Gaara wakes early the next morning,

His first thoughts, as usual, are of his son. The little boy clearly wasn't awake yet, because he usually crawled into bed with Gaara if he managed to wake before him. Like Gaara's little shadow, as soon as he opened his eyes he was often out of bed and wandering to Gaara's side, curling up next to him. He usually woke with the little boy snuggled up to him, and his absence meant his son was still asleep and the Kazekage had a rare few moments to himself.

Gaara stares at his ceiling - blinking sleep from tired eyes - mind turning to thoughts of Uchiha Sasuke.

The man dominated a lot of his thoughts lately, just as he has for months.

He wonders how he is faring with his daughter. He wonders if Sasuke noticed what happened between them the last time they met. He sort of hopes not.

Gaara almost did something... regrettable and irreversible. Mortification slams into him as he remembers leaning into Sasuke, his scent going incredibly sweet and needy - wanting... something…

Irresponsible. What was he thinking?

Gaara knows the answer to that question. For once - in that moment - he wasn't thinking anything. He just wanted . It was pure emotion. No logic, at all. Sasuke did that to him somehow. If Shinki hadn't showed up and stopped Gaara from completely embarrassing himself, he would've…

Gaara feels himself go red, heat racing up his face.

Sasuke...

His small, hesitant smiles, like he was so unused to being happy that he almost forgot how to do so at all. His hair, usually in his face in an attempt to either hide his rinnegan or to hide himself from the entire world. His eyes, incredibly emotionally scarred, but soft, wary of everything yet so sharp and observant, able to pick apart Gaara's emotions in a way few were able to do...

His scent. It wrapped around Gaara and every time he smelled it his head went up in smoke and his usually sensible, ordered thoughts scrambled.

His voice...quiet and even

How he said Gaara's name...

How he managed to care for Gaara of all people, even while struggling so much himself. How he was genuinely interested in the omega's life and dealings. How he saw the world. The alpha was so sweet in how he spoke and what he said, when he was finally comfortable enough to come out of his shell, bit by bit.

No. Gaara stops that train of thought. Sasuke didn't sign up for this. He didn't become Gaara's friend with the intention of being thought of this way-

Gaara feels his face flush in shame. What was wrong with him? Sasuke had been hurt - just like him - Gaara couldn't have these feelings for someone who had no idea how Gaara...favored him as he did. It felt like an invasion of Sasuke's privacy, thinking of him in such a way.

The omega clenches his eyes shut. He couldn't be another person expecting anything of Sasuke, the man had been burdened with expectations his entire life. He refused to be another problem for him. Gaara couldn't be one of the many people who hurt him. Sasuke had gone through so much already.

And Gaara's feelings for him would hurt him. That is something he's sure of. There's no way that... wanting Sasuke was something that was going to be alright with him. Sasuke needed to heal. Not this.

Sasuke didn't deserve the burden, or the feelings of discomfort he'd likely feel if he knew that Gaara... liked him, as much as he did.

It would ruin everything Sasuke built here. Gaara was the one who invited the Uchiha in, he refused to then turn around and make the man uncomfortable just because Gaara couldn't control his emotions. The man was just now settling, just now being able to breathe and contemplate his complicated life up until this point - finally starting to heal from terrible emotional and mental scars inflicted on him from years of horror and loneliness. Gaara couldn't distract from that, or get in the way. He refused.

He'd been so surprised, feeling Sasuke's presence in the desert that very first time. Gaara had greeted the man to be polite, but was struck by the emptiness in the alpha's eyes. Gaara hadn't seen him in years, but the look in his eyes still surprised him. He looked so tired and despondent, and something in Gaara identified with that.

But after a short while, Sasuke looked happier. Like he had so much more life in him, and Gaara had fallen and crashed. Hard.

Sasuke was healing. Gaara couldn't interfere. Not with something like this. Something as selfish as his own feelings for the man.

He could definitely do it - pretend that his feelings hadn't twisted up inside him and made him long for Sasuke's presence and scent so intensely. Gaara was perfect at stomping feelings down and going carefully blank. His childhood taught him well.

It would cause Gaara pain to ignore his feelings, but if it kept Sasuke comfortable and in his life, he would do it in a heartbeat. He just...needed Sasuke around. Gaara doesn't know what's come over him, to be so needy for the man's presence and soft eyes.

