. 

'Why?' The pinkette thought while her hands wrapped behind his neck. She knew he wasn't adverse to pushing limits, so why did he suddenly keep her at a distance?

He pulled back with a breathless expression, and she almost whined over the fact that he had moved away. 

"What's wrong?" Sakura pressed, and watched as he seemed to shrink away from her. 

"I'm a fool..." The redhead laughed at himself, and pulled away from her completely. 

Her arms felt so empty, she needed him to come back.

"What? Why?" She couldn't get a real answer out of him as he walked around her, so she followed him cautiously back to the house. 

The went in through the jail, and she watched him empty his dripping gun before putting it in it's rightful place. Then he turned around to walk back outside in a daze. 

"Oh for--- what the hell are you doing now?!" Sakura stomped after him back into the pouring rain, and watched as he started to hack and wretch. 

She had completely forgotten about his condition, and knew all the water was probably only making it worse. 

"Shit." The pinkette cursed, and walked down to pull him by the sleeve into the back yard. 

He stumbled after her, hacking up blood with each rough step. 

"Get in the barn this time, I'm done washing your sheets." Sakura huffed, and he did as he was told. 

The barn in back was used to hold his horse, some chickens, and one milking cow. It didn't smell the best, but that was fine. She helped him over to a pile of fresh hay, assisting him in laying down onto it. Without asking she started healing his lungs, and forced his head to turn to the side with her other hand. 

Gaara coughed desperately, red powder escaping from his mouth in harsh puffs. She felt him start to writhe beneath her, so she stopped and allowed him to get a breath in. He was gripping into the hay, coughing dryly while gritting his teeth between breaths. 

Clearly it burned having powder in the lungs. Out of pity she went and found a rain bucket, and cupped her hands in the liquid before bringing it to his lips. He drank greedily, occasionally coughing between sips. 

Finally the coughing slowed, and he was able to drink water without issue. He swished it in his teeth once or twice, and turned his head to spit it out onto the floor. 

The redhead took desperate breaths, finally able to get oxygen deep into his lungs. Noticing some blood on his chin she sterilized it with her glowing touch, then took off the red sash around her waist to wipe away the damp powder. She dabbed the sash into the bucket of rainwater, and place a leg over his own to get into a better position to clean his face. 

"How are you feeling?" Sakura asked gently, wiping away the residue from his neck. 

"Agitated." Gaara closed his eyes before taking a deep breath through his nose. "I still want to kill Shikamaru." 

"What the hell happened that made you want to kill him so badly?" The pinkette wrung out her sash, poured a bit more water onto it, then continued gently wiping away at his face and neck even though he was practically spotless. She figured it would relax him.

"I saw them together... behind the saloon." The redhead grumbled, and then looked off to the side. "If he were an honest man he would have asked for her hand by now, and yet I have heard no sort of proposal. He has not asked my permission to marry her either, and yet they are waist deep in promiscuity!" 

Gaara started to seethe, and then he attempted to move. 

"Concupiscent coward! He's a daisy if he think's he can fornicate with my sister--!!" 

"No, Gaara. Lay back down." Sakura straddled him now, pushing her weight on his shoulders to keep him pinned. He snarled, and fought, but she hushed him relentlessly. "Don't worry, he will marry her. I'm sure they'll have little nieces and nephews for you too--"

"THAT LECHEROUS WRETCH!!!" The redhead snarled, flailing about to try to get out of her grasp. 

As he was getting close to wriggling free she knew she had to do something, anything to distract him from going after his sister's lover to kill him in cold blood.

She grabbed him by the face, and forced him to look into her eyes. He seemed so enraged, almost inconsolable, but after a while of holding him there he started to calm. 

Lightening lit up his eyes, showing a haunting yet ethereal stare. She found herself lost in the icy teal orbs, even as the light dissapeared his eyes managed to swirl with a ghostly beauty in the night. 

"Forget about them. Focus on me instead." Sakura murmured just above a whisper, and watched the lids of his dark rimmed eyes lower slightly. 

His irises studied hers, and she found herself breathing in time with him. She felt as if the world was being reflected in his haunting gaze. As if in a trance he pulled her closer, and drew her into another deep kiss. She allowed it, and even let herself relax against his warm chest.

The thunder was loud as it crackled outside. Leaks in the barn's roof allowed for small streams of water to get through onto the dirt floor. The animals made their normal amount of sound, perhaps some extra clucks from hens frightened by the cracks of lightening. Despite all these distractions she was completely overcome by this man, and his warm embrace.

He turned them over so that she could lay underneath him, and the weight of him on top of her was incredible. For some odd reason it was something she craved, and she found herself clawing at his back just to keep him close to her. 

"Sakura..." He whispered her name against her flushed lips, and she answered with a curious hum. 

Gaara stopped for a moment, and pulled back to look into her eyes again. She felt a hand grasp her waist, then slowly move along her ribcage. His eyes followed his own touch moving upwards to rest between her breasts while her heart began racing. 

She decided then, that if he wanted to take advantage of the situation she would let him. In fact, she now invited the idea. 

"I want...." The redhead began, but then lost his words. He seemed nervous, as if the weight of the world was suddenly on his shoulders. He swallowed hard, then closed his eyes. "Will you marry me?" 

The pinkette blinked wildly at him, and felt herself freeze up. 

'He didn't just... seriously?!' She continued to stare at him, unable to find any words to say. He seemed to notice that she had gone completely dumb, and gave an anxious laugh. 

"I apologize. I know it's sudden, I've just never felt like this about anyone before... and I feel that marrying you would be good for both of us." He leaned a bit further away from her, and cleared his throat. Clearly he had been preparing for this exact conversation.

"You could come live here with me, you wouldn't have to worry about living alone so far from others. I can protect you, provide for you..." 

She couldn't believe what he was saying. He honestly wanted to marry her, while it was disturbing it was just as equally charming.

"You can be my wife, and have a name worthy of respect. Aside from this my family owns quite a bit in titles, and deeds. You would want for nothing, and that includes the very thing you desire so much..." His hand reached for her own, and held it between them. "You would have my love... and my promise to stay faithful to you. We could have many children... sons, and daughters. A beautiful family." 

Sakura felt herself fall further into muteness, her eyes wide and staring at him as if he were the most intriguing thing on the planet. His eyes met hers one last time, and he held desperately to her hand. 

"I beg of you, Sakura. No woman compares to you. I can never desire anyone else like I desire you." The redhead inhaled, and exhaled slowly. "Let me take your hand in marriage." 

Her mouth clicked open, and her eyes continued to blink in shock. This was a huge step, and they hadn't even gone out on one date. How was he so sure that she was the one for him? 

"Gaara... I've only been around you for about a week--"

"I understand that, a week is not terribly long to get to know someone, and yet I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life getting to know you." Gaara nodded to himself, sure of his own answer before looking at her with a cheerfulness she wasn't expecting. "In the time I've gotten to know even just a small part of you, I've realized just how incredible of a person you are. I am certain that the rest of you is just as intriguing and wonderful." 

Sakura felt a bit dizzy from the shock, but then also felt herself get swept up in all of his beautiful words. 

'It's just a dream.' She thought, and when she looked at him she felt a bit sad. 'And if it wasn't a dream, I would still want to stay close to him... I don't think I could leave him now even if I felt like it. He's... important to me.' 

The pinkette realized two things. If this were a dream it wouldn't matter if she got married to him because she would still eventually wake up. If this wasn't a dream it would probably be smart to marry him anyways. He could help her survive this foreign land, and he already knew about her chakra so it saved her a lot of explaining. In fact he never once questioned the ability once she showed it to him. 

She looked away from him, and her cheeks reddened at the fact that she was coming to terms with it. She was actually favoring the idea. 

"Are you saying you've fallen in love with me?" Sakura laughed slightly, but then stopped as her face was turned back gently to face him. 

His ethereal gaze pierced into her own, beautifully lit up by the lightening outside.

"I have wanted you since the moment I first saw you, I just didn't press the fact because I was certain that death was looming over my shoulder." The redhead took a confident inhale, and a slow exhale. "I'm confident I will come out of this alive, and I want you to stay. I want you to stay by my side." 

She was once again flattered by everything he was saying, but she was still a bit uncertain. 

"And if I say no--?" 

"Then I will never stop asking. I will ask you every day until you finally say 'yes'." Gaara barked proudly, and she ended up snickering at his energetic nature. 

"I think this is just an elaborate plan to get under my skirt. You're bluffing." The pinkette brushed him off with a scoff, and went to look away from him with a smirk. 

There was a moment of silence, and then she felt him lay on her before nuzzling up to her ear. 

"While I'll admit that my interest in you is not always admirable, I will say that any physical desire I have for you would be matched by my devotion." His soft murmur had her shivering beneath him, and as he breathed against the shell of her ear she gasped. "Allow me to prove myself to you. I can be a very devoted husband--"

"Which means you would also be a very perverted husband." Sakura snickered, but then gasped once more as his hands groped around her figure.

His touch ran from her thighs, to her hips, her waist, and over the mounds on her chest. Her heart started to pound, and as his fingers felt over the spot he paused. 

"I won't deny the fact that I wish we were already wed... these barriers frustrate me." As the redhead huffed she found herself laughing genuinely at his predicament. 

"Do you understand your sister and her lover a little better now--?"

"No, because I'm not a coward. I know how to propose." Gaara hissed at the fact, making her laugh turn to small snickers. "So... when should I expect an answer?" 

The pinkette raised a brow at his eagerness, but she also didn't want to make him stew over everything. Perhaps he would chill out if she just accepted his proposal. 

'There's really no harm in it...' She made her decision, and took a deep breath before giving her answer. 

"You want your answer now?" Sakura asked him, and with a gulp he nodded. "Alright then. Yes, I'll marry you" 

The redhead blinked owlishly, as if he wasn't expecting her to say yes. 

"You... you will?" Gaara furrowed his naked brows in confusion at first, but when she nodded they rose up high on his face. "That's wonderful!!" 

For the first time ever she witnessed the redhead get truly excitable to the point where he rolled off of her to get to his feet. He pulled her up off the hay pile, and she yelped as he held her tightly in his arms with a cheerful disposition. He spun her around in a circle, forcing her to dance while she squeaked at the foreign motion of being twirled. 

"This is the greatest night of my life--!!" 

"What about Shikamaru and Temari?" Sakura scoffed at him, but it seemed nothing could get him down now. 

"Leave them be! I no longer care!" He spun them around in another circle, and did a few dance steps with her. "I'm going to have a wife, and a family. This is the greatest news one could ever recieve." 

Gaara stopped to pull her close, and brushed her damp bangs from her eyes. She watched as his gaze searched her face as if she were the most beautiful work of art. Finally his porcelain hands tilted her chin up, and he slanted his marble smooth lips against her own gently.

'What am I doing?' The pinkette thought to herself, but also remembered all of her reasons why. 

Kissing him gave her butterflies, his words spirited her away, and his thoughts and feelings left her intrigued. She wasn't unattracted to him, on the contrary he was very handsome. 

Yet she knew this wasn't the Gaara from her home. This was a completely different Gaara that she had unfortunately started to fall for. 

'It's just a dream.' She thought. 

So she let herself sink further into his arms, and deeper into his kiss.

Chapter Text

The pinkette woke up to more rain, and sighed as she rolled out of bed. Her eyes searched the room, and she noticed that something was off about it. She looked at the chair in the corner, and saw an array of fabrics. 

Four new dresses, undergarments, shoes, a new nightgown, and a note. 

'"Since you'll be staying I thought you would appreciate some new clothes. I went off of Temari's size, but had them hemmed to your height. They should fit you nicely. 

We can still visit your farm if you'd like. We can discuss the details of what will come of that land after breakfast. 

As for the wedding, I was thinking a fortnight from now would be sufficient. I have no outside family aside from my brother, and I have already sent him a letter informing him of our engagement. He should return in at least six days time. 

When he arrives I am sure he will want his room back. I know you have no other place to stay, so if you would care to share a room with Temari until our wedding day you are more than welcome to do so. 

I was also thinking perhaps a new home is in order. We could start building on a new plot, and convert this home into solely a place of work. 

If you wanted to run a business in the living quarters I'm sure that would be fine, I know you enjoy working with your hands so I do not want to take that away from you. I was thinking you would make a wonderful midwife, what with your gift and all. Perhaps even look into being a doctor. We could always use another doctor... ours is unfortunately dabbling with his own medicines. Intravenous cocaine is unfortunately highly addictive, and the marks it leaves is quite unsightly... 

On second thought, perhaps it is best if you do not aim to become a doctor. Midwife sounds much safer. 

See you after breakfast. 

Yours always,  

Gaara "' 

Sakura felt a hysterical laugh bubble out of her. Never in her life had she recieved a note that was so wordy, almost like a full letter. She wondered if that was the norm here. 

At any rate she looked over her new dresses. They were white, black, red, and green respectively. The pinkette held up the white one, noting its soft cotton and lace texture. The black was very stern looking, she assumed it was for funerals. The red was very ruffled, yet professional. Lastly the green was definitely made for an evening out. The emerald color was shiny, and hypnotic. 

Aside from the green one, which was off the shoulder, the rest of them were all high collared. She couldn't believe how modest the fashion was around here, especially when the town had it's own brothel just down the road. 

Sakura decided to wear the white dress today, as it was a nice change of pace from all of the jewel tones. She put on the new undergarments consisting of a frilled button down one piece, it reminded her of a jumper. It had very short sleeves, and ruffles on all of the trim. The legs formed an almost gaucho effect, but with plenty of ruffle at the knee. 

The pinkette held up her new light pink corset, and withered at the thought of wearing it. Didn't these things need to be specifically measured? However, she noticed a lot of people tended to hand-me-down their corsets around here due to their high price. Regardless, she laced herself up in it, and after at least fifteen minutes she finally had the thing laced and tied. When it wasn't strangling her it wasn't so awful, but she still hated the damn thing. 

She put on her stockings, her slip, her frock, shoes, and finally her dress. By the time she had everything on she was completely out of breath. She quickly twisted, braided, and tucked her hair into a low bun before pinning it into place. With her look complete she took a good glance in the mirror. 

Alright, she didn't look half bad, she felt as if she could fit in with the other ladies now for sure. However she hoped she wouldn't have to stay like this forever. 

Sakura hurried out the door, desperate to finally get some food. Temari already had breakfast ready, and thank goodness because after all of that effort dressing, the pinkette felt like she was starving. 

"Good morning!" Sakura chirped, and made her way to the table, the blonde just started dishing out plates, and smiled as she set one down. 

"You got a new dress? It looks lovely." Temari chimed as she sat down next to the pinkette. 

Gaara's plate was on the table, but he seemed to be gone at the moment. 

"Yeah... it's a gift..." Sakura laughed anxiously before taking a bite of her porridge. 

"Oh? From whom?" The blonde continued with the idle chatter, pouring them both some morning coffee. 

".... Um... your brother..." The pinkette answered in the softest voice, and didn't fail to notice Temari halt in pouring her own cup of coffee for a moment. 

"Gaara gave you that dress?" She pressed, finishing in her pouring before moving onto her meal. 

"Mhm..." Sakura answered quietly again, but didn't want to say anything further. 

Unfortunately for her the blonde was not as forgiving. 

"Something happen between you two?" Temari's tone was suspicious, and the pinkette felt herself begin to sweat under the pressure. 

"You could say that..." Sakura began, and when she recieved a curious look from the blonde she felt herself begin to cave. "Developments... are happening. We are... we're..." 

The pinkette started to wring her hands, and she stared hard at her breakfast. 

"We're getting married." Sakura felt all of the heat go to her cheeks, and when she heard Temari's mouth click open in shock she almost winced. 

"You and Gaara... are getting married?" The blonde pressed with a soft tone while the pinkette nodded. 

There was a moment of silence, and then a soft sigh. 

"Are you with child?" 

Sakura looked up to glare at that question, but then eased up knowing that it was a logical question to give. 

"No, we haven't had sex." The pinkette chose to be blunt about it, and watched as the woman before her nearly broke out into a genuine laugh. 

"How interesting, I wonder how you captured his interest so easily if not by using your body. I'm honestly fascinated." While it initially seemed like a clever insult the tone itself was genuine. Clearly Temari couldn't see her youngest brother being the romantic type, and until very recently he wasn't. 

"I assume it's my abrasiveness. I think he finds it entertaining." Sakura laughed, and the blonde soon followed. 

"Well, he was staring at you like mad yesterday. I didn't pay much attention to both of you at church, but I made sure you were wearing his favorite color." Temari winked, and began eating. 

"His favorite color is red?" The pinkette also dug into her porridge, and sighed over how good Temari's cooking was. 

"Yes. I find him always staring at red things, its clearly obvious it is his favorite color. He likes red flowers, too." The blonde murmured softly, and continued to eat her meal. 

Sakura had chose to keep the conversation at a low until they were both close to finishing. They ate in silence up until she scraped the last bit of porridge onto her spoon. 

"Last night... something bad happened." The pinkette murmured, and heard Temari pause on her last bite. "Gaara was... he was really angry. Blinded by rage..." 

There was a palpable silence, and as her jade eyes flicked up she saw the blonde white knuckling the table. 

"He saw you with Shikamaru behind the saloon." Sakura finally blurted it out, and she watched as a pained expression crossed the other woman's features. "He came home to get his gun... he was going to kill Shikamaru." 

"I assume you bargained to keep him from doing that, hmm?" Temari laid out a bold, and bitter accusation, but the pinkette shook her head. 

"No. I told him that you loved Shikamaru... and I begged him not to go." Sakura murmured, and took a sip of coffee before putting the cup back down. "That's when he kissed me... and I realized how comfortable I was with it. So when he asked me to marry him I accepted because I don't think I could feel so comfortable with anyone, not like I do with him." 

The pinkette quickly shook her head, realizing she had moved away from her original point. 

"You should either marry Shikamaru, or make your relationship with him as private as possible. I don't want to see Gaara in such a state ever again." Sakura looked up at the blonde with pleading eyes, which answered with guilt. 

Temari sighed, and took a drink off her coffee. 

"I'll press him for it then. It's about time anyways, we've been secretly seeing each other for months." The blonde smirked, and then formed a small laugh. "It's a wonder that I'm not with child yet--" 

"And here you lecture your brother over his wandering eyes." The pinkette clicked her tongue, recieving a laugh from the other woman. 

"A man in his position shouldn't make that type of behavior a habit." Temari snickered, and Sakura let the topic go with a smile. 

The idle chatter continued throughout the end of their meal, but the pinkette was shocked that Gaara never showed. When she asked where he was she was informed that he was currently watching a prisoner at the moment. 
Sakura didn't know what to think of that, and after she was finished she knew she had to go take a look. 

The pinkette wandered quietly into the jail, looking around at his desk only to find he wasn't there. She looked in the cells, and found one man sleeping inside. 

Footsteps alerted her, and as she turned around she saw the redhead standing in the doorway, his eyes tracing her entire form. 

"Sakura... good afternoon." Gaara spoke softly, and smiled wide. "You're looking beautiful today." 

The pinkette blushed at the open compliment, and gave an anxious laugh. 

"You're not so bad yourself." Sakura gave him an awkward thumbs up, and he chuckled at the odd behavior. 

"What brings you in?" The redhead asked, bringing papers to his desk. She stepped up next to him to look them over with idle curiosity. 

"Thought I'd check up on my fiancé. You weren't at breakfast." The pinkette smiled gently before looking over at the cell. "I didn't know you had a 'client' in today." 

"It was unexpected, but then again you never know when someone is going to have too much to drink." Gaara laughed softly, making sure to keep his voice down so as not to wake his detainee. "It's good to see you, though. I'm glad the dress fits, it looks stunning on you." 

"Thank you. Did you have fun picking out all of my outfits?" Sakura laughed quietly, and watched a brilliant smile come out of him. 

"The undergarments were the most difficult part, unfortunately. The amount of gossip I could hear in the background was astounding." The redhead chuckled as he eyed around the dress, then he reached out to place his hands on her waist quite boldly. 

"Some speculated I had a new wife in the works, some claimed they were for my sister, and a few even quietly accused me of wearing them in my down time. None of these women understand how loudly they talk, even when they try to be quiet." 

When he snickered she found herself also drawn into the laugh, and didn't realize that his hands were starting to pull her in until she was already halfway into his arms. 

"Their first assumption was correct though, I will give them that." Gaara murmured softly, and brushed the bangs from her eyes. 

He leaned in to kiss her, and she accepted it expertly. When he pulled away he softly traced her cheek. 

"I could get used to this." The redhead purred, his blackened lids narrowing favorably as he traced her form. 

The way he looked at her was so bold now, he was confident and flirtatious, which wasn't something she expected from him. 

'Showing his true colors now that he has me captured.' She inwardly chuckled, but despite the content of her thoughts she still trusted him. Even as he pulled her for another kiss, she felt as if the action was easygoing. 

His lips were warm, and smooth. She felt as if her breath was being taken away from her lungs-- 

Someone's throat cleared, and they both paused before he pulled away bashfully. 

"While I'm fine with what your doing, Sheriff, just wanted to let you know I'm up and at'em." The voice was familiar, and as she turned to look she saw it was none other than Kakashi smiling wide at them, wearing a bandana around his face instead of his classic mask. 

For some reason her heart stopped, she was filled with dread over the fact that he might tell Tsunade, or Naruto-- 

'Wait... this isn't the real Kakashi, you dumbass.' She inwardly smacked herself for getting worried, and then avidly reminded herself that this wasn't the real world. 

"Mr. Hatake, you're looking a bit more sober now--" 

"And you're looking a bit more flustered, Mr. Sabaku." The silver haired man snickered at his own joke while the redhead's cheeks started to match his own hair. "She's a pretty hen though, I don't blame you for being sweet on her." 

Gaara ignored the statement, walking away from her to go to the cupboard to fetch the cell keys. 

"You thinking of jumping the broom?" Kakashi waggled his brows while the redhead approached the door. 

'What the hell is he saying?' Sakura gave a confused expression as she played witness to the strangest conversation she had ever heard. 

"Yes. That's the plan." Gaara smiled as he turned the lock, and waved for the taller man to come out. 

"I never thought I'd see the day. Our own blood-red sheriff, making a mash on a milk maid." Kakashi wandered out into his newfound freedom, and smiled. "I'm happy for you both." 

The pinkette was at a complete loss, unable to understand hardly a single word of his sentence. The two men seemed to notice her strange expression, and Gaara had to hold in a snicker. 

"Something wrong?" The silver haired man asked, and the redhead broke out into genuine laughter. 

"Miss Sakura is not familiar with the way people talk out here. You'll have to speak proper english around her if you want her to understand you." Gaara ceased his sniggering, and stuck to gently smiling as Kakashi let out a hearty laugh. 

"Well now, that's a treat. Alright then, little lady, where did I lose you?" The taller man smiled with his eyes, and she had to say she was a bit flustered by his easygoing nature. 

"Uh... brooms?" Sakura furrowed her brows, but both men seemed to gawk a bit at her over the fact that she couldn't catch on to that jargon. 

"Hey, I don't mean to may hay your woman, but is she out of sorts?" The silver haired man mumbled softly as if she could still understand him. 

"No no, she's all there. She's just spent a good deal of her life away from people. She can read and write, which is quite admirable for someone of lower class--" 

"Excuse me?!" The pinkette looked at the redhead completely appalled, and he blinked in confusion for a moment before the pieces clicked together. 

"I meant no insult, I was simply stating that you are not from a wealthy family so you did not recieve a proper education--" 

"Gaara!!" Sakura stomped her foot at him, and watched his eyes widen. "I bet that I am more intelligent than you, ignoramus!" 

Kakashi broke out into a fit of laughter over the quarrel before him, but went quickly silent as her glare focused on him. 

"I know for a FACT that I am smarter than you." Sakura poked at the taller man's chest, but he ended up smiling with his eyes. 

"What is the square root of thirty six--?" 

"Six." The pinkette leered at him, and he gave a low whistle. 

"Alright, name five metals off the periodic table." The silver haired man chuckled. 

"Lead, iron, silver, gold, and copper. Also known as Pb, Fe, Ag, Au, and Cu respectively." Sakura crossed her arms, and continued to stare him down heatedly. This only seemed to delight the man further. 

"Hmm... how many feet are in a mile?" Kakashi leaned forward smugly, but she matched that look perfectly. 

"Five thousand, two hundred, and eighty feet make up a mile. If you want it in inches that's sixty-three thousand, three hundred, and sixty." The pinkette leaned back to show her winning smile, watching with glee as he seemed to grow stumped. 

He thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers as if he had come up with the most confusing thing he could think of. 

"Okay, book-smarts. If you know so much answer me this. Why do women bleed?" 

On that note Gaara groaned, leaning forward to pinch the bridge of his nose in embarassment. However, it was such an easy question that she couldn't understand why he would be upset about it. 

"You seriously don't know?" Sakura scoffed, watching the man in front of her smile with his eyes. 

"Enlighten me." The silver haired man went to sit on top of Gaara's desk, much to the redheads displeasure, just so he could hear her explain it. 

With a roll of her eyes she followed, finding a piece of blank paper, and a fountain pen. She started drawing different diagrams, and didn't fail to notice both men hovering over her to look at her work. 

"This is the female uterus." Sakura pointed with the pen to the organ she had reproduced onto the page. "This is an ovary, every woman is born with a set amount of eggs--" 

"Women have eggs inside them?!" Kakashi began to laugh next to her, but the redhead quickly hushed him. 

"I remember an article being written about something similar... but not to this degree--" 

"Shush!" The pinkette interjected with a huff before continuing. "Yes, women carry 'eggs' in their ovaries. Every month an egg is produced by the ovary, it goes through the fallopian tube, and into the uterus where it awaits sperm to fertilize it." 

She drew little sperm swimming towards the egg, and almost had to laugh at how focused the two men were. 

"If they do not succeed in fertilization, or if the woman has remained abstinent, the egg is shed out along with the blood lining of the uterus. This is why women bleed every month." Sakura slammed down her pen proudly, and stepped back to let them observe the diagram better. 

"How long does the egg wait to be fertilized?" Gaara murmured curiously, and she almost had to hold back another laugh. 

"It usually lives for twenty four hours, if not fertilized in that time then it is shed out around two weeks later." The pinkette watched as they picked up the paper to truly study it's contents. 

"This seems like crazy talk." Kakashi blurted out, but the redhead simply shrugged. 

"I read about something similar, where women were found to be producing 'eggs', but I didn't hear about it going any further than that..." Gaara turned the paper in his hands curiously. "It was an unpopular theory--" 

"Well, it's not a theory. It's a fact, and the egg cell is called an 'ovum'." Sakura placed her hands firmly on her hips, and the two men looked at her owlishly. "Don't believe me? Bring me a dead woman, and I'll show you." 

At that they both paled, and she quickly realized that the use of cadavers in this time and place was frowned upon. 

"You... one of those weirdos that chop up corpses?" Kakashi furrowed his brow at her, but she quickly waved it off. 

"In the name of science, and medical progression, cadavers are needed to teach doctors about the human body. Unfortunately, as it stands we can't see inside the body without killing the host first, and that won't change for a long time." Sakura hurriedly grabbed her papers, suddenly feeling a bit self conscious with all of the knowledge she just unloaded onto them. 

"So you wouldn't care if someone chopped your body to bits just to study it?" The silver haired man pressed, and yet she found the question to be silly. 

"Pff, why should I care? I'll be dead, no use in just letting my body go to waste when it can be put to good use--" 

"You know, I'm pretty sure those people who tumble with the dead would say the exact same thing." Kakashi raised a curious brow at her, and she blanched at the thought. "That Poe guy, for instance? Sure was sweet on that Annabelle Lee girl." 

"That's disgusting." Sakura felt a bit queasy at the thought. Not only was it illegal, but it was highly unsanitary, and deranged. You just don't have sex with the dead. "So gross..." 

"Alright, I think we've all had enough of this conversation." Gaara clapped his hands together, then began pushing on the taller man's shoulders. "Go home, get more rest. I think you're still inebriated--" 

"And I think you've roped a strange one!" Kakashi declared, then lowered to the redhead's ear. "Kind of makes me wonder why you stay with her..." 

The pinkette rolled her eyes, and walked over to the two to join the redhead in pushing the taller man out the door. Kakashi yelped and jumped out onto the rainy porch, turning around to stare at them both. 

"She's pretty strong!" 

"Have a pleasant day, Mr. Hatake." Gaara raised his naked brows with apathy, and closed the door on the man. 

The redhead turned around with a sigh, and paced through the room while pinching the bridge of his nose. He was clearly drained, and she felt a bit guilty as she had certainly riled up some of the conversations. 

"I'm sorry for getting all worked up." Sakura apologized, and then turned her face away. "I just feel really insulted when people don't think I'm intelligent... so I'm desperate to prove otherwise." 

Gaara paused in his pacing, and ran a hand anxiously through his red locks. 

"So what you said before... was that a fabrication?" The redhead asked cautiously, and she felt confused by it. 

"No... it was the truth--" 

"How do you know this information? How do you know what a cadaver is, and yet you know nothing of the local customs and culture?" Gaara turned on her then, and looked at her hands. "When we first spoke to each other you knew my name, but claimed I was a kazakogo--" 

"Kazekage." Sakura corrected him, but when his sight zeroed in on her like a hawk she realized her fatal mistake. 

He had mispronounced it on purpose. 

"I don't think you've been honest with me." The redhead approached her slowly, and for the first time she felt incredibly small in comparison to him. "Would you care to tell me the truth? Or are we going to continue to pretend that you've lived here your entire life?" 

She felt all the blood drain from her face, and a tight breath left her chest. Suddenly she didn't want him to know, as it would change everything she had here. Would he still care about her after knowing the truth? 

He wasn't going to give her that option, she had no choice but to tell him everything. 

"Okay..." She trembled. "I'll tell you... everything." 

Chapter Text

She poured her heart out, and told him her story from start to finish. 

Sakura told him about her life in Konoha, the hardships she had went through in becoming a shinobi, and listed off all the people she loved and cared for. 

When she got to his story she told him everything she knew about the Gaara from her world, and surprisingly he paled when she mentioned certain people that she hadn't even met here yet. She told him about his life, his powers, and his legacy. She told him about the war, the legendary fights, and the heartbreaking losses. 

Everything was out, raw, and open for him to see, and she was scared of what he might think. The redhead in front of her seemed drained by the story, even a bit unnerved. His eyes traced her curiously before hesitantly looking off into the distance. 

"You've been here all this time, and yet you haven't searched for a way back home. Not even once..." Gaara murmured. "Why is that?" 

As the reality of that question hit she suddenly felt the weight of it crushing her. She really had just been living life as if everything were normal. 

No, she knew she had to stay to help him heal, that was her initial reason for not leaving. 

"I stayed because you needed help. You were dying." Sakura answered carefully, trying to avoid his stare as much as possible, but she couldn't seem to escape his scrutiny. 

"And now?" The redhead pressed. 

She didn't rightly know the answer to that question. Part of her felt that this was a dream, and told her to just go with it. Another part stated that if she had somehow come to another world with no way back then being with Gaara was probably her best option. 

And lastly, there was a part of her that didn't want to leave even if she were given the option to do so. It hurt her to think it, but she actually felt needed and wanted here. Back home she felt more like she had been chasing ghosts, never really able to catch up with Naruto and Sasuke... always left behind. 

Jade eyes came up to look at him, and as his cyan orbs stared into her own she felt her protection be violently ripped away. 

"I don't want to leave..." She breathed out in a hurt whisper, and when his expression remained emotionless she felt her heart crack. 

This changed everything. It was all spoiled now because she didn't know how to keep her big mouth shut. She could have had a good, peaceful life here, and she just wasted all of it due to her ridiculous pride. 

"I'm so sorry, Gaara." Sakura shook her head, and stood up to leave. 

This was a mistake. She should have just looked for a way out to begin with, how could she be so naive--? 

Suddenly her wrist was caught in a tight grip, and she was roughly pulled into his arms. The pinkette whimpered, tears threatening to come out under the pressure of his warm embrace. His hold was strong, confident, how many times in her life had she begged the heavens to send her someone who could hold her like this? 

He was here... but was he real? She wanted him to be real. She wanted this to be her reality. 

"If you want to stay... then why are you trying to leave?" The redhead whispered gently next to her ear, and she sighed with relief as she relaxed further into his arms. 

"I don't want you to hate me..." Sakura was honest, but still couldn't keep herself from wrapping her arms around him lovingly. 

"Hate you? I don't think that's possible." Gaara chuckled, and smoothed his hand along her back. "No, it's quite the opposite... I feel nothing but affection for you." 

She did start crying that time, and he gently swayed with her in his embrace. The pinkette didn't know where to go from here, all she knew was that she felt safe in his arms. 

"I didn't want you to think I was crazy. You probably do think I'm crazy--" She croaked. 

"While I do believe you're an odd person, I don't think you're mad. The power you have is clearly beyond logic and reason, and it was proof enough that you aren't like the rest of us." The redhead spoke gently, but his arms began to cling even tighter to her frame. "I believe you, Sakura, and if you wish to stay than you are more than welcome to. You know of my feelings, and they haven't changed." 

Sakura sniffled, rubbing her face against his collar for comfort. They embraced for a while, but eventually he took a step back to look at her; carefully wiping a tear from her cheek with his porcelain fingers. 

"However, I'd like to make a request." Gaara smiled sadly, piqing her curiosity. "Once you've agreed to stay... please don't dissappear. I'd prefer to remain happily married for as long as possible." 

The pinkette laughed then, her tears drying up as she nodded eagerly in agreement. This was something she had always dreamed of, a beautiful romance and everlasting commitment from the person she loved. She couldn't ask for more than this simple life. 

