Hi, Guys! I know you all may not know this, but I am a Naruto dweeb! I LOVE IT! I was introduced to this pairing when I was around twelve, and got hopelessly hooked. I couldn't help it-Gaara-kun deserves love. Well, on to the show! Thank you for reading!

Age 13

Inuzuka Hana was close to sobbing. Her baby brother had been shoved down at school, and was trying to save the offending boys' hides by saying he tripped and fell. She wasn't going to buy that crap—you don't get gravel stuck in your knee from falling (unless you're higher up), and no little brother of hers was going to get beat up without her kicking some butt.

However, that's not why she was crying. She was crying because when she asked him why he let himself be shoved, he said it was either the pretty girl who talked tough, or him, and he decided to save her. Big, wet crystal clear tears were rolling down her cheeks. He'd told her about the loud, pretty, rough-around-the-edges, blonde haired beauty he'd taken to saving. Poor Kiba was smitten at nine and didn't realize it.

She smiled at him when he pestered about her tears, glad for him that he had staked a claim already. She hadn't even gotten a lead…

Three Years Later

Hana smiled at Kiba as he walked through the door, laughing as he made fun of Ino—the loud blonde—whom he was calling 'his woman' "Yah," he grinned, "She wants meh, but she can't handle meh yet, so she's stayin' 'way. Can't blame 'er—the ladies love me. But I wish she'd realize she's mah woman and to stop chasin' that jerk Sasuke around like a bitch in heat."

Hana nodded, not scolding him for using a dog reference about 'his woman'—she laughed yet again, a bark of a laugh, the one thing that she had gotten from her mother other than the clan. 'If only he knew how lucky he was for finding her so soon…' Yet she caught an intoxicating scent when he came in from the first day of the Chunin exams… So delicious it shocked her, and she tried to follow it, with no luck, wishing she had, wishing she could find him…

Four Years Later

Oh, he was growing to be so very handsome. Her baby brother was growing into a man. At eighteen, she wasn't so bad herself. She'd finally found that scent, quite by accident, at her clinic one day. She peered out of her office into the lobby, and a Sand nin was sitting there—red hair, pale skin, and jade eyes, so beautiful she stared for a moment before calling him in.

She was mesmerized by the curve of his jaw, the flaming red 'love' tattoo on his forehead—no, it was a scar, a very, very red scar. She touched her markings, thinking of the pain she endured at birth getting them—her earliest memory, the only one before Kiba was born. "I'm here to see if you have any puppies." She looked strangely at him. He had a look in his eyes that was calm, cool, sexy, and almost heartless. 'Oh, dear God, please don't be gay, don't be gay, don't be gay…!'

"It's for my sister. She's pregnant, and demands to have company while my brother-in-law is out on missions." She let out a breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding, and he smiled at her. She blushed, embarrassed, but also hot and bothered from his half-smirk, and muttered, "You wouldn't believe the kind of people who want a dog… Let me guess, a si—" "—berian husky, yes. I've heard they're quite well behaved once trained… I don't suppose you have one pre-trained?"

She wasn't going to say it, she wasn't going to say it, she wasn't goi—"Well, no, but I have three dogs, all wolves, and a husky identical to them. Do you think she'd tell the difference? Or would she be okay with borrowing my dog while I train the husky? It'll only be about three days."

Another smile. Was he determined to make her melt into goo? "I think that would be fine. I may not be able to bring him back right afterward, but I'll take care of him until I can. Her husband will pick him up in three or four days, then."

"I'll just need you to sign here… here… initial here…burn your arm with a cigarette and put the ashes here…," she droned until the last bit, her teasing light and playful. He held out his hand, and she gave him a curious look. "I need a cigarette. I don't smoke." She stared, mouth gaping open.

He gave her the cutest cock-eyed 'huh?' look she'd ever received, and she collapsed into giggles, which melted into laughter. "What?" he asked. "I was kidding!" she laughed, grasping her table for support as she held her stomach. He gave her an odd look, but smiled, putting a hand on hers and silencing her. "My raising was…a bit off. I never really played. I tried, but the concept never stuck…"

Hana's face fell. She felt so bad now. How was she to know? But why didn't she? It was confusing. "I'm so sor—mmff!" He put his hand over her mouth, gentle as can be. "You did nothing to offend me," he told her, "You didn't know." She nodded, and he pulled his hand away. "I'mstillsorry!" she blurted, a game she and Kiba had come up with when one wouldn't listen to the other.