Why was Gaara's heart doing this to him? Why did it attach itself to the one person he couldn't have?

Gaara would continue like normal. It would be fine. He could stifle his feelings for Sasuke's sake.

...Then why does he feel so empty?

Like clockwork he hears tiny footsteps outside his door before it opens and closes quietly. Gaara feels himself smile and he turns on his side to face the door, eyes on the little boy who quickly runs up to him, arms outstretched.

Gaara lifts the boy onto the bed next to him, enveloping his sleepy baby in a hug. His heart is still heavy - thoughts of Sasuke echoing in his head - but Shinki's scent calms him.

"Father…" he mumbles.

"Good morning, Shinki." He says softly, running his hands through his son's hair, heart swelling as he holds his most precious person. The sun starts to spill through the window as it rises and the heat of the day begins to set in.

He rests his head on his son's hair, cradling his baby as his scent goes warm and content. Like it always did when Shinki was near. Gaara wonders once more how Sasuke is doing, having his daughter close.

His heart wanted to find Sasuke, but the man deserved some time with his daughter without Gaara butting in and being a nuisance.

They stay like that for a while, until they're both a bit more awake, then he makes Shinki breakfast and some tea for himself, trying to ward off thoughts of the alpha he so desperately wanted to be close to. It doesn't really work. Gaara spends the morning wondering what Sasuke is doing. Where he is.

Shinki asks to make his morning bath one with bubbles - and Gaara can't deny his son anything - so Shinki happily splashes about with his bubbles and his rubber ducks while Gaara looks over some paperwork he didn't get a chance to review yesterday, still wrestling with his stubborn brain that seems to want to just think about the Uchiha every second of the day.

Then he sets out his son's clothes, leaving him with a kiss to his forehead and to get dressed while he takes a shower and cleans up the kitchen after breakfast.

"Little one?" He calls, once everything is tidied, "Are you ready? Do you need help with anything?"

Shinki wanders in a moment later, his shirt on backwards, looking very proud of himself.

Gaara smiles at his son, fondness and amusement in his eyes. His heart almost bursts with love for the little person who stands in front of him, blinking up at him with big green eyes.

"You did a very good job dressing yourself, Shinki." Gaara smiles, kneeling to reach out for his little boy. Shinki immediately makes a beeline for his father's arms, hugging him tight. Gaara smiles, heart warm as he feels tiny arms squeeze him.

There was a time when Naruto was the one who Gaara adored most in the world. That idea was completely decimated once he laid eyes on Shinki.

As soon as he saw the little boy Gaara was convinced that Shinki was the best thing on this planet. The best that life had to offer. The boy's smile instantly made Gaara want to make the world infinitely brighter, better, warmer, so that smile would be protected.

Shinki was his world.

It was always said that omegas were very attached to their children, but Gaara didn't know how true it was until he adopted Shinki and the child became his everything.

Gaara absolutely refused to be anything like his father. The man who was so cold, distant and hateful towards him, who purposefully scarred Gaara's brain at such a young age.

No. Gaara only felt warmth and unconditional love when he looked at his son. Pride whenever he did anything at all, no matter how small.

He felt everything for Shinki that his father never felt for him. Gaara guesses he takes more after his mother in that respect, and he's quite proud of that, actually.

Shinki was a clingy little thing, especially with Gaara, often upset when the Kazekage needed to tend to work or just generally couldn't be in his sights. The little boy followed him like a little shadow. The staff always playfully remarked on it, clearly amused by the little boy who trailed their leader.

"Where you find Lord Gaara, chances are you'll find his little son, not even a step behind and holding onto his father's coat."

Shinki's adoption had been a surprise to the village initially, because it seemingly came out of nowhere.

The residents quickly got used to seeing their Kazekage with the small child in his arms, and news quickly made it around that their leader had adopted a baby, and was taking a short leave to care for him. Gaara remembers those days, just being able to focus on Shinki - who was a baby at the time, so tiny and new to being loved and cared for - and not on paperwork. Eventually he returned to work when Shinki turned a year old, but it wasn't unheard of for his assistants to walk into his office and find their Kazekage with a document in one hand and Shinki in his lap, happily scribbling away with crayons.

