AN: Warning, sexual content.

He knew she would come here, however he wasn't sure on what type of conversation they would have. Especially so late in the night.

The redhead was currently looking for black clothes for Chiyo's funeral deep inside his walk-in closet when she arrived, but he had sensed her long before regardless.

"Sakura." He murmured to her without looking away from his task, listening to her breathe deeply like a calm before a storm.

Gaara waited, and there was no response. It got him curious enough to look away from his gathered clothing, finding her standing there looking bitter. It wasn't his fault that Chiyo gave up her life in exchange for his, he didn't make that choice-

"You failed in killing that Akatsuki asshole." Sakura seethed, and he realized that she was essentially blaming him for not being strong enough. Something he had already salted the wounds with already.

"I did fail, and I am sorry." The redhead shifted his eyes to the side, and took the blame head on. He always would, for he was the leader of his village. His job was to succeed with as minimal casualties as possible.

"You...you-!" The pinkette slammed the closet door behind her so hard that a stack of folded pants fell off of his shelf, and onto his floor along with a stack of blankets.

"Next time I will succeed-"

"Next time? Next time!? YOU DIED!" Sakura screamed, charging up to face him with bitter tears. "YOU WERE DEAD! DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD-!"

Every time she said the word 'dead' her fist would punch at his chest, not with anything backing them of course, but they still stung. She began crying like a small child throwing a tantrum, smacking away at him so she could release her frustrations.

She was mourning, and it wasn't for Chiyo right now; it was for him.

For some odd reason it warmed his heart that she would be so upset by his 'passing'. When he initially woke up from his dirt nap she seemed to be more livid than relieved to see him.

He had thought that she did not want him to be alive for a while, but now he realized that she mourned a bit differently than others. His death had a greater impact on her than anyone else knew.

Well, how could they? No one really knew what had happened between them except them. They didn't ever talk about it outside themselves. It wasn't like they were hopeless lovers, it was more of an accident.

Okay, no, he was pushing for it obviously, but on her part it was more of a fling. Nothing more than that.

Or at least that was what he initially thought.

"Sakura... I'm sorry-"

"I'M NOT FINISHED! DON'T START APOLOGIZING UNTIL I'M DONE!" The pinkette shrieked wildly at him within the small space, still continuing to hit with pointless punches that were only bothersome than painful. It was plain to see that she wished him to be alive and well, and actually hurting him was not on the agenda. Eventually her fire burned out, leaving her tired, and trembling.

"Naruto lost it... he went absolutely insane..." She murmured in an almost crazed state, and it was when she grew quiet that he knew he had to hold onto her in some way. His pale hands covered the tops of her shoulders, smoothing his thumbs over her bare deltoids. "Now I'm losing it... gods be damned I'm going fucking crazy-!"

"I'm right here. I'm not leaving this world any time soon, alright?" Gaara gave the kunoichi a warm smile, then patted her shoulder carefully. She seemed to be lost somewhere in her head, making him feel guilty for even existing in the first place. "I should probably get back to looking for my funeral wear... maybe get some sleep-"

"What?" Sakura blinked at that, her eyes narrowed at him in confusion.

The redhead couldn't contain the small smile that spread across his features.

"I'm going to sleep. I don't have to worry anymore about Shukaku... I can finally rest..." It was a stupid thing to get excited over, but it was something he never got to really partake in often. Something natural that everyone took for granted.

"Although, his absence is not something I am completely happy about. In fact, I find myself missing him more often than not-"

"I guess you enjoyed being dead... more than you enjoyed being alive." The pinkette hissed once more, confusing him greatly.

"No. In fact, I was very lonely..." Gaara blinked as her expression grew more sour, more angry. "Why are you so upset, Sakura? Please, let me try to fix it-"

"STOP LIVING FOR OTHER PEOPLE! LET SOMEONE ELSE FIX YOUR PROBLEMS FOR A CHANGE!" Sakura started screaming again, making him recoil with even more confusion.

