"Gaara?" a cautious voice asks from the doorway. It's Ri.

"What?" I snarl, turning to face her. She walks over to the desk pushed up against the wall and sits on top of it. Her face is pale and she's trembling a little.

"Are you scared of me?" I demand. It's a question I've wanted to ask her for a long time but have been too afraid to do so.

Ri's eyes study me cautiously. "Of course not. I'm just tired. Why are you so angry? It's not because we tied is it?"

I snort derisively. "I couldn't care less about that."

She looks at me with confusion written clearly across her face. After a moment it fades and is replaced by a look of understanding. "Oh, I see." She says. "You're angry that I've been spending so much time with Kankuro.

I'm annoyed that she can read me so easily. My voice cracks out like a whip. "Why don't you go back to him? Go and dance around. Marry him. You'd be safer with Kankuro."
Ri nods slowly. "You're right. I would be safer with Kankuro." My heart plummets but she isn't finished speaking. "But I don't love Kankuro." She looks me squarely in the eyes. "I love you, Gaara."

With three quick strides I'm in front of her perch on top of my desk, my face inches from hers. She wraps her legs around my waist and I rest my hands on her thighs. She tilts her chin up, so close that her lips brush mine as she says "Remove the Armor of Sand." As soon as I comply she presses her lips to mine in a hot, desperate kiss. It's nothing like the fleeting one we shared in the desert. Heat fills me, starting from where our lips touch and spreading through every vein.

I can feel my control, already loosened from my earlier rage, sliding further. Desire grips me, a want so powerful it actually scares me a little. Ri slips her hands under my shirt and runs her cool, smooth hands across my back, tilting her chin to deepen the kiss. I feel hot, too hot without the cool sand coating my skin, and dangerous. Ri slips her tongue into my mouth and a searing explosion rocks through me. Whatever little control I had over myself vanishes and I dig my fingers into her thighs, nails ripping through the thin fabric covering them and scratching bloody furrows into her skin.

Horrified, I pull back. I avoid her gaze, not wanting to see the hurt and anger her eyes probably hold. "See?" I murmur, trying to untangle myself from her. "I'm a monster. I'm not good for you."

"Silly sand boy." Ri's voice is full of mischief. Shocked, I look at her. Instead of the injured and disappointed look I expected, her eyes blaze with desire. Without a second thought I bring my lips back to hers.

Without breaking the kiss I pick up Ri and carry her to my bed, setting her gently down and covering her body with my own. She moves her lips from mine and feathers gentle kisses along my jaw and down my neck. I groan and pull her face back to mine.

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door. I distance myself from Ri, standing and moving away so I can think clearly and say "Come in."

"Lord Kazekage." It's Baki. "We have received news that the Village Hidden in the Mist has called off their invasion. It seems that Naruto Uzumaki found out about their plan and said he would fight on the side of the Sand. They do not wish to go up against Naruto and the Nine-tails as well as you, Lord Gaara."

"Excellent." I tell him. "Thank you for this news Baki. We owe Naruto our gratitude." Baki nods and shuts the door as he leaves. I turn to look at Ri, expecting her to be happy that we have avoided war, but instead she looks worried and distant. "What's wrong?"

She seems to shake herself and gives me a small smile. "Nothing. I'm just tired." She crawls under the covers and then motions for me to join her. "I know you don't sleep, but would you just lay with me?" I get in beside her and she snuggles up against me, putting her head on my chest and looping one arm around my waist.

"How long do you plan to sleep this time?" I ask. "Because as much as I would like to, I don't think I can lay here for a full day and night."

Ri gives a sleepy giggle. "I should be fine in five hours or so. I really over taxed myself last time."

A new thought strikes me. "How far away from Suna were you when you were attacked?"

She frowns, thinking. "About four days and nights if I ran without stopping. Which I did because I really hate being covered in blood. It's really not good for my complexion."

I stare at her. "You used up all your chakra, then ran for four days and nights, just so you could have a shower? Why didn't you just find some water?"

She raises her eyebrows at me. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there isn't a whole lot of water in the desert. Plus, I didn't want to rinse off in an oasis because I didn't want to ruin a perfectly good source of water."

"You're ridiculous." I tell her, stroking her hair. "But I love you for it. Sweet dreams." She tightens her arm around me, already asleep.