Arranged?
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RECAP
The sand shinobi somehow felt tired and his green eyes began to droop. Burying his face in Sakura's pink hair, Gaara tightened his hold around her and pulled closer to his body.
He didn't know why… but it felt so right to be with Sakura. He couldn't explain it, not even to himself… Gaara drank in her sweet scent and was suddenly lost in it. He felt the darkness all around him until… nothing.
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Chapter 6: Finally Finding Comfort
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Feeling like she was ablaze, Sakura slowly opened her heavy eyes until they were half lidden. Her gaze was set on the warm fire not too far away from her.
She felt warmth coming from behind her. Sakura tilted her head downwards to find two arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against… Gaara…
Sakura let a blush cover most of her pale cheeks as she came to realize that Gaara was holding onto her…
She smiled for the first time since she arrived in Sunagakure… Wait? Why was she smiling!?! There was nothing to smile about! No, there was… Gaara, stoic, blood thirsty Gaara was actually caring for her when she needed it…
Maybe he wasn't all that bad…
The pink haired woman slightly jumped when she felt his hot breath against the skin of her neck. Sakura found her clothes on the floor in a wet and muddy heap.
Wait! If her clothes were there, then what was she wearing?
Looking down, Sakura noticed a warm robe wrapped securely on her body and underneath only her bra and panties covered her areas…
He undressed her!
That means that he would have had to have seen her in only her undergarments!
Her faint blush was now a dark crimson colour and she struggled to get away from Gaara. She felt him jerk her back against him when she was about to move away from him. His voice cut through the silence…
"Where do you think your going?"
Her breath hitched in her throat, Sakura couldn't find her voice and let the blush intensify. A tingling sensation went through her nose and she gave out a small squeaky sneeze. Gasping, when Gaara placed one of his hands on her forehead.
Sakura heard him mumble something under his breath that she didn't quite catch. She felt him move away from her, taking the warmth away from her. His footsteps traveled for a while before stopping and then the sound of rushing water filled her ears.
He kneeled beside her with a glass of crystal clear water in once hand and a small pill in the other.
Placing the glass of water on the floor, Gaara helped the kunoichi sit up. She had to admit that she felt somehow safe with him near her. He was being so gentle to her…
Placing the pill in the palm of her hand, Sakura put it in her mouth and took a large sip of water. The pill was swallowed and the glass was in the process of being emptied. Giving Gaara the now empty glass, he waked back to the kitchen but the words that Sakura spoke did not go unnoticed by him.
''Thank you…"
Coming back into the living room, Gaara continued to watch over Sakura. Her throat was agitated and felt scratchy; she gave out a rough cough.
"Why were you trying to run away?" Gaara said.
Sakura was caught off guard by his question and stayed quiet. She could hear his impatient growl meaning that he didn't want to repeat himself…
"Kunoichi…"
"Because… y… you treat me like… tr… trash…'' She admitted.
Gaara knew it himself that he hadn't been all that nice to Sakura, but dammit she really knew how to piss him right off.
Ignoring her reply, Gaara watched the flames dance in the fireplace. It was late and he knew it, Sakura had to be tired after what she did…
The pink haired woman used her hands to push herself up. Rubbing her eyes, Sakura now stood on unsteady legs.
She wobbled and trembled, Sakura felt like she was standing on ice instead of a wooden floor. Completely loosing her footing, Sakura began to fall forwards and expected to feel herself hit the hard wooden floor but instead a pair of arms wound around her and kept her in place.
Turning in Gaara's strong hold, Sakura was now face to face with the sand ninja. Before she had time to break free from him, she was lifted into his arms and they headed towards her bedroom.
Gaara kicked open the door to her bedroom and placed her on the soft mattress. He covered her up with the blankets and left the room.
Blinking, Sakura closed her eyes and soon found comfort in sleep.
Gaara was currently in his home office and finishing any unfinished work. There were still a ton of things he had to look over and sign before tomorrow when they were expected to be done.
He took out the pen again and began to sign his name on a few papers. He was now looking over the report on Otogakure and their planned attack.
We believe that Orochimaru and his sound ninja's are plotting to invade Konoha. We have already informed the village hidden in the leaves about his plans and they have asked for Sunagakure to join forces with them.
Since the arranged marriage of the kazekage and Tsunade's apprentice, Suna and Konoha are from this day on allies and will fight along side each other.
Gaara placed the report back in its original folder and went on to something different. Sakura… Why couldn't he get his mind off of her? The entire time he held onto her he became intoxicated by her…
Why though?
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Uchiha Sasuke opened the front door to his house and ran out into the night. His priority was one thing and one thing alone… to restore his clan…
And Sakura was going to help him…
Much of the storm had already blown over and a faint fog lingered. The night was clear and the air carried a musky scent with it. The grass was still damp from the down pour not all too long ago, which made it slippery for him to run on.
He had to get Sakura before day break.