He didn't understand why she was so upset. This was very strange for him. Was he supposed to hug her? Hold her? Console her?

"What do you want from me-?" He went to ask, but then felt his body get pushed back until he was slammed into the opposite wall. A stack of towels came tumbling over them in a waterfall of fabric, one draping over his head before he flung it off of himself in frustration.

"No! What do YOU want, Gaara?! No more sacrifices! Be fucking selfish for once!" The pinkette shouted at him desperately, giving him just a piece of a larger puzzle.

However, he felt his heart clench, and his pale hands wrapped around her own.

"I was a selfish child once, and I murdered a lot of people because it gave me great pleasure in life." The moment he met her eyes was the same second he had to look away. His admission was not something he was proud of. "When I was a selfish person I held you down by force so that I could know for just once in my life what the warmth of another person really felt like. What a... girl felt like..."

The redhead swallowed hard, staring at the floor in an attempt to keep his shame hidden from her.

"If I were a selfish person now you would hate me. You would hate me so much-"

"Why?" Sakura pressed sternly, and he tensed from the tone.

"Because if I were to be... selfish... I would take what I wanted from you without remorse. I know I would, because I have been capable of it before... I am still a monster despite the fact that I am no longer a jinchuriki." His breathing was shallow, yet he felt like he was panting with exertion. "I still murdered all those people, and I still attacked you out of pure selfish desire. I don't want to hurt anyone, and I don't want to be alone anymore-"

"So you're truly just willing to settle, even after looking death in the face?" The pinkette frowned at him when he nodded, and she ended up shaking her head in the end. "You're such an idiot!"

"I know..." Gaara answered softly with defeat, his body going limp as she repeatedly slammed his shoulders against the wall behind him. He was losing the will to fight her, or anyone for that matter.

"No! WAKE UP! TAKE FUCKING CHARGE!" Sakura started screaming again, hitting him harder than she had before.

Sand started slithering in under the door, as if it were a careful guard keeping a watchful eye.

"Sakura, stop-"

"Then fucking make me." The pinkette charged up her hand, and swung an open handed slap across his face. It burned badly, and his sand rushed over to swirl gently across the stinging cheek. Another chakra pulse had him starting to really hurt as she slammed him repeatedly into the wall.

"SAKURA, STOP-!" The redhead shouted.

"MAKE ME!" Sakura screamed back in his face, and his temper started to rise from her disrespectful behavior.

Didn't she care that he just came back from the grave? What was going on with her?

Another slap brought his attention back, and with his rage starting to really flow out of control he knew what he had to do-

He pushed her roughly away from him, and turned to leave.

"Where are you going-?!"

"I'm done. You want to fight? Go try it with someone who didn't just rise out of their grave." Gaara spat venomously as he stormed the short distance to the door, tensing as he heard her run up behind him.

'Crap.'

The pinkette gave a feral sound when she lept to tackle him. His body flattened against the floor that just happened to flood with sand at the last minute. She was screaming like a monster, wrestling with him until he was able to get her pinned.

Thank the gods he had been practicing his hand to hand, as she was exceptional in taijutsu.

"STOP FIGHTING ME!" The redhead finally snapped at her, his patience reaching its end.

She looked up at him wide eyed. Something flashed in her jade orbs, but he couldn't catch just what it was. Fear, perhaps?

No, more like she had remembered something that haunted her. Something from the past that followed her into her adult life-

It dawned on him that they had been in this situation once before so long ago. It was on a night much like this one. Quiet, and filled with moonlight. Her tears were glittering in her eyes, shadowed by her pink hair.

Damnit all, she turned out even more beautiful than he could have ever imagined, and her scent never changed.

"When Sasuke left I was completely heartbroken... I didn't want to do anything... I just wanted to die." Sakura began speaking, her pupils dilating as she stared straight into his soul with unblinking jade eyes. "When you died... I killed one of the men responsible. I knew nothing else but determination... just to get your fucking corpse returned back to us."

