Warning: language ahead.

Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure there's no filler episode where Sakura gets lots in the desert on her own. Fairly sure. Quite sure.

"Dammit."

I breathed, watching my breath leave my mouth in a little white cloud.

"God damn them. Why did nobody tell me? Now I'm going to goddamn freeze, and it's all their fault! They'd better feel pretty damned guilty..."

I grumbled, curling up into an even smaller ball, wrapping my arms around my calves underneath my loose and thin cotton clothing... designed only for the hot and arid day temperatures of Suna. Of course, I'd only just found this out now. But come on, how was I supposed to know how cold it gets at night in Suna!? Well... okay, maybe I have had some missions on the border between the Wind and Fire countries, on the outskirts of the desert, and maybe I did remember Kakashi telling me to bring thick and warm clothes to sleep in, and maybe I do recall that I did get quite cold until I heaped my blanket on top of me during those team missions, and maybe we did get some lessons in the Academy about the climate... But still, it's all their fault! For not telling me, obviously.

"Okay, okay. I messed up for not remembering all this sooner."

But I'll make them feel responsible for my horrific death by freezing anyway.

I pressed myself closer to the wall of the cave, wishing I hadn't got lost...and wishing I had some matches in my pack or something inflammable. I had looked earlier, and not found anything, and I don't really want to move from my position to search in my pack in vain once more. I'd made the fantastic decision to waste all my meagre chakra reserves trying to outrun the weather. If anyone ever found out that a Konoha shinobi was left unable to create even a little fire, I would never live it down.

Some time later, I wondered with not a little bit of black humour if I had one of those icicles hanging from my nose. I reluctantly extracted a hand from where it was clamped between my thighs and to rub my nose through my scarf (which, unfortunately, was made out of the same material as the rest of my outfit, and therefore didn't do much to help my warmth issue), slightly warming the very numb part of my face and confirming that there was no icicle, just a very numb nose. I straightened my hand and pressed it against one cheek, then the other. I wondered if I had a really red face, like a strong blush, which I knew was a common reaction to such temperatures. Extreme heat or extreme cold, the same thing happens. Human anatomy was funny like that.

I sighed, folding my arms and putting my hands underneath my armpits.

"How long will I have to stay here? Damn it all to hell! I'm going to resurrect myself and murder them, and they'll be shit scared because I'll be dead! Ha! That will teach them! In fact, I'm not going to die here! Then they'll call me weak! Who are they calling weak, cha! Cheek!"

I stopped the shouting intended to break the lonely and depressing silence, lowering my head.

All I had to do was outlast the night, then it would be unpleasantly, unbearably hot again and I could return to my complaints about sweat in places I was sure humans could only theoretically sweat and sand in places I didn't even want to talk about.

I wasn't in real danger... well I would be if my reserves didn't recover enough to light a fire. I had another six hours or so until sunrise and I was concerned about flying asleep. Best to stay awake and not risk the side effects of a chakra pill. I'd gotten through tougher missions...

And to think, I'd found the solo mission so gratifying to receive.

Shivering, I rubbed my cheek against my shoulder, moving all my extremities a little and grabbing onto my feet to get circulation going. This was really starting to get on my nerves.

"Haruno?"

The apathetic voice stopped my pathetic effort to halt the numbing that I could already tell has somewhat deadened my feet. Looking up, I saw a figure dressed in a thick-looking, black outfit, consisting mainly of robes with a scarf that also covered the head. I immediately felt envious of the person and wondered what I could trade for such a scarf.

I belatedly realised that had they been an enemy, I would probably be dead by now.

Well, clearly they weren't. So no point trying to unstick myself and get up.

While trying to look at their face, I remembered that they atleast knew my name, and recognised me. I tried to place the deep voice, but it didn't do any good. Maybe a Konoha nin here on a mission in Suna, or a Suna win I'd come across? They could be someone I've worked with, or just someone I've met. But why would they remember me if we only met once?

But then again, it was hard to forget someone with pink hair.

Clearing my throat, I decided to try and talk.

"Um, hello." Smashing start. "Your far superior scarf is doing a great job of hiding your identity."

"Haruno, I am not your enemy."

My eyes narrowed. What the hell kind of statement is that? Someone who knew me, but not well enough to use my first name... someone from the hospital? One of the missions desk nin? Where had I heard that voice? And that posture, feet quite wide apart, and arms crossed. So familiar... maybe I was just thinking of Naruto.