Yes, she was a powerful shinobi, but if she didn't live in a world with such power then she had no desire to live the life of a mercenary. In her world, in able to keep up with the people she cared about she had to become an unstoppable force, but here things were so much easier. Yes, a bit archaic for her tastes, but it was still more peaceful than her world of shinobi despite all of the gun slinging that happens here. 

"Are you sure you want to be with me? I'm brash, loud, violent, and opinionated." Sakura snickered, but hummed as the redhead lovingly stroked her back. His head tilted down to talk softly into her ear, sending tingles down her spine. 

"I find your abrasive demeanor highly intriguing. The thought of being challenged so strongly... I can't really put the sensation into words." Gaara purred against the shell of her ear, forcing a small breathless mewl to slip past her lips. He took a moment to breathe, the sound of him licking his lips heightening her senses. "You move me in ways I never thought possible, ways that are as beautiful as they are deplorable. Since meeting you I cannot think of anything else; you haunt my idle thoughts, and captivate me in my dreams." 

She felt him dip lower, gently kissing at her neck while she gave a true whimper. He stopped for a moment, but she could feel him smile against the flesh. 

"Is it the same, I wonder? Do you feel the rush of heat under your delicate skin when I provide the slightest touch? Does the sensation flood inside of you when our eyes meet?" The redhead pulled away then, forcing her to gaze into his eyes; holding her captive in a knowing expression. It were as if she had told him all the answers he wanted to hear without opening her mouth. "If you continue to beg me with those eyes of yours I will not hesitate to grant your desire. I have told you before, that in choosing me you will 'want for nothing'. I plan on remaining true to that oath in every aspect." 

'Oh my... when did he get so suave?' Sakura almost felt as if little hearts could be seen in her eyes, his words were so tantalizing she felt as if she could taste them. Like the most tender of meat practically melting on her tongue, his language made her starving for more. 

"I won't lie to you, I feel as if you may be lusting after me right this very second." Gaara laughed genuinely, brushing a few strands of her pink hair behind her ear while she shivered under the pleasant sensation. She even closed her eyes to savor it, breathing in deeply while licking her starving lips. 

He paused for a moment, clearly studying her reactions. She opened her eyes just slightly to view him from between her lashes, his own gaze piercing into hers in return. 

"Perhaps you are..." The redhead cupped her chin gently, angling her face upward to his liking. "And yet I feel as though you must bite your tongue, less I lose this sliver of control I have. My morality, and my virility is at the mercy of your volition." 

She was completely smitten, melting in his arms ready and willing for anything he brought to her. 

"I'd much prefer if you'd bite my tongue for me." The pinkette decided to be a bit crass, and was pleasantly surprised when he tightened his hold on her. 

"Is that a request? A challenge? Or are you simply playing a game?" Gaara ran his thumb over her bottom lip, and as her mouth opened to speak the digit brushed the pillow even harder. "I pray it's an honest request--" 

"--Ahem." A voice of a young woman cleared the air, freezing the couple in their current states. They slowly turned their heads to the door to see Ino staring at them with a wide cheshire grin. She walzed into the jailhouse with a bounce to her step, wearing the most lavish wine colored dress the pinkette had ever seen. "Well well, I hope I'm not intruding on something intimate? I would hate to interrupt anyone in the throes of passion--" 

"Merely innocent affections, nothing to be too concerned about." Gaara cleared his throat awkwardly, stepping away from the pinkette with a rigid form. 

"Oh, innocent you say? Clearly like the love of a brother and sister, no doubt." The blonde walzed up to them looking as if she had just won a jackpot in an incriminating poker game. She stopped right before the redhead, and even had the gaul to brush some of his red locks away from his face. "However, I know what some brothers and sisters do behind closed doors. Clearly you have the strong desire of 'keeping it in the family'--" 

"I am not related to miss Sakura in any familiar sense. Please do not attempt to stir up rumors." The redhead glared a bit, but the woman before him only seemed pleased by the expression. 

"Well, at the very least she is quite lucky. I would die to spend a night with your pleasantly 'brooding' face." Ino reached up to pinch his cheek, and for some reason everything just seemed to turn red in Sakura's eyes. With a firm hand she snatched the blonde's wrist, and held it in a crushing grip while Ino winced. 

"Back off." The pinkette warned before tossing the limb back at the blonde. Ino grunted in pain, but didn't seem too bothered by it, if anything she was intrigued. 

"I see now why our little sheriff didn't want any of the other women in town." Ino snickered, brushing back her curled ponytail with a wicked grin. "Mhm, he clearly likes his women strong and domineering. If you had said so earlier, Gaara, I could have pulled out my best silk sashes to tie you down with--" 

"Not necessary. Thank you for the consideration." Gaara remained apathetic and unmoved by the blonde, but she seemed to be in a tempting mood. 

"Hm, well, perhaps miss Sakura would enjoy my sashes instead?" Ino turned on the pinkette, looking like a sly fox waiting for it's meal. "I have a rather luxurious selection, one of these days I would love to show them to you. I could let you try them on as well, silk is such an exquisite fabric... and it truly does feel wonderful on the skin." 

Sakura blinked at that, completely caught off guard by the sudden intense flirtation. She was wordless, looking at the face her best friend also shared in pure confusion. 

"Ino, state your business, and kindly take your leave." The redhead bit awkwardly, clearly he was just as disturbed by the conversation. 

"Ugh, fine then." The blonde rolled her eyes, and slapped his desk with a rolled up paper. "We hit paydirt, my dear. That mine in the eastern side of the mountains? Expect a generous amount of silver." 

Gaara took hold of the paper swiftly, his cyan eyes searching through the document with light enthusiasm. With a small smile he handed it back to her, before going over to one of his many journaling books. 

"Excellent, I'm glad we were able to acquire a bountiful mine." He jotted down some words and numbers that the pinkette couldn't quite catch, but upon a quick peek she noticed the journal in particular was for book keeping. "How soon can we reap the rewards?" 

"Oh, in a short amount of time. I already have my miners working on it, you know I would never let down my favorite business partner." Ino smiled ear to ear, twisting her parasol in her hands. Her sky blue eyes found Sakura's quickly, and they were quick to size her up. "I see you have new business dealings though... I heard you had gone dress shopping, and were quite affectionate with miss Sakura at the saloon. Not to mention getting in fights over her--" 

"Mr. Uchiha deserved every blow that struck him." Gaara waved off the conversation with a dismissive hand, still focused on jotting down numbers and figures. Ino, however, kept firm eye contact with the pinkette. 

"Yes, well, I believe I should perhaps take miss Sakura shopping instead. You have a poor eye for fashion, far too modest." The blonde approached her as if they were old friends, touching at the frill of her high collared white dress. "I bet you have the most beautiful neck and shoulders under there, its a shame to see it covered as such. Women of class deserve to show their assets, and not just as a form of seduction, but because they just can." 

"I don't think he'd like that very much." Sakura raised a brow at her fiancé, and he looked up briefly to meet her gaze before looking back down at his paperwork. 

"No, I don't think I would--" 

"Well, maybe less then? I have a photographer coming in from the coast, he'll be here by the time the rain starts to let up. I'll be posing for some rather 'artistic' photographs, I'm sure you would make a wonderful model as well." Ino was relentless, and it was then that the pinkette realized just how hard of a business woman she was. She didn't take no for an answer, she simply provide other options rather than honest rejection. 

"Hmm, what attire would be required--?" Sakura started to ask, but the blonde interjected with a bubbly laugh. 

"Oh you wouldn't be wearing this modest number. If anything I think you'd be best wearing nothing at all." The blonde placed a gloved hand delicately on the pinkette's forearm, and proceeded to attempt in wooing her with a beautiful smile, and gentle tone. 

"Absolutely not--!" Gaara interjected, but Ino simply stuck her tongue out at him. 

"No nude photographs for you, then. Sakura and I will keep them all to ourselves when she sneaks out to come take scandalous pictures with me." The blonde went into a bubbly girlish giggle, flustering the redhead as he rounded his desk to get to them. 

"Your visit here is finished. You may take your leave, I'll contact you later for our business dealings--" Gaara huffed for a moment, but then paused when he saw another sly smile come out of the shameless woman. 

"Hnn, you're the only man I wish I could have 'true' business dealings with, but alas, you are committed." Ino sighed, but looked onto Sakura in fondness despite her previous comment. "I shall call on you at a later date. We must have tea together, I want to know how you roped our beloved sheriff." 

With another bubbly laugh she took her paper and made her way towards the door, opening her parasol right as it shut behind her. The pinkette stood there in shock, still unnerved yet oddly complimented by the Ino of this world. She looked over to Gaara to see him now sitting at his desk, mumbling his grievances over the encounter. 

It was kind of funny to watch him be so animated. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

The storm became rough that night, the lightening so loud and booming that it occasionally shook the house. 

Sakura couldn't handle being in her bed anymore, the light of the dying candles were putting frightening shadows on the walls that she wanted to escape from. She wondered if he was awake, and if he'd be willing to talk at such a late hour. She tossed with her thoughts for a while, and eventually came to accept the idea of going to see him. 

She didn't bother with a robe, it was too warm in the house at the moment for it. She simply wandered the halls in her short sleeved nightgown, and finally made her way to his room. Her knuckles gently rapped at the door, and she heard sudden shifting from the other side. He was clearly awake, as footsteps quickly approached before he opened the door with an effort that seemed to be a bit tense. 

"Oh. Good evening, Sakura." Gaara sounded a bit breathless, and was also coated in a light sheen of sweat. She didn't fail to notice the oddness of him being shirtless either, showing off his toned, porcelain physique. "It's quite late... are you having trouble sleeping--?" 

"Clearly you're having troubles sleeping too." The pinkette narrowed her eyes knowingly, and raised her well groomed brows at his appearance. "Burning the midnight oil down to the wick?" 

The redhead blinked at that, tilting his head in a way that was far too cute. 

"I don't understand--" 

"Oh, yes you do. Don't give me that whole 'coy' routine, all boys know exactly what they are doing from the age of eleven, they just play dumb." Sakura rolled her eyes at the fact, but then as the fact hit her that she probably interrupted... 'something'... she felt her cheeks begin to warm. 

She felt stern eyes on her, he had clearly caught on to the accusation. 

"If you are referring to the lewd act of masturbation, then no. You are incorrect." Gaara opened his door wide to show that his bed was made up perfectly, but there was a towel splayed out on the floor. The pinkette wandered into his room curiously, and thankfully he didn't seem to care; in fact he closed the door behind her. "Completely innocent--" 

"So you do it... on the floor?" Sakura narrowed her eyes suspiciously while he quickly became unamused. 

"Would you like to see what I was doing?!" The redhead snipped, going over to the towel to lay flat on it. She blushed at the thought of him showing her something rather nefarious, but then as he started up a routine of sit-ups she actually had to stifle a laugh. 

"O-oh, you were exercising." The pinkette sat on his bed, trying impossibly hard to hold in her laughter. It was such a ridiculous thing to accuse him of, and yet she didn't figure this version of Gaara to be the 'work out' type. 

"I have to remain strong in able to apprehend criminals. It's more than just shooting, and chasing people down on horseback. At times I have to participate in a fist fight, and if I slack even a little bit that can compromise my winning streak." The redhead finished up his next twenty-something sit ups, and stayed upright to look at her as a fresh bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. "There is no amount of pleasure in this, I assure you." 

Sakura snorted at that, and decided to roll onto her back on his bed. She let her head loll at the foot of the mattress so that she could technically be face to face with his as he sat on the floor. 

"You know, you could probably make your dominant arm really strong if you tried--" She started to say, and he quickly scoffed. 

"You're quite the comedian. It makes me wonder if you got into the whiskey before going to bed this evening." Gaara wiped some sweat from his naked brow, his smile beginning to peek out despite him trying to remain cool. 

"No, if I was drunk you'd probably get a completely different reaction." The pinkette grinned, the blood now rushing to her head. "I get silly, and way too touchy-feely. I'm sure I would be a perfect match for Ino if you put enough booze into me." 

"Is that a fact?" The redhead scooted forward just so he could run his fingers through her hair. She savored the sensation with a warm smile. 

"Oh yes. I would probably be drooling all over you--" 

Gaara gave an honest laugh at that, then gently lifted her head up with his hands so that she would be level with the rest of her body. 

"You should probably stop hanging like this, you'll get a headache." He lightly scolded her, but it was a sweet thing. She squirmed her way back up the bed, her head now resting on the mattress as she stared at the ceiling. 

The lamps were brighter in here, but they weren't as bright as she wished they were. She heard him get up from his spot, and from the corner of her eye she watched him sit on the edge of the bed. 

"Why did you come here this evening, anyways?" The redhead murmured softly. 

Sakura watched his toned back rise and fall with his breaths; his porcelain skin glowed in the candle light. She reached out to touch him, and upon contact he managed to jolt slightly. 

"I didn't want to be alone in that room anymore..." The pinkette spoke softly, her eyes now closing due to just being in his proximity. His presence made her feel comfortable. "Too many shadows... too many places for monsters to hide--" 

"I'm going to assume that you've had to battle things that have appeared from such places." He seemed to hit the nail on the head, and it shook her to the core. "From what you've told me, life in your world was a struggle. Child soldiers should not exist." 

It was bittersweet for him to say something like that, seeing as how he was one of the most formidable children of his time in her world. She sat up then, the thought weighing down on her heart enough that she needed to lean her head between his shoulder blades. 

"You... you were one of the most frightening fighters I had ever seen. With the power of sand you crushed people until there was no trace left." Her arms slipped around his toned waist, clinging to him like the desperate child she used to be. "What they did to you... was monstrous--" 

"Not me." He reminded her, his head turning back to peer painfully into her jade orbs. "You know we are not the same man--" 

"I know you aren't, I just... it still hurts me to think about it whether it was your life or his. You are both good people, and you both don't deserve any sort of hardship. You deserve peace, and affection." She played with his lightly damp hair, only pausing when he decided to turn his entire body to face her. 

"You came here out of fear--" 

"No, I came because I wanted to be with you. I can handle the fear on my own if I have to." Sakura interjected swiftly, and watched him look down at the bedding beneath him. 

He sat there for a while in silence, and she wondered if she had ruined their moment together. With a sigh she eventually inched forwards to try to get off of the bed, but he was quick to pin her down. Her vision spun from the sudden force, but he was so breathtakingly handsome in that moment that she couldn't find it in her to be upset about it. If anything, the swirling ceiling framing his beautiful features made her feel as if she were in an ethereal dream. 

She wished he would kiss her; deep, and passionate. 

"When we're together I find it difficult to concentrate. My rational thought just seems to twist or it just leaves me completely." Gaara breathed out his words, then started truly hovering over her figure. He leaned down to kiss her neck, and she squirmed in pleasure as a result. After a few minutes of gently drinking along her jugular, he slowed to a stop. "Forgive me, I know I am being selfish. You were divulging about your world, and the hardships that came with it. If you wish to speak further on the topic--" 

"There's no need. While I do care greatly for the Gaara of my world, we are not extremely close knit friends." She sighed, gazing away at the ceiling above her. His weight started to lower on her, and he nuzzled into the waves of her blush colored locks. 

"So... you have never considered him a possible suitor?" The redhead murmured near her ear. 

There was a time where they were both technically single, and could have possibly tried out a relationship, but she couldn't even see the redhead wanting to share in a hug let alone anything more physical than that. She remembered when she had been looking for Sasuke, who was rather keen on not having anyone find him, and the redhead had been being pushed by his council to get married for the purpose of producing an heir. 

' It was such a strange thing, sitting across from him in his office while he mused over his possible leads on Sasuke's whereabouts. It was the first time he had ever opened up to her about something that bothered him on an emotional level. 

"I don't want to be the burden of any woman who would accept my proposal, as I am not fit to be anyone's husband." He smiled sadly while stacking his papers. Sakura could feel the weight of his broken soul in his words. "Nor could I ever force myself on anyone... it would be nearly impossible for me to produce an heir in such a manor, but I know it would also never occur otherwise. It is best that I live out my days alone." 

The pinkette felt tears well up in the back of her eyes, but she refused to shed them out of a desire to not make him feel as if he were pitiful. The fact that he viewed himself to be so unlovable was painful on an empathetic level. She hated that he felt that way, that he thought that in able to even have physical relations with someone it would require him to participate in assault, something she knew he would never do. 

For a split moment she thought of it, allowing herself to be a willing partner just so he wouldn't feel such self loathing, but in the end she stayed quiet. 

She was saving herself for Sasuke.' 

Such a huge mistake, and probably a missed opportunity for someone who probably would have shown her true love and devotion, unlike the man she had chased since she was a small child. 

"No. I never did." She lied, not only to him, but to herself as well. "He is more distant than you, but it's for good reason. His mother died giving birth to him, or so he had told me once, and his father was cruel. He grew up knowing only the love from his uncle, who in the end also betrayed him. For a long time this turned him into a twisted, tortured person, and I don't think he could ever truly recover from that." 

Sakura stretched, arching against the man on top of her. She stared at the ceiling, her eyes feeling that burn once more as her vision grew watery. 

" 'The demon that loves only himself', it was the meaning behind his name. I hated that." 

She breathed deeply, and savored the feeling of his heart beating against her sternum. Ivory hands came up to play with his red locks, the sadness and guilt flooding her as she used this version of him as an outlet. 

He deserved better, both versions of him did. 

"If it were me, I think I would be desperately craving affection despite the distrust of others. I think that need would outweigh my fear to the point that I would do anything to get it." Gaara snuggled a bit closer to her ear, talking very softly. "Had you asked, I'm sure he would have accepted at least a trial courting." 

The pinkette blinked at that, her hands now absent mindedly smoothing along his masculine frame. Was the other Gaara actually starving for affection? Was that conversation they had shared a cry for assistance? 

She wished she had helped him then, she wished she hadn't dismissed the thought of actually asking him out. She wished she hadn't chased after a ghost instead of a living, present person. The regret was palpable. 

"I've never seen him have romantic feelings for anyone before." She pouted in thought, trying to think back on all the times she had spent in his company. "He's extremely loyal to his friends though. I'm sure if one of his friends needed physical companionship that man would probably offer himself as tribute just for the sheer amount of love and respect he has for his peers. However, he would never seek it out by himself. He's not that type of man." 

"He and I are not so dissimilar." The redhead gave a breathless chuckle. "I have never acted on such desires until I met you." 

Sakura snorted at that, snickering while holding him close. 

"You still technically haven't, you're just a tease at this point." The pinkette murmured smartly, and listened as the man on top of her went more quiet than usual. She could feel his hands smoothing against her form, her body rolling with the enjoyment his delicate fingers and palms brought. 

"I may not have coupled with you, but the desire has been almost insatiable at times." She felt his lips gently press against her neck for a moment, slowly moving down her jugular. "If only you knew how you affected me--" 

"Show me." Sakura bit her lip eagerly, and nearly sighed as he let out a heated breath against her ivory skin. 

She wanted to take it back, and provide this version of him with whatever he desired. 

"I don't want to frighten you, I'd rather take my time; make certain that you are comfortable." The redhead took a deep breath, clearly he was ready to slip away. 

The pinkette tightened her hold around him, clinging to him desperately. She shook her head, and a single tear escaped the corner of her eye. 

"I want you take what you want from me, use me in any way that makes you happy." Sakura felt her words begin to choke up in her throat, but she tried pushing past it. "Please, just find that happiness. I want that for you, no matter the cost." 

A tidal wave hit her then, silent shaking turning into soft sobbing. He pushed himself up to look at her in utter confusion, and yet he soon started to look heartbroken. 

It was that expression, she hated it. She hated seeing it on his beautiful face. It hurt too much-- 

"Please, Gaara. Don't be sad, I'm so sorry--" He cut her off with a heartfelt kiss, and despite her shaking sobs continuing to escape she desperately tried kissing him back. 

For once she just wanted to be the one to bring someone happiness, and he of all people deserved it. Both versions of him deserved anything they wanted in the world, as both men were so incredibly altruistic. Self sacrificing, loving; they were men of impossible merit. 

Clearly whatever mood they were close to sharing had burnt out and died once tears were involved, but Gaara seemed to be affectionate regardless of this. His cuddling was so sweet, and desperately needed. She fell asleep so quickly, too. 

He made her feel so loved, and protected that she couldn't justify leaving his side even for one second. 

Chapter Text

He had provided her with a knit poncho, and one of his old hats, but other than that she still got soaked on their way to the farm. She had opted to wear her own dress today, seeing as how the other dresses were bound to be ruined with the current weather. 

Sakura sat behind him today on the horse, not caring how he felt about her sitting normally rather than side saddle. Clearly he had made a comment, but she had scoffed and saddled up behind him regardless. The stead was a strong and healthy breed, and since it was so cool with the rain the longer trip didn't seem to fatigue the horse much. 

It was a longer trip than she expected, and at one point she had gotten tired, her hands slipping down around his waist until they landed in his open lap. It wasn't until she felt his entire body tense up, thus becoming uncomfortable to lean against, that she realized her mistake and quickly brought them back up where they needed to be. He said nothing, but he did give off a soft sigh of relief. 

It took about an hour to get to her farm, and she was terribly drenched by the time they trotted up the dirt road to the house and barn. So far she couldn't see any animals, but then she heard the clucking of chickens from the coup and a few murmurs from a cow or two. Surprisingly they had survived the heat, and the few grazing cattle were huddled back inside the barn despite the door being wide open. 

She ran over to the barn, and closed the doors despite never seeing them before or knowing their mechanics. It were as if she had known them from muscle memory. 

Gaara took the liberty of checking on the chickens, feeding and fixing up their bedding as best as he could before waiting out on the porch to her home. 

Sakura walked around the barn, and saw up a tall hill containing two wooden crosses at the base of a tree. She knew then what they were, and a heavy feeling came over her for a moment before she tried pushing it away. 

'This is just a dream... your parents are still alive.' She thought, and with a forced inhale she trekked through the rising puddles to get back to the farmhouse. 

He was waiting outside her door patiently, clearly not wanting to intrude her space without her permission, but she somewhat rolled her eyes at the thought that they already knew each other well enough, and that he could have just entered without her say. 

"You know, you could have gone in and checked out the house." The pinkette scoffed at his politeness, but then noticed him turn away from her in an instant to look somewhere else. She tried following his line of sight, but saw nothing. 

With a groan she entered the house, finding it to be surprisingly clean and untouched. She wondered if this version of her here enjoyed cleanliness as much as she did in the real world. 

Sakura didn't bother inviting him in, knowing that if he was smart he would follow her, but she did start looking through the cupboards and pantry. She found some corn, flour, dried out herbs, tea, coffee, and some preserves along with molasses and alcohol. It wasn't great stuff to work with, but she figured there were eggs outside for her to use too. 

Upon hearing his spurs hitting her floorboards she waved a hand at him without turning around. 

"Go ahead and make yourself at home. I'm going to go grab some eggs if you wouldn't mind fetching some fresh water." She called out to him, and heard him walk back outside as she pulled out some pots and a kettle. 

She didn't walk past him on her way out, but she had already decided to ditch her poncho in favor of just the hat. The soaked garment did little to keep her warm now, and merely weighed her down as she went about her work. Eggs were gathered, cows were fed, the well was looked over to see a nice amount of water gathering at the bottom. Everything seemed to be getting in better condition than she had apparently left it due to the rain. 

When she came back into the house she noticed he already had the stove lit, and was burning off some of the firewood and charcoals they kept in the house. A fresh pile had been brought in as well, and judging by his extremely wet physique he had just cut some wet logs to replace the dry ones he was now burning. He had stared at her for a moment as she passed, but then turned away right as he met her eyes. 

'Why is he acting like this?' The pinkette wondered, but brushed it off in favor of going about her tasks. She grabbed a pestle and mortar to start grinding the dried corn for bread-- 

"You'll get sick if you don't change..." He murmured softly from across the room, and it was then that she looked down to address her clothing. 

Her white blousey top to her dress was sopping and clung to the naked frame underneath leaving her almost no modesty, and she realized then why he was so against looking at her. 

Well, he was at least gentle about it. 

"Ah... sorry, I didn't mean to flash you." Sakura wiped her hands of powder residue on an old towel, and turned confidently to march towards the staircase. 

His cyan orbs followed her for a moment, and when she turned to adress his wandering sight he quickly looked away again with an innocent flush to his cheeks. She allowed his bashfulness to compliment rather than insult her, and made her way upstairs to what she assumed was her bedroom. 

There was only one room upstairs, and when she looked around the dresser she saw mens and womens clothing. Clearly they had belonged to her parents... 

A harsh feeling took over her as she found a nice long sleeved light blue dress with a soft white frock. She stripped down her soaking clothes in favor of putting on the new ones finding the fit to be perfect, but she always knew she and her mother were the same size regardless of what world she was in. 

The undergarments were a light tanktop-like garment with ties, some knee length pantaloons, and stockings. She dressed herself accordingly, and felt odd once everything was on. 

She looked far too dressed up for being at home, but she knew that this was how ladies dressed in this day and age for any occasion. She tied only the top half of her semi-long pink hair back despite having it down most of the time, and when she looked at herself in an old mirror she realized that she looked more refined, but still relaxed. She looked like a lady, and while it sort of bothered her that this was the standard she also felt herself oddly flattered to be considered as such. Perhaps she had read too many romance novels. 

The pinkette shook her head, and hurried back downstairs finding the sky even darker than what it was before. How she didn't notice upstairs was beyond her, perhaps she was too absorbed in her thoughts to notice. 

"We should stay the night, it's getting to be too dangerous outside. Did you put your horse in the barn?" Sakura walked over to his side as he prepared the steaming kettle for coffee, but he hadn't looked on her quite yet. 

"Yes, Uma is in the barn with the cows--" He turned around and stopped midsentence, but all she could think about was to laugh at his name for his horse. 

"You named your horse 'Uma'? Isn't that just another word for horse? You're funny." The pinkette snickered as she finished up the prep for her bread, but stopped when she noticed him staring hard at her. "What? Is the dress ugly--?" 

"N-no! It's... a very fine dress. You look lovely in that color." Gaara turned away quickly as he finished with the coffee, and awkwardly poured himself a cup before bringing the burning liquid to his lips without a second thought. 

"Can you see my breasts in it or something--?" 

The coffee spewed from his lips, and he set the cup down to shakingly take care of the mess he had made. He anxiously grabbed a towel and started wiping up the dirtied counterspace. 

"No... your chest is well concealed..." The redhead finished up his task, and then he slipped away over to the dining table to just sit out for the time being. 

He was acting odd, but something about the behavior told her that he wasn't offended by anything she had said, but rather he was simply embarrassed by it. It was strange, as just last night he had been so confident with her... 

'Maybe it's the setting. We're completely alone out here, no one to bother us...' She felt her cheeks warm at the thought, forcing her to anxiously tug at her sleeves. 'Maybe he's thinking about getting a bit more physical than usual.' 

"You should change too. Some of my father's clothes are upstairs, you can use them. I can wash the ones you have on if you like." Sakura wandered over to the table carefully, not failing to watch him hunch forward slightly as her hand grabbed hold of the back of his chair. 

Such an odd reaction, could he really be that nervous? Was he all just talk before? 

"It would be improper for me to be in a state of undress in your home--" 

"Seriously? I've practically been naked in front of you, it's really not a big deal." The pinkette responded with a scoff, and watched as he tried to look as far away from her as possible. 

"It would be impolite for a man unwedded to you to wear your father's clothing." Gaara murmured softly, but his grip on the table was anxious at best. 

'If he's really wanting to wait until marriage for us to fool around, I'm going to scream.' 

Sakura sighed, and walked away from him with some attitude to her step. She was determined to change his mind no matter the cost, as he was only going to get sick if he continued to wear the wet clothes he had on his back. 

"If you don't come with me to get you some new clothes I will personally go get you some and then come back down to change your stubborn ass myself. Now hurry up." The pinkette barked, and as she made her steps upstairs she heard his chair scoot out reluctantly while his heavier steps followed. 

By the time she made it over to the main dresser he was in the doorway, waiting bitterly against the frame while she tossed out a cream button down shirt, brown pants with suspenders, and some thin long underwear for him to wear underneath. Yes, it would be odd for him to wear her father's long underwear, but she knew they were well cleaned. 

"Alright, get changed, and then give me your wet clothes. I'll wash and hang them up to dry inside." Sakura ordered as she brushed past him on her way out. As he stepped in she closed the door behind him, and waited just outside for him to do what she asked. 

She could hear the rain worsen on the roof, and wondered if it would get any colder tonight. It had gotten to be so dark in the hallway that she was starting to struggle to see, even though it was still early. 

After some time and absent thinking the door finally opened, and his silhouette was all she could see before his hand outstretched to pass her the sopping items. She took them into her arms, her eyes just barely adjusting to see his own in the shadowy grey light. 

He stood there, just staring at her as the sky grew darker. He seemed so much larger than her despite their near matching heights. Perhaps it was her father's clothes that seemed just a tad more billowy on his lean frame. Or the way he left some of the buttons open along his chest... 

"I'll go light the fireplace." He murmured, and the tone of his voice was almost washed away by the sound of heavy rain. 

In a daze she responded, wanting to shake her head of the odd dreamlike state she was in, and yet also desiring to stay comfortably within it. 

"Okay." She answered back in a small voice, spacing out as he passed her slowly to go back downstairs. 

It was such an off feeling, but she felt as if their roles were different then. That she was truly a demure woman, and he was a more dominant man. As if they had just so easily slipped into their expected stereotypes of male and female. 

She hated the fact that she felt warmed by it, and by the way she naturally felt an urge for more of it. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

She made dinner while he tended to a fire that did not want to stay lit. Apparently the chimney had the bad habit of getting a bit too wet at the start. 

Eventually they managed to keep everything afloat, and instead of sitting at the table they sat by the fire to eat their meal. 

Luckily Sakura had a couple candles and some oil lamps lying around, so they used them for their intended purpose while they cleaned their dishes and got ready for the evening. Any time she moved away from the fire she instantly felt cold, and knew that she would be freezing if she went upstairs to sleep despite heat rising. The house was drafty, and not well insulated. 

It was either she pile up the blankets next to the fire, which wasn't necessarily safe, or she did something that one might consider reckless considering their 'unchaperoned' circumstances. 

'We slept next to each other last night, and he was quite polite about it. I'm sure tonight will be similar, and if something happens...' She blushed once more, swallowing hard as passionate images filled her mind. 'Then... I guess we have sex... I've already agreed to marry him, so I really can't argue with getting physical with him. It just feels so sudden, but I guess now is as good a time as any...' 

She came to brash decision, but one she wasn't as adverse to as she initally thought. He was very handsome, and they were engaged... and alone... this was expected, right? 

"It's going to be very cold tonight... and it would be stupid for one of us to freeze up in bed while the other accidentally catches fire by the fireplace..." Sakura started, and watched carefully as his glowing cyan eyes focused on her from her father's favorite chair. The light of the fire lit up his porcelain features in a magical way, as if reminding her of some sort of deep secret she was about to violently reveal. 

"Are you saying we should sleep in the same bed tonight?" Gaara murmured softly, and with a blush she looked to the floorboards. 

"I wasn't necessarily 'saying', more so readying myself to ask..." The pinkette began wringing her hands, but avoided his gaze like the plague. 

There was a long pause, and her eyes watched the light from the flames move quietly across the floorboards while she waited. Eventually he moved to stand, walking past her to go into the kitchen and get a glass of water. 

"You go first, I'll be there soon." 

She whipped her head up to watch him take a tentative drink, but his eyes refused to make contact with her own. 

He wasn't saying no to it, which was beyond his usual scope of manners and morals, even though he had also openly stated exactly how she affected him. It spelled out that either he had a change of heart on things, or that something else entirely was at play. Something that made all of his previous arguments now moot, and pointless. 

Even if he did push himself on her she didn't feel like she would reject his touch. She knew he would never strive to hurt her, and he always seemed to want what was best for her too. In the time of getting to know him she realized he was quite an exceptional man, and that he was beautiful inside and out. She saw no wrong in giving a piece of herself to him, and had accepted anything that was to come between them. 

'You deserve the world...' She remembered her feelings from before, and felt incredibly light from them. 

With a new resolve she nodded more to herself than to him, and made her way from the floor to the stairs. Her breath growing tighter with each step she took. Was she truly steeling herself to sleep with him? Why was she so nervous about it when she was so confident just seconds before? 

No, she was going to do it, she was going to sleep with him. Sleep with this 'dream' version of Gaara in an even stranger world, and yet it felt so right. If she was forced to return to her world she could never tell the real Gaara of what occured here. Not ever. It would be far too embarassing. 

Shaking herself out of her dazed thoughts she began undressing, removing her mother's blue dress, and almost all that was layered underneath it. She had removed her tank top when the door behind her opened gently, and while she had initially turned with the garment held protectively to her chest she eventually calmed her nerves as his gaze stayed steady on her own. 

Had she been spacing out for a long time? Time was so objective with this current weather, and she could never tell how much had passed without the placement of the moon or sun. 

Instead of walking back out he simply closed the door behind him with a sigh, and stood silently as he waited for her to finish. She moved the top away from her chest, allowing it to fall before turning back towards the dresser. As her hands dug for a nightgown she heard footsteps walk up behind her, and she froze as she felt warm hands on her semi bare hips. 

"May I... ask that you heal me... one more time." Gaara spoke just above a whisper, and his gentle tone instantly soothed her into dropping the soft cotton gown. 

With a deep and calming breath she turned around in his hands, and placed her glowing palms to his ribs. He took a few deep breaths, and only a small amount of rest dust was huffed out of his mouth when he turned his face off to the side. Once finished he looked back at her more strongly. She continued her energy, making sure that there was nothing more to heal. 

When she looked up to smile she wasn't expecting his lips to be on hers so quickly, but he didn't let his tongue push past like she had desperately wanted him to. Instead he pulled away leaving her blinking in shock, and walked over to a glass of water he left on the dresser to drink greedily. 

