Hiya.

I hope everyone is doing well. :)

Something is coming (in this chapter) that I feel I have properly foreshadowed, so hopefully you'll enjoy. ^_^

…
Chapter Five.
...

What should've taken a month had lasted the better part of two. Anger and resentment fuelled his very being as Gaara broke camp and led his battalion home in unpredictable weather; in the mornings it was sunny, in the afternoons raining. The only reprieve was the howling wind that rustled their tents when they made camp—at least they could get out of nature's way, then. Road weary and hungry soldiers marched behind him and he started to think about all the things in his life that led him to this point.

From a young age he'd always known how he would die—covered in blood, screaming for the death of the enemy, and revelling in the absolute chaos. It never bothered him. It was a good death he envisioned. A warrior's death; alone and yet surrounded. He cared for his family and his people, but there was something else, deep inside him, that hungered for the clash of steel over peace. For actions over words. A blood thirst that would leave a legacy all on its own.

And what he didn't see happening was pomp. He hated ceremony, avoiding it wherever possible and giving his family no reason to include him in state affairs. It just wasn't him. But that was coming to an end and because of his responsibilities, his position in court, and his own sense of duty and honour, he could no longer avoid it. Because above everything else, he was a slave to these expectations. To his country, to his soldiers, and to his family.

To my father.

In that way he wasn't too different from that idiot, Sasuke. He wanted his father's praise—needed it—though he was loathed to follow through with the many things expected of him. But the current situation—the one his king had put him in—divided his desires for that warrior's death from his needs to make his father proud.

In his spite, Gaara split up the travelling battalion and lowered the flags that would announce their arrival back in the capital. He was still very angry at his father's deception; this was more than a mission to merely rid the land of foreign spies. They were to draw the attention of Fire, faking standard military manoeuvres if questioned; and it worked, since the king had ordered his own army away from the outlying villages that Rasa really wanted to sack.

Everyone in their right mind is suspicious of standard, military manoeuvres along enemy borders.

And as such, Fire had played right into Rasa's hand. But that wasn't his father's deception. No, it was far worse than that.

"Lord Gaara!"

Gaara glanced back at Baki and shook his head. Baki didn't elaborate and took command of the second division as silently ordered. They were to patrol the forests as Rasa had ordered Gaara to do. Instead, the sand prince took only his personal guard as he made his way home. They skipped the parade and welcome home feast this time. Gaara just wanted to sneak into the castle, undetected, and wallow in how out of control his life was becoming.

Sakura.

His thoughts were traitorous. The last eight weeks had not had the desired effect when it came to the pinkette. They had not lessened his urges. After all, Gaara was a man—red blooded, fully functional, and well aware of the allure of the female body. And a such, she had drawn his attention. He had an uncontrollable attraction to a foreigner who loathed him and took pleasure in fighting him. And as it turned out, slaughtering hundreds of enemy soldiers did nothing to lower his libido. It did not make her any less desirable.

Gaara could never have predicted that.

He had his father breathing down his neck about his obligations. And he was being ignored by the councillors and his father about his concerns over the unusual activity on the border to the Land of Rice Patties.

Something was going to give, and someone else was going to pay for these blunders.

His thoughts flitted back to Sakura again and Gaara felt his anger wane. She was something he couldn't have, that he'd never really wanted, but he would if he knew he could keep her—if only for a night. It was so tempting to just go to her room, lock the door behind himself, and take her. He desperately wanted to.

He remembered Kankuro telling him that the abstinence before marriage was a fairy tale dream that wasn't realistic. Gaara would chalk that up to his brother's whorish ways if Temari hadn't immediately chimed in, in agreement. Now he could only imagine Sakura when he remembered that day. Not that it mattered anymore.

Two months away from her hadn't tempered his desire, like he'd hoped. He wasn't a whore like his brother; Gaara was big on honour, duty, and fidelity. He had no intention of whoring around, even for the sake of his libido, or finding out what the big deal was about sex. And he would continue to ignore his attraction, as he had always done when he found himself this interested in the female body. It was too distracting.

And even though it had been months since her arrival in Suna City, he didn't really know Sakura well enough to be having these feelings. Whatever they really were. Just her mere presence excited him enough to know that was too dangerous a road to go down.

"Gaara!"

Kankuro and Temari had anticipated his arrival, despite everything, waiting for him at an unguarded side entrance. Either Baki or someone from his personal guard had told on him. It was so childish. The anger returned in full force and Gaara stormed away from his siblings, intent on retiring to his room.

