Gaara stiffened as he felt the approach of someone behind him. Two days. He'd been out here for two days, pumping chakra through his body as a lure for the One-Tail beast. They should have already fought by now. But Shukaku was taunting him.

The dinner tray was put down on a tree stump next to a cot with a sleeping bag on it. A cot he head yet to use more than an hour at a time here or there. And he wasn't even sure that he'd actually slept.

The someone stepped up beside him and Gaara startled a bit as cool fingers entwined with his. His jade-pale eyes cut to the side, and then he relaxed slightly. A long moment of silence slipped by them before he cleared his throat. "You're getting better at hiding your chakra signature. I didn't realize that it was you."

Hanabi sneered slightly and nodded as she stared out into the desert with her Byakugan. "What is he doing?"

"You can see him, I can't." Gaara replied stoically.

"He's rampaging through the desert. He turns toward Suna, then here, then Suna ...I don't understand." Hanabi sighed, the waiting getting to her and everyone else back at the main camp. Using her Byakugan she could see the tense movements of those back behind the sand hills out of sight to everyone except for someone who could see through anything. "Everything is as ready as it will get."

Gaara nodded.

Another long moment of silence, then Hanabi sighed and looked down at her feet. "It's not your fault. None if this is your fault."

Gaara gritted his teeth slightly. "I was ...pleased."

Hanabi held her breath and looked at him, actually even turning her head to look at him even though she didn't need to do so to see him.

"Not to die. But ...after I awoke, I was ...pleased ...that the demon was gone." Gaara said, his voice devoid of emotion. "There were those in Suna who wanted to know what had become of the One-Tail after the Akatsuki fell. I wasn't one of them. I would have been perfectly fine if Shukaku had never been found."

"No one can blame you for that." Hanabi said, her voice a bit husky with unvoiced emotion. Her fingers tightened a bit on his.

"I can blame myself." Gaara turned to look at her. "I didn't seek out the One-Tail, not really. We looked, but not hard enough. I ...may not have wanted to find the demon. Not really."

Hanabi's other hand joined her first so that she was holding his hand in both of hers as she stared at him. "You did what you could."

"Did I?" Gaara scoffed and looked back out at the desert. "There's one less caravan of merchants in the world that might disagree."

Hanabi nodded, having watched in horror with her family's bloodline limit as the One-Tailed Beast had turned away from them to attack and utterly destroy a large caravan of traders. Few had managed to escape though a couple of survivors were even now still being treated by their medics.

Gaara pulled his hand free of her grasp and stepped forward, staring intently into the distance at something he couldn't see. "He's doing this to taunt me. To show that he knows it's a trap. That he could leave me behind and destroy Suna."

Hanabi's mouth went dry. "Why ...why doesn't he do that then?"

The Kazekage smiled grimly as he stared out at the desert. "Because he can't leave me behind. He'd like to, oh he'd like to ...but he wants to face me."

The kunoichi nodded and sighed, her stomach tumbling at the thought. "That's why you set yourself up as bait. Out here, away from the others. Shukaku won't be able to resist you, even though he KNOWS you're acting as bait."

"Exactly." Gaara grunted. "He's trying to work out what I have planned. He'll attack when he's ready and not a moment sooner."

Hanabi looked over at the gourd sitting next to his sleeping cot, and then back at the man before her. His back straight and proud, using himself as a barrier between his village and certain destruction. Pride welled up in her and she blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay.

Gaara jumped slightly as he felt Hanabi's hand on his back as she held her palm there, then both palms. She ran her hands up and down his spine lightly before her arms wrapped around him from behind. He took a deep breath as she held him, laying her head against his back.

She breathed in his scent and held him, offering what comfort she could.

His hands rose hesitantly to cover her hands as they rested in the center of his chest, and when he touched her she tightened her hold. Gaara could feel her press her cheek to his back and deduced that she'd removed her masks as he could not feel the bone skull pressing into him. Only her.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly he began to relax slightly as he accepted the silent comfort. They stood there like that, quiet, lost in their own thoughts and yet closer than they'd ever been before.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba grinned as he called a halt, wiping sweat from his brow as he whistled to Akamaru to take a break. The large canine panted and stopped beside him.

Shiho looked around curiously. "Kiba?"

The Inuzuka flashed her a fond look that had her stomach tightening in an not unpleasant tingling feeling. She swallowed hard.

"We're about a day outside Konoha. And I recognize this spot. Nice to keep a clear lookout, but a fresh stream and small waterfall with good fishing. And since we're close enough to home, I thought you might like a bath and a lunch break."