Her body didn't shake, nor did her voice change it's tone, but her eyes started pouring out tears despite those facts.

"I wanted... to see you sleep. Being at peace for probably the first time in your life... but I was so fucking angry. I was so angry with you, Gaara... for leaving me behind like he did." That time she did sniffle, and with a scoff she turned her head to the side.

"I love Sasuke, and when he left I couldn't function. Yet when you died all I could see was the color red. The red that you wear every day, the red in your hair, the blood of your victims... and the revenge in my heart as I killed Sasori. He looked a lot like you... you were everywhere, and yet you were gone at the same time... what the hell does that mean?" The pinkette closed her eyes as more tears fell, but she continued none the less.

"I don't know what I would do if Sasuke was killed, I would probably mourn him... but you... your passing made me want to destroy lives. I don't understand it..."

"I'm not dead anymore. You can stop fighting, Sakura-"

"Stop fighting... who, exactly?" Sakura turned to look at him once more with a lost expression, making his heart clench painfully. "Why am I fighting you? Why am I fighting myself? What am I trying to accomplish here?"

She went silent, almost as if she was waiting for him to answer for her, but he knew that she had to think for herself.

"I can't answer that, only you can." Gaara murmured as he went to pull away, freeing her wrists, but her hand quickly grasped the back of his neck to keep him there.

"I'm scared of the truth, that I want you to be in my life intimately when part of me knows that it isn't right-"

"There's nothing wrong with us being friends-"

"But we don't want to be 'just friends' anymore, do we?" The pinkette looked as if her heart may be breaking, her hands ran into his crimson hair while he stared at her with wide cyan eyes. The touch alone was enough to make him tremble. "We want so much more... we want to touch, trust, hold, and confide in each other..."

"You're making it sound like we are forbidden lovers..." The redhead breathed, tensing as her hand smoothed down his cheek, and traced delicately over his pale lips.

"We're almost to that point, arent we? Every time we are together that line blurs just a little bit more... soon it will no longer exist-"

"What are you trying to say, Sakura?" Gaara shook his head in frustration until he felt both of her hands hold him still, forcing him to look at her.

"You have a second chance at life... I have a second chance to treasure my time with you..." Sakura's voice cracked, as did her careful composition. She took a shaking breath deep into her tensed lungs before nearly whimpering out her next words. "Be selfish with me... and let me be selfish with you."

He couldn't breathe.

Was this an invitation? The redhead wasn't sure, everything she said could be interpreted in so many ways. He needed to know if his assumptions were correct.

But he was scared. He didn't want to chase her away with his strange desires. This was already so precarious that the slightest tip in the scales could have everything toppling over. He had to be so careful.

"I'll follow you wherever you go, like I always have..." Gaara whispered gently, his heart hanging by a thread that could be cut at any moment.

His form was being pulled on, so he lowered himself until he could lay flush on top of her. He wondered if his weight would crush her, but she didn't seem to care.

"Don't ever die... not until we are old and gray-"

"You know I can't make that promise." The redhead interjected, but his hands held her head protectively. "No shinobi can make such a promise, especially not a Kage-"

Sakura started to cry underneath him, and he sighed as a result feeling waves of relentless guilt wash over him.

He wished that they could live a normal life, that he could have grown up to be a normal man. They could have a normal relationship too, instead of hiding behind closed doors. It was a sad wish, and an even sadder reality, but he was trying to make the most of it while he could.

His head was resting next to hers, and he turned it to speak gently against her tear soaked cheek.

"We need to treasure the time we have, because it is fleeting. We could be gone at any point in time... I want to truly appreciate the time we have left-"

The pinkette turned to face him, instantly placing her lips to his. She seemed relaxed, but the action still had him caught off guard. She pulled away to look at him, but her eyes still looked pained.

Suddenly his world turned, he was pushed onto his back while she clambered over his frame. Another kiss was made, this time it was starving for his affection.

