Sakura had actually had a real breakfast with him, and he was now making it a habit to take her out of the room if he was able to. She wondered if it was because of her reaction to being outside last time, how relieved and happy she had become.
Perhaps it had to do with the fact that he was warming up to her in more ways than one.
"I have a garden." Gaara blurted out as they walked casually around the grounds of his home. Her eyes lit up with delight over the idea that he had a hobby.
"I would love to see it." The pinkette smiled ear to ear, and it seemed to have a good effect on him.
The redhead took her hand in his, leading her to a plot located out in the burning sun. She wondered just what he was growing that didn't need at least some partial shade. When they came up on the garden she began to chuckle at what she saw.
Cacti. So many different cacti in perfect rows. She nearly snorted it was so cute.
"You have a cactus garden?" Sakura narrowed her eyes teasingly at him, making her captor shuffle awkwardly.
"Mm. I like cacti." Gaara nodded rather quickly gaining a giggle from her. "They are very resilient."
"Oh yes, you don't have to water them very often." Her giggles erupted into full laughs, and it seemed to confuse him.
"You don't like them-?"
"Oh no! I do! It's just cute that you like the prickliest plant on earth!" Sakura laughed a little more before settling into a smile. "It reminds me of you, so sharp and scary on the outside, but soft and squishy on the inside."
"Everyone is soft and squishy on the inside, except for their bones. I don't understand your point." Gaara raised up a hairless brow in question, getting her to laugh once more.
The pinkette decided to walk away from that one, and made her way over to the shade of the building. When he followed close behind she picked up her pace. With a huff he caught up to her, so she went into a jog.
Suddenly it had turned into a game, and every time he caught up to her she would just run faster. It was one of the few things she kept up on from her days as a ninja, and she had to admit that her speed had improved quite a bit.
The redhead had caught up to her once more with a smug grin on his face, but she really felt like washing it away. Focusing her chakra in her feet she ran up the side of the wall, looking back only to watch him blink dumbly at her.
"That's cheating!" His naked brows furrowed, but it didn't stop him from running up the wall after her.
Soon they were jumping rooftop to rooftop, at a speed that was not normal for the average person. She felt herself laughing with every jump, and every skillful landing.
He was a decent distance behind her now, but she suspected that he would catch up to her at any moment-
"Ghhh!" Something knocked her from the roof of a small building to the ground. Her body rolled in the burning hot sand as the air painfully left her lungs. Sakura began to hack, heaving her breath for fresh air even though it burned horribly. As something grabbed her up by her lengthy pink hair she felt a kick to her back, making her grit her teeth with a pained cry.
"Stupid leaf bitch!" Her head was thrown forward to hit the ground, making her skull bounce off the hardened sand beneath her with a hard thud. "Its forbidden for your kind to use chakra! I'll have your head for it!"
A male Suna ninja screamed at her before kicking her in the chest. She squirmed in agony over the hit to her already burning lungs.
There was no one around, there were no people here. She looked about herself to find help but no one was there.
Sakura felt herself begin to panic, even more so as the man forced her to lay on her back with a kunai at her throat.
"You have a nice body though, pretty hair too, it would be a shame to let it go to waste just so I can put your head on a spike." His kunai lowered to the ties going down her red dress. "Tell you what, you don't fight me and I'll let you live to see another day-"
A flash of red and maroon in the background had her heart calming in her chest, and a smirk growing on her face.
"How about you get your disgusting hands off of me, and 'you' can live to see another day?" The pinkette narrowed her eyes in warning, but it only served to anger the ninja.
"Konoha whore!" The nameless man raised his hand back to strike, but it never came down. He jerked a few times before realizing he was caught in a trap of sand. The look of horror that washed over him was one that made her think that he might actually piss himself, so she scurried away from him as quickly as she could.
The sand tightened, and the ninja gave a scream of pure terror.
"Gaara, don't kill him." Sakura stood up to brush herself off before looking the redhead down. He was seething with rage, and breathing heatedly through his nostrils.
"He was going to-!" Gaara's sand started to move in for the kill, she needed to stop him before he ended up painting the city walls red.
"I know very well what he was going to do to me. I want him to live with that shame instead of having the peace of death." Truth be told she just didn't want blood spilt in her name, or to watch someone be crushed to death, but the excuse was a justified one that she felt would make sense to her violent friend.
It took a moment, his fingers twitching with the desire to kill. He raised the guard up with his sand to visually dissect the man, the ninja in his clutches cowering while the redhead judged his crime. With a snarl he threw the man down the street, forcing the ninja to bounce, crack, and roll painfully along the road.
She wasn't going to lie, the payback felt great, but she also wanted Gaara's reputation to be better than what it was. The less deaths the better it would be for him.
The pinkette was actually surprised at how well she was able to persuade him, and it dawned on her that she might be able to use his influence to her advantage.
If Gaara could mature more, and become more stable, perhaps he could take charge. He had all the power backing him, all he needed was a calm hand to guide him. She could be that hand.
Maybe, just maybe, she could save the leaf, and return it to what it was...
Sakura was off in her thoughts when he approached her, and it was only when he brushed her cheek did she jolt back into reality. His hands were gentle, and his haunting eyes searched her worriedly.