"Gaara?"

He ignored them as he fumed. His father had set him up for this, had blindsided him, and Gaara was not happy. Even knowing it would happen eventually, and even after years of having it drummed into his head, he wasn't happy about this particular duty. Though he was honour bound to go through with it, and he would, the redhead had no qualms about showing his resentment.

"This is not up for discussion."

Gaara grabbed an expensive vase and threw it against the wall.

His father was a dick.

…

Hours later, Gaara had calmed enough to receive visitors and was glad when Naruto came to visit him alone. The last thing he needed right now was an impromptu visit from the bane of his existence, or the cause of his anger.

"So," Naruto said, drawling. "You're dad's a dick, huh."

Gaara scoffed. Understatement. There was never any doubt. He looked over at Naruto, wondering what the blond was still doing here.

"What are you still doing in Suna?"

"Nice deflection," Naruto grinned. "But okay, I'll play. I've been getting to know your pinkette."

Gaara sat up suddenly, angry. "What?"

"Woah!" Naruto offered his hands up. "Not like that."

The redhead huffed and flopped back on his bed again, staring at the ceiling of the canopy.

"I really do think you should just bed her. You'd both be better off for it."

Like she'd let me touch her.

Gaara scoffed.

"I'm serious," Naruto said. "The tension between you both is incredible. I can only imagine how great the sex would be."

Gaara threw an arm over his face to hide his blush.

"And I've been testing out her battle skills."

The redhead sat up slowly, not as angrily as the blond had feared he would, levelling him with a stern look.

"Give her a chance," Naruto said quickly. "You're having the men of her tribe learn basic fighting skills to join your army in return for protection and a good life. Which is fine," he added when Gaara growled. "But she's something else, Gaara. Given the proper training, she could level that army with a single blow."

"Who are you training her to fight?" This sounded like he was unconcerned that any potential power of Sakura's could be used against Fire.

"We're friends, Gaara. It's been a great couple of months without your brooding getting in the way of that. And besides, she has no love for Fire. The old man abandoned her people, remember?"

"You're too naive."

Naruto grinned. "Maybe, but she deserves the right to show us what she can do. She may be a woman, but she's not interested in being a lady."

Just like Temari, went unsaid.

It didn't make her any less feminine and the warrior lifestyle suited her. Gaara's sister was a formidable warrior. She'd given up any right to lead their country (as the first born) because she wanted to fight—and the laws of Wind were incredibly sexist about that. She was the strongest of Gaara's siblings. He respected her. He wouldn't want to piss her off, even though he could wipe the floor with her.

But that nagging voice in the back of his head that sounded like Kankuro's teasing reminded Gaara that if Sakura followed Temari's path, that he could never have her in the way he wanted her. He closed his eyes, trying to control his breathing. Images of her writhing underneath him, touching him in ways he'd never let anyone else touch him, invaded his mind.

Despite his determination to abstain, he really did want sex… and his imagination conjured everything from what Sakura would look naked to how she would feel as he thrusted into her and all he could do was blush.

Gaara started as a soft cushion hit him in the face.

"Wow." Naruto grinned. "How often is your guard this down? You must really be conflicted."

"Shut up."

The blond just chuckled. Then grew serious. "Let her earn her place. You won't be disappointed."

Silence.

"Besides, I'm not the only one that's noticed the sexual tension between you two."

Gaara threw the cushion back at his obnoxious friend.

…

Sakura knew Gaara was back. Nobody else would have bothered to send servants to gather up all the clothes and trinkets she'd amassed (which wasn't all that much, really) and have her moved to an even larger, more lavish room with a better view of the city below, and a larger library; this room seemed to be part of a massive tower within a wing of the palace and if she could bring herself to get up early enough, she'd have a great view of the sunrise. Nobody but Gaara would do this without coming to tell her that's what they were doing. She just woke up one morning with maids fussing over her and urging her to dress and then follow them.

It was odd and for some reason, didn't piss her off. The fact that he was back, seemed to stifle any anger she might've felt about this impertinence. He'd been gone two months instead of one and Sakura would be lying if she said that hadn't worried her.

The rigours of war were alien to her, but she'd heard stories. Her father had been a soldier in his youth, which was why he cast such an imposing figure. Sakura sighed at that thought.

Best to put it out of my head, for now.