Wide eyed, and in total shock, Gaara was totally lost in what he should even do in this moment.

Was this just a heated kiss? Or did she want more from him?

It seemed that the answers were given right as he began asking himself what was happening. Her hands were tugging roughly at the buckles to his vest that usually held his gourd. The article was soon ripped away with his red coat being next on her list of things that had to go.

"Sakura..." The redhead breathed as calmly as he could, being reserved and cautious as the coat was roughly opened to reveal the standard shinobi netted top underneath. "What...are you doing-?"

Suddenly the buckle on his pants became the new enemy, making him force a hard swallow as she literally whipped the leather from his belt loops. It made a light cracking sound, that was how hard she had pulled on the thing.

"Slow down." Gaara felt his backbone grow back, his hands stopping her right as she unzipped his pants.

"What... why?!" Sakura's jade orbs looked angry, and confused. "This is what you always wanted, right?! You have always been chasing after me-!"

"I don't want to do this unless it's something you truly want, and I'm not going to have you lose your virginity on my closet floor." The redhead leaned up to argue, but was swiftly pushed back down by his shoulders.

"So now the one time I'm actually giving myself to you, you reject me?! Is this a game to you?!" The pinkette gripped his hair firmly, sand beginning to swirl around her wrist as she gave a light tug.

"I'm not rejecting you! And no, it's not a game to me... it was only a game when I first met you, after that I came to truly care for you. I swear it." Gaara winced as she tugged again, and he knew his sand had to be hardening around her arm by now.

"Do you really care, Gaara? Cause I thought I was always just some girl you wanted to warm your bed-"

"No! It's much more than that! If I didn't love you then why the hell would I put up with all of this?! I have girls lined up at the ready that I could possibly sleep with, yet I haven't held affections for any of them! I have declined every last one!" He felt desperate for her to know just how much he cared, his words coming out before he could even remotely think them through.

He hadn't realized his mistake. A word uttered to her that he couldn't even admit to himself yet he spoke it without a second thought, and it remained unnoticed by him.

Her eyes stared at him, widened with shock. It had him so unnerved that he felt his temper rise once again.

"Is that so hard to believe?! That I would pass up on pretty faces-?!"

"N-no! No... you said... you said that you... never mind, please don't worry about it. I'm sorry for saying such things to you." Sakura deflated, her once raging fire now leaving her in a tired state.

The redhead watched her carefully as her demeanor seemed to instantly change. She seemed more relaxed now, shy almost. She tucked a piece of her pink hair behind her ear with a gentle blush to her cheeks. It left him so confused as to why she would act so strange.

"You think you're a monster... but you are one of the kindest people I know, Gaara." The pinkette murmured, her hands moving forward to splay across his chest. He blinked in disbelief at the confident touch, wondering just what sort of spell she was trying to weave.

"I know you won't hurt me... I know you care... I'm just trying to treat this moment as if I were ripping off a bandaid, but that's not fair to you. I bet you're just as afraid of getting close to someone, and you don't know what you have until it's screaming right in your face." Her creamy fingers gripped at the fabric of his netted shirt while her eyes remained downcast. He felt his initial anger disappeared in an instant.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you-"

"No, that's not what I meant, but thank you for the apology." Sakura shook her head with a slight smile, but then her expression turned sad. "You know I love Sasuke, right?"

Of course he knew that.

He always knew that, and it always hurt. However, there was nothing he could do to change that fact. So he would treasure whatever she was willing to give him for however much time he had with her.

"I've always known." Gaara answered her, but despite this her face twisted as if she were going to cry.

"Is it awful of me to still want you too? To desire both of you?" Her voice cracked, and tears began pouring down her face again.

His heart started pounding relentlessly against his sternum, and his mouth went dry. He didn't know what to say, all he could was watch her crumble before him like the broken soul she truly was. She covered her face with her hands in shame, all the while sobbing into them like a small child.

