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As he slipped in and out of consciousness he caught brief snatches. " . . . we need to--," a voice started only to be cuttoff abrubtly.
"No. Leave him. In time he'll--" Gaara slipped back into unconsciousness.
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Gaara grunted slightly when a foot nudged his ribs. He raisedr eyelids to see a pair of red eyes stairing at him. He tried focus, to remember what had happened. He knew he wasn't in Sunagakure any more as the climate was cooler.
"Get up. We have to move." That voice . . . .it was so familiar. But whose was it. He remembered the name of the man with red eyes, it was Itachi Uchiha, but whose was the other voice.
A pair of hands hooked him around the waist to pull him into a strong arms. Gaara's head tipped back over the arm under his head leaving him staring at the Akatsuki member carrying him. He knew he should fight but couldn't bring himself to. The person carrying him was familiar and yet . . . a stranger.
It was then that he remembered. Pein. The only man he'd ever loved and his only lover.
~ & ~
Deidara glanced over at Gaara just in time to see him lift a hand and place it on the back of the orange hiared ninja. He lifted his other hand and and brushed back the spikes that lay on the Pein's face. It disturbed him to see the man smile down at Gaara, whom he craddled tenderly, almost possesively against his chest.
Itachi just sighed when he saw the affection passing between his fellow Akatsuki member and Gaara. He knew more about them two than anyone else did. It didn't bother him anymore.
Just then a cry of alarm passed his lips when he saw a kunei fly towards the man carrying him . . . . . . . .
~ & ~
Gaara eyes widened and a cry of alarm slipped past his lips. Almost unaware of commanding the sand on the ground, he formed a sand barrier. The man holding him stared down at him with a sense of wonder. He lowered Gaara to his feet and tipped the Jinchuriki's head up. His claimed Gaara's in a seductive kiss, slow kiss. He flicked lightly at the redhead's lips with his tongue. Pein eased his hands up Gaara's shirt and slid them over the smooth taught muscles there.
Gaara pulled away as a cry of pain slipped through the barrier. He could feel his strength failing and his chakra draining. Pein's eyes widened, Gaara was lowering the barrier around them. He tensed ready to fight if he had to. When he saw that all the enemy had eihther fled or were dead on the ground he relaxed.
"What the heck were you doing?" Deidara asked, anger was evident in his voice.
"He was protecting me." Gaara answered. His voice was faint. When he swayed Pein wrapped an arm around his waist suporting his weight. Just as his legs began to fold under him he was swept back into Pein's arms.
Pein couldn't beleive how foolish Gaara was to protect him. He slowly began walking towards their compound wondering how he was going to explain the redhead' s presence to Tobi.
END
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