NOTE: *High calculations of Suna to Konoha are around 18,500 miles, whereas low calculations are 1,845. Given the Earth's equator is 24,000 miles, and clearly the map is of one continent with a significant portion of world missing, and Asia is around 7,000 miles max I'm erring on the low calculations. It also coincides with the US biomes, which is easier for me to measure (Atlanta (heavy forest and mountains) to Vegas (middle of the Great Basin Desert) is 1,900 miles), it seems more logical to follow the smaller measurements. This also helps me calculate dragon flights, their speeds being 4-5 hours between, depending on if they are carrying riders or not.*
Chapter Sixteen: While You Were Sleeping
August 7th, 2009
At the Konoha hospital, Fred paced back and forth in the waiting room while Ronnie and Lynne sat opposite Shikamaru on the uncomfortable couches. Ronnie rocked back and forth, chewing her lip so hard she could taste the blood from the split. Hinata came in with a few bottles of water, handing them to each of the girls, and the last to Shikamaru, who took it shakily. None of them opened theirs though, each continuing whatever they were doing until they heard from one of the doctors.
Rox was in a procedure under heavy observation. Shikamaru had performed CPR for seven minutes and thirty-two seconds. Rox had begun to bleed from the mouth, which was terrifying. Fred had tried to pull Shikamaru off Rox, fearing he'd injured her further, but Lynne stopped her, stating broken ribs often happened with CPR, which she'd learned when she'd gotten her certification last year. Sakura had arrived on the scene with two other medical ninja carrying a stretcher, and while Sakura started doing her work, the other medics put Rox on the stretcher before shunshining her back to the hospital. Shikamaru shunshined right behind them, leaving the girls in the dust. Hinata ran with them to the hospital, stating training was clearly done for the day.
By the time they arrived at the hospital, Shikamaru had told Sakura everything she needed to know about the situation. Rox was first to be put on a mag sulfate drip to stem the swelling in the lungs caused by the asthma, then put into a medical induced coma until the swelling was gone and she could breathe again. Apparently, this was to stem the high need of oxygen to the brain and to prevent any damage to it from lacking oxygen. As of now, Shikamaru had been there for thirty minutes while the girls had been there a little over five. The doctors were watching Rox's brain activity to induce her coma, and setting her up on a respirator, IV, and whatever other machines and tubes she needed.
As they sat in the waiting room, Hinata leaned over to Shikamaru, wiping Rox's dried blood off his lips, which caused him to flinch away. A doctor came in, causing all of their heads to lift, only for him to go to a family in the corner, clearly delivering good news about an operation. Their pause only lasted a few seconds before each of their group returned to their own comforting motions.
Lynne was the first to speak in what felt like hours. "Has anyone called Cordi?"
Back at Gaara's office, he stared at the paperwork in front of him. It was a standard Maternity Leave form that he pulled from his filing cabinet of blank forms. He knew the hospital delivered their paperwork in the evening, so he wouldn't see Jari's paperwork until later, but Gaara figured it was best to go ahead and get it out of the way. He'd gotten "Matsuri" written in her name block, and "18" written down for her age. "March 25, 1991," for her birthday. "Field Kunoichi" for her profession. He filled in her address, team information, everything. His pen froze over the block "Due Date."
He realized that up until that moment, the whole situation had been surreal to him. Matsuri breaking up with him seemed normal. He'd honestly been expecting it since Lee talked about his first date with that Akiko girl. He knew then his and Matsuri's relationship was far from normal. His crush on Cordelia didn't help. But the news Matsuri was pregnant had really thrown him for a loop. Because she couldn't get him to be more intimate, she'd supplied those needs through someone else. He looked at the form again and wondered if she hadn't gotten pregnant, how long would she have continued dating him, all the while being intimate with someone else? A part of him wanted to think it was only the one time, but she talked as if she'd done it over and over and over again.
He shook his head, realizing thinking about it was just distracting. It was done. It wasn't something he could fix. It was just done.
He gritted his teeth, quickly filling in the "April 8th, 2010," in the line for Due Date, then moved onto the next block. Emergency contact information. He paused again, realizing that on all her other paperwork since he became her teacher, she had made him a secondary contact in case of emergency, as well as her Jonin leader Mai. She didn't have anyone else.
But now there was Kankuro. Surely, the father of her child should clearly take the status of first contact if something happened to Matsuri or the baby.
With a sharp breath, he dropped the pen, leaning back in his chair as he ran his hand through his hair, scratching his scalp as he tried to process his thoughts. He couldn't understand it. Out of everyone in Suna, she found comfort in the arms of Kankuro. Why him? Anyone else, he could probably forgive, or at the very least understand. But Kankuro. The only other man in Suna with the right to the title Kazekage.
That was how things worked in Suna, ever since the first Kazekage, Gaara's great-great grandfather, Reto. Only a son descended from Reto could inherit the title Kazekage. His eldest son, Shamon took over for him. Shamon never had any children, but his younger brother did. Mostly girls. Then Reto's younger son finally had a son, who became Kazekage a decade after Shamon passed, assuming power at the age of eighteen. That was the third Kazekage, and Gaara remembered from his history class at the academy when the third Kazekage was born, Suna threw a huge festival since they finally had a male heir. He also became known as the strongest Kazekage shortly after taking power, having created his Iron Sand technique. When the third went missing, the third's nephew by his older sister was asked to take on the role of Kazekage. That was Gaara's father, Rasa.
Gaara and Kankuro weren't the first set of brothers in the line, but this was the first time the younger brother got the title. While Gaara was clearly the strongest ninja of the two of them, he understood that his reputation from before the Chunin Exams hurt his image as a stable option. But Kankuro was just about as stable as he was when it came to providing a future for the Kazekage line. Honestly, Gaara hadn't given it too much thought until Temari got engaged to Shikamaru. He figured one day, when he felt he'd changed what he needed to, and got Suna on the right path, he'd also fix the chain of succession. It was the council's choice, really. They just always chose from Reto's line. And getting them to change any process they held was near impossible.
He wanted to forget about the whole situation. He stood, turning towards the window. Outside, in the street below, he saw a man and his son. The boy was no older than six, and tugging on his father's arm. The man laughed as he pulled the boy up, lifting him in the air a little bit. Out walked a woman, a basket full of groceries on her arm. The man smiled at the woman, then pulled her in for a kiss while the kid made a face. As they pulled away from each other, the woman began to laugh, grabbing the child's other hand and leading them back down the road.
Gaara grumbled to himself. Gaara never understood why his brother didn't settle down. When the arranged marriage came up, and he asked Kankuro why he didn't take the council on their first offer, Kankuro laughed and joked that he couldn't do that to the women of Suna. Then he admitted that being forced to be with only one woman the rest of his life was some sort of circle of Hell for him. It was the opposite for Gaara. Spending his life with one woman the rest of his life wasn't scary. It was that he didn't understand a thing about intimacy or romance. Now he did, but Matsuri had told him he'd been doing it all wrong.
He wasn't even kissing her correctly.
He frowned. She should have told him. Or at least not the way she did. If she had told him the first time they kissed, he would have fixed it immediately. Then she wouldn't have cheated on him with Kankuro. More importantly, his brother wouldn't have impregnated his girlfriend.
With tongue, he thought. He could stick his tongue in a woman's mouth. Just imagining it made his heart beat a pace faster. He shook his head, and paced a little. This is so stupid, he realized. What's terrifying about a kiss? That's all he needed to do. All he needed was to learn. If he could do that, then he didn't have to worry about any of the sex stuff until he was married. So, why did the thought make his heart race? The sensation was familiar. Like when he was getting ready for a fight, and he didn't know the outcome. Maybe that's it, he thought. I'm only nervous because I haven't done it properly before. If I do it, then the feeling will go away.
That had to be it. He tightened his fist, resolving the next eligible women he came across, he'd kiss her properly. Of course, he had a woman in mind. He was still curious about the spark Kankuro had told him about. Even though the last time he'd tried to kiss her, he was left with more questions than answers. While the somnambulism was entertaining, he wouldn't say he was over his crush, because he still thought about her, and especially about the kiss Cordelia likely didn't even remember. It wasn't cloying or desperate, like he'd read. It was endearing. It made her real. And there was a pull there he couldn't ignore. A gravity to her that had left him wondering what would happen if he'd allowed himself to fall into it. And after realizing his relationship with Matsuri wasn't as real as he thought, he could really use a real woman who wasn't afraid to show him every side of her.
The door to his office swung open, and he looked up. "Alright," Cordi sighed as she stepped through the door. It was too perfect. "I took care of the spoiled fish. I'd hidden it in his box spring, by the –"
She was cut off by Gaara crossing the room and suddenly gripping her face and slamming his lips onto hers. Her eyes were wide until his tongue applied some pressure to her lips. Her lips opened quickly, and he noted her eyes fluttered closed as his tongue touched hers. She tasted clean, and not a hint of alcohol like that time with Matsuri. He pushed his tongue against hers, expecting to hold it there for a little bit just taking in her taste. That was what kissing properly was, right?
She defied all of his limited expectations by pushing her tongue back into his. He felt her hands applying pressure to his shoulders and neck as her fingers snaked into his hair, sending shivers down his spine. This is new, he realized, feeling his eyes flutter closed almost automatically. She used the leverage on his neck to push him closer to her as she opened her mouth wider, her tongue gliding against his before pulling back, then returning at a different angle. He couldn't tell if she was massaging his tongue with hers, or fighting his tongue with hers. Either way, the sensations she created there shot a current of pleasure through him that found its way through him all the way to his manhood.
He knew it as he felt it. That was the spark. It had to be.
It felt like her mouth was fighting his, her tongue sparring with his in such a way that he felt she was dominating him. And if there was one thing he knew about himself, when it came to any fighting or sparring, he wasn't one to be dominated. He mirrored some of her tongue's moves against hers, and she let out a sound that was a mix between a moan and a heady sigh. The sound recalled his dream before the chunin exam finals, and the image of her splayed beneath him as he violated her so exquisitely sent him into overdrive, and he felt the need to grind his hips into hers. He pushed her back into the door frame, pinning her against the wall of his office. She let out a gasp against his lips as his knee nudged her legs apart, his groin finding some purchase in the pressure of her hips and thigh. God this felt amazing. She inched her leg up, wrapping it around his as her groin found similar purchase on his thigh. Her hands drifted down, snaking around his waist as she pushed her hips along his thigh, her chest pressing against his.
His hand dropped, gliding along her collarbone, then breast, before resting on her hip, kneading it like dough. He was sure his fingers were leaving bruises by how desperately they dug into her. This sensation of them pressed together, her mouth fighting his as they gently moved against each other. He'd never realized that was a feeling he needed. And he did need it. His brain was a deafening hum of pleasure and amazement at the sensations.
She broke their kiss for a second, breathing hard as she asked, "Did you and Matsuri …?"
"Shut up," he growled, capturing her lips again in another kiss, harder now. He didn't want to think about her. He just wanted to drown in the sensation of Cordi's mouth.
"Ok," she replied airily, muffled by his lips. He smiled as he kissed her more passionately.
Usually, Cordelia Turner was a spitfire dragon-lady who didn't take any orders, and had cursed him out on more than one occasion when he had tried to give her some. She was the type of woman who made lesser men quake in their shoes. Who knew that kissing her made her so compliant? he mused. He began to wonder how compliant she was like this, deciding to test it by his hand sliding up to her breast and squeezing it. Expecting her to push him away and slap him, he was surprised to feel her arch her back to press herself further into him as she let out a contented squeak. Very compliant, he thought, squeezing her breast again.
This was wonderful. Not only had he figured out how to kiss properly, a skill he realized he had a natural knack for, shame it took him so long to figure it out. But he also figured out how to shut Cordelia Turner up, something even her sleeping couldn't do. On top of that, it felt good.
His fingers drifted to the collar of her shirt, which had been low cut to begin with, and he began fingering the soft skin of her chest. Again, she moaned and arched her back further, pushing her breast into his hand. He laughed to himself as he thought, Oh, she wants me to touch her. He hooked a finger in the hem, pulling it down before dipping his hand into her shirt, gliding along the soft skin of her breast until he held most of it in his hand. Her breast spilled over in his grip, but her nipple perked up between his fingers, and just for fun he pinched it gently.
Her lips pulled away from his, making a smacking noise before she made an unreadable face. "Oh God," she groaned, arching her back again as her hip ground against his thigh.
He couldn't help himself. "It's Gaara," he reminded her glibly, then adding in a joke, "But you can call me 'God' if you want." She glared at him, but it immediately melted when he kissed her again, his hand kneading her breast, eliciting sweet moans from her throat.
"Ahem-hem."
Gaara pulled back quickly, their lips smacking as they came apart. Gaara turned, looking at the intruder wide-eyed, surprised someone had snuck up on him like that. Usually, he could sense a person walking into the building five floors down. Councilman Toska and Kiyoshi had made it all but two feet, and had clearly been standing there for a bit. Both councilmen gave a mix of disapproving frowns and knowing smiles.
Suddenly, Gaara felt someone's murderous glare settling on him, and he realized his hand was still in Cordi's shirt, thumb absently stroking her nipple. She shoved his arm away, fixing herself as he extricated himself from her awkwardly. She blushed furiously, fixing her shirt.
The councilmen gave them a weird smile as Kiyoshi said smoothly, "Sorry for interrupting." He reached in his robes as added, "I felt you should have the dragon's two-month physical report," pulling out a manilla envelope and offering it to Gaara.
Gaara licked his lips doing his best to appear stoic and in charge, but also feeling his own blush on his cheeks at being caught in such a compromising position. Especially by council members. He reached for the envelope and said a little too stiltedly, "Thank you."
The councilmember each gave a slight bow, Toska remarking haughtily before they left, "We'll let you get back to your business."
Gaara was mortified. He knew better than to behave so basely in public. Although, a part of him realized the Council might not worry about his ability to conduct marital relations when necessary. And with his secretary. Not that he hadn't been developing feelings for her since before he left Konoha, but that was hardly common knowledge. Now the Council would just look at this and think him as basic as any other businessman who slept with their secretaries.
Although, through his experiment he learned something important. He was certain now that if he followed that pull he felt when he was near Cordi, the gravity he felt when he kissed her, it would lead to sex. He'd never understood the hunger, the need, people had talked about with such actions, until now that is. He'd always thought it was just desire, something easily curbed, but it wasn't. It was stronger. Like opposite magnets put in the same vicinity. Coming together was almost inevitable.
He wasn't sure if that knowledge scared him or excited him. All he knew was that he wanted to try it again. And again. And again, and again, and again until he didn't know where he ended and Cordi began.
He chanced a look at the fire user and saw Cordi trying her best to look like she hadn't just been caught making out with the Kazekage, her boss. But her swollen lips and blush didn't help her in that endeavor.
As if sensing his stare, Cordi leveled a glare on him slapped his shoulder. "I cannot believe you didn't shut the door!" she hissed. He had gotten used to those kinds of hits that his sand didn't protect him from them. "Anybody could have seen us!"
"You didn't shut the door either," Gaara offered boredly.
Cordi glowered at him. "That was because you attacked me before I could!"
Gaara frowned, not liking her use of the word "attacked." "As I recall, you seemed to have enjoyed it."
"Oh, yes!" she huffed back, clearly sarcastic, "I totally enjoyed having your council members watch us dry hump each other as you fondled my boob!"
Again, Gaara blushed at the reminder. What was worse was she was so crass about it. Dry humping? It was a term he'd only hear the likes of Kankuro, Kiba, or Naruto say. It sounded disgusting, but the midst of the action it felt beautiful. "Did you not enjoy it?" he mumbled, more to himself. It was a relief to him to know that he hadn't been as hopeless as he thought he might be in his first proper foray into intimacy. But now he was wondering if he had actually failed again.
The way he asked it made Cordi's expression soften. "Of course I did," she answered. She shrugged as she blushed, sheepishly adding, "I mean, I did include myself in the act of dry humping." Gaara made a face as she used that disgusting term again. "I just mean it would have been better if we didn't have an audience."
Again, Gaara blushed. He couldn't believe he let himself get so carried away. He meant to just kiss her. Then, his instincts took over like he was in a fight, and the next thing he knew, he was kneading her breast, and grinding his hips into hers. He blushed even more as he realized he'd also flirted, telling her to call him "God," in the throes of passion. He pursed his lips, then turned back to his desk to hide his reddening face from her.
She crossed her arms and shifted her stance. "You also never told me," she huffed stepping closer to the desk.
He frowned. "Told you what?"
