The Search for Saltwater Taffy
Sabaku no Hime: there's a little lime in this chapter. I'll have it marked, so all of you who are disturbed by makeout scenes can skip it over. (or those of you who are too young)
Disclaimer…again?
9 When did the Witch Become a Prince?
Sakura healed the jounin of all the more serious wounds they'd received, with Gaara bandaging the rest until she got to it. Having not bothered with her medical case, she was reduced to ripping of shreds of her shirt and the bandages she had covering her otherwise bare legs and arms from the desert heat.
The trip back was pretty much silent, since everyone was tired and injured. When Sakura's chakra was back up a little bit, she started healing the less life-threatening wounds on the Suna jounin.
The group paused a few hours a day to nap and eat, then went on again. In this way, they made the trip in less than the two days it was supposed to take.
Sakura didn't talk to anyone. She just didn't want to. She was still angry at Gaara for not allowing her to fight alongside the rest of the group. She'd only gotten to throw a couple kunai and one tree at the Akatsuki.
Briefly, she wondered how Temari was doing with Itachi. He'd seemed like he'd wanted to get caught, just to get some attention from her. Where had they met before?
When they finally reached Suna, Sakura practically ran for her room to crash in the bed after a shower. She hated the fact that Suna didn't have rivers all over to wash up in, hated that it was so hot, hated that she was pretty much joined at the hip with the Kazekage.
She just wanted to go home.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ break
She woke up later to the dark coldness of night feeling refreshed and antsy. She wanted to go home.
Briefly, Sakura wondered if she could cause enough trouble for Gaara to make him want to either jail her or send her home.
But he could still put her in jail.
Damn it.
She tossed on some shoes and snuck out the window to go for a walk. She knew she didn't need to since Gaara rarely slept, but she just didn't want him to know what she was doing for a few minutes.
Carefully avoiding the holes in the sand in the backyard, she made her way through the tough desert plants that grew in the sand to the front, and snuck down the pathway past the walls of the garden.
'I'm getting sick of warning you of what can get you jailed every few minutes,' he told her from his spot on the roof.
'I'm kinda not used to being a prisoner.' She shrugged.
'I realize that.' He stared up at the sky for a few minutes, so Sakura took that as a cue to join him.
She hugged her knees close to her chest and wrapped her tan robes tight around her; it had never failed to surprise her how bloody cold the desert got overnight.
'Is it even worth it?' he wondered; Sakura didn't respond. 'I mean, you stole some candy. You've been here for a month, done everything I asked of you and haven't shown me that you hate me yet.'
She shrugged when she felt the weight of his gaze. 'Doesn't matter.' She said, offhandedly. 'If I had to do ten years in prison to smooth things over for Suna and Konoha, I'd do it.'
'Hn,' he replied. 'You'll stay in Suna for another month, that way the people know I won't go easy on criminals from any village,' he went on.
'But I'm not in prison,' she remarked, laying back on the roof. 'You have gone easy on me.'
'Not particularly,' he replied, going no further with it.
'Oh,' she shrugged. 'I'm going for a walk, are you coming?'
'I was thinking of making some taffy,' he told her. 'But there's no one to eat it. Kankuro and Temari always ate it and passed it out to kids.'
'Well, we can pass it out to kids tomorrow,' she offered.
'I really don't have time.' He frowned. 'I have a lot of paperwork that the secretary can't care for.'
'I'll help you with it, that way we can give out candy in the morning,' she chuckled.
He glanced at her, 'I'd either have to kill you or take you as a permanent hostage if you saw my paperwork,' he told her.
'Oh. That sucks.' She frowned.
'Unless you were going to stay in Suna with me,' he added jokingly.
Sakura glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. For some reason, his face didn't match the tone of his voice. His face looked pretty serious.
She shrugged. 'Like I could,'
'Do you want to?' he asked. 'It can be arranged if you wanted to stay with me- us.'
Sakura felt dizzy, and put her arms over her face. 'You can't be serious.' She offered him, hoping he took the way out.
'What if I was?' he turned, she heard him shift to face her and lie down on the roof beside her.
'I don't know what I'd do then,' she answered honestly.
'Stick around for a while,' he offered. 'See if you like it here without being a prisoner. If you like it, you can stay. I'll arrange things with Tsunade.'
She looked at him sharply. 'Why do I get the feeling that it's not Suna you want to see if I like?'
He shrugged. 'Do I have to say it?'
'It's probably easier if you don't.' she replied. 'So I can't help you with the paperwork then.'
'Not a good idea.' He nodded. 'So taffy is out then.'
'Hrm, what can we do then?' she asked.
'Let's go see Junko,' he replied. 'I haven't been over for scotch in a while.'
'Did Kankuro really try to marry you off to one of the dancers?' she asked with a chuckle as they stood and leapt from the roof to start a sedate walk.
'Yes. He did.'
'I guess that went over really well, didn't it?' she asked with a laugh.
'I found one I like, though not then.' He answered back.