Her bright grin was answer enough as he smiled at her. "Make it a quick bath though and a quick lunch." Kiba chided her. "We're close enough to home now that I can taste it!"

Shiho was barely listening though as she rummaged through the travel packs, pulling out the shampoo. She eyed it then turned chiding eyes on him.

Kiba held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'll be using it too!"

"Huh. Fine." She hurumphed and headed for the water, only to have Kiba stop her with a hand on her shoulder to turn her around. She'd been going the wrong way. Blushing she brushed right by him, calling out to Akamaru to guard her while she bathed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Ebizou-sama looks pleased with himself." Hinata pointed out hesitantly as the watched the elder ninja help out among the survivors of the trade caravan that the One-Tail had devastated. Once they were stable, they'd be sent on to safety.

Baki grunted, but didn't comment as he sharpened weapons that were already a razor edge. He hated waiting.

"The old man is up to something." Saeko agreed. "I still can't believe that he demanded to come along for this fight." The Suna kunoichi nodded to both Baki and Hinata and headed over to some other ninja as they all played the waiting game.

Baki sighed and looked up as Hinata activated her Byakugan, relaxing as she caught sight of her husband along with the other Suna puppeteers. He looked so at ease with them that Hinata blushed and looked away. Baki caught her eye and she blushed a bit more. He quirked an eyebrow at her and she shrugged.

"Lady?" His voice was insistent.

Hinata shrugged again. "Kankuro looks so at ease with the other puppeteers." She said almost apologetically.

Baki cut his one good eye over toward the group of Suna shinobi and grunted. "Don't sell yourself short. He's content where he is. With you and the children." He said, still surprised that Kankuro's proxy marriage had come out so well. At the beginning, he wouldn't have given their relationship even a remote chance of working.

Hinata's face blushed again, but this time pleasure lit her pale-Hyuuga eyes.

o.O.o.O.o.O

A distinctly female scream had Kiba's heart stopping as he dropped the provisions he'd unwrapped. He was breaking through the tree-line and underbrush to the small pool before his mind even caught up to his feet.

Shiho turned at the sound of him rushing forward and screamed again, this time grabbing a towel and holding it over her body like a shield.

Kiba skidded to a halt, breathing hard, as he searched the area for danger. All of his senses where chakra reinforced an on full power. It took him a long few moments to realize the truth. There was nothing wrong. Panting, he dropped his hands to his knees and eyed the wide-eyed code-breaker. "Why'd you scream?"

Trembling, Shiho pointed at a whimpering Akamaru who'd tucked his tail down between his legs looking shamefaced. Her towel started to slip, revealing a tantalizing view of creamy skin before she squealed and grabbed at it again.

"Akamaru?" Kiba looked at his nin-dog, confused.

"He ...he snuck up behind me while I was getting ready to take a bath and he'd already been in the water ..."

Kiba groaned, leaping ahead in the story. "He shook himself to dry off?"

"It was COLD!" Shiho defended her startled scream even as she blushed furiously in embarrassment.

The Inuzuka eyed the large canine and shook his head sadly. "Bad dog." He choked on the words, not really meaning them. "It was just Akamaru being playful. He likes you."

Kiba turned away, tearing his eyes reluctantly from Shiho's nearly bare body when Akamaru began barking and yipping. The shinobi spun back around, his finger pointing at the large nin-dog as this time he meant the words. "BAD DOG! We are on a MISSION! And just because we're close to home doesn't mean ..." He ground to a halt as he caught Shiho watching him curiously.

Kiba's body reacted quickly and he flushed slightly, turning away with every ounce of strength he had left in his body. "Bad dog." He repeated.

Akamaru sat down, panting and looking on happily, not in the least contrite.

The Inuzuka frowned, wincing as he reached down and adjusted himself through his trousers once he was out of sight of Shiho. Damn that dog! Akamaru had told him that he'd made "Kiba's mate" scream to bring him running while she was undressed. The large dog had figured that Kiba could then mate with her and make fine "puppies". Seems that Akamaru thought they were safe now that they were almost home, and besides, he could watch over both Kiba and Shiho to make sure they were safe as they mated.

Kiba groaned as he turned away from temptation, his throat tight and his body tighter. He had the worst case of blue balls that he'd ever had in his life. But Shiho ...he couldn't grab her and play rough and tumble out here on the road. Not with her.

She needed to be wooed. She wasn't some kunoichi used to roughing it. No. He needed ...flowers, dinner, movie ...wine. Yes. Wine, not sake.

Suddenly he stopped cold, his every nerve frozen in horror as he realized that he wasn't alone.

"You look preoccupied." The voice hissed silkily from the trees above him.