"Forgive me, everything tastes like blood." He said between sips, and she laughed before turning away to remove her cotton pants. 

"It's okay. I appreciate your consideration." Sakura let the garment fall from her hips to the floor, and she stepped out of them carefully. She reached into the drawer to grab her nightgown, and pulled it over her head. 

She turned back to see his eyes on her again, only this time they were much more serious than before. He said nothing, and didn't move like she thought he would. The pinkette felt a bit bashful for showing her body to him, even though it was only for a moment, and decided to retreat into the bed while continuing to watch his movements. 

It took a while, but after she had gotten settled on the mattress he turned the knob on the oil lamp to set the light as low as it could go leaving him cast in incandescent shadows. The way his thumbs slipped under the suspenders was oddly hypnotizing, and he smoothly removed them before unbuttoning his shirt. 

Each article of clothing he removed painfully slipped away from him, and the long underwear that she once thought was dorky now became teasing as he unbuttoned all the fastenings ever so slowly down his chest. He caught her staring, and stopped before reaching where his normal waistline would be, leaving only his chest and abdomen exposed. 

"You seem to be expecting something." Gaara teased, and she instantly pouted at being caught with her mind in the gutter. 

"I was not--!" 

"Alright then, we'll just go to sleep." The redhead shrugged, took one last sip of water, and then approached the bed nonchalantly before seating himself on the side. 

She stared at his back as he removed his socks, and as she shyly hunkered down he simply followed suit as if it were the easiest task in the world. Where the bed was cold his presence was burning, so when he pulled the covers up over their shoulders she quickly pressed her front up against his backside. 

It was only a short moment, but he managed to freeze before continuing to get comfortable, he gave a soft sigh before relaxing further into the mattress. 

At first she was too nervous to try it, but eventually the yearning became so bad that she couldn't keep herself from wrapping one lithe arm around his waist. He went stiff for a second, but then as trust returned he quickly relaxed in her embrace. 

Time passed, and every second that did she found herself more awake. 

'He's really not going to try anything?' She thought, and her hand started absentmindedly stroking at his open chest. 

He took a deep and healthy breath, but nothing more than that. It started to bother her that he wasn't trying to go any further, and soon she found her hand wandering down his abdomen. Hard muscle, and smoother skin awaited her, and as she enjoyed the journey the end was what she had been anticipating. 

Her fingers found the last button to his sleepwear, and slunk under the fabric with the hope of finding the answer, but a firm grip stopped her as soon as she tried. 

"Rethink that decision, we aren't married yet." Gaara hummed sleepily, but she had reached her final straw with his 'manners'. 

Sakura removed her hand roughly only to pull just as hard on his shoulders so that he would lay flat to the bed, and when his astonished gaze met hers she merely ignored it in favor of swinging a leg over him to straddle his lap. The pinkette got the proof she needed in that instant, but now there was fire in her that couldn't be squelched without knowing him intimately. 

His coal rimmed eyes were wide beneath her, and his cyan irises pierced into her jade ones. Porcelain hands hesitantly grasped her hips, and he took a few deep breaths before swallowing hard. 

"You... truly want this...?" His naked brows furrowed over his eyes, but he didn't seem upset in the least, if anything he seemed more confused. "Last night... I could sense your heartbreak, and if you are doing this solely out of a desire to please me then I will have absolutely none of it." 

The pinkette blinked at that, noting now that he was simply playing to her whims up until this moment. Surely he hadn't thought of anything going this far despite his desire for it. He didn't want to be pitied, but her feelings for him were nowhere near that. Would it be wrong to press him further for it? Or was he just as eager and simply hiding it out of concern for her? She had no answers, and it wasn't like she could ask him outright either, he would simply assume that she was doing it to make him happy.  

But now that she was here, the craving she felt for him was beyond insatiable. She stared at her hands as they scratched delicately along his exposed chest, and bit her lip tentatively. 

"If you... if you desire me... you can take what you want. I won't refuse you." Sakura finally answered with a harsh blush to her cheeks, her urge for him was thrumming inside of her, but she didn't want to force him into an uncomfortable situation if he didn't actually want to do it. "I... want this... I truly do." 

The hands on her hips were gentle in their hold, but eventually she felt his grip go firm. He lifted her up carefully, and she maneuvered in his grasp to get off of him. It told her enough of how he felt, so she got back into her previous spot on the bed, and layed down on her back to watch the ceiling with a heart full of guilt. 

"I'm sorry, Gaara... I shouldn't have pressured you. Clearly you have boundaries for this sort of thing, and I'm being far too selfish. I just... I know you like me that way, and I tried to take advantage of that. Please, forgive me...." The pinkette nearly whimpered before covering her eyes with her arm, and when she felt the bed shift and the covers lift she assumed he was preparing to leave-- 

Then she felt the weight on the other side of her dip, and when she removed her arm she found him hovering above her with a stoic expression. Once again he kissed her, but this time he parted his lips to taste the inside of her mouth. He tasted like fresh water, but his tongue was pleasantly warm instead of cool. He broke away with a faraway look to his eyes, barely coming back to focus on her with a gentle pant to his breathing. 

"Tell me you desire it... one more time." His hairless brows furrowed over his darkened lids, as if scrutinizing her confession. She blushed at the thought, but she knew it was what he desperately needed. 

"I want you... please..." Sakura felt all of the heat in her body rush to her cheeks, and as she bit her lip with anxiety his slowly glazing sight focused on the action. Licking his lips as if her mouth made him hungry. 

"I don't believe you--" He smirked, and it nearly threw her into a screaming fit. 

"For hell's sake!! What do you want me to say?! 'Please, Gaara, fuck me as hard as you can'?!" The pinkette hid her face in her hands, unable to face him now that those words had been unfortunately blurted out. She started to squeal in embarassment, her body attempting to turn on it's side only for him to roughly pin down her shoulders to keep her facing him. 

"If that's how you want it to be said, I won't argue with your abrasive language." One of his hands took hold of her wrist, pinning it to the mattress while she looked up at him shyly. "I might not be seasoned, but I will strongly attempt to keep you pleased. Whether that involves... something a bit harsher than I am comfortable with... or if you desire a softer hand... I will be that man for you." 

His breathing was growing tighter, but she knew it wasn't from any ailment. His eyes focused on hers with a firm stare, stripping her of her reluctant truths. 

"However, I've heard a woman's first time is rarely pleasant. My first and foremost desire is for you to enjoy it whole-heartedly. So although I have no prior experience in the matter, I still recommend a more gentle approach." His body shifted against hers slightly, forcing her to feel the part of him that screamed out that he was male. Her skin felt like it was burning, and he hadn't even done anything substantial. 

Lightening struck outside, and the rain pattered loudly against the window pane. He captured her lips without question, and she eagerly kissed him back. The tie to her collar was suddenly pulled, allowing the garment to open graciously enough to expose her chest. He broke the kiss long enough to pull back and gaze at her breasts, taking one experimentally in his larger hand while she stifled a whimper. 

Cyan orbs came up from his task, holding her gaze with a smolder she had never seen from him. His smokey eyes held her captive as he groped her again, and this time she didn't hide the sound that she made. Starving for more he kissed at her neck, and she eagerly wrapped her legs around his waist to truly connect their hips. He rocked himself against her, and she cried out in satisfaction over finally recieving the attention she so desperately needed. 

Suddenly his hands were shaking, his breath was trembling, he was rigid and yet fluid in her arms as he moved against her again. She was desperate to feel him further, so her hands left his shoulders to frantically tug at the remaining buttons of his long underwear. She could feel his length pressing forward with the desire for freedom, and once exposed she held him firmly in her curious hand. 

Gaara balanced on his arms, watching with baited breath as she guided him to her wanting entrance. Once there she placed one hand on his backside, urging him to push forward while she held her breath. 

He slipped in much more easily than she had imagined, and the stroking at her inner walls left them both gasping. 

"Am I hurting you?" He breathed, and she shook her head rapidly in answer. 

"No... Keep going... please..." Sakura begged, and he obliged with a slow and gentle thrust. 

Her body arched happily from his actions, writhing under his weight as it waited eagerly for more. He made another pass, his breath hitching as he did it before giving a shaking exhale. 

The rain continued to pour outside, and her eyes slid over to watch as it washed fiercely over the glass on the window. Her body began moving with him, and then she gave a sudden shocked cry as he made a swift thrust into her wet heat. 

Gaara was trembling, but his hand managed to turn her face towards him to ghost his mouth over her own as he did it again. She whined against his lips, and felt him give a breathless smile in response. 

"You're... beautiful, Sakura..." He murmured as he did it again, and when she began clawing at his neck and shoulders she found his grip on her body change. 

He pressed himself away from her frame, his chest just barely brushing her own as he started a firm rythm. She felt her body being pushed by the stronger thrusts, but she simply clung to him in able to keep from moving too far away. The sensation kept building within her, back and forth to a point where she was moaning consistently. 

It felt far too good, and his body against hers was warm and welcoming. She could hear and see him panting, but his speed wasn't at what she needed to finish. She was growing desperate, and clawing at his shoulders until the garment he wore slid off them to pool at his elbows. 

"Gaara... more... please.." She begged between moans, and he was instant in obliging her with what she needed. 

He groaned favorably, his register going higher the faster he went. Soon she felt the waves overcoming her sending a tingling sensation down her spine, her core growing white hot, and her eyes clamping shut as she cried desperately out into the darkness. 

She could feel her own walls constricting firmly around him as she came, and not too much longer he gave a louder moan than he had before. His length was pulsing inside of her, leaving her fantastically high and glowing as he trembled through his climax. 

The rain came back into her ears along with his harsh panting, she felt warm and wet lips kissing along her jaw and cheek before his head relaxed near her shoulder. Her hands glided along his dewy upper back, and she breathed a happy sigh of relief. 

"That was... wonderful." Gaara laughed breathlessly, still taking in sharp huffs to try to reestablish his normal breathing pattern. 

"Hnn..." She hummed in agreement, and clung to him a tad bit more. 

They relaxed as they breathed against each other, time passing by as the storm continued on outside. She played with his hair lovingly, the minutes slipping past without care, all that mattered was that she enjoy this time with him. Eventually he stirred, when initially she had thought he had fallen asleep. 

"I'd... like to try it again..." The redhead murmured softly, making his statement sound shy. 

Sakura broke out into a fit of giggles, finding the coy yet eager behavior to be quite cute. He had just gone at her like a deviant, and yet now he sounded like a little kid asking for seconds on desert. 

"If you want it you'll have to be a bit more confident with your approach." The pinkette nearly snorted, but then felt him push off to hover above her with a curious look in his eyes. 

"Are you saying I should pursue it?" Gaara raised one naked brow with his question, and she felt herself becoming a pleasantly bad influence on him. 

"Well..." She coyly bit her bottom lip before letting it go with a flush to her cheeks. "You should try making me 'want it'. Seduce me, sir." 

The redhead seemed to blink at that, and ingested her comment for a moment before letting his cute expression turn more serious. 

"Seduction..." Gaara murmured, his eyes growing more lidded as he thought it over. He parted from her, slipping out of her with ease. The redhead moved to sit on his heels, and kept strong eye contact with her. 

The long underwear that had gathered at his elbows was now being taken off in smooth movements. He lifted one leg at a time to remove them completely, and then crawled up her frame to hover over her. Soon he was reaching for the disheveled nightgown that hid the rest of her body away from him, and once it was pulled completely away he let out a wanton sigh. 

"I've been desiring this for so long, and now that I've seen all of you I must say that God made you far too beautiful." He breathed the words, making her instantly bashful. 

She tried hiding her chest with her arms, but he was quick to pull them off in able to kiss at the breasts underneath. He found a perked nipple, and sucked eagerly at it forcing her body to jolt and arch. His hands wandered her frame again, but before he could get much purchase he pulled away quickly only to manhandle her up to a kneeling position. 

Sakura gave a small yelp as she was maneuvered, forcing her to turn around to kneel in front of him while he warmed up to her back. She was pulled flush against him, and he reached down between their legs to press his fresh erection into her entrance. It took a couple tries, but eventually he hooked it just right. She whimpered as he filled her completely, but he made no intention to move just yet. Instead his hand wandered between her open thighs, petting at the parted damp folds. 

"I've seen some debaucherous things in the span of my career..." The redhead whispered against her ear, causing her to nearly whine with desire. "This was something that made me quite curious... this place that seemed to make women beg... will you beg too, I wonder?" 

Gaara moved his fingers sinfully, making her body arch and roll in able to get him positioned just right. When he found the exact spot she cried out, and forcefully held over his hand to keep him there permanently. He took the hint, and began massaging at the now highly sensitive pearl. 

"Gaara--!" The pinkette gasped, not caring how he chuckled breathlessly against her ear. 

"I can feel you tighten around me when you do that..." The redhead then gave a gentle thrust, and then a soft groan followed by her sharper one. "It's getting tighter... the more I touch you..." 

Sakura gave a small sob, and nodded quickly in agreement with him. She felt him suck along her neck, and firmly grasp at one of her breasts with his free hand. She cried out, and rocked her hips to make more friction, trembling as she did so. He couldn't do any extreme movements in this position, but his hand was working enough for her to cry out for him. Her hips began moving in waves, accentuating the pleasure she recieved from his fingers. 

"Gaara..." The pinkette whined his name, lolling her head back onto his shoulder while she let the ecstasy wash over her. His hand was moving at a quicker pace now, clearly he was eager to witness her finish. 

Gaara sucked hard at her neck, and her entire body jolted from the sharp pleasure it gave her. The heat inside her began spiraling out, consuming her from the top of her head to the tips of her fingers. She writhed sinfully in his arms, a display she had never put on for anyone before. Her subconscious knew it should be embarassing, and yet it felt too good to stop the motions. 

"Don't stop--" Sakura pleaded, her voice beginning to crack as her form started to break under the pressure. She was trembling, a sheen of sweat glowed on her skin, she felt him gently arching inside of her while her walls held firmly onto his length. His fingers increased their firmness, and she tensed with a sharp scream. 

Blood rushed through her veins hotly, the pounding in her ears and tingling in her cheeks intense and bright. While she wailed he turned her face towards his to kiss her crying lips, licking her bottom lip as her sounds of pleasure turned into desperate sobs. She was shaking as if she were freezing to death, but that was far from the truth. She felt as if she were on literal fire. 

"Fuck... I'm... going to die..." The pinkette cried, and then laughed, then cried some more. She felt his kisses start out gentle, but then they became lascivious and hungry. 

Her world was thrust forward onto the mattress, keeping her knees where they were but now pressing her naked chest onto the bed. A sudden onslaught of wonderful pulsing filled her, and she turned her head to see his hips thrusting into her hard. 

Sakura sobbed happily, clawing into the sheets while he worked. Amongst her fresh ecstasy she could hear him groan in approval, his hands gripping so firmly onto her hips she wondered if they would bruise. She didn't care, he could be slapping her right now and she wouldn't give a damn. 

The intensity was just right, and as she felt another orgasm slam through her the vocal chords cut short. She breathed incoherent words, her eyes nearly rolling back before she was brought right back into the main rhythm. It was insane, as if she was back into the middle of her build up only for him to push her over another edge. Her walls were tight and pulsing, her body was shaking from the intensity of her pleasure. She had ripped the once decent cotton sheets with her fingernails. She found a breath in her to give a few more sharp cries, and several curses. 

Finally his grip became so tight it was bothersome, and with a seething groan he pulsed once more inside her. His movements started to slow, allowing them to attempt catch their breaths, but the sounds of gasping were all that could be heard in the now steaming room. 

The pinkette felt her saliva dripping past her lips, and she quickly wiped her mouth before looking back at him. He was holding himself up using the swell of her hips as leverage, but he was breathing as if he had just ran a race. His head was hung forward, his damp red locks swinging into his eyes as he periodically shivered. Nearly all of his muscles were lightly twitching, clearly he had used everything he had in that last moment. 

"Are... you okay?..." Sakura breathed, and watched him nod silently before he gave a choked laugh. 

"I'm... excellent... thank you..." Even though she couldn't see his eyes, she could in fact see his rather goofy grin. It was obvious that he was as high as a kite right now, and despite the glorious sex appeal he had earlier right now he was simply adorable. 

It didn't take long for him to pull out, and practically flop forward onto the bed. His breathing was still so harsh, and it forced her into a fit of giggles. His smile grew more dopey, and he closed his eyes happily. While he was preoccupied she got up to go clean herself. A light wash with a bowl of water and a towel was well and good, as well as using the restroom before going back to bed. 

Sakura was not stupid, and she had done her research. She knew that urinating after sex was safest for women, if not done this way things could get... bad. She really did not want a urinary tract infection in this day and age. 

The pinkette eventually came back to bed, snuggling up naked next to her passed out fiancé. She kissed the corner of his mouth, and snuggled down for the night. 

She regretted nothing. 

Chapter Text

"Lord Kazekage, Sasuke Uchiha and Ino Yamanaka are here." 

Gaara looked up from his many books and scrolls, his coal rimmed eyes bloodshot from the many nights he had missed out on sleep. 

Finally they had arrived, the moment he realized the tablet was a gateway rather than some sort of jutsu he immediately called for them, and thank the gods they came. 

"Send them in." The redhead breathed a small sigh of relief, but still felt the weight of the situation at hand. 

The doors opened, and the two leaf shinobi entered without fail looking more than prepared. Ino in particular looked as if she was ready to be handed an 'S' class mission. 

"Welcome, it's good to see you both." Gaara made the effort to stand and walk towards them, reaching his hand out for a handshake. "I apologize for the mess--" 

"No need to apologize, lord Kazekage." Ino tried smiling, but it was clearly forced. "How is Sakura?" 

The redhead tensed up, and his lips formed into a tight line. 

"She is... comatose, but we are keeping her alive." The young Kazekage walked back to his desk, lifting up a scroll or two apathetically before slumping into his office chair. 

He didn't care if it looked unprofessional, he was clearly stressed and exhausted. 

"Is it poison? Genjutsu--?" Sasuke took a few steps forward towards the desk, but Gaara shook his head in answer. 

"Mind... and matter." The redhead began, sitting up to rest his elbows on his desk. "Her mind... it's been pushed into a separate dimension..." 

The brunette seemed to be understanding of this, but the blonde's mouth was agape in shock. 

"It's why I called for you both. Sasuke, your sharingan can manipulate space, and time. Ino, you have the greatest mind transfer technique out of anyone I know..." Gaara sighed, and closed his eyes. "I need Sasuke to prepare a portal into this parallel universe, and I need Ino to find Sakura's mind... and call it back to her body." 

The two shinobi went serious, and nodded in agreement. 

"Alright. When do we start?" Sasuke smirked, and for once his confidence was comforting. 

"Today. We'll use Sakura's body as an anchor, it should be able to lead us to her. We've been seeing traces of brain activity, but clearly not enough to wake her." The redhead nodded, and stood up. "You can follow me, I'll lead you to her room. We can get started right away." 

Small details were discussed on the way through the halls, including one idea which Ino had recommended. In the case of being unable to properly reach Sakura's mind to call it back, she stated that perhaps sending someone else's mind through to the other side could help. However, Ino only had enough power to send one person, and Sasuke had to use his energy to keep the portal open. Ino would have to stay behind in case they failed, her power would be needed again if that were the case. That left one person; Gaara. 

The redhead had already dealt with an infinite amount of mental tortures in his life, and had successfully pieced himself back together after what would cause normal people to go mad. He had also died, and gone to another plane of existence; so the young Kazekage felt he would be the most qualified for jumping universes. 

He just hoped that he could get the job done quickly, and bring Sakura home. 

Upon their arrival to Sakura's temporary chambers he watched as their faces fell upon seeing her in a catatonic state. She looked as if she might be sleeping, and yet she also seemed to be completely drained of life. Hooked up to different machines to keep her stable, it was clear that her situation was dire. She was fading, and it was obvious. 

"Let's get to work." Sasuke sighed, and the two leaf shinobi took their places around her. 

Ino sat in a chair, and placed one hand on the pinkette's body while the other motioned for Gaara to come close. 

"I'm going to try to reach her, but if I can't I'll have to send you in immediately. Pull up a chair." Ino barked orders at him, but Gaara didn't take offense to it. 

The redhead simply listened, and pulled up a chair right next to Ino's. He watched as they worked diligently, opening the portal and reaching into the pinkette's mind. He found himself zoning out on her ashen face, feeling more and more guilty as the seconds ticked by. He shouldn't have let her go into the cave first. He should have done it himself, but she insisted on investigating the incidents saying that if it was caused by poison she would be more likely to live through it. 

He never could have dreamed it would turn out like this... 

"I can't reach her. You need to go in, prepare yourself." Ino suddenly broke the focused silence, and he braced himself for the jump. "It might sting a bit." 

Suddenly her hand was touching his forehead, covering his eyes as he felt the worst splitting headache of his life. He knew his sand was coming up to protect him, but he passed out quickly enough that it had no effect on the woman sending him far away. It was almost instantaneous, and yet the pain still had his ears ringing as he opened his bleary eyes. 

A wooden ceiling, with an overcast sky lighting up the room in grey light. He felt relaxed, and warm, and yet the air seemed chilled. Rain lightly tapped at the window next to him, and his eyes peered over at the water droplets gently cascading down the glass pane. 

Well, at least it wasn't a hell dimension. That was a relief. 

"Hnn... good morning..." A soft feminine voice murmured near his ear, making him instantly tense. He felt a lithe arm tighten around his chest as the warm body slinked closer to him. 

"G-good morning..." Gaara's throat felt dry, and he gulped trying to make it more comfortable to speak. He kept his eyes to the ceiling, afraid to look at whoever was next to him. 

Warm plush lips kissed his neck, instantly making his eyes widen in utter disbelief. They worked their way up to the shell of his ear, breathing hotly against it. 

"Did you forget what happened last night?" The woman giggled breathily, giving his earlobe a light lick before whispering once again. "Maybe we should do it again, just to refresh your memory..." 

"Th-that's not necess--" The redhead went to protest, but was cut off by a groan leaving his own throat. 

She had dragged her teeth against his jugular, and her hand had moved to pleasantly grip the morning erection he sported. His eyes rolled skyward while his darkened lids fluttered shut, just then realizing how intense it felt to be handled in such a way by another person. 

Whoever this woman was, he felt he might end up indulging in her before too long. She had very talented hands. 

Suddenly the weight around him shifted, and then a pleasant pressure was placed on his groin. With his eyes still closed his hands wandered up silky naked thighs, and when she sighed he finally let his lids peek open to look upon whoever this sinful creature was-- 

Blood drained from his face, he stared wide eyed at the pink haired beauty on top of him. 

"Sakura..." He almost gaped, unable to find any other words with the exception of her name. 

"Why do you look so shocked?" Sakura giggled before leaning her clearly naked body over his now trembling frame. "Am I uglier in the mornings or something? Is my hair out of place?" 

Gaara didn't mean to do it, but his eyes drank in her stunning nude image, and burned it into his memory. He could hardly breathe, and found himself choking on air. 

He coughed, and felt that something didn't feel right. When the coughing worsened he felt her palms on his chest rapidly healing him, and a red dust was hacked out of his mouth. 

"We might have to do one more session, but your lungs are pretty much in the clear." Sakura smiled at him, then reached over for a cup of water that was on the nightstand. She handed him the cup, and he drank it greedily. "The tuberculosis is almost gone, soon you'll be back to perfect health again." 

The redhead turned to place the now empty cup back on the nightstand, but was quickly forced back onto the mattress by his shoulders. Jade eyes sparkled with mischief before pink lips descended on his pale ones. She kissed him gently at first, and he remained completely in shock to it. 

Suddenly he felt her grind against him, and he bucked in response to the sudden stimulus. Gaara broke out of the kiss in an instant, and took harsh pants of air. 

"Wait! Please! There's no time!" The redhead hissed right as she moved to do it again, but as soon as his urgent tone reached her ears she came to a complete stop. "You have to go back! Time is running out!" 

The pinkette tilted her head for a moment at him, and then gave a goofy laugh. 

"What are you talking about? You said you wanted me to stay. It's why we're getting married in a couple weeks--" 

"We're getting married?!" Gaara shook his head in disbelief, and then shook it again knowing that there was no time to explain. "No, Sakura! You have to go back now! Ino and Sasuke have opened a portal for you to return with. If you don't go back now your body will die!!" 

It was then he noticed her features start to change from humor, to insult, denial, and then finally utter horror. 

"Oh my god... you're not Gaara-- I mean, you're the other--" Sakura put both of her hands to her mouth and screamed behind them, then in quick succession pulled her hair before placing them back onto her face. "Oh no... oh NO--!!" 

"Sakura, I'm not upset." The redhead couldn't stop the heat from funneling into his cheeks, but he had to remain as professional as possible. "Truly, this was just an honest... um... 'mix up'." 

Suddenly her hands came away from her face, and her eyes burned with a fury he had never recieved from her before. 

"You were going to let me go through with it." The pinkette jabbed a finger at his naked chest, and he winced at how hard she poked him. "You were going to have sex with me until your conscience chimed in--!!" 

"I was not!!! I swear!!" Gaara pleaded his case at first, but then felt himself suddenly grow defensive. "And who are you to talk!?! You slept with my body double--!!" 

"I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ELABORATE DREAM!!" Sakura screeched at him then pinned him down hard by the shoulders. "Plus, your 'double' is very suave and loving!! He cares about me!" 

"If I didn't care about you do you think I would even be here?!" The redhead shot back, and the comment seemed to cut deep. 

The pinkette became hurt instantly, and he could see the pain form on her face. She closed her eyes tightly, and let out a tight exhale. 

"I'm sorry... but I don't want to leave." Sakura whimpered out her words. 

He didn't feel it was right for him to ask her why she felt that way, it was clearly personal. However, she was going to die if she continued to stay. 

"You can't stay... your body is dying." Gaara murmured to her, his features gowing soft. "You have to come back--" 

"I can't leave until you're safe!" The pinkette shouted out, but then shook her head quickly to correct herself. "I mean 'him'... He's sick, and I need to heal him completely before I can leave." 

The redhead blinked at that, his initial blush still stinging his cheeks. 

Clearly she was in a romantic relationship with whoever he was in this realm. While the redhead was slightly complimented by that he was also somewhat hurt. 

'What makes him so different from me?' As the thought passed in his head he instantly felt stupid for it. 'Why the hell am I getting jealous?! There was nothing between us back home!' 

"Sakura, you will be dead within a week." He finally came back to center, blurting out the truth. 

His eyes took in her image once more, but she looked greatly saddened by the news. However, she sighed and stretched out her back, clearly forgetting the state of undress that she was in. Or perhaps she just no longer cared, either way he was having a difficult time not appreciating her nude feminine form. 

"I don't know if you'll survive here if you die back home." He finally murmured, and shook his head sadly. "It's you or him, and if he's anything like me you know who he'll choose." 

Sakura seemed to snap slightly, her eyes turning on him in a beautiful jade glare. She was still stunning even when angry. 

"You're known as the 'demon the loves only itself'. So maybe he'll actually choose himself--" 

"If he does then you're a fool for loving him." Gaara hissed then, watching her eyes go large. 

Despite her initial shock he watched her begin to break. Little by little her careful composure shattered, and she bursted into tears. He instantly felt guilty, he had never meant to make her cry or anything of the sort. He figured that she had been trapped here, not necessarily having the time of her life. 

'Clearly its been a very good time...' Once again his eyes betrayed him, and again he felt stupid for finding her body beautiful at this moment in time. However, when she laid on top of him to cry further he felt that his fondness was justified, she was clearly beautiful in many ways. 

"I am a fool... I am..." Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling her face right next his ear. "I am in love with you." 

"Ghh!" The redhead nearly choked on his own tongue, his eyes balking at the sudden confession. He tried lightly patting her back as she sobbed, but when she didn't back away from him he settled for just holding her. 

It was strange, and yet it felt so nice to hold someone... or more so a woman. He wasn't used to it, but he still enjoyed how his arms wrapped perfectly around her small waist. He breathed in her natural scent, and found it to be just as wonderful as she looked. It was so nice he nearly groaned, but held it back in his throat. 

"Ah--! I meant him!" The pinkette scrambled to push off of him, but still remained straddling his lap. She looked down at where their hips met, and squeaked. "Wait a second, is your body the same here as it is back home?" 

"Uh..." Gaara looked down with a burning to his cheeks, and then quickly looked away. 

Everything was mirror image. Identical in every way. As he continued to say nothing she began to fidget. 

"Gaara, if I go back home I'm not going to be able to forget the time I spent with you here--" 

"Clearly I won't be able to forget it either." He blurted out, but then inwardly smacked himself for it. When he took a risk of looking at her he only found daggers in her eyes. 

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sakura hissed before straightening herself proudly, and motioning at her naked body. "You're getting a free show here, and you're going to fucking complain about it?! I'm so sorry that you had to wake up to this piece of disappointment--!!" 

"That's not what I meant at all, and you know it!! Did I ever once say that I didn't like it?!" Once again the redhead felt as if he had divulged far too much. Clearly he was emotionally compromised, or rather physically compromised. At any rate her shocked stare left him bashful. 

"So you're saying that you like this?... You like waking up to me naked and pawing at you--?" 

"Oh for the love of... stop twisting my words!"  Gaara growled out, growing frustrated he placed his arm over his eyes with a sharp exhale. "I'm not going to comment on how this actually makes me feel. It's far too confusing at the moment." 

There was a moment of silence, and then some awkward shifting that made him twitch in places that were rarely paid much attention. 

"I'd prefer if you were honest with me." She murmured, sounding as if she were shy about it. He wondered what her feelings were too. 

"How do you feel about crawling all over me--?" 

"Well, clearly I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't wanted to." The pinkette huffed, and he peeked an eye at her when he lifted his arm. 

"So you... wanted to have sex with me--?" 

"I wanted to have sex with 'him'." Sakura crossed her arms stubbornly, clearly feeling sour enough to verbally slap him. 

It was actually quite infuriating, and out of his anger he quickly grabbed a firm hold of her hips. She blinked at him, but his glare remained true. 

"Do it, then. What's stopping you? It's 'his' body, not mine." The redhead breathed heatedly through his nose, but his eyes decided to wander her frame shamelessly for added affect. "You know he'd enjoy it either way. So go ahead. Do it. He's ready to go--" 

"Why are you acting like this?! I have never seen you act like this before!" The pinkette tried moving away from him, but he kept her firmly in his grasp. "It's as if you're jealous of him." 

"And what if I am? You're completely head over heels for the guy, and yet I wonder what makes me so undesirable to you. What makes us so different?!" 

That was it, he had reached his breaking point. Now it was the redhead who was trying to squirm away from her only to get a hand to his throat. Surprisingly sand started to seep through the floorboards, and she blinked at the grains in horror. 

"That's.... not possible...." Sakura blinked wildly as the sand nipped at her hand, forcing her to pull it away with a start. "He can't do that--" 

"Well it seems that they have chakra, they just don't know how to utilize it." Gaara sighed then, growing exhausted just from all of his erratic emotions. He closed his eyes, and took another deep breath before continuing. "Perhaps you can teach him how to use it--" 

"NO." 

The way she had said it was so stern, and so off that he couldn't help but open his eyes to see what her expression was. Her lips were in a tight line, eyes wide and fierce, her body trembling with an unknown emotion. 

He couldn't understand why she would react like this-- 

"They are better off without it... they are better off without such power to fight each other with..." Her voice went soft, as if all of the energy in her body had drained in an instant, and that's when he saw it. 

The fatigue, the honest tiredness that came with years of fighting for your life. She was running from it. 

In all honesty, he couldn't blame her. Judging by his surroundings this was a more simplistic time, and without chakra that meant the only threat was weapons and fighting skills. For some odd reason he found that strangely comforting, almost as if he could cross so many other threats off of his list. 

"Sakura, we.... we don't belong here, and if what you say about keeping the truth of chakra away from them... then you will have to leave." The redhead looked away from her, finding her naked form to still be quite distracting. "If they find out it's only a matter of time before they start questioning how to get it for themselves. It could trigger a reaction, people could start figuring it out on their own." 

Suddenly he felt weight on his shoulder, and realized it was her head resting on it. She was trembling, but she wasn't crying just yet, however he had a feeling that she was close to crossing that edge. He carefully touched her back, surprised to find her to be unflinching. He felt her breathe against his skin, and cursed himself for shivering. 

"This body you've taken over... do you even know what her life was before this? How can you get married to... um... 'him'? You will have to leave, and you'll force this girl to be trapped in a marriage she didn't consent to. That, and if your having sex with him you could end up getting her pregnant... I don't understand why you would do something so brash--" He started to scold her, and when she pushed off of him to stare hard into his eyes he felt even more heat rush to his cheeks. She was so beautiful, and he kept forgetting that only to be painfully reminded every time she blinked her long lashes at him. 

"I thought it was a dream, and if it wasn't I figured there was no way to return. I decided to start over here... away from the pressures of our world." Sakura cupped his face in her hands, leaving him speechless. "An ordinary life, with ordinary people. There are no jutsus here... you get by being business savvy, or from having a normal skill that everyone can pick up if they try hard enough. No genetic traits that can help you kill people, it's so much more honest than that..." 

The pinkette leaned forward then, nearly brushing the tips of their noses while forcing his heart to pound wildly in his chest. 

"Don't you understand? You can't tell me that you wouldn't want this, too. A normal life where you're free to fall in love, start a family, be surrounded by all of your loved ones..." Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her soft naked chest against his own. He couldn't stop the heat forcing through his cheeks, nor could he seem to keep a steady breath. "You can't lie to me, and say you don't want that--" 

"It's not about what I want." Gaara furrowed his naked brows then, staring at her straight in the eyes before speaking the harsh truth. "These bodies don't belong to us, nor does this world. You can't take things from someone else just because you believe that the grass is greener here. It's wrong, Sakura." 

