Hey it's Jennnn. I know my story was difficult to read because of the fact that it was in normal paragraph form so I fixed it *Crowd in my mind cheers. I bow.* Thank you thank you. Please no pictures. I hope you can still enjoy reading it just as much as I enjoyed writing it! Tasty Reading people3
...
It was quiet. The perfect place to be no matter what anyone said of it.
The light that seeped through the windows made it look bright, as though the knowledge it held there reflected off of the glass. The decor was lavished with paintings and red oak bookshelves.
Konoha Library was Sakura's home four blocks from home.
She walked down the silent aisles with her pink hair tied into a bun. Her plaid skirt, which matched her black blouse and black flats, moved swiftly with her as she pushed a cart of books to their proper sections.
She had been volunteering at the library since her freshman year and had continued to volunteer there ever since.
She stood with the novel 'My Sister's Keeper' in one hand as her emerald eyes skimmed through the titles and code numbers.
She had most of them memorized already but she never wanted to put a book back in the wrong place by accident. It would defeat the purpose of troubling herself with organizing them in the first place.
She placed the novel next to the rest of the authors books and was about to turn the corner when she heard an oh to familiar irritated sigh.
She knew who it came from without even looking.
Tsunade had been the top librarian ever since Sakura had been a little girl. She put books on the pedestal of her life and believed they were the greatest gift given to man.
She was somewhere in her late 30's though she looked much too young. She had her blond hair in a similar bun to Sakura's and had piercing green eyes.
Sakura had grown close to her in the time she had volunteered her first year and had remained close outside of 'library business.' She became Tsunade's second in command when it came to check in and check outs.
Usually Tsunade had a wealth of patience.
Until it came to late returns.
Sakura pushed the empty cart behind the desk and peered over Tsunade's shoulder. She was typing away on her computer with hardened eyes and impatient fingers.
'This cannot be good' Sakura thought.
She took a deep breath then prayed to whatever God that was out there that Tsunade didn't have an explosive tick.
"Is there something angering you Tsunade-sama?" she asked cautiously.
Tsunade paused her furious typing and swung her chair around to face the pink haired teen.
"Unfortunately yes. Gaara has yet again missed his due date on that new book we just got a few days ago. I swear that kid couldn't turn in a book on time if his life depended on it" she said huffily.
Sakura blushed as Gaara's name was brought up.
She had met him two years ago when she had had to fill in for someone else who had gotten sick. She had been trying to find where the book Dante's Inferno was supposed to go and had been in the same aisle as Gaara.
As she was putting the book on the shelf, he had reached out for it.
The moment their fingers touched it had sent a chill running down her spine.
She looked up and her breath caught in her throat. She took in his chin length blood red hair, stunning jade eyes, and handsome face.
She moved her hand and brought it to her side while trying to manage a blush and mumbled an apology.
She looked up when she heard a quiet chuckle of amusement. He had a humorous look in his eyes as he slipped the book beneath his arm and walked away.
She stared down at her fingers and then brought them to her chest that held her raging heart.
'What was that?'
After that she saw him at strange intervals. One week he would be seen in the library all the time and the next he wouldn't.
Most of the time that she knew he was there was when she heard Tsunade huff out, "Finally. I thought you were holding my books hostage."
He would reply in the same manner "How much would you presume I could get if I did?"
She found herself anxious when he was around and couldn't comprehend the feeling.
'Why does this stranger affect me so much? I don't even know him'
'And yet you long to talk to him. Isn't that odd?' she heard her inner reply.
She let out a frustrated breath and shook her head as though denying her words.
'No I do not wish to talk to some weird guy who I have never met before who might as well be some kind of sadistic serial killer.'
Inner laughed deviously and pursed her lips 'Now now hon, we both know he is way to attractive to waste those looks in jail'
Sakura rolled her eyes 'Is that all you think about? Looks? The physical aspect of every living being is only temporary. True beauty is found beneath what the eyes can see. Haven't you ever heard of 'Beauty is more than skin deep?'