Shinki had been a constant sight in the Kazekage's office ever since. Gaara couldn't bear to be apart from him - and he still couldn't, really.

They were a team. Gaara and his little shadow.

"Just one little thing." Gaara says, gently fixing the little boy's shirt, "There you go. Perfect."

Shinki plays with his toys while Gaara works at his desk, distracted by thoughts of Sasuke once more. He almost groans in frustration. He can't think. All he can dwell on is the last time they saw each other.

When Gaara almost ruined their friendship with his lack of self control.

Eventually the day is almost over and Gaara has somehow made it through his paperwork and signed the documents that needed his approval, and just needed a distraction more than anything.

"Now, why don't we find something to do." Gaara says, scooping up Shinki and cuddling him close, "Would you like to play in the sand pits? Or go to the park? Maybe something else?"

"Can we go see Uncle Kankuro?" Shinki asks, looking excited, "So he can paint my face?"

"We can definitely see if your Uncle Kankuro is home." Gaara smiles.


On the way they run into a few of Gaara's assistants, who wave at Shinki and bow to their leader.

"Ah." One smiles, "Hello Shinki."

"Where there's Lord Gaara, there's his little shadow right behind him, isn't that right?" The other woman grins warmly at the little boy. The boy clings to Gaara and she giggles, clearly amused by the Kazekage's son.

He asks them to drop off any extra work at his apartment and then politely bids them goodbye.

Thankfully Kankuro is home, and his big brother greets them both with a smile, squeezing them both in a hug and inviting them inside.

The Kazekage idly chats with his brother as he paints the little boy's face in an intricate design that Gaara assumes he came up with himself, contentment relaxing him in the presence of his family. It looked somewhat like the design on Gaara's old gourd from childhood, just with a few more details.

Shinki likes it quite a lot, and Kankuro beams with pride as Shinki barrels into his arms and thanks him.

They stay for a while, but once the sun starts to dip a little lower in the sky Gaara bids Kankuro goodnight and carries Shinki back to the residential wing and to their apartment.

He sets Shinki down in his room, and watches fondly as the little boy rummages through his toys, before he resolves to try and get at least a little more work done, wandering into the living room and spying the pile of papers on the small end table by the door.

His eyes are drawn to the notes his assistant left for him, hastily scribbled in her slightly messy writing. Upcoming meetings, briefing and... birthdays of villagers. His eyes scan the list and catches on one name, not too far from the top.

Green eyes linger there - the fourth on the list.

Sasuke Uchiha. July 23rd.

Tomorrow.

Sasuke's birthday.

Gaara's heart longs for him even more in that moment, wanting the alpha and his scent close. He tries to shake himself out of it, but he can't quite manage it. He's been distracted by it all day.

It was such a stereotypically omega disposition, and a part of Gaara was somewhat embarrassed by this need to have the alpha close that seemed to be getting stronger every time he saw the man. How mortifying.

Then there's a knock at the door that effectively distracts Gaara from his frustration at himself, puzzling him instead.

Gaara's non-existent brows furrow, wondering who it could be. Both Temari and Kankuro had keys, so they wouldn't need to knock…

Gaara opens the door and feels his heart skip a few beats and his heart clench.

"Sasuke." Gaara says, surprised. It's like his longing thoughts summoned the man.

There he stood, with a little girl on his arm and his eyes on Gaara, who could only stare up at him in surprise for a moment.

That scent wraps around him once more and he can't think again.

"Hey." He says, and Gaara realizes he's staring. The Kazekage snaps himself out of it and steps aside, gesturing him inside.

"Sasuke...hello." Gaara stammers, feeling foolish for some reason. Sasuke's face takes on a slightly worried expression.

"I... didn't mean to bother you if you're busy-"

"Nonsense. You're never a bother, Sasuke."

The man nods, hair falling in his face. Then the Uchiha brightens, and that does something to Gaara's heart, and even he knows his scent has gone sweet in response. He couldn't control it around Sasuke, and it would be an embarrassment if Sasuke's scent didn't then go strong and pleased in response.

Their eyes meet and they both go red, noticing each other's scents.

"O-oh, this is Sarada." Sasuke says, looking down at the little girl on his arm with such a pure love and fondness that makes Gaara's chest go tight.