"Scrapes... your bleeding." The redhead went in to lick at her cheek, which she didn't even realize was cut. The feeling of his tongue against her raw skin stung, but something about his saliva felt soothing. It were as if it healed her in some way. He pulled away, the concern still evident on his features. "Come with me."
Suddenly Gaara was tugging her along urgently, as if they were running from something.
The pinkette let him guide her in a daze through the now silent section of the city over to a set of walls with a lattice roof, and a thin curtain as a door. Inside there was a small well, many rugs, and several pillows which he helped lay her down on.
Places like this were everywhere in Suna, many people needed water or had to get out of the sun, so these small sanctuaries were made. During the burning of midday, however, quite a few people tended to stay home unable to handle the heat. It was no surprise that they were alone here, and it was probably for the best.
Another lick to her cheek had her waking up from another daydream, and suddenly she felt his fingers plucking at the ties of her dress. She tensed, feeling the familiar panic from before flood her as he hovered.
Did he isolate them on purpose? Was her moment of weakness some sort of trigger for him?
Perhaps their seclusion brought to mind the other night, and now the redhead felt an urge to act on his newfound interest.
It was only a matter of time, and Sakura had known that from the start. However, when he had looked her over with that truly enraptured expression she wasn't expecting it to be so soon. He had said that he had a discussion with Kankuro, and the pinkette was certain that whatever they had talked about had spurred Gaara on.
However, she only had herself to blame. He was willing on more than one occasion to stop what they were doing completely, but she truly did not want to see him sad. She honestly wanted him to feel good, and to be happy.
As for excuses towards promiscuity went, she deemed hers to be good enough. People will do all sorts of things for another's happiness and wellbeing. So she decided that she would not shame herself for doing what she did.
However, such events lead to others. Much like what was currently developing here.
Sakura watched nervously as the ties unraveled under his skilled fingers, opening up the dress to reveal a black lace bra that he had 'unfortunately' picked out. He dipped his hand in a bowl of cool water, then smoothed it over her chest gingerly.
The sensation had her twitching slightly, but as his hand glided up to the back of her neck as well she realized that he was only trying to cool her down. However, he kept repeating the process on her chest, and it had her a bit suspicious as to whether or not he was just trying to touch her there.
"It looks painful... all these cuts... I almost envy you." Gaara furrowed his brows, as if he was feeling her discomfort. It was a strange thing for him to say, however she knew of his ultimate defense. She also knew that he bled very rarely, let alone experienced physical pain. It wasn't a complete wonder as to why he envied her, she could do and feel many basic things that he could not.
'Like sleeping... he can't do that either... he has no physical outlets.' That thought astounded her, and she couldn't begin to fathom what it would be like to walk in his shoes.
His eyes searched her frame until he came to a scrape on the inner part of her knee. He smoothed water over the wound, but as it continued to bleed he lower his head to lap at it.
"H-hey! Stop!" The pinkette squeaked before grabbing him by the hair. He growled slightly as she pulled, but continued to lick at her wound. His head went a bit further in making her give a full squeal of panic. "Don't do that!"
The redhead looked up at her in confusion. His one arm was wrapped under her leg to lift it up, and his face was hovering near her mid inner thigh. She felt heat go to her cheeks over the sight of him in such a position, she almost wanted to look away, but she knew that if she did it would be as if she was giving him full access to do whatever he pleased.
"This bothers you?" Gaara blinked at her, and it was rather innocent. She felt bad for thinking that he was attempting to do something improper with her.
No, he obviously wasn't doing it to be sinister. He was only trying to help.
"...No... never mind, I'm just overthinking things." Sakura did look away this time, and tried to ignore him when his tongue went back to lapping at her tender skin. At one point it stung a bit, making her jolt at the sudden sharpness instead of lulling at his licking motions. He stopped for a moment to study her, and eventually returned to his previous task. The pinkette flushed once more, thinking rather darkly on what it might feel like if he moved further in, and she felt shameful for thinking it.
"You're warm." The redhead came back up to a kneeling position, but he was much closer since her legs were now open for him to move in. At that realization she instinctually went to close them, but he was still in between so it only caused them to hold his hips. He looked around himself curiously before glancing back at her with a mixed expression, and with another hard blush she opened her legs once more to allow him to move away.
He didn't, instead he moved in closer.
"W-wait... please..." The pinkette closed her eyes as he hovered over her, and didn't open them until she realized that he wasn't going any further. As she opened them his haunting orbs were there, staring at her hard in the face.
"Hold still." Gaara said just above a whisper, and moved his mouth over her own. She froze up, feeling him lick at a cut on her bottom lip before taking it into his mouth.
His lips were soft, incredibly soft. She had never noticed before how sweet they were, at the time he had only kissed her roughly, but now...
The urge to move with him was too strong, and eventually she found herself massaging her lips with his. He stilled for a moment, breathing tensely through his nostrils. She pulled away, wondering if she had pushed too far with such a bold action. It didn't seem to bother him too much, what with his eyes flickering between her jade orbs and her pursed lips, the action alone gave him away.
