Hiya.

Enjoy. ^_^

…
Chapter Nine.
...

The light of the morning was dazzling and penetrated her eyelids before she'd even opened them. The heaviness of sleep made her forget for a moment why her body felt so relaxed and satiated. But when her mind came back to her she smiled involuntarily, and for the first time in as many months, Sakura didn't want to get up and ruin this perfect moment of awareness.

She kept her eyes closed for a few more moments, the memory of last night coming back to her in vivid recall and she grinned to herself. The smell of sex and feel of the rumpled sheets made her moan softly and she didn't want to get up. But as she stretched and yawned, her bare skin brushing against the soft sheets like a lover, she realised something was very off.

Sakura's eyes flew open and she rolled onto her back.

She was alone.

Alone and naked. She sat up and looked around scrunching up the sheets as her fists clenched. In anger and panic, Sakura felt her body tremble as she struggled with her emotions. Was she more angry or upset? She couldn't tell. Gaara had left her naked and alone after finally coming to her, making love to her, and making her think she might have a future with him. Which emotion was more appropriate?

And she couldn't help the detrimental thoughts that followed. Was it all for nothing? Did she mean nothing to him? And if she was indeed as insignificant as some quick and easy shag, then why didn't he just turn her into his father?

Sakura wallowed in self-pity for a few minutes before deciding on anger and groaning. What the fuck was wrong with him? She fell back onto her back and glared at the ceiling. He was regretting it, that had to be it. The arsehole! She rolled onto her right side to look at the rumpled state Gaara had left his side in before running away from her.

His side.

She snorted and fought the urge to groan and sob; the anger bubbling inside of her was not strong enough to silence the tears, it seemed. She was going to kill him. Then she noticed something. There was a wrapped package sitting on the edge of his side of the bed. It was long and rectangular; she sat up, letting the bedsheets fall from her naked body as she picked up the package and unwrapped it quickly.

Did Gaara leave her something?

Hope blossomed in her chest as readily as shame did as she opened it and gasped. She should've known what it was from the size of it, but it was quite a jump from something she'd expect to be given by a lover. Not a traditional gift at all, but it showed he knew her. Or at least cared; he'd clearly spoken with Naruto about their trip into the markets that day.

Before her lay the sword that she'd ogled in that shop (Buki Masutā Emporium) complete with the gold inlay on the hilt and the symbols carved into the blade.

Sakura's hand trembled as she ran her fingers along the cool steel, admiring its beauty and craftsmanship. She couldn't stop the flow of tears, but at least it was happy tears; she let them flow freely. After everything, her emotions and the stress from what she'd done and avoiding getting caught, was catching up on her. She held the sword to her chest gently and waited for her turbulent emotions to die down.

It was a Sakura with a purpose that got dressed quickly and ate the breakfast that had been left for her.

What the maids must've thought about the state of her room she didn't know.

Wait.

Sakura turned around and searched for Karin's dress, quickly coming up empty. Had Gaara taken it to his father after all?

Stop that.

Her logical brain seemed to have shut down over night. She was tidying up the bed to give herself time to think things through before she left the room and made a fool of herself when the knock sounded on her door. She froze and waited.

"It's me, Sakura."

She rushed over, opened the door, and quickly ushered Ino inside.

"Woah." Ino looked around. "What happened in here?"

Sakura blushed and didn't respond. The blonde stepped over to the bed and sniffed it (the weirdo).

"Did you entertain a gigolo last night?"

"Ino!"

Ino was grinning at her. "So, you and Gaara, huh? Good girl."

"It was sudden," Sakura said, unsure how else to describe it.

"It was a long time coming," Ino argued, moving away from the bed and sitting on the settee. "So, dish. What was he like? Is he circumcised? Did you get morning sex?"

Sakura sighed and sat down next to her. "Amazing, no, and no." She bit her bottom lip. "He was gone before I woke up."

Ino screwed up her nose. "Men. But I need more on the 'amazing' comment. How amazing? So good you can't see straight amazing, or tender and loving? Dish!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and recounted the night from the moment she found Karin's dress and took it to the incinerator room, to the moment she fell asleep with Gaara's body pressed up against her back and his arms wrapped around her.

Ino whistled. "He discovers your secret and then proceeds to fuck you senseless. Nice. Uh," she frowned. "He doesn't know about me, does he?"

"No, Ino. I wouldn't rat you out."