The little girl is looking at Gaara in obvious curiosity, and Gaara's struck with how much she looks like a tiny version of Sasuke. She almost had the exact same face, and her eyes and hair were identical to her father's.

"Hello, Sarada." He smiles, "I've heard so much about you."

The little girl's face brightens and she grins, her little voice cheery and excited, "Hi! I like your hair! It's red!"

She was just as precious as her father too, it seemed. Gaara isn't the least bit surprised by that fact.

Gaara laughs, amused by the little girl, "Thank you very much, I like your glasses. You look just like your father, did you know that?"

Sasuke flushes and Sarada beams, "Miss Shizune says that too!"

Gaara smiles, already fond of the little girl.

"Well, she's definitely right." Gaara says pleasantly, before he calls, "Shinki? Could you come here, little one? There's someone you should meet."

After a few seconds Shinki peeks into the room and makes a beeline for his father, waving his arms to be picked up. Gaara pulls the child into his arms and cuddles him close.

Shinki clutches at his father's coat, looking at his hands. The little boy was clearly shy in the presence of the little girl. Sarada just waves at him though, not perturbed. Shinki cautiously waves back.

"This is Shinki." Gaara says, "He's not quite used to other children yet, so I'm sure he's feeling a little shy right now. But I hope you two will be great friends."

Shinki looks at Sarada curiously, finally looking up. The little girl smiles and nods. Shinki slowly nods as well as Sasuke and Gaara put the children down, just watching them start to interact.

"Do you like to play dinosaur?" Sarada asks immediately, excited. She bounces on her feet as Shinki quietly observes her. The little boy tilts his head, face going thoughtful.

"I don't know how to play that game. But I know a lot of dinosaur facts. Uncle Kankuro told me." He says, still obviously feeling a bit shy, "Can you...teach me?"

"Yeah! And you can teach me cool things about dinosaurs!" Sarada smiles.

Shinki nods, relaxing and looking more than a bit thrilled himself. Sarada takes Shinki's hand, and the little boy looks at her in both curiosity and wonder.

"Can we go play?!" She asks, clearly excited by the prospect of a new friend.

"Of course." Gaara says, "You two be careful, alright?"

"We're around if you need anything." Sasuke says.

Shinki nods quietly and looks to Sarada, "My big toybox is in my room."

Then he gently tugs her along, and they're off, dashing towards Shinki's room, hand in hand. They can distantly hear the sounds of the children beginning to play, toys being dumped onto the floor and Shinki's voice telling her about all the puzzles he has.

"They're already getting along like old friends." Sasuke says, staring after them.

"Shinki is rather shy, even around other children he knows well, but he takes to Sarada quite easily." Gaara says, smiling lightly, "I'm glad."

"Sarada makes friends a lot easier than I ever did." Sasuke says, sounding equal parts awed and proud.

"Thankfully they won't go through anything we have." Gaara says thoughtfully.

"Yeah." Sasuke agrees, turning to him, "But I think...maybe things will get better for us, too."

Gaara heart clenches once more at Sasuke's tentative optimism. He felt it too. The world was brightening for him as well, little by little, day by day. He was just so glad that Sasuke could see it too.

"That day, when we saw the sunrise." Sasuke says, "That's what I thought."

"I agree. And in that vein, happy early birthday." Gaara says, unable to stop the gentle smile on his face.

Sasuke looks slightly puzzled for a moment, then surprise crosses his expression.

"Oh. I...forgot." Sasuke says, and Gaara feels his heart warm in fondness for the man that so many in the ninja world were afraid of. They didn't know this Sasuke. The quiet, thoughtful man who was so excited about having his daughter close that his own birthday wasn't even on his mind.

Sasuke tugs at his hair, looking a bit out of his depth.

"But you knew." Sasuke says finally, blinking at Gaara. The Kazekage tries to act like he doesn't see the warmth in Sasuke's eyes. He must be imagining it. He must be.

"I'm given an update whenever it's someone in the village committee's birthday, so I...knew, yes." Gaara says.

Sasuke nods, still flushed.

Gaara wondered if anyone knew how shy Sasuke could be.

"Well, is there anything you'd like to do tomorrow?" Gaara asks, "Anything special for your birthday?"