He didn't realize how quickly she would reject his words, or with so much chaotic intensity. Suddenly she was pushing forward, passionately capturing his lips in a mind melting kiss. He wasn't expecting anything like this, and was shocked at how much she seemed to desire it. Her hands were in his hair, one cradled his nape just so she could continue kissing him. 

He didn't know what to do, how to think, or whether he should place his hands on her or not. It was truly beautiful kiss, and sadly he wanted to savor it, but he chose to turn his face away instead. It angered her enough to push herself off, flipping back the blankets before storming about the room to find her clothes. The redhead kept his eyes to the ceiling, feeling guilt wash over him like always. 

The door slammed, leaving to him to his own devices. 

"Shit." Gaara cursed, placing both hands over his eyes with an exhausted groan. This was far worse than he could have ever dreamed. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

The ride back to town was awkward. Gaara had taken a back seat, letting Sakura have the reigns to the horse as he had no clue where to take them. She was bitter, and silent the entire way, but he couldn't blame her for being angry either. Clearly she was living a wonderful fantasy, and he had just thrown wet sand all over it. 

There was another problem, he had no clue how to get back to their realm let alone with Sakura in tow. Any connection he had to Ino seemed to get cut once he woke up, and that worried him a bit. However, that was also a chance he had been willing to take in able to save Sakura. All that was left now was to wait; wait and pretend to be someone else. 

They finally rode through a small town, and he tried to keep himself from looking like a foreigner. His eyes strained to stay forward, even though he was tempted to look around. Thankfully his home wasn't too far away, and when they stopped at the stable he was eager to get off the horse. 

It was a little awkward getting down, but once on his feet he held up his hands to help her off as well. Her eyes went slightly wide to the gesture, but then a small smile crept up, and she slipped forwards into his arms. Once she was steady he took a step back, appreciating the fact that she no longer seemed to be angry with him. 

"I didn't realize you were actually a gentleman." Sakura said slyly, and started to guide the horse to it's stall. 

"I was only being considerate..." Gaara tried not to laugh at the idea of being a 'gentleman', that was something nobles considered ideal, and wasn't really where he stood. Everyone was equal to him, so he treated everyone kindly. 

"And I say 'bull crap'. I bet if I twisted my ankle you would carry me like a bride rather then sling my arm over your shoulder." The pinkette grinned wickedly to herself, snickering at the thought as she unsaddled the horse. 

He watched her work, her body moving as if she had done this a thousand times. For some reason there was something so interesting about it, witnessing her work hard just for the simplest thing. Ordinary things, like cooking, cleaning, tending to the animals and plants; these all required hard work and yet it was satisfying to see the effort behind it all. It was like a dance, practiced to perfection. 

Jade eyes were suddenly staring at him curiously, forcing him to wake up from his day dream. He turned away from her, and ran his fingers through his damp hair awkwardly. 

"Let's get inside, and get changed. Wearing wet clothing will only make us sick--" 

"You're already sick." The pinkette passed him with a firm pat to his shoulder, and oddly enough it ruffled his feathers. He followed her steps almost heatedly. 

"I feel fine." He huffed, now marching by her side. 

"You know, the infection you have... you caught it from a kiss." Sakura's eyes slid over to him smartly, another smirk growing on her lips. "You sure do like to get around--" 

"You know I've never done anything like that, stop teasing." Gaara glared at her, but was taken aback when she gave a charming giggle at his expense. 

"But you have! And I am proof of it." The pinkette grinned ear to ear, thoroughly amused by how flustered he became. 

He was about to shout at her when the door to the kitchen opened, stopping them both in their tracks. 

Cyan eyes went wide, his breath caught in his chest as a man sitting at the kitchen table stood up slowly. The mirroring features filled him with many emotions, and he certainly wasn't expecting the once stern man to give a small smile. Clearly their relationship in this world was a good one. 

"Father..." Gaara murmured in a daze, and just as Rasa was about to speak two women bustled in through the doorway. 

"Now Temari, you'll have to introduce me to this Shikamaru Nara fellow. From what I've read in Kankuro's letters is that he has been calling on you, I can hear the wedding bells already!" A dishwater blonde woman turned his way, and for the first time in his life he felt as if he might faint from overwhelming emotions. 

It couldn't be her... could it? 

"... Mother?" 

Chapter Text

"Gaara!" Karura cried out, quickly closing the distance between her, and her youngest son. 

He wasn't prepared for it, and yet when she embraced him he almost went completely limp. How long had he dreamt of this moment? Practically every time he dreamed. He never thought it could be possible, and yet here she was in the flesh. 

Her voice, despite never hearing it before, he knew it instinctively. His entire form trembled knowing this woman intimately, and yet never meeting her at all. How could it know? How could he know even though he had only ever seen her picture? 

This woman... his mother... his mother. 

"Oh, my sweet boy. Look at you, it's as if your illness has completely vanished!" The blonde worried over him, petting his face and hair without reservations; inspecting him as any good mother would do. 

Gaara watched her violet eyes as she took in his healthy appearance happily, and it overwhelmed him over how invested she was in his health. Not just because he was her child, but because she loved him. He could feel that love for the first time. 

"Hm? Darling, you're crying!" Karura's expression changed to worry in an instant, her fingers wiping at the tears that now seemed to flow out of him. He hadn't even realized what was happening until it was too late. "Gaara, what's wrong--?" 

"He thought he would never see you again." Sakura piped up from behind him, taking charge of the situation while his brain went completely blank. "He had gotten so ill that he was certain that he would die, so I'm sure this is a shock. Seeing your faces again, I mean." 

He would have to thank her later, but right now he felt as if he had very little control of his emotions. 

Things were happening in a blur. Soon he was in the foyer with the entire family save Kankuro, and he got the pleasure of sitting right next to his mother on the settee. She was wearing the most beautiful purple dress, it went so well with her eyes. He always knew his mother was beautiful, she was always an angel in his eyes despite never knowing her personality. Her hand held his out of familiarity, and he clung to it without a care. He loved her so much, and he always knew that he would. 

Sakura had gone about getting changed, walking about the room serving tea in a white dress. It looked so delicate on her, and he wondered if she wore it for a reason. Temari had made sandwiches as well, and even though his sister couldn't cook very well back home she managed to do it very well here. 

"I see, so Miss Sakura has been a live-in caretaker. Well, her methods are clearly working." Rasa raised his cup to the pinkette, and she smiled in response once she sat down on the settee next to Gaara. He was now sandwiched between two very important people. "We shall pay you accordingly--" 

"Oh! No, please. I've already been paid in a way. I don't have a good living situation, and Gaara has provided a room for me here in exchange for my services." Sakura brushed off the offer, but then Temari seemed to form a sly smile from her chair next to the fire. 

"You're really not going to tell them, Gaara?" His older sister chimed while his parents seemed to grow invested. 

"You have news for us?" Karura patted his hand with a loving smile, and he suddenly felt a lump in his throat. 

"U-um..." Gaara swallowed hard, and stared at the floor. His eyes focused, then unfocused on the Persian carpet. "I'm... getting married?" 

He heard his mother gasp, and the rest of the room went quiet for a moment forcing him out of his daze. He looked around himself at the shocked faces of his parents, and then the confused faces on both his sister and Sakura. 

"Make it sound suspicious, why don't you?" Temari scolded him, and he instantly straightened. "You're the one that asked her to marry you! Touting off on how much you love her, that you can't live without her--" 

"Yes, Temari. They get the picture." The redhead finally snipped, glaring at her slightly before facing his mother more confidently. "I'm getting married, in two weeks time--" 

"OH! OH, THIS SO WONDERFUL!" Karura squeeled with joy, pulling him into a rough hug before she started crying. "My little boy is a man! Rasa, did you hear what he said--?!" 

"I can hear you all quite clearly, I'm not deaf." Rasa chuckled, his eyes turning onto his son with further curiosity. "Now, who is the bride? I should like to meet her, and her parents." 

Gaara went quiet, his mother parting from him with an expectant smile, everyone was waiting on him to answer. He felt a sweat form along his brow at the thought of saying it out loud... 

"My goodness, you are hopeless!" Sakura shook her head, but then patted him reassuringly on the knee. "I am the bride. Forgive him, he's out of sorts today." 

"Oh!! Oh, dearest Sakura! Soon to be my daughter in law! This is such good news!" Karura was overjoyed. 

Rasa, on the other hand, kept his opinions to himself, and simply nodded. However, Gaara didn't fail to miss a certain glance shot his way. He knew it from his past, that 'I will be having some words with you later' look. It used to make him worry, but now he only felt challenged by it. 

'Well, bring it on then.' 

--- ... --- ... --- 

Dinner was pleasant, the women were overly chatty while the men stayed stoic, and silent. Plans had been put into place about getting Sakura a wedding dress, and that Karura was determined to be there for the fitting process. They also talked about housing, Sakura's farm and land, and lastly they talked about children. 

His mother was keen on the pinkette getting pregnant right away, which Gaara thought was a bit pushy, but all of the women seemed to be civil about it. Apparently, old mothers wanting grandchildren was not new, Temari also got a lecture about getting married and producing offspring. He almost ended up laughing at how hysterical it all sounded. 

Now he was alone with his father in the foyer, sitting in their separate chairs by the fireplace. Rasa had a brandy in his hand, while Gaara had opted for tea. They were silent for the most part, listening to the women chatter away in the kitchen about simple every day things. However, knowing Rasa it would not stay quiet like this for long. 

"She's very beautiful." His father finally broke the ice, taking a sip of his brandy while staring into the flames of the fireplace. "She is quite a strong willed woman, too." 

Gaara said nothing, and continued to watch a log crumble into the embers. 

"However, I never expected you to choose someone of a lower class. While I understand why you would enjoy her, I also feel you could get the same... 'satisfaction' from someone with a higher pedigree--" 

"Sakura may be of lower class, but she is well educated. She's most likely smarter than you, and she is far more capable, and reliable than the 'high society women' that only fan their face while servants wait on them." The redhead almost hissed his words, already he was growing fed up with his father. It wasn't rare for them to bump heads, and the only reason why Rasa had ever got his way in the past was because he had been physically stronger. 

Now they were on equal footing. Gaara had beat him before, and he could do it again with no issue. 

"Can you try to understand where I am coming from? The only satisfaction you will get from her is her body, and free spirit. She has almost nothing to her name, and it will be humiliating to the family to take on some penniless orphan--" 

"Do you ever think about your words before you speak?" Gaara turned his head to glare at the man, disgust filling him to the brim. "Disown me if that's all that you are in for. I will marry whomever I choose, and you can fuck off if you don't like it." 

In all honesty he had always wanted to say that to his father, but now that he had finally gotten to he wasn't really sure of what to expect in response. 

What he didn't expect was for the man that had always frightened him to burst out into hysterical laughter. 

"My God, you've been spending too much time at the brothels!" Rasa was almost in tears he was laughing so hard, and even though it wasn't the point of his comment, Gaara felt as if the chuckles were contagious. 

"Unfortunately brothels aren't my taste. Too much detachment, and too many diseases--" The redhead began, but was swiftly cut off. 

"Clearly you are biased, my boy. One can only fathom how you ended up with one of those diseases without visiting a brothel." Rasa lowered his voice then, looking over his shoulder to make sure his wife or any of the others were nearby. "I assured your mother that you caught it from arresting someone with it. Close proximity, and all. However, I've been curious as to what God awful things my son has been doing down here--" 

"I didn't catch it doing anything like that, so you can both rest easy." The redhead sighed in exhaustion, pretending to be himself yet not himself was taxing. Part of him wished his mother would come back to commandeer the conversation. "I have no desire to seek out any women of the night, and I never have." 

"Yes, I know. Unlike like your brother, I know you to be a proper gentleman, and I trust your decision in your bride. I only want what is best for you, that's all." His father gave a small smile, and sipped slowly on his brandy. 

Gaara savored those words, as he had always wanted to hear that his father cared for him. It made his eyes water slightly, but he kept the feeling buried so as not to embarass them both. 

--- ... --- ... --- ... ---

His parents left for the inn, but not before his mother gave him many hugs and unexpected kisses. He had to try to act fluidly with the affection, and it was extremely difficult because of how foreign it was. After they left Temari had gone up to bed, Sakura also went up to change into her nightgown. However, despite his exhaustion he couldn't find it in him to sleep, there were just too many thoughts. 

Gaara slipped out into the night, feeling the warm rain on his skin, and clothes. His eyes took in the darkness, and he took a deep breath. That's when he felt it, a strange sensation in his lungs forcing him to cough. It burned slightly, and it forced him to sweat. 

He held onto a wall to lean forward, and hack. On instinct he covered his mouth, but when he pulled his hand away he saw small splatters of blood. Nothing too frightening, but any blood coming out of him was enough to make him uneasy. Catching his breath was difficult, especially in this rain. 

"Hey." Her voice sounded behind him, telling him that he had been caught. 

He didn't want to move, he felt too dizzy and breathless. Suddenly a warm hand smoothed over his shoulder, and surprisingly he relaxed under its hold. 

"You can't sneak out. You're still sick, you know?" Sakura turned him around with her hands, forcing him to face her as his body continued to try to slump against the building. 

Her jade eyes searched his face, looking for the sickness beneath his damp skin. Delicate hands brushed back his hair, combing it back to reveal the entirety of his face. Her fingers brushed down his cheek, while she gave him a small guilty smile. 

"I'm sorry, I'm being too familiar with you." The pinkette began to take away her hands, but he snatched one wrist before it could completely retreat. This action alone surprisingly made him tired, and he didn't like that fact at all. 

"I feel so weak." He breathed out his words, watching her become saddened by his condition. She simply nodded, and took her wrist away from his laxed grasp. 

"Don't worry, I'll make it feel better in a moment." Sakura tried giving him a reassuring smile, but he could see the hidden concern behind it. 

Suddenly he felt her hands on his ribs, and with a glowing light came a burning pain. It were as if someone knocked the wind out of him, his lungs felt as if they were on literal fire; the pain spreading down his spine and into his throat and shoulders. He couldn't breathe, and yet his body tried to heave only to hack up dust. He could only get the smallests of breaths in before coughing with already empty lungs. 

It was too much, but she wasn't stopping. His vision was beginning to blacken at the corners right before she pulled back. His body forced in a heavy breath, giving him more room to cough now. More dust escaped, which was the strangest thing he had ever witnessed. 

Her hands were back on him once he could breathe, continuing to brush away his wet hair and catch the water falling into his eyes. He looked at her through feminine fingers, seeing her eyes deeply staring into his own. It were as if they were asking him, pleading with him for an answer. 

"Are you okay?" Sakura finally murmured, his eyes now focusing on the pillowy lips that spoke to him so gently. 

She was beautiful, enough so that it made his heart want to stop just because he couldn't have her. 

"I'm fine." Gaara breathed his words, attempting to smile and having it returned to him. 

Suddenly those lips he had been staring at were kissing him, and yet he couldn't find it in him to pull away. He wanted this moment to stay, he wanted to be here with her for all of eternity. It made sense now. 

Such a simple life. A family, a lover... everything he could have ever wanted was right here-- 

'She's going to die within a week.' 

His eyes went wide as everything hit him full force then. This place of make believe was just that, falsehood. This wasn't his world, nor was it hers, and it was time to leave. As much as it hurt him to do it... 

'I need to find a way back!' He mentally screamed. 

'It's about damn time!!' A familiar female voice chimed through his mind, and he instantly realized who it was. 'Jeez! Apparently I can't get you back here without you wanting to return in the first place. Did you find 'forehead'?' 

'I did, but she is refusing to leave. I don't know what to do to convince her, she is too stubborn.' Gaara closed his eyes to focus, not realizing that the pinkette in front of him had stopped kissing him altogether. 

'We might be able to do a temporary fix...' Ino said with exasperation. 'I can hear Sakura... but she's not in this realm. It's like... she's in-between. I want to send you to that realm to get her, and bring her back with you.' 

"Gaara, what are you doing?" Sakura tried shaking him awake, and it startled him enough to open his eyes. He looked into her jade orbs, wondering if he could actually do what Ino was insinuating. 

"I'm..." The redhead choked on his words. "Sakura... I'm so sorry. We can't risk losing you." 

"What?" The pinkette tilted her head in confusion, and the redhead braced himself to clarify it further. 

"I'm leaving you here temporarily. We're going to try to bring the other Sakura to our world until you're ready to leave. We can't force you to leave, unfortunately you have to will it in able for it to happen--" 

"So you're saying you want to leave? Gaara, you have everything you ever wanted here! Your mother is alive, your father respects you, you have me as your fiancé, and our lives would be peaceful! Why are you turning your back on this--?!" 

"Because I don't belong here!!" Gaara snapped, feeling his emotions finally get the best of him. He shook his head wildly, his resolve strong. "I want this, I truly do, but I can't steal it from someone else. There is a version of me that is happy here... I won't take that away from him." 

He watched the world shatter in her eyes, and for some reason he couldn't find it in him to stop himself. On a rush of emotions he kissed her, quick but it conveyed what it needed to. 

"I care about you, and I want you back home. Please don't stay here forever." The redhead breathed, and then nodded to himself. "Do it now, Ino--!" 

'This is going to hurt a bit.' 

The last thing he saw was Sakura crying out in protest, then everything went black. 

... 

His skull felt like it was splitting in two, but he could hear someone crying in the distance. It echoed, as if he were in a cave. There was a light coming from somewhere on the black horizon, but it was so far away. He blinked and sat up, looking around himself bleary-eyed. There was water beneath him, and yet it felt as if there was also a pane of glass making up the ground. 

Gaara got to his feet, and listened for the crying sound. He jogged along, searching in the dark. Finally he saw someone, huddled over and hugging their knees. 

It was her. 

"Sakura." He breathed her name, and she straightened to look at him. 

Jade eyes overflowed with tears, and suddenly she was scrambling to her feet. She made her way towards him in a hurry, practically throwing herself into his arms. 

"Save me, please!!" The pinkette wailed, sobbing violently as if he were the first person she had seen in decades. 

How long had she been here; this version of her from the other world? 

"It's okay now, we're getting out of here." Gaara gently cradled her shaking form, and the soft light on the horizon suddenly overwhelmed the entire space in bright white. 

He felt like he was falling... 

....

With a painful jolt his body woke up, and he instantly grabbed at his temples as they erupted in a pounding pain. 

"Damn... it hurts..." The redhead seethe through the blistering sensation, his ears ringing as he finally opened his eyes to find Ino looking into them cautiously. 

"Looking good, thankfully you don't seem to have a concussion." Her glowing hand felt around his skull, and fortunately it took away his seering headache. 

"Why would I have a concussion--?" Gaara winced as she got to a tender spot on his temples, healing it instantly. 

"Honey, I ripped you out of that last dimension. The second I knew you had a hold on her I pulled you guys as hard as I could. I kind of overdid it... definitely caused a brain shake when your consciousness reentered." The blonde sighed with relief, then straightened away from him to look at the pinkette. "It looks like she'll wake up soon, vitals are coming in strong." 

The redhead looked over in time to see her move in her sleep, and a wave of relief washed over him. 

It wasn't exactly what they wanted, but he wasn't going to argue with the results. Both Sakura's were alive, and that was all that mattered at the moment. They could tackle the rest of the problem later after they had all recovered. 

Her eyes finally opened.

Chapter Text

Gaara entered the guest room slowly, his cyan eyes searching the area; finding the pink haired young woman to be looking at herself strangely in the mirror. She pushed at her bangs, examined it's length, and bent the ends between her fingers. 

She didn't seem to notice him as he approached, and it wasn't until he was halfway across the room did he actually regret not knocking or making his presence known. 

Sakura saw him from her peripheral vision, turned her head in alert like a startled deer, and then let out the most chilling scream he had ever heard. 

"Ah--- I'm so sorry!" Gaara put his arms up in surrender, but the pinkette chose to run and hide behind a chair. 

'She's afraid of me... but I introduced myself earlier...' Feeling confused he approached the large chair, as he got about a foot away she shrieked once more. 

"Don't come any closer!!" Sakura warned, but it didn't really sound like a threat. 

"Why are you so frightened? You know I'm not going to hurt you--" 

"You're wrong!!" The pinkette screeched. "These clothes you gave me are indecent! You can't hide your intentions from me, I'm not stupid!!" 

The redhead blinked in disbelief, but was a bit relieved when she peeked her head out from behind the chair. However, she looked frazzled, and scared. 

"I don't understand... they are the outfits you always wear. I didn't get them for you... you did." Gaara spoke very gently, and made both of his hands visible to show that there was no threat. 

"Liar!! Showing off my legs and shoulders is shameful! You arranged this!!" Sakura started to look angry, and more of her upper body peeked out from behind the chair. "I am not a concubine!!" 

"N-no! No! I would never press that on you, please believe me." The redhead panicked, and started backing away out of sheer nervousness. "Wait here, I will get someone to bring you something more modest." 

Gaara sped walked back to the door, opening it up in a fluster only to find one of his shinobi standing by. The man looked just as confused, and the young Kazekage surmised that he probably overheard the screaming. 

"I need some of our traditional ladies clothing... please." The redhead deflated as soon as the request left his lips; the chunin in front of him nodded rapidly, and left in a flash. 

With a sigh Gaara closed the door, and figured out his next plan. Thinking on the fly he grabbed a goldenrod throw blanket off the end of the bed, and closed the distance back to the cowering woman behind the chair. She seemed to shuffle away from him, but he held out the blanket regardless. 

"I won't deny you the right of more coverage. Despite seeing your skin before, if you desire to conceal it I will not stop you." The redhead watched curiously as the gears ticked in her head, and she reached out swiftly to snatch the blanket. She gave a curt thank you, and quickly wrapped herself up in the fabric. 

Slowly she emerged, still looking a bit shaken, but more curious of her surroundings. She stood up carefully, and looked to him with cautious eyes. 

"You're the sheriff?" The pinkette blurted out, her hands still gripping the back of the chair for comfort. 

"As I tried to explain earlier, this isn't your world. You have managed to make it to our realm by means we still don't really understand." Gaara sighed, and finally let his tensed shoulders relax. "In this world we do not have sheriffs or cowboys, we have shinobi." 

She took a small step back, but he couldn't blame her. This was probably the most culture shock she had ever experienced. 

"But... you look just like him..." Sakura shook her head, unable to digest what she had just been told. "I've only seen him a few times... usually he hides behind his hat and coat... I don't really understand why he hides, he's quite handsome--" 

"Ah hah... I-I'm sure he would appreciate the compliment." The redhead interrupted her out of awkwardness, and she seemed to go doe eyed looking at him. "At any rate, I am not the sheriff. We are two different people. Regardless, we both share the same name. Do you remember that name?" 

In an instant she seemed to grow shy, looking around herself out of embarassment. 

"... Sheriff Sabaku?" The pinkette squeaked out quietly, and it had to be the cutest thing he had ever seen Sakura do. Or at least this current Sakura. 

"Um... I mean... you're not entirely wrong. I do go by Sabaku no Gaara--" 

"What's the 'no' stand for?" Sakura furrowed her brows, and he felt himself weakening over her childish facial expressions. 

"It means 'of the' essentially. Sabaku is 'sand'. Sabaku no Gaara--" 

"Sand of the Gaara?" The pinkette looked confused, and this time he couldn't hold back a small laugh. 

"It's translated backwards, it means 'Gaara of the Sand'. We are in the sand village, Suna." Gaara smiled warmly, and watched as she seemed to relax. "I am the Kazekage of this village. It means that I am the village leader." 

A gentle smile appeared on her face, along with the softest of blushes. She took a few cautious steps forward, her trust in him beginning to form. 

"You're their leader? Like a king?" Sakura's eyes took in his appearance, scrutinizing him slightly. "But... you're so young..." 

"Most people jokingly call me a prince, if that makes you feel better." The redhead chuckled, but then stopped as she closed the distance a little more just to study him. 

"Are you a kind king? Or an evil king?" The pinkette's eyes darted up to meet his, and once again he was swept away by their intensity. It wasn't the first time he had been hypnotized by her eyes, even as children he had been swayed by their emotional depths, but now the feeling was different. 

He quietly punched down that rising emotion, hoping to never feel it again. 

"I was once a very bad person..." Gaara decided honesty was best, and thankfully she didn't seem to cower from him. "However, I made a lot of changes to be the best man I can be." 

She smiled at that. 

"It shows... I think." Sakura giggled girlishly, and he had to admit that the sound tickled his ears. 

This Sakura was demure, and cute. For some odd reason he felt blood rush to his cheeks the more he thought about how adorable she was. It was such an odd thing, as he had never really looked at her this way before-- 

Well, no, that was a lie. He had definitely found her desirable back in the other world. Her forwardness was hard to ignore, as was her 'natural' beauty. 

A knock at the door alerted him, and he beckoned the visitor in. The shinobi entered with folded clothes, and without thinking the redhead summoned the sand from his gourd to fetch the articles. Once again, he didn't realize the mistake until it was too late. 

Screaming ensued, the pink haired woman ran back to hide behind the chair in fear. Gaara felt a wave of horrible nostalgia, remembering days of his youth when his own people reacted the same way. With a sigh he used his sand to drop off the articles onto the chair, then slowly pulled the grains away. 

"Sakura, I won't hurt you--" 

"YOU LIED! YOU'RE NOT A KING, YOU'RE A SORCERER!!" Sakura shrieked at him bitterly, peeking her head out from behind the chair. 

"I did not lie, and I apologize for startling you." The redhead sighed sadly, and capped off his gourd. As he took steps back he noticed her expression change, and for a moment she actually seemed to look ridden with guilt. "If you have need of me just ask one of the men I have stationed outside of your room. They will take you to my office." 

Gaara gave a curt bow, then quietly turned and left. He heard only silence behind him, and pretty much convinced himself that she would be forever scarred by his display of power. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

Day turned to night, and he continued to quietly work by the light of an incandescent light bulb as well as an oil lamp he kept on his desk. He had already had dinner, and had been kept up to speed with how his guest had been fairing. 

Apparently Sakura left her room at around four in the afternoon. She had been escorted to the kitchen where a meal of beef stew had been prepared for her. He figured something simple was best. 

Afterwards she was escorted to the baths, and Ino had filled her in on everything that needed to be done. Gaara did not ask for any more details on that matter. 
When the bath was finished the pinkette had gone back to her room, and from what they know she has been silent ever since. 

The redhead wondered if she was okay, or if she was still afraid of everything around her. He looked at the clock, noting that it was now reaching into the eleventh hour, and sighed as he signed his last document for the day. 

A soft rap at his door alerted him, and judging by the gentleness of it he surmised that it was a shy woman. 

"Come in." He beckoned gently, and watched as her face peeked in first before allowing her body to follow. She wore the traditional earth tone Suna clothing, which was fine, it just left everything to the imagination. "Good evening, Sakura. What can I do for you?" 

The pinkette blushed, but didn't answer him right away. Instead she looked curiously at all the trinkets, and little cacti he had on his bookshelves. Her innocent jade eyes took in the wonder of everything, while his cyan ones studied her every move. 

"What is this?" Sakura pointed to a wooden doll that had a man's body, but a wolf's head. She reached out to touch it, but then snapped out of her trance before succeeding; bashfully pulling her hand back to her chest. 

He decided then that it was okay to approach her, standing up carefully from his desk chair before closing the distance to her with a gentle gate. 

"It's just a Suna doll, made from pieces of bark, resin, and fur." Gaara took the doll off the shelf, and with a knowing smile he urged it towards her. "You can touch it if you like, I don't mind." 

The pinkette blushed deeply, but still reached her delicate fingers out to touch the doll in his hands. She refused to hold it, but she smoothed her fingertips along the soft rabbit fur that made up the wolf head. 

"... Soft..." Sakura murmured shyly, her fingers occasionally brushing his hand by accident. He didn't mind it though, if anything the small touches were quite soothing. 

"This one is based off of an ancient warrior. His name was lost to time, so we just call him the 'King of Wolves'." The redhead eyed the doll fondly, remembering the story being told to him by his uncle, Yashamaru. 

"Long ago there was a horrible drought, and the people of Suna started to wither and die. A young warrior went into the mountains in search of food and water, but found a pack of wolves waiting for him. Instead of fighting them he dodged their attacks, and captured them all in a giant net. 

Then he dragged the entire pack with him back to the village. He told the wolves that if they listened to him he would not kill them, and that he would reward them for their loyalty. They agreed, and he asked them to take him to a source of water, to which they did. Once the villagers had enough water they had made crops, raised livestock, and fed the wolves good meat. 

The wolves decided to stay, and remain by the side of the man who provided so much care, and respect to everyone around him. It is said that when the pack died he made a grave for each wolf, and marked one extra. Legend has it that he was buried along with them after he also passed." 

His cyan eyes came away from the doll to look at the woman next to him, and oddly enough found her to be staring right into his eyes. He said nothing, as he honestly wanted that time to truly study her irises. It was the one thing about Sakura Haruno that truly hypnotized him. 

"You said once... that you were a bad person..." The pinkette's lips barely spoke above a whisper, and he felt himself lean a bit to hear her better. "What... what did you do?" 

This was not new to him, and he had learned to shut off his shame enough to explain his past time and time again. However, deep inside it was still hard to talk about. 

"I killed, and tortured a lot of people... too many people." As the weight of his own words hit him his face scrunched with guilt, but he eventually buried the feeling. 

"Did you... do it because you wanted to? Or because you needed to?" Sakura blinked her eyes innocently at him, and yet he still couldn't look away. 

"At first it was a necessity... but eventually it brought me great pleasure. It is the one thing I wish I could take back." Finally he looked back at the doll, feeling the heroic character in his hands judging him for his past. He placed it back on the shelf with a small frown. 

"Do you still--?" 

"Yes, it is still a necessity for me to kill when the time calls for it. It's my job. It's what I was created for." Gaara's words were short, and tight. Clearly the topic at hand was starting to grate at him. 

"Do you still enjoy it?" Her words were bolder now, and their power had him drawn back into looking at her once more. 

His eyes searched her face, looking for any wariness. When he found no fear he ended up letting out a tight breath, and closed his charcoal lids. 

"On the extremely rare occasion... yes." The redhead turned away then, opening his eyes to look at his own book shelf instead of at her. "However, I tend to feel nothing but guilt afterwards." 

He stood there, staring hard at the books in front of him, but the words on their spines started to blur. He felt a gentle touch on his shoulder, startling him out of his disassociated state. 

"It sounds like you need a good woman to take care of you." Sakura chirped gently, but her words instantly had heat rushing to his cheeks. 

"Ah ha ha... oh no. No. I'm not really the 'dating' type." Gaara straightened anxiously, and turned to walk stiffly back to his desk. 

She seemed to trail after him with small quiet steps, and as he sat down with a sigh she stayed awkwardly standing. 

"I don't know what 'dating' is, but I really think you should start looking into a wife--" 

"You sound just like my council..." The redhead snickered, and then turned towards his paperwork to quickly organize it. "Marriage isn't in the books for me. I wouldn't be a good husband, and I know if I had a wife she would probably hate that I am always working--" 

"Why would any woman hate that?" The pinkette pulled up a chair next to him, and he balked a bit at the forwardness of it. "It's admirable to have a husband that works hard, and she should work hard too. Whether it's tending your home, or caring for your children--" 

"Sounds a bit archaic." Gaara laughed genuinely, and looked into her doe eyes when they met with his. "A marriage like that would be very mechanical, and it wouldn't have much passion." 

She tilted her head in confusion for a moment, but then looked away with more color to her cheeks. 

"O-oh... well... a wife needs to be able to handle those needs too... I just didn't think I would have to explain that part." Sakura started wringing her hands in her lap, and her words slowly started to piece together in his head. 

"Um-- I meant nothing nefarious by that. By passion I just meant love... not necessarily--" He stopped himself short, as he truly did not want to finish his own sentence. He cleared his throat, and fiddled with the pen he had on his desk. "At any rate, it's just not for me. I'm better off just living my life as a bachelor." 

"Hmph, sounds like you're just wanting to get the milk without buying the cow." The pinkette huffed then, and he almost gawked at her statement. 

"Excuse me?" The redhead furrowed his naked brows, but the woman in front of him no longer seemed intimidated by his presence. 

"Boasting about being a bachelor is not something to be proud of. It's shameful to jump from one woman to the next without offering marriage in return." Sakura crossed her arms proudly, looking away with a huff. "And as a king you should be especially cautious, you could end up impregnating too many women. Your heirs would end up fighting tooth and nail to be the next successor--" 

"I don't sleep around." Gaara blurted out in disbelief, only gaining her confused expression. "I'm... I don't... I'm not 'promiscuous'..." 

Once again she seemed to be confused, it was to the point where she leaned forward in her chair to study him up close. 

"You're lieing. It's all men think about--" 

"Well I hardly ever think about it." The redhead scoffed, watching her face wither. 

"Not possible." The pinkette leaned in a bit further, getting into his personal space. 

"It is most definitely possible. I am not active like that, it's a waste of my time." Gaara stated proudly, thinking it would push her back a bit. 

However, it didn't. Instead she leaned in a bit more, forcing him to get trapped in her eyes. 

"When you saw my skin earlier... you didn't have a single sinful thought?" She leered. 

He felt the blood rush to his face despite the fact that his answer was 'no'. Since the question was brought up he was now thinking of it in a poor light. 

Was her normal clothing actually appealing to him? Before he had gone to the other world had he found her to be appealing in that way? Part of him knew the answer, but it was a piece of him that he made sure to keep locked in his subconscious. 

"I didn't then, no." He answered, and got another confused expression. 

"So you didn't then... but you do now--?" 

"I'd prefer if we talked about something else." The redhead pushed away from her, desperate to put space between them. How he admired her in the physical sense was not important, and would only complicate things if he were up front about it. 