The redhead, now turned to the door, smiled at her again, and she called after him, "I'll have to talk to you about getting childhood lessons, but I need to know your name first!" He opened the door, and before he shut it, replied, "Sabuku no Gaara…" Her heart stopped, and she whispered the next words with him. "Kazekage of the Sand…"

"MOM! We have a situation!" she yelled clear across the house when she opened the door. "Hm?" "I met my mate." Tsume's face lit up like a firecracker. "Atta girl, Hana! I knew you'd find 'im eventually! You hadta, it's fa—" "He's the Kazekage." Her mother's jaw hit the floor, and Kiba ran in when he heard the squeal she made.

"R-really?" Nod. "You're not shittin' meh?" Shake. "Your mate is Kage of the sand?" Nod, nod, nod, nod. "He was looking for a dog…and I didn't have any huskies trained, and I sent Jilmara with him as a fill in until he can bring her back in person… "HANA INUZUKA! YOU LET SOMEONE BORROW YER PUP?" Hana nodded, but softened the blow. "That 'someone' is my mate."

Tsume nodded, but was very obviously unhappy with this decision. Hana bowed; glad she was always the respecting, respectful child and not the same as her mother—strong-headed, slick, and loud—like Kiba always had been. "Go train tha dog, and do it quickly. I'm going to go ask tha Hokage where tha boy is staying." Hana was embarrassed, but did as she was told.

Within two days of training, the dog was on even par with the Inuzuka dogs. She'd known that Gaara's sister was Temari, Mistress of the Fans—an extremely well known ninja for her efforts in the war against the Akatsuki a half year before—so she trained the husky to be a ninja dog, but well behaved and loving, too.

With a heavy red blush on her cheeks, she knocked on the Kazekage's door, embarrassed that her mom had forced her to do this herself. A tall man with a handsome face opened the door. He had purple paint smudges on his cheeks, telling her that he was Kankuro, the Puppet Master.

"Whatcha want, pretty little girl?" She glared at him with a ferocity that would've made Kiba run for the hills (but only if he got it from her), and Kankuro merely laughed. "That Temari's pup? Alright. I'll go get your dog." Hana stopped him. "Actually, I would like to have conference with Kazekage-sama as well."

The shock on Kankuro's face was evident. Kazekage-sama? Gaara would laugh when he heard that one. Or he would look greatly amused, at the least. "'Kay, but don't call him Kazekage-sama. Gaara would be fine." She shook her head. "I must show him respect. Have a…proposition of sorts for him." Kankuro nodded, smirking as he led her down the hall to Gaara's room.

"Gaara-onii, you have a visitor." "Really? Give me a moment to change out of my night robe." Hana blushed, and said, "That's not necessary, Kazekage-sama, I'll only take a moment of your time. I am sorry for waking you." Kankuro peered in, amused to see a look of awe on his brother's face as he replied, "Ah! Inuzuka-chan" "Hana, please." "Okay. Come in, Hana-chan."

She did, and saw her wolf…lying on his bed, curled up with his pillow, nose buried in it as she slept. "Kazekage-sama! You're going to spoil her!" Hana teased, and Gaara gave her that smoldering emo-boy smile that shut her up. "Just Gaara, please," he told her, "Kankuro, you may go." With that, the puppet man was gone, and Gaara had Hana all alone.

"Please, Hana-chan, sit with me," he asked her kindly, and she did, taking a seat at a table he had in the middle of the room. He sat opposite her, and whistled for her dog. Jilmara settle beside him, and he stroked her smoky-grey fur. "You've grown fond?" she asked, and he nodded. "When I was young, all I wanted was a pet, because animals don't care what you have inside you." Hana nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about. The Shukaku.

"She usually doesn't take well to strangers, but you're special, Gaara-sama." He smiled again, and thanked her. "No…I mean, specifically to me and my dogs…" And she began to explain the process of finding a mate.

"When we Inuzuka become old enough, we can smell the aura of others. Whoever's aura attracts us most is destined to be our mate…You…Your aura, I mean…Is best for me. I know you don't know me well, but my mother wanted me to ask if you'll court me. I understand that you are likely to turn me down, but I need to know if there's any chance."

Gaara looked at her, almost through her, with his piercing green eyes, and said, "I accept." Her mouth gaped open. "Are—are you sure?" she asked, "You could be getting in deep with this. You might get stuck with me. Are you sure you're okay with that?" He nodded, and she couldn't help but smile when he did. He stood, gave her a feather light peck on the forehead, and walked out to find Kankuro, leaving her there, staring after him.

He came back with tea, and sat beside her this time, setting her tea in front of her. "Oolong tea! My favorite! But how did you—?" He looked like he was about to grin. "It has been my favorite since I was very young," he replied, and she merely stared as he sipped his.