"Thanks."

"And what happened to the dress?"

"I think he took it."

Ino stood up nervously. "But the fact that he fucked you instead of turning you in means he doesn't want you in trouble, right?" She paced for a moment, then stopped and dragged Sakura to her feet. "Okay, come on. We're going to find out what is going on in his head."

But that plan went out the window when they found out he was dining with his family, then heard that he was heading out soon to another battle front—this time without either of his siblings, but still with his personal guard. Something was up and Rasa was sending his best weapon to wipe it out.

...

Gaara woke up that morning with a raging hard on. He'd had morning wood before, but this was just ridiculous. Maybe it had something to do with the previous night's activities, he didn't know. He contemplated shaking Sakura out of her sleep by fucking her into the mattress again but when he looked at the clock on her wall he realised he didn't have the time to do that, sneak back to his room, and get ready before his breakfast with his family.

Kankuro hadn't yet left and there was trouble on the border to Oto, adding to their list of potential enemies, but Gaara had a mission separate from his siblings this time. His father had to accommodate his strategies for Karin's escape, and he needed his best weapon on the front line to make it happen. So, no matter how much Gaara wanted to stay, he'd been selfish enough. It was so exhilarating to take what he wanted for a few hours, but there were other issues now. Sakura had been here for so many months now, she could wait a little while longer.

She was going to be angry, and surprisingly, Gaara was looking forward to that feisty, angry tantrum.

So, he reluctantly just kissed Sakura on the forehead and grabbed his clothes. He used his sand to retrieve the package he'd been meaning to give to her and again, contemplated waking her up. But if he did that, he might not leave, and he needed to go. When he came back, Gaara fully intended to talk with her about what this meant for them now. His father was going to be difficult, but with everything that'd been happening, it was the least of King Rasa's concerns that his youngest son had decided to actually shag the woman he'd brought home with him.

Gaara sighed, looking down at Sakura's sleeping form once more, then taking his time to cover her hips as the sheet slid off to reveal her flushed form to him as she shifted in her sleep. He hated that she was going to wake up alone, but it couldn't be helped. Maybe the sword he'd bought her (that Naruto had gone on and on about until Gaara agreed to get it for her) would help lessen that shock.

I hope so.

A part of him worried that they were heading into dangerous waters now, and that he might be better off sending Sakura away to keep her safe and finding another fiancée to replace Karin but now that he'd had her, the thought of having to give her up was more painful than before. That was why a part of him regretted giving in to her. He'd dug that grave for himself, now. The path to an arranged marriage and merely pining for the pinkette was no different to what was awaiting him once his father found out. Gaara would do his duty to his nation and his family, but Sakura was a part of that now. She was one of his special people.

Father will just have to understand.

His thoughts flitted to his mother, then. And how she was the most understanding person he'd ever met. Hope blossomed in his chest. But he was going to have to work for it, and the first step would be tearing his eyes away from Sakura's naked form and leaving. He needed to. As a compromise, he kissed her lips before leaving the sword on the end of the bed for her and quietly slipped out. He found the nearest maid and told her to spread the word to leave Sakura to wake on her own. The maid timidly argued that they always left breakfast in there for her, first thing so he relented on that, but swore her to secrecy on what she found when she entered the room.

He only hoped the maid didn't let it get around that Gaara had exited Sakura's room at an ungodly time of morning and that the room in question stunk of sex.

...

Breakfast was a tense affair and Gaara was curious as to the looks his mother was giving him across the table. He pretended not to notice it as his father explained in detail what he was going to be doing when he crossed into Oto territory.

"Your mother has convinced me not to declare open war with Oto," Rasa said. "But we cannot let this lord organise his forces along our borders in such a provocative manner unchallenged. With the loss of resources, we will need a different approach. Which is why you will quell this before they are finished getting into position. You must leave immediately after lunch and make it there before night fall. Or else this plan of mine will never work."

Gaara nodded and silently finished his pork sausage and fried tomato and onion.

Rasa left first, Kankuro second (with an exaggerated moan that he had to return to his not-so-loving wife), and then Temari, who was looking between Gaara and their mother like she wanted to say something but thought better of it.

"I hear you didn't spend the night in your room," Karura said, after delicately wiping at her mouth.

"From Temari or a servant?"

She smiled softly at that. "Since your engagement fell through—" (that was one way of putting it) "—Rasa and I have received many petitions from the noble families in Suna as well as from several other nations, like Kiri and Kumo."