He leaned in carefully, pressing his own soft kiss to her lips. She returned it, forcing him to tense up again, but eventually he warmed up to it enough that he slipped his tongue inside.
'I shouldn't be doing this, it's dangerous to go further-' She argued with herself, but for some odd reason she didn't want to stop.
Sakura hummed over how gentle it felt, and how sensually he moved with her. His hand smoothed water over her chest, and neck, but she guessed that he merely did it just to touch her.
'I suppose it's fine if it's just kissing. This is okay.' Convincing herself was getting to be too easy.
The breeze through the drafty room was enough to cool her down considerably, and at last she started to feel relaxed.
That is until she felt herself get pressed down onto the pillows.
The redhead was obvious about what he was thinking, it showed especially when his fingers dusted up her uninjured thigh leaving shivers in their wake.
Sakura broke the kiss to scold him, but lost her voice when his mouth tended hungrily to her neck. She unconsciously scraped at his shoulder blades, arching into him while making a sound she was not proud of.
Her body language was telling him that she desired him, but her mind was telling her to stop immediately.
No, this had to stop. It just wasn't right.
"Gaara... please... stop this..." The pinkette panted from exertion, heat, and what she could not deny to be lust pulsing through her. His arms felt so strong, and his pressure on top of her was strangely addictive. She wanted so badly to just wrap her legs around him, and let go of whatever was holding her back.
'Stop! Stop! Stop!' Her inner self screamed, but her outer self moaned as he scraped his teeth against her jugular. His fingers curled against the base of her skull, letting her hair weave between them.
"I don't want to stop... because that man wanted to take you from me... but I don't want anyone to touch you like that." Gaara muttered against her skin. He did not sound like a man thrown into the throes of lust. If anything he merely sounded upset, and distraught. "You're mine! I don't want other men to touch you like this!"
A firm pressure on her groin had her whimpering, and as her eyes looked down she could see his maroon duster shift as he grinded against her. She was beginning to ache just from the quick glance, a flood of memories rushing through her of what had transpired the other night.
How he looked, how he felt, his shivering form and strained voice. It had her sex beginning to pulse painfully as reality struck her with the fact that he was gaining pleasure from this too.
The redhead turned her chin up to look at him, and while the action had her swooning his next kiss had completely spirited her away. It was a perfect firmness, and eager enough to show her that he wasn't just kissing her out of politeness. He truly wanted to do these things, he wanted any and all of the physical touch her person could bring.
Gaara rolled his hips again, moving against her in a way that had rubbed her just right. She mewled at the sensation, finding that it had been so incredibly long since she had taken care of her pesky hormones. His body, his pressure, and his kisses were welcome.
'Idiot! Wake up! Gaara is your enemy, and your oppressor! He's not just some misunderstood cute guy!' Her inner self screamed in warning, shaking the pinkette out of a deep trance. 'HE WAS THE ONE WHO DESTROYED YOUR VILLAGE-!'
Sakura clenched up, she was certain that she had come to terms with that fact. That he was a boy who was lost due to ostracism, and that he didn't deserve the animosity he recieved...
No she knew that fact to be true, but it didn't stop her heart from hurting. It didn't halt her tears either as she turned her head away from him.
"Please... stop." The pinkette began to cry, and felt awful when she noticed his whole entire form freeze up at her words. She could hear his breath quaking nervously above her, and she could only imagine the hurt expression on his face.
"I'm... so sorry-" It showed in his tone, that horrible guilt. It wasn't his fault.
"No, it's not your fault. This was fine... I just... I'm not mentally prepared..." Sakura reached up blindly, and thankfully found his hair before scratching her nails softly against his scalp. He allowed his body to rest on top of her, giving an almost mournful sigh.
"I'm sorry, I just didn't like the way that ninja treated you. The way he looked at you too... it makes me feel ill... and it makes me want to keep you as close as possible. My Sakura..." The redhead began to nuzzle against her neck, and just like that he quickly became that strange child wanting affection. Somehow it never failed in getting her to embrace him, or to comfort him.
Perhaps he could control her too, just like she could control him. That was a dangerous thought. Even after he had staked his possessive claim on her like some sort of property, her heart still swayed for his loneliness.
'I've been lonely for a long time too... so I suppose it would make sense.'
"Sakura... promise you won't let another man hold you like this... please." Gaara moved downwards to rest his head on her chest, making her flush over the fact that he was now nestling between her partially exposed breasts. His arms wrapped around the middle of her waist, holding himself tightly to her panting form.
"I'll try." Sakura tried to calm herself by breathing deeply, but the rise and fall of his head on her breasts only made her more aware of his proximity to her sensitive body. She knew what his mouth had felt like on them, it was what had frightened her during the start of this whole twisted relationship.
Although, he wasn't rough when he had done it. Even at that time when he had acted like a complete monster, his mouth over her chest had been disturbingly pleasant.
"No!" The redhead shouted as he held on tighter, pressing himself firmly against her plush chest. "You're mine, and I will kill anyone who tries to come between us."
'So extreme...' With a sigh she felt fatigue hit her quickly, and she thought about making some false promises just so he would leave her be. She couldn't allow herself to be tempted by him.