"We must speak about the requirements of this court," he said. She nodded, though confused. "We have none," she replied, "except that you court me for a period of four months, and if I have driven you off, you'll never have to see me again, and I'll be told to find a new mate." He nodded, and replied, "Mine is much the same, except for seven months. I have to find a bride soon, so they've shortened it down to three."

Hana blushed. He was considering her a potential bride? While sweet, it was almost rushing things. But that's how he wanted it, and how her mother did, and she didn't mind. He was very sweet from what she'd seen, and took good care of Jilmara. She wondered how he would be with the other two.

"How is this going to work? Are we going to strive to see one another every chance we get? Will we be chaperoned?" she asked, and he shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I'm as clueless as you are." She sighed, and looked at him with resolve in her eyes. "We'll just make our own rules then!" He smiled, and said, "I don't think it works that way, Hana-chan." She shrugged, and said, "Well, it'll work until we have other rules."

They sat there for thirty minutes, making random lists, laughing and genuinely enjoying each other's presence. "Oh! Look at the time, Gaara-kun! I have to get to work. Would you mind…?" "I'll walk you there. I have nothing to do today, as it would happen, so would you mind my company?" She smiled. "Not at all. I'd be honored…"

Two months later

"Good morning, Gaara-kun," Hana chirped as she walked into the living room of Gaara's home, "Kankuro said you weren't feeling so well, so I brought you some soup." She heard him welcome her in, and the state he was in scared her. His skin unhealthily pale, even for him, and the dark circles around his eyes darker and thicker. His green eyes were glassy, and he was shaking.

"Oh, my poor Kazekage…," she almost cried, setting down the soup and tea and wrapping her arms around him. He smiled weakly, and said, "It's only a fever, Hana." She pouted. "I know that, but you're still sick!" He chuckled, and she got the soup. "Eat this, you'll feel better." He laughed, and did as he was told, laughing yet again as she forced the tea on him, too.

Three Months Later

"Happy Birthday, Sis!"Kiba shouted loudly, a birthday cake in his hands. "I don't want a birthday party! I'm getting oooooold!" she cried out, and a calm voice behind her whispered, "Then I'm carrying you." And he did, bridal style, all the way to the other side of the compound. "Gaara! Put! Me! Down!" He chuckled, and turned a corner, knowing she was pulling her punches as her hands 'gently' thudded against his back.

The courtyard where they had walked so many times was filled to the brim with lilac and roses, elephant ears and various flora and fauna. She'd had a hippy birthday party because of her name meaning flower, but this…this was breathtaking. Wildflowers from Konoha, wildflowers from Suna, all collaborated into one huge garden. For her. All of it for her.

"So, sis, whatcha think? Huh? Pretty awesome, right? I think E did a great job." His bride blushed, and he laughed as she looked away from everyone and muttered that it was nothing, Sakura could've done it for Pete's sake. Sakura, who understood that Ino was referring to their younger years of kunoichi training, laughed. Kankuro, who didn't know that girls didn't have training like that (Temari never did), scowled at Ino, but she shrugged it off as Sakura punched him lightly (a very hard punch to normal ninjas, but Kankuro was used to it, glad it lessened as they progressed in their relationship.)

"This, however," Ino said, motioning to a bed of flowers next to her, "was a pain in the butt, so enjoy it, Hana!" Gaara put her down gently, and Hana went over to study the roses and ninja wolvesbane, tears forming in her eyes at what they spelled. She looked at the flowers, then Ino, then the flowers, the Gaara, kneeling beside her, and leapt into his arms, bawling.

"Now, now, love, don't cry. You don't have to say yes, you can refuse if you'd—" "I say yes." Hana's eyes watered even more, tears soaking Gaara's white robe's shoulder, realizing what this meant. "I say yes…" And she cried harder, Gaara chuckling again as he wiped away her tears.

A month later

"Do you, Inuzuka Hana, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" "I do." Tears were slipping down her face. She noticed a lone tear go down his. "Do you, Sabuku no Gaara take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" "I do." He sounded happy, Hana noted, so, so very happy!

"I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride." He did. It lasted a sweet, sweet, moment, and Hana knew he was savoring it, memorizing it, too. As their lips met, Tsunade closed the bible, sighed, and said, "Amen." She paused a moment, and commented, "That was uselessly long and boring. I think I'll have Kakashi do this from now on, he finished Stutterbug's wedding fast enough."

Only then did she notice that Kakashi was nodding, and Anko was thunking him on the head affectionately, Tirana squealing happily. She also noticed that, finally, Gaara and Hana had quit kissing, and that the organist in a chair, instead of playing a wedding song to get them off the alter.