Sakura was not ugly, she was very beautiful. This was a fact that everyone knew, and he had told himself that it was okay to admit that fact. However, now he was questioning on whether he should have even admitted it to himself. This was beginning to turn very messy. 

"Sand..." The pinkette blurted out, and as he looked at her he froze up. 

She had scooted her chair a bit closer to him in able to be within touching range, her hands reached for his belt causing him to turn to stone. As her delicate fingers traced the leather to his left side she grabbed hold of the small gourd on his hip without a care in the world. 

No one, with the exception of his siblings, had ever been so ballsy as to just come up and touch his ultimate defense. 

"There's sand in here?" Her eyes came up from the gourd to meet his own, and he gulped back humbly. 

"Y-yes... there's sand in there." Gaara couldn't help it, there was just something so stupidly intimate about her touching the one thing he used to murder countless people, as well as defend so many more. 

Weighing it in her delicate hands... like a toy... 

"You look upset." Sakura pulled her hands away, and straightened her back. The space now gave him room to breathe. "Was I not supposed to do that?" 

He couldn't help the nervous laugh that escaped him, but as soon as it blurted out he ended up trying to cover it up by clearing his throat. 

"It's fine. It was just that no one has ever tried to grab it off of my person before. New experience." He gave her a soft smile, and reached for the smaller straps that held his gourd to his belt. 

She watched in curiosity as he unfastened it, pulling it away from it's holster to hold out in front of him. He urged her to take it, and she did so like an intrigued child. He watched her trace the seals, the cracks and divots, the bulges and crevices, and then finally rested her finger tips on the cork. Blinking at it, she pried it open, and poured a small amount into her hand. The redhead was a little shocked by this as well, no one had ever actually opened up his gourd to check out the sand he held inside of it. Most people were far too afraid. 

"It's really smooth." The pinkette giggled slightly, playing with the extra fine grit. "How do you make it move? Is it a spell?" 

"No, it's moved by chakra. Just about everyone has chakra." Gaara laughed slightly, and made the current sand in her hands twist and turn. She jumped at first, but then giggled as she began to enjoy the way it worked along her palm. "You have chakra too, I know that for a fact." 

Sakura looked up at him once more, her eyes seeming to be so innocent. 

"I can move sand too--?!" 

"No, no. Only a select number of people can do that... particularly my bloodline. However, I have watched you get run through with a blade, and heal yourself completely in seconds." The redhead smiled warmly at her, even though the thought seemed to unnerved her a bit. "I've also seen you create massive craters in the ground using just your fists. You're incredibly powerful." 

A light blush dusted her cheeks then, her bashful eyes turned away to look at the sand still dancing in her hands. She seemed to stare dreamily at the grains, entranced by their movements. 

"This is your power... how do you kill people with this tiny bit of sand?" The pinkette murmured, but gasped as he made the sand into a tiny ball. 

"Many ways." He waited for a moment, and when her attention was fully on the ball he flung it so fast into the wall next to them that it made a sizeable 'bullet' hole. 

He witnessed her audibly gulp, but then a strange expression formed on her face. Almost like a giddiness. 

"That was... incredible!" Sakura clapped her hands excitedly before turning towards him with expectant eyes. "What are the other ways? Can you make a knife? Perhaps a giant hammer--?" 

"While I can most certainly make that happen, I much prefer a less flashy method." Gaara waved his hand, letting the sand from his gourd escape into the air. 

He waved it over towards a glass paperweight he kept on his desk, an item of little importance to him. The grains swarmed the glass, constricted around it, and the shattering sound could be heard within. 

Jade eyes widened at the sight, lashes fluttered in shock as he pulled the sand back into his gourd leaving no trace of the glass behind. Their eyes met then, and like he surmised the lively color drained quickly from her face. It was only a matter of time before she realized just how horrifying and brutal his ability truly was. 

"You do this to people?" Her pink lips trembled slightly, and although his face scrunched in guilt he still nodded his head. 

She turned the gourd in her hands carefully, but then strangely hugged it as if it would comfort her. It was an odd thing to watch. 

"How many--?" 

"Too many." The redhead answered tightly, but kept his eyes firm on her now. "My sand leaves no trace of a body. Do you understand now why people do not try to touch my gourd?" 

She nodded quickly, and handed the inconspicuous weapon back to him. He strapped it back onto his belt, and sighed. 

"I didn't do that to frighten you." Gaara tried to make his point, worried that she wouldn't be able to understand. 

"I know..." The pinkette shifted anxiously in her seat, looking avidly at her lap. "But... you are still a very frightening man. I hope you don't take offense to that." 

"I understand, I know what I am." The redhead sighed once more, and gave a sad little smile knowing he had scared another person just by him being himself. 

"I'm sure you do other things with it though... more admirable things." Sakura reached forward then, and surprisingly took hold of his hand. He flinched at the gentle touch, and also felt flustered by it. "I was told by many people what you've done for your village... and... I realize that I reacted poorly earlier. It was wrong for me to accuse you of witchcraft." 

Gaara blinked, not expecting her to apologize at all for her behavior earlier. She had clearly experienced a form of culture shock, and he gave her the benefit of the doubt for that. However, part of him was not surprised that the Sakura of another realm was just as kind as the one he knew here. 

"I heard you even died for your people, and had been brought back from the dead. At first I was skeptical about that, but it seems that impossible things happen here." The pinkette smiled warmly, her other hand now joining to hold his in both palms. "I want to know more. I want experience everything that you have to offer. Please, show me the wonders of your world." 

The redhead felt warmth hit his cheeks once again. The way she held his hand was so loving, and her words seemed to twist in his head because of it. He mentally scolded himself for any dastardly thoughts, and instead tried to focus on her actual intentions. 

However, looking into her eyes proved to be difficult as they sparkled with curiosity. He wished for a moment that he could be more clever, perhaps say something he might not normally say, but then once again he internally slammed himself for it. 

"I'll do my best to teach you then." Gaara gave an anxious smile. 

He felt like he was digging his own grave. 

Chapter Text

"Gaara... I just wanted you to know that I think it was really admirable how you handled yourself back in the other world." 

Gaara looked up from some of his paperwork to see Ino practically twiddling her thumbs, a soft blush was on her cheeks where a clever smile followed. 

"Wait--" The redhead's eyes went wide as the realization hit him. "You saw--?!" 

"Oh yeah, I saw everything." The blonde giggled, humbling him enough to force his eyes back onto his paperwork with a huff. "I also wanted to say that... I'm sorry for what you had to leave behind." 

That last part crushed him slightly, and he knew it would haunt him for probably the rest of his life. Spending time his mother, being 'affianced' to a beautiful girl that loved him, talking earnestly with his father, and just being a part of a family in general. It was something he probably wouldn't be able to experience again, and yet it was his one secret desire. It was possibly one of the most painful things he could have done, but it wouldn't be the first time he had given up personal happiness for the greater good, and it wouldn't be the last either. 

"It wasn't my life to live, unfortunately." Gaara murmured, the words still stinging as he still felt the loss. "I'm not meant for such a life either. I was created for the benefit of others, not so much just to exist for myself--" 

"That is a really sad way to look at your life." The blonde huffed, but he simply shrugged. 

"But that is my life. It is a fact that I can't ever change--" 
Just then his office door abruptly opened, and a familiar pink haired young woman poked her head in with a shy smile. He blinked at her, but from the corner of his eye he could tell Ino was fidgeting strangely. He looked over to see her attempting to hide a smile, and he felt it to be quite suspicious. 

"Hello, Gaara. I... I was wondering if you were available this afternoon for lunch?" Sakura slipped in through the door then, quietly closing it behind herself. She started wringing her hands, looking around herself nervously. "I need... um... a male escort--" 

"An escort?!" Ino mocked a gasp, then a devilish grin appeared before she leaned over to nudge the young kazekage next to her. "You hear that, Gaara? She needs a 'male escort', you know what that means--!" 

"It means she needs a tour of the village." The redhead raised both of his naked brows at the blonde, narrowing his eyes so that she knew to keep her mouth shut. However, it only seemed to fuel her uncontrollable giggles. "I'd be happy to escort you, Sakura." 

"Oh yes, he would love to escort you--" 

For the first time in his life since becoming Kazekage he actually reached out to shove a woman by the shoulder. Ino continued to laugh harder, and he stormed away to vehemently ignore it. The pinkette seemed a bit off-put by the behavior, but wore a gentle smile as he came up to her side. 

"I'm free right now. I'll take you to lunch." Gaara politely offered his arm, and she took it without a second thought. 

Normally he wouldn't do anything like this with the exception of elderly women that needed assistance in walking, he felt the gesture of offering his arm to a lady was a bit too romantic for the current times, but from what he saw back in the other world it was something common that everyone did. So he guided her gently through the halls, and tried to think little of it when he got strange looks. 

People would talk... that was fine. He was usually in the center of the village gossip anyways. It wasn't anything new. They walked together out of the building, and into the streets, but the stares began to be unavoidable. Alright, so he might not be prepared for some of the next few conversations accusing him of currently being on what looked like a date. Fine, that would be something he would have to learn to deal with in time. 

"Why was Ino laughing when I asked you to escort me?" Sakura suddenly asked as they turned down one of the smaller, lesser used streets. He instantly felt his cheeks redden, but tried to will the blood away. 

"In this age it stands for something a bit different. It used to be common for men to escort women around, and women would actually pay men to escort them from place to place..." Gaara felt his words begin to go softer, and they eventually dried up in his mouth. He didn't want to tell her the rest, but he felt that he had to. "Eventually those men started to be paid for things other than just escorting ladies from place to place." 

"What kind of things? Like... manual labors?" The pinkette asked with an air of naivete that made him feel almost dastardly. As if he were the perverse one for even answering her question in the first place. 

"Um... I suppose one could call it that. In more delicate terms it could be called... a 'manual labor of love'." The redhead kept his eyes locked forward, but his peripheral vision didn't fail to catch her trying to inspect him. 

"Oh! Like a prostitute--?" 

"Yes! Exactly. So there's no reason to bring it up any further now that we have discussed it." Gaara immediately put a close on the conversation, but her slight giggling forced him to turn and look at her pretty expression. 

She laughed a bit further, and he had to admit that her smile was beautiful. Despite practically drowning in suna's traditional clothing, she had a brightness to her that couldn't be concealed. 

"I can see why it's humorous now. Especially at the thought of a king doing that." Sakura laughed a bit further, but then she surprisingly tightened her hold lovingly on his arm. "But clearly I can't pay you properly, so I won't be able to recieve such services." 

Was she flirting with him? It felt like she was, and it made him speechless. How was he to respond to that? Perhaps flirting back was best. 

"Sometimes a king must be generous, so I don't mind giving handouts from time to time." He made an attempt, and luckily got an astonished laugh from her. 

"Oh my! Thank you for such a generous gift!" The pinkette broke out into sweet laughter, filling the streets with her beautiful voice. "How can I ever return such kindness?" 

"Well, perhaps someday you can escort me. Sometimes we have festivals here, and I could certainly use a dance partner." Gaara smiled at the thought, innocently thinking about festive food, dancing, and street games. 

"Actually, I would not mind doing that for you. If I may be so bold." Sakura murmured sweetly, now looking away from him to take in the sights as they came to a busier street. "I shall have to practice though, I've never danced with a man before." 

For some odd reason the thought of him being her 'first' in something made him a bit bashful, even if it was only the thought of dancing. He wasn't even very good at it, in fact he hated dancing, and yet he would be more than willing to try dancing with her. 

Something was happening here, but he couldn't rightly explain it. He just wanted to see her smile more, and to basque in it. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

What was originally 'just lunch' turned into an all day excursion. He took her to one of his favorite a food stalls, and they had their lunch in one of the courtyards. He told her how the stacked houses around them were made from the surrounding ground elements, and not wood or stone. She was so intrigued by all of the structures, and he surprisingly enjoyed talking about them. They continued to sit and chat, eventually grabbing rich coffee to sip on while they continued their conversations. 

Later he took her to the top of the walls to the city, showing her a skyline of golden dunes. She saw that the sun was starting to set, and she begged him to let them stay to watch it. He obliged, watching her more so than the sun as it set on the horizon. Her golden lit features filled with awe and delight as it sunk beneath the now red sands. 

"Will the moon rise soon?" Sakura asked him excitedly, and he gave a small chuckle at her childlike enthusiasm. 

"Mhm, actually it shouldn't be too long now, but we'd have to turn around to the other side--" 

"Let's race to the other end!" The pinkette chimed, jumping up from her spot on the edge of the wall to get to her feet. "Hurry! We can't miss it!" 

He balked as she started into a run, completely different from her reserved nature earlier. Clearly, even despite her social climate, she was a firey spirit. Regardless he followed her lead, running casually without any chakra backing him up. Surprisingly he started to pass her even though she had gotten a head start. She whined at him, then tried pushing her legs harder. 

"Be careful! The rock up here can sometimes crumble--!" As he turned his head to remind her it seemed his timing was just perfect. She had stepped on a bad section of rock, and as it broke away she tumbled off to the side. 

In horror he saw that the side she was on was uneven, slanting down towards the edge making her slide quickly. He wasn't even thinking when he jumped after her, but perhaps he knew that his sand would automatically catch him when he went to do the same with her. They both slid off the edge, and he grabbed her arm right as she let out a blood curdling scream. He pulled her to him, and once she was in his arms they both felt the jolt of being caught in sand, but she continued to scream while clinging fearfully to his chest. 

"Sakura, it's okay." Gaara tried not to laugh, as he had actually gotten used to falling off of things with the confidence that he wouldn't actually die from it. "Open your eyes." 

She did as he said, calming down to look around herself only to become frightened again once she noticed she was floating in the air. She clung to his frame even more, and this time he did actually laugh. 

"How--?!?" 

"My sand." The redhead chuckled as it began to lift them back up onto the rock wall, but then went quiet as she started to cry. 

"I thought I was going to die!" Sakura wailed, still holding onto him as their feet finally touched the ground. 

For some reason he felt warmed by the fact that she found comfort in holding him, and he proceeded to pet her hair while she continued to sob now on his shoulder. Her arms held him around his ribs, fingers clawing lightly against his back. She rubbed her face against his collarbone, then finally calmed from crying into deep breathing. His arms wrapped around her to smooth along her back, feeling her relax further in his embrace. 

"As long as I'm near, nothing can hurt you." Gaara stated with confidence, his hands unwavering in the way they now held her. Watery eyes looked up at him in an innocent way, almost awestruck. 

Or, perhaps something else entirely... 

Suddenly her face closed the distance between them, kissing him longingly on the cheek. He blinked at the gesture, blushing as she pulled away from him with a flush of her own. 

"I've always wanted to do that." The pinkette laughed nervously, but he found himself confused by it. 

"Do what?" The redhead queried, and she giggled sweetly in return. 

"Be saved by a handsome man, then kiss him in return for his bravery." Sakura gave him a coy smile before continuing. "Although, I only halfway succeeded... a kiss on the cheek isn't necessarily what I had in mind, however I feel it would be rude to kiss you when you've stated before that such things are a waste of your time." 

He remembered back to being accused of being a 'player', and that being promiscuous was a waste of time; it instantly made him regret ever saying it in the first place. 

"Kissing is a bit different than... other things--" He began to argue, but recieved a hearty laugh in return. 

"So you would not want to recieve the latter in return for a good deed?" The pinkette teased, making him quickly realize how good she was at making him eat his words. 

If he said 'no' he would be accused of being lecherous, but if he said 'yes' he knew it would only make her smug when she kept such pleasures out of his grasp. 

'I shouldn't be chasing after her regardless...' He thought, but his heart and body begged for the opposite. 

"I morally couldn't accept such an offer..." Gaara decided that he should be better than what his subconscious desired for him, it wasn't the first time he'd had this internal argument either. 

"Such a shame." She murmured, her eyes now looking into his with a gaze that screamed of something deeper than just a general fondness. He didn't know how he looked in that moment, but in all truth he wanted to kiss her. 

Her body slipped from his fingers, now walking away from him towards some side stairs leading down into the village. She gave a glance back at him, and a small smile. 

"We should return, I have kept you for too long. I'm certain your subjects have need of you." The pinkette beckoned to him, and despite wanting to stay here in this moment with her he resigned himself to his fate. 

Her presence here was torturous, he decided. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

Work went by slowly, and he felt himself grow weary and tired. Once finished with his papers he gave an exhausted sigh, feeling the aches in his shoulders and neck. It was terribly late, but he knew the baths were still open to him if need be. 

Walking through the silent halls felt like a dream. There were no more people bustling about anymore with the exception of a few jounin. When he found the reception area empty he simply sighed, and wandered into the changing room. 

This was his life. Usually solitary, and rarely social despite his popular status. Public baths were rarely lively as he always went there so late in the night, but he secretly wished for some sort of company. Hell, even a peeping tom would bring some sort of entertainment to his evening. 

He scrubbed down quickly in the washing area, then tied a towel around his waist before slipping out into the dark of night towards the steaming pool. The red rocks all around him made the water so blue in contrast, and the bright moon peeking over the tall walls also made the scenery that much more beautiful. 

Gaara dipped into the water, sighing as he felt it go up to his collar bone. He took deep breaths of the steam, clearing his sinuses and forming a light sweat on his naked brow. He continued to breathe, but then when it slowed he could tell that the breathing wasn't in time with his actual inhales and exhales... 

"Is someone there?" He murmured gently, not wanting to startle anyone. 

As the soft deep breaths continued he searched the waters for the sound, swimming out into the pool until he found a shadowy area of rocks. Behind one of the boulders he could see a form, cradled in the rocks was a girl wrapped in a towel-- 

"Oh, forgive me. I didn't realize anyone was here." As he went to turn around something stuck out to him as his eyes adjusted in the dark. The color of pink made itself known, and he forced himself to look upon the
young woman once more just to make sure. 

It was her alright, and she was fast asleep amongst the smooth rocks. He took it upon himself to swim closer, and inspect her by sitting at her side; checking her temperature while gently pushing her damp hair away from her eyes. 

"So... warm..." Sakura sighed in her sleep, shifting into a more comfortable position. He almost chuckled at her, but then felt the gravity of the situation. 

This was a very precarious moment, and yet he didn't want to wake her either. If anything he just wanted to admire her as she slept. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her naked before, albeit in another world, but it had happened all the same. 

That otherworldly figure now haunted his dreams, and now it was just inches away from him; barely contained in a towel knotted on her chest. Just a small tug could undo everything, giving him a view he secretly pined for. 

"You're not a barbarian, Gaara. Stop it." He whispered to himself, just barely catching his hand as it subconsciously reached for that very same knot. 

Suddenly her eyes opened slightly, moisture dripping off the lashes as jade irises peered through the dark veil. A heated breath escaped her, clearly she was in this bath for a long time and was probably too warm for comfort-- 

"Gaara..." Sakura whispered with a small smile, inching her way closer to him to rest her head on his damp shoulder. 

The redhead balked at her, astounded by the fact that she hadn't screamed, or even attempted to strike him. Her upper body turned to hold onto his arm, his bicep now resting between her breasts. He was holding his breath, afraid of startling her in some way, and yet also confused by the sudden affectionate behavior. 

"I'm so sleepy..." The pinkette murmured, nuzzling her wet cheek against his porcelain skin. "They have... this funny drink... it made me so tired..." 

Ah. Of course, if she had been in here earlier with the other women they might have been partaking in saké. That would explain a lot. 

"Did you drink a lot of it?" Gaara asked gently, and she giggled as her hand ran up and down his arm under the water. 

"Mhm. It was salty." She scrunched her nose, but then turned her face to move her mouth along his skin. She let out a heated breath before moving her lips. "I liked it... even though it was salty..." 

The redhead gulped hard, his eyes blinking widely at her display. She pressed her chest further against his arm, and it forced the knot of the towel to unravel. He began to sweat, knowing that if she pulled away now it would expose her. 

"I kind of... want more..." Sakura spoke against his shoulder, the area growing more aware by the second of how soft her lips felt. He tried to deflect. 

"Who gave you the drink?" Gaara asked gently, and watched as she finally raised her head to look at him. She was beaded in sweat and water, moisture still clinging to her lips as she licked them. 

"A group of girls... they were talking about you." The pinkette gave a soft laugh while her eyes wandered around his face and neck. "They said they want to wash your floors..." 

"Um... what?" The redhead frowned at that. He knew he had a fan base, but he had never heard of any women actually wanting to come and clean his space-- 

"They said it takes a lot of kneeling." Her pink brows furrowed, and her nose scrunched. "Something about cleaning... under your desk. I told them they'd make good wives... they laughed a lot at that... said I was funny..." 

He was starting to catch the meaning of the conversation, and while he was partially flattered he also didn't know how else to feel about that. No one had ever said anything like that out in the open, and he wondered just how depraved women could get behind closed doors. 

"Do you need your floors cleaned?... Are they dirty--?" 

"N-no, I don't think that's what they were... um, anyways, how much did you drink?" He lifted her hair again after it had slipped into her eyes to check if they were responsive to light. 

"When I said we were friends... they gave me a lot..." She leaned into his hand with a goofy smile. "They asked... if you were 'dating' someone... I know what that means!" 

"What did you tell them?" Gaara turned and moved his hands to her shoulders to keep her upright, and unfortunately her towel slipped away when he tried to steady her. 

"I told them... that.... you don't do that..." Sakura grinned ear to ear, then raised up her arms to loop them over his shoulders. Her chest pressed against his own, and for a moment he tried backing away, but he also had to make sure that she didn't fall face first into the water. "... but you want to... right...?" 

"Not right this second..." The redhead gave a nervous laugh, not expecting her to start giggling with him. 

"You... always push away..." The pinkette's smile turned into a rather cute pout, and he found it so distracting that he stopped moving. Her warm, plush chest brushed tantalizingly against his own, her hands now on the back of his neck and gripping his shoulder. "... I don't... want you to do that." 

There was no way he could get out of this one. Not when her lips were just centimeters away from his own. He breathed calmly, but his heart was racing as her pillowy lips ghosted a kiss. It was so tempting that he opened his mouth to exhale, and took the smallest taste of her bottom lip. Everything felt hazy, and dream like. His reservations disappearing fast-- 

"I... want this..." Sakura breathed, and the words made him close the distance with an eagerness he couldn't shut off. 

He kissed her with a longing he didn't realize he had up until this point. Everything about her was soft, sweet, and beautiful; his years of careful control seemed to be thrown right out of the window. She was just too wonderful, and she was so wanting, how could he tell her no? This goddess... this perfect being-- 

"I... want to become... a real woman..." She whispered against his kiss. 

That part, for some odd reason, clicked. He blinked out of his trance, and looked at the beauty he had been kissing. She was stunning, but she didn't seem to understand what it meant to go to those lengths. 

Hell, had she ever kissed a man before now? Just what was he taking from her? 

"Sakura, I'm the wrong man to ask for something like that." Gaara sighed, backing away from her while her eyes seemed to sober slightly. "I don't think you understand exactly what it is you're asking me for--" 

"I'm not an idiot!" Sakura shouted, startling him out of his initial thought. She went to try to move on the rock they were sitting on, but slipped into his grasp when she lost her balance. "I know... I know what it means." 

"I can't. I don't want to be the one that ruins it for you." The redhead tried to reason with her, but she only seemed to get more angry. She glared at him, and then went to squirm out of his arms. 

"I'll find someone else then!" The pinkette freed herself only to slip into a deeper part of the water, her head going under for a moment while he panicked. 

Gaara moved in, swimming with one arm while the other looped around her waist to pull her up to the surface. She started coughing, her hair now in her eyes while she groaned and struggled, but he held tight to her naked form until they were at the edge of the spring. Once he was able to stand his grip on her became stronger, and her weak struggling would only take time for her to tire out. There was no way he was going to let her leave here drunk, and searching for a comfort that she would soon regret. 

"I hate you!!" Sakura fought with him, throwing willowy hands on him that stung about as much as a being hit with a hacky-sack; which was probably why his ultimate defense didn't spring forward. 

"You hate me now, but you'll thank me later." The redhead lifted her form out of the water, scooping up underneath her legs to carry her towards the lockers. Her wet figure wriggled about, but he managed to find the girls locker room. 

He set her down on a bench, and when he pulled away he pointed at her with a stern expression. 

"Stay there. If you move I will chase you down, got it?" Gaara ordered, backing up a bit to start looking through the pink lockers. Surprisingly she said nothing, and he went about opening each one until he found what looked to be her traditional clothes. "Is this your locker?" 

"Mhm." She stayed oddly quiet, and he looked back to make sure she was still there. She sat on her side, perched up in attention with a doe eyed look that made him rethink his decision twice over. 

"Oh... good. Good." The redhead took a centering breath, pulling out her things before turning around and placing them on the seat next to her. "Get dressed, please--" 

"Don't you need to get dressed, too?" As she pulled one of the garments over to her he didn't fail to notice her eyes taking in his image in it's entirety. His gaze followed hers, and he found that now the situation was twice as embarrassing. 

His towel must have been lost in the struggle... 

"Shit." He almost smacked himself, but with quick thinking he looked into another locker to find a freshly folded towel that he could steal for the time being. Wrapping it around himself he gave a small sigh of relief, both because he had cover, and because she most likely wouldn't remember what had happened in the morning. 

'She probably won't even remember us being here together.' The redhead thought hard on that, feeling a bit saddened by it. He rather enjoyed her leaning all over him earlier, and now he would only ever be able to keep that memory to himself. 

Suddenly he felt something brush his thigh, and he looked down to find her feminine fingers attempting to lift the hem of his towel for a second peek. 

"That's rude." He swatted her hand away, surprisingly unaffected by the fact that she wanted to see what he was now hiding underneath. "Mind your manners, please." 

"Sorry." Her cute blush was almost too much for him, but it seemed that whatever he had downstairs had sobered her enough to actually listen. As flattering as that thought was, he took it more as an advantage in getting her to do what he wanted, and not in the sexual sense. 

"Get dressed, I'll meet you outside." He pointed to her clothes, and she nodded once again. 

He felt confident that she wouldn't disobey him, and so he left to go get changed back into his regular clothing. 

Alright, so he didn't get the relaxation that he desperately needed, but he did get to see Sakura soaking wet, and naked; which was definitely worth every single muscle cramp he felt in his shoulders. 

Gaara had walked her back to her room, wished her a good night, and then set off to bed himself. He was completely worn out, and only had about four hours until he had to get back up again for work. 

How he juggled everything and stayed sane was beyond him, but now as he laid in bed he let his mind replay the evening's events... but only as he wished they had turned out. 

There was nothing wrong in dreaming, right? 

Chapter Text

"So, how can we get her back?" Sasuke murmured in his usual soft tone, not particularly looking at the blonde or redhead, rather his gaze was peering out of one of the rounded windows in the kazekage's office. 

"She has to want to come back, and that's going to be difficult to achieve." Ino sighed, then peered in the redhead's direction. "Maybe we can send you back in? You'll have to talk to the Sakura we have here first though. She's our link to the other side." 

"Um..." Gaara stiffened at the thought of approaching said pinkette. Something told him that she remembered their last encounter quite clearly by the way that she avoided him. It had already been three days, and she hadn't once come to visit his office like she usually would. "You might need to converse with her first--" 

"What? Are you too lazy--?!" 

"She is having problems that could use your knowledge. Until then I'm afraid I cannot approach her." The redhead sighed, placing his forehead into his hands to cover his eyes. "I'm not very good with women... please humor me on this." 

There was a strong silence wafting through the air, but eventually Ino's irritated sigh broke it. 

"Fine. We'll go on a little girly date, or something, but then you gotta talk to her! It's going to be you using her body as a conduit, not me." With that said the blonde stood up from her seated position. She gave a curt bow before professionally leaving the room. 

Gaara waited for the door to close before resting his head in his hands, he could feel his skull pounding already-- 

"Ino filled me in on some events that have happened. Particularly those between you, and our Sakura." Sasuke spoke gently, as if he didn't want outside voices to hear. "For her to be so charmed by you in that other world--" 

"That man is not me." The redhead breathed as calmly as he could, but he felt himself growing frustrated. "Just as this current Sakura is unlike our original, there are other factors at play." 

"And yet the Sakura we currently have seems to be chasing at your heels as well. This tells me that you are hiding something." The brunette became more stern. 

Gaara narrowed his eyes at the accusations, unhappy with the idea of Sasuke being suspicious of him for any reason. Truth be told, he actually liked the man. Sasuke was a respectable person, and just like the redhead the Uchiha had a messy past. It was something they had in common, sins they could never properly atone for. 

"Sasuke, I am not trying to seduce her in any way. If anything I am trying to steer her away from even thinking on it." Gaara spoke just above a whisper, but he knew that Sasuke could hear him. "Forgive me, but I can't control her heart--" 

"If she fancies the idea of staying here we will lose our Sakura forever. That is unacceptable." The brunette was suddenly white knuckling the desk, making the redhead straighten in surprise. "Torture her if you have to," 

Gaara's eyes widened, his mouth slightly going agape before he finally ingested the horrible comment. 

"--And seduce our Sakura in the other realm. Make them want to switch back." Sasuke's dark eyes focused on him then, holding him captive in a dominant stare that he dare not break away from. "I don't care how you do it, I don't care how disgusting you have to be about it either. You know how to be a monster, as well as a savior. I expect to see both sides at their maximum efficacy." 

"You're making many demands of a Kazekage. Sakura is not my only responsibility here." Gaara bit back, watching as the brunette let that wave wash over him with ease. 

"Then you had better work faster." The Uchiha gave a mocking tap of encouragement to the redhead's arm, making the young kazekage sour. 

He felt extremely insulted by the man, and yet he couldn't rightly argue against him. What had happened was initially his fault, and he needed to fix the issue promptly. However, torture was out of the question, he refused on principle. Hopefully his words would be enough to sway her. 

They had to work. They just had to. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

"It's going to be tough... we have a bit of a problem." Ino sat down next to him in the courtyard, the sun now casting a red glow on the sand as it began to sink on the horizon. 

Gaara placed his clay teacup down with an exhausted sigh. He wasn't getting good rest, his head was killing him, he was sexually frustrated; which was unusual for him, and he seemed to keep getting more and more bad news. He didn't know if he could take anything else on his plate. 

"How bad?" He finally murmured, staring at the reddish sand around his feet. 

"Bad. She's crushing on you really hard. Like... I would not be surprised if she tried to jump your bones." Ino snickered at the thought, but he found nothing to be funny at the moment. "I mean if she tries it I'd hold nothing against you for letting it happen--" 

"Sasuke told me to torture her... to get her to want to return to her own world." Gaara blurted out, not daring to look at the woman next to him. However, he could see her go rigid in his peripheral vision. 

"Sasuke is a fucking moron. That won't solve anything!" The blonde screeched, slamming her fist on the bench. He could understand her rage, but he also understood the logic behind Sasuke's suggestion. However, he felt great aversion to the latter. "Talk to her. Tell her the truth of the situation... tell--" 

Ino stopped herself, holding her mouth in a thin line when he finally looked her way. Soft blue eyes seemed guilty, and she took a deep breath. 

"Tell her you love our Sakura, and want her back at any cost." The blonde murmured. 

He had to do a double take at that, his naked brows furrowing at the idea. 

"But I don't--" 

"I've been inside your head, dork. You may not realize it just yet, but I know the feelings you had for her are beyond friendly. It's more than just lust too, you really like her a lot." Ino gently placed her hand over his own, probably to provide him with some sort of comfort, but all he could feel was his chest clenching. 

"It's... it's not.... like that..." He felt a tremor go through his body, and he knew that Ino was speaking the truth. 

But when... when did this admiration for Sakura start? 

Suddenly it hit him full force, the memories of his youth. The first time he had met her she was a normal girl, a bit loud and clearly over-infatuated with Sasuke, but still quite pretty. 

He remembered her hair being longer before she went into the forest, and when she came out it was cut short. Her demeanor had changed so drastically that she stuck out like a sore thumb. She was damaged now, and yet he found the cuts and bruises on her flesh to be endearing. 

After his fight with Lee he had followed her around as she gave flowers to the injured and sick, but he could see her internal suffering of being left behind while her comrades trained. He thought about killing her out of mercy, and yet for the first time in his life he didn't want to make someone disappear. He wanted her to stay. 

When the Konoha crush came she faced him head on, beautifully determined eyes that reminded him of his past. He couldn't kill her then, he didn't want to, he simply forced her out of the way. 

Had they succeeded in the mission... what would have happened to her? What would he have done with her? The thought frightened him, and he knew that the answer in his subconscious was something he could never come to terms with. 

The monster never left him, it was just kept well in check. 

"Hey." Ino called out, waving her hand in front of his eyes. He blinked out of his trance to gaze at her with more worry than he would have liked. "It's okay if you like her, you know?" 

"Ah..." The redhead blinked rapidly, then bit his lip out of anxiety. "I shouldn't carry such feelings for anyone, especially not her. The burden of my affections... no one should have to bare--" 

"Oh my god, do you even hear yourself?!" Ino grabbed him by the face, startling him as she forced him to stare into her eyes. "You are human. Do you know what humans do? We eat, sleep, fight, and fuck. We are still animals! You're not a God, so you don't need to live up to the expectations of one!" 

Her words tore at him, the ideal image he desired for himself was slowly becoming twisted under the disgustingly raw facts. It was true, they were not some sort of higher beings striving for their greatest form. They were human, clawing to survive, and trying to live the best life that they could. 

Was it wrong to accept the fact that he could be human? That he could relax a little, and reach for the things he secretly desired? Was that really okay? 

"I can see your gears working. Good to know you can still think after the weight of all that paperwork." The blonde poked his forehead, finally putting space between them. "Talk to her, tell her how you feel about our Sakura. She's more understanding than you think." 