"I'm so sorry-!"

"Don't be sorry. I understand." The redhead sat up with her still in his lap, yet he didn't understand why he was even moving towards her. His arms wrapped around her shivering frame, rubbing her back gently. "It's okay if you can't choose, I'm not offended by it-"

'What am I even saying?!' He inwardly screamed at himself, knowing just how much this girl was about to shatter his fragile heart. Yet he still leaned further into her, still inhaled her perfect scent, still felt the unstoppable desire to comfort her.

He wished they hadn't resurrected him, and yet he was also so thankful just to hold her crying form in his arms again.

"I'm so disgusted with myself... I'm so confused..." The pinkette shook her head, her arms moving out to cling to him. "I want you... right now... but I still love Sasuke-"

"That's fine. If you don't want a relationship with me... it's okay. It would be difficult to have such a romance between borders... it's not practical..." Gaara sighed, holding her desperately despite his broken heart. He was forever enslaved to her desires, and would lay himself before her at any opportune moment.

No matter what he would belong to her, and she didn't even realize what power she had over him.

"Remember when we went on our 'pretend' date? We can still do that... just for now... we can pretend..." He spoke just barely above a whisper, his needs making themselves bare for her to see.

Pretend.

A play at a romance with her, and nothing more.

Just to taste such a life. It hurt him, but he was so desperate just to experience her love that he couldn't keep himself from attempting such a sad thing. He waited patiently for her reply, and felt warmed by her tightening embrace.

"Okay." Sakura's voice cracked, and shook. His brows furrowed as she began to tremble all over, and took his face into her hands. "We'll pretend..."

The redhead watched in pain as tears relentlessly fell down her cheeks, but then felt the ache be soothed by a sudden passionate kiss. He wasn't prepared for it, but he didn't falter in placing his hands on her either. When prodded he gladly parted his lips for her, and allowed her tongue to slip against his own pleasantly.

Gaara felt the butterflies squirm inside him from the promise of going further than he had before, and as she grinded against his lap he felt he could hardly hold back any longer.

It couldn't wait. He couldn't even get his clothes off to do it. He was desperately pinning her to the floor as their legs became entangled, and he arched his hips so firmly against her own that it actually hurt.

But it didn't matter if it hurt. He just had to get there with her in any way, shape, or form.

Their kiss broke, and Sakura went to drag her teeth sharply against his neck. He groaned, hissing as he inhaled while desperately grabbing at her backside to press her even further against him.

"Tell me... again..." The pinkette whimpered and moaned against his neck as their bodies rocked against each other. He pushed her so firmly into the floor that he knew it would bruise her perfect skin. "Say that you... love me..."

Gaara let out a pitched cry, his naked brows furrowing bittersweetly as his heart shattered in his chest. Then he slowed, but only so that he could truly address her.

He took a breath, a motion his body didn't seem to want to do.

But he had to do it, he needed to say it. She had to know...

"I... I have always loved you."

The redhead took a sharp breath to keep himself from nearly bursting into tears, which left him completely shaken. His skull lowered until he rested his forehead on her sternum. His tears unfortunately escaping despite his careful control, and soaked into her red shirt.

"Gaara..." Sakura whimpered, petting his hair gently as a harsh sob escaped him.

"I love you. I love you to the point that it hurts, and I would die again just to know you loved me too..." Gaara heaved his breaths through his tears, and gripped harshly along her curves and thighs. "But this pain... this heartache... it makes me feel alive... it's disgusting, but I'm thriving off it. I love you more than anything-"

The redhead groaned as he pressed his hips against hers so hard he wondered if his pelvis would break, but he forgot all about the pain when he felt her return the gesture.

The pinkette whined, gasped, and mewled. His instinct forced him to push himself further, to become harder, and move faster. She matched his rough gestures, then brought his face up to look her in the eyes.

Dilated jade orbs pierced through his soul, forcing him to become completely exposed to her.