"If you and Matsuri broke up," she huffed, placing her hands on her hips as she caught her breath.
He looked off to the far wall behind her, not wanting to make eye contact. "Does it matter?"
Cordi looked at him darkly. "It does to me." Gaara looked at her blandly, slightly curious as to why it would matter to her. He would be the one destroying his relationship, not her. She licked her lips, leveling him with a dangerous look when he didn't say anything. "Gaara. You better not have kissed me while you're still taken by another woman." Gaara was thankful he could hold his stoic expression so well, because a small pit of fear began to build in his stomach at her glare. "Gaara …" she growled through gritted teeth.
He opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted with her phone ringing. She opened the phone annoyed, barking out, "Hello?" Her face fell to a frown quickly. "What? Ronnie slow down." Then there was a long silence, earning a curious expression from Gaara as Cordi's own expression fell to something resembling shock and worry, steadily pressing the phone closer to her ear. "When did this happen?" Another long silence, then Cordi declared, "I'm on my way," before hanging up.
Gaara watched Cordi carefully as she rubbed her eyebrows, eyes wide with shock. "I have to go. My sister's in the hospital."
Gaara frowned. "What happened?"
The words came out of her in a tumble as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "She collapsed during training. Shikamaru performed CPR, but because she doesn't have a working inhaler, the doctors …" She took a gasping breath. "She's in a coma on a ventilator, meaning there's a possibility she might not …" she trailed off, taking another hiccupping gasp.
Gaara could fill in the last word. He closed the distance between them, pulling her into him on instinct. He felt her give a shuddering sob. This made his current problem seem so small in comparison. "She'll get through this," he stated, although he could hear in his voice he wasn't even sure of the statement.
Cordi inhaled deeply through her nose, pushing him away, not harshly. He saw the tears in her eyes holding still on her lashes as her expression was more determined now. "I have to go. Now," she stated, before running out of the office, snagging her leather purse, throwing the long strap over her head, across her chest, then ran up towards the roof.
Gaara scowled and followed her. Exactly how she was planning on leaving that way, he had no idea. That was at least until he opened the door behind her and saw the gleaming red winged lizard landing on the roof of his home. And the realization that Cordi was actually leaving hit home. Gaara looked at Aleera nervously. The last time he'd seen her, she'd been a bit smaller. The size of maybe a rather large horse. Now she was the size of an elephant. A big elephant.
Cordi wasted no time, hopping on Aleera, and settling on her shoulders.
Gaara braced himself against the gusts caused by Aleera's wings. "Cordelia!" he called out, gritting his teeth. "You can't just leave!"
"I'm not a ninja, so you can't hold me here."
"But—"
"For the love of Christ, Gaara. My sister is probably dying, and I'm the only person who knows her medical records enough to be of any help!" Cordi snapped, gripping one of Aleera's spines tightly to hold on fast. Her dark brown eyes glared into Gaara's, and he knew there was no stopping her. "If you need me to have a mission to leave, then make one up! I'm going to Konoha." She turned to her dragon, yelling at her, "Fly."
Aleera sprung up, her giant wings flapping heavily as she lifted from the ground. Gaara hung his head a little, realizing he'd have to explain this to the council for the meeting that afternoon. The Council's weekly update and favorite time to ask him demands. He let out a sigh, realizing he'd given her quite a clever loophole for escaping his village. She wasn't a ninja. Therefore, she could technically travel as she pleased. And she'll be gone for a week, meaning he'd have to do all the filing himself. And he still hadn't done Matsuri's paperwork.
He puffed his cheeks, realizing he couldn't let her go alone. Not only was she running off in a highly emotional state, but she was running off to another country. There was a good chance she'd be seen, possibly captured. There was also a possibility if her sister died, Kakashi could make her an offer to become a Konoha ninja with her friends, taking her sister's spot, which meant Gaara lost a major asset for Suna for whatever future reason those girls were brought here. His heart seized at the thought of losing her, especially when he'd just found she was the key to everything he'd been trying to understand this year. Beyond his personal reasons, the Council would be furious as well.
Cursing, he formed a sand platform under him, shooting off after her, setting up a clone back on the tower to stand in for him for the day, sending it back to his office to wait for him to reconnect, as well as rip up Matsuri's maternity form. By the time he'd be back, her doctor's form would already be finalized, so there would be no point. He also realized they hadn't packed for travel, so he tasked his clone with that as well. When he caught up to her, he called out, "I'M COMING WITH YOU!"
She frowned at him, but slowed down. Aleera looked at him annoyed as her wings flapped, holding her in place. "You mean it?" she asked.
He bit his lip before answering, "Your sister is in peril. I wouldn't let you go through something like this alone."
Cordi watched him for a moment, as if assessing the validity of his statement, before gesturing for him to hop on. He did, using his shunshin to exact his jump, landing on Aleera's shoulder, grabbing Cordi's shoulder for balance as he sat down behind her.
"Hold on," Cordi instructed, grabbing Aleera's spines in front of her.
Gaara's sand did that for him, strapping his and Cordi's legs around Aleera's collar and tying his waist to Cordi's. As they flew over the Suna skyline, Cordi chuckled a little, then sung softly, "I can show you the world…"
"What?" Gaara asked, having to call over the rushing winds as Aleera began to pick up her pace, pumping her powerful wings, and propelling them forward.
"Nothing," she replied, shaking her head as they crested Suna's walls, and flew off into the desert.
Kankuro was sitting at the kitchen table, working on one of his puppets, soothing classical music playing on the radio. With the way his room was smelling, he could not sit in there too long without feeling queasy. He was certain Cordi hid a dead fish in there, but he couldn't find where. So, he worked on his puppets at the table, which Temari would have hated, but she was out at the moment. At least he'd managed to get the ink glue off his face, but he didn't like the way he felt exposed without his make-up. He'd have to buy new ingredients tomorrow, as well as a new cannister. At least she hadn't messed with the eyeliner he kept in his room, and he'd applied that to his upper eyelid. Instead of dwelling on it, he focused on fixing his puppet.
One of the bolts had gotten loose in training a few days ago, and he had to replace it, as well as make sure all the other fasteners were still holding correctly. Then, the spring mechanism for the hidden weapons in the puppet's arm faulted. Again. He grumbled as he worked, fussing when the triggers weren't cooperating with his tools. His screwdriver slipped, gashing his thumb a little and he hissed in pain, "Damn it!" He sucked on it to staunch the blood and ease the pain, but it was rather sensitive.
It was then he heard a knock at the apartment door, and he frowned. Almost no one came to visit him during the day. "Hold on!" he called out, hitting the power button on the radio. He grabbed a towel, wrapping his thumb up since it was still bleeding a little, and he made his way to the door.
He opened the large red door, wondering who on earth it could be. Gaara, Temari, and Cordi wouldn't knock, and beyond them, no one came here. He froze when he saw Matsuri standing there, her eyes red and puffy as if she'd been crying for a long time. His heart sank at the sight of her. "What is it Matsuri? What happened?"
"I broke up with my boyfriend," she stated with a sniffle.
Surprise took any response he could make to that. She'd been with the guy for roughly four months, and he'd treated her poorly the whole time. Only now she called it quits?
"Can I sit down?" she asked, pointing towards the couch peeking out into the view of the foyer from the living room.
"Oh, yeah," Kankuro nodded quickly, helping her to the couch, and letting her sit. He let out an awkward sigh as he asked, "I've gotta' ask, what did he do this time?"
"Nothing," she answered, shaking her head a little dejectedly before licking her lips. "Actually, it was something I did."
Kankuro frowned, kneeling in front of her. He found himself wondering, What could Matsuri have done wrong? He reached his hand to hers, hoping to provide some support. Some comfort. She gave a bittersweet smile as she grasped his hand in hers, staring at it. He frowned, noting she was acting a little strange. "Is everything ok?" he asked.
She squeezed his hand a little, chewing on her bottom lip before she replied, "I had to break up with him because I found out I'm pregnant."
Kankuro froze, dread pitting in his stomach. His hand slackened while she kept caressing it with her fingers, as if trying to massage life back into it. The baby was his. He knew it. He'd been living a crazy life on the edge when he was out with his friends getting down and dirty, and he knew one day it was going to come and bite him in the ass. He had just hoped it never came in the form of a girl he'd gotten pregnant. What was worse was this was Matsuri. Gaara would have his head if he knew Kankuro had been boning his student.
"A-are you sure?" he found himself asking, looking at her hopefully.
Her gaze narrowed on his dangerously. "That you're the father? That's a pretty rude question."
"No," Kankuro said quickly, putting his hands up defensively. "I know I'm the only one who's been doing that with you." His voice broke a little, and he had to clear his throat, standing up and pacing, his gaze focused on the ground as he asked, "I'm just wondering if you're sure you're pregnant?" She raised an eyebrow at him as he rambled off what his mind suggested were plausible alternatives. "I mean, it could be something you ate. Or … um…" he started scratching his head as he saw her scowling at him.
"Kankuro," she growled. She grit her teeth, then let out a huff. "The first symptom I had was passing out on the road from the Cloud four days ago. Since then, every morning my first order of business is vomiting violently. If I stand for too long, I start feeling dizzy. The idea of chicken makes me want to hurl, which usually I love. Not to mention, my boobs have gone up a size for the first time since I was twelve, and they also feel like someone has been using them as their personal punching bags." Kankuro could only return her frustrated glare with a sheepish look. Matsuri scoffed as she finished, "If it's not pregnancy, then whatever it is certainly has the doctors thinking it is."
Kankuro nodded sheepishly, muttering, "So you've already been examined by a doctor who gave the diagnosis."
"Yeah," Matsuri scoffed.
"Right," Kankuro breathed, chewing on the inside of his cheek. He paused as he realized there was no negotiating around this. He steepled his hands over his mouth, then hissed, "Shit. What are we going to do?"
Matsuri looked up hopefully. "We?"
He was back to pacing, now more quickly as he gesticulated wildly and continued. "I'm only twenty-two. I'm not nearly old or mature enough to be a dad."
"What?" Matsuri asked, her black gaze following Kankuro back and forth across the room.
"God, this is a disaster," Kankuro whined, not even taking Matsuri in as his mind went into its tailspin. "I knew – I knew this was going to happen as soon as I opened that defective condom from Hiro!"
"What?!" Matsuri hissed.
"Hiro!" Kankuro supplied, not noting her livid tone or gaze. "He gave me a defective condom that night at Dunescape, so I couldn't use it!" He finally looked at her and saw her damning expression on him. "It's all Hiro's fault."
"Are you telling me," Matsuri began to ask, her voice lethally sharp with every syllable, "that we didn't use anything that night?"
"No, because Hiro—"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!?" she howled, jumping to her feet.
Kankuro shrank back. He'd never seen Matsuri so volatile. Her fists were clenched at her sides, and her eyes sparked with a burning fire. "I didn't want to upset you," he answered. "Plus the chances of it actually happening the first time are slim."
She scoffed at his answer. "So, instead of warning me so I could take silphium, you just thought that you'd roll the dice on our lives?" Kankuro gulped at her as she advanced on him. "I'm eighteen, Kankuro! And I've already had to quit my job and tell Gaara what we did, because pregnant mothers are not allowed to be ninja in Suna. And everyone who knows is already giving me dirty looks because I am now an unmarried pregnant teenager without any way to support a child. So, was it worth it?" He held her gaze, fear shooting through him by the sheer murderous intent in her eyes.
He knew in this instant, silence was the best answer, but he couldn't help but mutter, "Most women habitually drink silph-tea afterwards anyway."
She scowled at him, then growled, "I wouldn't have known to do that, because you didn't tell me! Plus, everyone knows it's only 68% effective, depending on how long you've steeped it."
He shrugged, adding, "Well, it still helps."
"More than an old condom?"
"More than a split condom," he countered.
She took a deep, stabilizing breath before huffing, her hand finding her abdomen and rubbing it protectively as she sat back down, "This anger isn't good for the baby."
She placed a hand on her belly, her thumb running over it gently. They remained silent for a long moment before she let out a frustrated sigh. "I came here to tell you about the baby. And offer the option of being involved in the child's life or not. I was also going to tell you the first sonogram is next Friday, if you'd like to join me."
"I'm sorry," Kankuro breathed, sitting next to her on the couch. He grabbed her hand tightly, caressing it over her belly. "You aren't in this alone. We'll figure this out. I promise I will be there." The words came to him quickly. He knew he meant them, at least mostly. He was sure it was the disapproval of his family if he'd said anything else driving those thoughts forward. He kissed the top of her head as he squeezed her hand. He meant it as a sweet, uplifting gesture, but he prayed she didn't feel his terror deep down as his mind spiraled with everything that could and would go wrong. He could hear his father in the back of his head saying, You need to grow up enough to be the father that child deserves.
She dismissed herself, shortly after, stating she had other things to handle. Kankuro tried to go back to his work, but was too distracted. He'd just injure himself a lot more with the thoughts of becoming a father swirling in his head causing his hands shake and his fingers to twitch.
He'd fucked up. Bad.
He took Crow back to his bedroom, noting the smell had died down some, but not fully. He walked back out, and paced around the kitchen. Partly, he wanted so badly to discuss his predicament with someone, but both Gaara and Temari would just be angry with him. He knew Gaara probably was plotting his death, or worse, arranging a marriage. Temari would rake him over coals for being so careless. He couldn't discuss it with his friends, because while he trusted them for fun times, they would blab, and he wasn't sure he wanted all of Suna knowing about this yet.
His gaze finally settled on his parents' wedding photo, which sat on the side table by the main patio door across from the laundry room. He partially wondered if his father had been panic stricken like he was when their mother announced his life, his world, was completely changing by becoming a father when she was pregnant with Temari. Then he scowled, realizing the situations were very different.
His parents had been childhood sweethearts, and had gotten married when they were twenty, twenty-one for his father. Their mother had been eight months younger than their father, but both were born in '62, so they'd gone to school together. That was about a year, give or take a few months, by the time Temari even became a thought. In that time, they had discussed becoming parents at least. They wanted to have kids. Temari was planned, even though his parents were his age when they'd conceived her. All three of them were planned. They weren't mistakes, unlike Kankuro's child.
He knew what his father would say at such news. A good man owns his actions, and is responsible for his mistakes. His father had always been the distant type, cold and somewhat unfeeling, favoring logic rather than empathy in a given situation. He was hard and rational, and expected any man, especially a shinobi, to put aside something as childish as emotion, and make the right, logical decision. He wouldn't be happy about Kankuro's fear about the idea of being shackled to Matsuri, or any woman. He wouldn't approve of Kankuro lamenting his freedom rather than immediately trying to make things right.
As for what his mother would say, hecould barely remember his mom, since she died just before his second birthday. He vaguely remembered her carrying him around Suna, his tiny fingers holding onto her poncho tightly as he sat on the bump that would become his little brother. He remembered she was kind, but that could have just been because she was his mother, and he was too young to do anything really worth punishing, other than pull her or Temari's hair. He couldn't imagine she was exactly proud, looking down on him from the afterlife. Her middle child who was terrified his life would be written for him, and he'd be stuck in a position he hated. Who made decisions without much thought to the consequences, thinking when push came to shove, he could step behind his puppets and hide, or manipulate his way out of a situation. Even his make-up was a defense. It made him feel safer, that it wasn't the coward within himself the world saw, but a warrior worthy of the title Shinobi. It was the mask of a man people might want around for a time, but all they would get was the mask, and not the insecurities underneath.
Only his family saw under that mask, his siblings. He'd opened up to Gaara twice about being afraid to commit. The first was when Suna was looking for a new Kazekage and approached him, but he turned it down immediately. The second was when the Council had set up Gaara to be married, and Gaara, clearly being frustrated with Kankuro, had asked why he'd thrown his little brother under the marital wagon. Temari didn't need to talk about it with him to know about them. She'd seen through all of his defenses since day one. Hell, she'd seen him develop them.
But now, was he expected to unmask to his child? He knew he couldn't build a real, meaningful relationship with anyone with it in place. Or if he was forced to marry Matsuri, would he have to bare his soul to her? Just because he married someone did not mean she couldn't still reject him if she actually saw him. The thought made him so terrified, it churned his stomach and made him want to vomit. He ran to the kitchen sink as he gagged.
He ran the water, washing his mouth and cheeks as cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He took a sip, and then another. Then he took two deep breaths to calm his panicking heart. He realized for right now that what was most important was not thinking about it. He looked at the time, seeing it was only twelve thirty-six. He was expected at the Suna Council meeting in an hour and a half. Realizing his brother would be there, he immediately decided against going.