Gaara groaned.

"Quite," she agreed, startling him. "The last thing this family needs is for another arranged marriage so soon after that debacle and so close to open war. It would be seen as an act of desperation and make us look weak to our enemies, or so your father has decided." She gave him a pensive look. "Though I hear your friend, Naruto, is in talks with the nobles of Fire to stop the fighting on their end."

Gaara's non-existent eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"No."

Naruto could make friends with a cactus. But the Fire King was not a reasonable man, nor particularly caring about anything that didn't benefit him in that moment. Since Naruto was marrying into a family the king had deemed traitors, Gaara doubted the blond would get anywhere with him. His mother should know better than to believe this.

"Well," Karura hedged. "It's just what I heard. My sources are in high opinion of him. But as for the main point of this conversation, what lovely lady did you spend the night with last night?"

Gaara blushed and looked down at his empty plate as the servers entered and his mother waited for them to leave before continuing. "I'll be quick, so your father doesn't wonder why you haven't left yet."

He nodded.

"If you're just dipping your wick, then I understand." (If possible, his blush deepened.) "But this is unlike you to just dally. I don't expect all the details now, on such a tight timeline, but tell me if she means something more than casual sex to you and I will promise to help you with your father."

Gaara started, gaping at her.

"Don't give me that look, Gaara. Do you really think that if you or Kankuro had fallen for someone prior to your engagement that I would not have fought for you? I understand the importance of arranged marriages. It is not lost on me." She sighed at his disbelief. "Perhaps I am not as inclined toward these arrangements because your father and I were already in love when we married. Your father is a stubborn mule," she added, when Gaara made to remind her that that logic didn't work on Rasa. "But a loving wife has a way of taming even the most arrogant of beastly men."

Gaara nodded, remembering Naruto had told him this one—though not in so many words. He lowered his head again. He had a lot to think about. His regret over the night before was akin to a burning in his chest. And a guerrilla assault on advancing forces was the perfect place for him to take out his frustration and think on this some more. The beast in him agreed.

And it would be wise to speak with Naruto on this, as well.

His mother wasn't done, reaching out to grasp his hand, squeezing it affectionately. "I'll take your silence as an affirmative and be sure to keep a protective eye on your dear Sakura while you're gone, in case you tire of this childish brooding."

Gaara gaped at her as she stood elegantly and left the room. His mother was the most intelligent and cunning person he'd ever met.

...

Sakura spent the time that Gaara was gone flipping between being angry and pummelling the training grounds like a woman scorned and pining like a lovesick teenager; she attempted to distract herself by throwing herself harder into her training and spending her spare time in the library or hanging with Ino in her room. The weeks dragged on and became two long and tedious months. The Wind soldiers were getting restless and Sakura woke one morning to news that all of them had been sent off.

Without her.

She was devastated and angry and had no idea who to take it out on. No-one she spoke to knew who gave the order to keep her in the palace while her kin left to fight for Wind without her. Another month passed and she was growing restless, taking her anger out on test dummies and whatever inanimate objects in the training grounds she wouldn't get into trouble for breaking. The ladies of the court who used to pay her no mind were now giving her a wide berth. Her anger was becoming notorious.

She was at her wit's end by the time Gaara finally deigned to show his face (three months after his departure), just waltzing into the training grounds one morning as though no time had passed. She spun to face him, growling at him. He raised a non-existent eye at her.

"Are you not happy to see me?"

It really was like no time had passed. Sakura's fury took over her elation at seeing him and it felt like they'd fucked and sucked each other only just last night. Even the emboldened images that attacked her upon seeing him couldn't calm her down. Even remembering the feeling of him inside and all over her couldn't wipe the anger from her eyes.

Though it did make her blush uncontrollably. Three months of pent up sexual tension seemed to hit her all at once, but she pushed it down.

"Gaara," she growled.

"Sakura." His eyes danced over her like he was drinking her alive. She shuddered under his intense gaze. When he didn't seem to have anything to add—and wouldn't stop undressing her with his eyes—Sakura gave in and growled.

"What the fuck do you think you were doing disappearing on me like that? After we.. after we—"

"Had sex," he finished.

"Yes!" She raised a fist at him. "You had me furious and worried, Gaara!"

His blank stare morphed into a soft expression and she lowered her fist. "I'm sorry," he said. "I had orders and had to leave the palace that morning to carry them out."