"No one is going to get at me, Gaara. I have you to protect me, remember?" She stroked his red hair lovingly, and like a cat he pressed himself further into the petting. She continued this motion for what seemed like eternity before passing out mid pet.
It was always this way, he wanted to be nurtured until there was no more energy left. He drained her of everything she had.
- ... - ...
Something was cuddling up to her, and as she peeped open her sleepy eyes she realized that she was still in the rest area.
The sun had gone from burning above to burning on the horizon, drenching the world in a brilliant red. She watched the semi-sheer curtain door sway in the breeze, showing the sparkling orange sand outside shifting like a snake against the ground.
Why was it so quiet? Where were all the people at a time like this?
"Where is everyone... this street should be filled with people-" Sakura had meant to murmur it to herself, forgetting that the man holding her did not sleep. She jumped slightly when she felt his arm pull her in tight.
"A few ninja came in here earlier after you fell asleep. I wasn't in a good mood... so they evacuated the area." Gaara breathed against the back of her neck, snuggling closer even though he was already flush against her. "We are alone, and that is all that matters."
The former kunoichi felt him nuzzle into her hair, breathing in her scent before placing smooth open mouth kisses along her neck. It didn't feel invasive, or perverted, just relaxing. She allowed him to do as he pleased for the time being, going limp like a ragdoll for him to move.
"They said that you can't use chakra, that it's against the law-" The redhead murmured softly against her skin, practically purring as he kissed his way to the shell of her ear. "I told them that you are my mate, and that you can do whatever you please."
Sakura's heart nearly jumped from her chest, even more so as he bit down on her earlobe forcing her body to tremble. She didn't know what to say, she didn't know how to tell him he was wrong in thinking that.
If she denied what he wanted, would he kill her? The ideas of her home being reformed were slipping away behind the fact that she didn't think she could play such a role. What he wanted was beyond her.
"If anyone asks about you I want you to tell them that. Tell them that you are mated to me-" His lips brushed against her cheek as he moved in to kiss it, but she remained completely stunned.
"Gaara... you didn't discuss this with me first." The pinkette spoke as gently as she could, but it still made him tense despite her extreme caution.
"You told me no other man shall touch you." Gaara croaked while clutching at the center of her chest. She would have thought it perverse had she not recognized that he was only trying to grasp at her heart.
"I did, and I meant what I said-"
"So if only I can touch you then that makes you my mate." The redhead argued. She gave an exasperated sigh before she could stop the action, and instantly regretted it. "Am I wrong? Are you lying to me-?"
"No! It's just I didn't say you could touch me either." Sakura huffed with irritation, knowing that the gesture was too casual between them as he forced her body to lay flat on her back. He hovered over her with a hard stare, his glowing eyes searching her face for answers.
"How can you say that when we have done so much together? We have ate together, bathed together, held each other in the night while I watched over you... it is no longer just me, it is us!" Gaara gave a pained expression before throwing his fist into the pillows next to her head. She jolted at how powerful it was, making a hard slamming sound even against fabric. "Oh, now you think I will hurt you?! I can't hurt you! I don't want to! I lo-...!"
The redhead paused with a frightened expression while she was still drinking in what he had almost let slip. It took a long moment of silence, and staring into his horrified seafoam eyes before she finally accepted what had happened.
The beast had fallen in love with her. Gaara of the sand, the prince of night terrors had been roped in by a meager leaf kunoichi. By Sakura, a girl with no talents. She wouldn't have believed it had he not carried such a anxious demeanor.
"I don't... I don't love you. That wasn't what I was trying to say." His eyes narrowed threateningly, as if challenging her to try to say otherwise.
Why did that cut her so deeply?
The pinkette simply nodded before turning her head emotionlessly the side. The sand had begun to turn red, while the sky outside was reaching a hue of purple. The red grains continued to slither like crimson snakes just outside the semi sheer curtain, silently moving against the warm ground.
"It's a beautiful evening..." Sakura whispered while her eyes unfocused on the world around her. As she felt his fingers trace her cheek her body jolted at the unforeseen touch. However she chose to stay still, allowing him to find comfort in her.
"Yes... beautiful..." Gaara crooned while tracing his smooth thumb over her bottom lip, clearly lost in some sort of trance. "Perfect, even when doused in red..."
Her breath quivered as the same hand moved down her jawline to trace to the back of her head. He lowered his lips to her exposed neck, kissing gingerly along her jugular.
Perhaps this time she should just let him do it, maybe she'll actually hear him say it. Those three words that she desperately wanted to hear from literally anyone-
Footsteps from outside were heard trekking down the gritty road, bringing red dust with them as they stopped outside the doorway. Gaara didn't stop regardless of how much he stiffened, in fact his arms wrapped possessively around Sakura's frame before kissing down to her exposed collar bone.
"Gaara." A male voice from outside echoed before opening the curtain, receiving a growl from the redhead as he clenched her smaller form tighter. It was an intimidating jounin with a scarf draped around half of his features, the exposed half painted with red claw marks. "The council would like to speak with you."
"Tell them that I am busy." Gaara hissed, but the older nin shook his head.