He couldn't be seen by Gaara now, not with the shame of what he'd done to his student being known, or with the fact he knew Gaara would definitely demand he marry the girl, or kill him if he refused. He briefly played with the idea of going on the lam. Even if he didn't see Gaara at Council meeting in an hour, he would see him tonight. Gaara would find him hiding in his bedroom. And Kankuro knew he needed longer than a few hours to come to terms with his fate. But going on the lam did mean technically going AWOL, making him a missing nin for however long he needed to come to terms, and he didn't want such a mar on his record.
Maybe if he could just not be found for a day or two. Not leave Suna, but go on a bender? That was totally within his character.
He heard the Penthouse door click, and he sprinted to the patio, diving under the windows to not be seen. He peaked into the windows looking into the dining area, seeing Gaara step into the open living space from the foyer, and Kankuro ducked back down to not be seen. He let out a calming breath before moving closer to where a potted plant sat in front of another window, and peeked behind it. He saw his brother look around momentarily, then walk back towards the bedrooms. If his brother was looking for him, he'd find him quickly if Kankuro didn't go now.
He shunshined a couple roofs over before landing on the ground. He licked his lips, nervously mumbling, "Now what?" It was too early for the bars, as they didn't start pouring drinks until three. He saw a general store on the corner, and decided he'd get some water, then walk around Oasis Park. It wasn't that far, and he could think, and settle on a plan. And then, if by three o'clock he was still too scared to face his brother without a plan or argument to spare him from his fate, he could go to a bar and drink until he was so beyond loopy he either forgot Matsuri's news or he knew he was numbed enough that the idea of Gaara's sand burial when he said he wasn't marrying Gaara's student didn't scare him. He nodded, to himself, huffing, "Yup. Good plan," before marching into the general store.
"He's late," Councilwoman Mai huffed, noting the empty Kazekage chair.
Baki noted both Temari and Kankuro were also absent. Temari was understandable, as she was scheduled to have a meeting assessing the Suna ninja academy's current graduating class. Kankuro on the other hand was supposed to be here.
"Probably lost track of time frisking his assistant," Toska remarked, picking at some dirt in his nails.
The comment garnered the attention of several of the councilmembers, including Baki. Frisking?
"What do you mean by frisking?" Mai clarified for him, although she sounded a lot more prim, spitting out the word with disdain.
Kiyoshi rolled his eyes as he muttered, "I told you to let it go."
"It doesn't bother you that our Kazekage had his tongue down the throat of his ward?" Toska scoffed. "Or that he disrespected his post as Kazekage by practically fucking her in the broad daylight of his office?" That sent a loud titter of whispers through the council room. This was the hottest gossip they'd heard since Gaara's fiancé died.
Kiyoshi pursed his lips, then stated, "I think we all know he'd hardly be the first Kazekage to take such liberties in his office. Hell, we both know one of Lord Rasa's children was conceived on that desk."
Toska scoffed at the comment, while several other yelled at Kiyoshi, defending the honor of the previous Kazekages. Only Keiko and Baki made disgusted faces at that discovery. Keiko because she'd been a classmate of Kankuro's, so like many their age, saw Rasa as the father of the village. And Baki because while he knew Rasa fairly well when he was alive, it was after Karura's death, which had clearly changed him.
Baki sat forward and said, "I'm sorry. Would you mind clarifying? How do you know he was doing this in his office, and it's not just some rumor?"
Toska scowled at the Anbu head, and gestured between him and Kiyoshi, saying, "We walked in on them dropping off a report. He had her pinned against the doorframe. His tongue down her throat, and a hand on her exposed breast, as they humped each other like rabbits." This sent another tittering of whispers around the table.
"You say that like they weren't still fully clothed, which they were," Kiyoshi corrected.
"That doesn't make it any better," Toska snapped.
"She's his ward," Fuka reminded them, sounding a bit disgusted. "That is not how one treats a child they are caring for."
"She is seventeen," Riku commented.
"So!?" Fuka growled back?
Riku shrugged, "Well, they're age difference isn't that great. They're only two and a half years apart. And she'll be eighteen and a full adult in two months."
"That is no excuse," Fuka huffed, puffing his chest. "She is his ward!" He bristled as he added, "It's a gross abuse of power."
"Hakuto had just turned eighteen when she was set to marry Lord Gaara last March," Riku argued. "It's hardly any different."
"It's incredibly different," Bunta scowled.
Mai finally chimed in primly, "Either way, it doesn't look good. Either he's abused his power as a guardian and employer, or he was easily seduced by a woman hoping to climb ranks quickly."
"You say that as if you haven't done both of those things," Haruko remarked smartly, earning a stern glare from the eldest kunoichi.
Mai opened her mouth to remark, but was interrupted by the doors bursting open, and Gaara walking in, although most of the Council members could tell this was a sand clone as it moved slightly more sluggishly to his empty chair. "My apologies. I was held up."
"By Miss Cordelia?" Toska offered bitterly.
Gaara frowned, looking at him askance. "In a manner of speaking," he replied.
"We must say, Gaara," Ebizo commented, "most of us are not comfortable with the idea of you and her together… romantically." Gaara held his stoic expression as he swung his gaze over to the eldest council member. "She is your ward, and the optics of such a union are not good."
"We also are not sure of her loyalties. Why she's here. If she is an Otsutsuki spy?" Mai added quickly. "If she'll be returning to her world?"
"Or breeding. We can't know how her genetic line could affect the Kazekage line, which could be disastrous, since she doesn't have a chakra network. What if she passes that trait down, and not her powers?" Bunta chimed in, shaking his head. "There's too much at risk for the Kazekage line."
Gaara looked around, then closed his eyes tiredly and remarked, "This is what you've been discussing in my absence?"
"This is serious, Gaara," Ebizo stated. "Who you marry has been an issue for the Council all year."
Gaara furrowed his brow as he interrupted, "That was when Temari was engaged to marry a foreign shinobi. She is not anymore."
"That doesn't change the very present problems with the woman you are currently pursuing," Ebizo boomed. "Age, circumstance, loyalty, breeding—"
"She meets my requirements for the present," Gaara remarked tiredly. "And I recall when you first arranged me to marry Hakuto, it was for me to be happy."
"Men," Mai spat, disgustedly eyeing Gaara. "Only thinking with what's between your legs."
Gaara was taken aback by the remark. "Surely, there are other pressing matters we are worried about."
"Not at the present," Toska replied.
Gaara frowned at him, then stated, "Then I will have to cut this meeting short."
"No, we will discuss this," Fuka huffed, poking the table with an angry finger.
Mai nodded, adding, "She's an unknown entity. There are too many unanswered questions around her to sanction such a match. Not to mention she's the most unruly girl we've had to work with, with radical, dangerous ideas from her world. To even pose it as an option is problematic for future of this village."
"I wouldn't go that far," Riku argued. "Progression in values and technology will not degrade our village." He turned Gaara adding, "But they are right in some aspects. She's only been here a month, and that's hardly enough time to assess her character, motives, loyalties."
"I think I have a fairly good grasp on her loyalties," Gaara stated. "Her family and her friends. As she's proving right now."
"What do you mean she's proving right now?" Baki asked.
Gaara chewed the inside of his cheek before answering, "She got news from Konoha that her sister collapsed during training, and is knocking at death's door. Cordi called for Aleera, and immediately flew off to Konoha. I flew off with her, since I knew there was no way she'd wait for a ninja escort."
"What!?" several councilmembers howled as others whispered their disappointment to each other.
"Why didn't you stop her?" Kiyoshi asked.
"I tried to talk her down while she was running to the roof, but by the time we got there, Aleera was waiting," Gaara explained. "And it's difficult to refute someone with a dragon."
"You should have fought her," Reo growled.
"That would have been futile," Gaara stated. "She would have escaped at the earliest moment, and as she's proven, she knows some of my weaknesses in battle. None of us could have held her back." Then he shrugged as he added, "She also made a point that she was not a ninja, and therefore was not under any of our command, and also could not be considered a missing nin or any type of enemy to the state in a legal capacity for her actions. "
"And who's fault is that?" Keiko commented under her breath, eyeing Gaara pointedly. The Council had been soundly split on the issue of making Cordi a ninja a month and a half ago, and Gaara's vote had been the deciding factor.
Gaara annoyed gaze shifted over to Keiko before responding, "I've already made plans of rectifying that situation when we return. Using this clone, I've already started the paperwork, and it will be sent to processing at the end of the day. When we return, her ninja record will be set up and her photo will be taken." He looked back up to the windows showing the blue sky over Suna. "Also with this clone using the phone in my office, I already called Lord Kakashi and told him that this was happening, and he's agreed to look at this as field test for the dragons' flying capabilities."
"Lucky we're on such good terms with Konoha," Kiyoshi remarked.
"I am curious, Lord Kiyoshi," Gaara added, "How was Aleera able to escape so easily?"
Kiyoshi chewed his cheek as he replied, "I'm not sure, Lord Gaara. I wasn't aware of the breach. But it's likely she broke the bird-cage built over her and Kushinbo's habitat. If that's the case, we will need to look into stronger metal, possible restraints, and reinforce the breech."
"Look into that." Gaara then turned to Haruko, directing, "Aleera was visible to the public. I need any news story about dragons squashed. We will all be in big trouble if the other three Kage find out what we've been hiding."
"Understood," she replied with a slight.
"So, we are to understand that you are going to Konoha for a week, alone with a woman we do not approve of?" Mai clarified with an arching brow.
"Well, if he left only a few hours ago, surely we can send a team to accompany them," Reo offered. "How far out are you."
Gaara chuckled. "That would be pointless. We are already nearing the Land of Rivers. We paused at the west side of Kyokoku River, not too far from the Akatsuki's old hideout, so Aleera could get some water."
"Kyokoku River?" Reo balked.
Kiyoshi sat up, remarking, "That's about a day and a half away."
"Yes," Gaara sighed. "Aleera managed it in two hours carrying both of us. We'll be in Konoha by nightfall."
"So, you're riding her as well?" Kiyoshi clarified, making a note.
"Yes," Gaara replied. "So, now you see why I decided to join her. And why sending an escort would not be beneficial."
Mai crossed her arms, muttering, "It's a convenient excuse."
Gaara shook his head, catching the older woman's tone. "I don't understand you all. First you want me settled down, and as soon as I take a step in that direction, you complain."
"It's that you're taking steps with that girl that's the issue," Fuka chimed in. Several of the members nodded their agreement to that comment, whispering amongst themselves.
"Now now everyone," Ebizo called out, waving a hand to calm everyone down. "We've all heard from the most vocal dissenters. Let's take a vote to see if Gaara has the Council's supp—"
"There's no need," Gaara stated annoyedly. "You are all talking as if we're about to walk down the aisle, but that couldn't be further from the truth. It is far too early to identify it as anything beyond what some would call 'chemistry.' It was only just the one kiss, that yes got a little out of hand and was witnessed by Lord Kiyoshi and Lord Toska. But a moment is hardly a relationship."
"She isn't the girlfriend you've been claiming to have?" Haruko asked, sounding very intrigued.
The Council shifted audibly to look at Gaara, who looked uncomfortable by the question. "No. The girlfriend I had been seeing … that ended. Fairly recently."
Kiyoshi brightened up, holding a hand up in offering as he suggested, "So this thing with Cordelia is just a rebound."
Gaara frowned, clearly unsure, and said, "If that's the term."
Kiyoshi scoffed, relaxing in his chair as he laughed, "And you all were worried."
"Be that as it may," Mai commented, "Lord Gaara should still exercise caution. A momentary tryst is fine if it doesn't go past these doors. But if it progresses, it could look very very bad."
"Duly noted," Gaara grumbled. "If that's all, we've got to head on." The council grumbled their agreements. He stood, then his sand clone collapsed.
Baki tapped his finger on the table as councilmembers talked amongst themselves, leaving the Council Chamber. Baki decided to talk with the siblings. Something wasn't adding up. He made his way up to the penthouse, hoping Kankuro had just slept through the meeting. He knocked on the door, and there was no answer. After a while, he knocked again, louder. Still no answer.
He figured Kankuro must have stepped out. He figured it was more likely something had come up the middle sibling needed to tend to, probably with the puppet core, rather than just skipping the meeting for no reason. If Kankuro did miss meetings, it was usually because he was working on his puppets, and his music was too loud, but Baki did not hear Kankuro's radio through the walls, which he usually did.
He checked his watch, seeing Temari's meeting at the Academy should be over in the next twenty to thirty minutes. So, he decided he'd wait there to talk with Temari or Kankuro, whoever he ran into first.
As Gaara finished with his meeting, he returned to see Cordi fussing as she tried to pull her tangles apart which had developed from flying without her hair pulled back. In all honesty, it was the fastest Gaara had ever moved in his life. He was sure his hair looked oddly fluffed up as well. His sand cloud moved fast when necessary, but Aleera's flight made it seem as if that were only as fast as walking. And he had no doubt she'd be able to fly further if it weren't for the effects of the desert's dehydrating sun and wind.
Of course with Cordi sitting in front of him for the ride, his mind would have been mixed between wonder at flying so high and arousal from being so close to her. Her back against his chest as he held her tightly to stay on this comet of a beast. It would have been most intoxicating … had her long hair not been styled down for the day, and therefore shrouded his vision in dark sandy strands. After it had struck him several times over in the face, he used his sand to hold it in place. So as she was detangling to the best of her ability without a comb or brush, she was also picking out grains of his sand, grumbling, "I have half a mind to jump into this river and just let it wash my hair as best it can."
"You'd get washed away," Aleera commented, taking another gulp of water. "There's an undercurrent that's not readily visible, but is very strong."
"And you can't walk on water," Gaara added.
"Thanks for the reminder," Cordi huffed annoyedly, looking at him deadpan. She ripped at her hair a few more times before she declared, "This is the best it's going to get without conditioner." She reached around to her purse, pulling out a hair-tie after fishing for it, holding up the black band victoriously. She pulled her hair back in a simple ponytail. She dove back into her purse, looking for what Gaara guessed was another hair-tie.
He looked up to the sky, noting the weather changing. The scant clouds over the desert had been growing in number as they'd flown east, now colliding together. They weren't quite hanging low yet, but there were a few on the horizon they could see that were dark, but small, spilling rain over the fields peacefully like a gardener over his flowers. When he'd called Kakashi before going to his Council meeting, the Hokage warned them about the storm that was coming in from the Land of Storms, which had developed this morning, causing a belt of storms through the northern parts of the Land of Rivers, not too far away from them now. Gaara assumed those small puffs were a part of those systems.
"We should get going," Gaara commented, chewing the inside of his cheek as he watched the drifting clouds. "Kakashi said it's going to rain tonight coming from just North of us, and we might need to bank south for the storms."
Aleera scoffed. "Why? Afraid to get wet?"
Gaara looked at the dragon a little sourly.
"No, he's right. Storms and flying do not mix. You haven't flown in a storm, Aleera," Cordi commented, pursing her lips as she pulled her knotted ponytail into a bun. "Turbulence is no joke. We could get thrown off your back." She walked over to Aleera, asking over her shoulder to Gaara, "Are you ready? We should get going."
Gaara nodded, using his sand to assist her up with himself. She looked at him curiously, but he would not look her in the eyes, acting as if the stream were far more interesting. She settled on Aleera's shoulders, and Gaara settled in behind her. He only touched her shoulder a bit to help ease himself down, but even that felt like lightning through his skin. As he settled in behind her, he used his sand to secure them to the dragon like before, surprised that Cordi didn't panic at being encased in his sand, at least to her hips.
Aleera scoffed about something before spreading her wings and jumping into the air with great force, her wings pumping the air underneath them.
Cordi stayed silent as they took off, heading out east into the Land of Rivers with speeds Gaara had barely experienced on his sand clouds. His sand clutched tighter to Cordi as his hands subconsciously grasped her tightly at her waist, mildly terrified at the force of the take-off. It was like nothing he'd experienced before, and it felt like his stomach dropped from his body as the rest of himself was lifted high in the sky. It was only after they leveled off and were met with the strong winds of Aleera's flight did he notice how tightly he was holding Cordi to himself. And as his stomach returned to him, he was suddenly thankful he hadn't eaten anything except his toast this morning.
Cordi chuckled, clearly thankful for the distraction as she looked over her shoulder and joked, "Careful Gaara. Someone might think you have a thing for me."
Gaara stayed silent. Instead he loosened his grasp, and leaned back away from her. She visibly shivered as air rushed between them.
"Are you cold?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she said back. "Just with my hair down, the back of my neck was covered."