Inner dazed off with a bored expression and shrugged 'Not interested. Though they may be temporary there is no reason anyone shouldn't enjoy it while it last. You could be doing something so much more fun.
But no you want to lock yourself in a cage with books as your entertainment and a librarian as a friend. You clearly have no social life whatsoever. It disappoints me to be you in any way.'
Sakura's head throbbed and she glared at the image of her inner ignoring her.
'Yeah thanks for all the moral support. It's not a crime to love to read and want to be surrounded by intellectuality other than ignorance and pedicures!'
Inner sighed in a bored manner 'I'm sure if they had to spend a day in your head Congress would consider making it illegal'
Sakura walked to the next lane and was looking for a book for someone at the front desk when she spotted Gaara scanning through random title.
She pushed away the chill that threatened to run across her body and attempted to concentrate on looking for the book.
She grew irritated after she read through the codes five times.
'I don't think anyone checked it out. Where could it be?'
Just as she was about to have a mental breakdown she noticed something in Gaara's hands.
He was turning the book she needed between his palms, not paying attention to the glares Sakura shot at him He looked up as she cleared her throat and smirked.
Sakura swallowed passed the lump in her throat and stared at him intensely.
"Can I help you?" he asked sarcastically.
His voice was dark and rich. It made her insides want to melt. Inner raised her hand dramatically to her forehead and fainted
'Even his voice is a turn on.'
Sakura buried that comment deep within the consciousness of her mind and nodded.
"Yes as I matter of fact you can. Do you actually plan on reading that book you're using as a toy or are you going to continue using it to your own amusement?"
He looked at her first with surprise then his jade eyes sparkled with humor.
"Well considering I have already read this book I would think the logical answer would be more appropriate" She lifted her eyebrow, questioning "Let me guess...Logic really isn't your style?"
His smirk widened "What made you come to that conclusion?"
"The Art of Philosophy Backwards states that logic revolves around someone's will to accept the unexpected. People get angry when the unexpected happens outside of their own convenience. And also when the expected occurs in the same manner. By choosing what I would expect of you, you are opening yourself up to predictability "
He leaned against the bookshelf and crossed his arms.
"So by saying that I am predictable you are admitting that you expected of me. The print clearly states that you should never expect anything from anyone. That way you are not angered when you don't receive it or when you do."
She copied his relaxed pose and crossed her arms as though mirroring him.
"Than if you are expecting me to expect something of you, you are then a hypocrite to your own opinion."
He shrugged casually "Only if you believe I expected anything from you in the first place."
He walked in front of her and placed the book in her hands. She held her breath as he leaned in to her ear and whispered,
"One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing."
After that encounter he would come by just to debate with her. He would randomly pick up a book in the section he found her in and would ask her opinion. They would share views on topics from politics to stereotypes.
They never lashed out at another even when some of his comments sent a glare his way. Sakura found that she quite enjoyed talking to him. He knew so much about different subjects and ideas.
She had never meant anyone so...so...different. It was this difference in him that intrigued her. Even when he was a pain in the ass or a cold statue she never found his company uncomfortable or displeasing.
Tsunade had always said "The books that people check out say a lot about their character."
If that was so his character was....
'Wonderful?' she heard echo in the back of her mind.
She sat down on a seat beside the window overlooking the library's entrance.
'I don't know what you're talking about.'
Inner laughed 'Tsk tsk. You should know it's a sin to lie. Admit it. You like him.'
Sakura blushed furiously and looked down at her hands folded in her lap.
'I certainly do not!'
'Yes you do. If that weren't true than why waste a year talking to him? Why not just ask Tsunade for different shifts so you wouldn't bump into him? Face it girl. The sooner you stop lying to yourself, the better you'll be in life.'
Sakura exhaled and rested her hand upon her knee while leaning into the palm of her hand. Her finger played with a loose string on her black skirt.
