AN: Okay so timelines are a bit off, but I really don't care it's fanfiction not an essay LMAO.
"What the hell did you do to Kankuro?!" Temari shouted as she stormed into Gaara's room determined to get an answer. When she saw Sakura sitting with him on his small couch a little too closely the sand kunoichi's face went through a range of expressions before resting on rage. "You need to stay away from him." She pointed at Sakura with an accusing finger, and Gaara was on the defense immediately.
"That is not your decision to make, Temari." The young Kazekage stood up to match her at eye level. His tone was stern and authoritative. "I was the one who put him in the hospital, she is not to blame."
"A witness claimed that you saw Sakura and Kankuro together, and lost it. I would say that makes it completely her fault." The blonde hissed at him through clenched teeth. It had been a long time since he had seen his sister so furious.
However, the fact that there was a witness now bothered him greatly. It was surely going to cause more problems, especially from the council.
"It was a misunderstanding, and I take full responsibil-"
"Gaara, they might deport her! Do you not understand? You are emotionally compromised by a ninja from another village!" Temari shouted desperately at him before turning to look at Sakura. "You have tangled my brother into a web that he should have never gotten into you stupid girl-child!"
"TEMARI!" His voice came out far more intimidating than he had meant it to, and his sister looked at him in shock. He closed his eyes, and breathed deeply in an attempt to calm himself. He was proving her point, and it didn't help his case if he let himself lose his cool. It was not Kazekage behavior. "I will handle it. Please, do not worry about me. I am fine. In fact, I am happier. I request that you don't invalidate my feelings, please."
"So, sleeping with her makes you happy then? Even when that's all it is? Surely you realize she doesn't lov-".
"I do love him, Temari." Sakura's voice was soft, but it rang true. She stood to join Gaara's side, and linked her hand with his. Even for her profession, her hands surprisingly weren't calloused. Instead they were soft, delicate, and warm. "I will accept responsibility for the trouble I have caused, but know that I do care for your brother. I love Gaara, and I plan on it staying that way."
Temari gaped at her declaration, and for a moment he thought he saw sadness wash over her, but she quickly hid it behind stone.
"You have to go back...to Konoha." His sister looked down bitterly, and for a moment he thought she would cry, but she never did. "I didn't want you to break his heart, and even if you do love him you won't be able to keep this relationship up. I would advise you both to put this behind you."
What did she mean by that?
"If she has to go back, that is fine. I have no qualms about waiting for her." Gaara spoke carefully as to not rile his sister up again.
"Gaara, you can't be with her. She's not one of our own, and the council will not have it." Temari spoke just above a whisper.
"The council does not own my body or my heart. If they plan on interfering I will fight them every step of the way." The young Kazekage argued, but when his sister's eyes met his own he felt guilty somehow.
"Even at the cost of our village? Your heart should be with your people not some leaf kunoichi." She said mournfully, but Gaara was not having it.
"This 'leaf kunoichi' saved our brother's life, brought greater health to our people, graciously shared her knowledge with our forces, and has cured our sick, wounded, and the broken. How is she a threat to us?! I see no malice from her or our ally, Konoha! The amount of gifts she has given to our cause, and our people should be more than enough to solidify her allegiance!" His voice began to raise, but it wasn't stern like before; it sounded desperate. Sakura squeezed his hand showing him that she appreciated his sentiment.
"The council won't care, Gaara! She's not one of us!" Temari argued, but it was obvious that she had no intention to hurt either of them anymore.
He had to do something, and fast. He needed to fight for Sakura to stay.
"I will arrange citizenship for her, and I will marry her to solidify it." Gaara had said it without thinking it through, and when the two women gaped at him incredulously he began to blush. It was a brash decision, but he honestly couldn't think of any other way to fight the council on it. If he wanted her to stay, and be with him romantically, then he'd have to skip the dating phase. He turned to look at Sakura hesitantly, and she was locked onto him wide eyed. "Uh...forgive me. I shouldn't make decisions like that without speaking with you first-"
"It's fine, I accept anyways." She looked away from him shyly.
Now it was his turn to be in shock.
"You're accepting his proposal?! Are you serious?! Sakura, you've only been here for two months! Not to mention seeing my brother for a little less than one! How can you just say yes like that?! It's irresponsible!" Temari lost it. Anything she had been holding back before was coming out now, and it showed in every way. From her voice to her demeanor she had proven thoroughly that she disagreed with them. "I don't support this, Gaara! You are making a mistake!"
"You are one to talk, Temari! I know you're up to something with Shikamaru, and wouldnt you know? He's a leaf ninja! I wonder how the council will feel about that?!" Sakura started to get riled up now, and the young Kazekage bristled at the new information.
"What?" He blinked dumbly.
"I am not Kazekage, Sakura. It doesn't matter if I'm with him or not!" His sister took a step forward as if to challenge the other kunoichi.
"Wait..." He stuttered.