Without speaking, Gaara encircled her waist with his arms, pulling her back against him tightly, covering the back of her neck with his chest and shoulder. She twisted her head to look up at him, and he looked down into her. There was a mix of wonder and gratitude in her gaze as she said, "Thanks."
"Don't mention it," Gaara replied, feeling his heart skip a beat at the intimacy of the gesture. He looked at her lips again, and felt their pull, and he leaned down.
"Ugh," Aleera groaned.
"What?" Cordi demanded, turning forward away from him, sounding a little nervous.
"Nothing," Aleera grumbled back. "Just Kuishinbo was right. You humans and your silly mating rituals." Both Gaara and Cordi blushed at being called out by the dragon. Aleera continued blandly, "It's so much easier to just mate and get on with it."
Cordi cleared her throat before saying, "And how would you know? You're only two months old."
"It's instinct," Aleera stated. "We're reptiles. We barely form an attachment beyond mother to child."
"Well, that's … comforting," Cordi replied.
"I'm not saying we eat each other, like our smaller cousins," Aleera clarified.
"I didn't say …"
"You thought it," Aleera stated. She sighed as if the comparison was inevitable. "All I'm saying is dragons do not fall in or need love to mate. It makes things much less confusing."
Cordi cleared her throat awkwardly, and she and Gaara refused to look at each other for the rest of the flight. Gaara noticed she didn't deny Aleera's claims that Cordi was in love, insinuating with him. He also noted he didn't deny the dragon's claims that he felt similarly either. He wasn't sure it was love, but he did know he felt something.
At six o'clock, Hinata left the group, claiming she had a date with Naruto. She wished everyone well, and told Shikamaru if she needed him tomorrow, she'd be training with Hanabi, what she did every Saturday.
Shortly after, Sakura came by the waiting room, telling the girls and Shikamaru that they could go in and see Rox if they wanted. Adding that being in a coma meant she could hear them, and it was good to talk with her. That doing that could help her pull herself out of the coma once her lungs were functioning again. Both Fred and Lynne had taken their turns visiting Rox. Fred had commented to the group that seeing her hooked up to a machine had made her almost unrecognizable. When Lynne returned, she didn't say anything, just silently cried in the corner as Ronnie took her turn.
It was nearing seven, and Ronnie still hadn't returned when Shikamaru leaned his head back and sighed. "This is all my fault."
"Don't say that," Lynne said quickly, tears still falling down her cheeks. "You shouldn't beat yourself up over it."
"Shouldn't I?" Shikamaru asked. "I'm the team leader, and she couldn't trust me with an ailment that could kill her. Either because of our relationship or…" he trailed off. Every way he looked at it, it was his fault. It was his fault for not noticing. It was his fault for not building trust. It was his decision on the extra training exercises for their punishment. It was his jealousy of her new relationship that had made him feel vindicated for punishing her. His jealousy that betrayed Kiba's secret, landing them in this mess to begin with. It was all him.
"It wasn't all you," Lynne argued. He looked at her, and see from her own gaze that she'd been reading his thoughts. He pursed his lips, not agreeing, but Lynne continued, "Kiba made his own bed. And Ronnie hers. Rox could have told you a while ago. In fact we told her to when she mentioned that she was worried about her inhaler weeks ago. But she didn't because she's proud and stubborn. Too much so for her own good." She wiped away her tears at the last comment.
"Thanks," Shikamaru stated half-heartedly. "But that doesn't make me feel better."
"Where's Ronnie?" Fred asked, looking down the hallway. She turned back to the dwindling group, saying, "She should have been back by now."
"She feels most at fault," Lynne stated, shaking her head. "She was practically shouting her thoughts when I passed her in the hallway earlier. I wouldn't be surprised if seeing Rox there made her run home with guilt."
Fred scowled at Lynne. "Then why didn't you stop her. Tell her what you just told Shikamaru. It's not her fault either."
"Because I could tell she wouldn't have listened to me anyway," Lynne answered sadly. She chewed her lip, tearing up as she added, "That and I was still reeling from being in Rox's dream."
Fred frowned, walking over to her. "You were in her dream?"
Lynne nodded.
"Did you tell her to wake up?" Fred demanded.
Lynne shook her head. "I was just an observer. Like a specter in her mind. I tried to talk, but she couldn't see or hear me." She chewed on her cheek, tears spilling anew as she said, "I don't think she'll want to wake up."
Fred and Shikamaru looked at her, Fred a little crestfallen. "What makes you say that?"
"Because she was home," Lynne answered, her voice hitching on the last word. "We were all home." She sobbed as she said, "We'd been so busy with school and training, I'd forgotten how much I missed everyone."
Fred swept over to her, pulling her into a hug. "It's ok. I miss them too."
Lynne took a shuddering breath, wiping her eyes dry again. "I'm ok," she said, tapping Fred on the shoulder.
Fred let her go, standing up and looking at the sky. "I'm just worried what Cordi will say when she gets here."
Shikamaru scoffed, "Suna is two and a half days away by train. She likely won't be here in time to do anything."
"That far?" Fred asked, sounding disheartened.
"Unless she took Aleera," Lynne said with a frown. "It'd be much quicker on a dragon, right?"
"That's its name? Aleera?" Shikamaru asked.
The girls ignored him as Fred replied, "Yeah. They are very agile at their cruising speed. How many miles away is Suna?"
Shikamaru frowned. "Miles?"
Fred rolled her eyes. "Sorry. Forgot everything is metric here. Kilometers."
"Almost three thousand," Shikamaru stated with a shrug. He winced, looking up as if remembering something. "Two thousand, nine-hundred seventy, I think. There's no way she can make it."
Fred chewed her lower lip as she whispered her math, "Three thousand, divided by five is six hundred. Then times three is roughly eighteen hundred miles, give our take."
"Geez," Lynne sighed. "That's over twice as far as our drive to Maine was going to be."
Fred grimaced, leaning back against the wall and grumbling, "You're right. It is a lot. Even in a car, it would take a couple days. If they went through the night, it'd still be at least two days."
"As I said, she's probably not going to be here," Shikamaru sighed. "Even if the Suna Council let her take her dragon, which I also doubt."
Lynne scoffed. "I don't think the Council would have any say if she took Aleera or not."
Shikamaru frowned at the comment.
Lynne shrugged, adding, "Cordi said she wasn't made a Suna ninja, so if she just flew off, she wouldn't be breaking any rules. And how do you stop a dragon, or a girl, both of which can demolish a town by summoning a fire-storm if they wished?"
"The Kazekage could," Shikamaru pointed out. "Sand smothers fire. And he could easily restrain a giant beast."
Lynne shrugged. While Shikamaru's assessment was logical, her gut told her Cordi was well on her way back to the Leaf Village.
A knock sounded on the door, causing the group to turn, seeing Sakura standing at the door, her pink hair tied back and her doctor's coat on. She looked at them sympathetically as she said, "Visiting hours are almost over. And the night shift is coming in, so I'm about to head home. If there's anything –"
"Do I have time to see her?" Shikamaru asked. "I didn't want to intrude on Ronnie's time, but according to Lynne, she's likely already gone."
Sakura nodded, gesturing him to follow her. He waved bye to Fred and Lynne before following his old classmate back. As he left the room, he heard Fred say to Lynne, "Why don't we get some dinner? I'm starving."
"Ok," Lynne sighed back, following her friend the opposite direction as Sakura and Shikamaru, towards the exit.
As Shikamaru walked into her room, he saw what Fred meant by not recognizing her. Hoses and tubes sprouted off her arms and mouth with chords and pads attached to her chest, beeping along with her heartrate, which was slow, but steady. Her face was relaxed, but unnaturally so. She looked practically dead, with her hair splayed out around her to keep it from tangling with the hoses and chords.
As if sensing his feelings brimming under the surface, Sakura whispered, "I let you have some time alone."
"Thanks," he replied. He heard the door click behind her, but he didn't move for a minute, just stewing in his feelings of regret and self-loathing. "Fred was right," he said, chewing the inside of his cheek. "It's difficult seeing you like this, Rox."
He almost expected her to respond, laughing with her own joke and story of a time she looked worse back when she was a child. He vaguely recalled a story she told him on their second date about falling off the playground as a kid, and almost biting her tongue clean off. He could practically hear her laughing as she said, "You think I look rough now, you should have seen me then with blood coming out of my mouth."
The thought made him laugh, if only for a second. But it was hollow. A thin façade for the gaping hole of guilt and heartache in his chest.
"Oh, Rox," he breathed, shaking his head, feeling a lump develop in his throat from the sight. "I did this."
He sniffed, then rubbed his nose, trying his best not to cry. It wasn't something he did often. It took too much energy in his opinion. The last time he wept, really wept, was his father's funeral when they'd returned from the war. He and Ino stood in the cemetery and wept together. He walked over to her, wondering what his father would say about this situation. When he'd run his first mission as a chunin, he'd sacrificed four of his friends and teammates, and while Temari told him to buck-up, it was his father's advice that made him realize he'd done the best he could in the situation.
Maybe that's why he felt so guilty about what happened today. He hadn't done the best he could. He hadn't even tried to handle things properly. He tried to distance and deny himself his feelings, and when she tried to move on, as most people would, he acted jealous and vindictive. He hadn't allowed himself to admit it, but at some point he'd fallen in love with this strange girl. He couldn't pinpoint when. If it was when she pinched his ass in the square, when she showed him her storm artwork, when she wore the antlers with him at the festival and shared the funnel cake, or if it was when he felt the pull of her embrace when he taught her to properly throw a shuriken. Maybe it was when he realized another woman he cared about was being forbidden from him. Or when she stubbornly declared that she wanted to be with him in spite of his self-imposed ideals. He knew that's when the war between his heart and mind started. His mind had won out in the beginning, but his feelings grew stronger and stronger until he couldn't control them, and his jealousy won out.
Rox was put in peril in the process. He was just too angry and hurt from his own actions, his own ideals of nobility, to notice she was suffering silently.
What would his father say? What would Asuma say? He was certain neither of them would be proud to see him feeling sorry for hurting the woman he loved.
He didn't stop the tears flowing freely down his cheeks as he grabbed her hand. "I'm so sorry," he admitted through hitched breaths. "Rox, I'm so sorry. I've been the most selfish and unmitigated ass to you. I've been jealous through no fault of your own, and I took my frustrations out on you and your friends. I've been a horrible leader, and even worse, I've hurt the woman I love."
He squeezed her hand as he pleaded, "Please forgive me."
He dried his tear, and pinched his nose, still feeling the hole of guilt gaping in his chest, trying to suck in the rest of him like a black hole. He leaned forward, over the hoses, planting a kiss on her forehead and whispered against her skin, "I love you, Roxanne Hart Turner. Please come back to me."
He didn't know what he expected when he pulled away. Her eyes didn't open. He didn't see her smile.
No.
In spite of his confession, she continued to sleep. He realized he'd wait there to be one of the first people to welcome her back. He vowed to himself to come back every day, and sit by her bedside until she woke. He wasn't done with her. He wouldn't be. Not in his lifetime.
There was a knock on the door, and he looked up, hearing Sakura through the door, "Visitation is over."
He nodded, leaning over Rox again, giving her another kiss on her forehead as he promised, "I'll be back tomorrow." With that, he left, following Sakura silently out of the hospital.
The sun was hanging low when the Hokage Faces came into view. Gaara directed Cordi to land Aleera at the West Gate, where Kakashi was waiting. They landed and saw Kakashi stood at the gate with Kiba's mom and sister, if Cordi had to guess, given the cheek markings. The western gate had an odd fork to it, with a road pointed Northeast, and another heading south, except it curved around a few compounds. She remembered the hotel they'd stayed in last time was to the North, close to the Hokage building.
"Five hours," Kakashi noted. "Not bad."
Cordi hopped off first, running up to him. "My sister?"
"Visitation hours are likely over," Kakashi stated, trying to sound calming.
Cordi wasn't having it. "Point me in the direction of the hospital," she ordered.
He pointed down the southern road with a tired sigh. "Past the Yamanaka compounds and Stadium on your right. White building, blue roof. You can't miss it."
"Thanks," she said.
"Before you go," Gaara urged, causing Cordi to pause, "Lord Kakashi, were you able to set up our reservation?"
Kakashi nodded. "You are in your usual hotel."
"Noted," Cordi said, then shot off like a rocket.
Kakashi frowned. "She can fly?"
Gaara nodded vaguely.
The Inuzukas stepped forward with a slab of meat, half of a slaughtered goat, an offering for the dragon. Aleera snapped up the proffered meat delightedly as Hana went around, her side, asking, "What's its name?"
"Aleera," Gaara stated quickly. "Her name's Aleera."
She nodded, rubbing the dragons scaly shoulder as she introduced herself. "Hi Aleera. My name's Hana. We've been taking care of the other dragons. Would you let us take care of you?"
"MMMM" Aleera growled contentedly, ripping at the goat carcass.
"As a safety precaution, all the other dragons have trackers. Would you let us give you a tracker?"
"Mmmm" Aleera growled again, not caring about their questions as long as she ate to replenish her strength.
"Alright, you're going to feel a small sting," Hana stated, positioning her device just under the dragon's wing joint. Then with a loud thunk, the tracker was injected. Aleera growled, flexing her wing, but she didn't act surprised. Gaara and Kakashi looked surprised that the procedure was so simple, or really that the dragon hadn't reacted more.
Tsume leaned over, stating, "The dragons, while large and a bit scary looking, are incredibly smart and reasonable, we've found. If you're friendly, establish a rapport with them, their easy to manage. Rather like people, just a bit more toothy." She chuckled at her own joke, which only made Gaara slightly nervous, but at the same time understanding. Aleera had exhibited her smart intellect several times over on the flight. Tsume stepped in front of the dragon, and directed, "Aleera, Hana is going to ride you over to the Forest of Death with me following on the ground. Are you ready?"
Aleera scooped the rest of the carcass up in her jaws, slightly unhinging to fit it all, and swallowing it all in a single gulp, bones and all. Then she straightened out a wing, offering her shoulder for the vet to ride. Hana hopped on, and then they were off towards the Forest of Death.
"I'll walk you to your hotel," Kakashi offered, gesturing down the north road.
Gaara nodded with a sigh, "Thank you." He made a quick mental list of what he needed to do when he got there, from summoning their luggage to figuring out dinner, that was if Cordi wanted to eat. They'd been in the air four and a half, maybe five hours. It was only four thirty, or just after in Suna. It was such an odd thing to think. They'd essentially traveled three hours into the future over five hours. The difference was stark, whereas usually, the change was gradual, since the trip took so long.
"You must be exhausted," Kakashi noted.
Gaara frowned. "Actually, yes, and no." The Kages caught up as they strolled to the hotel, mostly about the dragons and girls. Gaara made sure to inform Kakashi someone on the Council was handling the silencing of any news story featuring Aleera's flight.
"Good," Kakashi sighed, at Gaara's news.
"So, we are still not ready to inform the other Kage?" Gaara clarified.
"Not yet," Kakashi answered. "However, I don't think it will be long now." Gaara's brow furrowed, and Kakashi continued. "Your son's hint on Mr. Youshida has proven to be incredibly invaluable."
"You mean Cordelia's son," Gaara corrected.
"Yes, sorry," Kakashi said, waving off his error. "Slip of the tongue." Gaara's eyes narrowed on the Hokage. He got the feeling Kakashi was hiding something again, although this time, Gaara was not in the loop. "Anyway, we've uncovered quite a bit on the man in question. But it's taking a while to decipher everything. As soon as we do, we'll have enough to hold another summit, reveal the girls, and their dragons, and develop a plan for what's coming."
Gaara frowned. "What's coming?"
Kakashi tilted his head, as if that was the exact question to ponder. "No idea."
"Do you know why the girls are here?" Gaara decided to ask as they slowed to a stop in front of the hotel.
"As far as I can tell," Kakashi answered tiredly, as if he was working on the case constantly, "they're here to save the world."
Gaara looked off down the village street, seeing kids playing and ninja greeting neighbors. Just people going about their lives in peaceful times. And it was about to be upended again. Soon. And whatever was coming was big. He could infer that much from Kakashi's answers. "Who was he?" Gaara asked. "Mr. Youshida, I mean."
"A soothsayer to the Senju clan from before Konoha and into its early years," Kakashi answered. "He died about eight years after the village was started."
Soothsayer, Gaara thought, clearly meaning they were deciphering prophecies, not just regular coded messages.
"Good evening, Lord Kazekage," Kakashi said with a bow.
Gaara reciprocated, bowing as well slightly as he said, "Good evening, Lord Sixth."