'I'm not lying. I just...I…don't just like him. I mean I'm not saying I want to marry the guy. I'm just saying that for some reason 'like' sounds like the wrong word to use. This feeling in my chest is so overwhelming. It feels like it's consuming me. Not even my ex boyfriend Sasuke ever made me feel like this. And I was in love with him. Or at least I thought I was.'
She closed her eyes and breathed in.
'I don't know. Maybe I just thought he was hot or something. Which is exactly my point in having no social life aka no boyfriends. If I lock myself in a place where I can be myself than I won't ever have to be anything else. Not for friends. Not for Sasuke. Not for anyone.'
To Sakura's surprise Inner didn't reply in the same bitchy way she usually did. Her voice softened as she said
'Has Gaara ever asked you to be anything other than yourself? Has he ever tried to take your ideas and twist them or alter the way you think? He asks for your opinion every time an argument is brought up. Sure he points out a thing or two in your values and beliefs but hasn't he always respected your perspective and never asked for anything more than your outlook on life?'
Sakura's eyes widened.
'Do you see now? You can't hide behind the walls of the library forever. Sooner or later you're going to have to stop using this place as a human shield and start living for more than just fairy tales on paper. As for what you feel you already have the answer to that question'
Inner faded into the shadows of Sakura's mind.
'I do know what I feel' she thought as she opened her eyes and looked to the sky covered in hues of red, blue, purple, and orange.
'I love him.'
Sakura snapped back to reality when she heard Tsunade's voice in the background.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts "I'm sorry Tsunade-sama what were you saying?"
Tsunade rolled her eyes while writing down on an index card "I said that I can't wait for that any longer. The list for check outs on that book can be wrapped around this library twice."
She finished scribbling down what was on her computer screen and then extended it out to Sakura.
"What's this?" she asked taking it from her hand.
"That's Gaara's address" she replied "I'm not going to just sit here and wait for him to show up. Go by his place and retrieve the book by Friday."
Sakura's face drained of color as the index card shook in her hand. "W-what? B-but I d-don't-"
"No buts" Tsunade interrupted as she shook her index finer side to side.
"That book is new and I'm tired of people walking in and asking for it while I have to give them the same broken record song that it's not available. Well we will make it available whether Gaara's done with it or not."
Sakura hung her head in defeat. She knew there was no point in trying to argue with her.
She would end up going there whether she liked it or not.
The sad part of it was it was already getting to the end of Wednesday...
Sakura groaned loudly into her pillow. Why did she have to be the one to go get it?
Her best friend Ino rolled her blue eyes at Sakura's actions and continued to flip through her magazine. She had her blond hair loose and wore white shorts and a blue tank top.
She sighed when Sakura began to kick her feet like she was five. "Come on forehead. You've been groaning like that for an hour now. It's not that big a deal."
Sakura bounced up and sat with her legs crossed and elbows planted on each knee. "What do you mean it's no big deal? It totally is a big deal!"
Ino closed the magazine and pushed it aside. "You're only making it seem so much larger than it is. You are just going over to get a book. It's not like the guy is going to rape you or something."
She rolled her eyes again when she saw Sakura's horrified look.
'Rape?' Inner laughed
'You know you wouldn't mind if he decided that you should make a deal in order to get the book back. Maybe he'll make us give him some kind of soothing massage! Or put on a show by stripping away every piece of clothing slowly! And if we're lucky he might even let us ride-'
'Oh my God! Stop it! I do not want you to go any further with those thoughts!'
Inner smirked 'Sure you don't. You know you've had dreams of him backing you up against the back shelves and-'
'Yes I am aware of that!' she thought as red tinted her cheeks.
'Fine. But we both know that sooner or later one of those debates is going to spark a flame. And once that happens hon there is no way to stop the fire from spreading.'
Sakura's face reddened at the thought but was brought back by Ino snapping her fingers a few inches from Sakura's face.
"Hello? Earth to forehead?"
Sakura glared at her "I think I can hear you loud and clear Ino-pig."
She laid back and stared up at the ceiling and exhaled loudly. "Maybe you're right. Going to get a book doesn't mean you should spaz out just because it happens to be Gaara I'm going to retrieve it from. All I need to do is get it and return to Tsunade before Friday which is only a day away."