Kiba relaxed just as suddenly. He took a relieved breath before glancing up. "Hana."

"Little brother." She nodded to him in acknowledgement. "You're late."

Shrugging, Kiba flashed her an awkward grin. "Tunnel put us out on the north side of the mountain. Full of Akatuski traps too. Lost a day in the tunnels, finding the exit. Oh, and the fight with five or so enemies." He mentioned them in a casual manner, to slide home the pointed jibe. "But if you want to point out our lazy progress ..."

Hana stiffened. "You alright?"

"Minor scratches and bruises. Shiho had a dislocated shoulder, though I reduced it in the field. Hurts like a son-of-a-bitch, but she never complains." He said almost proudly.

Hana paused as she looked down on her baby brother. There had been something in his voice when he'd mentioned the code-breaker. Her attention caught, she felt the first stirrings of curiosity. "And how did you end up at the Akatuski fortress rather than on your own mission?"

Kiba stiffened and picked up his discarded provisions, studiously ignoring his sister's question.

o.O.o.O.o.O

After a long comfortable silence, Gaara took a deep breath. "I would like you to go back to Suna."

Hanabi tightened her hold on him, pressing her cheek into his back. "It's no safer in Suna." She pointed out to him ruthlessly. "I'd rather be here."

"Safety isn't the concern." Gaara said slowly, almost with embarrassment. "I ...I don't want you to face Shukaku."

Hanabi pinched his chest stingingly, scowling though he couldn't see her while she was behind him like this. "I might face him in Suna if we fail here."

Gaara nodded, and it helped that he couldn't see her as he admitted something reluctantly. "He is my past. Part of me. I was him and he me for a while. I ...I don't want you to see me like that. See what I was."

She went still behind him. Gaara held his breath as he awaited her response.

Softly she placed a kiss to the area between his shoulders, then up farther on his neck where the shirt ended, though she had to stretch to reach. Gaara shivered despite the heat of the desert sun as her breasts pressed against his back so that her mouth could reach his neck.

"I've already seen you like that." She admitted softly, her breath on his skin stirring up something deep inside him. Something needy. Then her words registered fully and Gaara went stiff as a metal rod, shock running through him. He would have turned to look at her, but she still held him and was refusing to let go. He gave in reluctantly and stayed as they were.

"I was in the stands during your chuunin exams in Konoha. I saw." She told him, her breath tickling against the back of his neck.

Her fingers were moving over his chest and his shirt hung half-way open before he caught her hands in his, so shocking were her words. "What?" He croaked out, his mouth bone dry. His fingers trembled slightly against hers.

Hanabi pulled her hands from his numb grasp and continued to unfasten his shirt, then her hands roamed freely over his exposed chest. Her teeth caught the collar of his shirt and she stepped back, pulling the shirt from his body. Free of her hold, he turned to face her, his jade-pale eyes wary.

First, she dropped his shirt to pool at her feet. He swayed slightly. Next, she looked at him gently, acceptingly and unafraid. He caught his breath. Hanabi reached up and dropped her hood, then took a hold of the zipper on her top. His breathing stopped altogether. "Hanabi?" In saying her name it was both a prayer and a warning.

She ignored the warning and pulled slowly on the zipper, exposing the mesh shirt beneath that barely concealed anything. Then she let the hooded top fall from her arms as her pale-Hyuuga eyes watched for his reaction. She smiled at the stunned expression looking back at her.

Gaara shook his head slightly at her. "You can't want me."

"Your courtship is moving too slow." She purred, her hands crossing in front of her to grasp the edges of her mesh top.

"I'm a monster." He said roughly, then moaned as she jerked the top up and over her head. Her breasts weren't overly large but in his eyes they were perfect. Round and ripe and topped with pink nipples that even as he watched them rose to small peaks. Gaara licked his lips and clenched his hands to keep from reaching for her. The effort to stay still cost him.

"You are not Shukaku." Hanabi told him as she stepped slowly toward him, stopping only slightly out of reach. "I saw you then, and I see you now. You're different. Yourself. And I could never love a monster. You are not a monster."

The word slammed into him with all the power of a desert sand storm. "Love?" He whispered hoarsely, nearly inaudibly. His eyes searched hers, but all he could see was acceptance in her gaze.

"You court too slow." She mocked him gently as she stepped one more step forward, her hand moving up to touch one of his bare nipples with first one finger, then her palm. He sucked in a harsh breath, his eyes huge as he watched her. "I guess I'll never get moonlit walks, romantic flowers, breakfast in bed, or serenades outside my window."