"You can tend to your concubine later-"
"SHE'S NOT A CONCUBINE!" The redhead roared, sand immediately coming forward to pierce the jounin only to be blown away by a blade of wind. Gaara shook with rage, his breath heaving wildly as his hand thrust forward for another attack.
Without thinking she grabbed his wrist, halting the attack dead before it reached the older ninja. The two men stared at her in shock, but she turned her soft smile onto Gaara.
"It's not important, Gaara. You know what I am, and that's all that matters." She knew he had taken it the wrong way the second his eyes had widened, but at least it had him calm, and moving forward with what the village needed him to do.
He stared at her for the longest time, searching her eyes desperately for some sort of unknown purchase. Suddenly he kissed her so quickly that she didn't anticipate it, leaving her to touch at her mouth the second he left her form.
"Baki, I will go if you escort her back to the palace." The redhead went stony, his eyes losing any emotion they had contained just seconds ago, the jounin nodded sagely before beckoning the pinkette to follow.
"Come, girl. I will take you back now." Baki crossed his arms, waiting patiently for her to follow his orders. Deep in thought she finally stood, and dragged her feet as this man led her back home.
- ... - ...
"Gaara is quite taken with you, I've never seen him grow so infatuated with another person." Baki spoke softly, but loud enough to hear as they walked up the staircase. She didn't feel like talking to him at the moment, if anything she wished to just be alone for a while. "I assume he'll need a proper space for you. Having you in his quarters all the time is not proper for a concubine-"
"We don't have sex, so please don't call me his concubine." Sakura gritted her teeth, feeling more insulted by the second. The jounin stopped dead in his tracks before turning his head slightly.
"That will have to change, the council certainly won't allow him to take a former leaf ninja as his bride. It would be best if you had a more understandable relationship less they try to expel you from this place." Baki spoke as if it were a warning, continuing to lead her up the stairs. She chose to ignore him, feeling that Gaara's word was more enforced than the council's.
However, the mention of her being his 'bride' instead of his concubine had her on edge. She couldn't tell what was worse.
Sakura went to walk down the hall to Gaara's room, only to be snatched up by the wrist. She turned to see the jounin staring at her with narrowed eyes.
"Your place is upstairs. Do not argue." Baki gave her wrist a tug, but it didn't take much to have her following him.
Her own room, it sounded tempting, and wonderful. However, there was something inside her that told her that this was a mistake. Something about it felt wrong.
The next flight of stone stairs led her to her new quarters. Beyond a strong wooden door lay a beautiful bed of silks and soft cotton, the stone floor covered completely in plush rugs, a large stone bath against the wall with many fine oils and soaps, and the ceiling was clad in sheer draping fabrics of purples, reds, pinks, and golds. It was a luxurious room for sure.
It also looked extremely clean, as if it had never been touched.
"This is where you shall stay from now on, and perform your duties." The jounin walked over to the deep walk in closet concealed by a curtain. Shuffling of fabric was heard until he exited with a folded fresh set of clothes.
"What duties? As far as I'm concerned there have been no rules laid out for me-" Sakura tensed as silk clothes were placed into her hands.
"Change into these, and then you will hand over your civilian clothes." Baki pointed to the closet expectantly. Not wanting to make waves she followed his order, and entered the closet behind the curtain.
'This is just going to make Gaara upset...'
As she started to change she realized that the clothes were a two piece set. A red satin strapless brazier draped with sheer purple fabric, and low hip hugging red satin underwear with the same sheer purple fabric acting as a harem pant. She felt like she was supposed to be some sort of pretty genie, stuck in its bottle waiting for their master to make a wish. She assumed that's how it was supposed to play out too.
'Disgusting.'
Once dressed she exited the closet with her clothes in hand, shoving them at the jounin in frustration.
"He won't play into this, you know. It's not his 'kink'." The pinkette barked proudly before crossing her arms over her exposed cleavage. The outfit was far too scandalous, and she was too embarrassed to be stared at.
"Put your hair up in a ponytail, please." Baki remained unphased, and with an incredulous scoff at being ignored she stomped over to what seemed to be a vanity by the window. She sat down grabbing a brush to violently rip through her medium long hair. Once brushed up into a high pony the pink locks just barely tickled above her shoulders. "I encourage that you use protection when tending to Gaara. A pregnancy will not be tolerated-"
"Get the fuck out of my room." Sakura stared at her reflection bitterly, the pretty things were not meant for her but rather they were meant to flatter her for the man who held claim over her life. She couldn't stand the jounin's presence anymore, and when he refused to move she picked up a sharp decorative comb throwing it at him with impressive precision. However, he deflected it with a kunai of his own just as flawlessly. "GET OUT!"
The pinkette had never screamed in such a raw way, and it actually made the man before her blink in surprise at her animosity. It took a moment, but he finally bowed his head, and left; locking the door behind him.
Sakura scurried over to the bed, wrapping herself in a blanket before hugging her knees to cry. She never wanted to become a concubine, and yet now it seemed that she was being forced to despite the title that Gaara had given her.
It was all up to him now whether he would change this outcome for her, or accept this turn of events as leaning in his favor.
- …. - …
"She is a former leaf genin! It would shame not only your family lineage, but our village's reputation!"
"You cannot have her living with you! It is forbidden!"