"You are still in the line of succession, Temari. If you have a son, and Gaara doesn't, then your child would be the next Kazekage! You think the council wouldn't be on edge about that?! About you birthing the children claiming lineage to the Nara family of the village hidden in the leaves?! You are just angry that I got your brother to open up when you, his sister, could not!" The pink haired kunoichi took two steps forward, breaking out of Gaara's grip. "You are the pot calling the kettle black, and I feel for Gaara more than I ever did for Sasuke. The sick thing was, I would have died for Sasuke. So what do you think I would do for Gaara?!"
The room went silent, but her voice echoed off the walls, and in his mind.
Once he had hated Sasuke. Hated that he was loved by the people around him, but the guy was too hung up on vengeance to even notice. He hated him for not appreciating the one thing Gaara had wanted more than anything. Love.
But now, he had no clue how to feel. Gaara had seen Sakura nearly sacrifice herself for Sasuke, in fact one particular time she was protecting the Uchiha from Gaara himself. She had gotten injured in that battle, and he had almost killed her.
Now she was claiming that she would do that for him, and more. He almost couldn't believe it.
"Sakura, let's leave. I think we should go for a walk. Get some fresh air." He said it mechanically, as if his mind couldn't fathom reality at the moment. Which in all honesty, it couldn't. Sakura nodded silently before taking his outstretched hand. He hadn't even realized he had reached out for her, but subconsciously he had. Temari was flushed, both from a blush as well as the left over anger that was now leaving her. They walked past her with their heads down, and no one made eye contact. It was just known between the three of them, that the conversation was over.
He knew Temari was unhappy about it, that she was scared for his heart, and that she cared for him a great deal. She wanted to protect her baby brother, but he was a tough son of a bitch who walked tall, and proud as the Kazekage. He knew the risks, he knew the sacrifices, and Sakura had known that too.
He stopped in the middle of the hall, and she squeezed his hand lightly.
"What's wrong?" Sakura asked worriedly, and he breathed in the air around him. For once feeling real life fill him. He was higher than he had ever felt before. Gaara had felt different highs: one for killing, one for being in charge, one for an exerting fight, one for the happiness of family, one for the happiness of friendship, one for his role of Kazekage, one for the love from his people, one for sex, and one for the love he felt for Sakura. The love he recieved from her made him feel like he was walking on air.
"I love you, Sakura." Gaara said just above a whisper before he turned around to face the woman of his interest, and she was flushing a bright shade of pink.
"Hey, you can't just go and say it like that..." Sakura smiled, and looked away from him shyly.
"But it's true, and it's too overwhelming to not say it right now." He put his hands on her shoulders holding her at arms length so he could truly lock eyes with her. "I don't think I've ever felt more alive than I do when I'm with you. You make me feel like I am flying and grounded at the same time, and that is incredible."
His heart was completely stolen by this woman, and he did not mind her keeping it. No matter what happens now, he new he would always love her.
"You always say the most lovely things, and the funny part is I don't think you realize how much of a romantic you are, Gaara. You'd be good at writing romance novels!" She began to laugh but then stopped when he held her flush against him in a tight embrace.
"Stop joking around, Sakura, I can't lose you." Gaara trembled, and her arms slowly snaked their way around him.
"I know. I can't lose you either." Sakura burried her faced into his chest, and sighed. "It's just...going to be tough. I know my friends are going to feel gyped when I tell them I'm moving to Suna."
He subconsciously tightened his grip, and he felt his heart race at her comment. She was really going to do it. She was going to stay.
Gaara finally had what he always needed. He had true love.
-...-...-...-
The air in his lungs had left him due to the constriction around them, and his heart felt like it was going to implode. He grasped at the fabric covering the area, and sensation reminded him of how he felt when he lost Yashimaru.
He felt like shattered glass scattered in all directions without hope of gathering up the intricate broken pieces, let alone fitting them back together.
"Do you understand, Lord Kazekage Gaara? You cannot marry her, and she cannot stay here. You are legally bound to someone else." A voice amongst his council spoke sternly at him, but he was too distraught to know who it was.
An arranged marriage. He had been contracted to someone else, and breaking that contract would have dire consequences. So in essence, now he had to chose between Sakura, and his people.
This was sickening. His stomach churned painfully, and he felt like he was going to vomit.
"Heh, well there is an exception. You could keep as a concubine, but she'd have to live exclusively in this building, and under constant surveillance. Any chance of someone else inpregnating her would be unacceptable, and any child she bore would have to bare your name, so she wouldn't be able to be a ninja or a doctor anymore. Most women won't lower themselves that much. It's horribly degrading." Someone else spoke, and he felt the bile rise to the back of his throat, but he swallowed it back down.
"So my life...has never been my own. Has it?" Gaara tensed even more, and he didn't know if he was getting any circulation to his limbs anymore.
"No, it really hasn't. You are the son of a powerful line of kage, and you need to accept that fact." One of the eldest members said cruelly. "Also, Ms. Haruno is to be ejected immediately after this conference. She'll be tested for a possible pregnancy, but after that it cannot be risked. It would void the contract you have with the marriage, and that would cause a devastation. You should be thankful we caught this early on less a bastard be bor-"
"Oh shut up you heartless asshole!" Kankuro had just entered the meeting, and he didn't like what he was hearing. "And stop talking about Sakura and Gaara like they were animals! Who in the fuck arranges marriages?!"