All of his dark desires, the indecent lust he felt for her, the innocent childish love he still carried in his heart, and the sickening jealousy he felt for Sasuke all made themselves flesh right before them. Her windows were stripping him down to his last raw piece, turning him into a feral human monster.

Gaara watched in a daze as she started to cry out sharply, her eyes never leaving him even though they threatened to close with an unearthly blush to her cheeks. She screamed out his name repeatedly, and each time was like a crack of a whip against his back forcing him to press beyond pain and beyond ecstasy until he felt the flames lick up his spine into his skull.

As the bright panging pleasure forced a blinding headache he managed to scream through gritted teeth, his world tilting as stars sparked in his peripheral vision. His breath heaved as an honest moan finally left him, and his pulsing climax pounded out with the beat of his heart.

Sakura leaned up to kiss him as his final whimpers escaped, her tongue licking inside his mouth as he figured out how to move the muscle properly again. Once he had come down enough to return her kiss he felt a glow come to his entire form.

She smelled so good, and felt so pliable in his hands. Everything about her drove him insane yet he just couldn't get enough.

He had wanted to fuck her brains out, yet he didn't even have the patience to get their clothes off to actually get the job done. Instead they had desperately grinded against each other until they got what they both needed.

In truth he considered this a failure, and yet what was shared was irreplaceable. He wouldn't change it for anything.

"Gaara..." The pinkette murmured against his lips, forcing him to hum in acknowledgment. "Say it... again..."

Whatever she wanted. He would give it to her a thousand times over.

"I love you." The redhead spoke between passionate kisses, running his fingers through her hair while breathing through his nose. He felt her shaking, crying as he repeated himself at her request, so he continued to whisper the words between kisses and bitten lips.

He couldn't stop saying it.

- ... - ... -

The moon was shining on her pink hair, giving it an ethereal glow. She laid on top of his covers with a thin knit blanket covering her. He knew she hadn't meant to fall asleep, but she had also done so much fighting and work since she had arrived in Suna. The stress, and the fooling around did nothing to give her energy.

Gaara brushed some pink strands from her cheek, and stared hopelessly at her sleeping face. He wanted to keep her here forever. He wanted to steal her away from Konoha, and have her live with him until they grew old and died.

He loved her. Loved her to the point that it made him stupid, but he didn't care. He wanted her forever.

"Someday you'll see that you feel the same way... and I will welcome you with open arms... I will love you how you have always deserved to be loved... and you will love me too..." The redhead felt something break inside of him, but chose to ignore it thinking it was just Shukaku-

Shukaku was gone, and he was alone inside his head for the first time in his entire life. The thought frightened him, and he moved in closer to hold Sakura tightly. His form shivered, and her hands wrapped around him.

"What's wrong?" The pinkette groaned sleepily, and he shook his head.

"It's nothing... please ignore it-"

"Gaara, you're shaking." Sakura woke up a bit more, and brushed his red hair from his eyes. "You look frightened-"

"It's not-...I'm... I'm just..." Gaara's breath heaved tightly as his world started to shift. "I-I'm a-alone... I'm alone... it's empty here... in my head..."

As the redhead clawed firmly at his temples the woman of his affections quickly took over the situation. She moved so that his head was close to her heart, and she cradled his skull while hushing him lovingly. Her fingers dragged gently through his hair, and he felt soothed by her continuous presence.

"It's okay, you're not alone." The pinkette's voice was soft and cooing, like a gentle dove. "You're safe with me... I'm right here."

Gaara took a deep inhale, relaxing under her touch and her scent while the sound of her heartbeat lulled him into a sleepy daze. Her delicate fingers through his hair had him buzzing pleasantly, and his lids began to lower without fear.

For the first time in his life he fell asleep without anxiety, in the arms of someone he loved.

AN: Happy 4th! I've noticed some art floating around that has similar elements to things I have written. I'm sure it is just coincidence, but if any of you have made fan art inspired by my stories I would love to see them!