"Look at what she made you do to one of our own! Convincing you to take out our own military!"
"She is just using you for her own benefit. Leaf kunoichi may be beautiful, but they are deadly tricksters."
"The only merit she brings is her warmth in your bed, leave it at that!"
"Make her a proper concubine, it will be more honorable for you both if you do."
"She is not your 'mate', nor will we ever allow for you to marry an outsider!"
Many words seemed to be thrown around, but Gaara just stood there completely straight faced. He was actually hearing them, he just didn't care.
"She will convince you to defy your village if you allow her false wiles to dwindle at your heart-!"
"How idiotic." The redhead finally spoke, his dry voice silencing the entire room.
"You think her influence will be enough to get me to kill everyone, when that is something I have always desired to begin with. I only keep you all alive because it entertains me to watch everyone scramble to provide me with an early death. Nice job on that, I'm a constant reminder of your failures as well as your successes."
Many of the council went wide eyed at his declaration, and he felt a dark laugh bubble out of him.
"Sakura actually convinced me to spare your precious lap dog. Yes, she is a fickle and demonic woman indeed-"
"Do not jest! He was not the only victim! You have already killed another!" An older man, Gaara had not bothered to remember his name, spoke vehemently. He was always so noisy, this old bastard. It had the redhead turning his eyes slowly towards him, reveling in the fear that washed over his features.
"I killed a man that attempted to fuck with my things. We have a law for that, yes? Whoever steals from their neighbor shall experience a swift death. Theft, and destruction of property is not tolerated." Gaara practically purred he was so smug, but the older man began to sputter.
"HOW DARE YOU PERVERT OUR LAWS-!"
"-A guard attempted to steal a life from me. The second that she was put in my care her life became mine, and he had a knife at her throat." The redhead raised his voice slightly, and the tone was enough to shut the man in front of him up. "Who knows if he had other plans for her aside from murder, but even so her body is mine as well. Had I caught him in the midst of stealing her virginity I would have ran a stake through his body, and left him naked out in the burning sun to die of burns and blood loss."
"My lord, certainly that is a bit extreme..." A younger man pressed, but once again the name of this person was lost on Gaara. However, he knew he had a teenage daughter.
"What would you do if I went into your daughter's room, held her down with a knife, and fucked her while she screamed and bled?" The redhead allowed his eyes to grow stern, and the man along with the whole council withered under his hard stare, and harsher words.
"I would... forgive me, but I would kill you-" The man was soft spoken, but at least he was honest.
"In the worst way you could think of, yes?" Gaara pressed, and when the man nodded he felt a smile tug on his lips. "I believe I have proved my point. Don't touch my things, or I will kill you."
"The fact remains that you cannot have a romantic relationship with her! We forbid it-!" That noisy old man again...
"All I can say is that you can try to stop me, but if you intend any harm on her I will kill you. I will continue to do as I please, with or without your permission. I really don't care. She shall be known as my mate from this day onward, and anyone who refers to her as a consort or concubine will find themselves buried in the dunes." Gaara was feeling rather smart at the start of his demands, but then he felt his animosity return. "Do not disrespect me, and especially do not disrespect her. You will regret it, and will wish for the death that I will not provide. There will be no mercy."
The council was left stunned, and frightened. Feeling that he had made his terms known well enough he turned to walk out of the room. A few whispers were heard as his back was turned, and they spoke lowly of him, but thankfully they no longer were speaking about her.
It was only a matter of time though. The redhead would definitely kill at least one of them before the week was through.
"Wow, I've never seen you get so talkative." Kankuro was leaning against the wall with a full grin. Apparently the puppet master had arrived to watch the show, and appreciated the scene that had unfolded before him. "You really love her."
"'Love' is a strong word. I enjoy her presence, conversation, and her physical appearance. I do not consider that to be in the spectrum of 'love'-'" Gaara argued as he walked past, but his older brother seemed to follow in step with him rather quickly.
"You'd kill for her. You'd fight the entire council for her. The entire village even! That's more than just a crush, dude. You full on love Sakura-" Kankuro started to giggle like an idiot, and it instantly got on the younger's nerves.
"Wipe that stupid grin off your face, I do not love her-!"
"And I don't wear face paint. This is all natural." The puppet master bit back, shocking the redhead with his boldness. "Look, I'm not making fun of you. I think it's great that you love her. That's a first for you, and I can tell she's made you into a more positive person. Despite what the council says I think she's a great influence on you."
Kankuro patted Gaara's shoulder gently, making the younger brother flinch slightly at the gentle touch.
"So... what was that 'virginity' stuff you were talking about? You trying to say something, huuuh?" The puppeteer snickered as he nudged his brother with a sharp elbow. The response from the redhead was to simply push his brother away from him.
"Some stuff happened, but nothing that intense-" Gaara admitted quietly, and to his surprised his brother became absolutely giddy.
"What?! You have to tell me what happened! I need those dirty-birdy details!" Kankuro grabbed his brother by the shoulder again, only this time he attempted to guide them into a walk.
It was weird that the redhead didn't fight back, he was mostly just considering whether or not it was something worth talking about, and his steps naturally began moving forward.