"You're father. Rasa. For a peace treaty." The elderly man answered venomously.
Gaara watched as his brother's hands shook with rage, but he did not stop him. Secretly, he wished his brother would jump over the table, and beat the utter life out of all of them. He had to reason that it was Shukaku's influence on that thought, rather than admitting darkly that it was his own.
"Fuck the treaty! Gaara and I can take out an army without anyone's help!" Kankuro spat.
"Kankuro. That's enough." He placed his now cold hand on his brother's shoulder, and the puppet master stilled. He looked at Kankuro in defeat, and his brother had never seemed so sad. "It's done. I thank you for coming to my defence, but it is over. I...cannot risk the lives of my people...for my own selfishness in love. That is the sacrifice I must make, and my life is in the hands of Suna. It always has been."
"Gaara...no I won't let you live like this...you have sacrificed enough for this country." Kankuro was on the verge of tears, but his resolve was strong.
Yet, he did something Gaara would never have expected.
"I would like to marry Sakura Haruno of the village hidden in the leaves, but she will bare no child of mine."
The audible gasp was unanimous throughout the room. Even Gaara fell into complete shock.
"That is absurd! You would marry the woman your brother has had relations-"
"Yes, but she will bare no child from me." He stood strong, and Gaara realized that he was sacrificing his future for him.
"Kankuro, I won't let you do that." He said it sternly, but his brother remained unphased.
"Gaara, I won't touch her. I swear on it." Kankuro argued, but Gaara grabbed him roughly by the arm to pull him close enough to whisper.
"That isn't what I'm worried about. You can't sacrifice any chance at love for my-"
"I can, and I will. You can't stop me and I will get Sakura on board just you watch." He gave him a reassuring grin that he would have felt comforted by had it not been for the council's interruption.
"That plan is faulty, Kankuro, as here in Suna the marriage is not legal binding until it is consumated. So, yes, you'd have to perform intercourse." The elderly man said in a snarky tone, and both brother's faces grimaced. "Nice try, but you'll have accept the facts."
"Fuck you, fuck the facts, fuck this contract, fuck this council-!"
"Enough, Kankuro!" Gaara barked at his brother, and everyone immediately settled. "It's okay, just... take her back to Konoha... tell her to forget about me."
"But-"
"NO. THIS CONVERSATION IS OVER." His voice came out so firmly that it shook him personally, as well as everyone in the room.
Gaara couldn't do it. For the first time in his life he absolutely needed to be alone, and he turned tail to swiftly walk out of that room. He wanted so badly to run, but he simply walked as quickly as he could.
He was going to snap. He was going to break. He was going to crumble like a clay statue after it had dried out in the sun.
He was going to cry.
Gaara finally made it to his room, opened and closed the door as fast as it could on its thick hinges, and slammed his back against it. It was starting, and he couldn't stop it. He brought his hand to his eyes to try to hold the tears behind it, but they slipped through his fingers. Sliding to the floor in defeat, he outwardly sobbed. His breath heaved, and a strangled noise escaped him.
His sand came up to protect him as warm arms embraced him from the front, but stopped just before hurting the person who held him so lovingly. He didn't know she was even there, and now she had seen him at his most vulnerable. Completely broken.
"Gaara, I'm so sorry." Sakura breathed near his ear, and his breath quaked at the sound of her voice. "I should have never approached you. You wouldn't feel this way if I had. I never meant for you to feel pain. I'm so sorry."
She was so warm, soft, and perfect. He breathed in her scent as greedily as he could. He memorized her like a song, and attempted to get the tune forever perfected in his mind.
"Don't...don't apologize. You have given me a great gift, and I will always remember and cherish it." He could feel her holding back her own tears, but she stayed strong and let him mourn for the both of them.
All he could do was cry, and burn her into his heart, and he continued to do this for as long as was possible.
When Kankuro had come to retrieve her he had felt death inside him, and when she gave him one last glance before leaving her face blurred with his tears. He couldn't get a perfect last glance in due to his damned eyes.
Gaara screamed.
She was gone.
AN: Drama llamaaaaa! This story is close to finished I feel, but I have some other shorties I might be putting out rather soon. I'm literally writing close to 5 or 6 stories at the moment haha, but I want to make sure I get them cohesive and a good plot before putting them out. I'm not one to make an outline before I write, but rather I think up a little diddy and start jotting away. Unfortunately, I have severe ADHD so good luck keeping any story or thought on track lol.
Anyways more Gaara stories to come, as well as some Hiei/Botan stories I've been playing around with. Might make a Gaara/Kakashi one, but I have never written a straight up yaoi romance so that might be beyond me. How do we feel about a Gaara/Kakashi pairing? It' different and I feel like both characters have a lot of respect for each other, and great leadership skills so it would make it interesting to say the least. I also feel they are both switchers, not too dominant or submissive, so that would be interesting as well. I dunno let me know how y'all feel about it in the reviews. I read them all so don't be shy lol.