Sasuke looks away for a second, face going a bit more pink. Gaara inwardly frowns to himself, wondering if he's said something wrong. Sasuke looks unsure about what he truly wants to say. Or rather, whether he should say it. The alpha runs his hand through his hair.

"I...well, I think I'd just like to spend the day with you…" Sasuke says, looking at the floor. His scent wavers a bit, clearly feeling unsure about saying such a thing to Gaara's face.

Did Gaara make Sasuke nervous?

And even more than that...Sasuke wanted to spend his birthday with Gaara? The omega feels his face go hot as soon as he processes the words.

"I'd like that as well." Gaara says, cheeks reddening, "I think it'd be nice to spend your birthday with you."

Sasuke looks at him in surprise, like he didn't expect that response from him.

The Kazekage tries to diffuse the moment, not wanting to make the man uncomfortable.

He settles on making them both some tea, needing something to do to distract from the alpha's scent and eyes. He asks Sasuke how things are going with Sarada, and happily listens to the man talk about his daughter. The love was plain on Sasuke's face, and Gaara tries not to let his scent give away how wonderful he finds that expression on the Uchiha's features. He doesn't know if he succeeds, but Sasuke doesn't seem alarmed so Gaara just tries to act as normal as he can.

They talk for a while, that easy conversation between the two of them that they always seem to fall into as the sun sets.

Eventually the children go quiet, and when they peek in to check on them they find them curled up on the floor of Shinki's room - toys strewn about - asleep. Still holding hands.

"It seems they've tired themselves out." Gaara says.

Sasuke looks down at the exhausted children with a small smile, "Looks like it, yeah."

Within a few minutes both children are placed in Shinki's bed and snoozing away and the light is flipped off, leaving them to their slumber.

It's when they're back in the living room that Gaara remembers something.

"I just remembered. I have something for you." Gaara says, leading him to the bedroom, dim and covered in moonlight. Sasuke follows behind him, and watches Gaara search a few shelves.

A wall clock in the room suddenly chimes once it reaches midnight, echoing through the quiet apartment. Sasuke is about to assure Gaara that he doesn't need to give him anything, but the sound distracts him before he can say anything, and once he looks at the clock and realizes what time it is...

"Oh, it's…" Sasuke starts, observing the time.

"Happy birthday." Gaara says softly, turning to him and handing him a book, "I...found it in the bookshop we visited. I meant to give it to you a while ago, but I suppose it slipped my mind."

Sasuke's eyes go soft and surprised again, and he doesn't say anything for a moment, just staring at Gaara in what looks like wonder.

"Sasuke? Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, I just...thank you, Gaara."

"Of course."

"Not just...for the book." Sasuke says, "But for... everything."

"There's really nothing to thank me for-"

Sasuke gives him a knowing look, the light of the moon spilling into the room from the window that overlooks the bustling village.

"We both know that's not true." Sasuke says, "You're helping me all the time. I mean it. Gaara...thank you. Without you I don't know where I'd be."

Gaara opens and closes his mouth, unsure what to do with that genuine and soft look in Sasuke's eyes directed at him.

God, he's beautiful. Gaara can't stop the thought as it floats through his stunned mind.

Could he really be blamed for falling for him? How could anyone blame him for his feelings when Sasuke was getting to him like this?

"You help me too." Gaara finds himself saying, "More than you know."

Maybe they both have had enough. Maybe neither of them can take it anymore.

Gaara feels something snap, and the air is charged with something he can't identify. It sets his mind on fire, though. And that persistent longing grows even deeper in the muted moonlight of Gaara's darkened bedroom. All Gaara can see is Sasuke, clutching his birthday gift like it's the most important thing he owns and looking at Gaara with those eyes -

Then they're only a breath away from each other, black eyes darting between Gaara's lips and his eyes in time for Sasuke to catch that Gaara does the same. His breath grazes Sasuke's lips as he stares back at him, green eyes darting back down to Sasuke's mouth, pale cheeks flushing.

Sasuke does something he can't predict nor completely explain, and something Gaara doesn't anticipate.

He crashes his lips to Gaara's, and clutches at his hip, leaning into him and causing them both to stumble towards the bed with the force of it.