"Well, I was planning on executing what we had discussed earlier on my own, but she had grown suspicious. I told her that I had wanted to be alone, and she found it strange as I had no desire for time alone in the past." Gaara began, noting that they were walking down to the living quarters.
"So I tried lying about it, but I'm not very good at keeping things from her. For some reason it just feels awkward. However, after several minutes of bickering I revealed that you and I had a conversation that had changed my point of view on things. I did not disclose what he talked about, obviously."
Kankuro nodded his head as he took in the information, remaining respectfully quiet.
"I told her that distance was best, she claimed it was counter productive and that she desired to know what my problems were with her staying around. That's when I just... stared at her. I don't know why it was so strong, but I wanted to kiss her..."
The redhead gave an exasperated sigh, as if he were reliving the moment.
"She changed her mind, I had obviously alerted her, but I begged her to stay. I just wanted her nearby since I didn't know what I was doing exactly. Her presence gives me peace of mind..."
The puppet master leaned forward to unlock his door before waving the redhead in silently. His attention was still obviously interested in the conversation at hand.
Gaara found a chair almost immediately to sit down in, and laced his fingers anxiously as he rested his elbows on his knees.
"She stayed, and she was plain in the fact that she knew what I was planning to do. I didn't expect her to practically pull me into that shower, or guide my own hands-"
"Woah! Wait wait wait- you're tell me she didn't just stand there for it? She fucking initiated it?!" Kankuro stopped in his tracks as he made his way over to the other chair across from his brother in the center of his bedroom. His face was washed with disbelief.
"I don't really know who it was who initiated, I just know she was adamant about me seeing it through to the end. At one point I had wanted to stop, as it felt too strange for me, but she practically forced me to continue despite my discomfort." The redhead saw how his brother's eyes continued to widen, and felt a bit of guilt for painting her like some sort of pervert. "I mean, I obviously was still in the mood, and I honestly could have stopped her from moving my hand-"
"Dude. Marry this girl, she's got a secret kinky side I just know it." The puppeteer grinned devilishly, making the younger brother flush a bit.
"What the hell does 'kinky' mean?!" Gaara snapped, waking the older brother up to the fact that he was not amused by his strange terms.
"Bro, chill. Being kinky is a good thing. It's just sort of like unconventional sexual tastes. Like maybe she wants to get tied up, or she can tie you up too if that's your thing-"
"How the fuck am I supposed to know what my interests are? I just barely got through an introduction!" The redhead grew more frustrated, throwing his head into his hands. His brother was quick to hush his outbursts, but he was being gentle about it.
"It's okay, you've obviously been kept out of the loop. I could give you my opinion until the cows come home, but to be honest I don't think my opinions are going to benefit you much." Kankuro gave his brother a small reassuring smile that left the younger tilting his head in confusion. "Let's go on a field trip, shall we?"
- ... - ... -
Gaara blinked as he looked about the room, finding the women inside to be more distracting then the actual fine decor. For some odd reason this seemed to make his older brother grin like an idiot.
"While you've been acting like a recluse, I decided to pick up some chicks. Welcome to the harem-!"
"You picked us up? Puh-lease! You wish we came willingly!" A blonde woman immediately stomped towards them wearing a rather revealing outfit. She looked like one of those suggestive dancers he had seen in the taverns, the ones that moved their waists in rather hypnotic ways. However, he understood now what the purpose of the aesthetic was.
"Aw, babe. Don't be like that..." Kankuro played up his puppy eyes, but it seemed to have no effect on the strong female in front of them.
"Shut your manwhore mouth! Do you understand how fucking boring it is in here?! It's sad that the only entertainment I get is when you decide you want to get busy!" The concubine screeched at her master, and while her complete disrespect had Gaara furrowing his naked brows it seemed that his brother was more than amused.
"So, what you're saying is that you missed me?" The puppetmaster grinned as his younger brother gaped at the fact that he had come to such a farfetched conclusion.
"Don't leave me waiting again, or else I'll slap you." The blonde huffed, making the smile on her owner's face grow ear to ear. "So, any reason as to why this guy is here, or are you just experimenting with your questionable sexuality?"
"Hey now! It's not like that. This is my little brother, Gaara-" As he waved a hand towards the younger the blonde instantly paled. Her demeanor went from playful to stiff in an instant.
"I see. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lord Gaara. My name is Ino Yamanaka" The woman carefully bowed, and for some reason it seemed to have Kankuro blinking in shock.
This was obviously not a normal behavior from her, and it made the redhead feel a bit guilty.
"Um... yeah. Anyways, he needs some advice from a woman's standpoint. He's trying to court, and I can only do so much." The puppet master gave a nervous laugh cueing the blonde to glare at him. "Pretty please? I'll take you out tomorrow-"
"Deal! Alright then, Gaara, why don't you come with me. We can have a nice chat on the bed." Ino instantly warmed up to Gaara, leaving him perplexed at the sudden attitude change. Her arm slipped through his own as if she were made of water, and her gliding walk had her leading him with intrigue. As they sat down on the bed she flipped her hair with a sultry smile, then abruptly let it fall as she narrowed her eyes at Kankuro. "Why don't you actually do something useful for once, and make some tea."