Cordi landed at the hospital, and just as she ran up to the front doors, she almost tackled Shikamaru and Sakura walking out. She skid herself to a stop in front of them, kicking up dirt, which billowed around her shoes. Her eyes landed on Shikamaru, and she knew he was the one who'd know. "Rox," she said, gasping for breath. "How is she?"
Shikamaru looked stunned to see her. "Cordelia?" he balked. "How did you…?"
"I flew," she answered.
Shikamaru could only blink at her.
"How is my sister?" Cordi demanded, looking between them.
Sakura looked at her with pity, stating, "Your sister collapsed from her asthma, induced by training drills."
"I didn't know," Shikamaru blurted quickly. "Rox didn't tell me about her asthma."
Cordi shook her head. "No, she wouldn't. It wasn't something she liked to broadcast." She chuckled half-heartedly as she added, "She was always the sporty one of the group, and when she was diagnosed with asthma, well, it was a bit of a mar on her identity, y'know?"
"Well, not speaking up about it put her at serious risk," Sakura stated. "Your friends should have said something."
Cordi frowned at the pink-haired kunoichi. "It was a training session, though, right? I played varsity soccer with my sister. She mostly only needed her inhaler for games. Maybe once or twice for practices." Cordi looked between both Konoha ninja, who only looked guilty and sheepish. "Well? What were they doing in training that caused my sister to collapse?"
Sakura looked to Shikamaru who only hung his head in shame. She sighed, looking at the fire user directly as she answered, "It's my understanding Ronnie attacked another shinobi, and the girls were being punished collectively for the week on Kakashi's order, since the shinobi in question was only back to report on an ongoing mission."
Cordi scoffed, "Well, that goes against the Geneva Convention."
Sakura looked confused by the comment, but Shikamaru waved her off, as if telling her to ignore the comment.
Cordi turned to Shikamaru. "So, you were administering the punishment?"
Shikamaru's gaze finally connected with hers as he said, "Again, I didn't know about her asthma."
Cordi scowled at him. "Is that all you're going to say? You didn't know?" Shikamaru didn't answer her. Cordi set her jaw, then added, "I thought you were supposed to be the smartest shinobi in the world. You didn't notice anything was weird?"
"I'm sorry, but no, I didn't," Shikamaru snapped back. "You have no idea how much I regret it now. But I didn't know, because no one told me." She stepped up to him, practically bumping her chest against his. Cordi was much taller than her sister, not really needing to look up at Shikamaru, but her gaze holding his level. He stood his ground as he added, "Maybe if Rox hadn't been too proud to admit her malady, she wouldn't be in the hospital hooked up to machines."
Cordi looked as if she wanted to hit him. The air around them grew a few degrees hotter, and then she snapped, "I want to see my sister."
Sakura sighed. "Visitation hours are over. You can come back in the morning."
"I've flown all the way from Suna. I want to see my sister!"
Sakura opened her mouth to refute her again, but was cut off as Shikamaru's voice rang out, "Sakura. Just let her see her for a minute."
Sakura looked at him as if he'd grown an extra head, but he just nudged his head back, his gaze telling her to have some empathy. She hated when her friends took the moral high-ground from her. She rolled her eyes, grumbling, "Fine. Just a few minutes. I'm already late picking up my dinner."
Cordi followed the kunoichi into the hospital, only to be stopped by Shikamaru. "I'm not the enemy here," he stated. "I'm truly sorry this happened, and I want her to get better just as much as you."
Cordi frowned as she looked at him closely, noting the tell-tale signs that he'd been crying about something. His eyes were red, as was the tip of his nose. His eyes had slight bags, and his cheeks had light tear stains, not noticeable unless you were only an inch or two away from his face. She nodded, whispering, "I'm sorry a blamed you. It's easier to point the finger than it is to realize sometimes bad things happen randomly."
"Are you coming?" Sakura called back.
"Yes," Cordi replied, leaving the shadow ninja outside.
Sakura wordlessly led her up to the fourth floor, where Rox's room had been set up on the back side of the hospital, overlooking the courtyard. She gestured for Cordi to go on in, which Cordi did, seeing her sister. Her first thought was she looked like Snow White, minus the chords and hoses. She'd never understood why her sister got the role of that princess in their elementary school play while Cordi was cast as Tree 3 and Villager 5 for the glass coffin scene. She remembered how Rox was supposed to pretend to be asleep, but she had difficulty not laughing at the rest of the cast's fake crying, and the dwarves kind words. Or her nervous giggling at the Prince's kiss.
Cordi blinked away the stinging in her eyes, scoffing, "You know, Rox, you aren't supposed to take the Snow-White role so seriously." She half expected her sister to laugh at her joke, but she didn't respond. Cordi's only answer was the steady beating of the heart monitor and the occasional hiss of the ventilator.
Cordi looked at her sister more closely, and frustration filled her heart. So stubborn. So stupid. Just so stupidly stubborn. She crossed her arms, pursing her lips together as she realized she was at a loss for words. She didn't want to be angry at her sister, yell at her in her condition, but damnit, was she so angry her sister would risk herself, her health, like this.
She huffed, taking a deep, cleansing breath as she turned to Sakura who was standing at the door. "What can we do?" she asked, knowing she was looking at the best medical ninja in the Leaf Village, barring Tsunade, of course.
Sakura shrugged. "I guess I can tell you more, since you're her only family," she grumbled, stepping into the room and looking at her patient. "Essentially, my medical ninjutsu can only do so much. To fix the damage to her ribs from CPR, usually we mix our chakra with the patient's to speed cell regrowth. But you and your friends don't have chakra, which means our bone mending is limited." Cordi frowned, unsure of what exactly she meant by that. Sakura saw her expression, and sighed, "She won't have any lasting damage, since I was able to get the bone fragments in her ribs realigned, and fused enough to allow regrowth. That's as long as she doesn't do anything super strenuous for the next couple weeks."
"What about her lungs?"
Sakura's shoulders sagged tiredly as she answered, "We gave her an antihistamine to combat the swelling, which has worked enough to get a basic ventilator in place. But just like with the medical ninjutsu, the chakra boosters we usually supply in the IV to help with cell regeneration and recovery won't help as much as it would a normal ninja, or hell, an average person in this world."
"What does that mean for her?"
"It means," Sakura started, chewing on the inside of her cheek, her gaze not wavering from Rox's sleeping form, "that while a normal person would wake up after a few hours to a day, it'll probably take Roxanne longer. But we can't really know. I've scheduled Ino to come in and check her brain activity to make sure the lack of oxygen hasn't caused any brain damage."
They were silent for a while, both looking at Rox, silently contemplating her predicament. Sakura added, "And we're keeping a constant look at her oxygen levels. She's been around sixty-two percent for most of the afternoon. We got her stabilized at seventy percent two hours ago."
Cordi sucked in a shaky breath. "Is that low?"
"Given that average oxygen level is not lower than ninety-five, yes it's low," Sakura replied. Cordi's body froze at the information. She didn't even breathe, herself, as she realized how at risk her sister was. Sakura turned to her, adding, "I shouldn't have to tell you, but it's bad." Cordi turned to look at her worriedly, as Sakura continued, "If she doesn't wake in three days, she likely isn't going to after such an attack." When Cordi didn't say anything, Sakura clarified, "We won't stop treatment, but after three days, we're looking at a more permanent vegetative state with her living on life support, best case scenario."
Cordi understood the underlying warning of Death being the worst-case option. She turned back to her sister, muttering a small, "Thank you, Sakura."
They were silent for another minute as Cordi's feelings battled in her. She wasn't sure if she should feel angry, frustrated, or sad. But she knew she was at a complete loss.
"It's really time to go," Sakura stated. "Visitation opens up again at eight. In the morning." Cordi nodded, and followed her out. As they walked outside, it started pouring rain. Cordi grimaced, forgetting Gaara had mentioned it was supposed to storm in Konoha. Of course it started now. Sakura cursed, holding up a hand to shield her face. Sakura stopped her and asked, "You're staying in the Leaf's Premier Hotel, right? Down near the Hokage Building."
"Ehrm, I think so," Cordi answered, still distracted by everything Sakura had told her.
Sakura nodded, placing a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, stating, "Anything happens, you'll be the first to know."
"Thanks," Cordi replied, shrugging it off.
Sakura pursed her lips, then left, shunshining home, leaving Cordi alone with her thoughts. Cordi began the walk to the hotel as the rain poured. She picked up the pace as the heavens opened up.
There was an eerie silence that seemed to follow Cordi around Konoha. It wasn't that the streets weren't alive with people trying to dive into bars and restaurants, just the sound didn't penetrate her consciousness as she made her way to the hotel where Gaara liked to stay. Only the hiss of the hard rainfall against the roads. She couldn't even be sure if she cried or not. She felt like she had, but it had mingled with the rainfall. By the time she got to the hotel, she was drenched, causing the lady at the front desk to gasp, "Oh my word! You look positively drowned."
Cordi waved her off, stating, "I'm staying with the Kazekage. He checked in earlier, I'm assuming."
The woman's face narrowed as she asked, "What's your name, dear?"
"Cordelia. Cordelia Turner."
The woman nodded as if that was the correct answer. She pulled out a key, and said, "Room 504."
"Thanks," Cordi sighed, taking the key and heading to the elevator. As she stepped into the elevator, and hit the button for her floor, she slumped against the back wall, feeling both emotionally and physically drained. She couldn't think about what Sakura said except to get sad. She put her place in Rox's shoes, wondering if she was facing death right now, what would she think? Would she worry? Would she have regrets for things she'd done?
She remembered Gaara's kiss this morning, the passion and need he'd stirred in her she'd never felt before. She'd kissed her ex-boyfriend Max, but he was nowhere near the same caliber as what she'd experienced this morning. Max had kissed a bit like a fish. Open mouth, close mouth. Open mouth, close mouth. Gaara's kiss was hungry, like he wanted to devour her soul, and she was inclined to let him. If they hadn't been interrupted, if the door had been locked, she was sure she'd have let him have his way with her. She hadn't even questioned it when his mouth was on her. The thought made her finger her promise ring, wondering if she really valued herself so little. Gaara wasn't even her boyfriend. Hell, he was with another woman. And she'd just give him her chastity without a second thought?
Especially after the years of her reputation being dragged through the mud by the girls of her school who claimed she'd been with every guy, when she'd only ever had one boyfriend, only one boy she'd kissed. She knew why the girls said such stuff. It was jealousy, mostly. Ever since fifth grade, when she'd finally outgrown the stigma around being weird, she'd also looked very much like a woman. She remembered being told by people they thought she was in her late teens, when really she was ten. And of course the boys liked to stare. That didn't mean any of them went against what the popular girls said about her. That she took steroids or stuffed her bra for attention. That she seduced their boyfriends and flashed her tits to them. And of course that evolved the older she got to being worse, sluttier. Even though, none of it ever happened. She was still ostracized for being the whore of Babylon when she'd only gotten her first kiss when she was almost seventeen. When she'd only had the one boyfriend her whole life.
And yet, she was ok in that moment to give a man she wasn't even with her most valued possession. She wondered if she'd have regretted it. As she thought about what had happened with her sister this afternoon, another question was offered to her. Should she even care about such a possession? It was meant to be given away. Surely not to every man she knew, but Gaara was hardly every man. She'd fan crush on him for years, and a real crush on him for months. Her old reputation didn't even exist here. And Gaara was hardly a gossip. So many of the boys at her old school had lied about sleeping with her, including her ex, just so they could get pats on the shoulder in the locker room. Gaara wasn't the type to tell a soul, even if she went all the way. He was kind and caring, and understood how a reputation could hurt someone so deeply.
Maybe he was the right person, if not to marry, at least to give her virginity. Especially when he kissed her with such raw passion.
She checked her reflection in the doors, noting she did look like a drowned rat. And she knew her hair was a mess from the flight. But after Sakura's news, she wanted to lose herself in him. To drown out her pain, and remember the oblivion she felt pinned by the Kazekage's lips and body to the door of his office. To think of nothing but the feelings the man kissing her stirred deep within her.
The elevator dinged, and she made her way to the door. It wasn't the same room as last time, but it wasn't too far. It was another two-bedroom suite, but a double queen suite rather than the Kage suite he usually got, which had two queens and a king bed. When she walked into the suite, she saw Gaara resting on the couch, with his head tilted back as if looking at the ceiling. His head popped up as soon as he saw her walk through the door.
He looked at her with a mix of hope and worry as he asked, "How is she?"
Cordi felt the tears threatening to spill in her eyes, and wanted only one thing. The beautiful oblivion she felt before she got that dreaded phone-call. When she was in his arms, and everything felt perfect as he kissed her. She walked over to him, dropping down on the couch and planting her lips on his. She clutched his shirt tightly in her fingers as she licked at his lips, and he opened his mouth to let her in. She felt one of his hands raise to her cheek, feeling tender serenity from his touch before he pulled away, his forehead still touching hers.
"Cordi," he breathed.
"You never call me that," she whispered
His thumb stroked her cheek gently as he said, "Talk to me."
She shook her head a little, her forehead still connected to his as she said, "I can't. It's just too hard. I can't bear the thought of…" She trailed off, licking her lips as she sighed deeply through her nose. "I've been missing my family so much. She's all I have here. And I can't … I can't lose her. I can't be all alone here."
"You're not alone," Gaara rasped, still stroking her cheek, and pressing his forehead into hers. "I'm right here."
Her lips landed on his again, and this time, he didn't pull away. He let her tongue in eagerly, readily licking back at her. He could feel through the urgency of her kiss that she needed this. Needed his lips and his hands on her. Slowly, she crawled into his lap, letting his head rest on the back of the couch as she licked at him, his hands finding their home on her hips, fingering the waistband of her pants. The heat between them blossomed as he let her straddle him, feeling her chest press against his as her hips moved against his. His fingers dipped beneath her clothes, one hand caressing her back while the other stroked where her hips met her back, assisting their movement. The feelings she evoked with her fingers and mouth did strange things to his mind and body. Pleasurable things.
He felt her fingers leave his hair then deftly unbutton his shirt, and he mildly thought that maybe he should put a stop to this, but enjoyed the feel of her fingertips on his skin too much. His mind only cleared when she pulled her lips away as she focused on undoing his belt buckle, which she did quickly, then the button on his pants. "Cordi, wait," he breathed as she freed his pants' button. She looked at him questioningly but her fingers moved to his zipper. His fingertips pressed bruisingly into her as he realized he was going to regret saying something. But likely less than if he hadn't. "Y-you're my ward. I shouldn't be doing any of this with you."
Cordi scoffed, "No I'm not."
"Actually, you are. I'm responsible for you until you turn eighteen and are a legal adult," he stated. It was the truth, and probably why the councilmembers looked so shocked to see him kissing her the first time. He shook his head as he added, "And, you're soaking wet from the rain."
She looked at him as if he had more than one head. "You aren't a parental figure to me, so you can't be my guardian, i.e. I'm not your ward." She smirked as she leaned back in, adding huskily, "And if I'm so wet, then dry me." Then her lips connected to his neck as her tongue drew circles over his jugular.
His eyes rolled back at the sensation, but he managed to push her away gently. "That's not how the Council will see it," he stated, raising her hips off his.
Her hands moved to brace herself on the back of the sofa, and she shoved her hips back down onto his, glowering at him. "You think I give a damn what the Council thinks?"
Gaara felt the corner of his mouth twitch as he held back a smile at her obstinance. No, she wouldn't care what any members on the Council thought. "You don't want this."
She grit her teeth looking away, "Yes, I do. I need this."
"No," he said softer, his fingers rubbing circles in her covered leg, "you don't." He inhaled deeply before adding, "And if we don't stop this now, we won't be able to. – I won't be able …" he amended.
"I don't want to stop," Cordi declared, interrupting him. She chewed her lip before adding, "This whole thing with my sister made me realize you can't predict death."
"She's not dead," Gaara clarified.
"No, but she wasn't exactly in a dangerous situation when this happened," Cordi huffed, realizing she was getting off topic. "What I mean is that there are things I would have regretted not doing if suddenly my number came up. Things that I didn't do because I was scared. I don't want to live like that." She chewed her lower lip, not looking at him. "I want –"
"That's not a good enough reason," he blurted, and he couldn't believe he was saying this. Usually, he was so selfish with his needs and wants, not waiting on anybody else to be ready. But he couldn't excuse the moment feeling off. Just something kept telling him if this persisted, she'd regret having sex with him emotional from fear and her sister's near death. This wasn't the right time. He pushed her off finally, reiterating, "Fear and regret is never a good enough reason to do anything, especially this."