Ino checked the time on the alarm clock and saw it was passed midnight.
"Well technically you have less than a day since it's Thursday already."
Sakura shot up from the bed, looked at the alarm clock, and then fell over the edge. Ino lifted up the magazine again and sighed.
"Guess you should start hyperventilating to keep yourself sane for the next 24 hours."
...
Sakura stood in front of a dark brown door with the number 312 plastered on it. She looked down at the card in her hands then at the address.
'Yup 312 it is.'
She breathed in and hesitated. 'Maybe I could just tell a little white lie that he wasn't home and that she should send someone else next week.'
An image of Tsunade with red horns, a tail, and fangs popped into her head.
She shuddered then turned slowly back towards the door and gently knocked. A minute passed and still no answer. She knocked again but this time louder than before.
'Well I guess he really isn't here. Might as well go and inform Tsunade that her precious new baby is being held captive.'
As she was about to leave the door swung open to reveal Gaara in black pants and a white tank top. Sakura's eyes ran over his muscled chest and flat abdomen.
'Oh my word! He is built!'
She assumed that he was in good shape, but she didn't expect him to be this fit. Her cheeks turned the color of her hair as she focused her eyes on something else other than his body. He stood there with the same smirk he had on when they first met but didn't speak.
She tried to summon the words to explain why she was there and to end the awkwardness.
'Tsunade sent me to stalk you until I retrieve the book you have for ransom.' She rubbed her right arm nervously and spoke in a quiet voice,
"Um..Tsunade w-wants that book you checked out a few days ago. Apparently people are starting a r-riot over it."
He stood with his hand against the door and tilted his head to the side. She blushed and looked away 'Ok seriously there has to be some sort of law that says a man is not allowed to look that tempting.'
Inner nodded and melted into a pile of goo 'Finally something we both agree with.'
Gaara's smirk widened at her nervous antics and walked back into his apartment. Sakura stood there for a moment contemplating whether he wanted her to follow. He looked back to her in an amused sort of way so she took it as a yes.
She closed the door behind her and stood in the living room. His place was surprisingly spacious considering it was an apartment. It had sand colored walls with black couches and picture frames of people she assumed were his family.
She picked up a picture of him, a girl with blond hair in four ponytails, and a guy with a hood and face paint. He looked so uncomfortable with their arms thrown around him but even then they looked happy.
She hadn't noticed him enter the room so she continued to stare at the photo until she felt his breath at the back of her neck.
"Does something interest you?" he asked in his low voice that sent a rush of chills all over her body.
She spun around quickly to face him, only to be met with intensity in his jade eyes.
He gently took the frame from her hands and placed it on the coffee table behind her.
Her eyes were wide and she could feel a sense of panic coming over her. No one had ever made her feel like every cell in her body was alive and burning. She felt as though the ache in her heart to reach out to him would burst through the cage of bone in her chest.
She closed her eyes and tried to relax her breathing and the shivers that threatened to shake her. She shut them tighter as she felt his hot breath near her ear as he whispered
"Why do you think people are afraid of change?"
Her eyes shot open as she stared into his awaiting orbs. It was silent between them as she struggled to find her voice.
"I believe it's because change brings on the unexpected. People don't like it when things are not under their control. They feel protected by a routine life and change would leave them with nothing to hold on to. It would mean they would have to leave safe and familiar behind and leave their lives to chance. People don't like to be gambled like that. They are afraid to lose."
He brought his finger beneath her chin and brought her head up to look at him. "What would you be willing to bid in if you took a chance like that?"
She looked deep into his eyes and saw something she had never noticed before. When debating she saw many emotions flash in his eyes, determination, humor, sarcasm, interest.
But now beneath the slew of remarks and the built exterior there was a hint of fear.
Her arms, as though on their own accord, wrapped around his neck and was pulling him closer. He rested his forehead against hers with his eyes shut. Her lips brushed against his as she spoke.
