Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto as it belongs to its respective creator(s), so that means I make no monetary profit from writing this fic.
Summary: Sakura is in denial, until he sets their world on fire…
Warning(s): AU-ish, Sexual insinuations, profanity…
Rating: Light M
Author's Notes: This rare one-shot from me was born out of…odd circumstances. My friend and I have been playing a little challenge/game with each other called the Drabble Wars, and Saku gave me the prompt: Gaara/Sakura - "We are young/So let's set the world on fire/We can burn brighter/than the sun." In any case, I hope this isn't too awful and that you enjoy the fic. - Yo
How We Burn
by Yo
Finished: 3/21/12
WC: Approx. 2,000
Sakura sent the Kazekage subtle glances every so often.
I just want to make sure he's alright, She reasoned with herself.
After all, he had just been dragged back to life and had a raging demon sucked out of him, not even three days ago. She couldn't help worrying for him in a medical, completely professional way. There was most certainly not anything else to it.
Sakura looked at Gaara and suddenly their gazes were locked with one another. A flush of shame, of embarrassment colored her cheeks, even while his features remained impassive. A jolt of something suspiciously like desire shot through her, and it must have showed on her face because he was now looking at her with interest. Her cheeks flamed brighter and she looked away and down at the ground in his office, where Team 7 and Gaara's siblings were gathered.
"Sakura? Didn't you hear me?"
Sakura glanced toward Kakashi, not sure what he had said or asked. Her face burned all the brighter because now everyone was looking at her.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch what you said," She admitted with a sigh.
She willed like hell for her blush to disappear and fixed her eyes on a point on the beige wall a little past Kakashi. What the hell was she doing staring at Gaara? He was obviously fine.
She'd talked to the medics overseeing his care, and she was satisfied that he'd been given the best care possible. While she would rather see to such matters herself, she recognized that he was Suna's…not Konoha's…not hers to mend. A strange sadness suddenly filled her, and she didn't know why. She quickly shoved that aside, not even wanting to analyze the reason behind its appearance…because the reason couldn't be anything good.
"I asked if you'd be willing to stay behind in Suna awhile longer."
She completely looked at Kakashi then, noting the raised eyebrow on the uncovered side of his face.
"If it's necessary. Has the Hokage asked this of me?"
It was not lost on her that several of the occupants in the Kazekage's office gave each other pointed looks. Apparently, she'd missed a whole lot more than Kakashi's question. Shit.
"Sakura…haven't you been listening to anything?" Kakashi asked, almost…incredulous.
No. But she wasn't admitting it out loud this time. Instead she gave a shrug of her shoulders in response and made damn sure her face was as impassive as the Kazekage's had been not even moments earlier.
Her eye twitched.
"The Hokage does not demand you stay, but she requests it because she cannot come herself. She thinks it would be wise, and the Kazekage agrees." Kakashi explained out loud, but she definitely heard his unspoken words of Are you feeling well? Because you don't do things like not pay attention to entire, important conversations. That is Naruto's forte.
Her other eye twitched, frustration beginning to well up inside. She'd made herself look completely incompetent in front of them, of him.
That was when she realized Kakashi had mentioned the Kazekage, and she couldn't help but blush again. What the hell was wrong with her?
"I am willing," She spoke quietly, not looking at any of them, hoping to hell this meeting would be over soon.
She wished she could just get away, dig a giant hole somewhere in the ocean of sand surrounding them, and hide for a hundred years. She hadn't felt this humiliated…in a long time.
"If there's nothing else to discuss, we should start heading out before the day gets any later." Kakashi stated.
"There is nothing else. I bid you safe travels back to Konoha. Please give my deepest regards to the Hokage."
Sakura stared back at Gaara when he started to speak. The man was standing to his feet, still behind his desk. She found herself immediately looking for any signs that his health was lapsing and found none. When she realized her eyes were lingering on him, she turned away again, trying her damnedest to ignore the many pairs of eyes burning into her.
"Thank you, and I will, Kazekage." Kakashi said, giving a slight bow of his head.
"Temari will escort you to the gates," The Kazekage offered.
The blonde kunoichi stepped forward to stand beside a strangely quiet Naruto, who had been behind Kakashi. Sakura's attention was drawn toward her usually obnoxious and loud teammate. He was…still out of sorts over what happened to Gaara, over the Akatsuki. She wished she had comforting words for him. She wished she could understand how he might be feeling. And then the stark and raging sadness intimately connected to Sasuke rose up inside her…rose up for Naruto. She realized she did understand. A little.
Another sigh left her and she stepped toward him, brushing past Temari to reach him. She sensed the kunoichi's curiosity just as she was acutely aware of the awkward silence that followed in her wake. But she ignored it and them. Sakura oriented her world solely to Naruto.
"Naruto…" Her words trailed off as she reached out to him, to take him into her arms.
"Sakura? What's wrong?" Naruto asked, puzzled, but not rejecting her hug.
It was at that moment she realized how…incredible Naruto was. It had finally, truly hit. The warmth in her arms came from a man whose light was greater than the sun's. And much more precious. She also realized how much she had taken him for granted, and she was ashamed. Absolutely ashamed of herself.