She silently contemplated his point as he practically jumped up saying, "I'm going to get us some room service. It's a bit late, but maybe I can find something. You should get a shower, so you don't catch a cold."
"Sure," Cordi grumbled half-heartedly as he made his way to the door.
As soon as he shut the door, he paused, glaring at his hand on the handle as he let out a long breath as his brain finalized what it had done. The woman he'd been lusting over for over two months begged him to take her to his bed and have his way with her, and he turned her down. Despite his half-hardened member from her vigorous kiss, he turned her down. Idiot! He turned and walked down the hallway to the elevator. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. IDIOT!
Ronnie had reached her apartment about ten minutes before the rain started crashing down. She didn't do anything but cry. She knew her sister and Lynne were likely out eating by now, as visitation was over shortly after Ronnie left. She couldn't believe everything that had happened. That one of her oldest friends was in the hospital. Would Cordi blame her when she found out the girls were being punished for Ronnie's actions?
That thought terrified her. Even with Cordi gone, she couldn't stand the idea of her best friend, a sister to her in every meaningful sense of the word, hating her, blaming her for killing her sister. She gasped and shuddered at the thought. She felt the rest of the group blamed her too. She knew they did, even if they wouldn't admit it to her. But Cordi … she couldn't face Cordi unless she knew Rox would be alright. She couldn't bear the thought of Cordi never wanting to be her friend again.
Cordi had always been the most important to Ronnie in the group. They were thick as thieves in everything they did. They shared school punishments together willingly. If Cordi was at risk for being put in detention, Ronnie was right there with her. And vice versa. It went both ways. There weren't many people who could say they shared a bond that strong. Which is why when Cordi volunteered to live in Suna, Ronnie had felt so abandoned by her. Cordi had been logical about it, so Ronnie knew it wasn't personal. Cordi was the one who knew the most about Suna and it's culture, how the politics of the village worked. But she was still leaving the group of her own volition, robbing Ronnie of her closest confidant.
It was why she threw herself into finding Kiba and seducing him. While she loved the other girls, Ronnie needed her person. Cordi was always the one Ronnie could go to and not feel judged. The one she could spill her guts to, and trust would still have her back. She knew a friendship like that outside of romantic relationships came around once in a lifetime. The only relationship that could fill a hole so deep was a romantic relationship. She could make a boyfriend her person.
She couldn't believe how it all had just bitten her in the ass. So she cried. She cried one of those cries where you lose all sense of time, and just curl into a ball on the ground.
She'd heard the rain start. She heard the thunder clap. She thought of how Rox would have appreciated seeing the sunset illuminating the dark thunder clouds from the sliver over the mountains.
A knock sounded at the door, and shocked her from her tears. Who could that be? she wondered.
She sniffled, standing up and padding to her door. She swung it open, and was shocked to see Kiba standing there, bruises under his eyes from his broken nose, which had looked like it mostly healed, except for the cut. He also hadn't shaved in a few days. The hair along his chin and mustache weren't that thick yet, but they were noticeable. He looked at her nervously, and a little sheepishly as he started, "I don't know what happened, but I wanted to say I'm sor—"
He was interrupted as Ronnie's lips crashed into his, and she yanked him inside. She massaged the shocked stupor from him through her lips, and her hands clutched at his shoulders.
Akamaru dashed through the door before she slammed it shut, and they heard him grumble as he curled up against the wall.
She pulled away for a second to catch her breath, her mind swirling with a desperate plea to be destroyed. To be punished for her guilt and to be subsumed into another being. To be a thing, an object for a man to abuse and destroy.
Kiba looked at her with wonder, his knuckle and thumb caressing her cheek as he breathed, "I knew it was a misunderstanding. It had to be."
She slapped his hand away as she kissed him again, wanting him to shut up and just use her. She licked at him and bit his lip as she feverishly tried to pull his jacket off, dropping it to the ground with a thwump. She felt his fingers in her hair as he licked back at her, groaning and humming with pleasure between kisses. "Oh, Ronnie," he panted between kisses. "I love you so much."
She pushed him away, scowling at him before yanking off her shirt, growling, "I don't want your flowery words right now." She dropped the shirt, revealing her bare chest, wearing only her light blue running shorts that she'd rolled up, showing most of her thigh. Her lower lip was stiff as she bared her upper teeth huffing, "I want you to fuck me. I don't want you to be gentle." Kiba looked at her aghast she'd demand something like that. She chewed her lip, then said, "I want you to fuck me hard. Brutally, even. And if you aren't sure you can do that, you can leave and stop wasting my time."
The relief she'd seen on his face when she'd first kissed him had given way to confusion and frustration. She huffed, realizing he wasn't going to do it, and she walked to the door, but she was caught by his hand grabbing her upper arm. He shook his head. "I don't understand you," he growled. She tried to go to the door again, but he spun her around, so she faced him directly. Then his lips crashed on hers, hungry and hate-filled.
She kissed him back, meeting his tenacity, and pushing him further by grabbing his shirt by his collar. He pushed her off him for a second, his gaze on her resolute as he reached to the hem of his white t-shirt before quickly pulling it off his body. He stood in front of her with his chest bare as it heaved with his bated breath. He silently took two steps, closing the space between them. She glared back at him, daring him to do his worst to her. His hand smoothed over her shoulder to her neck and head. She set her jaw at his soft touch as his fingers tangled in her hair.
He then grasped her hair tightly and pulled her head back, causing her to hiss, before he ensnared her lips with his again. His other hand glided over her body, until he reached her right breast, and he kneaded it hard, almost bruisingly. She arched her back, pressing her chest into his touch as his lips left her lips and traveled down to her clavicle, where he bit and sucked the skin. When his work there finished marking her skin, he maneuvered her to her bed, laying over top of her as he traveled down, marking her skin first at the valley between her breasts, then next to her belly button.
He flipped her over onto her stomach before hooking the waistband of her shorts and underwear with his fingers and yanking them off her body in three rough tugs. As he yanked the last of her clothes off, he marked her hips where they met her backside.
"Please, Kiba," she half moaned, half whined, grinding against the bed at the sensation, "fuck me. I need you in me."
He growled as he dropped his pants and underwear together, kicking them away, not caring about still wearing his shoes as he pressed his hips against her backside. He dragged her to the edge of the bed, keeping her face down as he wrenched her legs apart. He ground into her, not positioning for her entrance just so she could feel his hard member against her groin and ass
"In…" she whined. "Put it in."
He grabbed his dick, aiming it at her entrance before thrusting in fully. She wasn't super wet, but she was tight. He heard her gasp as he began a steady rhythm. After a minute, she pushed back onto him, demanding, "Harder." He did so, worried he might hurt her by how deep and hard he was thrusting. Yet, still, she demanded, "Harder."
He wasn't sure what else he could do, what else she wanted, except to grab her ass, dig his nails into her skin, and slam her onto his member with each thrust. The dorm was filled with the sounds of their skin clapping together as he panted from his exertions. He'd never fucked any woman so hard. But he could see the way she clutched at the sheets, she was getting off on it. After several minutes of slamming onto him, he felt the point of no return, and pushed harder and faster. She screamed with pleasure as he pumped into her before releasing his load.
He slumped over her, shaking from his exertions. He pulled out her, gasping for air. This had hardly been what he'd expected coming over to her dorm tonight. But he wasn't really complaining. If they were having sex, it meant she'd forgiven him, right?
She pushed him off her completely, walking over to the bathroom, turning on the shower. Kiba's gaze trailed after her form, looking at her with wonder. She scowled over shoulder at him, snapping, "Let's go. We're not done tonight."
Kiba's heart pounded at the thought. More? As he saw her retreat into the bathroom, he hopped up off the bed, quickly kicking off his shoes. She shoved him in the shower, before following him in. She washed off his body, then dropped the shower head before kneeling in front of him and sucking him off. She placed his hand on her head, and directed him to fist her hair, slamming her head onto him. He came quickly, which she swallowed down. His eyes rolled back as she continued to suck. He had to yank her off as he gasped, "I need a minute."
She rolled her eyes, washing her own body. He tried to touch her, but she slapped him away. "If you want to touch me, you better be ready to fuck me like before."
He frowned at her, and asked, "Can't we talk?"
She shook her head. "Not tonight," she answered stiffly. She didn't look at him as she said, "I don't want to think. I don't want to talk. Tonight, you can either fuck me to oblivion, or leave."
Kiba set his jaw as she turned back around as she rinsed the soap off her body. He realized there was no way in hell he was leaving tonight. He loved her. Missed sleeping next to her almost every night. Even if she didn't want to talk, he could still show her he still loved her. He spun her around to face him, and she looked surprised at the sudden action. He held her hand by her wrist tightly before swooping in and ensnaring her lips again, kissing her with all the passion he could muster. Licking in her mouth and biting her lips gently. As he pinned her to the shower wall, their wet bodies sliding together as they kissed and ground together, his member sliding along her folds, slowly hardening back into form, he vowed to himself, If I can't tell her how much I love her and want to be with her, I'll show her how irrefutably I love her. That I'll do anything for her.
It was after almost ten when Baki shunshined back to the roof of the Kazekage building, and made his way back to the penthouse. When Temari had returned, she'd informed Baki that he was correct about his assumptions of Kankuro's schedule for the day. Kankuro was supposed to be home fixing his puppets all day, as well as going to the Council meeting, and that his absence was odd. They searched the penthouse first, then agreed to search the village for him. He hadn't been able to find Kankuro after scouring his usual haunts in the entire village. He'd even checked each of the gates to see if he'd left the village. He didn't think it likely because Kankuro wasn't the type to just runaway, but when a ninja couldn't be located, it was a logical precaution to check. However, the scouts all said they hadn't seen the anti-terror division head.
He'd originally tried to go back into Suna and find him, but it was impossible to find him with the Midsummer festival in full swing, and all the villagers crowding the street for the sunset. He realized Kankuro could likely be anywhere in Suna, and the best place to find him would be at his house when he returned.
As Baki walked through the entryway, he heard Temari run up from the living room. "Did you find him?" she asked, only to sigh disappointedly as she saw that he wasn't there. She cursed, looking out the windows to the terrace and huffed, "Where on Earth could he be?"
Baki shook his head as he stated, "I figured it was best to wait here for him. Surely he'll return."
"Hopefully," Temari huffed, walking back into the penthouse. She called over her shoulder, "Do you want some tea?"
"Yes, please," he answered.
She silently made them a pot as Baki looked at the books in their living room. He frowned, seeing the Ichi Ichi Paradise novels sitting in the far upper right corner of the bookcases, clearly needing a ladder to reach. Or sand, he thought, his eyes narrowing on them.
Normally, he wouldn't worry about another man's romantic leanings. He usually didn't bother with Kankuro's. But Gaara was … well, Gaara. He didn't usually have romantic entanglements, or relationships. Generally, he seemed impervious to the whole dating system. Although, Baki had noticed Gaara would take part in some sexual jokes when he was in the presence of Rock Lee or Naruto. He had heard of the first trip Gaara made as a Kazekage, which according to Temari, offensively featured Lee challenging him into a breast size competition using volleyballs, and Gaara had immediately admitted defeat. He also had seen Gaara on a date with his student Matsuri. He assumed she was the girlfriend Gaara had mentioned to the Council. He'd seen them about town, and although he was certain Gaara's disguise had tricked most people, Baki had lived with him the longest as his guardian after his uncle's death. It did take him a minute to realize it was him, but once he had, he was certain it was the Kazekage. He'd only seen them the one time, and it was months ago, though.
It was odd to think the boy he'd watched over since he was seven was a man now. Possibly in every sense of the word. Short of his voice changing, he'd never asked Baki about those things, even though Baki was the closest thing any of them had to a father for the past eight years.
"Here's your tea," Temari offered.
Baki turned around, and took it. "Thank you." He sipped on his tea, suppressing a wince at its heat.
Temari licked her lips, then said, "I forgot ask. But why were you hear earlier? I know you said you wanted to ask us about something."
"I wanted to ask about Gaara and Cordelia's relationship," Baki answered, taking another sip. "I figured you or Kankuro would know best."
Temari scoffed, taking a sip of her own tea. "They go together like oil and water," she answered. "They constantly irritate each other. If it wasn't for her being his assistant and being our roommate, I don't think he'd entertain the idea of even being around her. Why?"
"Because Cordelia ran off to Konoha, and Gaara went with her."
Temari frowned, turning to him incredulously. "What?"
Baki nodded.
"You said Cordi left the village?" Temari asked, clarifyingly, as if unsure about it. Kankuro being absent was somewhat regular, except his drinking buddies had said they hadn't seen him today.
Baki nodded his answer again.
"And Gaara went with her?" she added, sounding confused.
Baki nodded again.
"Why?" Temari scoffed. "Why would Cordi all of a sudden leave?" Temari grumbled.
Baki frowned looking at Temari carefully, as if assessing if he could tell her everything Gaara had laid bare. She had been the girls' first teacher. Finally, he stated, "Something happened with her sister. He was very vague beyond that." He took another sip.
Temari pursed her lips, looking at the window coldly, "You think it's serious?"
He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I don't think he would have gone if it wasn't," Baki answered. He sucked in a deep breath through his nose as he looked up, "However, it's not what's troubling me."
Temari turned to him completely, looking worried by his tone. "What is troubling you?"
Baki set his jaw as he finished another sip, then answered slowly, "How long have he and Cordelia been together."
Temari smirked, her brow tensed as if that was a stupid statement. "The Council made her his assistant two months ago, so that's how long they've been working together."
"That's not what I meant."
She crossed her arms and glowered at him expectantly. "What do you mean?"
Baki's gaze flicked to her for a second, then flicked back to his tea as he stated, "A couple council members saw Gaara and Cordelia Turner in a very precarious position in his office before they left for Konoha."
Temari looked worried now. "How precarious?"
He smirked as he asked, "You're his sister. You really want to know?"
"No way it was full blown en flagrante?" she asked in disbelief.
"Full, no," Baki answered. He shrugged as he said, "A third, maybe half-blown." He took another sip.
Temari balked at that.
Baki smirked again, mostly at her indignant huffing. "You didn't know?"
"This is the first I'm hearing about it," she answered stiffly.
"Figures he wouldn't tell you about it," Baki sighed. "It's why I mostly wanted to talk to Kankuro."
"You think Kankuro knew something about them?"
"They are brothers."
Temari chewed her cheek thinking about it, then said, "I thought the Council wanted him married."
Baki's smile was bitter as he stated, "Not to Cordelia."
Temari opened her mouth to discuss it further, but the door slammed, snagging both of their attentions. Whoever it was was loud as he stubbed is toe on the table in the foyer. "SHIT!" he hissed, then knocked over a vase, which shattered once it hit the floor. "SHHHHHHHHHH!" Baki could tell it was Kankuro from his voice, and the way he slurred his shushing made it clear he had been drinking. Both Temari and Baki peeked into the foyer to see Kankuro bracing his hand on the wall for balance as he scolded at the fallen flowers, "My sister's a light sleeper, so Sh!" He touched a finger to his lips for emphasis, then giggled.
Kankuro was a mess. He was sweaty and his usually pristine eyeliner smudged. He wasn't wearing his usual black hood, but he was wearing his usual black shirt and pants combo, with black fingerless gloves. His fingertips stained black with his eyeliner. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and he looked as if he could barely keep them open. And lastly, he wreaked of alcohol.
Now Temari had her hands on her hips as she glared at her oldest younger brother. "Kankuro!" she snapped.
Kankuro looked up, then turned back to the broken vase of flowers. "Knew you were going to wake her up." He plastered a smile on his face, then turned to Temari. "Ehm … TEMARI! What's up," he popped his "P" and paused to swallow a hiccup, "Sis?"
"Don't you 'What's up, Sis' me," she hissed. "I've been up all-night waiting for you. Where the hell have you been!?"
"Dringing," he slurred.
Temari's annoyed green gaze roved over her brother as she grumbled, "I can see that. Why?"
Kankuro looked over, seeing their old teacher looking at him disapprovingly. "Heeeeeey Baki!" he said with a wave, then looked around shiftily, and asked, "Is Gaara home?"
Temari scowled. "He's –"
"He's out," Baki stated. "Something came up with Cordi."
Kankuro smirked. "Finally make his move on her, did he? Izs bout time."
Baki frowned, clearly worried about something. "So, this is something that's been going on for a while?"