"Well, that's great. If you could just oblige me in telling me who you are..." I trailed off suggestively, gesturing with a hand to make it seem extra sensible.

The person lifted a hand and lowered their hood.

I was taken entirely by surprise at what was underneath. Then, I thought to myself that I was an idiot for not realising who it is earlier. I smiled, lifting a hand in a jovial wave.

...Kakashi was rubbing off on me. That was not good.

"Kazekage-sama? Why are you here?"

"I like to meditate out here at night, and I sensed your chakra."

Remarkably succinct and to the point, considering his previous responses.

"Oh." I frowned, my healers side kicking in. "Why aren't you sleeping? Is it insomnia or another sleep disorder? You should be getting help from your healers to regulate your circadian rhythm, perhaps? The human body requires sleep even if we don't quite know why yet, missing out on it has terrible health effects...But I guess if you meditate enough you might be able to make up for some of the deficit..."

I trailed off, completely unused to talking one-sidedly. Oh god, was hanging around Naruto so much rubbing off on me too? That was even worse.

Gaara was looking at me. Just looking.

Now, maybe he was thinking that I was a bit of an idiot. And maybe he wasn't totally wrong, just this once.

Was this like heatstroke? Could you get coldstroke too and start blithering like an idiot? I'd have to ask Tsunade about it.

"Why are you here, Haruno?"

"In all honesty? I got lost and then the sandstorm started, so I found refuge in here... Absolutely no need to ever share this with anyone, am I right?"

He nodded.

"Thanks." I smiled, probably not an effort I would want immortalised in a photo, and then shivered violently. With a trembling hand, I reached for my pack, and swallowed a pill. Now that someone else was here, there was no need to embarrass myself.

Blinking, I looked up and into the face much closer to mine than before.

"You are cold."

"Yeah, I... may have neglected to bring some warmer nightwear." I laughed weakly. "Stupid or what?"

He frowned, obviously aware of just how thin these stupid garments are. Setting down his gourd next to my pack, he crouched down.

I ignored the confounding man for a moment, and rubbed my face and move my legs again, feeling a bit more lively now that I'd restored most of my chakra. I cut off a gasp as I was suddenly lifted into the air. I was just reminding myself why it was a bad idea to attack the leaders of allied nations when I was dropped gently onto something warm. For a moment I was left staring down at the legs folded under mine. Looking over my shoulder, I was met with apathetic pale green eyes.

"Kazekage-sama? What are you doing?"

'Seriously what are you doing. You may be Naruto's friend and the Kazekage but if you try to cop a feel I will deck you,' I thought to myself furiously.

"You are cold, and I have no spare clothing, so I am going to give you body heat instead, as yours is insufficient."

Logical but entirely inappropriate. How did you tell the Kazekage of Suna that it would have been better for everyone if he had just gotten some kindling instead?

I was about to protest some more, but then he drew me a bit closer to himself, and crossed his arms across my back. Being a medic, I knew that sharing body heat was really what needed to be done... the only alternative, leaving, would mean being trapped in a ball of sand with Gaara and then having to explain my appearance to the Suna population. Resigned, I sighed and closed my eyes, carefully stretching a bit and rolling my shoulders, pulling my scarf down a bit in the process and baring the bottom half of my face to the chill.

It only took a few seconds before I could feel Gaara's hand touching my cheek. I debated whether to explain to him that he was taking some real liberties and if I weren't so grateful for his 'body heat 'he would be in a lot of pain right now. I opened my eyes when he started moving me again.

"What are you do..ing...?"

I stopped talking as my face was pressed against his shoulder and his out layer of clothing swathed around me. A tiny sliver was left for me to peek out of. I blinked up at him, speechless, as he glanced down at me coolly. What.

I was so stunned, I couldn't actually respond. Before long, it was too late to kick up a fuss and I stared at the cave wall, resigned to my situation.

"Why are you so uneasy about being close to me, Haruno?"

Was it a Jinchuuriki thing, to have no brain-to-mouth filter? How did Gaara handle international diplomacy?

Well, I could hardly say that he, one, had a very intimidating presence, two, his closeness was making me very warm in places it shouldn't, and three, that I was uneasy because I didn't want to offend him.

"I thought that you didn't...don't, like to be touched," I ventured cautiously. It was a fair deduction, considering what I had seen of him all those years ago at the Chuunin exams. And frankly, he was hardly in a position to be offended by it considering how he had just manhandled me.

He was the one blinking now, looking surprised.