She waited a whole day to see if Gaara would come to visit her, and when he didn't, Sakura went looking for him. She tried the gardens first, admiring the peony, chrysanthemum, and hydrangea, then moved into the training grounds. It was eerily quiet here, making her nervous. There had been a bustle in the palace lately, like the servants were preparing for something—or the arrival of something. But today, everything was strangely silent. The few servants that she saw were clearly loitering and looking confused as to what to do.

Sakura moved through the palace, checking the places she knew he normally frequented, becoming more and more disheartened by his absence. She was considering asking a servant if they'd seen him when it occurred to her that he'd returned without fanfare.

What if he'd snuck back?

Hm. Sakura did find Kakashi in the main library however, and he gave her a knowing smile when she asked him if Gaara was indeed back. She took that as an affirmative.

"You're weird, Kakashi-sensei."

"It's been said." He waved her away with a genial air and she shook her head before leaving.

Tired, Sakura decided to return to her new room and wait for Ino's scheduled arrival to change her linen.

Maybe she's heard something.

The servants would probably know best on this, since they had to have gotten their orders from someone to move her to the new room. And Ino was the safest person to ask. Sakura pulled the double doors of her new room open and strode inside, stopping in her tracks after a few steps, her breath catching in her throat.

Gaara.

He was waiting for her, sitting on the settee at the end of her bed. She licked her lips as he stared at her, not missing the way his eyes darted to her mouth before returning to her eyes.

"You're back," she said.

He nodded and stood.

"What's with the new room?"

"You told Naruto you were bored with the view."

Sakura laughed, moving closer to him as he stood still. "So, you ordered a small army of servants to relocate me?"

He frowned.

"You're very weird." Her commented reminded her of what she'd said to Kakashi. "Did Naruto say anything else about—"

"You're not joining the army."

Sakura groaned. "Why? What the hell is wrong with—"

"We're not talking about this."

"Stop!"

Gaara froze as he'd turned to leave. Had he just come here to tell her that? Sakura fought the urge to throttle him.

"I am not weak," she said to his back. "I can fight. I want to—"

Gaara spun to glare at her. "You made a vow, Sakura."

"You'll become my personal servant and your brigade will join my guard, to do what I want when I want."

"I know what I agreed to," she growled.

"Then this discussion is over."

Sakura rushed forward and stood in front of the door, blocking his exit. "I'm not your personal servant, Gaara. That's what you said I had to be, remember? So, put me to work. Or are you afraid I'll—"

He sighed. "Would you like for me to break the promise? Does honour mean nothing to you, woman?"

She clenched her fists. "Fuck you, Gaara. You made that agreement with me knowing full well I didn't stand a chance. You took advantage of my ignorance of your real power. Fuck your idea of honour."

Gaara closed the distance between them, stopping just within arm's reach of her. He fought down the sudden urge to kiss her; the righteous fury emanating from her was intoxicating.

"I can only imagine how great the sex would be."

Naruto's offhand comment was giving Gaara's body ideas.

He snarled at Sakura. "So, what, you thought you'd train, and I'd change my mind? If vows mean so little to you, then perhaps I should do what my father thinks I'm doing and fuck you—"

He broke off as Sakura slapped him, surprising them both. In his anger and frustration and confliction, she'd gotten under his guard. Just as Naruto had, with that fucking cushion of all things.

What the fuck is wrong with me today?

He lifted a hand to touch his face, his skin stinging and raw. Sakura didn't back down, despite being as startled by her actions as he was. She looked him straight in the eye and spat out, "arsehole."

Gaara grabbed her shoulders roughly, spun her around and pushed her against the wall, away from the door. As her shoulders hit the wall, she let out an involuntary grunt, but he ignored this, holding her arms up, using the rest of his body to keep hers in place.

It did not escape either of them how snug and warm his pelvis felt against hers.

What gave Gaara pause however, was how close her mouth was to his suddenly. He licked his lips and ghosted them over hers, without touching, achingly close. He stared into her eyes. And that was when he finally noticed her flushed expression, her deep breathing, and the way she swallowed nervously as he stared at her.

I was wrong.

She was attracted to him. She wanted him. Perhaps just as much as he wanted her. But her anger was driving them both insane and Sakura didn't seem willing to let it go long enough to accept any physical advance he might make on her. Absentmindedly, he shifted, eliciting a moan from the woman he'd pinned, snapping him out of his reverie. He'd just unconsciously grounded his hips into hers.

Fuck.