"And you felt I didn't need a note or something to let me know you weren't regretting what we did?"

He sighed. "Is there any answer I can give that will make you feel better?"

"Yes."

He blinked at her. "Then no."

It was her turn to sigh. She trembled lightly, trying to hide it behind her anger and sarcasm. "What are you doing back? I didn't hear the victorious trampling of an army returning down the streets."

"They will be back tomorrow. I came ahead to see you."

She snarled. "Well congratulations, you've seen me."

He smirked.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "And just what were you doing all this time that was so important?"

"Quelling the Oto fighters."

"And that took you three months?"

"No."

"Then where did you go after it was done?"

"The Fire capital."

"What?"

That smirk was more defined. "You heard me."

"What the hell were you doing going there of all places?"

"Damage control."

"Huh?"

His succinct answers were doing her head in.

"The king of Fire is dead."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

Gaara took a step toward her. "Naruto actually convinced that idiot Sasuke to attack his king."

Sakura couldn't help it. She threw her head back and laughed. She really had to meet this Sasuke she kept hearing about.

"I really need to meet this Sasuke," she said. "Sounds like he knows how to get things done." She smirked at the disbelief and annoyance on Gaara's face. "Unlike a certain other person I know, who doesn't seem to—"

Gaara pouted. "I'm glad that was humorous to you," he said, ignoring the jealousy at the idea of Sakura returning to Fire and trying to court that bastard. "The Uchiha are now in power there and that clan is as untrustworthy as—"

She frowned. "But Naruto said—"

"He thinks too highly of them." He closed in on her, forcing her to press her back against the wall behind her. "But enough of that."

She gulped. "So, that took the rest of the months you were gone?"

"No."

"Ugh." She shoved him and he chuckled, stepping away from her. "Will you get to the point? What took up the rest of the time you were gone?"

"Naruto's wedding."

"Oh." She wished she could've seen it, but she wasn't allowed to leave Suna, let alone visit the free cities. It made her feel left out.

"He asked me to tell you to kick my arse."

"Oh, really? And what did you say to that?"

"I'd like to see you try."

He was smiling, not smirking, and Sakura took it for the challenge it was. They were going to fight. She glanced around at the training grounds nervously, then back at him. The smug bastard raised an eyebrow at her expectantly. Like, who was going to beat him, anyway? The arsehole. She'd show him.

Sakura cleared her throat and shook off her nervousness. "What do you want if you win?"

"You."

Her lips parted open at the possessive growl in his voice and her mouth grew dry. She swallowed heavily.

He smirked now. "And what do you want if you win?"

What can I even say to that?

Sakura wasn't sure.

"I'll tell you when I win," she said, meeting his challenging eyes head on.

"You're on. Choose the weapon we will both use."

"First blood again?"

"First blood," he agreed.

"Then I choose chakra."

His non-existent eyebrows were fascinating; how they rose like that was very interesting.

"Okay," he said slowly. "You're sure?"

"I know about your power," she told him. "And given what you did to me last time, I want you to have a handicap."

He scowled. "And this is fair?"

"More than our first fight," she said, in a sing-song voice. "What's the matter, scared?" When he didn't immediately respond, she used the same sing-song voice to say, "I'm going to knock your pretty face into the ground, scaredy cat."

He growled. "Name the handicap."

"Minimal sand manipulation; no using it to smother or crush me."

"Fine," he snapped.

She was used to trying to sense people on the move and Kakashi had told her that Gaara wasn't as fast as Naruto (but not slow by much) so she felt confident he couldn't evade her. She stretched out her arms, making a show of getting pumped and as Gaara moved into a defensive posture unlike anything she'd seen him make before, she knew he was taking her seriously this time.

He knew how she'd trained. She smiled at that.

Finally.

She stood still for a moment, focusing her chakra into her hands. Sakura knew he liked to wait and let his opponents attack first. It seemed he was good at the waiting game with that, so she decided to give him what he wanted and rushed forward to attack, her fist clenched and poised as though to hit him. His sand struck out to meet her and he was careful not to overwhelm her, but she avoided the streams of sand easily.

"Well done," he said, and she huffed.