Sasuke was informed that Gaara of the desert was Sakura's fiancé and it disgusted him. How could they choose someone like that to be kazekage!?! It just didn't make sense…
Sasuke had to hurry though; it would take him a while to arrive in Sunagakure. He was sure that Sakura would be in the largest house in all of the Sand country.
The youngest Uchiha knew that the journey would prove to be a long and rigorous one but he would keep going no matter what…
He needed to restore his clan and he would stop at nothing to do so.
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The kunoichi shifted from side to side in her sleep. The window had been left open and a fresh scent wafted throughout the room.
A small smile tugged at her lips as she remembered what had happened earlier between her and Gaara of the desert,
Why the change of heart all of a sudden?
Sakura didn't know why she suddenly felt so different about Gaara, just because he did one nice thing to her… It didn't mean anything, did it?
Snapping out of her thoughts, Sakura could have sworn she heard something just now… Was just her imagination or did she really hear something?
Sitting up, Sakura looked at the open window and saw a figure. He was crouched on the window sill and seemed passive…
Squinting her eyes, Sakura bunched up the blankets and brought them closer to her body. The figure jumped silently to the wooden floor and now stood at the foot of her bed.
"Get out of bed…" He ordered.
Sakura recognized that voice… It was Sasuke! He finally came for her. Doing as she was told, Sakura held the front of the robe she wore closed.
She couldn't quite move her feet and then her wrist was roughly gripped in Sasuke's powerful hand.
He tugged her forward and began to step out of the window. If she had promised Sasuke that she would bear his children and restore clan, then why was she suddenly having second thoughts?
Isn't this what she's always wanted?
To be with Sasuke?
Why am I resisting him?
Her heart thumped in her chest as that question repeated itself in her head. She heard the Uchiha give a low growl of impatience and then tugged at her wrist again.
"Come Sakura!" He commanded harshly.
Did he really love her? No, he only needed her to revive his clan; nothing more… He would never return the feelings she had for him back…
He would keep on rejecting her… But somehow with Gaara, maybe she had a chance for love?
Maybe…
Finding her inner strength, Sakura pulled her wrist away from his grip and took a step back. She was staying and that was final!
"No Sasuke…" She said.
"I'm not going with you…"
A dry chuckle erupted from the Uchiha's throat at Sakura's words. Did he think that she was actually kidding?
"Leave now Sasuke!" Sakura demanded.
The raven haired shinobi neared her until he was mere inches away from her. Sakura's eyes held determination and Sasuke's held anger.
"Don't tell me that you chose that monster over me!?!" Sasuke said mockingly.
"Go Sasuke!"
She was starting to get pissed off! Why wasn't Sasuke leaving like she had told him to do?
"You're a fool for falling in love with that monster…" Sasuke stated.
"He's not a monster! You bastard!" Sakura countered.
"Pathetic…" The Uchiha said under his breath.
Sakura was midway from her bed when she heard him call her pathetic… That was what everyone referred to her as… pathetic…
That's all they ever saw when they looked at her… Nothing more…
"Go find some other woman to restore your fucking clan!" Sakura shouted.
In a split second, the kunoichi found herself slammed against a wall and a hand around her throat. She tried to pry Sasuke's fingers from around her neck, but it was futile…
She wasn't strong enough… weak…
The Uchiha's eyes held hate in them… Sakura's emerald ones held fear. She gasped for breath that her lungs burned for but couldn't get any.
Was he going to be the one to end her life?
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Gaara dropped his pen when he felt a familiar charka coming from upstairs. Standing from his chair, he ran up the stairs and pushed open the door to Sakura's room.
His eyes widened in shock at what he was seeing.
"Get the hell away from her Uchiha!" He yelled.
His sand snaked towards the sharingan user and tried to grab hold of him. The Uchiha let the grip around Sakura's go and she fell to the floor.
Her eyes wide with absolute fear.
"Pathetic…" Sasuke had muttered before he disappeared out the window.
Gaara was at her side at once; he helped her stand on her two feet and walked her towards her bed. The robe that she had on was practically sliding off her shoulders and he had to wrap it around her.
He covered her with the blankets and walked over to the window. Gaara shut it and was just about to exit the room if it weren't for her voice stopping him from doing do.
"Ga… Gaara please stay with me..."
He looked to the floor and let a sigh escape his lips before turning around and walking over to her bed.
Gaara went under the covers and rested his head on one of the soft pillows. He shut his eyes and tried to fall asleep.
Sakura rolled over to the side and cautiously wrapped her arms around Gaara. He flinched at her touch but didn't tell her to stop.
Her cheek was pressed against his back as she moved closer to him. Their legs entangling with each other.
"Thank you," She whispered.
"Gaara-kun…"
His face softened when he heard Sakura add kun after his name. No one had ever done that before.
He couldn't voice out a your welcome and simply closed his eyes. Shortly after he fell asleep with the kunoichi embracing him from behind.
No one but his siblings have ever really taken a liking to him and tended to stay as far away as possible from him…
They feared him…
But not her… not Sakura…