If he kept going, he wouldn't be able to stop. That didn't sound like a bad thing, but it suddenly terrified him; regardless of what Sakura thought of his honour, he was determined to keep it intact. His father was arranging an engagement for him. He couldn't do this, no matter what his siblings or Naruto said about it. Gaara moved his head, brushing his lips against her ear, taking a moment to revel selfishly in the way her body trembled.

"I can't do this."

Gaara didn't even realise he'd spoken out loud as he released his hold on Sakura and stormed out of the room, leaving her confused, bereft, and devastated. She slid down the wall, not bothering to stop the tears, and curled up into herself.

…

"Wakey, wakey, my little Lady."

Sakura groaned.

Light filtered into her room as Ino set about opening the large curtains leading to the balcony, and bustled about, getting everything tidied. Sakura was messy by nature, though not a slob; she'd left a jug, a glass, and their tray on the floor, not to mention the blanket fort she'd built her sad sack self in her misery the previous night.

The sharp pain in her head reminded Sakura that jug had been full of wine the night before; she'd ordered it after Gaara had left.

Gaara.

That arsehole both excited and pissed her off and now she was mostly confused. Her anger turned to gut wrenching rejection and she couldn't hold back a sob, just remembering the way he'd denied her, drawing Ino's attention.

"I can't do this."

Why? And what the hell was holding him back? She'd sat through tales from Naruto about his own sexual exploits and heard a thing or two from Kankuro's days both prior to his own marriage and during it, the whore. (He apparently alternated his time between Suna, and the small castle gifted to him and his wife from her father—both of whom he avoided whenever he could.) Even Temari had humoured her with detailed descriptions of her past lovers. It was a natural thing to talk about. To do.

So why was Gaara, of all people, denying himself something he obviously wanted? He'd never particularly struck her as someone who abstained from his own wants and needs. He came across as too selfish for that.

After Naruto's reluctance to talk about Gaara's sexual history with her, Temari pretending to be deaf when she asked, and Kankuro's knowing smirk, Sakura had a feeling the redhead had never been with a woman before. She wondered if he was her age, like she'd assumed—he looked it. And it was rare, as far as she knew, for someone to still be untouched once they left their teen years. What was the point of waiting? Sakura hadn't. But then she hadn't been raised in a place of overdone propriety and sexist monarchs. In her village, life was too short to wait this long.

Things were simpler back then.

"Sakura, are you okay?"

Sakura shook her head and poured her heart out to her friend, who sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand, patting it gently. Like a best friend would, Ino let her finish and then proceeded to eviscerate the redhead's personality and make ludicrous claims about his penis.

It made Sakura laugh and she nearly fell out of bed. "Thank-you, Ino."

The blonde hugged her. "You're welcome. Either he'll come around or he'll miss out on the best thing that could've happened to him. Not your fault, okay?"

Sakura nodded, grateful that Ino wasn't giving her attitude about this. She couldn't even fully understand her own attraction to the redhead: whom she didn't know as well as she'd like to. The last thing she needed was for someone to point out how ridiculous she was being.

She stood, attempting to pull herself out of her funk, and got ready for her day. She was used to the long preparations now; the make-up, the dress, and the styling. She sat as though numb but tried to listen to Ino's gossip and smile along with her. They took a stroll in the gardens to get her some fresh air and after lunch, she changed again, meeting Naruto and Kakashi in the training grounds. Gaara was otherwise occupied, so Naruto's rationalisation was that he couldn't stop what he didn't know was happening.

Sakura had no idea how much of the night before that Naruto knew of, but the training was a nice distraction.

Afterwards, when she'd bathed, redressed into finer clothes, and returned to her room, her tutor was waiting for her.

"You're early," Sakura said.

"Your session will be early today because I have been requested for other duties tonight."

Sakura didn't know what to make of the smile on her face. It was so out of character and unnatural on her. "What are you so happy about?"

The tutor tutted at her. "Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"It's all over the palace," she says. "We just found out. And she'll be arriving today!"

Sakura had no idea what she could be referring to, but a heavy weight had settled in her stomach. "Who?"

"Lord Gaara's fiancée, of course!"

…

XXX

...

AN: Don't hit that back button! There will be no love triangle and nor was this revelation added to add drama … the way you might be thinking it was. The level of angst is going to rise, but … this is hard to explain without giving it away, but I'll be taking a different road from what might be the cliché "expected" path when something like this is introduced, so please stay tuned and bear with me.

I don't like fics where the author inserts a side love interest or suddenly introduces a love triangle or some such, many chapters in (without warning, and just to rock the boat). *shudders* So, don't worry: that's not what this is. :)

R&R

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