Gaara's stomach muscles quivered and blood pushed a part of his anatomy to strain the front of his pants. He was having a hard time breathing even before she leaned in and nipped at his skin with her teeth. "What ...if you don't get those things ....oh ..." His eyes closed as she kissed his nipple, her tongue flicking out to taste him as her thumb trailed lower to the bottom of his ribcage.

Hanabi pulled back and grinned at him evilly as she finished his sentence for him. "What do I get? If I don't get those things? Why, I get you. Gaara-coon. I get you." She cocked her head slightly to one side. "Is this the same man who marked his territory on my skin not that long ago? So possessive. Now you can't even touch me?"

The words had barely left her mouth when his lips interfered with speech completely.

The kiss was long, hot, and breath-stealing. Hanabi's knees buckled and his arm wrapped around her bare waist to keep her from falling. She whimpered hotly and wrapped one long leg around his hips, rocking in toward him instinctively. She could feel how much he wanted her, and it both thrilled and frightened her at the same time.

Gaara scooped her up and carried her over to his sleeping cot, laying her down as he stood over her. His jade-pale eyes devoured the sight of her laid out like that. Her dark hair shone like a nimbus covering his pillow and framing her face. Her pale eyes gleamed up at him as she watched him with a possessiveness all her own.

His breath caught as he eyed her bared breasts, his hands aching to cup them.

Hanabi watched him and knew that they were at a point where she could stop this. But beyond this point, there would be no way to stop. And it was up to her.

With an intent look, Hanabi raised one foot toward him, offering him her boot.

Gaara about blew a fuse as he realized what she wanted. His fingers trembling he undid the fastenings and slid the sandal-boot from her foot. She put that leg down and raised the other in a silent demand. Then she watched as Gaara removed the other sandal-boot and held her foot in his hand. His eyes found hers as he held her foot and pressed both thumbs hard into the sole of her bare foot.

Hanabi lost her breath and arched her back, moaning at the sudden pleasure. Gaara nearly lost it as she did that, her arched back pressing her bared breasts up towards him like an offering. She lay back, watching him, panting softly. He did it again, drawing a deep moan from her as she called out his name in a breathy whisper.

Undone, Gaara leaned over her and recaptured her lips. His arms were braced on either side of the cot, but he didn't lower himself down upon her, not yet. His lips sought hers and his tongued delved deep inside, claiming, tasting, possessing. He groaned.

Hanabi's fingers reached up for his chest and he sucked in a harsh breath, though the kiss never stopped. She traced the lines of his abdomen down to the buckle on his pants. There she hesitated.

"You don't have to ..." Gaara's words stopped in mid-sentence when she cupped him suddenly through his pants. He threw his head back and she reveled in watching the need play out across his features.

When he was breathing again, she smiled at him and finished unbuckling his pants. Hanabi licked her lips. "You were saying that I didn't have to do ...what?"

"Touch me." He demanded hotly, his eyes fever-bright and burning. "Touch me!"

She shivered at the tone of his voice, her own blood boiling with need. "How?" She half-mocked him, though at the same time, she wasn't quite sure what to do next. Oh, she knew the basics, but she'd not done this before. And books read where Rocks and Michi couldn't make fun of her only went so far.

Gaara stood, panting as he unzipped his pants and kicked off his own boots. When he turned back toward her, he watched her Hyuuga pale eyes widen and he hesitated. She didn't. Her fingers rose up without prompting and gently traced the line of his penis from stem to stern.

He shook and fought not to simply grab her.

Hanabi watched his internal battle and smiled at the power he'd handed her, knowing that it went two ways as she wanted him so badly that it hurt. She recalled what she'd learned from listening to other kunoichi and wrapped her palm around him and leaned in, her breath teasing the tip of him. Here she stopped and rolled her head up slightly to look at him looking down at her. She blew a long hot breath over his sensitive skin.

He trembled and his erection jumped in her hand, wanting more.

She laughed deliciously at his reaction.

That was it. Gaara grabbed her and pushed her shoulders down as he fumbled with her trousers. She laughed, completely delighted as she lifted her hips so he could push the pants down over her hips. A moment, two, three and and was nude.

Gaara settled between her thighs, his eyes wild and yet strangely reverent as he pushed her knees apart. He didn't have to push hard as Hanabi grabbed at his shoulders and fairly drew him down upon her, her legs wrapping around him in a hot invitation that he had no intention of ignoring.

They kissed as his erection prodded her down where she ached for him. Reaching down, he guided himself to her entrance and then looked at her. His jade-pale eyes met her gaze and the love he saw there humbled him. His hand trembled and she leaned up, catching his bottom lip with her teeth. She then let his lip go and whispered. "Now Gaara."