"A life supply of books along with myself."
He smirked against her lips then crushed her to him. Her eyes were wide but then she slowly shut them and kissed back.
Their lips slanted together eagerly. Tongues like swords battled against one another until Gaara traced her cavern.
She moaned as he licked her lips, nibbling gently on the bottom. When the need for air burned at their lungs he picked her up.
Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his waist as he pushed her against the wall. His lips returned to her mouth then trailed down her neck and collar bone.
She bit her lip as he ran his tongue over her pulse and nibbled on her earlobe. His tongue was like fire against her skin, making her yearn for the ignition.
Her hands ran down his chest and she savored the feel of muscle that rippled beneath her fingers.
He ran his teeth over the sensitive skin of her neck than bit deeply into the spot between where her neck and shoulder connected.
She bit her lip, moaning softly and felt his smirk against her skin. 'So he is a cocky one huh?'
She threaded her hands in his crimson hair with a smirk of her own. 'Two can play at that.'
She pulled her hips against his pelvis and slowly grinded herself against him. He gritted his teeth at the pleasurable friction and carried her to where she assumed was his room.
The walls were the same color as the living room with black furniture and black sheets.
Her laid her gently on the covers and pulled her into another fire consuming kiss.
She was begging to God that this wasn't a dream. But by the way his hands were caressing her it felt too real to be a dream.
But then again fate was cruel.
Her mind was swarming like a whirl pool, sucking all of her thoughts into the black oblivion. She could hardly concentrate on where his lips were or where his hands touched when a thought hit her.
He was about to slither his tongue down her collar bone until she pushed him of and straddled him with a knowing smirk.
"You" she said breathless which made him smirk along with her .
"You did that on purpose."
He reached up and released her hair from its tight bun, running his hands through her pink locks as it came tumbling down. Her fingers intertwined with his as she brought his fingers toward her lips. She pressed a gentle kiss to his knuckles.
"Please enlighten me on what I have done purposely" he said in his husky voice, his other hand resting on the curb of her hip.
She let go of his hand and leaned over pressing wet, hot kisses down his neck. "You deliberately kept the book knowing Tsunade would either send someone or come to get it herself" she breathed against his skin.
He smiled but didn't admit to it.
He didn't need to. Words were never needed.
She lifted her head to rest it against the curve of his neck "How did you know she would send me?"
He smoothed his hand against her back "Lucky guess" he said smugly.
She was about to continue her attack on his neck when he gripped her hips and flipped them so he was back on top.
She shot him a glare for stopping her fun. He smirked as he began to remove her clothes inch by inch. He grew hard at every bit of soft ivory skin revealed beneath her blue jeans and red top.
He left her in her red lacy bra and matching thong.
She looked away with a blush staining her cheeks. As he moved over her she lifted her hands and removed his tank top. Her eyes trailed over the smooth muscle exposed.
She ran her hands from his chest, trailing her finger tips slowly down his abdomen, to the loop hole for his belt. She curled her finger in and pulled him by his belt loop in a teasing way.
He chuckled and stood from the bed to remove his pants. She leaned back against the head board and watched as he pulled down his jeans, leaving him in just his boxers.
She expected him to crawl back on the bed but instead he pulled up a chair right in front of the bed and sat down staring at her.
She tilted her head to the side in confusion but he just continued to stare at her.
The way his eyes were looking at her made her wet with want. She smiled at him and pulled the covers over to hide herself from him.
She heard him laugh, standing from the chair and walking beside her.
He pulled back the covers to reveal her smiling face looking up at him. He sat at the edge of the bed and leaned in to press his lips against hers gently.
She felt him deepen the kiss and run his tongue over her bottom lip.
She opened for him and the battle flared once more. He crawled into bed and trailed his tongue down her neck where he bit her making her shiver in delight. He licked the top of her cleavage and reached behind her to unclip her bra.
She felt embarrassed and tried to cover herself but he grabbed both of her hands in one of his and bound them above her head. She glared at him and saw the way his lips quirked at the corners.
