She paced the floor trying to decide how to tell Kakashi-sensei, Hokage now, about the news. It wasn't necessarily bad, but she could never tell how anyone felt these days anymore. She let out a huff of air in frustration and ran her fingers through her once perfectly styled pink hair at a failed attempt to ease her stress. Her pacing become less methodical and more uneasy, almost overbearing. 'How will he react?' she pondered, biting at her finger nail. It would be easier to just come on out with it, it was her former teacher and her friend after all. 'Just go for it!' She was just about to knock on the door when she heard a small murmur come from within his office. It was muffled for sure but she knew what it was. No- who it was. She knocked on the door anyway, knowing damn sure, what she was about to walk into.
"Come in, Sakura!" the older teacher called out to his old student, feeling her chakra outside. "I know it's you out there." There was a raven-haired young gentleman standing next to Kakashi, unamused at their conversation up until now. The man smirked, 'now this is going to get interesting.' His classic hairstyle grew out over the past two years. He had begun wearing clothes that fit more of his old style: a plain black shirt clung to his chest as it was starting to become too tight as well as his plain white shorts, as per his genin days. The raven-haired man turned to look toward the door.
The pink-haired woman peeked into the room. "Hehe... Hi Kakashi-sama," she nervously laughed, feeling uncomfortable with this wave of guilt that was rushing over her. 'Well it's now or never, Sakura. Just say it.' Her emerald eyes locked onto the other male in the room and she clicked her tongue in annoyance. 'What the hell does he want?' She made a sour face and turned back towards her Hokage, trying to conceal her anger, "Gaara-kun has news for you." She motioned towards Kakashi.
"Hm? Gaara-kun? So is it official then?" Sakura turned bright red, so red that her face looked similar to her shirt. The dark haired male took a good look at the girl who he once used to believe that was only his. She was toned, although not too muscular, he had heard that she had become stronger while he was away. Each time he was away, she grew stronger. Her hair was just past her shoulders, falling back into the slightly curved-in style it was in before she had ruffled just moments ago. She had on her casual red, sleeveless shirt, a beige skirt that had giant slits down both of the sides, revealing black training shorts underneath, black ankle-length boots, and a green vest worn by many shinobi. She had become beautiful, more beautiful than he had ever remembered in the past.
The blush on her face just did not want to go away as Kakashi's words rang in her ears. It was true, though, as much as she wouldn't admit it to herself. She had brought herself to love again, and this time it was for the better. She smiled to herself, remembering the first time she had kissed him, and the first time he told her that he returned his feelings. Oh, and how could she possibly forget the first time they had slept together. Her face started to lighten up, remembering that someone else was in her heart, and she in his.
Kakashi loved teasing his old students. It reminded the old man of the old days, when his team seven were just genin. He sighed at the memory, of how much had changed over time. He brought himself back to his authoritative posture and tone of voice when he remembered they weren't in the room alone. "Sakura, you said you have news?"
Her face returned to normal and sighed, "They're going to need me for another 6 months at least... Their top medic nin isn't even to half my level," she confessed. She handed her Hokage a sealed scroll. "Gaara-sama wanted me to give these to you directly."
The other male stood stoic, almost forgetting to breathe. He looked at the woman who used to love him to no end. Sasuke sighed a heavy sigh, startling the her, who had forgotten that he was in the room. They both turned to look at him to which he grunted and nodded for them to continue whatever they were discussing. After he had heard that Sakura, his Sakura, in a realtionship with another man, he scolded himself at once. The thought of her not being his... it pained him? Why did it pain him? He would have to address this at a later time.
#
Sakura fluttered her eyes open. 'How odd...' she thought to herself. Well, at least the dream she had had was half right. She was definitely in love with Gaara, as much as she would hate to admit it, to fall in love again... 'How childish. I know for a fact he isn't in love with me. If he was, he would have told her already... Wouldn't he?' She peered outside her window, still in her room. The sun hadn't risen yet, it must have been around 2:00. Alas, it truly was her room now, she had been on so many diplomatic missions to Suna that she practically lived in her apartment in Konoha and this room in Suna. Although she rejected to stay at the Kazekage's at first, each time she arrived, he had always insisted. He said that he appreciated seeing her stay safe, without fail, each time she arrived. He had always been there to greet her at the gates and personally walk her to his home, or palace, as some would call it. Sakura yawned and settled back down into her bed. Slowly falling asleep all over again.
#
Sakura peered around her surroundings. She was running, at a slow pace, but faster than any normal civilian. Her breath became caught in her throat as her body slammed against the tree behind her, sending her back several meters. She reached for the kunai in her pouch she always kept at her side. She coughed up blood as she realized that she no longer had her pouch. Run. That had always been her first instinct, but no, not this time. She dug her feet into the ground and let chakra flow through her arm to reach her fist, she slammed it into the ground, causing the earth beneath her to shake. Now, now she could run. She had to find safety, so she ran, pushing chakra into her feet. She was fast, but not fast enough. Something hit her gut. She coughed up more blood. 'Shit! I'm running out of time!' She ran faster now, trying to lose her enemy, an unknown enemy. But she knew where she was going. She recognized the way towards Suna. 'Gaara... I'm sorry, please forgive me, I have failed you.'
All of a sudden she was grabbed, dragged back into the forrest where her home village was. She braced herself for the incoming attack, when it didn't come she looked up. Gaara had protected her. He fell into her arms, barely alive. She felt a wave of tears come forth and this time she couldn't hold them back. She lost everything she had before, but this time she lost the one she truly loved. "Gaara..." she pleaded, "please stay with me! You-you can't die! I-I love you!"
#
Sakura awoke, she had been crying. She was still shaking when she noticed a pair of arms were around her, protectively. She knew automatically who it was, it was Gaara. She felt her shaking stop and came to relax in his arms. That's when she realized that she must of soaked his shirt! She shifted her head, which was on his chest, to get a better look at him. She was shocked that he was asleep, more shocked that he was shirtless. She had seen him shirtless before, mind you, but never would she ever have imagined that she would be in his arms when he was. She blushed at the thought, maybe this was still a dream? "I really do love you, you know..." she had said it softly, softer than a whisper. No one in the world could have possibly heard it, except if they were right next to her.
But Gaara was well awake, he had just thought it would be better if he pretended that he was asleep. Maybe he could finally get the chance to tell her what had been going on in his mind. 'Maybe...' he was starting to feel brave, 'maybe she will accept my offer...' He had found himself at ease in her presence for quite some time, not that he noticed at first. She had been the first person he drank with, first person who never thought twice about the past, the first person who had ever welcomed her into her home out of sheer friendship, the first person who... who he had ever let touch him so freely. His grip around her tightened ever so slightly. "Sakura..."
She jolted up, immediately regretting leaving his touch. "Y-You're awake?" He nodded in response. She blushed heavily, looking at the seen going on right in front of her eyes. He was shirtless, she was bra-less and in a tight shirt. She felt his grip tighten even more and pulled her down, hard.