Then a c.d. started playing, scarily and oddly enough for a wedding, 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica. Hana couldn't help it—the stress and relief and now this? She laughed. She laughed and it infected Gaara, and they made whispered plans about thanking Kankuro later… By returning the favor, and playing 'Puppet' at his wedding, which was fast approaching.

Hana nodded affectionately at the two-year-old tossing flower petals, her silver hair wild and sticking out at odd angles. Hatake Tirana, the spitting image of her father, with the attitude of the crazed whirlwind that was her mother. She looked up at Tsume, whose eyes were red and puffy for the first time since Hana and Kiba's father's death.

Tears rolling down her cheeks, she opened the door for her daughter, and Hana smiled yet again at the fact that her mom was wearing a suit. Armani, if she guessed right, straight from (Gaara's closet? No. Kiba's closet? Are you nuts?) Kankuro's closet. Kankuro wore a similar one, smiling as innocently as he could as the heavy metal played overhead and he held open the door.

"Tch, more like 'Exit Sandman', 'cause I know she'll have you stashed away for days, ja?" Hana glared at him, blushing furiously, and Gaara laughed. "You know that's his way of saying 'congratulations', love." Hana looked up at her…husband? Whoa, that would take getting used to, wouldn't it? But she liked the ring of it.

"I know." She rolled her eyes, getting another laugh. Oh, she loved his laugh. It lit up the room, and she was told she was the first to make him laugh—an honest laugh, not a 'Muaaahahaha, now you DIE!' laugh, though Kankuro swore it sounded like nearly the same laugh to him, just kinder.

Gaara picked her up and carried her to the carriage, much to her protest, but she couldn't really fight back. The ceremonial kimono she was wearing was an heirloom to her clan, and if she ripped it, her mother would kill her. Besides, Hana knew she would love seeing one of her own wear it someday—or two, maybe three if she was lucky. She hoped like hell she was lucky.

They were driven to their temporary home (the guest house on the edge of the Inuzuka clan), and left alone. Hana had cleaned the house a week before, and with all of their stuff put in it a few days ago, it was cozy. Homey. Her Chunin vest beside his gourd and sash, looking strange but natural, was the first thing they saw. It felt like home. A new one, but home.

Gaara wasted no time pulling the doors to the master bedroom open, Hana in his arms until he set her on the bed, and helping her with the first few layers of the kimono and letting her hair down, glad that her sleeping kimono was under it just for this purpose. He paused to let her fold and store the ancient kimono, and was about to help her with the final layer, but she kissed his neck, extracting feelings from him that he didn't know he had.

She nipped his neck, hands slipping under his kimono and onto his chest. He put his arms around her, and onto the bed they fell as his knees gave out, her canine teeth sinking into his neck, a smile on his face. She sat up, and for a moment stayed there, straddling his waist, hands on his chest, looking down at his beautiful pale skin, and then she gently untied the loop to his kimono's top layer, pulling back the sides and discarding it on the chest by their bed, next to hers. Now he was only in his sleeping kimono, too.

He surprised her, flipping them over and kissing her so sweetly, so gently. He was the softness to her, although many others believed that it was the other way around. He calmed her, she calmed him, and he was yin to her yang. But they were both livewires right now, and he proved it as he ripped the kimono off her and buried his face between her breasts, nipping and suckling gently at the soft skin there. She tangled her hands in his hair, a half-silent moan escaping her lips.

"Gaara…," she whispered, and he peeked up at her with one green eye, slowly licking that soft skin. "Yes, love?" he asked. "This is…no fair…you still have…your kimono…" And with the last bit of sanity out the window, Hana flipped them back over, biting his neck as she pulled a kunai from the bedside table and cut the tie around his waist, pulling it off and tossing it in the floor beside her kimono, as she did with his kimono soon after.

They were bare now, and Gaara was near-crazed at her body over his, her breasts hanging down. He cupped one in his hand, suckling gently on her nipple. She sighed, moaning gently and falling to the side, pulling his head close to her chest. He rolled on top of her and pulled away, looking down into her eyes and feeling the hunger she felt.

He nudged her legs apart and lay between them, and asked, "Are you ready?" She nodded, slipping her feet backwards, bending her knees. He gently slipped into her, only going about half in, moving slowly, and letting her get used to him. She moaned gently, her dark eyes fluttering closed as she wrapped her arms around him. He went in deeper, continuing as she got louder and louder.

