Chapter 8

A hooded stranger stood outside the gates of Suna, and Ume rushed over to meet him. He saw her, then nodded his head. She gave him a large hug around the waist. To her Orochimaru was her father, even if he was a cold bastard. She didn't care.

"Tears?" He asked, watching the small drops of water come from her eyes. "You've grown soft."

"Orochimaru-sama, I can't stay here. T-the Kazekage knows things about me not even I knew about. He scares me. I-I can't stay here!" She looked pleadingly into his eyes, but he only frowned back.

"You will follow your orders. Stay here. Romance the Kazekage. It shouldn't be too hard, seeing that you already have feelings for him."

"W-what?"

The snake man smiled poisonously. "You're in love with Gaara of the desert. You may have not accepted it, but you have fallen for him. I've seen it happen before, but hopefully yours turns out better than theirs." He paused and looked out at the stars. "I don't like this but you have permission to view him romantically. If one detail slips about the Sound village, then I will have Sasuke fetch you, you will come back home," Orochimaru leaned closer so he was speaking right next to her ear. "And I will have a curse seal placed upon you. Don't make me do that. You've always been special to the Sound."

Like a breeze he was suddenly gone. Ume knelt down onto the sand with her eyes overflowing with tears. She couldn't love this monster of the sand.

But she was the exact same monster, and she couldn't deny it.

The sand around her began to shift abnormally, becoming small waves like the ocean. She was suddenly rising, and a small platform was suspending her. She tried to jump off, but sand only caught her and placed her back on. She tried again, but it caught her and held her in place. The kunoichi suddenly panicked. Had Gaara seen her with Orochimaru?

When she reached the office, the Kazekage was waiting on the balcony looking very ill tempered. "We need to talk." Ume followed him inside silently. He was at his desk, and she in the chair across from it. He frowned then looked down at her. "First of all, what were you doing outside of the gates at midnight? It's dangerous, even for ninja; the desert is not a hospitipal environment at night."

"I was getting fresh air."

"Don't do it again."

"Of course."

"Secondly, the rumors. You were out around the town today. Did you hear anything."

"Just that I'm a kidnapped woman who is being forced into a marriage with you." Gaara stared at her as if she had two heads. "What? It's true."

"This isn't good."

"For me or for you?"

"For both of us!" He snapped, and turned to the large window.

Ume looked at him with a curious spark in her eye. He looked handsome in the moonlight with broad shoulders, dark red hair, and smooth skin…

'What the hell am I thinking?' Ume thought. 'These are Orochimaru thoughts!' Suddenly a thought dawn on her.

"Why are you worried about me?" She asked. Gaara turned to look at her.

"You are my guest, and Tsunade would kill me if anything bad were to happen to you." He said. Something flashed in his eyes and Ume knew that what he was saying was only part true.

She stood up and went behind him. "No. There's something else." She whispered into his ear. She had to stand on the tips of her toes to reach him, but she didn't mind. He was a nice tall height.

Gaara turned to look at her. His face was completely emotionless. She hesitantly leaned in, her lips only an inch away from his. Since he didn't make any moves to back away, she finished by lightly kissing him. The Kazekage didn't react; he just stood there, in a confused way. Ume was surprised when he slowly kissed her back.

Their arms wrapped around each other and the kissed deepened. They didn't notice two figures by the doors who were staring at the pair with jaws open.

"Told you they were having sex." A feminine voice said loudly. Gaara pulled away quickly, leaving a stunned Ume to register what had happened. When she saw Temari at the door she was tempted to kill the woman.

"That wasn't sex." Kankurou commented back. "They were just kissing."

"But you know where that lead."

"Dully noted."

"We are not sexually involved." Gaara said sternly while wondering why his siblings were even talking about his sex life in the first place. He was every bit as mad as Ume, but he didn't let his anger out like hers. He kept him behind a cold mask. "What do you two want?"

"Well, since I was leaving tonight, I was going to say goodbye but since you want quality time with your love intrest I can just leave."

Gaara walked over and gave her a hug. "You are still my sister whatever happens."

"Good to know." Temari said loudly. Then, quietly, she started whispering in his ear. "Do you have feelings for this girl?"

"I think so…"

"Thought so. It's about time. We couldn't wait till we could see you happy. Maybe you should marry this girl-"

"It's a little too early to think about that." Gaara cut in, fixing his sister with a glare. She just sniggered, and let him go.

"Well have fun while I'm gone. Get out and have fun. Don't forget to use birth control though. The last thing Ume wants to be is a teenage mother, and I believe-"

"Out. Now!"

"Alright, goodbye to you too." The kunoichi sniggered then turned to leave. She disappeared down the hallways and Kankurou followed. Gaara closed the door, and then leaned against it while rubbing his eyes.

He wondered what he had done in a past life to deserve such siblings. Ume stood on the corner and watched the Kazekage silently. He walked over and looked down.

"You should get some sleep."

"Yeah." She started to turn to leave, but Gaara grabbed her wrist and pulled her into one last kiss. It only last a minuet or so, but it was sweet, and very out of character for both of them. "Goodnight." She whispered and drew away. She closed the door behind her, than ran to her room giggling like a child. She was in love for the first time, and it felt wonderful.

The funny thing was that Gaara was having the exact same thoughts. He was sitting at his desk wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into and wishing he could sleep so he could convince himself it was all just a really good dream. The beast within him chuckled.

'I think you've found a mate.'

'How would you know?'

'You can't hide your feelings from me. I live inside of you, remember?'

Gaara scowled and the beast laughed again before silencing. Gaara looked at the door and felt something to go see her. Take advantage of her. He was the Kazekage, she would comply happily. "What am I thinking?" He moaned and realized he was outside her door. The stupid badger had taken over his body for a few moments, and was trying to make the two "mate".

'NO!' He told it stubbornly. 'At least not yet.' The beast just grumbled and went to sleep. Gaara went back to his office to finish up paperwork that the elders needed the next day.