Gaara performed a few signs she'd never seen, and she felt the wind before she saw it. She forgot for a moment he also knew wind techniques. She held her arms up to brace against the attack, then the moment she could move again Sakura performed a quick earth seal Kakashi had shown her. She had his full attention and that smirk was back on his face at the sight of the scrapes on her skin; she jumped out of the way, performing some signs Gaara didn't recognise and, his eyes intent on it, he felt woozy for a moment but then shook it off.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I'll tell you when I beat you." Sakura dashed forward again, this time going for brute strength as she channelled chakra to her fist. Kakashi had told her about this technique, but she'd never seen it used so she had to make do with her interpretation of it. Gaara's sand flew up to protect him and he glared at her as her fist made contact.

The chakra laced attack hit the sand head on and for a moment she thought it wasn't going to work, but then the sand cracked and fell away, startling him so completely that he barely moved out of the way as she continued to throw her fists at him.

"I thought we were just using chakra?"

She smirked. "Just chakra? Did I say that?"

"Vixen," he growled, and she laughed at him, performing another sign and disappearing from sight.

She had improved so much, and he was oddly turned on by it, but this had to end, now.

"You're about to lose, Sakura."

"We'll see."

He spotted her, realising she was using some kind of optical illusion jutsu he'd have never thought possible from her.

It has to be.

There was no other explanation. The signs were foreign to him, so they weren't elemental by nature.

Groaning at his miscalculation, Gaara dodged another hit from her. She was definitely faster than before too. She anticipated his speed so easily and he inwardly cursed Naruto before shaking that off and going on the attack. He concentrated on packing his sand in tighter and keeping up with her movements in his attempt to hold her down with it. He didn't want to just toss the sand javelin at her. He didn't want to really hurt her.

But damn, if she didn't show the same restraint, he wasn't sure how to win this.

Not going to happen.

As Gaara's sand swirled around Sakura, reflecting his indecisiveness, the pinkette was smirking at him when she dodged again and came at him full pelt. She wasn't holding back. He groaned. If that was the way she wanted it, then it was game on!

He formed his sand into a clone of himself and Gaara and his copy both raised their arms; the sand moved faster. But before he could form it into something to hold onto her, the pinkette had slammed her fist against it again. Her momentum carried her forward and she was aiming straight for him. He shifted to avoid the blow and her knuckles grazed his shoulder. But that damn momentum was still driving her forward and to his surprise, this seemed to have been her plan all along.

Sakura slammed her body into Gaara's as he attempted to evade, taking advantage of his evasive style and her superior speed. She succeeded in knocking him to the ground and his head spun again; that woozy feeling he'd had before, when she'd made those weird signs, was back.

She giggled down at him.

Damn, that face is just too pretty to scar.

Gaara scrambled to throw her off but a sudden rush of strength in this woman kept him pinned to the ground. She ceremoniously raised a fingernail and scratched him.

"First blood," she declared, and he growled.

"How did you do that?"

She stood up and stepped back, then dispelled the genjutsu. "Kai."

His eyes widened, wiping at the blood that had dropped, regardless of the illusion. She was good. "You're a genjutsu type?"

It was rare these days, mostly belonging to those with kekkei genkai or specialised training that took far longer than what Sakura had had to practise this. She really was a natural. He smiled. She must've performed the genjutsu back when she made those signs he didn't recognise, and he'd felt woozy. He'd have to watch out for that next time.

"I concede."

Sakura grinned at him as he climbed to his feet.

"Don't get a big head," he said. "You surprised me with that genjutsu. It's a rare talent I couldn't have predicted."

She pouted. "You can't just let me have this one, can you?"

He huffed. "Fine. What was the thing you wanted if you won?"

Sakura grabbed the front of his flak jacket and kissed him roughly, bit his lip to make him moan and then pulled away to murmur, "you."

He pulled her back into the kiss and manoeuvred her up against the wall again. "You have me."

...

Mismatched eyes turned away from the lovers as they fell into each other. He hadn't sent a clone here to watch them go at it in the armoury of the training grounds. He'd just wanted to see that redhead kid get knocked down a few pegs. It was the reason he'd help train Sakura, after all. No way was he missing that. And it was a good fight. Kakashi had seen straight through Sakura's genjutsu and she executed it perfectly.

He was proud.

He paused, then turned back around and got comfortable on the roof overlooking the training grounds. He smirked, watching them writhing against each other. He would have left to give them privacy, but good porn was scarce these days.

…

XXX

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One more chapter to go. Hope everyone reading this is safe and well. :)

R&R

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