He moved towards her chest and ran the tip of his tongue over her nipple, causing her to close her eyes in ecstasy.. He took her nipple in his mouth and massaged the other with his hand.
She bit down on her lip to repress the scream building up in her throat. She felt heat pooling in her lower stomach. She felt an aching feeling to have him inside of her.
His mouth moved down her soft skin in tender kisses until he reached her abdomen. She looked down at him nervously biting on her lower lip. He grew hard at her gesture, barely keeping control of himself in the process.
He moved her thong to the side and molded his hand with her womanhood. She gasped at first then moaned as he pumped his fingers faster within her.
White lights flashed in her mind, her breathing came in gasps. She arched her back as she came.
He licked the juices clean off of his fingers. Sakura pushed him and slid his boxers down. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
She smirked down at him while running her index finger slowly from the base of his manhood to the tip. He groaned at her teasing which made her smirk widen. She gripped him and began to push and pull.
He tightly closed his eyes, his breath uneven. Just as he felt he was almost to his limit she took him into her mouth. He moaned, arching his back.
She lightly grazed the sensitive flesh with her teeth and flicked out her tongue at the tip. Soon her exploded into her mouth.
He reached for the nightstand next to the bed and pulled out a condom.
She crawled off of him and watched heatedly as he rolled it on. When he was done he pulled her towards him and laid her gently beneath him.
hey looked into each other's eyes and saw the reflection of themselves.
Gaara smiled and pushed in.
Sakura moaned beneath him and nodded her head for him to start. He began to push in and out of her, first slowly then faster with each moan it rewarded him.
Sakura ran her fingers down his back, causing Gaara to shiver at the contact. She felt that she was coming close to her end.
She tightened around his shaft and let out a silent scream as she felt waves of pleasure from her head to her toes. He pumped in and out a few more times, and then rested on her. He panted in the crook of her neck.
She soothed his back lovingly, a smile on her face. He rolled off of her and pulled her so she could rest her head in his neck.
His fingers played with the ends of her hair until she closed her eyes and fell into the most blissful sleep she had ever had.
Two months later
Sakura pushed the cart of books from aisle to aisle. She still volunteered almost all of her time to the library.
She was putting back the book 'The Last Song' when she felt arms enclose her waist from behind and pull her backwards. She giggled quietly knowing who it was.
His scent always gave him away. "Ohiyo my little cherry blossom" he whispered sexily into her ear.
She folded her arms over his and sighed happily.
Ever since she 'retrieved the book' (cough cough wink wink) he came by the library whenever she was there.
She always ended up leaving early though. She turned around to face him but he kept his grip on her hips, smiling.
She tiptoed to give him a quick and tender kiss. He pulled her against him and deepened it, resulting in Sakura's blissful moan.
She felt him harden against her and laughed deviously at how fast that had been. She didn't have time to continue her inside joke because she felt him lifting her and wrapping her legs around his waist.
She gasped which allowed him to slither his tongue into her mouth.
He traced her cavern then trailed from her mouth to her neck. Her breathing came out in gasps and soft moans.
"Gaara...gasp...we're in the library...moan...we can't do this h-here" she finished breathlessly.
He smirked and put her down. They didn't realize that someone was standing to their left, staring with wide eyes.
Sakura turned and her whole life flashed before her eyes.
'Oh shit.'
Tsunade stood there with her arms crossed and a knowing smile on her face.
Sakura blushed a tomato red and tried to come up with something to say. Tsunade laughed
"Well well I didn't know I had Sinfully Sexy happening in the aisles of my library. You two should make sure someone else doesn't walk in on you. Maybe you can persuade him to stop turning in books late."
She waved airily and walked away, all the while laughing at them.
Sakura breathed out until Gaara grabbed her hand and began to lead her out of the building.
"Gaara, where are we going?" He looked back at her with a huge smile on his face.
"You heard the woman. Looks like you'll need to start persuading me to turn in the books on time."
She blushed then smirked. 'Oh my. He is going to get it.'
The End