'Can we just leave it for a little while?' she asked, glancing over at him uncomfortably.
'We have to talk about it sooner or later,' he told her gruffly.
'No we don't.' she replied, cheerful. 'We can pretend it never happened.'
'We could. But then why go for scotch at the Matchmaker's?' he asked quietly.
'Because you like her scotch, and the dark wood and white linen room that you get to sit in?'
'Good point.' He answered as he led her down the alleyway that housed Junko's.
They went in through the back way, and were greeted by a man in tuxedo, only to be ushered into the linen room almost instantly.
Sakura sat down on a chair in the conversation grouping, leaning back and resting her arms on the rests. Gaara went over to a sideboard nearby and grabbed some things if the tinkling of glass was anything to go by.
'Kazekage sama?' came Junko's cheerful voice in the door.
'Enter, Junko,' he replied as she bowed her way into the room. He looked pointedly at Sakura. 'That's how most people treat me,' he told her.
Junko looked up in surprise, a frown spreading across her face as she noticed Sakura. Junko considered her for a moment and smiled. 'I told you he liked you, didn't I?' she asked mischievously.
Sakura shrugged a bit as Gaara poured drinks and Junko made herself comfortable on a small settee.
'So what brings you two back?' she asked bluntly. 'I thought you'd be married by now.'
Sakura laughed. 'It's a little more complicated than that,' Gaara nodded his assent and drank deeply.
'Well, what happened?' Junko asked. 'By the way he was looking at you, I figured you'd be married inside a week, and here it is, months later and she doesn't have a ring on. Kazekage sama, what's wrong with you?'
He turned pink around the ears and Sakura decided she enjoyed his discomfort. 'I'm kind of a prisoner of Suna,' she said. 'I stole some taffy for my best friend, who was pregnant. And I got caught.'
'Is that so?' Junko glanced over at Gaara. Sakura briefly noted the look they shared. He knew something and Junko knew something, but they didn't want to mention it around her.
'Yes, that's so,' Sakura replied, drinking her scotch and settling more comfortably into her chair.
'Then you'd be in prison.' Junko told her. Sakura noted Gaara's slightly distressed face, and smirked.
'Then maybe you can explain why he gave me another option, because he sure won't.' she said, pursing her lips.
She watched Gaara shake his head at Junko and frowned. 'I know he likes me, Junko san,' she said, getting irritated. 'But that doesn't change anything'
'Are you sure about that?' Junko asked quietly, sipping her scotch. 'The two of you are here for something, and I'm not quite sure what it is, so I'm just going to leave the two of you to discuss it.' She said, standing.
'We're just here to visit, Junko san,' Sakura protested.
Gaara frowned. 'It's too hard to talk about it at home,' he said as he watched Junko's retreating back.
'Why's that?' Sakura asked, refilling and emptying her glass.
'Because, it's my home. I'm not used to talking about certain things in my own home. So I just don't. We can talk about it here.' He said quietly, looking at the closed door.
'What is it then?' Sakura asked.
'Can I say it now?' he asked bitterly. 'Or are you going to tell me to yet again not to tell you that I'm falling in love with you?'
Sakura's stomach dropped and she refilled her glass a few times in silence. What the hell was she supposed to say to something like that?
She knew she was blushing, but she couldn't help it.
'You already knew it, Sakura,' he told her calmly. 'It's not a big secret.'
Things she'd taken as isolated incidents as they happened suddenly seemed to be very, very connected when she looked back on them. The night at Junko's, in the sand shelter, why he hadn't put her in prison.
'So, it wasn't that you're setting an example for Suna, but you were trying to manipulate me?' she asked, slightly hurt.
'No.' he replied. 'I was going to let you go after a week or two.' He drank more scotch, downing it in one gulp. 'And then I just wanted to have you near me; I was hoping you'd start to look at me as a friend, and maybe a lover.'
Sakura drank more scotch and leaned back in her chair, body unable to support her weight anymore. She was sort of shocked, but not quite. He'd dropped a few hints here and there; as if staying in his very own home wasn't a hint. She wondered briefly why she'd never realized it was more than a few random kisses.
'It was never about… what you thought,' he said softly. 'And I never wanted you to feel like a whore.' He looked down at his glass and drank more.
Sakura blinked, and tried to lift her hand to get her glass, since Gaara had refilled it, but for some reason, lifting her arm was way too much effort right then.
'Say something,' his pupilless aqua eyes snagged hers and refused to let go. She still couldn't see much emotion in their depths, he was too good at schooling his face, but the fact that his eyes were wider than usual gave it away to her.
She only knew because she'd spent over a month with him, all day and all night near him.
'Say anything,' he let his face make an expression, and he looked like he was begging. 'Please, say something,' he was begging, it wasn't her imagination or her ego running away with her.
Suddenly his gaze dropped, down and away from her, and she could see the apology forming in his mind before the words started to come out.
'Gaara,' she forced out through numb lips.