Gaara's brain both empties and goes into overdrive in a single second, need and desperation for the man's touch flooding his very being and making him pull the alpha closer, kissing him deeper.

Yes. Please. Yes.

It feels so, so good . Like something they've both been waiting so very long for, and can finally have.

Gaara feels so good against Sasuke, and for some reason Sasuke doesn't fully expect it when Gaara's fingers run through his hair, and how the redhead makes that needy, small noise in his throat.

And then they're grabbing at each other, pulling trembling bodies closer as they explore each other's mouths, eagerly drinking in everything they can. Gaara tastes like tea, the cloying sweetness of the sugar sticking to his lips as Sasuke licks the flavor from his lips and tongue.

The taste of Sasuke's mouth is like something Gaara's always craved but never knew how to articulate.

Neither of them could describe how this felt even if their very lives depended on it.

All either of them can think is 'finally' .

One of them just needed to take that first, daring step.

Gaara scent goes sweet and pleased, and Sasuke's head clouds with the scent and the taste of the other man on his mouth as they stumble back once more, collapsing onto the bed. Neither of them seem to care, simply kissing deep and unable to stop their wandering hands, unwilling to disconnect from each other at all.

The room is darkened except for moonlight, and Gaara moans against his lips, tightening his hold on Sasuke's shirt, blood rushing in his ears as he gently bites at Sasuke's bottom lip, fully tasting him and unable to stop. He doesn't want to.

Yes. Yes. Finally.

Sasuke stares into sea green eyes as he pulls Gaara's coat off, and the omega clings to him. He nuzzles at Sasuke's neck, inhaling that perfectly overwhelming scent that he's always dreaming about. He's so wrapped up in it he hardly notices his coat being tossed to the ground, but he realizes that he needs Sasuke's shirt off, and he tugs at it, frustrated by its presence until he's able to rid the alpha of the offending material, his hands on the Uchiha's muscled stomach.

Gaara flushes a deeper, lovelier red as Sasuke's hand moves to tug his pants down his thighs, eyes on the omega's flushed face and needy gaze.

Gaara kisses him again, and Sasuke is lost in it for a moment until Gaara spreads his legs and Sasuke knows what he wants almost immediately.

Gaara wants him. And Sasuke wanted nothing more than him as well. It's almost a shock to the brunet's brain, how hot his blood ran and how his body responded to Gaara's. Need was beginning to overtake Sasuke's brain in a way it never had before, and the Uchiha welcomed it. As long as he could finally be close to the omega under him.

Glassy green eyes gaze up at him, dazed as his own, and Sasuke tugs Gaara's shirt off next, blood screaming for more of the omega's skin to touch. It's like now that they've started they can't stop, and all previous shyness or uncertainty is replaced with pure need. Like they were both sick of waiting and just wanted their fill of each other, after so long. So much waiting and dancing around each other.

Gaara kisses him deeply, just needing to taste Sasuke's lips against his own once again. He can only think how dangerous this is, how after this, he'll crave this all the time. Sasuke's touch, his taste, his scent. The feeling of their skin pressed flush.

The feeling of Sasuke pulling his underwear down his thighs with that heated look in his eyes, like Gaara's the only one he wants.

The feeling of Sasuke's muscled, toned body pressed to his thin, inadequate frame, his still clothed erection pressed to Gaara's bare skin.

Pleasepleaseplease-

Gaara tugs at Sasuke's underwear - far too invested in kissing him to have any sort of coordination in his limbs, tasting those lips he's dreamed of for weeks - frustrated at the barrier between them as Sasuke kisses him deeply, stealing his breath and hastily pulling the rest of his clothing off and pressing to Gaara, just like he wants. Like he so desperately needs.

It feels so, so very good - Sasuke so rarely felt want like this before, and all Gaara can focus on is how the slick gushes from between his legs and how beautiful Sasuke looks above him, his hair mussed and his lips pink from their repeated kisses.

It's scary. It's perfect. He presses closer, arm around the Kazekage's waist to pull him against him, pressing Gaara to the sheets below and slipping between his thighs, his erection pressing between Gaara's legs and their blood runs hotter. Sasuke mouths at his neck and all the omega can do is clutch him tight and pull him ever closer, moaning and desperate for Sasuke inside him.