"Gaara has a crusshhh on Cordi," Kankuro chuckled, wavering a little. "Like BIG time." He stepped up to his sister grinning manically, placing a dirty finger on his lips as he added, "But shhhhh. No one's supposed to know." He finished by booping her nose with the same finger.
Temari pushed him off her, swatting him away and growling, "Ugh. You are wasted. I know it's Friday night and Midsummer Festival, but damn."
Kankuro pouted, stumbling back. "I …" he hiccupped again, then puffed out his cheeks as he let out a steady stream of air, "had a reeeeeeally baaaad day."
Temari frowned. "So? You know, if I got half as wasted as you do whenever I have a bad day-"
"I knocked a girl up," Kankuro interrupted her, popping the "P" on "up." He tapped his knuckle on the table, swinging gently as he stood there before placing his hand flat on the table to brace himself.
Temari paused her tirade, staring at her brother like a dog that just spoke a full sentence to her. "You what?"
Kankuro scoffed, licking his lips challengingly. "I gotta' girl pregnant, y'know. Y'know, I banged an eighteen-year-old girl, and now she's gonna' have a baby…" Both Temari and Baki stared at the middle Sand sibling with their mouths agape as Kankuro gesticulated wildly and pointed at himself as he continued, "MY BABY! Y'know, I'm gonna' be a f-father …" he swallowed, shaking his head vigorously and then stumbling as he added, laughing hysterically, "I can't be a father." Kankuro stumbled past them as if walking on a ship in the open sea, mumbling, "I need another dring."
Temari shot Baki a look that clearly asked, "Did you know about this?" as Kankuro made his way to the fridge. Baki shook his head, turning to follow Kankuro into the kitchen, Temari trailing on his heels. Kankuro popped off the top of the cooled bottle of sake, and began to drink.
"It's not even warmed," Temari fussed, seeing him guzzle.
He stared at Baki, dropping the bottle on the counter unceremoniously and blinking as he swallowed. A stupid expression came over his face as he pointed at him and asked, "Whatd'ya think sensei? Proud of me?" The question was clearly sarcastic. Baki had become somewhat of a father figure to the three siblings, so he knew Kankuro's ire was less directed at him and more at himself and his absent parents.
Baki only frowned disappointedly, and Kankuro gave a small giggle, then angled for another sip. Baki sighed, then reached for the bottle, "Kankuro, drinking is not your friend right now." Their sensei snatched the bottle out of his hands, only for Kankuro to yank it back with a chakra string. Baki was impressed he was still able to use his ninjutsu so far gone. Baki pursed his lips, Kankuro took his last sip, finishing with glorious and noxious belch. "This isn't something you can run away from, Kankuro," Baki reasoned.
"Pfffft," Kankuro blew out as if he'd made a funny joke. "I promised myself to dring until I forgeh. And so far, I still remember."
Baki reached again, this time open handed as he said, "Yes, but I don't think the mother of your child wants you to die from alcohol poisoning."
Again, Kankuro laughed, but it was sad and empty. "What does she care?" He slid the bottle away from his sensei as he added, "The mother of my child said I ruined her life. She had ta quit her career as a shinooobi because of me." He angled the sake back to his mouth, but Temari snatched it away from him. "Hey! Give ih' back!"
"Who is she?" Temari demanded. Kankuro looked at her surly and confused, and Temari settled a tired glare on him. "The mother of your child. Who is it?"
Kankuro winced in anticipation. "Matsuri."
"MATSURI!?" Temari screeched.
Baki breathed gravely at the same time. Immediately, he looked to the door wondering if Gaara knew. Did he know that the baby was Kankuro's? If he did, was he ok? Again, he knew Gaara and Matsuri had dated, even though he hadn't spoken up about it. As he thought back on it, he remembered Gaara making a comment that his previous relationship ended recently. That had to be why.
"I know!" Kankuro groaned, with a belch. "I fucked up. And Gaara's probably pissed, because I knocked up his precious student…" He hiccupped again.
"Gaara knows?" Temari hissed.
"Are ya' stupid!? Of course she told 'im first, because she didn' wan'im to hear 'bout it from a mission report. And'e's gotta' fill out the paperwork anyway!"
Well that answered that question, Baki thought.
Kankuro rambled on, "Could you imagine getting news like tha' … like tha'?" He shook his head confused, then continued, "Anyway, I figured tha' since Gaara's gonna' Sand Burial my ass for …" he paused to hiccup again, then added with his fingers mimicking a bloom, "deflow'ring his student and breaking the bro-code, I'd rather not feel ih'. Hence the dringing." Kankuro thrust out his hand as he howled, "Now, gimme' the Sake!"
"Hell no," Temari hissed, hiding it behind her back.
"GIMME THE DAMN SAKE!" Kankuro howled, diving for the bottle, but really unsteadily. Temari dodged his dive with ease, and he fell face first onto the floor. He groaned against the floor, "Stop moving the floor. I'm dizzchy enough."
"Kankuro," Temari sighed, seeing him start to pick himself up, only to hear him groan then wretch on the floor. Temari winced, making a face as she looked down to see the mess her brother had made.
Baki stepped forward, pulling Kakuro away from his vomit. "Lucky for you, Gaara will be out for the weekend. He's on his way to Konoha. So, you have a stay of execution."
"Wha?" Kankuro breathed.
"Come on," Baki grumbled pulling him up. "Let's get you cleaned up, and then we'll talk about your situation." Baki looked at Temari as if to direct her to clean up the vomit, but she waved him off, as if to say she had it handled. Baki took Kankuro back to the bathroom and cleaned him up, then nursed him back to sobriety. By the time Kankuro was sober enough to no longer be in danger of himself, it was so late, Temari had gone to sleep and Kankuro could barely keep his eyes open. Baki helped him to his bed, then decided to sleep on the couch. Coming here had left him with more questions than before, even though most of his previous questions were answered, although not to their fullest extent. He decided he'd get his answers in the morning.
"Rox," Cordi called out, stepping onto her family's front porch. She looked around, not seeing her sister in the yard like she thought she would. "I don't see her!"
"She's gotta' be somewhere," her father called back from inside the house. "Check the neighbors. Check the woods."
"Hurry," her mom added. "That storm is about to hit us, and it looks nasty."
Cordi looked up, seeing the storm clouds whirling above her, and a blast of wind hit her directly, full of warm air. Cordi skipped down the steps, followed by the family dog, Gobi. He was a Pembroke corgi, mostly sandy colored, which is where the breeder gave him his name. Gobi and his sister Sahara were the only two in the litter not tri-colors, and she'd named the litter after different regions. He was really Cordi's dog, as he followed her where ever, just as he was now, into a storm. Cordi got the sense she'd been on a long trip. That she and her sister just got back from some incredible journey, and she'd missed her beloved dog, as well as her parents and brother who were inside, hunkering down for the storm. That wasn't important now, though. She needed to find Rox.
In her periphery, in the tangles of the wooded branches, she caught the movement of a reddish maroon color. She recognized it as Rox's favorite black and red plaid shirt she usually wore open with a camisole. Cordi chased after her into the woods, Gobi sprinting along at her heels. "Rox! We gotta get back inside." She hopped over the old stone wall running through her family's property, likely erected when the land was being settled as a colony, and the early settlers were marking out their farmland. Most of the wall was obscured in the woods, but there was an opening where it was exposed from the trees on their land. A tree had fallen on it not long after they'd moved there, making it easy to scale the waist high wall for their lithe little corgi, who'd adventure into the woods with them all the time. Dead leaves crunched under her feet as she landed, and Gobi just after her.
Rox just laughed as she continued deeper into the forest, but Cordi was locked on her, following her every step. "Come on, Rox! It's not safe! There's a storm!"
"I want to see the lightning!" Rox called back.
Cordi grumbled exasperatedly as she dodged the branches as she ran. "What is it with you and lightning?" Rox had always loved storms. Dedicated her whole art school entry portfolio to storms, clouds and lightning. Whenever a storm rolled through, she'd stand at the window and watch as if the sky were putting on a stage performance for her, with all the drama of a full-blown opera. But she never ran out into a storm, except that one time when they decided to dance in the rain.
Cordi saw lightning crack the sky overhead, the boom of its thunder just behind it. "There!" Rox called, sprinting forward, as if she wanted to chase down the strike.
As Cordi chased after her, seeing Rox slow to a clearing, she got an eerie sense that there was something wrong with this area of the woods. Something terrifyingly off about where they were. The woods were twisted wrong. It was oddly silent, except for the rumbling of the storm overhead. The closer she got, the more she got a sense this wasn't a safe clearing. As Cordi got closer, she saw an old well sitting in the center of the clearing as Rox walked up to it. It was made of stacked stone, similar to the stone wall, and looked just as old. Cordi didn't remember any wells near her house, but there was something oddly familiar about this well she couldn't put her finger on.
"It must have struck this well," Rox stated. She leaned over it and commented, "It's so dark down there. You can't even see the water."
Then it clicked. This was the well from that movie. "ROX! GET AWAY FROM THERE!"
But it was too late. A corpse-like hand shot up, out of the dark well, grabbing Rox by the neck, and with a swift twist, Cordi heard the sickening crack of her sister's broken neck. The hand yanked her sister down the well, using her as leverage to pull itself up. Cordi didn't need to see the stringy, wet, black hair covering the girl's face to know it was the Ring girl, who haunted most of Cordi's nightmares since she'd seen the movie five or six years back. As Samara turned to Cordi, she felt her heart seize with fear, and she gasped awake, sitting straight up, clutching her heart.
Outside, she heard the storm continue its deluge, and a flash of lightning streaked the sky followed by a roll of thunder.
Relief was momentary, as she sighed. Just a dream, she reminded herself, laying back down on the pillow, closing her eyes only for a moment. Because as soon as she felt herself drifting off, she felt Samara there, lingering in her dreams, waiting in the underbrush of the woods for Cordi to return to her sleeping state. Cordi shot back up, grumbling, "Nope. Nope nope nope."
She swung her legs out of bed, hoisting herself up. There was only one remedy Cordi knew of when she had these nightmares. She often had scary dreams, but most of them she'd classify as anxiety dreams. The dreams where she was stuck in an elevator as it crashed, or showed up so late for her first class, it was the final exam. Only a few would she classify as nightmares, usually when a monster murdered her family before her eyes, then hunted her down, and wouldn't let her go if she woke, as they were always waiting for her return to dreamland. She didn't get them often, only two or three times a year. In fact, the last time she had one was back home in Virginia. And the remedy was to curl up in bed with someone else.
As she placed her hand on the door knob, she paused, finally waking to the reality Rox wasn't in the other room. When Cordi had become too old to sleep in her parents' bed to shield herself from the terrors of her dreams, she started crawling into Rox's bed, who was always understandably annoyed by Cordi's pestering in the middle of the night, especially because nightmares like hers, most people outgrew when they were old enough to rationalize dreams were just dreams, and the monsters within them couldn't get to them. But Cordi never did outgrow them.
Cordi grit her teeth, wondering if she was actually going to pester Gaara with this. She closed her eyes, feeling her subconscious for her dreams, and felt her nightmare still lingering beneath the surface. "Fuck it," she mumbled, opening the door, resolving to sleep on top of the covers, so they'd be separated. And it wasn't like she was waking him up. He didn't really sleep as far as she knew.
Gaara's door was only two steps away, and she cursed herself each step, calling herself a cowardly chicken shit as she stepped up to his door and knocked. Looking down at her own shame, only then did she remember what pajamas Gaara had packed for her. The dreaded Gaara t-shirt with Liam O'Brien's signature. Because of course he grabbed that one shirt that she really should have burned when she first reached Suna. No pants or shorts. Just that shirt and her underwear. She turned, thinking she shouldn't have gone to his door.
His door opened, and Gaara grumbled, "Cordelia?" She winced, then turned back towards him. He looked as if he hadn't been sleeping just yet, but with his lights out he was probably trying to, or at least meditate. He wore black pajama bottoms and a black, short-sleeved t-shirt. He glowered at the clock on the microwave and said, "It's past midnight."
"I know," she said quickly. She winced again as she rambled out, "Just, I woke up from a nightmare, and it's being pretty persistent, so I haven't been able to go back to sleep. So I was wondering if you wouldn't mind me sleeping with you." His hairless eyebrows rose with surprise at the request, and she blushed realizing her error. "Bunking," she amended. "I mean bunking with you."
She'd momentarily forgotten the awkwardness of when she'd come back from the hospital, and he'd rejected her seduction. She realized as they'd eaten their room service that he'd been right. Fear wasn't the right reason to give away her virginity. But with the situation, she was too embarrassed to say anything the rest of the evening except "goodnight" when she went to sleep at ten. It all came rushing back to her as she realized what she'd just asked him and saw him just looking at her speechless, his jaw slightly lowered at the request.
She felt her face burning under his gaze as she continued rambling. "I told you before I'm prone to nightmares. I wouldn't normally ask, but the only thing that stops this brand of nightmare is feeling somebody else being there. I mean, usually I used to just climb into bed with Rox when I was worried of fitful night, but she's in the hospital, and yeah…"
His gaze narrowed as if realizing something, then said, "This isn't some ploy to have sex, is it?"
"NO!" Cordi practically yelled, then cleared her throat, and said, "No. I will sleep on top of the covers."
He looked at her as if he wasn't convinced.
She rolled her eyes, waving it off, spinning on her heel as she grumbled, "It's alright. I'll just go back to my room and dream about getting murdered by Samara over and over and over again."
She heard his door creak wider, as he said, "Just come on in."
Her shoulders sagged in relief as she said, "Thank you," walking through the door, which he closed behind him. She looked at her shirt again, then laughed, and said, "By the way, thank you for this," gesturing towards her Gaara shirt. "Doesn't make it awkward at all." She was being facetious.
Gaara frowned, replying, "You said it was your softest shirt that you liked to sleep in."
She gave him a pointed look as she said, "With your face on it."
"Maybe you should buy new pajamas," he replied blandly.
She shrugged, "Maybe if I had free time. You know, being your assistant is kind of full-time."
He raised a hairless eyebrow at her, mumbling under his breath, "You say that like you haven't had time to prank Kankuro all week."
"I've been pranking at night, when most stores are closed," she snarked back.
He walked over to the bed, clearly not wanting to argue and pulling aside his covers, which were clearly ruffled from use. "Go to bed."
Cordi nodded, getting in position on the opposite side on top of the covers, facing the opposite wall while Gaara laid on his back. But now, Cordi had the same problem, but flipped. She was wide awake as her brain kept reminding her, You're sharing a bed with Gaara. You're sleeping with Gaara. Her parents had always had a strict rule about sleepovers. No one of the opposite sex allowed. Just this action felt like she was rebelling, even though they weren't here to comment on her misbehavior.
She adjusted a second, and then a third time. Her nerves made her skin feel like a live wire, sending zings through her body every few seconds.
She heard Gaara's hair ruffle against his pillow as he turned towards her. "You can fall asleep in the most uncomfortable chairs, but have issues getting comfortable in a bed?"
"No, it's not that," Cordi replied. Quietly, she added, "I've just never been in bed with a guy before."
"Is that all?" he sighed, his hair rustling again as he looked back.
She half turned towards him, looking at the ceiling mostly as she said, "What do you care? I thought you didn't sleep."
He scoffed. "You've been living with us for two months now, and you thought I didn't sleep?"
"Well, the comic said you didn't," she said. "And to be honest, I don't see what you do in your room."
"Yes. I sleep most nights," he stated. "Except when I have a lot of work … or my assistant can't get comfortable in a bed."
She ignored his sarcasm as she sat up, turning to look at him directly. "Then what's with the rings?"
He leaned up on one arm frowning back at her. "The what?"
"The black rings around your eyes. It was said clearly in both the comic and show during the Konoha Crush that they were there because you couldn't sleep," she clarified.
"My eye markings?"
She nodded.
He shrugged. "It just means I inherited my father's kekkei genkai, which is what made me compatible with Shukaku," he answered blandly. "He used to have the same markings when he was fighting."
"Huh," she breathed. "So, you sleep every night?"
"Try to," he replied. "Before I learned to seal Shukaku away, I had more difficulty with it, which caused me to have night terrors and adolescent insomnia. That was mostly before I learned what the Shukaku was. Then I learned he was mostly nocturnal, and hibernated in winter, which is when I slept most normally. I was still learning Shukaku's sleeping schedule and patterns during the Chunin Exams and the Konoha Crush, which meant I mostly ran on naps and meditations during the day. Probably why I was so easily angered."
"I get that," Cordi commented. "I become a bit of a bear when people keep waking me up."