All he could do was nod in agreement. The leaf shinobi these days had him running around in circles, and he wondered if he'd ever get his head back on his shoulders. 

--- ... ---- ... ---

A pleasantly fragrant floral scent filled his nostrils, causing him to inhale deeply. In his dreams he was surrounded by cherry blossom trees, the light pink petals falling all around him as he laid on cool mossy ground. 

"You've been working too hard again." Her sweet feminine voice slipped into his ears, sending tingles down his spine. Warm fingers ran through his hair, trickling down to his neck to rub gently. 

Gaara groaned from the relaxing touch, he had never experienced such a sensation. It was so soothing that every inch of him turned to putty in her capable hands. Those hands moved to his shoulders, and he groaned louder as they hit a tense point. They stopped abruptly, and the loss of the sensation plummeted him back into the waking world. 

Charcoal lids peeped open to find himself resting his head on crossed arms, his lacquered desk holding him up. 

Disappointment filled him, and he gave a dejected sigh while wishing that he had the ability to get a masseuse. While they were available, he just wasn't very comfortable with people touching him. A nurse had tried once when he was injured, but he just ended up tensing to the point that it was completely useless. 

"You really should sleep in a proper bed..." 

The voice behind him had the redhead blinking for a moment. He thought he had dreamt her up, but he should have known that it felt too real to be a dream. It was a good thing that he was relaxed, as had he been on edge he probably would have turned around with the intent to fight. 

"It's not nice to sneak up on people, especially on those who have mastered the art of killing." Gaara murmured, but was brushed off with a small scoff. 

"You wouldn't hurt me." Sakura answered softly, but her tone was smart. As he was about to argue that point he felt her hands on his shoulders once again, and out of a need to have them there he made it a point to keep his mouth shut. "I think you like me too much to hurt me." 

The redhead raised a naked brow at that little comment, unsure if she truly meant the context he took it as. He decided that silence was best, even as she got a particular knot in his shoulder blades he kept his sounds of affirmation to himself, although it was very difficult and required great concentration. 

"You're so tense, you should relax more..." The pinkette nearly whispered, and he almost had to laugh at that. 

"I'm not used to being touched." Gaara snickered slightly, but took her advice of relaxing deeper into her ministrations, unfortunately he did make a small sound this time as she made her way to the tops of his shoulders. 

"Yet you're allowing me to touch you so freely. I must be special then." Sakura gave a small breathy giggle that raised up the hair on his neck. It was such a pleasant bell-like sound. "Do you like when I touch you?" 

The redhead had to ingest the question several times before actually coming around to understanding it. Disbelief, and suspicion kept him from properly responding for a brief period. 

"I feel like that is a trick question--" 

"No tricks, I just enjoy honesty." The pinkette giggled again, clearly she was cheerful tonight. 

As he began to straighten her hands stopped their motions, but stayed onto his shoulders regardless of him moving around. He took one wrist carefully in his hand as he turned back to look at her. His eyes traveled up her bare arm, eyeing her normal red dress-- 

He did a quick double take, rechecking her current outfit once more before narrowing his eyes at it. 

"You're not wearing traditional clothes..." He murmured, and as she shifted in her spot his eyes darted up to see a slight blush tinge her cheeks. 

"I realized that it was rather ridiculous of me to wear them around here, especially when the young women in this village normally wear even less than what I am wearing now." She tucked a piece of pink hair behind her ear with her free hand, and gave a bashful laugh. "You've told me that seeing my skin doesn't bother you, so I figured it would be fine if I wore less around you." 

While he had initially said that, looking at her now he wondered if he felt differently. The showing skin on her arms and legs glowed in the incandescent light, looking to be as smooth as marble. He was tempted to even rub his thumb over her polished wrist, but vehemently fought the urge. 

"The younger women of my village don't really think of the repercussions of that choice." He blurted out, and when he saw her eyes go wide he quickly reiterated his sentence. "The elements of this area are harsh, and can damage the skin. Those young women mostly wear such clothing for show; an attempt to stand out." 

She blushed a bit harder, but didn't take her hand away from his grasp. Instead she stood their bashfully, swaying in place. 

"You must think I am trying to seduce you then..." Sakura gave an awkward laugh as he balked at the statement. 

"N-no... I would never assume that. It is your normal attire, after all." Gaara tried laughing it off, desperately trying to hide the fact that she was indeed attractive to him. 

Suddenly her hand turned in his grip, and while he was prepared to let go he was shocked when her silky fingers laced with his now trembling ones. Just that small gesture was enough to silence him, and force back a humble gulp. 

"Well... you never said that it doesn't have that affect. So... would you please be honest with me...?" The pinkette's face went serious for a moment as she reached forward to brush some red strands away from his eyes. Her touch tickled his skin, and lingered on his cheek. "As a man... is this attire attractive to you?" 

Seafoam eyes widened, unable to process the words she now spoke to him. His hand betrayed him, tightening the hold he had on her hand with the intent to keep her there if she tried to run. There was a strong and violent urge, animalistic and raw. Hold her down, keep her firmly in place, just long enough to--- 

"That is an unfair question." Gaara turned his face away from her then, his heart racing in his chest while he desperately tried to calm it down. The feeling he just had was one that he was deeply ashamed of. "You are attractive in any clothing..." 

'Why did I say that?!' The redhead inwardly berated himself, and the self disgust showed on his face. 

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to be so forward--" 

"I think you are handsome as well." Sakura spoke just above a whisper, and while he wanted desperately to look at her he chose not to out of fear of embarassing himself. "I find myself thinking of you a great deal... and I want nothing more than to grow closer to you." 

'Gods, help me.' He stared hard at his desk, and focused mostly on breathing. Everything was mechanical, and carefully thought out. Her hand in his changed, slipping away to turn his face towards her own. He gave no resistance, but his jaw tightened upon seeing her leaning closer to him. 

"Do you feel similarly? Do you want to be closer to me?" The pinkette stroked his cheek with her thumb, causing his lids to flutter shut under the sensation of the softest touch. He took deep breaths through his nose, choosing not to answer out of anxiety-- 

Warmth flooded his lips, pillowy soft petals smoothed against him causing his naked brows to furrow. He felt her breathe through her nose, the warm air brushing against his skin as she snaked her arms around his shoulders. Porcelain hands came up to hold onto her waist or collar, hesitant and trembling. Despite how terrified he was of this moment he never pushed her away. It was only a kiss, he could easily stop her here. 

More time passed as they eased into the motions, occasionally her lips parted from his to ghost over his skin before pressing back down. Moment after moment his brain skipped, and his instincts became harder to control. 

Suddenly she was pressing forward, climbing onto his lap to straddle him while he went completely rigid. This was a great deal further than he had wanted to go, but he was so invested in kissing her that he wanted it to last as long as possible. So he let her crawl all over him, and kissed her with more eagerness than he had ever used before. 

He wondered if perhaps this would finally break him, that he would actually attempt to cross the threshold that had been daunting him since he had become an adult-- 

A creak of a door alerted him, and yet he could only slow himself down. As his mind gained back it's alertness he stopped kissing her entirely, and with a hard gulp he turned his head to just barely catch someone standing in the doorway. 

Gaara wished he could stop panting like he was out of breath, if only to lessen his guilt as dark eyes stared at him with their usual apathy. 

Out of all the people to walk in at the wrong time, it had to be 'him'. 

"I'll just wait outside." Sasuke spoke to him sardonically with a raised brow, clearly unamused by the situation before him. 

As the Uchiha turned and closed the door the redhead felt the blood drain from his face at the realization of what had just transpired. He felt like a complete fool, and was thoroughly disgusted with himself. 

"A-am I not supposed to be in here? Did I do something wrong?" Sakura blurted out, and it was so stupidly innocent that he felt his shame worsen. 

He felt like he had taken advantage of a child. 

"No... you did nothing wrong. It's my fault alone." Gaara murmured softly, moving her gently off of his lap. She allowed for it, but dissapointment was apparent on her features. 

"Are you... engaged to his sister?" The pinkette asked quietly, and the make-believe scandal had him choking on a laugh. 

"No. Not quite. He has no living siblings." The redhead breathed, collecting himself so he could be prepared for his next taxing conversation. "In this realm you had affections for him, and despite those affections being unreciprocated I'm certain he feels bitter over these developments." 

Yes, it made sense. Sakura had been Sasuke's trusted teammate, and in her youth she was madly in love with him. It was most likely the reason he wanted her back so badly, that history. This was definitely a wrench in their plan, and most likely the opposite way the brunette wanted things to go, but the redhead was nearly ready to just damn it all to hell. 

Sasuke probably felt responsible for her safety, or for what her other self did with her body here. Gaara also felt the shame in that fact as well, clearly he had no tell as to what the true Sakura wanted-- 

'She's having sex with your other version, probably as we speak.' His inner self chimed, and while he knew it to be true he also felt he couldn't lower himself to do the same. She could come back, and then what? 

'Then you get together with her, you're the closest thing to her 'lover' that she'll ever get in this world. Might as well cash in on that.' 

The redhead frowned at his inner thoughts, finding that Shukaku had rubbed off on him before the beast vacated his body. His thoughts were clearly that of the tanuki... 

But, what if they weren't? 

At any rate he didn't have time to figure it out, he had to deal with the elephant in the room. 

"He seems so distant." The pinkette murmured, a sudden sad expression crossing her beautiful features. "Something tells me that he's always been like that, and that he'll never change." 

Gaara didn't know what to think of that, but he knew that her words held a great deal of truth. Yet, he dreaded the thought of having to talk with the 'distant man'. 

--- ... --- ... --- ... ---

"You have some nerve, Kazekage." 

Sasuke's voice drilled through Gaara's head as he found the Uchiha standing in the hallway's shadows. The redhead sighed, walking past him to open up the doors to their library. 

"I'd rather we kept this conversation private. If you would be so kind." The redhead murmured, his guilt washing over him once again as he beckoned the brunette to follow him. Thankfully he recieved no argument. 

Once the door was closed behind them Gaara flipped on the lights, and wandered over to a table to sit. He sighed out of mental exhaustion, and ran his hands through his hair. 

"Did you start it?" Sasuke asked, now standing by his side; looking down at him. It only managed to make him feel worse. 

"I did not start it, but I certainly didn't stop it either. In fact... I'm ashamed to say that I pushed it further." Gaara hung his head in his hands, staring at the wooden table beneath him. He listened as the Uchiha finally pulled up a chair, and sat across from him. 

"How far--?" 

"As far as you saw. That is all that has occurred between us, I assure you." The redhead finally looked up at the brunette, and thankfully he didn't seem to be too bitter over the ordeal. In fact, he seemed rather aloof. It will go no further--" 

"What about 'our' Sakura? How far have you gotten with her?" Sasuke pressed, forcing Gaara's eyes to widen in surprise. 

He went quiet, his words were stuck in his throat. Flashes of her naked form above him came to mind. Her flirtatious words, her passionate kiss... 

Had he just allowed for it, she could have given him the world. She was willing to do it if he would just let her stay, but now she was gone, and a different Sakura had taken her place. 

"That's... that's a private matter." Gaara answered softly, his naked brows furrowing with resolve. "Is there a point to you asking me such questions--?" 

"If you've already fucked her I won't stop you from doing it here. That is my point." Sasuke deadpanned in a crass way, and it instantly ruffled the redhead's feathers. 

"Well I suppose it's a good thing that I haven't, or maybe it's not such a good thing. Perhaps what she needs is a man that doesn't refer to making love as 'fucking'." Gaara hissed this time, but his anger dissolved into confusion as the brunette started to chuckle. 

"You know, you're kind of cute when you're being a white knight." The Uchiha narrowed his eyes knowingly, a dark smirk forming on his lips. "Goodness, Gaara. I never figured you to be such a romantic--" 

"Spare me the dramatics, Sasuke. Just give me the truth. Do you want me to stay away from her?" The redhead felt his fists clench. For the first time in a long while he actually wanted to punch this jerk right in the teeth. Unfortunately it didn't get any more heated than this. 

"Who am I to stop you? She doesn't belong to me." Sasuke shrugged, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. "Just know that if you hurt our Sakura, I will kill you. Painfully." 

Gaara felt a small laugh bubble out of him at the thought of having a full out fight with this man, however he couldn't disagree with him either. He had no desire to hurt Sakura, or her other half, and if he did manage to do so he wouldn't stop the Uchiha from getting his revenge. 

"I can agree to that." The redhead nodded, and then sighed with exhaustion. "However I can't say the same for the other Gaara. Apparently he has plans to marry Sakura in his realm, it seems as if he's fallen head over heels in love with her. I don't blame him though, she's incredibly kind, and beautiful." 

"They're getting married? Isn't that a bit fast--?" 

"Indeed. Apparently sex before marriage is an absolute no-go, and they don't really 'date'. It's... archaic... but I suppose that's the beauty of it. Everything is a bit simpler, and to the point. It's more so for necessity rather than purely romantics." The redhead closed his eyes, letting himself dream over the idea of a simpler life. "Can you imagine a world without chakra control? To where people have the gift, but don't realize it?" 

There was silence, prompting the young Kazekage to look up at his guest. The brunette said nothing for a while, and his dark eyes stared off at a bookshelf. 

"Sounds like a ticking time bomb, if you ask me." Sasuke eventually murmured before looking back at the redhead. "You say they shoot guns? It already proves they are no better than us. They are still killing each other, just as humans have always done. It's unfortunately in our nature... we're hopeless, and violent creatures." 

The brunette stood up then, readying himself to leave. 

"There is no such thing as just a simple life. There will always be hatred, violence, and war. You can strive for peace, and get a fair amount of it, but you will never eliminate our instinct to fight one another. That is impossible. You just have to live with what the universe provides for you." Sasuke made his way to the door, stopping right before his fingers touched the handle. "When you see our Sakura again, be sure to remind her of that. Then get her back here as soon as possible, anything else that happens in the meantime I could care less. Just get her back." 

Before the redhead could even speak the Uchiha was gone, disappearing into the dark of night. He knew that he would have to talk this over with the Sakura they had here, and he would have to explain a few things. Clearly they were misunderstanding each other, and he had to nip this in the bud fast.

Chapter Text

Talking to her was extremely difficult. 

His first mistake was inviting her to have dinner with him, it wasn't until they were alone in his dining room did he realize the red flags he had unintentionally raised. This was supposed to be a professional visit, not a pleasurable one, and yet here they were chatting softly by lamplight. He had to break the facade, this romantic atmosphere was not what he wanted. 

"I need to talk to you about the other Sakura..." Gaara started off anxiously, his hands white knuckling his napkin underneath the table. 

Sakura stopped eating, and gave him her full attention. It was unnerving, but he had to go through with this. 

"She needs to come back. You cannot stay, and I apologize for that." The redhead's naked brows furrowed as he stared at the table rather than face her head on. She said nothing, so he decided to nail the point in further. "It's more than just her duty that she has to fulfill here... I... I'm... She's..." 

His mouth went dry, he couldn't find the words to say nor could he figure out how to phrase it. 

"You don't have to be embarassed about it." She murmured softly, and his eyes immediately found hers. She didn't seem angry in the slightest, and for that he was relieved. "If she's anything like me, she fancies you too." 

Gaara felt the heat burn his cheeks, nose, and ears. He didn't know how to respond to her, or the blatant confession. 

"Have you told her?" Sakura asked him, leaning forward to see him better in the low light. His breath caught in his chest, he felt like if he moved everything around him would shatter. 

"I haven't... not yet..." The redhead admitted, getting a sweet laugh from her. She reached out to hold his hand, and from her touch alone he had to swallow hard. 

"When you go to see her, you should tell her. Maybe that will give her something to look forward to." The pinkette reached across the table to brush some red locks away from his eyes, making him nearly flinch from the close proximity. "Until then... I don't mind playing pretend." 

"I'm sorry... what?" Gaara was caught off guard by her comment, and with a blush she gave him a playful smile. 

"I like you." Sakura batted her eyashes at him once, capturing him in her beautiful green gaze. "I know she likes you too, so I don't think she'd mind. I'd like to be ready for my 'future husband' on the other side as well, so practicing with you should be fine, right?" 

'Oh no.' The redhead went tense all over, so much so that the muscles in his legs started to twitch just the slightest. 

"I won't lie to you, I've dreamt of this moment since I came of age. Waiting for my prince to save me from my solitude." The pinkette ran her thumb over the top of his hand, and he felt his skin grow hot yet clammy at the same time. "I may not get to keep you... but I will treasure the memories we make here--" 

"H-hold on. Wait please." Gaara finally caught his breath, and placed his hand over his heart only to feel it racing beneath his skin. There was no way he could do this, despite his recent frustrations his nerves just wouldn't allow for it to happen on a dime. He was far too anxious. "I can't do this... forgive me. I'm not ready for that." 

"Would you be ready if I were truly her?" Sakura's eye contact was so strong that he couldn't find the strength to look away, it were as if she had placed him under the most powerful spell. He was afraid of her ethereal beauty, something about her made him feel as if he were prey in the claws of an exotic predator. 

No malice to her eyes, just a venomous beauty that made him feel like a drug was coursing through his veins. 

"I don't think... I could ever be ready..." The redhead admitted this unwillingly, he hadn't ever wanted anyone to hear such a weak thing to come out of his mouth. 

Social interaction, touching, holding, and kind words. These things were foreign to him, and yet when he recieved them he was left both frightened and frantically desperate for more. He hid these faults under a veil of apathy, his deadpan persona. How was it that one look from this woman could humble him in an instant? 

"If you're scared... then maybe I can try leading--?" 

"It's not that simple." Gaara swallowed hard, and finally found the will to look down at the table. "I can't... perform such a task. It's too daunting, and anxiety does things to make it nearly impossible to have a successful coupling." 

This was far too awkward. He wanted to escape from this conversation immediately, but he didn't know how. His mind was racing with so many thoughts that he couldn't understand any of the information pushing through. 

"Then... that settles it." The pinkette gave an empty laugh, and he looked up to find a mixed expression on her face. "I'm completely useless here." 

His eyes widened at that, watching with a tight breath as her features started to twist with pain. 

"Gaara, I'm begging you. Please..." Suddenly she placed her face into her hands, and tears began to appear through her fingers. "I can't return to my world without this knowledge. My parents are dead, and they sheltered me far too much. I have no one back there, my farm is wasting away from the lack of water, and I have no husband to lean on. I need to know how to care properly for a man less I be cast away in favor of someone more capable!" 

The redhead watched in disbelief as she started to sob, unsure of how to handle this sudden wave of emotions. How in the hell was he supposed to console her when he didn't have a clue on the topic she was currently crying over? 

What would the other Gaara do in this situation? Would he be blunt, or suave? He honestly had no clue as he had never actually met the man, but apparently he was clever enough to have their Sakura wrapped around his finger. 

'Clearly the other Gaara is unafraid of intimacy, however he grew up under a loving household...' The young kazekage wracked his brain, finding little to no answers. 'The only thing I have at my disposal is empathy--' 

That thought struck him, and he finally found something to form a plan with. 

"Sakura, you will have no issue pleasing your future husband." Gaara began gently, watching as her head lifted away feebly from her trembling hands. "I don't want you to take what I'm about to say as an invitation, please understand that I am incapable of fulfilling any acts of intimacy, but if I could..." 

He stopped partway, watching her watch him with bated breath. He felt so nervous, and his heart was galloping in his chest, but he felt that he had to finish his speech less he kill both of them with anticipation. 

"... If I could... you would understand that you wouldn't have to lift a single finger to fuel my desire. You can simply walk past me, and that would be enough. In fact, many times this evening you have captured me in a gaze that I felt I could not break free from. If I were a more confident man you would not leave here tonight." The redhead watched her go doe eyed, and felt the heat finally make it's way to his cheeks before he practically turned his entire body to avoid looking at her. "Once again, I am not so confident. Intercourse, and intimacy in general are foreign to me. While the instinct is there, I physically can't bring myself to do anything about it currently. I'm... just not ready for it." 

The silence between them was palpable. The flickering of a flame on a oil lamp's wick continued to fill the room with the slightest sound; making everything seem heavy and heated. 

"Gaara." Sakura murmured his name, and it almost made him jolt. He looked over to find her giving him the smallest of smiles, filling him to the brim with butterflies. "Thank you, and I hope that someday you'll get over your fears. You deserve all of the love in the world." 

His face had never felt so hot, and he made it a point to keep his eyes downcast as she stood up from her seat. He could hear her walking around the table, his mouth running dry the closer she got. Suddenly he felt feminine fingers brushing his cheek, prompting him to finally face her with the blush he had been hiding. 

"Will you let me give you a gift?" Sakura spoke just above a whisper, and despite him presuming what the 'gift' was he still nodded in acceptance. 

Her shadow washed over him, pillowy lips pressed against his own, and he allowed himself to fully take it in. He felt warmth, tingles, excitement, and happiness; things he rarely ever allowed himself to feel knowing that they could quickly become addictive. 

Their lips parted slowly, and with hairsbreadth between them she spoke. 

"If you fail, I will be here to console you." The pinkette ghosted her lips against his, her words twisting themselves into his heart and mind. "Promise me you won't refuse my company then--" 

"I can't promise... I can't give you what you want." The redhead winced, but was taken off guard by a chaste kiss before she pulled away with a clever smile. 

"Then I guess you'll just have me as your house keeper then." Sakura smirked further, then turned to take her leave. "I've heard that your office floor could use a good cleaning." 

With a small wave she left, and he continued to stare hard and wide at the space where she just stood. He heard the door shut quietly, and let out an almost wheezing breath before placing his hand over his stampeding heart. 

"I think... I'm.... having a panic attack..." Gaara tried to get his breathing under control, but felt himself grow dizzy instead. 

Now he had many problems to deal with. The first was getting their Sakura back home, but now this new turn of developments was going to haunt him the entire time. If he failed... he was going to be rewarded for it whether he liked it or not. However, he certainly didn't want to fail, as his Sakura was precious to him. 

But this Sakura... she was smarter than she looked. She was manipulative, and played dumb for her benefit. It was sneaky, but he also couldn't completely blame her for it either. 

'You like the idea of having no control here.' His inner self chimed darkly, leaving him with a chill down his spine. 'You won't have to feel guilty about succumbing to your desires if you're forced into it--' 

"That is absolutely absurd." Gaara practically shoved the thought away, and began cleaning up the dirty dishes from their meal. 

While he knew the thought to be the truth, it didn't mean he had to like it, or go along with it. He was better than that. 

Or... at least he liked to think that he was. 

---...---...---...---

Sakura was surprisingly obedient when it came to him using her to make the link to the other side. They had set up shop in his private living room, with Ino and Sasuke sitting in chairs next to them. 

It felt a bit like a seance, but they all held hands so as to make a physical connection to secure the path. Sasuke holding Sakura's hand, Sakura holding Gaara's hand, and Ino holding his hand while readying the other to force him through the mental plane. When everyone was ready he felt Ino's fingers touch his temple, giving him the most horrendous headache he had ever felt before everything faded to black. 

"Gaara!!" Someone screamed his name, but all he could see was light from the other side of his eyelids. 

Burning sun, dry sand, mineral air... it felt like home to him, but he knew from the slight difference in smell that this was not where he belonged. He turned his head, and opened his eyes to find Sakura leaning over him; brushing his hair away from his sweaty cheek. 

"You fell off the horse, are you okay?" The pinkette grabbed his face with both hands, forcing a flush to his porcelain skin. Her hair was long here, and it made a pink veil that hid them well from the sun. 

"I think I need water..." Gaara lied, knowing that he had to try to get her to return to their world by any means necessary. If that meant deception then he would do it without question. 

"We're almost to the cave, we'll camp out there until nightfall so that we won't waste away in this heat." Sakura gave him a pitiful smile, pulling away to move back over to Uma. As he sat up he watched her grab a canteen, and bring it back over to him. "Drink this quickly, the longer we're out in the sun the more it will wear you down. I'll lead the horse now, okay?" 

He did as she commanded, then got to his feet with a bit of a sway. Once he got his bearings he made his way back over to the horse, and tried a few times to get a firm grip on the saddle horn and stirrup. It took three tries to get up, but somehow he managed. 

"God, you really are out of it today." Sakura snickered, hoisting herself up with ease to sit side saddle in front of him. "It's a good thing Uma is such a big horse, and can carry both of us easily. I swear she's part Clydesdale." 

They made it out into a trot at first, then to a small gallop. The horse wasn't going fast enough to give it much fatigue, but he could tell that Sakura was taxing her more than usual. It took about ten minutes of this pace before he could finally see a rocky structure amongst the heat warping desert. Despite it being a desert it felt oddly humid today. 

He said nothing as they made their way into the mouth of the cave. She slipped off the side of the saddle to land skillfully on her feet, then turned to guide both him and the horse into the vast shade. While it was considerably cooler in the shallow cave, he felt that the humidity was still adding way too much heat to the air around them. He was struggling to breathe, and felt the urge to cough. 

Once he made his way off the horse he finally felt that the sensation was too strong. He started to cough hard only for two soft hands to grab hold of his flushed cheeks. 

"It's okay. You're going to be just fine in a moment." She cooed softly, then pressed her glowing hands to his ribcage. 

No red powder came out this time despite the slight burning cough, but with each passing second he felt his breathing grow easier. A wave of dizziness hit him, and she pulled away with a smile. 

"Your condition is practically non-existent now. I'm so glad." The pinkette's beautiful expression left him breathless again, but he recovered better than he had before. "I'm sorry for making you come out here while it's so hot, I just thought that a little getaway would be nice--" 

"I think it's humorous that you find a cave to be a clever 'getaway' spot." Gaara teased with a smirk, and witnessed her give a coy laugh in return. 

"Well, ever since your parents arrived we haven't had much time together." Sakura bit her lip for a moment, then turned away from him bashfully. "Too many watchful eyes..." 

'Oh.' He blinked in surprise, saying nothing so as to not give himself away just yet. While he had no plans of trying anything with her, he couldn't help but feel a bit flustered over the thought that she had made it a point to get them alone. With her back turned to him she swayed in her spot. 

"Well, we're stuck here for at least a few hours..." She threw that fact out there as if it were a piece of meat for him to chomp down on, but he kept all of his reactions in check. "... Out in the middle of the desert... where no one can hear us--" 

"You make it sound as if we're to do something nefarious because of those facts." Gaara finally interjected, watching her turn around with a bit of giddiness. "I'll have you know that I plan to wait until we are married." 

Her smile dropped in an instant, quickly being replaced by dissapointment. 

"You can't be serious--" 

"I'm afraid so. I can't be entertaining such thoughts right before we get married, it would be... shameful." The redhead countered, but then his confidence quickly slipped away as she closed the distance between them. 

With a firm push he was forced up against the wall of the cave, and the buttons of his coat were being undone by skilled fingers. She wasn't taking 'no' for an answer, and for some reason it made his skin burn more than it ever had before. 

"You know I don't like to be teased." Sakura purred, her hands finally opening the coat only to run sinfully down his well fitted vest. "The more you tell me 'no', the more I want to have it." 

"That's just too bad then." Gaara smirked at her, enjoying this little interaction far more than he should. "Because I'm saying 'no'. You can't have me right now. Try again later." 

That bit seemed to push her buttons, as she gripped hard at his hips while her mouth descended on his neck. The redhead gasped at the sudden attack, his hands instinctively holding her small waist as pleasurable shocks went through his entire system. Her teeth dragged and nipped at the skin leaving him huffing desperate breaths of humid air. 

"Sakura... stop this..." He nearly whimpered as her hand traced down the top of his thigh, moving inward at a painfully slow pace. 
He had to stop her, they weren't completely alone here, and he knew that any action he made would be watched-- 

"Seduce our Sakura in the other realm. Make them want to switch back." Gaara heard Sasuke's voice chime in his head, the memory of that conversation coming back in full force. 

'Bring her back at any cost.' His inner self reminded him, and he realized that he would probably have to do some humiliating things in able to get her to return, but she would have to know that it was 'him' doing them; not the sheriff. 

"Are you sure you want to approach me like this?" The redhead finally got his words out through his panting, and felt them sink in as she pulled back to look at him carefully. "Don't push for anything you will regret later." 

Her head tilted at that, the gears clearly ticking away in her head as she dissected everything he said. 

"I never regret my time with you." The pinkette gave him a heartbroken smile, making him wonder about what she might be thinking. "Do you regret your time with me?" 

Images flooded his mind, and he swallowed hard as his thoughts of her mingled with feelings he had tried to bury. 

"I treasured all of it... even the bad times. They showed me how wonderful you are." Gaara stared into her bright jade eyes, the energy in them captivated him like they always had. "I have been in love with you for a long time... and I didn't want to acknowledge it because I knew it would hurt me once I faced your rejection. Deep down I knew I wouldn't be able to handle it, but now it's been made very clear to me just how important you are. I can't lose you, Sakura. I refuse to lose you." 

Her eyes continued to suck him in, growing wider in shock as his hold on her tightened. Every part of her was tense, and he could tell that she was becoming anxious, but he just couldn't let go. 

"I love you, Sakura. I love you to the point that it physically hurts. I'm so afraid that you'll disappear once I--" 

The redhead's words were silenced with a kiss, and he instantly fell under it's power. Her arms looped behind his neck holding herself to him to the point where neither of them could pull back. He hummed with contentment, her lips parting enough for him to taste her, and he did so without a second thought. 

He wished he could stay in this moment, that he could stay here forever with her. The dream was growing by the second, filling like a balloon ready to burst. 

She was everything he ever wanted, and she was right here. 

'Stop.' 

Gaara heard his own voice tell him, and it was so urgent and loud that he put the brakes on everything. He listened very carefully. 

'She's mine. She belongs to me.' The voice stated this as if it were law, and for some reason it filled the redhead with bitterness. 

'She's the one who gets to decide that. Not you.' The redhead knew who this voice belonged to now, and despite the oddness of it all he found it to be all too familiar. 'If you don't like that, then you can leave.' 

Gaara felt a strong push from something not in the physical realm, and it set him on edge. With his mind he pushed back, and felt the intruder stumble. 

'I'm taking her back whatever the cost. You had no right to have her in the first place--' 

'You'll have to kill me then, because I won't let you take my bride without a fight!' 

"Gaara?" Gentle hands took both sides of his face, and as he focused on the touch he felt a hard spiritual push go through his mind. 

The redhead winced in pain, grabbing both sides of his head in agony as he broke out into a sweat. Through gritting teeth he seethed, and dropped to his knees. 

'I will kill you--!!' 

'You'll only kill yourself, idiot!!' Gaara yelled internally, while externally dealing with the worst splitting headache of his life. 

Suddenly glowing hands were on him, holding his head with great care while the pain disappeared. He looked into her worried gaze with shock and awe, then realized that in able to keep her he would have to do something incredibly selfish and stupid. 

In his desperation he no longer thought of the consequences, and simply put all of his power into his mind. 

He could see him standing in the darkness, proud and ready to fight, but Gaara was no stranger to mental tortures nor was he a stranger to having someone else in his head. If he could push back Shukaku, then pushing out his other self would be no issue either. 

"You think you can just waltz into my world, my body, and take away the most important person in my life?!" The sheriff seethed, his fist clenched with a burning rage that the redhead actually admired. The other hand pointing what seemed to be a pistol in the other's direction. 

"I didn't want your life, it wasn't mine to take, but you leave me no choice." Gaara took calming breaths, and opened his hands. The world around them turned from black to red in an instant. "You cannot compete with me on this level, I will always win. I have seventeen years of of experience, living with a spirit beast wrecking havoc in my head... and you have an 'imaginary gun'." 

The red surroundings turned purple, and then morphed with black and red once again in succession. The sheriff looked around himself in confusion, and while he was distracted Gaara pushed his mental energy forward in what looked to be a tidal wave of sand.

The sheriff didn't scream, he didn't yell or gasp, he simply disappeared. As far as Gaara was concerned it was a dignified death, however he couldn't be completely certain that he killed him. Only time would tell. 

The redhead opened his eyes to find Sakura looking over him worriedly, and with a sigh of relief he simply smiled. 

"I'm fine now. Thank you for your assistance." He murmured, reaching out to brush away some of her soft pink hair. 

Chapter Text

"Shit shit SHIT!!" Ino's hands glowed as she cursed, her arms shaking as panic flowed through her. The bleeding was so much, and it was unexpected. 

"Is his brain hemorrhaging?" Sasuke said calmly, clearly trying to keep the situation under control with a cool disposition. 

"Yes!! I don't know how it fucking happened!! All of a sudden it was black, I was kicked out and now clearly he was kicked out!" Ino forced more chakra through her hands, sifting through the brain tears and repairing them as quickly as she could. "I've only seen this once in my life, and the victim is no longer alive to tell the tale, however we got to that one too late. Catching this right as it happens should be okay, I should be able to fix this... I can fix this... I can...." 

Suddenly the blonde started to cry, but held herself together once she felt Sasuke's hand on her shoulder. 

"Don't panic. He'll be fine, like you said we caught it early--" 

"Sasuke... have you ever seen someone shoot themself in the head?" Ino's voice was shaking, her eyes now closing due to the fact that the amount of blood pouring out was distracting her. 

Sasuke stayed silent for a moment, Sakura now waking up to the situation with wide eyed horror. 

"No. I have not. But I've seen someone's head get cut clean off their shoulders--" 

"HAVING THAT HAPPEN WOULD BE EASIER THAN THIS!!" Ino screeched, forcing even more chakra out at a rate she wasn't used to. "His brain has literally been torn apart!! If I don't get this repaired in the next few minutes HE WILL DIE!!" 

Suddenly Sakura was there, hands out; holding Gaara's skull. Ino opened her mouth to scream at her, but then the pinkette's hands started to glow. Sakura's eyes rolled back into her head, black ribbon-like marks appearing from her forehead then throughout, and a strong force of chakra escaped through her fingers. The blonde swore she could see the skeleton light up underneath the redhead's skin as if electrified from the inside out. The blood pouring from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears slowed to a stop, and the pinkette collapsed unconscious. 