'So bossy...' The redhead felt himself recoil a bit as he watched her exchange words with his older brother. However, he was shocked at how obedient the puppeteer was to her demands. He even went about his tasks with a smile on his face. 'I hope Sakura doesn't turn out this way...'
"So, you're courting huh? That's really cute!" Ino smiled sweetly for him, and for some reason he felt calmed by it. "You're probably a hopeless romantic. I know these things, I'm very intuitive."
Even though Gaara stayed majorly silent, he had many thoughts pass through his head.
'Vain' Happened to be one of them, although it sort of suited her.
"I bet you're a real wildcat in the bedroom too, the stoic ones always are." The blonde's eyes sized him up for a moment before slipping him a wink. It was an odd behavior, but it oddly left him blushing.
"I wouldn't know, I haven't gotten that far-" He had started to say, but her strange gasping-squeal cut him off leaving him blinking owlishly.
"Oh my god, that is adorable! I envy the girl who gets to break you in-!"
"AHEM!" Kankuro was suddenly standing next to them with a tray in hand. While the redhead was at a loss for words she seemed to have more than enough attitude for the both of them.
"You can put it over there." Ino pointed to the bedside table with an apathetic expression. Finally his older brother was starting to sour, and practically slammed down the tray on the table's surface. "I like making him jealous, he gets so fiery afterwards."
"And that... pleases you?" Gaara finally spoke, gaining a mischievous glance in return.
"I like it hard, and he's a bit of a tender heart when it comes to sex. So yeah, I like it when he's got a fire under his ass." The blonde was so incredibly shameless that it left him at a loss for words. Somehow she took it positively. "You should really cater to a woman during sex, if she's not getting off then you are doing it wrong."
At that statement he felt himself sink a bit. The other night was fantastic for him, however Sakura was adamant about not receiving anything.
"What if the woman doesn't want to be touched, but is more than willing to help the man in his sexual endeavors?" The redhead asked shyly, feeling awkward over asking a stranger such things. However, Ino seemed to be in an understanding mood.
"She sounds uncertain about it, but probably still wants to do things with you. I'm going to assume it's her moral standing that's getting in the way." The blonde theorized, and he felt as if her hypothesis was right on the money. "If that's the case just keep trying. Stop if she absolutely needs to, but then pick it up again later. Don't be discouraged just because she's a prude, even the most virtuous of people can break with enough work."
"That sounds manipulative." Gaara frowned, and Ino laughed it off before placing a gentle hand on his knee.
"Maybe, but as long as you stop when she tells you to it's not that bad. Just don't guilt her into it, that's not cool." The blonde gave him another flattering smile, and for some reason it reminded him of Sakura.
Her expression changed then to something a bit sneakier.
"If you'd like, we can do a practice run." Ino's lashes lowered, and that distracting hand on his knee traveled upward just the slightest.
"Alright, that's enough! Leave the poor guy alone!" Kankuro swept in before his younger brother could even react to the strange attention. He had never been treated in such an odd way before, and yet he kind of liked it.
However, he could tell that his older brother was not the least bit happy about the concubine's behavior.
"Aw, can't I play with him a little bit? He's so inexperienced, and it's cute-!"
"No, you can't play with him! He's off limits!" Kankuro practically pulled the redhead up by his arm before leaning in to glare at the blonde. "We are going to have a chat about this when I get back-"
"Bite me, bitch." Ino pushed his face away from her before slipping away. The sway in her hips, and general calmness seemed to explain all of her disrespectful behavior.
The way Kankuro clenched his jaw was a telling sign as well. Perhaps it would be best if he left.
"There's no need to walk me out, I'll let you take care of this." Gaara put on a false face of scrutiny before turning away from his brother. "You should really discipline her more, she treats you like a lowly mutt when you are in fact a mighty wolf-"
"I know how to treat my women, Gaara." The slight growl in his voice was almost territorial, and it was something that the redhead understood quite well.
"Obviously not. She's definitely desiring a dominate mate, which you are failing to live up to." Gaara turned his head just the slightest to view the puppeteer, seeing his anger roll off of him. "Perhaps some rope would help in breaking her? Maybe even a firm scolding with a heavy hand."
Kankuro seemed to go dumbfounded at this, and with a smirk the redhead vacated the area finding that his work here was finished.
A scream in the distance could be heard as he trekked down the hall, and it would have worried him had he not heard the laughter afterwards.
The redhead felt that he was getting educated enough in the subject now, and his confidence was beginning to show.
He had told off the council, learned a few new suggestive things, and even played a rather risky hand in nudging his brother into properly pleasing his current interest.
Yes, Gaara felt the confidence surge. He was on fire tonight, and nothing was going to stop him from showing Sakura just what she was missing out on.
As he got to his room he saw that she wasn't there. However he could smell her scent clearly due to the bijuu's instincts. He followed her scent up a flight of stairs, leading to a room he had never been in before. As he turned the handle and peaked in he noticed how similar it was to Kankuro's harem quarters.
Her protective hold on herself was what he noticed first, but as she practically jumped off the bed to run towards him he realized just what she was wearing...
Gaara swallowed hard, and tensed as she held onto him desperately.
This was going to be a difficult night...