He gently broke her barrier, stopping as she cried, kissing her tears away and promising it would get better, that it wouldn't hurt after this one time. She nodded, knowing, but the tears poured anyway. Then it all faded, and she nodded to him once more, signaling that he could go again.

He went faster this time, going deeper and delving into places that Hana hadn't known could exist until that moment. He possessed her, he owned her, but most of all; he loved her in those moments. Those frenzied, hungry, beautiful moments of bliss. Then Gaara sent her over the edge, and lost himself as well.

They lay there panting, Gaara collapsed on Hana's chest, and he faintly noticed his back was bleeding from the places her nails had broken the skin. He couldn't feel anything but pleasure in the pain. He couldn't believe for a moment that his sand didn't protect him, but didn't care. He wanted these scars. He wanted the memories of that first time.

He watched her breathing slow back down, then slow some more as she fell asleep, her arms around him, holding his head to her chest. He fell asleep, too, joining her in dreamless sleep. When they woke up, there was pounding at the door. "Hey, Sis, sorry ta interrupt, but I have news I wanna tell yah face to face!"

Hana was up as soon as Gaara would let her up, yanking on another kimono before answering the door. "Do you have a good reason for waking me u—" "I'm gonna be a DAD!" Kiba yelled, picking Hana up by the waist and spinning her around, both of them crying. He put her down gently.

"Con…congratulations!" she managed to say before she flung her arms around him, holding him as he gently sobbed, the reality of that fact hitting him in the face as he told one of the only people he had ever really looked up to. Gaara walked to the doorway wearing a plain brown kimono, saying his congratulations as well.

Kiba shook his hand, and said, "Thanks. You better get busy, or I'll have a higher tally." Hana groaned, and wiped Kiba's eyes with her kimono sleeve. Gaara smiled, and nodded, winking at Hana. Now she knew he was going to torture Kiba with the information game. Oh, lord. But he didn't, not this time, and instead went inside to make tea.

"I'm gonna letcha get back to yer honeymoon, 'kay? Have fun, Flower." And with this, Kiba kissed his sister's forehead, walking down the stairs and down the path as tears flowed down her cheeks again. He had never done that before. Even when he was a small child, he had never done that. But she understood the meaning, and she ran to Gaara, crying into his chest about it. Kiba had 'told' her he loved her, and she was glad.

Gaara smiled, holding her and petting her hair and shushing her gently. Then he wiped her eyes and poured her some tea, drinking his cup as he sat against the wall and she sat against his chest, sipping hers. Then they wound up in bed again, clasping hands this time as they careened over the edge, still holding hands as they fell asleep.

Five Months Later

"Oh!" Hana gasped, Gaara rushing over, worry obvious on his face. "She…she kicked," Hana sighed in wonder as Gaara held her hand. He refused to let her out of bed, much less on missions, claiming she was put on maternity leave. Apparently, so was he, and had Baki in charge for a little while so he could fuss over his wife.

"I'm fine, really I am!" Hana protested as he stared at her worriedly, "Come here. Feel." She put Gaara's hand on her stomach and hoped for the baby to kick again. It did, lighting up Gaara's face. He put his cheek to her stomach and rubbed, muttering to their baby, whom he was insistent on naming Aziza, swearing that she had to be a girl.

"Ziza, Daddy's here. Can you hear me? I love you, my Ziza, I love you." She, or he, kicked again, right where Gaara's hand was, and he grinned at Hana. "She heard me," he beamed. She nodded, hands on her stomach. Kankuro burst in, and yelled, "I got the reports! It's a girl!" He slammed the ultrasound down on the table in front of the two soon-to-be parents. Gaara smiled, happy that his wife's clan would pass through their side of the family. "Told you," he teased lightly, though he was shaking. From sheer joy or half-fear, she wouldn't learn until later.

Seven Months Later

A cry drifted from the crib, waking Hana instantly. "I'll get her," her husband assured her, pulling her down to the bed and crawling out. He picked up the red-headed girl, rocking her gently, singing, "Rock-a-bye, Ziza, on the treetops, when the wind blows, the cradle will rock, when the bow breaks, the cradle will fall, and we'll catch Aziza, cradle and all…" The baby was now cooing, and fell asleep in her father's arms.

"Thank you, Gaara…," Hana mumbled, her dark rings rivaling his from lack of sleep. He smiled, and got back in bed, cradling her in his arms as they drifted to sleep again…

I know I made Hana really cry-y, but each time she cried, it was an emotional time, right? So I made her do what I wold-bawl my eyes out. Thank you for reading! As always, I won't plead for reviews, but I would be honored if you would leave them. Thank you all, reviewers or not.

Peace, Love, and Animals!-ILF