I huffed. "Not the answer you expected?"

"Yes," He said bluntly. "I was expecting you to mumble something about 'Kazekage', which means you are thinking of...my reputation, as it were."

I tilted my head towards him a bit, stopping a shiver of an entirely different kind than before. Did I mention that Gaara actually smelled really enticing? Like a warm apple and cinnamon tea on a cold day. "Is that what most people would say?"

"I would assume so."

"I'm not most people." I could tell he was trying to raise an eyebrow. "I have pink hair. I'm apprenticed to Tsunade. Most importantly, I'm on a team with Naruto."

"An achievement, to be sure." He said, and once I processed that that was indeed a joke, I laughed. He blinked and then smiled. A tiny smile, but a smile nonetheless.

This time I really couldn't surpress the shiver, and I looked away. I realised after I'd done it that tucking my face into his shoulder was not actually going to help. How did this happen again? He had put his arms around my waist now. This was just getting worse and worse. Curse my weakness for strong, stoic men. Curse you Sasuke. I decided I needed to ask Kakashi to teach me that Earth jutsu that allowed you to travel underground, just so I could use it to escape a situation like this next time.

"Kazekage-sama, I'm really not cold anymore." I mumbled this into his clothes and again wondered if perhaps I'd inadvertently eaten fungi with hallucinogenic properties. I tried to imagine recounting this story to Ino and nearly began laughing hysterically at the look her face would have.

I just really needed to get home and lie down in my own bed.

"Then why did you shiver?"

Was I going to dignify that with an answer? No. Nope. Definitely not.

"Haruno?"

'Oh my God shut up Gaara,' I groaned in my head.

How long had it been? An hour? About four hours until sunrise now. Could I endure four hours of this? Why did he have to smell so good?

"Haruno." His voice was stern now and it was no longer a question.

"You're the Kazekage!" I burst out, rearing back from him to pinpoint him with my unimpressed face. "And I'm sitting in your lap! This is beyond weird and I'm busy asking myself whether I'm dreaming!"

I soon ran out of steam and was left awkwardly deflated as he considered my words rather thoughtfully. Then, he frowned.

"You dream about me?"

My mouth dropped open and I actually dragged my hands out of his robes to cover my face.

"I didn't mean it like that! Oh my God..." I whimpered. I breathed deeply for a while and tried to regain some composure. "Look, can we just both share body heat and then forget this ever happened?" I asked.

He was still frowning. "That doesn't answer my question."

"What question?" I asked, exasperated. What an impossible man. I felt sorry for his advisors.

"Why did you shiver? That is not a physical response associated with, as you termed it, finding something 'weird'."

I gaped again. He would just not let this lie. I pulled my fingertips down underneath my eyes and looked at him. He seemed to be genuinely searching for an answer. I cleared my throat. How to answer this without incriminating myself?

For a moment I imagined this scene. Haruno Sakura, one of Konoha's best medics and student to both the White Fang and the Slug Princess, sitting on the Kazekage's lap in a desert cave with his scarf draped over her. How had this happened? There had to be a deity laughing at me, this shit did not happen to most people.

"I did answer your question, actually. Your strength and presence can make people nervous. That's what I meant by 'you're the Kazekage'."

I couldn't for the life of me figure out what he was thinking. His eyes were intense. When Gaara looked at you, you could almost physically feel his gaze.

My cheeks were heating up under the scrutiny. Gaara's eyes were momentarily diverted to the flush, and I blushed harder knowing that he had noticed. His eyes stayed on my cheeks as his robes rustled and he carefully raised a hand to lay gently on my warm skin. I was busy panicking until his eyes returned to mine. Then all rational thought stopped.

Oh my God. Holy fuck.

His thumb was brushing along my cheekbone. I wasn't even angry at the liberties anymore, just confused, and warm, and-and not able to look away from his eyes.

Oh shitsticks he's leaning towards me oh my fucks what do I do, oh God oh GOD.

Then we were kissing, and it was slow and gentle and it felt perfect. It was the kind of kiss I'd dreamed of for years, and never been able to find amongst fumbling, unsatisfying hookups. Gaara was so careful, so deliberate with every move of his lips. When he broke away to trace kisses across my cheekbone, I was too dazed to do anything but breathe. I regained enough of my scattered senses to pull back, and somehow it wasn't awkward meeting his eye. Gaara was an honest person, if hard to read... right now, I could see in his face that this-that he felt something for me.

This time, I leant forward and kissed him.