The look he shot her said that she clearly didn't get when she was doing the exact thing that made her angry. She pursed her lips sheepishly, lying back down muttering, "Right." As she curled back into her ball on her side, adjusting the pillow to fit to her neck and head perfectly. Then she looked up, adding, "To be fair, I thought you didn't really sleep."
"Again, I do."
"Noted. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Cordelia."
They lay there in silence for a few minutes, then Cordelia was hit with a massive cold chill from not being covered, and shivered so much Gaara momentarily thought she was having a seizure. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"Fine," she said. "Just a chill."
She didn't see him rolling his eyes, but felt it as he grumbled to himself. "Just get under the covers."
"Then we won't have a barrier," she argued.
"What is the barrier for?"
"So we won't be tempted," Cordi answered.
"Tempted?"
She rolled over to look at him. "Yeah." He turned to look at her as she said, "I was too embarrassed about before, but I get why you said we shouldn't do it. Fear isn't a sound motivation for it. And had this thing with Rox not driven that response, I would have lost respect for myself for trying to screw a guy I haven't even dated." She paused as she thought of how she wanted to follow that up. Because she wasn't done. Gaara opened his mouth to absolve her, but she interrupted him. "However," she said quickly, "I realized it's not fear I'm speaking from when I say I still want to experience it. It's almost logical to just do it, and hang the stigma and fear I had before. And after being kissed by you," she pursed her lips, trying to formulate her words coherently. Her gaze fell to his lips, and she scooted closer to him, as if being pulled by him magnetically again, then finished, "I realized you're the man I want that first experience with. The only one I trust enough for it."
He didn't say anything as he looked back at her, but something in his eyes told her the barrier didn't matter. He was still tempted.
She licked her lips as she thought about their kiss this morning. It was odd to think it was just that morning. So much had happened since then and now, it felt as if it had been weeks ago.
She still had so many questions about it. He hadn't hidden the fact that he thought she was annoying, vulgar, and a bit of a burden. Her antics, especially with Kankuro, hadn't won her any points in his favor as far as she knew. She knew she frustrated him to no end, as he did the same for her when they worked together and he acted as if he knew best. He over thought a lot, and he openly told her she went off half-cocked too often. And she knew he hated how easily she pushed his buttons, and how much fun she had doing it. She decided the biggest question she had about the kiss that morning needed to be answered, and asked softly, "Why did you kiss me?"
"I wanted to."
Cordi's brow furrowed in thought as she said, "But … what about Matsuri?"
He was quiet for a moment before shifting on his side. He chewed the inside of his lip, contemplating if he wanted to answer her. "We broke up."
"This morning?"
He grunted an affirmative, "Mm."
"Why?"
He sucked in a deep breath through the nose, then said, "Honestly, I don't really want to talk about it."
Cordi looked a little deflated as she said, "Ok." There was silence between them for a minute, then she added, "I'm sorry."
Lightning flashed, the light hitting his seafoam eyes, highlighting his piercing gaze that looked through her, to her soul, he replied, "I'm not."
Something in how he said those two small words seized Cordi's heart. What was he not sorry about? The break-up? Kissing Cordi? Or maybe being tempted by her? There was something about his gaze that pulled her to him like gravity more and more, so she inched closer as he confessed, "In all honesty, it wasn't our first kiss either." He fingered the duvet as he continued, "I kissed you last week, when you were half asleep, out of curiosity."
Cordi frowned, thinking back on it. She did remember dreaming of her and Gaara kissing, and thinking about how real it felt. Ordinarily, she'd feel furious at being taken advantage of like that, but she wasn't angry about it. Surprised, yes. Even a little curious herself. She inched closer again so there was very little space between their faces and only the covers between their bodies.
"There was a pull there I'd never felt with anyone else, and …" his confession continued. He looked at her, his gaze connecting with her soul again as he said, "I haven't been able to get it out of my head all week. So, yes. I wanted to kiss you again. And then again. And again. And …"
Her lips crashed into his, cutting him off. Her kiss was direct, and he was surprised for a second. It was only her soft lips on his, warm, sensual and tender. She began to pull away, but his mouth crashed back into hers, licking at her lips, and deepening the kiss with urgency. His hands cupped her head, his fingers diving into her hair as he held her perfectly to kiss her. Her arms snaked over his shoulders, embracing him fully as she licked back at him, breathing life and passion into him.
In that moment, he decided he wasn't letting go of her. She rolled a little on her back as if to pull away, but he went with her, kicking away the covers as he smoothed his body over her, pinning her to the bed under him. He nudged her legs apart with his knees, nestling comfortably between them as his hips connected with hers. His pajama bottoms were thin, so they could both feel his member growing harder and harder as he kissed her. They could feel his need as he ground into her, searching for some friction. Barriers be damned, he wanted her. And nothing was interrupting him or stopping him now.
His hands glided down her silhouette, caressing each curve until his hands reach her hips, pushing her shirt up a little so he could touch her skin. Her skin buzzed with electricity in every touch, and she pulled her knees up, wrapping her legs around his hips and thighs. "Cordi," he groaned into her lips and he ground his hips into her again for the friction, admitting, "I've wanted this for so long."
Her hands physically pulled his head away as she gasped for breath, and he growled. "Gaara," she breathed. "You should know, when it comes to romance, I play for keeps."
"Uh-huh," he breathed, rubbing his lips against hers, still grinding into her.
She gasped at the sensation, then added, "I mean if you don't want this to go past tonight, or if you're not sure you want to be in a serious relationship with me, I'll leave right now."
His member ached for her as he thought about what she said. He wasn't sure if it should go past tonight, given the Council's thoughts on them together. But at the same time, he hadn't revealed the fact that Kankuro was producing the heir for their family, so the majority of their problems were unfounded. Once it was revealed, Gaara could be with whomever he wanted. And a serious relationship was what he'd tried with Matsuri, only missing a few key ingredients, which were clearly not an issue between him and Cordi. He decided no, he wasn't afraid of a serious relationship with Cordi, as far as he understood it. Just the Council's attempts to sabotage it. The optics of it, as they'd said.
Even with all these level-headed thoughts whirling through his mind, his aching member caused a louder, instinctual voice to bellow in his head, Say yes! Tell her what she wants to hear, as long as I can bury myself in her.
He ground against her again to feel the friction, to see if it was worth ignoring his saner voice. With the sensations sparking through him drowning out the sane thoughts, favoring the instinctual bellowing, he blurted between pants, "Yes. Anything." He kissed her as he kept grinding into her, harder. Between kisses, he moaned, "Yes. Cordi. I need you."
"Oh, Gaara," she sighed, kissing him back. His hands snaked up her sides under her shirt, his left wrapping around her waist as his right hand went to her left breast, squeezing it gently as his thumb caressed her nipple, which was popping up from his touch. A part of him wanted to dive under her shirt just to suckle and smell her breasts, just drown in those wonderful appendages.
The only thing that stopped him was her hand traveling down his body, diving into the front of his waistband with ease, her fingers brushing against his member before grasping it, causing his breath to hitch. He moaned as he ground against her hand, uttering a small breathy, "Please."
Cordi just brushed her lips against his, her fingertips caressing his member so tantalizingly. He practically panted against her lips with anticipation as her fingers pulled down the waistband and freed his member. He had been hard when they started kissing, but now he could hardly stand the ache of needing to be in her. He pressed his lips into hers with need, his fingers traveled under her shirt to feel her chest one more time. She pulled away from him for only a moment to pull her shirt off completely, exposing her bare chest to him illuminated by another roll of lightning and street lamps outside. She fell back into position, kissing him back more ardently now, her chest pressed tightly against his. He pulled her closer to him, one hand traveling down her backside, then down her thigh to pull her leg over his hip as she pushed his underwear down off his butt. He kicked them off with ease, feeling exposed, but also not particularly caring. Then he shifted over her, pinning her to the bed as he settled between her legs.
His kisses moved down her neck, passed her clavicle, to her cleavage, smelling her deeply as he hooked his fingers on her panties and slid them down. She moved to help him, but his sand immobilized her and pulled them off completely.
Now both of them completely naked, he moved back up to kiss her, their hips aligned, and his member poking at her core as they licked and nipped at each other, occasionally grinding into each other with need, but not penetrating. Just needing to feel their skin against each other. That need grew between them. He could feel it twisting inside him, and from the way she kissed him, he knew she felt the same. His hand reached down between them, hunting for the entrance he craved. It took him a moment to find it, surprised how far back it was, but as he dipped a finger in, he could feel her wet and ready for him. Her walls twitched around his finger as he stroked it, imagining how being inside her would actually feel, and it made him ache more until he felt his dick drip with anticipation.
"Gaara," she moaned. "Please."
It was all he needed to hear as he pulled out his finger, replacing his hand with his dick at her entrance, its head slickening from her pooling juices. He tried to thrust in twice, but to no avail. He realized it might be a little trickier than he'd anticipated, so his sand held her thighs apart as he reached down between them, using his finger to find her entrance again.
"Let me," Cordi breathed against his lips, reaching down to his member, which quivered in its anticipation at her touch. Then she pulled him into position, feeling her opening around its head as she said, "There."
"Thanks," he breathed, kissing her again.
She grunted a small, "Mhm" against his lips. As he started to push further in, she clutched at his shoulder and gasped, "Wait!" He paused. "Protection?"
He frowned, thinking momentarily she meant against attack, and saying, "I'll protect you," pushing in a little more.
She clutched his shoulder tighter, as she clarified, "No. I mean a condom."
He froze. He hadn't even thought of that, but the sensations were so heady, he couldn't end this here. "I'll pull out," he offered, thinking it was a viable solution. It was in the book Kankuro had given him as a method of protection. Plus he could always tell when he was about to go when he masturbated. He could hardly think it would be any different. "And I'll make you a silph-tea in the morning just in case."
Cordi frowned. "Silph-tea?"
He nodded, remembering the medicinal herbs properties. "It's a fairly effective herb." He smiled softly as he pushed in a little further, half way in her, whispering, "Trust me," against her lips.
Her eyes rolled back as she moaned. Her lips brushed against his, and she breathed back, "Ok."
His lips seized hers fully as thanks, ignoring the back of his mind wondering if he'd even be able to get silphium here. It was an herb that was grown in Futen, the capital of the Land of Wind, and along the coasts of Mikadzuki Bay in the southern border of the Demon Desert just as it reached the delta. It was the Wind's most popular crop, earning most of the Daimyo's money. And while it was popular in the Wind and its uses well known there, Gaara knew its reputation abroad was more as a bit of a snake oil treatment. It was hard to believe an herb did everything from curing indigestion, boosting metabolism, and preventing pregnancy. But it did. Maybe not one hundred percent, but seventy percent was better than nothing.
But now, it didn't matter. Now, all that mattered was that she'd said yes to him having his way with her. And he wasn't fucking up her offer again. This time he thrusted in fully. Their kiss broke as they each gasped at the sensations of his invasion as he pressed forward inch by inch until he was completely sheathed in her. He didn't have words to describe the feeling of being in her except silky wonder. Something in his core begged to move in her. To feel her move around his member, like the sensation he felt when he first kissed her, needing to feel her lips moving against his, but now on the scale of his whole body.
He started to pull out, but stopped as she let out a pained hiss. "Cordi?" he breathed, his tone full of worry with a hint of panic. Had he hurt her?
"Just give me a minute," she rasped as he felt her cunt grip at his member, feeling tighter as he settled in her. The sensation was heady. "I've never … never had anything in there. I wasn't … expecting it to feel so … so weird."
"Weird?" he frowned, wondering if he'd done something wrong. "Sh-should I stop?"
"No!" she gasped, her core tightening around him as if preparing to hold him there by his dick. The feeling caused a shudder to roll through him, and he blinked a few times to keep the shudder from causing his eyes to roll back. She smiled sheepishly. "Maybe weird was the wrong word. Invasive is probably better. And big. It feels bigger than I was imagining." He refused to let the comment go to his head. She took a deep breath as she said more emphatically, "I just need a moment to get used to you. Go slow, y'know?"
"Alright," he breathed, heavily.
"Also," she murmured, touching his head. He felt a small shock through her fingertips, and his sand fell away like ice immediately turned to water. "Your sand was hurting a little."
"Sorry," he offered.
"It's ok," she replied awkwardly, licking her lips before pursing them. She pulled his face down, giving his lips a peck before she said, "I'm ready."
He started to move again, this time small thrusts. She was so impossibly tight around him. And the feel of her breasts pressed against him, so close he could practically feel her heart beating with his. All these sensations overloaded him. It was all so much more than he'd imagined, and that magnified that needing ache, transforming it into a pulsing feeling throughout his groin until the pinnacle was reached. He knew it was too soon, only a minute or two, but he couldn't hold it back. He tried to pull out of her, but she was so tight around him, almost holding him fast there. There was no stopping it. He pumped into her hard, his mind shutting off as his body autonomously pumped his load into her. As his mind began to clear, all he could think of was falling asleep in her arms. He heard her gasp and felt her moving underneath him as his mind cleared, the sensations setting his body on fire, causing him to wince.
Momentarily, he realized he'd fucked up. He'd told her he was pulling out, but didn't.
"Don't slow down," she rasped sounding desperate.
His body felt practically dead, but he pushed himself to keep going, even if it felt as if he was dying from her touch. He pushed himself to keep going. It felt impossible, like fighting when his chakra was completely depleted. Even with her moaning and clutching at him. After five to ten minutes, her fervor died down a bit, but finding his rhythm again had gotten easier. She was looking at him curiously, and he felt a little self-conscious by her stare. He shot her a pursed smile, and she smiled back, before looking away. The thrusting began to feel awkward, so he slowed to a stop. "Did you go?" she asked.
"No," he lied, his voice husky as he kept inside her, moving slightly. "You?"
"No?" she answered, sounding very unsure. He frowned, and she said, "I've had a few almost, I think, but …"
He dropped his head, feeling tired and a bit like a failure. Not only had he made promises he didn't know if he could keep just to have sex with her, but he'd cum so early, it was embarrassing. He didn't even get her to cum herself. He truly was selfish, because now he was so tired he couldn't go on. He could tell by how his member was starting to go soft he didn't have another ejaculation in him tonight.
She caressed his cheek, lifting his head by his chin to look at her. His cyan eyes connected with her dark eyes, and he saw only adoration. He didn't feel deserving. "Kiss me," she directed.
He crashed his lips to hers, and her arms wrapped around his shoulders. She ground her hips into his as she kissed him back harder. It was a lot easier letting her do the work now. After a minute or two, she broke their kiss as she moaned "Oh. OH! … Yes! Gaara, YES!" loudly. Then dropped as if she was tired. She gasped and sighed as she dropped back down. But she wasn't quaking like Kankuro had described Fred after the Earthquake, or any other of his brother's conquests. Something in the back of his head told him she was acting, possibly for his sake.
The way she stilled, gasping and whining as if tired, he could tell even if she didn't go, she was done.
He pressed into her one last time, kissing her hard, hoping she felt his fervent appreciation in it. Then he pulled himself out of her and collapsed next to her, exhausted. He maneuvered the covers over them both, before snuggling into her. He'd never expected it of himself, to be the type of man who needed to be held after. But he was. He needed her close, to feel her skin against his as he went to sleep after such and activity. Despite the summer air, it felt too cold on his chest without her.
She turned to him in his arms and asked, "Did you go?"
He gave a pursed smile, then kissed her forehead. "Sleep," he whispered against her skin.
She nodded, flipping back so they could spoon through the night. But neither of them fell asleep immediately, each pondering if they'd pleasured the other correctly.
AN: So, yeah, this was the longest chapter I've written. I had to split what was originally just supposed to be this chapter into 3 chapters, each just as long. I'm not sure the next one will come as easily or quickly. A lot of subtle stuff happens in that chapter too. I originally wanted to put this last section in the next chapter, because of the midnight cut-off, but I ultimately decided it flowed best with morning-afters in the beginning.
I'm also proud one of the scenes I was so excited for didn't get completely scrapped due to the revamp. I'd written excerpts for a lot of the original plan before I realized how long Rox would actually be in the hospital, and it took me a while to come to terms that a lot of my great scene would have to be removed. But I was able to save the scene with Kankuro drunk off his ass, even though I had to replace Cordi being in the scene with Baki (some behind the scenes for you. I still think Cordi's commentary was a lot funnier, but Baki was still rather insightful). And the refigurations allowed me room to better develop the Suna Council beyond disapproving old people.
Keep putting out positive vibes for my wrist. I had my second treatment 3 weeks ago, and I'm still having some pain. Next step is surgery if it's not done healing in 3 weeks, and I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that.