The room seems to explode in heat when Sasuke groans and sinks into him deep on the first thrust of his hips, burying himself in that warm, tight and drenched space between Gaara's legs, immediately hitting that spot that makes Gaara arch his back and cry out, suddenly filled so perfectly. They both gasp, overwhelmed by sensation and pure want.

"Fuck." Sasuke breathes into his neck, trembling, "You feel so good."

Gaara wants to say something, but his thoughts scramble and he can hardly breathe with Sasuke buried inside his body, large and throbbing. He could feel the alpha's heartbeat against his own, fast and hammering. He wants to say that Sasuke feels so perfect inside him, that he's been longing for this for weeks, but Gaara's voice is gone and he seems to be good for currently is moaning and panting, tugging at the sheets-

Sasuke starts to move - both of their self control absolutely lost - eyes never tearing from the man under him. He studies Gaara's face, the whimpers that pour from his lips as Sasuke starts to fuck into him, deep and heated.

The sounds he makes are quiet and breathless, a whispered secret in Sasuke's ear as Gaara clutches him close.

Gaara's skin is warm. So, so warm.

Inside of him is even warmer.

Sasuke is probably the farthest thing from carnal. Sex just isn't what he thinks about, and all of his memories regarding it were... very unpleasant, to say the least.

But this? This is so incredibly different. This is worlds away from being forced or unwanted. If anything, Sasuke is frustrated with himself for taking so long to get to this point.

Gaara feels so incomparably perfect around him, and that would confuse him if he could think about anything other than how irresistible Gaara smelled or how soft his skin was. How good it feels to be inside his soused heat, tight and comforting. Their bodies just fit together, and the smell of Gaara's slick makes his head spin.

He moans and Sasuke kisses him again - unable to resist, though they're way past that now - hard and needy, pressing back into that heat that makes his mind go blissfully blank. The man under him is all he can think about, and the sounds Gaara makes as he takes him makes Sasuke want to press closer - touch him even more.

Gaara smells so sweet, it's almost overwhelming. His hair is a messy halo, curled onto his cheeks and painting Sasuke's pillow as red as his lips from their frantic kissing. Sasuke presses finger shaped bruises into Gaara's hip, unable to let go of the moaning omega under him. He feels the man's hands in his hair, holding tight as he presses deep into him once again, groaning.

"Sasuke…"

God. The room is about 100 degrees already, and Sasuke feels the urge to press impossibly close to the body under his. The body that trembles as he presses inside, soaked in scorching heat and slick. Gaara gasps his name again, and Sasuke grits his teeth and needs more.

He wants to be as close as he can possibly get to Gaara. He felt so right against him, and Sasuke craves more of that, his entire being set into overdrive.

Sasuke's lips are on Gaara's neck before he can even think about it - right on the sensitive spot a mating bond would be bitten into pale flesh - teeth grazing the skin, lightly.

Gaara makes a sound that makes the heated knot in Sasuke's stomach burn hotter, and he can't help putting wet lips right there - right where he'd bond him. Where he'd sink his teeth in and keep the man under him for himself-

Just his.

Sasuke feared submission, especially unclothed and tangled up with another body in his. Orochimaru's abuse taught him that if someone could, they'd pin him down and rip him apart inside, but here Sasuke gets to be in control, and he feels none of the panic or disgust that sexual encounters left him with before. Gaara didn't push or pull too hard, and he didn't force Sasuke to do anything he didn't want. Being under Sakura left him feeling hollow, a forced encounter he never wanted but had to go through with. Being under Orochimaru was painful and disorienting.

Being with Gaara felt good . So, so good. Hearing the omega's breathing and pleasured cries and moans only spurred him further, made him want more. Feeling his hands in his hair did something to Sasuke.

Sasuke wanted to be so much closer, though they were already skin to skin and panting each other's air - moving together as Gaara's shaking hands ran through his hair and pressed fingers to his back.

"Ah…" Gaara moans and clutches at Sasuke's arm, eyes hazy with pure want as he looks up at him, cheeks red and body tightening around him as he trembles.

The Uchiha buries his face in the omega's neck once more, groaning.