He thrust inside in one long rush, burying himself inside her as she yelled out and arched her back, panting as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Gaara couldn't have stopped making love to Hanabi right then, even if Shukaku had marched up and tapped him on the shoulder. Lost in the heat of the moment, he thrust into her body in a rhythm older than time. He could feel how tight she was around him, feel the throbbing of her body as she held on to him.

At first Hanabi felt the stinging pain too much to really appreciate what was going on, but as the fog of pain subsided something far more pleasurable took its place. Gaara was rocking into her body, his green eyes hazy and looking supremely male as he watched her. His chest rubbed against her own and the feel of him so deep inside her body, sliding in and out like he was made her blood start to heat up again.

Just as she was starting to feel on the edge of something greater, pushing her hips up to meet his thrusts, moaning as she felt as if something grand was just ....just ...right ....there ...almost ...

Gaara grunted and threw back his head with a wild shout, filling her completely as he came inside her and slowly collapsed upon her.

Hanabi, stunned, ran her hands over his red hair and the back of his shoulders. She cradled him with her body as he relearned how to breathe.

Off in the distance there was a sudden roar of sound. Of outrage.

Startled, Gaara and Hanabi both shot bolt upright. Not bothering to hide her nudity, she ran through the hand-seals and activated her Byakugan. She paled.

"Well?"

"He's coming this way. Fast. Maybe a twelve hours or less." Hanabi ran a trembling hand through her long hair. "No hesitating, no turning away or looking at Suna. He's coming for you."

"I'll be ready." Gaara swore as he climbed into his pants.

Hanabi watched him, her expression guarded.

He stopped and looked at her, his heart sinking that she might regret what they had just done. "Hanabi? I didn't meant to hurt you."

She looked up at him so fiercely that he took a step backwards. "Don't take it back. Don't pull away now."

"Hanabi?"

The enraged kunoichi stood up on his cot, nude as the day she was born shaking her finger in his face. Gaara's heart went into overdrive. "Don't turn cold on me now! You didn't hurt me!"

"You were untouched, a v ...." Gaara said almost hesitantly. "Yes, I did hurt you!"

Hanabi stood up to her full height, standing tall over him as she stood on his cot. "I'm not anymore, and that was my choice! And you are not taking it back!"

Gaara stifled a pleased smile as he looked up at her. "No ma'am." He said dryly. "In fact, I want to do that again soon. And frequently."

"Well, okay then." Hanabi sniffed at him and jumped down beside him, running one hand down to squeeze his ass. "Not so fast next time. You court too slow and move too fast."

Gaara choked, but nodded as he stared at her in awe.

"As my first time, I didn't expect to reach the top." Hanabi smiled wickedly at him. "I've read up on it, trust me. But next time? The next time you'd better make sure to bring me over, got that?"

Gaara nodded slowly, patronizingly.

Humoring her was he? Well, well. Hanabi's eyes narrowed as she looked down at the front of his trousers, and then back up to his face. Slowly she licked her lips. "And next time? I want a taste."

All of the blood left Gaara's face as she grinned at him victoriously. Patronize her? Not likely.

The very thought of what she suggested sent Gaara's brain into a maelstrom of desire. "Where are you going?" He asked hoarsely as he finally clued in to the fact that she was getting dressed.

Hanabi pointed out toward the desert. "You know, I think what drew him in is that you were happy. He could sense the change in your chakra pattern. I don't think Shukaku can stand that you might be happy."

"Happy?" Gaara repeated, feeling off kilter in more ways than one.

"Don't I make you happy?" She turned the full force of her gaze on him, cocking one eyebrow as if to challenge him to deny the charge.

The red-head looked at her and drew in a long breath. "What I feel with you makes 'happy' pale in comparison."

Hanabi caught her breath, her heart melting more than just a little. She nodded as she sat to pull on her sandal-boots. The cot collapsed beneath her.

Gaara didn't laugh, but he was smiling just a little as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

The kunoichi scowled at the cot. "Shoddy craftsmanship."

He shook his head, not mentioning that the poor travel cot wasn't supposed to be able to stand up to what they'd just done on it. Much less her standing on it the way she had. Wisely, he kept those thoughts to himself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Off in the distance, a pissed-off tailed beast roared once again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Well? Okay, show of hands. Who really thought the lemon would be Kiba/Shiho at this point? :P

Hope (really hope) that you liked!

And lest I forget something truly important. Kibacanlickme did a fantastic fanart piece of Gaara/Hanabi. Link to be found on my account page. Check it out! I love it. :D