Ino tried to ignore what happened just then, choosing to continue her healing until she knew for a fact that Gaara was in the clear. Sasuke grabbed hold of Sakura's unconscious body, and had told Ino something that she couldn't quite remember. By the time she was sure the redhead was safe she felt herself go woozy, and as she went to take a stand from her previously seated position she also fainted. 

Sasuke came back from Sakura's room to find both Gaara and Ino unconscious, but alive. With a groan he waited for the medics to arrive, and helped them place everyone to the respective rooms. He paid special attention to the redhead, wondering if he was actually going to survive or not. If Gaara woke up was he going to have brain damage, or had it all been fixed? He wasn't too knowledgeable in the medical ninjutsu arts, but if Sakura could heal herself of a deathly injury repeatedly in one day then surely she could treat someone else in a similar predicament at least once. 

However the bigger question, did they have their old Sakura back? Had she returned to them? The way she executed her chakra told him 'no', and that this was perhaps some strange type of 'muscle memory' in chakra form. At any rate, he was grateful for the sudden surge of healing energy, it definitely saved Gaara's life. 

Hopefully he would find out more once Gaara had woken up, but how long that would take was also another question. This was turning out to be a real nuisance. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

Everything in Gaara's head hurt when he awoke, and it was hard to find words to respond when people spoke to him. He couldn't seem to write properly, and his vision was out of focus half the time. 

'What the hell happened back there?' He thought to himself, looking down at his hands as he opened and closed them. Every time his fingers and arms would shake with the effort to move. 

"Hey, try to relax." Ino walked into his room without much of an announcement. He said nothing, but his eyes took in the sight of her. She looked so different. "I'm going to try healing your frontal lobe today. Looks like there are still some nicks to take care of." 

He witnessed her do what he had always seen Sakura do, perform glowing hands that took away his pain. He sighed as a bit of his headache disappeared, and his shakiness began to level out. 

"What happened, Gaara? I couldn't see you anymore, and then suddenly you were back... but it was as if someone had launched a bullet into your skull, and it rattled around like a maraca--" 

"The only bullet I've heard of that tends to do that is a twenty-two." Gaara murmured, staring off into space. "I've seen men try to commit suicide that way, it never ends quickly. They just sit there, and bleed to death with scrambled eggs for a brain." 

Ino stopped her healing, and stared at him as if he were an animal walking on it's hind legs. 

"I didn't realize you were so well versed in guns..." The blonde swallowed dryly, and he started to notice her hands beginning to shake. 

"You forget... that I once took pleasure in killing." Haunting eyes zeroed in on her, and watched her pale considerably. "If you don't want me to revert back... I suggest you pick up the pace, Ino." 

That threat seemed to do the trick, and in a panic she started healing his brain once again. 

The injury caused him to feel strangely. He felt anger a lot, and he felt no remorse or empathy for hardly anything. It was odd, as he was usually not this cold or heartless. 

The door to his room opened, and a familiar face lit up the area as if she were an angel sent from heaven. Her jade eyes found him in an instant, and just as quickly she made her way to his side. 

"Gaara..." Tears welled up in those beautiful eyes, and yet the sight of them made him slightly excited. 

"No need to cry, Sakura. I'll be well soon." His eyes remained on her, rarely blinking as they soulessly took in her appearance. "You should wear brighter colors than this, greys and browns do not suit you." 

The pinkette blushed, looking at Ino who was too absorbed in her work to contribute to the conversation. 

"Personally, I think you look best in red." He continued, gaining her shy look from time to time. "Will you wear red for me the next time you visit?" 

Her blush hit even harder than before, and she nervously tucked some of her hair behind her ear. 

"If you really want me to--" 

"Sakura, he really needs his rest. Please come visit another time." Ino interjected sternly, and the pinkette deflated in defeat. 

"Oh... okay..." Sakura murmured, and went to take her leave with dejection. 

"Come back this evening." Gaara called out gently, watching her visibly perk up. "I'd enjoy your company greatly." 

"I'll do that." The pinkette smiled once more, waving right before she left out of the door. 

There was telling silence between him and Ino, and he wondered if she was wary of him now. 

"I know your mind is a bit broken, Gaara, but please try not to hurt her." The blonde moreso warned than threatened, but the intention could be up for debate. 

"Why would I hurt the woman I love?" The redhead smirked, clearly unnerving Ino. "Don't worry, I will show her only the greatest of kindness--" 

"We have to clean up this mess inside of your head, quickly. I've never seen you act like this in the past." Ino snipped bitterly, forcing a bit more chakra through his temples. She was close in proximity, and he found it curious enough to reach forward and touch her pale blonde hair, making her jolt in surprise. 

"Always fast to act, taking the initiative..." He murmured, tracing the bright golden locks from middle to tip. "You're a powerful woman anywhere you go... I admire it greatly--" 

His hand was quickly swatted away, and her glare appeared without fail. 

"I am a taken woman, Gaara. You do not have my permission to touch me like that." The blonde hissed with venom, and he actually recoiled a bit from it. He wasn't expecting her to be so standoffish, but things were clearly different here. 

"I apologize, I don't know what came over me..." He murmured. "Please forgive my rudeness." 

He wasn't lying. In truth he had no clue why he did that, but it felt so natural that he just couldn't seem to stop the behavior from happening. It were as if he couldn't register that it was wrong until someone had pointed it out. This was going to be very troublesome. 

"It's... fine. I understand it better than you do, anyways." Ino sighed, finishing up the healing process in his frontal lobe. "You might act funny for a little while. Your brain is 'starting over', so to say. All of those pathways in your head that were frequently used where just torn and repaired. You're probably getting lost along the way to your initial thought, and it's spurring you in the wrong direction." 

None of this information made much sense to him, but he nodded all the same. She patted him on the shoulder in a reaffirming way. 

"Don't worry, you'll go back to normal. It's just going to be bumpy for a little while..." The blonde smiled for him, but he could sense something else behind the expression. 

She was lying. 

"Thank you... Ino." Gaara swallowed hard, his eyes growing unfocused as he zoned out on one of his bedroom walls. "I'd like to be alone now." 

He knew her heart was clenching, and sadly he had a feeling that it had to do with his condition. No one goes through so much physical trauma and gets away unscathed. He didn't care what type of magic they used here, there was just no way that he would be completely fine after what he had been through. 

Ripped away from his body, forced into a foreign world, and all by the person who also went by the name of 'Gaara'. It just wasn't right, and he wanted to go home. 

Now he was stuck in a dangerous world he had no clue on how to navigate, and no one he could confide in...

Jade eyes came into his mind, and the answers became crystal clear. Their roles were reversed, albeit slightly different as his fiance was back home where as her true self was here-- 

His head started to hurt at the thought, he felt like a snake eating it's own tail. All he could do now was sit, and wait. 

Wait... for her.

Chapter Text

Gaara and Sakura had rested until nightfall, the nighttime air now much cooler than the earlier heat of the vicious sun. They awoke to their horse growing anxious, a rumble in the distance warning them another wave of rain was on the horizon. 

When they exited the cave he looked out at the vast expanse of flat dry earth, the far sky showing a lightening show that seemed surreal. He felt as if he were in a dream. 

"We should hurry back, you know your parents will worry." The pinkette called out to him, getting herself up on the horse before looking at him expectantly to follow. 

Something seemed off, but he followed her lead regardless. Pulling himself up onto the horse, he clicked his tongue urging Uma to ride on while zoning out on the journey. Thankfully they weren't too far from town, and he could see the lights from the small buildings to guide them home. 

It didn't take long for the rain to catch up to them, falling on them in a lukewarm downpour. By the time they had arrived back to the stable he could see Temari standing on their porch with her hands firmly on her hips. 

"If you were expecting dinner you can get it yourself." The blonde called out in a huff, glaring at the two of them as they trotted past to get to the barn. "Mother and Father are back at the inn, and you'll be getting an earful from her tomorrow. She thinks the both of you were off doing something improper--"

"Let her think what she wants, we'll be married soon enough regardless." Gaara rolled his eyes, and watched with a bit of inner humor as his sister gufawed and huffed in disbelief. 

"I am never giving excuses for you again!" She hissed at him before turning around in frustration. He called out a 'thank you' as she slammed the porch door, and had to fight himself to contain a giggle. 

Rain was coming down in sheets now, and as their horse entered the barn he felt Sakura dismount first. Clearly she was used to doing this now, where as he was still getting the hang of it. Without speaking much they toweled off the beautiful beast, set him up with food and water, and locked up everything for the night. 

As they trekked through the rainy night back towards the house he felt her hand reach for his. Drenched fingers laced together, and a burning blush hit his cheeks as he led the way up the porch. When they entered it was quiet, and dark save for the lightening that lit up the rooms. 

"This reminds me of something we did recently." Sakura murmured beside him, and before he could ask 'what' he felt her hand pulling on his to go upstairs. He followed curiously, still flushed over the idea that they were still holding hands. 

Their feet were silent traversing through the home, and as they got to his room he quickly realized that she had other plans for him. 

"Grab some clothes for tomorrow." Sakura urged him in a whisper as she opened his door, gently pushing him forward as if to hurry him. "Be fast, I'm getting cold." 

Gaara swallowed hard, understanding fully that she didn't want him to sleep in his own room tonight. With a shaking breath he grabbed some fresh clothes, and quietly followed her back out into the hall. She took his hand eagerly once more, and with the softest giggle the pinkette guided him to her room. 

Lightening lit up the space for a moment, showing her opening the door and crossing the room; practically huffing while getting out of her soaked layers. He could see her struggling as he shut the door, and more out of an urge to help rather than anything perverse he went to assist her with the problem. 

Sakura stopped moving the second his hands rested on her shoulders. She turned to face him with her sash untied, but the skirt still firmly in place. He reached for those ties, and slowly worked her out of it before moving to her blouse. The articles clung and fell at the same time, their dampness making them awkward to remove, and yet peeling the fabric away was still quite satisfying. 

The pinkette shivered, her damp skin glowing from the flashes of silvery light outside the window. He could see the rain soaked chemise clinging to her breasts in the most indecent way, making his breath catch in his throat. Her eyes stared into his own, mysterious jades holding a clever thought in their depths. She turned around to present her back to him, and pulled her wet hair forward to make sure he could see everything he needed to. 

"I hate this thing. Can you untie it for me?" Sakura murmured sweetly, and despite her not being able to see it he still nodded. 

Shaking hands pulled at the knot, tugging on the fastenings soon afterwards. As every loop loosened he witnessed her shimmying her chest and shoulders to push it further, looking like a snake shedding it's skin. For some reason this motion made him anxious, and he pulled at the strings until they came completely out of their holes. He blinked as the garment fell away, and she snickered before turning towards him. 

"You really wanted it gone, huh?" The pinkette giggled, reaching forward to begin the same treatment towards his own clothing. "Well it's a good thing I want these gone, too."

Gaara said nothing, but instead watched her strip him in quiet curiosity. The way she looked at him was with more fondness than he had ever recieved before, and he didn't miss the lust flashing in her eyes either. He tried not to gaze at her bare chest, and yet he also argued inwardly that if she didn't want him to see it she wouldn't have so brazenly taken her clothes off in front of him. 

The point of all of this was arousal itself, why was he still so concerned about being viewed as a pervert when what she wanted from him was perverse anyways? He hated the fact that he had no clue on how to go about any of it. Well, he knew the basics, but being taught from a book was far different than actually going through with it. 

In his distraction Sakura had peeled away his vest and dress shirt leaving him in his long underwear, and had already started on his pants. This was becoming very real, very fast. 

"W-wait." The redhead nearly cursed himself for stuttering, but kept his bitterness locked up instead. "I think we should abstain for now. It'll be better once we're--"

"I think you should shut up about that, and kiss me instead." The pinkette nearly purred, her lips finding his in the dark almost effortlessly. The feeling of her moistened lips had him humming softly; the warm and wet sensation beginning to chase away his reservations. 

She was assertive, that was something he actually always loved about her. When Sakura wanted something she would never stop until she got it. That determination was admirable, and under the influence of passion he would even call it 'hot', of all things. He would probably never say the phrase out loud, but the thought was still legitimate. 

"I know you're a traditional man... but I also know that your willpower isn't bulletproof." Sakura murmured against his lips, breaking him from his reverie. "Your silly little morals aren't a match for me, are they?" 

Gaara gulped at that, licking his lips while simultaneously having to turn his face away from her. She was right, he had weaknesses just like every other warm blooded male in this universe, but that didn't mean that he liked admitting his faults either. 

"Oh, did I hit a nerve?" The pinkette snickered darkly, her lips now ghosting along his throat while he held in his breath. "Did I hurt that big pride of yours--?"

"I didn't realize how your time spent here had turned you into such a temptress." The redhead spoke tightly, still trying to regain control of the situation that was spiraling in front of him. 

"Hehe. Well, that tells me everything." Sakura moved away from him then, walking across the room removing what fabric was left clinging to her bottom half. "I'm glad you find me tempting."

Gaara huffed, not enjoying being had in a game of words as that was one of his best skills. Yet, his eyes still followed her silhouette, and when the lightening strikes revealed all of her naked skin to him he felt his mouth run dry of any good comebacks. 

She was beautiful. Too beautiful. So otherworldly in that moment that he felt like breaking every mental wall just to get to her. She pulled back the covers to her bed, then slipped in before patting the mattress in a beckoning fashion. 

This was it. This was the moment that he would have to suck it up, and just do it. Just ravage her like he had fantasized about...

Doing and fantasizing were completely different things. 

"Are you okay?" The pinkette sounded concerned then, and he could see her leaning forward now in her bed to try to get a better look at him. "You're not acting like yourself." 

Suddenly it hit him, and the pain it caused was a lot more than he could have imagined. 

She thought he was the sheriff... 

'You are such an idiot, Gaara.' The redhead inwardly berated himself, now realizing that if he were to come clean now he would probably ruin everything she had desperately fought for. His confession of love was heard from what she thought was the other version of himself, the sheriff. It was all for nothing...

Along with his breaking heart came the panic of what he should do. Should he lie to her? Should he come clean? What would make her the happiest? 

'She loves him, not me.' He thought, taking a deep inhale through his nose while simultaneously closing his eyes. 'I don't know if I can ever get him back...' 

The dead silence between the couple was filled with the sound of rain outside. He listened closely, thinking on how he should respond now--

"I know you want to wait until marriage now, but I just don't see the point when we've already gone through with it." Sakura's voice broke the silence, but her words left him frozen in place. "Even if I were to get pregnant, it wouldn't be so far off from our actual wedding date. No one would be the wiser for it."

"I-it's not that..." Gaara gulped hard, his eyes now staring widely at the floor; preparing himself for what he was about to do. "Before... everything felt like a dream, but now it feels like a loud reality." 

When he looked up to gauge her reaction he wasn't expecting the look she gave. He was expecting everything, except annoyance. 

"Stop complaining." Sakura snipped, causing him to blink at her in confusion. "Do you realize how fortunate you are right at this moment? I have never called anyone to my bedroom before, especially not for a midnight rendezvous. I am being extremely generous here." 

The pinkette slammed her hand down on the bedding this time, glaring in his direction. Clearly when it came to sex she was an impatient person, which could be very dangerous towards anyone else, but despite being hesitant he also didn't mind her neediness. If anything her burning desire brought more fuel to his own, and he knew that in the end he could never truly tell her 'no', because what she wanted was almost always on the same page of what he wanted. 

However, his guilt was strong. He didn't know if he had the heart to fulfill her needs, especially when he technically wasn't supposed to be the person doing it. 

"I am aware of my privileges here, that I have no doubt." The redhead sighed, looking now at the floor out of shame. "I just don't think you seem to realize what it is that you are asking of me--"

"I'm not asking, I'm demanding." The pinkette interjected bitterly, and his eyes once again found her silhouette in the dark. "I know you want to, and usually you can't wait to get me alone, but now you're getting cold feet? Is there something you're not telling me--?"

"I love you, Sakura." Gaara blurted out, feeling a warmth tingle on his cheeks. "I want to make sure that you are not disrespected in any way, and marriage will make it certain that you remain a dignified woman." 

"That has to be the biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard." Her form maneuvered out of her bed, huffing as she stormed past him to find her sleeping clothes in her dresser. She pulled a nightgown over her head, shimmying it over her frame before turning towards him with bitterness. 

Lightening flashed again, showing just how upset he had made her. 

"You know I hate it when you reach into your bag of 'proper tricks'. Claiming that I need to act like a lady, when I hate the fact that you see women as lesser! I know you do--!"

"That is absolutely false." The redhead stated sternly, putting his foot down on the accusation. "You are not lesser than me, and you never have been--"

"Then treat me like you would a man!" Sakura shrieked at him, and he felt his blood begin to boil just under the surface of his skin. 

"You want to be treated like a man? Fine." Gaara went to the door, his temper beginning to overflow as he reached for the handle. 

"Where are you going--?"

"Forgive me, sir. Clearly I am in the wrong room. I have no desire to spend the evening with a man--"

Before he could turn the knob he felt hands on his body forcing him to turn on his heels. Those same feminine hands pushed him up against the door, pinning him to it with an ease he was slightly uncomfortable with. It was unnatural for women to be so strong, and yet Sakura's power was a frightening force. 

"You had better rethink what you are doing right now." The pinkette spoke in a low tone, her face hovering just inches away from his own. 

The redhead realized quickly that when she was furious she was even more beautiful. He felt ashamed of the quickening beat of his heart, and the pleasant tightness of his muscles. 

"It's funny to me that you would use such masculine tactics to get your way. Such violence..." Gaara pushed the limits, watching as steam nearly came out of her ears. "Would you like to brawl next? Despite my appearance I can take a few good hits--"

"I'm not going to beat you into submission." Sakura hissed, her chest now pressing against his own while his hands twitched at his sides with the urge to touch her. "I want you to come willingly." 

Oh, those words. They would most likely haunt him until the end of his days, but they would make for the most beautiful and sensual nightmares. The sentence itself had him thoughtlessly licking his lips, and giving tight breaths. 

"Stay." The pinkette went softer, her hands now gently moving up to massage his shoulders. "Come to bed, I don't want to fight anymore." 

His body relaxed slightly, feeling her magic touch soothe him in ways no one else could even attempt to mimic. Her delicate fingers smoothed up to the back of his neck, running along the base of his skull where all of his fear was located. 

Then he felt it, a soothing energy buzzing into his brain and tingling down his spine. 

"Hnn..." Gaara gave out a shameful hum, but since the sensation was so overwhelming he couldn't find the reservations towards it. This was a very strange feeling he had never experienced before in his life, and yet he couldn't find a single care in the world. 

"I didn't realize how well this would go, but I think I've found a new way to play with you." Sakura giggled, leaning in to give him a chaste kiss that he was far to eager to lean into. 

When she pulled away he was desperate to keep hold of her kiss, and was dissapointed when her lips were too far away for him to reach. All of it left him panting for air, and when another surge of chakra flooded through the base of his skull he almost writhed in his place; a pulsing pleasure now beginning to fill him from head to toe. She watched with a torturous glee, clearly more than happy to watch him be humbled under her terrifying power. 

"Hehe, tell me again how you don't want this." The pinkette bit her lip, abandoning only one of her hands to smooth down his chest and stomach. His coal lidded eyes followed, his breaths heaving as she finally unfastened the rapidly tightening pants. 

Before he could even begin to rethink everything another burst had his knees bending slightly, and his throbbing length was finally encased by her delicate hand. Cyan eyes glazed over as he witnessed her perfect fingers wrap and stroke his near painful erection, viscous fluid already leaking from his tip while she rubbed her thumb over the reddened flesh. 

Subconsciously he was ashamed. He was upset with the fact that he could be so easily taken over with just a small bit of manipulative chakra. This power could actually take out even the most hardened of shinobi, making them her own personal playthings. 

Even deeper in his mind, however, he knew he would probably enjoy being her little 'cat toy'. The darkest of his fantasies begged for her to tie him down, and force him out of his comfort zone...

Withholding his release, forcing him to beg for it, praising him or even insulting him once that barrier had been crossed only to make him to do it all over again. Secretly, very secretly, he would admit to thoroughly enjoying something like that...

That, and he would probably enjoy putting her through that same torture, knowing how amazing it must feel to be in such a predicament. 

Suddenly all of the pleasure was taken away, and he was left leaning against the door with her a mere foot away; a knowing smirk on her features. 

"Aw, you were so close, weren't you?" Sakura mocked, giving him a feigned look of sadness. "Too bad you're waiting until marriage, right?" 

The game was laid out before him, and his body was beyond desperate to play. His lust had finally taken hold of every single thought in his brain, leaving him almost feral. 

There were no words, no second thoughts. He was charging forward to scoop her up into his tense arms, and while she gave a small excited shriek she gasped when he threw her unceremoniously onto the bed. Lightening struck again, showing that there was the slightest hint of fear in her eyes as he pushed up her nightgown to reveal her naked lower half underneath. He gave a dark and wild grin, something he remembered doing frequently in his youth. 

"It can't wait..." Gaara breathed out heatedly, his hands pulling her forward by her hips until they rested against the edge of the bed. She squeaked as their pelvises met, and whimpered as he rubbed his pained length against her surprisingly wet folds. "You'll take full responsibility for it, won't you?" 

"Gaara... you're kind of scaring me..." The pinkette laughed nervously, only to whimper and gasp as he started to press himself into her swollen sex. 

"Good... scream if you're so afraid..." The redhead groaned as he pushed in further, feeling her slick walls clamping around his sensitive erection as if he were a foreign invader. However, he thoroughly enjoyed how tight she felt around him. 

He realized that he wasn't going to last, but he had no qualms with finishing inside her. If anything he would just continue to keep working until he could get there twice, if he could do it by himself in succession then doing it with her shouldn't be much different. 

Gaara started up a firm yet steady pace, not prepared for just how much her body would react to him plunging in so deeply. Like he wanted she gave out sharp whines and cries that sent shivers down his spine, and her vaginal walls seemed to clench even further with each wave of pleasure he gave to her. 

It felt too good far too quickly, and as her soaking wet heat tightened in waves he felt his climax blind side him, forcing him to cry out shamefully as the pleasure that was coiled inside exploded. It was fluttering throughout his body, and pulsing out through his aching length to coat the inside of her with his sin.

 There was a slight squelching sound, and his hazing eyes studied where they were connected; watching in a dream as his semen overflowed and glazed over her used center. It was as disgusting as it was satisfying, and oddly he wanted nothing more than to force her full of the substance.

"That was quick." Sakura snickered breathlessly, and while normally that little comment might have made him miffed, tonight he let it glance right off of him. 

"I'm just getting warmed up." The redhead worked his half hardened length within her core, using more gentle motions to keep her sated while also keeping him contained inside. "Surely you don't mind?" 

"Hmm, well... I suppose now is as good a time as any to get pregnant." The pinkette giggled softly, her hands reaching towards him in a beckoning fashion. "However, you could be more loving if we're aiming for that." 

Her words halted him, opening his eyes now to what he had done. Feeling a wave of guilt finally break its way through the wall of lust, his hands took hold of the ones reaching for him. She was not supposed to be his to take, but what choice did he have now that they had come this far? It was too late to deny her what she wanted from him, even though he hated himself for the lie he was going to feed her. 

Gaara took a deep breath, trying to focus himself on the role of a partner that not only loved her, but was loved in return. He took one of her hands to place to his lips, while she went doe-eyed at the gesture. 

"Please, forgive me." The redhead breathed the words, his body now detaching from her while her features took on a crushed expression. "I will do as you ask, but only because I want to make you happy." 

 Confusion plagued her now, but he shook his head before she could enquire further on it. He removed his layers, everything until he was completely bare, then moved to remove her nightgown as well. She allowed him to pull it off her without question, and maneuvered herself further towards the center of the bed while he followed. Lightning flashed once more, showing her eyes clearly to him. She seemed curious, and yet slightly saddened. 

"Gaara, I don't want you to do this only for my benefit." Sakura reached up to cup his cheek as he moved to hover above her, but once again he shook his head. 

"I should be punished, in all honesty... I don't deserve this moment... I don't deserve you..." Gaara breathed, but despite the pain he leaned down to kiss her eagerly. When her lips parted he tasted her without a second thought, running his tongue against her own before softly nibbling on her bottom lip. She sighed against his lips, and he broke away one last time to speak. "Forgive me, but I've never desired someone so badly in my life. You've haunted my dreams, my fantasies, and now you're laid before me beckoning me into your arms. I can't stop myself... I can't stop this--"

"Then don't stop." The pinkette murmured, pushing up onto her elbows to kiss him only to be forced back down by his entire form. 

The redhead returned the kiss with desperation, feeling as though this would be the only time he could ever let his feelings escape. He maneuvered between her legs, and she opened them for him so graciously. Her hands started to pet at his chest and shoulders, one being so bold as to slip down between them to grab hold of his length. Half mast wasn't the greatest, but her sensual touch made him start to feel revived. He broke their heated kiss to breathe, and groaned when her hand palmed down his shaft to gently massage his testes. 

"I want you to enjoy this." Sakura whispered against his lips, ghosting hers along his own. "I want you to feel good..." 

Gaara pursed his lips to take hers into another kiss, and when she once again opened her mouth he let himself take everything that she offered. Her hand massaged and pet him in ways that would make any man purr, but all he could manage was a trembling exhale against her lips. 

"I want you inside me..." The pinkette breathed, and he nodded in agreement to it. He wanted nothing more than that in this moment. 

Slowly this time, she guided him to her entrance where he carefully pushed forward. Her walls welcomed him, hot and wet; his breath leaving him over the immense relief he felt just to be within her. Careful rocking motions were used now to fill her void, over and over until they both began to feel the pleasurable effects. 

Gaara hovered above her, balancing on his arms while his hips matched up with hers in a perfect rhythm. Cyan eyes took in the sight of her wincing in pleasure, awaiting every mewl that sent tingles down his spine. With each cry she made the coil inside him tighten, butterflies fluttering around in his core until it seemed they were slamming against the walls. His pace unconsciously quickened, and her cries and whines became his new favorite sound. 

"Gaara... please..." Sakura pleaded in a lustful manner, forcing him to tremble from how good his name sounded in that begging tone. The more he pleasured her, the more her walls would tighten and pulse; leaving him breathless and yet close to crying out at the same time. 

He rested on one elbow now, his other hand tilting her chin to that she would be forced to face him. Even in the dark he could tell her cheeks were flushing, and her dilated pupils were clear to see. Inches away from his face she cried for him, and he watched in fascination as the ecstasy washed over her features time and again. 

Her eyes never closed all the way, even as she nearly screamed her gaze remained locked on his own. It had him burning and twisting inside, his hips eager to ride out the sensation at a faster pace forcing him to pant and groan. Her walls were so tight now, constantly milking him until the building pleasure became too extreme. 

With a sharp cry he finally came, his lids fluttering but trying to stay open as she leaned in to kiss the corner of his trembling lips. The white hot ecstasy pounded through his entire body before flooding out inside of her. Pulse after pulse he continued to arch into her with each gush of his essence, once again excited to fill her with it. Teeth found and tugged at his bottom lip as he gave one last relieved groan, and then he lazily began kissing her once more. 

The sound between them was wet, but he didn't care. He simply continued to move inside her despite already finishing for the second time. 

"One more time... please?" Sakura begged between kisses, and he almost had to hold back a laugh when he broke away.

"I'll need some assistance if you want it straight away." Gaara narrowed his eyes knowingly, and with a clever smirk she reached back down between them. 

When he moved to pull out she quickly took the flaccid length in her hand, forcing her chakra through it until it sent a sharp shock through his core. He shuddered, and arched forward eagerly into her nearly electric touch. The sensation nearly had his eyes rolling back, and his heart picking up speed to that of a rabbit. He groaned through gritted teeth, enjoying every millisecond of ecstasy this small action provided. 

Suddenly her hand was pulled away, and he was left panting with a freshly aching length that was in desperate need of release. His lust was completely renewed, and his desperation had him kneeling and pulling her to him by her creamy thighs. With a small shriek he lifted up her pelvis to meet with his own, forcing her to balance on her upper back and shoulders as he forced himself back into her welcoming heat.

The redhead was forceful this time, and with each slam of his hips she would writhe and cry. Her walls were so incredibly tight now, almost to the point of it hurting, but he knew that this would make the climax more extreme. 

Sakura's face was twisted in pure albeit possibly painful pleasure, but she never asked him to stop or slow down. Her tone was high, loud, and sharp, making him feel every note through his core. Everything about her was perfect, and he couldn't stop himself from plunging deep inside her for any reason.

 He was desperate to go faster, and with each increase her screams would grow louder. It got to the point of her tensing so hard that she went entirely silent, her vaginal walls pulsing and clenching so hard that he shuddered and screamed through clenched teeth. 

The climax was intense, the pounding of his heart was threatening to break his sternum while his limbs began tingle as if they were falling asleep. Even his tongue, lips, and nose seemed to go numb as he gushed inside her one last time. He was breathing hard, unable to keep up with the demand for oxygen from his blood. His body held a sheen of sweat, and when his vision finally came back into focus he could see that same dewyness clinging to her own skin. 

Sakura hiccuped into laughter, and then into tears. He felt the instinctive need to kiss her while she did this, and gently moved her back into a relaxed laying position with him hovering above her. Real tears slipped down her cheeks, even though she seemed to be laughing and hiccuping at the say time, so he kissed those away too. 

"I love you so much..." Gaara murmured against her skin, placing kissed down her cheeks until there were no more tears to find. Once he was satisfied he went back to her lips, eager to lick and kiss them. 

Her arms wrapped around him lovingly, pulling his full weight onto her without a care in the world. He allowed for it, but remained prepared incase she got uncomfortable underneath him. 

Eventually she pulled back just enough to brush their lips together, giggling as she did so. 

"Hnnn... that probably did the trick. There's no way I'm getting out of this not pregnant." Sakura grinned ear to ear, giving him an occasional chaste kiss here and there. 

"Well, if it didn't work out this time... four times the charm I suppose--" He murmured, and she interrupted him with a hearty laugh. 

"Hehe, four times in a row? We'll have to see." The pinkette snickered, still holding tight to his frame. Her eyes were so close to his that they nearly blurred together, but he didn't care. 

"It can be done. It just takes time, and patience." Gaara smiled, and kissed her eagerly before she tur
ned away from it with a huff. 

"But I'm impatient--"

"Yes, but you have a few tricks to remedy that wait time." The redhead purred then, languidly kissing her before biting her bottom lip gently. "And honestly... I give you full permission to use that little trick on me whenever you please. It was a very pleasant experience." 

"Of course you'd enjoy that one, pervert." Sakura gave a wicked grin, now playfully running her fingers through his hair. He leaned into her touch like a cat, so eager to be pet and handled with affection. 

"You're the only woman who could turn me into one." Gaara murmured, eventually snatching one of her hands to bring to his lips to kiss. "Everything that I am... I will give to you." 

Her blush was sweet, and the kiss she gave him even sweeter. He fell asleep in her arms, allowing himself to drift and dream while she played lovingly with his hair. 

The redhead wished that this peaceful dream could last forever. 

Chapter Text

They had asked him simple questions about his life, and luckily he had spent enough time with their Sakura to know just how this Gaara's life had went. They took his answers easily, all agreeing that he was actually 'himself'. That was a personal success on his part. 

His recovery was going well up until the point that his brother had shown up with Sasuke in tow. It was odd seeing so much paint on Kankuro's face, but he assumed it had some sort of significance. 

"Hey Gaara, how are you doing?" Kankuro smiled warmly, warping the design on his features. He sat down on the edge of the redhead's bed, and gently took hold of his hand. 

'Such a strange thing for him to do. We must be closer here than we are at home...' Gaara blinked as he looked at the contact, but didn't seem to mind it too much. 

"I'm confused quite often. I say things I don't mean, and have strange mood swings." The redhead sighed, moving his fingers a bit under his brother's hand until he was able to move the palm face up to grab hold properly. "I know I hardly ever say it, but I love you dearly, Kankuro." 

"Guhh--" Kankuro choked a bit on his breath, a blush burned so brightly that Gaara could see it under all of his makeup. "Y-yeah... love you too, dude." 

His awkwardness was funny, the redhead decided, and so he managed the smallest of smiles to display that he found humor in his brother's reaction. 

"Gaara." Sasuke interjected, and the sound of his voice was grating enough that Gaara couldn't stop himself from glaring at the man. 

"What?" The redhead bit, changing the mood of the room into a hostile one with just a tone. The Uchiha seemed to be taken aback by it for a moment before resting back into apathy. 

"Have you tested your chakra control yet?" Sasuke spoke a bit more gently than before, making the subject sound as if it were a secret. "How is your ultimate defense?" 

He blinked at the thought, realizing then that what he meant was the 'sand power' he was supposed to possess. Perhaps he could fake his way out of this.

"I have been unsuccessful... I can't will the sand to move anymore." He lied, as he honestly didn't know if he could do it in the first place; he had never tried. 

"Shit, this is worse than we thought..." Kankuro took his hand away from his brother's to take off his strange black hat. His brown jagged locks appeared, giving the redhead a sense of familiarity. "What if he never gets it back--?"

"Then he'll just have to take notes from Rock Lee, and train until he knows nothing but taijutsu." Sasuke deadpanned, but the elder brother didn't seem to appreciate the answer. 

"I'll have to talk with the council... this is a grave matter. Gaara is in danger now, and he can't defend himself." Kankuro looked at his younger brother with worry, then with heartbreak. "I should have came back sooner--"

"Nothing you possess could have prevented this. Although I am curious as to why the experiment went awry when last time it was relatively smooth." The stern man looked Gaara over curiously, a thousand thoughts going through his mind. "Gaara, do you remember what happened?" 