"Nothing," She gave him a gentle a squeeze and released him, stepping back to stare into blue eyes swirling with bewilderment and concern swirling.
His eyes widened, perhaps at what he saw reflecting back from her.
"It's not just 'nothing,' Sakura. You're crying." Naruto whispered, reaching forward and lightly touching her face.
He pulled back and showed her the droplet on the edge of his fingertip. Sakura stared at it, almost uncomprehending. She hadn't even realized she was crying. But he wasn't lying…her cheeks were drenched.
"It is nothing." She responded, wiping away the tears, and then added, "You better stay out of trouble—and safe—so you can come back to me in one piece. Don't do anything stupid or you will regret it."
She couldn't keep the teasing or the smile out of her voice, so her threat wasn't very effective. But that was okay.
She put her finger against his lips to ward him off from saying anything. She stayed like that only for a second before she moved away and stood on his other side looking straight ahead, careful not to lock eyes with anyone.
The silence was nearly unbearable until Kakashi broke it by saying "Keep in touch" to her and waltzing toward the door. Nothing else was said as Naruto and Temari followed behind them. She did not look at Naruto, but she knew he stopped in the door to look back at her, assessing and wondering…perhaps wanting to ask if she'd be okay. He didn't linger long, though.
He was gone and she felt a part of her go with him. That part was the light he gave her when he was near her. Its absence was…jarring. She wondered how she could never notice its presence before.
"You missed much of the meeting because you were staring at me Miss Haruno." Gaara stated, no emotion at all in his voice.
She looked over in his general direction, face reddening yet again, as he sat back down in his chair.
"I thought you had thing for the Uchiha. Not for my brother or Naruto. Do I get a shot, too?" Kankuro teased, immediately drawing Sakura's anger.
"Don't speak of things you know nothing about. And yeah, you'll get a shot. But it won't be the shot you're thinking because it will be my foot up your ass, making me undo all the work I put into patching you up. And if I have to do it again, I won't be…gentle this time."
Sakura grinned evilly, actually staring straight at the puppet master, who was heavily leaning against the wall at Gaara's back.
What's he doing here anyway? He should be resting. He's still on the mend. She idly thought.
"Ha! You didn't deny having a thing for them!" Kankuro exclaimed, totally brushing her threat aside.
"I don't have a 'thing' for anybody, not that this is your business." She said and didn't dignify him with the glare he deserved in favor of at looking at Gaara.
"I am sorry Kazekage. I was…assessing your health."
Not a complete lie, she thought to herself.
"Call me Gaara, and you knew very well what the state of my health was walking in here. I know you have been talking to the medics overseeing me."
"I don't know what to say. What do you want me to tell you…Gaara? What I said is true." Sakura stated.
"True, yes. But not the whole truth."
She looked at the man. Really looked. And the breath left her lungs. He was gorgeous. Why didn't she see that before? Was she even seeing the reality of anything anymore?
I still don't know what to say. So she didn't try.
"She digs you Gaara," came Kankuro's ever helpful reply.
"You are infuriating!" She yelled.
Before either man knew it, she had thrown her shoe straight at Kankuro's head.
"Ow! That hurt, you witch! You're worse than Temari. Jeesh. Can't even joke around." The puppet master started muttering under his breath towards the end of his complaint, rubbing his aching forehead as he moved toward the door.
When Kankuro left, she was still seething, even breathing a little too hard.
"You have a temper."
"Why do you keep stating the obvious?"
"Why don't you just tell the whole truth?"
"Why is it so important? I know what is required of me, even having not heard everything. I won't fail your expectations if that's what you're worried about. The Hokage trained me herself." Sakura dead panned and fixed her eyes on the man, the fury beginning to leave her, her breath starting to slow.
"But you didn't hear anything. How can I trust your competency when you don't pay attention?"
"Fine, damn it. You're gorgeous, and it should be a sin to be that distracting. There. There's the whole truth. Take it or leave it." She snapped,hiding her red face completely from his sight. "May I please be dismissed, Kazekage?"
"Gorgeous?" He asked, ignoring the latter question.
He's just not going to let this go. Why the hell did I even stay behind? He has capable enough staff. She thought, getting worked up again.
"I'm not saying anymore about it. You won't get another word out of me."
"I'll just have to take them then."
And not even before she next blinked, he had her pinned against the wall. Their bodies pressed tight together. His mouth was hot and challenging and a little mocking as she tried to push him away. She repeatedly failed at this endeavor because his kiss robbed her of all thought.
When he pulled away, she gazed up him, her breath hard and rapid. He wasn't doing much better.
Finally she became calm, and when she did, she glared up at him.
"What the hell was that for? You didn't even ask."
"I did not need to." Gaara said, emphasizing his words by pressing harder against her, gyrating his hips slowly and rhythmically in a manner suggestive of what he was thinking about doing to her at the moment...
Sakura couldn't hold the moan that shuddered out of her.
She then realized something else. Naruto wasn't the only one who could give her light. Gaara could too. He could give her light of a different kind. He could light a match inside her and watch her burn from the outside in. Just one tiny spark and she would blaze to cinders.
But she wouldn't burn alone because he would be on fire with her.
Owari?