Disclaimer: Whatever, I don't need to own Naruto to write fanfiction.
Penname: LiveLoveLaugh
Fanfiction Story: Sleeping Princes
Summary: One of these days...they'll tell her what they feel for her. But right now, right then, being right next to her, just let them rest...Sakura factor One-shots
Mind of Gaara
'…I'm not even going to bother saying anything to someone like you. If you don't get out of my office, I will kill you.'
It was strange, for a man like him to be in a bed.
He never had a use for them, besides sitting down for a moment or lying on it to stare up into the ceiling, since he never slept before. He didn't understand the concept of 'sleep' as well as other people did. He was a long time insomniac, the baggy black eyes and ghostly pale skeleton body can tell tales of his tiredness and long years of awake exhaustions. Many times to keep himself busy at nights, he go up on rooftops to brood all hours long, or now that he was a young leader of his village, the damn paperwork. But mostly up to now, he would keep to himself in his office. He understood it would also be frightening for the villagers in Hidden Sand to be alert for a dark being lurking around the streets, possibly creeping into curtained windows to watch their innocent children sleep, spreading dusts of sand to cover their dreary eyes while a dagger held over their heads…
Bah, something like that. He wasn't a fucking Sandman for crying out loud, that kind of idea is ridiculous and terribly stupid. Well except for the sand, or the fact he is a man…so maybe he was. But he knows he would deny—even kill someone—if they were ever to bring up that revelation. But, that doesn't well explain why he made himself 'creep into a window and watch an innocent sleeping woman nap?'
Her damp braided pink hair was twined into sweaty patches over the cotton pillow top. He instantly smelled the beads of bitter saltiness that had washed across her entire lithe body the moment he broke into her bedroom. He began to pant slightly as he sat on the windowsill, watching her sleep. The heat around her apartment was in waves, making her breathing hoarse and dry. She kicked off the thin blanket from her body, revealing long bare legs with only a pair of lime drawstring shorts and a thin lilac camisole over her chest. The light in the bedroom was only a dark blue hue radiating from the night sky and half moon.
It was a hot day in the pleasant village, an even hotter day back in his own.
He had come to watch the upcoming Chuunin Tournament, seeing that he should speculate the three lucky Genin teams that had miraculously made it through the past exams. He had snuck away from his bodyguards, quite ironic since he had no need for them. He had put them into a dreamless daze in his bedroom from an inn half across the village, just so to visit her.
Her, that vile despicable woman who haunted his thoughts and had him questioning her motives.
He wanted to know for many long agonizing years, when he brood on top of roofs or doing his paperwork, or when his two favorite Leafs had come to visit him as he entertained them for some time, he just wanted to know why the hell do they keep talking about her. It bored him senselessly, for hours long the spandex-clad boy would drift from one subject to another like a comical cartoon, then going on to babble about the girl. And that shameful blush that crossed his face had annoyed him. It tortured him meaninglessly to even listen to the Rokudaime to even talk so highly about his best friend, as she were to be a piece of heaven they just tasted. Something through those idiotic talks, made him wonder why…they had……ever…even…fallen…in love…for her…?
She moved so little when she grasped the pillow in her slender hands to cup her cheek, she made almost no noise when she snoozed. Could it be because they loved her because she was attractive? Yes, the red-haired demon vessel admits it, she's attractive. Is it because she has features no other woman has? Yes, it might be. He had never seen pink hair on anyone else, pale skin, a huge forehead…and eyes…like his…? Could it be because she was strong-willed and stubborn as a mule? Respected? Pretty? Admired? Lo—
Was it because she was loved?
He didn't give himself the chance to hear his own words, as he asked her sleeping form snappishly in a childish impatient manner. He was terribly confused, even more frustrated to why he even wanted to talk to her. He barked quietly at the napping woman, with a scowl, "Why the hell do they love you so damn much?"
She remained asleep.
He stood over her bed like a towering shadow cascading over the weak innocent form, his eyes and face were burning from the heat that covered over his body like a blanket. He had seen men with her, he had seen they caress her face and her hands, the way their eyes had hovered over her with such warmth and love, emotions he can never be able to define, and yet, through his unanswered unspoken questions, he began to remain at the side of her bed just contently, yet yearning, to sleep.
No, he was a monster if he slept. He killed and rampaged in his sleep, he couldn't dream. If he were to even doze off, the monster within would take control and create mayhem. But how was it that when he stared at her, his eyes began to flutter slightly, his body falling closer to her own and he was unable to stop this pleasant feeling. He could almost dream of flying through clouds like everyone else, he saw sceneries, beautiful images that gave him that childish smile. That kind of smile he missed having on his face. He leaned over her, draping her arms over her as he breathed in her intoxicating flowery scent and he breathed softly over her. He pierced his lips from her elbow up to her shoulder, gently kissing her untainted skin. He could see the clouds now, he could feel the light pooling over his face and the wind in his hair…
The next thing he knew, he woken up next to her in her bed.
And he wondered from that day on, how was he able to sleep? How was he able to dream sweet dreams? Did they fall for her because she looked so beautiful when she slept? Did this night mean anything to him? He left before she woke up, leaving back to his inn where he contemplate on such hard difficult questions.
But what he didn't know, was that she was awake throughout the entire night…
Afterthoughts
He wanted his questions answered. He wanted them answered right now.
He watched her walk further away, soaking in the cold rain. He slowly held his hand over his heart, clutching the blue white garb. It was a sort of habit he had abandoned a long time ago. He frowned slightly, lowering his dull green eyes. She's putting emotions within him. She's messing with him. And he liked it. He watched the group of men from the corner of his eyes, knowing that these men…these fools…poor lovesick fools. But…somehow he wasn't angry at her…he just wanted to be alone now…
And since no one seemed to be giving him any answers, he decided he would be keeping quiet now…
To Be Continued