'Gomen,' he offered, drinking deeply, eyes still averted. 'I should never have assumed. I don't even really know what love is; I couldn't expect you to care if I don't know how.
'I just hoped, since Shukaku was screaming at me to make you my mate, and I wanted to keep you near me. I just wanted to make you happy.' He breathed deeply, plowing on even though he wasn't a talker. 'It's… you can go back to Konoha in the morning. I'll stay in the tower tonight,'
Sakura took a deep breath, willing her numb mouth to work somewhat. 'It's—Gaara,' she said softly. 'I don't know how I feel about you. It's not like when I thought I was in love with Sasuke.'
He shrugged. 'It's not your fault,' he told her. 'It's too sudden, and it's too…unacceptable. Your precious people wouldn't want you to stay, even if you did.'
'You're not letting me finish,' she told him, finally gaining the kinetic energy to move again. She stood up and walked over to him, sitting right beside him, her side pressed up against his on the settee.
'Don't,' he grunted. 'It hurts,'
'I feel something for you,' she told him, putting an arm around his shoulders; she realized that he was shaking as he tried to shrug off her touch.
'Don't,' he growled at her. 'Don't touch me, don't give me hope.' He turned to face her, his own becoming a mask of anger. 'Don't hurt me anymore.'
'Gaara,' she said softly, watching him get angrier. She did the only thing that she thought might make him listen to her at that moment.
LIME ALERT
Sakura pushed him over until he lay uncomfortably on his side, legs dangling off the settee, head resting on the armrest as she pinned him there, straddling his slender waist.
She pinned his shoulders back as his face registered shock, then grew angrier. 'Stop it, kunoichi.' He hissed at her.
'Shut up,' she growled at him a moment before she took his mouth.
'Stop—' he muttered into her mouth, a protest as he tried to push her away weakly. She just kept him pinned and took the opportunity to taste the inside of his mouth. He tasted like scotch and something indefinably… Gaara.
She didn't let up until the arms that had been halfheartedly pushing at her circled her waist and shoulders in welcome.
He growled at her when she paused for breath, and said something she never thought she'd hear from him 'Stop, Sakura, you don't want this,' he ground out in a strained voice, tight with hurt. 'You don't want me.'
'Wrong,' she smirked at him, taking his mouth again and letting her hands trail over his strong shoulders and chest.
LIME FIN
Suddenly he pushed her off him, pinning her shoulders to the back of the settee and stared straight into her eyes, trying to read what was in her mind and heart.
'If you want me, then it won't be here.' He told her. 'You need some time to think, and so do I. We'll walk home, and see how we feel then.'
'It's fine, Gaara,' she smiled at him seductively.
'The first time needs to be in a bed. Preferably my own bed in my own home.' He told her, standing up and offering her a hand. 'And maybe not tonight.'
'How did you know?' she asked him softly.
'Know what?' he helped her to her feet.
'You're kidding, aren't you?' she asked, eyes wide.
'Nobody wants to sleep with a demon container trained solely for murder and mayhem.' He paused, considering. 'Except maybe you.'
Sakura shrugged. 'Well, the first time should be memorable. I imagine you're a pretty memorable partner.' She joked.
Your only partner. Gaara was nervous that he'd allowed Shukaku to say it out loud, so covered it by talking. 'I wouldn't know.' He mused, taking her elbow and leading her out of the Matchmaker's slowly. Their goodnights to Junko were followed by her amused and knowing smile.
'Does it bother you that Shukaku is going to know what's going on?' he asked her quietly.
'I don't know,' she answered. 'Is he going to come out and take part?' she asked in horror.
'Oh, god no,' he chuckled. 'He'll just know what's going on, and likely start referring to you as his mate all the time.'
'Heh,' she made a nervous face. 'So this isn't just… trying things on for size, is it?'
'You are my chosen partner,' he told her, face ominously shadowed against the moon and darkness of the unlit city as they walked slowly towards the home of the Kazekage.
And towards the bed of the Kazekage. 'You can, of course, stop me at any time; but be certain that Shukaku and I won't stop trying to have you as mate.
'I'll follow you to Konoha and seduce you slowly.' He told her. 'Shukaku has spoken of romance to me, as has Temari. I've read some of her romantic books as well. If you don't want me yet, then I'll melt your defenses until you can't stop thinking of me. I'll do what I must until I am all that you want.'
'Okay, stop,' she said, eyes wide. 'Let's just go home and talk for a bit, hey?'
Sabaku no Hime… okay.
I just realized exactly how much drinking is in this chapter, and through the whole story! Craziness I tell ya. I don't drink much, and nowhere near the amount Sakura and Gaara have been downing. Nor do I mean to sound like alcohol is a great beverage or anything like that. Maybe I should make it tea. They need something to do with their hands, and she can't be fussing with her hair or clenching her fists all the time...
Next chapter is a lot of fluff. Most likely a lemon. If it is, it'll be in the chapter title and you can skip it if you're too young or disturbed by it. There'll be no plot advancement, so it'll just be a very short chapter.