Gaara was so wet inside, so warm. He smelled like the desert, like a garden - like the greenery that grew around the buildings in Suna - but far more potent and dizzying, and Gaara's slick makes the wet sounds that echoed through the room and made it so easy to slip inside the heated body under his own. The soft skin of Gaara's thighs around his hips does something to him he can't quite describe, and he can only think about how easily he fucks deep into the omega's slick hole, their scents overpowering all others. How encompassing.

And in all Sasuke's vulnerability he can say that Gaara's beautiful. All red hair and bitten lips. The bruises Sasuke left on his neck are purpling, and that gives him a feeling of satisfaction that he doesn't anticipate. Gaara wore his mark. It wasn't a bite, but it didn't matter in the moment.

He kisses the Kazekage again, blood rushing in his ears and blood racing through his veins.

When they come it almost knocks the breath out of him, and the sound Gaara makes triggers him to knot quicker than he ever has. Gaara shivers under him, panting as he gets tighter around him, and Sasuke can hardly breathe himself, burying his face in the omega's neck.

He clutches him even tighter when Gaara kisses him deeply again, lips seeking his and hands fiddling with the ends of his hair, splayed about his shoulders. Sasuke can hardly think properly, his mind so preoccupied with how tight Gaara's body was around him, and how his body milked his knot like it knew just what to do to make Sasuke lose all coherent thought.

They kiss and touch until it goes down, but they don't stop. They can't. They finally had this, and pausing would mean having to refrain from touch one another and think, which wasn't what either of them needed right now.

Gaara rides him next - and they're both unsure how the omega ends up in Sasuke's lap but neither of them could care less, especially when it feels so good to finally be so close to each other, sharing this quiet night of touching and moaning - and Sasuke wraps his arm around his waist, feeling how his hips move in his lap to grind Sasuke further into him, moaning. Sasuke kisses him again, wet and desperate. He pulls Gaara close - panting and staring up at his face - twisted in pleasure and so beautiful it almost knocks the breath out of him.

Gaara clutches at his shoulders, head thrown back as he moves, pale skin under Sasuke's fingers as he trails his hand up the Kazekage's back, feeling every ridge...every inch of skin. The mark from Sasuke's chidori from so, so long ago (it felt like another lifetime truly, especially right now) paints the omega's shoulder, and Sasuke can't help pressing his lips to the scar. Gaara leans into his touch, and Sasuke goes hotter with longing, somehow needing to be closer.

It feels so good, being close to Gaara. Sasuke's blood feels like it's scalding, and he wants to taste his mouth again.

Gaara's so warm inside-

The omega comes with a whimper, and Sasuke kisses him, unable to help it.

He bites down on the omega's collarbone when he comes, gritting his teeth and pulling Gaara down on his cock, clutching him close.

Gaara moans and shivers, his hands in Sasuke's hair as he knots, seated fully in his lap.

They don't do much but desperately and heatedly kiss for the ten or so minutes Sasuke's knot has them locked together, but it's…

It's fucking amazing, finally being able to kiss him so freely. Gaara tastes sweet and he smells so good. His pheromones rise from his skin, thick and unyielding. The room fills with the scent of the two of them, mingled together and so pleased.

Gaara stutters out a sigh, hand running through the tangles in Sasuke's hair, smoothing out tangles. Sasuke just breathes, feeling Gaara's skin pressed against his own.

They keep going. Something about this is a release, for them both. Like they've both been waiting for this and can't stop or slow down or else it ends. Like they'd have to settle and think about what they're doing, and right now neither of them wanted that. They just wanted this.

Neither of them want it to end. So they keep clutching at each other, moving, kissing and sharing moans between them. It feels so good, being twisted up in blankets together like this, sweaty and skin pressed flush. Sasuke is inside him again, Gaara's hands clutching at his back as they moan and move together, lips coming together again and again. The room is quiet save for their desperate and needy love-making, stuttered breaths lost in the warm air of the dim room as greedy hands reach for and hold onto each other, desperate eyes focused only on the other.

Sasuke can't take his eyes off how Gaara bites his lips as he presses inside him again, deep and scorching. He moans, thighs tightening around Sasuke's hips. Sasuke's blood rushes faster, Gaara's scent filling his senses. Then they're frantically kissing, like they're both running out of oxygen and the other is the only supply left.

Sasuke presses Gaara to the bed, and takes him again.