The redhead took a breath, preparing himself to relay the events that had transpired without revealing just who he truly was. He focused his eyes on his bedding, readying himself to come up with lies in a flash. 

"The other Gaara and I battled mentally. I was trying to keep control of his body, but he forced me out so violently. Clearly he is stronger than I had anticipated." A mixed half truth, just enough to help them 'help him' if need be. "I am unsure if the same has happened on the other side..." 

"Send me in." Kankuro piped up, and the redhead looked at him as if he were crazy. 

"You can't. Look what happened, Kankuro, if you face the same fate--"

"Then I'll call in Temari and Shikamaru to look over the village if we are both incapacitated." Kankuro seemed to be making brash decisions, and even a meager sheriff could see how detrimental they could turn out. 

"I forbid it." Gaara used a tone that he had heard his father use in the past, and for some odd reason his brother seemed to go white as a ghost. Brown eyes stared widely into the distance, eventually blinking out of the shock to face him with disbelief. 

"You are in no position--"

"I am still Kazekage whether you like it or not. I forbid it, Kankuro, and that is final." Naked brows furrowed as he formed a stern glare, watching curiously as his older brother blanched even further. 

'He is afraid of our father... I can feel it.' It was then that he remembered that Rasa was deceased here, and for some odd reason that fact hurt his heart. His mother as well, dead and gone... it was a horrifying thought.

"I can't lose you too." Gaara murmured words that he had meant to keep to himself, but they seemed to give a promising effect regardless. "Stay with me... please... my brother..." 

A splitting headache formed, and his hands instinctively clawed at his temples. It was so agonizing that he couldn't keep himself from screaming out. He heard the two men begin barking orders, and several medics came in with their glowing fingertips at the ready. 

The medics had him pinned to the bed, searching his head while barking more orders, he couldn't make sense of any of it. 

"I'll stay! I won't leave you! I promise, Gaara!" Kankuro shouted out, grabbing hold of his sibling's hand. The grip was tight and reassuring, it soothed him enough that he felt it was safe to let go for the time being. 

Darkness invaded, and the voices became distant. Time seemed non existent, but something odd happened. He was in a black space, the ground a liquid mirror, and a large beast stood in the center of it all. The thing was a behemoth of a creature, and yet he didn't feel threatened by it at all. 

"This is not right." The beast spoke, it's sharp teeth opening while it formed perfect words. "You are quite sneaky to fool all of them, but you can't fool me." 

"You're one of those creatures Sakura spoke of, I'm assuming you possessed this current host--" 

"Yes, we seem to have that in common, you and I." The monster grinned, and swayed it's large scaled tail. "So, Gaara left to go be with 'pinky', huh? For once he actually took the selfish route-"

"Her name is Sakura, and she is an incredible woman. I would appreciate it if you minded your manners." Gaara scolded the beast, and recieved the most loud, boisterous laughter he had ever heard. 

"Wow! You must have balls bigger than mine if you think you can parent me, kid!" The creature laughed, and hawed, but the redhead remained unamused.

"Why are you here, sir? Do you have business with the other Gaara, or perhaps you have decided to converse with me out of curiosity?" Gaara circled around the beast to take in it's full size, noting how it was bigger than any building he had ever seen. 

"I am Shukaku, and you're trespassing here. Get out, and bring back my jinchuriki." Shukaku threatened, but it did little to nothing to frighten the redhead. 

"I didn't ask to be here, I was forced to by your former host. If you have an issue with it then go find him in my world--"

"Listen here, you little shit. I don't care if he named himself 'king of the west', and hung your body upside down for seven days. You get your scrawny ass back to where you came from, and bring him home before I go postal." 

Gaara had finally come full circle around the beast, keeping his awe of it's size to himself. He stared at Shukaku's black and gold eyes, wondering if they could see better than his could. 

"You're quite an impressive creature. I've never met an animal that could talk before, and I'm surprised that you haven't been worshipped as a pagan God." The redhead changed the subject, and watched carefully as the behemoth relaxed just the slightest. 

"Flattery will get you nowhere, kid. I'm not swayed by the opinions of useless humans." Shukaku became stubborn, but there seemed to be something there that told Gaara to push the envelope just a little bit further. 

"Surely you must be the strongest one, I heard there were many--"

"I will say this again, as clearly as your little brain can understand. You will return to your world, and you will retrieve my jinchuriki--"

"Not only will I die if I even attempt it, but this body will go with me." The redhead countered, growing tired of talking in circles he laid down the truth. "Your Gaara will not return unless he desires to do so. I am sorry if that pains you, it was not my intention to fill his shoes. So forgive me if it is offensive, but unfortunately there is nothing I can do about it." 

Shukaku sat there, staring straight into his soul with a piercing gaze. While the creature was impressive, Gaara could understand why people found him to be frightening. Seventeen years of living with this monster within the same mindspace? Even more horrifying. 

"So, you will choose to deceive them then?" Shukaku sighed, showing that he had given up the argument. 

"Yes." Gaara was truthful, there was no point in lying to someone who could read your thoughts. "I can't ensure my survival until I've thoroughly assessed everything around me. So until I am confident that no one amongst me desires my head I will continue to play the part." 

"And the girl?" The beast pressed, making Gaara sigh in defeat. 

"I am unsure, clearly she has feelings for this version of me despite being from my realm. Perhaps I can use it to my advantage--"

"You know, he was trying very hard to stay clear of her. She's quite feisty." Shukaku chuckled, although it mostly sounded like a rumble of a tiger's throat. 

"Sounds like my fiance, I wonder how they will compare." The redhead smiled warmly at the thought, just thinking of Sakura filled him to the brim with life--

"You'll have to get to know this one better, she can't stay here, and this world's Sakura can't stay there. Balance must be restored." The beast warned, however Gaara was confused as to why he even cared. "Make nice with her, boy. And get the two of you to leave this place together." 

The liquid mirror beneath Gaara's feet turned into purely water, forcing him to slip into the black liquid in surprise. He wasn't prepared for the cool plunge, but he continued to sink down regardless. The darkness surrounded him, and he could hear some sort of beeping sound. 

The redhead opened his weary eyes to find himself in 'his' bedroom. Tubes and wires were connecting him to a machine, and it startled him enough that he frantically ripped them out of his arms and face. He realized quickly that these things were meant to provide him liquids, and oxygen, but he was unnerved by the idea of a machine forcing him to live. 

"What are you doing?!" A feminine voice pierced through the dimly lit room, and her beautiful form came forward out of the shadows with concern. "Gaara, you are going to hurt yourself doing that! You should have waited for the nurses!" 

She was wearing red... and although he would usually consider the tight fitting clothing to be scandalous he felt that he couldn't argue against it either. He wished that she could wear such an outfit every second of the day. 

"Honestly, Gaara. I could have helped you out of these, I watched the nurses put them in..." Sakura murmured, checking over his lightly bleeding arms with worry. "You never bleed... and now I've seen it happen twice in the span of a few days. I hate to see you injured like this..." 

"You're a very caring person, Sakura." Gaara spoke softly, watching her shy gaze flick between his eyes and his wounds. 

She bit her lip so teasingly that he felt he could also taste it. Her hair was shorter, but she looked clean and polished rather than boyish. 

"Don't tell me that brain injury of yours has made you forget your promise to me?" She smirked before placing bandages where the needles had been before, and he watched just how carefully her hands cared for him. 

"I have no recollection of any promises, I apologize for it." He breathed, being as truthful as he could while still keeping himself hidden. "Perhaps you could help me to remember--"

Suddenly she was leaning forward, tilting his chin so that she could get the best angle possible. As her lips morphed over his own he let out a content sigh. It was like he was with his own Sakura again, like he had never left in the first place. 

After a long while she finally broke their kiss, and he licked his lips with the urge to do it all over again, but refrained from reaching out for her sake. 

"You told me you couldn't be with me, not because you didn't want to... but because you just physically couldn't do it." Sakura whispered, her jade eyes were shy yet still looking hesitantly into his. "I told you that if you failed in getting her back... that I would provide for you regardless of that fact." 

'Oh no.' He thought to himself, wondering just what the other Gaara had meant. 'I swear to God if he's impotent--'

"But maybe with what's happened you might have a new wave of confidence?" Sakura smiled coyly, leaning in to kiss him on the corner of his mouth. "You were so forward earlier... so I'm thinking that the part of you that's afraid is gone now." 

'He... chickened out...' Gaara inwardly cringed, slightly embarassed for his other half. However, he didn't know if he could fully blame the guy, things seemed to be very different around here. Perhaps the culture for men was also different, and it wasn't seen as their natural duty to provide for a woman in all aspects of the word. Where as in his own world he was taught that a man was created for the purpose of starting their own family, providing well for his wife and children. So the man needed to be ready to breed as soon as he was marriageable.

No, it was gravely different here. While having offspring was important he realized that different jobs had different demands. Clearly being a village chieftain would take up a great amount of time; precious time at that...

'Then if he were to return to a relationship already solidified, perhaps he'll leave my world alone...' As Gaara thought it, he knew then that he had to make the best of the time he had here possibly moving his, and this Sakura's relationship along so that he could return back to his original bride. 

"I think... you have tapped into a part of me that I was unable to reach before..." The redhead murmured, locking eyes with her in a longing way. He reached out to brush her hair past her cheek, tucking it gently behind her ear. "I'm finding it difficult to keep myself in check." 

"You stated previously that you couldn't bring yourself to do it, even though you desired it very badly." The pinkette gave a breathless laugh, leaning into his touch as he lingered there. "Are you truly invested in this?" 

His eyes traced her frame, the red dress she wore hugged every curve and exposed her thighs so beautifully. It was difficult to not desire her when he had already fallen hard for her on the other side. He tried to not feel guilty about it, as he desperately wanted to return home, but he needed something here that the other Gaara would want. 

"The only thing holding me back now is my fatigue." He spoke just above a whisper, his thumb tracing her jaw before running over her bottom lip. "Once I have regained my strength you will find that my hunger runs deep... and it will take a great amount of time and effort to feed it." 

She trembled slightly, and when he saw the weakness he sat up to eliminate some of the distance between them. He gazed deeply into her eyes, sucking her in like a moth to the flame. 

"I hope that doesn't frighten you--" Gaara began, and she took a shaking breath. 

"It does... but I also find it to be exciting." Sakura gave a nervous laugh, licking her lips with an anxious smile. Her eyes kept darting away from his, unable to handle how piercing his stare was. "I feel like you're going to eat me, or something of the like--"

"Well, there are ways I can work that in." He smirked devilishly, and she laughed in a bashful way. He brushed past her cheek to whisper in her ear. "My mouth can do more than just kiss, and speak pretty words--"

"That is despicable!" The pinkette nearly squeaked, but her giggling told him that he had made the right move. "I knew that you were playing at innocence." 

"Every man hides that fact. The truth is that we are exposed to it for a long time, and we hide this truth from the women we choose to keep in our company." The redhead placed his hand down over her own, watching a blush tinge her cheeks. "The reason is because we don't want to scare them away, but our needs grow darker, and more devious the further you delve into our hearts." 

Her eyes met his then, slightly fearful, but mostly curious. That innocent curiosity had him intrigued, and he had never thought to be so sinister in his life. Yet, this acting came so naturally to him that he realized that after years of putting criminals away he had heard too much of their evil thoughts. There were things those terrible men had spoke of that he also found himself interested in, but out of good morals he would never act upon. 

This was not his world, and it was calling for him to break away from his usual proper self. It was calling for a drastic change, and he felt a thrill from that. 

"Will you... tell me of those dark secrets?" Sakura bit her lip, now avoiding his gaze once again. "I'd like to know how you truly feel..." 

'This is very dangerous.' He thought, but his brain seemed to be stuck on the track it was on, he couldn't seem to veer off for any reason. He wondered if the accident was to blame, or if it was his own dark heart that he had denied for so long. 

"I'd much rather show you." Gaara purred, tilting her chin so that she would look at him once more. "You'll be a good girl, and follow all of my orders, won't you?" 

Her breath seemed to get caught in her chest, and she squirmed in her seat for a moment. He noticed this, and quickly gave her a gentle kiss to bring her back to him. She calmed instantly, following him as he pulled back to break the contact again. He chuckled over her eagerness, never expecting such a reaction when she also seemed so skittish. 

"I know you will. I can tell you're an obedient woman when it's in your best interest." Another chaste kiss, and once again she tried following when he pulled back. "And I can assure you... it's in your best interest."

Sakura's jades were lidded, and her cheeks thoroughly flushed. Her eyes were glazed over as he kept her sights locked on him, proving that he had successfully enchanted her 

"Now show me that you'll do exactly as I command." He stroked the bottom of her chin, leaning in to kiss her only for her to meet him halfway. She was already so eager, and it made him smirk with how successfully he had roped her in. He pulled away, and she gave childish whine over the fact. "Wear this again tomorrow... only...." 

He reached for her thigh, running his fingertips over the edge of her spandex shorts. 

"Hem these, or wear shorter ones. I enjoy seeing your legs--"

"But... that would make everyone else see them, too." She blushed hard, and he chuckled over her embarassment. 

"That's fine. Let them look. Let them desire you..." His hand smoothed over her thigh, running up to her hip before coming back down to her knee. "Make them want you, but then come seek my company instead." 

He gave her one last kiss, only this time she was trembling from it. He leaned away, breaking the contact with a dark smile. 

"You'll do it, won't you?" His hand lightly squeezed her thigh just above her knee, and with a shiver she promptly nodded. "That's my girl, now go. We both need our rest."

 With another nod she leaned in to kiss him softly, and he allowed it to happen. She pulled back, far more bashful than she had been earlier, and took her leave in a flustered rush. He watched her walk away from him, studying her form as she disappeared around a corner. 

With a tired sigh he looked at the ceiling, wondering if he was making the right call by being so physical with her, but he had to make her fall madly in love with him, and she seemed to be the type that enjoyed more physical affirmations. 

However, he couldn't very well justify his own sick actions either. Clearly this was something he had dug up that was meant to stay buried, and he feared that it would change him drastically. Yet, his head felt so strange, half the time he felt no guilt over it, and then the other half of the time it was as if he was waking up from a strange dream. 

He cursed the kazekage that put him in this predicament. It should be the other Gaara having to deal with this, not the sheriff. There was nothing he could really do for now, though. So it was best to just make the most of it. 

And he planned on making the absolute most of this. 

Chapter Text

Seafoam eyes opened to the red glow of morning, the light being so soft that he wondered if he was still dreaming. The body of the woman he loved clung to his chest, sleeping so peacefully he would have thought her to be dead had she not been so incredibly warm. 

Gaara watched her breathe, the slow inhales and exhales making her ribcage move in a soothing way. As if she were a calm ocean lapping at the sandy shore; so natural and serene. 

"I don't deserve you..." He barely whispered, so as not to wake the resting angel in his arms. "... but I'm selfish, too." 

Sakura hummed in her sleep, nuzzling her head against his shoulder until it moved further inwards towards his heart. He wondered if she could hear it beating, even in her dreams. 

"I would destroy everything for you. I would bury the world in sand if you desired it." The redhead breathed feeling a pain in his chest that wasn't caused by any known illness; it was simply the agony of love. It was such an intense ache that he felt his eyes begin to water. "Be careful what you ask of me... please... know that I can't deny you... know that I can't say 'no'." 

Trust was a difficult thing for Gaara. It took him years just to put his faith in his family, then friends, and finally within his own people. 

This... this was so different. His body and mind was ready and willing to endure the greatest suffering for this one beautiful person, and it made him incredibly scared. Yet, he knew that in able to have her he had to also give up everything. Every. Single. Thing. 

He was trusting her to not drop his fragile heart, and yet he knew if his secret was revealed everything would shatter into a million pieces that could easily be blown away by a rogue wind. 

Fear racked his body, and he didn't realize how firmly he had been holding her until she gave a small groan of discomfort. Pale hands immediately let go as if she were a hot plate, and jade eyes fluttered open to tiredly look at the world. 

Their eyes met, and at first she gave him a beautiful smile, but then that smile faded into something akin to concern. She adjusted herself slightly, bringing her form up to hover above his own while letting one lithe hand reach forward to brush his cheek. 

"Gaara, why are you crying?" Sakura said ever so gently. 

Her words reverberated in his skull, trickling down his spine and forming his stomach into one big knot. Everything tightened as her silken fingers gingerly wiped away a stream left on his cheek, and as her fingers came away wet he felt his eyes water even more. 

"I... love you..." Gaara's breath shook before taking in a sharp inhale. More tears broke through his control, and with a squint he attempted to turn his face away from her. "Forgive me, I don't really understand why I'm doing this right now--" 

"I love you, too." The pinkette said calmly, and with a confidence that put him at ease. "Don't worry, I won't back out of the wedding."

The redhead laughed slightly at that, and quickly rubbed the wet from his eyes. 

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" Gaara grinned, his eyes finally finding hers once more. Her smirking lips came closer to his own, and a warm kiss was shared. 

"If you leave me at the alter I'll hunt your ass down." Sakura murmured against his lips, forcing him to give a nervous chuckle. 

"I do love a good chase, although I've never been the prey before. That'll be interesting--"

Suddenly he was pinned down, and the lithe pinkette was on top of him more than ready to straddle his lap. Her naked form settled over his own, and he grunted slightly from the fact that mornings automatically made him stiff. 

"You want to be prey? I'll make you shriek like a rabbit." The pinkette gave a wicked grin, adjusting herself over his erection. He watched her position their pieces until they fit together, and when she sank down he nearly cried over the sensation of her hot and wet center. 

Suddenly he remembered that it was the morning, and that the spring storms had come to a halt. As she bounced her hips he gave a hissing inhale, desperately trying to not make any sound. 

"What, am I hurting you--?"

"No, I'm trying to not wake anyone." Gaara blushed at the fact, never actually having this type of experience to where he'd have to hide any intimate moments. He was never physical with anyone, so the shame had never been present until right this very second. 

"He...hehe..." 

The creepiest laugh came from the woman sitting atop his lap, and it made him begin to pale. 

"Whatever you're thinking... please don't do it--"

"Oh, what? You don't want to get caught in the midst of plowing me?" Sakura rolled her hips, and he gave a sharp breath. "Heh, can you imagine getting caught mid orgasm--?"

"I'd rather not." The redhead turned his face away, and clamped his eyes shut, but continued breathing fervently through his nose as she continued rocking along his length. 

"Aw... is it because you want everyone to think you're a good boy?" The pinkette purred against the ear he had revealed to her, and his chest expanded with his deepest breath yet. "When actually... you're a very bad boy, aren't you? Having sex before marriage, tsk tsk--"

"You pressured me into it." Gaara argued, but his hands started to betray him by running up and down her silky thighs. As she gave light bounces those same limbs found her backside and gripped firmly at the perfect flesh. 

"You... wanted it..." Sakura started to pant, and the sound of her beginning to break was almost too much for him. 

He couldn't say 'no' to her. He would deny her nothing. 

"I needed it." The redhead breathed, almost whimpering his words but keeping himself contained. He arched up to meet her now, and she placed a hand over her mouth to keep the sound of her pleasure muted. "I need you... always..." 

Sakura removed her hand to give a sweet laugh, and even brighter smile, but eventually had to re-cover it due to the ecstasy she felt. Soon it was too much for him to handle, and he could no longer carry the role of being 'prey'. He rolled them both until she was under him, and as he gazed at her naked form washed in red light he lifted her hips and straightened on his knees. 

Gaara studied the way he entered her, how her body jolted and writhed with each thrust of his hips, as well as the glistening wetness that appeared on his length every time he would pull out halfway before plunging back in. Her perked breasts would bounce with each wave of force that he brought to her core, and the slapping of flesh only grew louder the harder he went at it. 

Alright, he no longer cared about getting caught. Shame was now out the window what with the perfect view he was presented with here. Sakura was desperately trying to hold in her voice, but damnit he wanted to hear her. 

Pale hands reached forward, forcing away her own before gripping firmly at her jaw. She remained open and panting while his thumb ran over her bottom lip, teeth, and tongue. Jade eyes watered lustfully and gazed at him with thick desire, to which his vision mirrored everything back. 

The longer he stared into those beautiful eyes the tighter her center became, and he couldn't help but moan her name. She tried answering him with words of her own, but was obstructed by the digit in her mouth. He didn't want to remove it, he wanted to feel as much of her as possible; inside and out. Her inner walls clenched harder around his erection, and he groaned with pleasure feeling the coil inside him grow hot from his head to his toes. 

Suddenly she started crying out in succession, and her wet heat clamped down on him in tense waves. Her body was calling out to him, begging him to finish inside her, and once again he knew he could never refuse her. 

Gaara cursed and groaned with relief as his length began to pulse. Colors swirled in his eyes while he continued arching into her drenched center, making sure to get as much as he could inside her as possible. He couldn't stop himself from filling her, but she never seemed to mind; in fact she seemed eager to take it. 

The warm light made it so that he could see every inch of her now, as well as the fruits of their efforts as he pulled out. Slowly but surely Gaara was beginning to realize just how much of a closet pervert he was...

Oh well, he had a beautiful fiancé that was just as sinister, perhaps even more so than himself.

"Gaara..." Sakura smiled dopily, reaching up at him with eager hands. "Can we cuddle for a while?" 

The redhead gave a breathless laugh, moving to rest in her beckoning arms. Her face turned to kiss him, and he returned it without falter. 

"I would give up everything to spend every morning with you." Gaara said gently, gaining a giggle from his bride to be. 

"Well, good thing you don't have to do that." The pinkette pulled him even tighter to her form, and he found the moment to be bittersweet. 

Yes, he did have to leave everything he once knew and cared about to be with her. He had to re-learn everything that made him who he was, because now he had to live out someone else's life. 

It made him think about the other side... and he felt true fear. 

"Sakura, I would like to ask you something..." The redhead swallowed hard. 

"Ask away, my love." Sakura practically hummed, perfectly content with where she was at in the moment. 

He breathed deeply. 

"Aren't you going to miss your true home?" 

There was a long silence, with the exception of their shared breathing. He lifted himself to balance over her, but her face was turned away from him with a guilty expression. 

"... I'm not going to lie to you... and say that I have no qualms about leaving. Clearly I grew up there, my memories are there, but I suppose the transition will be easier since everyone else is here--"

"But your parents are dead here. Didn't you want them to see their grandchildren? Everything you worked so hard for on the other side... is it all for nothing?" Gaara suddenly started to spew logic, and he hated himself for it. Already he was tainting this beautiful dream--

But that's what it is, isn't it? Just a dream. It didn't feel right, or natural to be here. Something just felt... off. 

"Of course I want that! But other than my family no one else truly loves or cares about me there! I'm always ten steps behind my former teammates in strength, and skill. The man I did love outright denied any sort of romantic relationship with me, and there are two other women from my own village who can easily pass on what they taught me to other pupils. I am nothing special--!"

"You're special to me." The redhead interjected, and her once saddened features suddenly cracked before giving him a broken laugh. 

"I know, why do you think I stayed?" Sakura wiped her eyes of any tears threatening to escape, and smiled genuinely at him. "You're the only one... who truly loves me." 

His chest tightened. His insides felt cold. These words of love and loyalty did not comfort him; if anything they made him feel sick. 

He loved her, but she couldn't see it. The real him, the Kazekage of Suna. His reality seemed so far away now...

All that was left was this shadow of a gunslinger... boots he had to fill, and play pretend for the rest of their lives. 

--- ... --- ... --- 

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

The gun was so incredibly loud, and the vibrations burned his hand with every shot. However, he found out that day that his shooting was nearly perfect. If he practiced for another hour he would probably be able to hit all of his targets with expert precision. 

When it came to weapons, Gaara made sure to master whatever was placed in his hands. This was what was demanded of him by his father from youth to adulthood. Albeit, dad wasn't there for his adult years, but he still made sure to keep up that particular teaching. 

However, his father was alive in this world, as was his mother, and that was a strange yet comforting thing--

"Your aim is off." A familiar voice broke his reverie, forcing him to turn towards the house to see someone he hadn't realized he had been missing until now. 

"Kankuro!" The redhead smiled, holstering his 'new' weapon before striding up to his brother. 

A brown suit, burgundy vest, and black tie; it was odd seeing him such attire. Even moreso was the fact that he didn't wear a shred of face paint. It was just natural... like in their youth. 

"My, you seem happy to see me for once! Clearly this new bride of yours has inspired a great change in you!" The brunette closed the distance between them, matching the younger brother's smile. "Personally I didn't think you'd make it through your consumption, but it seems you've recovered well." 

"Yes, I'm completely clear of it." Gaara nodded, and reached out to pat his brother on the arm. "You seem well, and I'm glad you're here." 

"Well, I couldn't miss my baby brother's wedding day! I can't wait to meet this lovely lady of yours. Although, knowing you she might just be a charity case." Kankuro snickered.

The redhead did a double take at that, not expecting such a rude comment. 

'Perhaps our relationship isn't as good here as it is at home. That, or his humor is more brash...' The redhead thought this over quickly, wondering if he should enquire further on it or just leave it alone. 

Well, he was talented with words, and sarcasm wasn't beyond him in the least. 

"She's absolutely hideous. Best you stay away from her less she taint you with her ugliness." Gaara began with a smirk, watching the gears tick in his brother's head. "I'm only marrying her out of sympathy, honest--"

"Well now I have to meet her, this hideous bride of yours." The brunette gave out a hearty laugh, and the two started making their way into the house. 

Upon entry it could be seen that Kankuro had already been welcomed by Temari, as she seemed to pay him no mind and even provided him with a cold shoulder. Gaara surmised that his older brother had been just as rude to their sister if not more. 

"So, when do I get to meet your ugly sow--?" 

"If you're asking as to where Sakura is, she is out with mother right now getting fitted for a wedding dress." Temari answered before the youngest of the three could even get a chance to think, which probably meant that she was feeling high strung. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll refine your speech in her presence less she knock your teeth out." 

The redhead had to stifle a laugh as his brother went nearly bug eyed at the threat. 

"Knock my teeth out?! Is she truly so violent--?!"

"Why do you think I'm marrying her?" Gaara jested, but recieved such a glare from his older sister that his blood ran cold. 

"You begged to marry her. Begged." Temari wiped her hands on a towel, finishing up her task of cleaning the kitchen from breakfast. "I also doubt you'd be playing 'doctor' with her so early in the morning had she forced you into wedlock--"

"Before marriage, Gaara?! Mother would be ashamed!!" Kankuro busted out into boisterous laughter, clearly enjoying this new bit of drama far too much. 

The redhead felt heat rush to his cheeks and ears, but tried to remain stoney despite the obvious visual cue that he was bashful about it. 

"My consumption came back, that's all." Gaara gave the worst lie of his life, and his siblings both broke out into hysterical laughter. "No, really, I'm terribly contagious. Best you stay away from me." 

The laughter continued, and with a huff of frustration he wandered out of the kitchen into the foyer. With arms crossed he looked around the room, taking in the scenery of intricate wallpaper and many ornate trinkets. With a sigh he went to sit down on the tufted settee, and stared into the ashes of the fireplace. No fire was burning, but he still stared hard at the blackened logs. 

Yes, he was embarassment that they had been 'caught', and yet part of him also couldn't give a rats ass. He loved Sakura deeply, and heaven help anyone who tried to keep him away from her. Now that he had a sip, there was no stopping the flood. 

"Gaara." The voice of his older brother interrupted his thoughts, causing seafoam eyes to find him leaning casually in the doorway. "I know you've always been the sensitive one, but just know that we don't think lesser of you for it. If anything, I'm proud you've finally broken out of that shell mother forced you into--"

"Do not talk ill of our mother." Gaara warned with the darkest expression he could muster, and watched his brother go pale for an instant. 

"I-I wasn't saying that mother isn't a great person... I'm just saying that she truly pressured you to be the most 'well mannered' of us all. Ever since you were born, the weak little thing that you were, she's been favoring and protecting you. You do realize that, don't you?" Kankuro straightened, mimicking the stance that all of the male Sabaku family positioned themselves in; arms crossed with a stern disposition. "You're her favorite--"

"Kankuro, are you an ass simply because you envy the attention I get? Or is it simply because you get no positive attention at all?" The redhead continued to glare in his older brother's direction, and the brunette looked genuinely offended. 

"Oh, come off it, Gaara!" The older brother groaned then, walking towards the settee before taking a plopping seat next to the youngest. "For God's sake I'm trying to congratulate you here! Can we never just be civil?!" 

"We could very well be civil if you could actually be kind and considerate, but that is clearly asking too much--"

"Jesus Christ, you haven't changed at all. Still the same fucking judge as you always have been. It's a wonder you haven't been killed yet in this town, what with your god-like expectations of people--"

"I won't put my expectations on civilians, but I will tell you the expectations I have for my family. That is different." Gaara hissed then, and leaned in closer for his brother to truly look into his eyes. "And low and behold, my expectation is for you to just be decent. Just be a good person. That is all." 

Suddenly the front door opened, and in came two cheerfully giggling women. The quarrel was put on hold for now, but the redhead had an inkling that it would pick up again later. 

"Oh! My dearest Kankuro!" Karura was the first to cross the room, her lavender dress fluttering as she went to hold her oldest son in a tight embrace. The latter barely had enough time to stand before he was being smothered with affection. "My dear boy, it is good to see you! I heard you would be arriving today!"

"Of course, mother. I wouldn't dare miss Gaara's wedding." Kankuro talked sweetly towards their mother, and it was plain to see that he loved her just as much as Gaara did. 

The redhead stood out of politeness, and met eyes with the woman of his affections who now entered in quietly after his own mother. She seemed to be glowing, and even had the sweetest blush to her cheeks. Her white dress only added to her ethereal beauty. 

"Kankuro, I should like to introduce my fiancée, Sakura Haruno." Gaara smirked at her before turning towards his mother and brother, to which the brunette was still being too smothered in hugs to see the bride to be. 

"Oh, you mean the s--" As Kankuro was about to say something rude his body straightened away from their loving mother to finally lay eyes on the pinkette. He blinked, dumbstruck. "--Ssstunning beauty! Goodness, Gaara, you didn't tell me she was an angel sent from heaven!" 

The brunette was quick to leave his mother's side, and even quicker to reach Sakura's. He took her hand in his before giving the top the lightest peck with his lips. For some odd reason this made the youngest sibling simmer a bit with jealousy, but he tried to bury it. 

"A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Haruno, or should I say 'future Mrs. Sabaku'?" Kankuro spoke smoothly, and with a charming smile that made the redhead even more tense. 

"And here Gaara had told me you were quite a brash person, but I must say I'm glad that's not the case. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." Sakura shook his hand then in a more masculine fashion, which seemed to take the brunette off guard. 

"That's a good grip you have..." The eldest son blinked at the hand shaking his own, and the pinkette laughed as a result. 

"I'm stronger than I look." Sakura broke away from him them, and made her way to Gaara's side with a knowing smile. 

The redhead reached for her lithe hand, and she held his expertly. He brought their joined limbs up to kiss the top of her fingers, and she gave him the sweetest smile anyone could ever recieve. 

 "How was your day?" Gaara asked quietly, and she gave a shy yet excited laugh. 

"Very nice, I got to hear about what you were like as a little boy, and I found it quite adorable. That, and we have the perfect dress picked out. I can't wait for you to see it." Sakura grinned ear to ear then, practically swaying on her feet with joy. 

She looked so incredibly happy... 

"Shall we go out for some drinks to celebrate?" Kankuro piped in from across the room, and recieved a look from their mother. 

"Drinking to excess is not healthy, Kankuro. Wait till after the wedding to celebrate." Karura huffed for a moment, but then smiled brightly. "I'm going to check in on Temari, I heard she is planning on making a nice dinner tonight. Sakura, if you should like to join us after a short rest I'm sure she could use the assistance." 

"Absolutely, Karura, I'll be in shortly." Sakura answered, making the older woman smile further before taking her leave. 

The pinkette turned to her future husband, and took both of his hands into her own. 

"Just a few more days..." She murmured, and the redhead nodded in agreement. 

"Yes, not too much longer now." Gaara stared fondly at their now laced fingers, softly rubbing his thumbs over the surface of her milky skin. There was no doubt as to how much he loved her, and how much he desired a beautiful life by her side. 

But that sinking feeling was always there in the back of his mind; souring everything. The warning forever pulsating in his weary heart--

"Ahem." Kankuro's awkward interjection was both irritating and yet also secretly appreciated. The redhead was quietly grateful for the distraction against his self loathing. "At the very least, Gaara, you and I should spend some brotherly time together before you're gifted the ol' ball and chain."

"Depressing though you make my marriage sound, I can assure you that being with Sakura makes me feel the epitome of 'freedom'." Gaara looked into her eyes with warm affection, before leaning in to kiss her flushed cheek. He then leaned a bit further to whisper in her ear. "It is best to leave before he becomes too vexing, my love." 

"Alright, but I want some time alone with you later." The pinkette quietly giggled in response, but backed away from him with a sinister smirk. 

The sensual appetites of this woman was going to put him in an early grave, but he couldn't deny just how sweet such a death sounded. As she slipped from his grasp he was almost reluctant to let go, but watching her walk away was almost as teasing as witnessing her arrival. The sway of her hips had him hypnotized even as she disappeared through the door into the kitchen. 

"God help that woman with how many children you plan to conceive." Once again Kankuro couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut, but the younger brother couldn't completely blame him for it either. 

"She'll be fine. She's stronger than she looks." Gaara turned towards his older brother with a smirk, arms crossed confidently across his charcoal vest. The brunette laughed, shaking his head. 

"Then I'll pray for you instead--"

"Neither of us need your prayers." The redhead huffed. 

Perhaps he spoke too soon...